The hard truth about job hunting is that the best job in the world may not be the right job for you.
After your write an excellent resume and cover letter, after you apply for that job that looks good on paper, after you research the company and complete your interview preparation, after you ace the interview -- then you need to know what you want out of the job, the bosses, the workplace, and the company. You need to be able to ask questions that will tell you whether the company's answers match up with what you need to be an excellent employee. And you need to have the strength to walk away if the answers don't match.
Conversely, you need to be ready to hear that you won't be getting the job. Because after you write and excellent resume and cover letter, and after you ace the interview, you may still not be the right person for the job based on any number of criteria that your interviewer can't quantify. Or you might be 99 percent right for the job, but another candidate is 102 percent right for the job.
In other words, it's all about fit.
It's difficult to determine whether a position will fit you when you have only an hour or so to talk with your potential boss. It's a bit like going on a blind date and getting married after dinner! Both you and the hiring manager are trying to make the best decision possible in a high-pressure situation, and much of it hangs on the intangible concept of fit. To a degree, "fit" is like pornography -- job seekers and hiring managers feel that they will "know it when they see it." And much like dating, sometimes the attraction is one-sided.
Job seekers, the best way to determine whether a job is the right fit for you is to listen to what your gut says. If you've done your research before the interview, and asked your important questions during the interview, then you have done all you can do on that score. The rest of it is in the hiring manager's hands. If the hiring manager determines that you're not the right fit for the job, believe it, and move on.
Showing posts with label Job Hunt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Job Hunt. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Monday, September 10, 2007
Recommit to what you want
It's easy to let exhaustion and complacency derail your job hunt.
It took me three years of on-again, off-again work to leave newspapers and embark on a new career. I would go through cycles of enthusiasm about what I could do next -- start a pet-sitting business! start a personal-shopper business! freelance as a writer and editor! move somewhere new and find another writing job! -- and do my research, only to give up when I was hit with a big assignment at work or a personal crisis. Other times, I made the deliberate decision to stick it out where I was, because the money was good (and I had bills to pay) and the devil I knew was better than what might be Out There.
Sound familiar? I've seen this happen among my friends and clients as well. It's human nature. But a successful job hunt requires commitment, dedication, determination, and hope; without those, you'll have a hard time motivating yourself to keep with it. It also doesn't hurt to have a catalyst or a reminder of why you want a new job.
My job search finally took first place in my priorities when I received a new work assignment that I just couldn't stomach. It was one of those assignments that was historically given to people to help move them toward the door. I took the hint, buckled down, worked my contacts, and within two months received an offer that would teach me a new field (advertising) and give me the excitement I was longing for. (I quit that job seven months later, but that's a story for another post.)
Advice for job-seekers recommends that you work your job hunt like it's a job in itself -- something you do for 20 to 40 hours a week, perhaps every day, with measurable goals. This is difficult to do when you already have a full-time job to juggle with your family life, chores, your community work, your time for yourself, etc. In the end, you need to decide what's most important RIGHT NOW. If your job hunt never makes it into that slot, maybe it's time to put your energy into making your current job the right place for you to be.
As readers of this blog have probably noticed, Make A Change Resumes has not been at the top of my priority list for some time now. I spent the summer working two jobs, six days a week, 50+ hours a week, in order to make ends meet. I was too scared to let go of the second job that brought in money I could count on, in favor of working on my business and my blog, which might not bring in any money for a while. I made excuses to myself all summer, and then over the weekend, I had my decision made for me: I was fired from my second job (in a bookstore, which paid little more than minimum wage) because my exhaustion, and my restricted work hours due to that exhaustion, were things that the store manager no longer wanted to accommodate.
Sometimes it takes an outside catalyst to help us make the changes that our hearts want us to make. I'm grateful to my managers at the newspaper for helping me out the door, and I'm grateful to the book store manager for doing what I could not bring myself to do. I liked working at the book store, but what I really wanted to be doing was blogging and working with clients on their resumes. Now I can. I am recommitting myself to Make A Change Resumes, and I'm excited about it.
Are you ready to recommit to what you want?
It took me three years of on-again, off-again work to leave newspapers and embark on a new career. I would go through cycles of enthusiasm about what I could do next -- start a pet-sitting business! start a personal-shopper business! freelance as a writer and editor! move somewhere new and find another writing job! -- and do my research, only to give up when I was hit with a big assignment at work or a personal crisis. Other times, I made the deliberate decision to stick it out where I was, because the money was good (and I had bills to pay) and the devil I knew was better than what might be Out There.
Sound familiar? I've seen this happen among my friends and clients as well. It's human nature. But a successful job hunt requires commitment, dedication, determination, and hope; without those, you'll have a hard time motivating yourself to keep with it. It also doesn't hurt to have a catalyst or a reminder of why you want a new job.
My job search finally took first place in my priorities when I received a new work assignment that I just couldn't stomach. It was one of those assignments that was historically given to people to help move them toward the door. I took the hint, buckled down, worked my contacts, and within two months received an offer that would teach me a new field (advertising) and give me the excitement I was longing for. (I quit that job seven months later, but that's a story for another post.)
Advice for job-seekers recommends that you work your job hunt like it's a job in itself -- something you do for 20 to 40 hours a week, perhaps every day, with measurable goals. This is difficult to do when you already have a full-time job to juggle with your family life, chores, your community work, your time for yourself, etc. In the end, you need to decide what's most important RIGHT NOW. If your job hunt never makes it into that slot, maybe it's time to put your energy into making your current job the right place for you to be.
As readers of this blog have probably noticed, Make A Change Resumes has not been at the top of my priority list for some time now. I spent the summer working two jobs, six days a week, 50+ hours a week, in order to make ends meet. I was too scared to let go of the second job that brought in money I could count on, in favor of working on my business and my blog, which might not bring in any money for a while. I made excuses to myself all summer, and then over the weekend, I had my decision made for me: I was fired from my second job (in a bookstore, which paid little more than minimum wage) because my exhaustion, and my restricted work hours due to that exhaustion, were things that the store manager no longer wanted to accommodate.
Sometimes it takes an outside catalyst to help us make the changes that our hearts want us to make. I'm grateful to my managers at the newspaper for helping me out the door, and I'm grateful to the book store manager for doing what I could not bring myself to do. I liked working at the book store, but what I really wanted to be doing was blogging and working with clients on their resumes. Now I can. I am recommitting myself to Make A Change Resumes, and I'm excited about it.
Are you ready to recommit to what you want?
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
On the Web: Tips and tricks
10 Dumbest Resume Blunders on CNNMoney.com: Outrageous examples of what not to do. Ever!
10 Tips for Finding a New Job at CollegeRecruiter.com: This list covers all aspects of the job hunt, from knowing what you're looking for to interviewing to going through a background check to get the job. Great advice.
25 Most Difficult Job Interview Questions (and their answers) on GoodRecruits.com: Interviewing favors the prepared candidate, and this list will get you prepared.
5 Reasons to Send Thank You Letters After an Interview by Barbara Safani: Sending thank-you e-mails or letters to everyone you interview with will put you ahead of the pack. Job seekers often forget this simple step, so remembering it will make you stand out.
Tips for Writing Thank You Letters from About.com: This list provides several resources for jump-starting your thank-you notes.
10 Tips for Finding a New Job at CollegeRecruiter.com: This list covers all aspects of the job hunt, from knowing what you're looking for to interviewing to going through a background check to get the job. Great advice.
25 Most Difficult Job Interview Questions (and their answers) on GoodRecruits.com: Interviewing favors the prepared candidate, and this list will get you prepared.
5 Reasons to Send Thank You Letters After an Interview by Barbara Safani: Sending thank-you e-mails or letters to everyone you interview with will put you ahead of the pack. Job seekers often forget this simple step, so remembering it will make you stand out.
Tips for Writing Thank You Letters from About.com: This list provides several resources for jump-starting your thank-you notes.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Looking for jobs in new places
The easiest places for job hunters to begin their searches are the classified ads -- either in printed publications such as newspapers or trade magazines, or on online job boards such as Monster, CareerBuilder, or Yahoo's Hot Jobs. In the last year or so, Craigslist has become a hot spot for help wanted ads as well. And there are many online job boards that cater to specific fields, such as JournalismJobs.com for journalists and Dice.com for the tech field.
These resources will get your job hunt off to a solid start. But they are by no means the only resources that you should rely on to help you find a job. In addition to using your network, you'll need to do some research to find out who is hiring.
Many companies have taken to advertising open positions on the "Careers" pages of their Web sites, and not anywhere else. This way, they are guaranteed that job candidates will be familiar with their history, mission statements, products, and anything else that can be read on the Web site. While this is great for the companies, it means that you'll need to invest some time into finding companies in your area that offer the types of jobs you're looking for.
To get started, try these research methods:
1. Check the archives of your local newspaper. Or better yet, get a subscription and read the paper every day. You'll find news about local businesses in several of the paper's sections, and reading the paper regularly will familiarize you with local hiring trends and business growth. Here in Richmond, the local newspaper publishes several annual features that you can use to find hot area businesses. Check out the Richmond Times-Dispatch's list of the area's Top 50 employers and the fastest-growing Rising 25 businesses. These lists area great resources, because these companies are most likely to be hiring and relying on word-of-mouth advertising to find new employees.
2. The Yellow Pages. Believe it or not, traditional phone books can be great job-hunting tools, particularly for career changers and college grads. Look up your field, or topics related to your field, in the Yellow Pages to find local companies that can use your skills. Then use the Internet to research the companies and find out whether they're hiring.
3. Head to the library. The reference librarians at your local library should be able to supply you with tools to help you with your local job hunt -- it's among the services that they offer.
These resources will get your job hunt off to a solid start. But they are by no means the only resources that you should rely on to help you find a job. In addition to using your network, you'll need to do some research to find out who is hiring.
Many companies have taken to advertising open positions on the "Careers" pages of their Web sites, and not anywhere else. This way, they are guaranteed that job candidates will be familiar with their history, mission statements, products, and anything else that can be read on the Web site. While this is great for the companies, it means that you'll need to invest some time into finding companies in your area that offer the types of jobs you're looking for.
To get started, try these research methods:
1. Check the archives of your local newspaper. Or better yet, get a subscription and read the paper every day. You'll find news about local businesses in several of the paper's sections, and reading the paper regularly will familiarize you with local hiring trends and business growth. Here in Richmond, the local newspaper publishes several annual features that you can use to find hot area businesses. Check out the Richmond Times-Dispatch's list of the area's Top 50 employers and the fastest-growing Rising 25 businesses. These lists area great resources, because these companies are most likely to be hiring and relying on word-of-mouth advertising to find new employees.
2. The Yellow Pages. Believe it or not, traditional phone books can be great job-hunting tools, particularly for career changers and college grads. Look up your field, or topics related to your field, in the Yellow Pages to find local companies that can use your skills. Then use the Internet to research the companies and find out whether they're hiring.
3. Head to the library. The reference librarians at your local library should be able to supply you with tools to help you with your local job hunt -- it's among the services that they offer.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Finding the hidden job market
A nonprofit executive in Richmond once told me that employers do everything they can to fill open positions without posting a "help wanted" ad.
Employers want to hire people they know, or at least people known by employees (who are known quantities and presumably won't recommend someone who would reflect badly upon themselves). It's expensive to hire and train a new employee, and employers want to make sure that money isn't wasted. They want the closest thing they can get to a guarantee that the new hire will fit into the workplace and stay for a decent length of time. Publishing "help wanted" ads and interviewing unknown candidates is the least efficient way for companies to achieve their goals.
"You can't tell enough about a job candidate by reading a resume and conducting a 15-minute interview," the nonprofit executive told me.
This means that the majority of available jobs are not publicized before they are filled -- they make up the hidden job market. If you want a job, you'll need to find a way to tap into it.
This can be a challenge for new graduates. Unless you've had an internship, you may not have any contacts in the field you wish to break into. But don't panic -- you probably know people who know people who can help you.
"Networking" is the fancy term for befriending people who can help you along in your career. Asking friends, family and business contacts to help with your job search is also called "networking," as in, using your network (which is why you have it). It takes courage to ask for help the first few times, but it will get easier as more people agree to help you. And they will say yes; anyone who has looked for a job knows the importance of personal recommendations. It's about karma, at least a little, because what goes around comes around. You never know when you'll be in a position to help someone who has helped you before.
The networking methods you'll use to find the hidden job market will depend on who you know, how you know them, and what type of position you want to land.
Online networking for new grads. Believe it or not, Facebook and MySpace can do more than tell you things you didn't want to know about your friends. Take a look at the people you know in those online communities, then take a look at who they know. Who are you connected to who works in your field? Can your mutual friend introduce you to a potential contact, either online or offline? Use the meeting to ask questions about how to find and get an entry-level position, and ask whether your contact has heard of anything that's open. Pass along a copy of your resume and be clear about your skills and what type of position you're looking for.
Online networking for professionals. If you've already embarked on your career, try LinkedIn.com. The site uses your resume information to connect you with colleagues and graduates of your alma mater. Your contacts can introduce you to people in their networks, and they can recommend your work in a comment that gets attached to your personal profile. Recommendations are a big part of what makes LinkedIn work so well, as they give you "known quantity" status when you approach people about open positions in your field.
Offline networking. Do not discount the importance of face time, even in this world of digital connections. Join your field's professional association and get to know people who work in your field. Go to meetings and participate in events, even if you're not looking for a job. You'll have a good time, you'll learn more about your field, and most importantly, you'll have people to ask for help when you embark on your next job search.
Networking with your parents' friends, your friends' parents, and anyone else you know. The idea here is that you never know who might be in a position to help you. Do you play on sports teams, or sing in a choir, or do volunteer work? The people you've played with might know people who know people who can find you a job. Ask them. After all, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Employers want to hire people they know, or at least people known by employees (who are known quantities and presumably won't recommend someone who would reflect badly upon themselves). It's expensive to hire and train a new employee, and employers want to make sure that money isn't wasted. They want the closest thing they can get to a guarantee that the new hire will fit into the workplace and stay for a decent length of time. Publishing "help wanted" ads and interviewing unknown candidates is the least efficient way for companies to achieve their goals.
"You can't tell enough about a job candidate by reading a resume and conducting a 15-minute interview," the nonprofit executive told me.
This means that the majority of available jobs are not publicized before they are filled -- they make up the hidden job market. If you want a job, you'll need to find a way to tap into it.
This can be a challenge for new graduates. Unless you've had an internship, you may not have any contacts in the field you wish to break into. But don't panic -- you probably know people who know people who can help you.
"Networking" is the fancy term for befriending people who can help you along in your career. Asking friends, family and business contacts to help with your job search is also called "networking," as in, using your network (which is why you have it). It takes courage to ask for help the first few times, but it will get easier as more people agree to help you. And they will say yes; anyone who has looked for a job knows the importance of personal recommendations. It's about karma, at least a little, because what goes around comes around. You never know when you'll be in a position to help someone who has helped you before.
The networking methods you'll use to find the hidden job market will depend on who you know, how you know them, and what type of position you want to land.
Online networking for new grads. Believe it or not, Facebook and MySpace can do more than tell you things you didn't want to know about your friends. Take a look at the people you know in those online communities, then take a look at who they know. Who are you connected to who works in your field? Can your mutual friend introduce you to a potential contact, either online or offline? Use the meeting to ask questions about how to find and get an entry-level position, and ask whether your contact has heard of anything that's open. Pass along a copy of your resume and be clear about your skills and what type of position you're looking for.
Online networking for professionals. If you've already embarked on your career, try LinkedIn.com. The site uses your resume information to connect you with colleagues and graduates of your alma mater. Your contacts can introduce you to people in their networks, and they can recommend your work in a comment that gets attached to your personal profile. Recommendations are a big part of what makes LinkedIn work so well, as they give you "known quantity" status when you approach people about open positions in your field.
Offline networking. Do not discount the importance of face time, even in this world of digital connections. Join your field's professional association and get to know people who work in your field. Go to meetings and participate in events, even if you're not looking for a job. You'll have a good time, you'll learn more about your field, and most importantly, you'll have people to ask for help when you embark on your next job search.
Networking with your parents' friends, your friends' parents, and anyone else you know. The idea here is that you never know who might be in a position to help you. Do you play on sports teams, or sing in a choir, or do volunteer work? The people you've played with might know people who know people who can find you a job. Ask them. After all, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
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