These come from real life happening in the world of job seekers.
1.}You are applying for a position in organization ABC, gathering data from
networking resources (yes); informational interviewing with contacts
in organization and field (yes); emailing CEO for advice on where this role is
leading with super-friendly, gushing, non-professional email (on my no!).
2.}Finding out about a job posting and deferring applying until you are
100% ready, or because you have all this stuff to do...(no!).
3.}Randomly sending resumes for every open position within
an organization (No! this shows lack of focus and hints at desperation.
4.} Believing that networking and stalking are basically the same thing :-)
(wrong...one is a great job search tool and the other leads to
restraining orders). Show initiative and eagerness for the job without calling or emailing every 72 hours. Be respectful and persistent.
5.} Sending the same resume to all the jobs you apply for.Do the
positions all have the same title? Then why would the same resume work? I interviewed someone once who clearly had a cover letter that was not supported by the resume. The cover letter was accurate but she had not taken the time to update and target her resume for the role. It was a clear disconnect and showed lack of attention to detail and enthusiasm for the position.
6.} Informational interviews are job searches in disguise...not! This is the fastest way to ruin your chances and the chances of those who come
after you...very bad form and ethically a huge no-no.
7.} Sending 100 resumes out to postings on Craig's list constitutes a job
search...wrong! You must actually leave the room to be doing a job
search. Statistics indicate that 80% of jobs are found through networking while roughly 20% of job searchers ever use this route.This means, 80% of people are
searching jobs online, where 20% of the jobs are posted while only 20% are networking into 80% of the open positions; you do the math!
8.} Networking is nepotism...only if you are jealous of great
networkers. Most people who succeed with networking have spent hours
building and feeding their professional network, they find a job lead
and follow it, it is usually the 3rd level of contacts that pays off
for them. Networking in it's true sense is not finding a job at your uncle Bernie's CPA firm...it is instead, building relationships that are professionally reciprocal
moving forward.
9.} I have a degree from XXX so I deserve $$$ for my first job and I expect to live like my parents do now. Question: Have you actually seen a photo of your
parent's first apartment? You must and will pay your dues it is time to grow up
and accept it. You will be a better person for the struggles (and you
will remember these times always). Be brave, give up the feeling of
being entitled...no one is.
10.} Someone got a better break than me because they are...fill in the
blank. Well, maybe they did, or maybe they were actually more
qualified. Do not waste your time on why, pick yourself up, move
forward, find your support system and earn the professional respect.
11.} Some of your bosses will suck, some with inspire, some with be absent
minded, some will be micro-managers, some will claim your work as
theirs (take it back), some will be stingy, some will be absent, some
will not see your talent; learn form them how to be a great boss and how not
to be a jerk.
12.} Don't bring soup, your best friend or your mom to your job
interview.
13.} Never lie or misspell on your resume.
14.} Be who you are in your interview, makes it easier to remember who you
are on the first day of work.
15.} Do not buy your new suit the day before the interview.
16.} Personal scents should never announce your arrival or be the reason
you are remembered several hours after you have left the building.
17.} If you can hear your earrings when you walk...they are not meant for
an interview.
18.} Shaking hands is an art form: do not try to steal the jewelry, grasping
a discreet Kleenex can solve the sweaty hand thing, the limp fish I do
not rally want to touch you hand shake is frankly creepy and holding
on longer than 3 seconds is into that uncomfortable zone. Please look someone in the eye when you shake hands.
19.} Never apologize for who you are. Your life has brought you to this day (both good and bad). Do you really want to work for someone who makes you feel like less than you are, or can be?
20.} In short, life is funny, sometimes crappy, and often beautiful...enjoy
the ride, laugh at yourself and giggle at the total absurdity of what
we count as success. Be comfortable with ambiguity, the best answer is often "it depends".
oh yeah, have a blast...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
This may be a jobless recovery
Take a chance on applying for the job.
If you have 70-80% of the skills needed and can learn the rest quickly, apply.
Think broadly about what you might want to do but don’t waste your energy on mass mailings for any and every job. This is not useful for you and can really anger HR folks.
Update and target your resume for the job.
Make sure something you say in your cover letter exists on your resume.
Know what salary you need and stick to it (if it is indeed based in reality for this universe).
Always thank everyone who has helped you in the process, they will remember and will help you again the next time around.
If you offer to be a networking help, please do so. I have seen the best and the worst. I know someone who had a company resource who kept him up to date on the search process and went to bat for him numerous times in the process (wow). I also know someone who had a contact who promised the world but never delivered. Jobs were posted by the organization over and over without a single word from the “contact”. I would wonder how dedicated a networker she was or how connected.
Don’t eliminate a contact because they may seem junior in role. If they are a great employee and show enthusiasm for connecting, they can be a hugely positive resource. Titles do not mean you are a great resource.
Please be on LinkedIn. Have a good profile, be connected, join groups that are relevant, have recommendations. Add your link to the bottom of your resume.
Shake off the downtimes. It can be incredibly difficult out there right now. Yes, I have a job, but my husband is looking, dear friends are looking, and I work in career services. I see the new grads looking for work, the alumnae returning to get the needed resources because they have been laid off and I read the endlessly challenging business news. I feel the anxiety; I am living the life right now.
Employers, please send a simple one line email that says, hey; got your resume, we are swamped and we will call you if you fit the role. Simple but huge to the thousands of people seeking work minute by minute.
To job seekers and hiring managers: if we cannot be our best selves now, then when?
If you are out of work, update your skills, network (don’t tell me you don’t have time to network), learn that new software, take the community college class that will give you skills in grant writing, fundraising, computer technology, writing, project management. Don’t forget to network while you are there.
Hiring managers: be patient with the anxiety you are seeing and the resumes you receive. There is a person behind the paper. They have families to raise, mouths to feed, mortgages to pay. They are scared and they are sometimes desperate. You have a job, at least for now. There but for the grace of….
If you have 70-80% of the skills needed and can learn the rest quickly, apply.
Think broadly about what you might want to do but don’t waste your energy on mass mailings for any and every job. This is not useful for you and can really anger HR folks.
Update and target your resume for the job.
Make sure something you say in your cover letter exists on your resume.
Know what salary you need and stick to it (if it is indeed based in reality for this universe).
Always thank everyone who has helped you in the process, they will remember and will help you again the next time around.
If you offer to be a networking help, please do so. I have seen the best and the worst. I know someone who had a company resource who kept him up to date on the search process and went to bat for him numerous times in the process (wow). I also know someone who had a contact who promised the world but never delivered. Jobs were posted by the organization over and over without a single word from the “contact”. I would wonder how dedicated a networker she was or how connected.
Don’t eliminate a contact because they may seem junior in role. If they are a great employee and show enthusiasm for connecting, they can be a hugely positive resource. Titles do not mean you are a great resource.
Please be on LinkedIn. Have a good profile, be connected, join groups that are relevant, have recommendations. Add your link to the bottom of your resume.
Shake off the downtimes. It can be incredibly difficult out there right now. Yes, I have a job, but my husband is looking, dear friends are looking, and I work in career services. I see the new grads looking for work, the alumnae returning to get the needed resources because they have been laid off and I read the endlessly challenging business news. I feel the anxiety; I am living the life right now.
Employers, please send a simple one line email that says, hey; got your resume, we are swamped and we will call you if you fit the role. Simple but huge to the thousands of people seeking work minute by minute.
To job seekers and hiring managers: if we cannot be our best selves now, then when?
If you are out of work, update your skills, network (don’t tell me you don’t have time to network), learn that new software, take the community college class that will give you skills in grant writing, fundraising, computer technology, writing, project management. Don’t forget to network while you are there.
Hiring managers: be patient with the anxiety you are seeing and the resumes you receive. There is a person behind the paper. They have families to raise, mouths to feed, mortgages to pay. They are scared and they are sometimes desperate. You have a job, at least for now. There but for the grace of….
Monday, July 20, 2009
Interview Reality
What to do before the interview:
Research the organization and industry
Company websites, networking, internet
Analyze the position
Job posting, informational interviews, career center assistance, ONet
Review your qualifications
Compare your skills to posting requirements, be honest
Consider applying to a posting where you have at least 70-80% of the needed skills
Think about salary needs
Practice
Mock interviews are highly useful in spotting interview weaknesses and strengths
Contact your college career office to set one up
What to do that day:
Know where you are going and how to get there
Do not drink too much coffee or water
Be early but not too early (15 minutes is useful)
Use the restroom
Bring breath mints
Bring tissue for sweaty hands
You can keep this in a pocket to squeeze just before shaking hands
Hold items in left hand to keep your right hand free for shaking hands
Bring extra copies of your resume, cover letter and references
Best Practices for Success:
Never be late
Introduce yourself with a firm handshake but don’t crush the fingers
Practice this with friends and ask for feedback
Dress relatively conservatively but be yourself
In general, I often suggest that you wear what someone in this organization might wear to an important meeting
No gum or fragrances
Good grooming is crucial
Clean hair, minimize jewelry, play down makeup, clean nails, no chipped polish
Use a briefcase or portfolio, no backpacks
Only bring one item to carry, leave the purse at home
No cell phones ringing please, turn them off for the interview
What employers say they want:
Be comfortable with yourself, we liked your resume so we are interested in you
Know why you want to work here and when you can start
The objective listed on your resume should match the job
Look at our website, please!
Be assertive in telling us what you have to offer
Have depth to your answers and questions, tell stories, we want to get to know you
Be specific about examples, tell me what you can do for my company
Be adaptable to change
Please have questions to ask otherwise I think you don’t really care about where you work
General categories of interview questions:
General
Tell me about yourself
What are your strengths?
Behavioral
Tell me about a specific time…
Give me an example of…
Case
A complex problem involving issues or situations where you need to come up with an answer
Note: You may be provided a scenario and given a certain time to come up with a solution to a concern
Lunch or dinner interview tips:
Still be on your best behavior, this is not a party
Avoid controversial topics or careless talk
No cell phone ringing, this is an interview and all the above rules apply
Order the mid-priced meals
Take small bites so that you can answer questions in a timely manner and without a mouth full of food
Consider eating before you arrive so you are not ravenous during the interview
No alcohol, ever, ever…no alcohol
Understand the table setting, using from the outside in
Remember the b & d tip: make the small letter b with your left hand and the small letter d with your right hand…this will help you remember where your bread (b) and drink (d) are located on a large table
Napkin should be on your lap
Talk with other guests but do not focus your conversation on any one individual, don’t flirt
Say thank you at the end of the event
Tell me about yourself:
Keep your comments focused on information the employer can use to determine your qualifications for and interest in the field, do not stray into the personal arena
Discuss future career goals
Education
Experience
Enthusiasm for the field
Some questions you may want to ask:
What is the biggest challenge facing this group/organization?
What are some typical 1st year assignments?
How would you describe the management style in this organization?
Exactly what kind of background are you looking for?
Do you have any concerns about my background that I can answer now?
Follow-up time:
Write down what went well and what you can improve upon for next time
Mail or email a thank you letter (mail is always my first choice)
Contact employer in a week to express your continued interest
Continue to send out resumes to other potential employers, never wait for one employer to respond before you begin your work on the next opportunity
There is no time to waste in this market
Do salary survey work based upon new insights into the position
Take care of yourself, treat yourself to something small but special for having an interview. This is worth feeling good about.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Discrimination:
Discrimination, you know it when you feel it. Sometimes you just know it is there even when those around you fail to notice. It is in the way someone looks at you, the way they say your name, and the way they exclude you form a process or a promotion or even the opportunity to get a job. It is in the way someone tries to figure out your ethnic background or age through a biased review of your resume. It is being eliminated from consideration because you went to a state school. It is being removed from consideration in the first 45 seconds of an interview based upon the vague dislike of a search team member. It is being called too liberal or too conservative or just not a right fit.
You may find discrimination in the offices of companies big and small, in the halls of colleges and universities, in board rooms, in classrooms, in lunchrooms and even in access to bathrooms. Discrimination can be because you are a person of color, have a visible disability, are female, male or transgender, because you are gay, rich, poor, did not go to Harvard, wear too many earrings, because you are not a person of color and because of age. The list can go on much beyond this but I have to stop someplace.
I have seen bias raise its ugly head in the process of hiring for an open position. Sometimes the bias is against anyone from outside the organization, or from within. Often the bias is against a woman moving into a “man’s role” or vice versa. Just think about the rules surrounding male teachers these days due to fear of sexual abuse, despite all of the recent evidence suggesting that female educators can also be prone to crossing the line with their students.
One recent saga from the world of job interviewing involves the obvious calculating of someone’s age in an interview by asking how long they had been at all of the prior listed positions. The candidate had been highly successful up to this final interview. What changed? The clear answer based on the jotting of numbers by the interviewer was age. This candidate was clearly now known to be over 50 and was out of the running despite internal hiring protests. A clearly younger hiring manager was uncomfortable with having an older employee no matter the qualifications and experience. The age barrier also works in reverse. I have seen clients balk at working with a career counsel younger than themselves based upon a perception that the counselor will not be able to understand their issues despite years of training and a degree in the field. Younger workers are also often hired due to being able to work longer hours and be paid less…or that is the assumption.
This brings me to parenthood. We mothers know the signs subtle and not so subtle. I was once told that I would be much farther along in my career if I had just not taken that time off (to raise my children was left unsaid but we both knew the name of the elephant in the room). I also know that being a mother has created a mommy track of sorts; my husband also finds himself in a sort of daddy track because he actually wants to coach soccer and softball teams and does not want to be away from home 50% of his life. It is clear that the old system of rewarding punishing lifestyle choices is out of whack with the new ways we wish to work.
I have seen search teams that have been all white or all women of color when it seems clear to me that in this day and age this should never happen. I have reviewed top management of companies and have seen mainly white guys with a few women and a select number of people of color. It seems the standard of hiring who you know creates a system for recreating insular communities of the past, all of one color, race, gender, socio-economic class, and political leanings and so on. If we do not force ourselves to be aware of this happening then we will be condemning our children to trying to “fix” it down the road. Isn’t it time we moved beyond tolerance to inclusion?
It is vital that we bring about the changes and open the conversations on our own. Whenever government or group think gets involved we end up with rules that no one finds quite as liberating as they sounded initially. Have you ever listened to a speech on eliminating discrimination that left you more confused than when you began? We all have. You walk out of a room with a list of don’ts but few ideas on how to create a new and vibrant, inclusive community. I suggest that in our best moments, we know exactly what this would look like but are too afraid to make a suggestion for fear of being ridiculed or labeled. We must ask the tough questions, make the suggestions, and have the courageous conversations.
Truth be told, we are hurting one another daily by denying access to the basics of a wonderful life. When you impact someone’s ability to work, you impact their sense of worth, their families, and their communities. You also deny yourself the opportunity to discover a new and exciting talent with maybe just the right skills, just what you really need. I challenge you to move beyond your comfort zone and take the “risk” on hiring someone for a role that is outside the accepted “norm” in your community. Think freely, act boldly, hire the old guy, the wise Latina, the lawyer without the Harvard pedigree, the lesbian firefighter, and change the world one person at a time.
You know discrimination when you feel it…on either side of the table; as the perpetrator or the recipient. It is alive and well and it seems not only the good ole boy network is doing it now. Equal opportunity to deny access is not success or change.
You may find discrimination in the offices of companies big and small, in the halls of colleges and universities, in board rooms, in classrooms, in lunchrooms and even in access to bathrooms. Discrimination can be because you are a person of color, have a visible disability, are female, male or transgender, because you are gay, rich, poor, did not go to Harvard, wear too many earrings, because you are not a person of color and because of age. The list can go on much beyond this but I have to stop someplace.
I have seen bias raise its ugly head in the process of hiring for an open position. Sometimes the bias is against anyone from outside the organization, or from within. Often the bias is against a woman moving into a “man’s role” or vice versa. Just think about the rules surrounding male teachers these days due to fear of sexual abuse, despite all of the recent evidence suggesting that female educators can also be prone to crossing the line with their students.
One recent saga from the world of job interviewing involves the obvious calculating of someone’s age in an interview by asking how long they had been at all of the prior listed positions. The candidate had been highly successful up to this final interview. What changed? The clear answer based on the jotting of numbers by the interviewer was age. This candidate was clearly now known to be over 50 and was out of the running despite internal hiring protests. A clearly younger hiring manager was uncomfortable with having an older employee no matter the qualifications and experience. The age barrier also works in reverse. I have seen clients balk at working with a career counsel younger than themselves based upon a perception that the counselor will not be able to understand their issues despite years of training and a degree in the field. Younger workers are also often hired due to being able to work longer hours and be paid less…or that is the assumption.
This brings me to parenthood. We mothers know the signs subtle and not so subtle. I was once told that I would be much farther along in my career if I had just not taken that time off (to raise my children was left unsaid but we both knew the name of the elephant in the room). I also know that being a mother has created a mommy track of sorts; my husband also finds himself in a sort of daddy track because he actually wants to coach soccer and softball teams and does not want to be away from home 50% of his life. It is clear that the old system of rewarding punishing lifestyle choices is out of whack with the new ways we wish to work.
I have seen search teams that have been all white or all women of color when it seems clear to me that in this day and age this should never happen. I have reviewed top management of companies and have seen mainly white guys with a few women and a select number of people of color. It seems the standard of hiring who you know creates a system for recreating insular communities of the past, all of one color, race, gender, socio-economic class, and political leanings and so on. If we do not force ourselves to be aware of this happening then we will be condemning our children to trying to “fix” it down the road. Isn’t it time we moved beyond tolerance to inclusion?
It is vital that we bring about the changes and open the conversations on our own. Whenever government or group think gets involved we end up with rules that no one finds quite as liberating as they sounded initially. Have you ever listened to a speech on eliminating discrimination that left you more confused than when you began? We all have. You walk out of a room with a list of don’ts but few ideas on how to create a new and vibrant, inclusive community. I suggest that in our best moments, we know exactly what this would look like but are too afraid to make a suggestion for fear of being ridiculed or labeled. We must ask the tough questions, make the suggestions, and have the courageous conversations.
Truth be told, we are hurting one another daily by denying access to the basics of a wonderful life. When you impact someone’s ability to work, you impact their sense of worth, their families, and their communities. You also deny yourself the opportunity to discover a new and exciting talent with maybe just the right skills, just what you really need. I challenge you to move beyond your comfort zone and take the “risk” on hiring someone for a role that is outside the accepted “norm” in your community. Think freely, act boldly, hire the old guy, the wise Latina, the lawyer without the Harvard pedigree, the lesbian firefighter, and change the world one person at a time.
You know discrimination when you feel it…on either side of the table; as the perpetrator or the recipient. It is alive and well and it seems not only the good ole boy network is doing it now. Equal opportunity to deny access is not success or change.
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