Posts Tagged ‘job’

I was browsing around CareerBuilder.com the other day and came across a great article called 25 Ways to Sabotage Your Job Search written by Anthony Balderrama.

This article is a great “what not to do” resource which is meant to guide your actions by telling you what won’t land you the job. The article tries to distill the entire job search process down into 1500 words or less, but it does have some excellent information that you should be aware of. In fact, two specific points stood out to me as great advice for job seekers of any age or experience level.

First, searching for only the perfect job (number 5). I have known a number of people (close friends included) who have had problems when job hunting solely because they were waiting for the perfect job to come along. If you remember back to my recent article The Myth of the Dream Job, this is an enormous mistake as you will almost certainly overlook great jobs and great companies that don’t fit your initial profile. The lesson here is that if your job search is too narrow in scope, you will not only be unemployed longer, but you will miss some great opportunities.

Second is the subject of typos on your resume and cover letter. Nothing will destroy your chances of landing the job faster than spelling and grammar problems in your application package. I have met recruiters who will immediately discard an application if there is a spelling or grammar problem. It doesn’t matter if the person is at the top of their class or the bottom. What makes this even more frustrating is that is such an avoidable mistake. Don’t let this be you.

Either way, this is a great article that is well worth the read. Check it out here.

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The other day, Amateur Asset Allocator, a great personal finance site that I follow, posted an article that might be of interest. The article called 8 Job Interview Tips covered some excellent material on how to successfully get through a job interview.

While the entire post is full of great advice, it also hit on one of my favorite tactics of successful job interviews: eye contact.

Establishing and maintaining eye contact is absolutely critical in a job interview if you hope to make a connection with the interviewer. Over the course of normal preparation, it is so easy to focus on your skills and abilities while neglecting the most important part of the interview, which is connecting with the other person.

Either way, this post is a great read. Take a look here.

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The second step in to finding a rewarding career after school is networking. While this sounds difficult (especially for those of you who are shy), it is really very simple. Networking is the act of meeting people and maintaining relationships with them. Some relationships will turn into friendships, while others will be strictly professional. Either way, over time, you will meet hundreds and hundreds of people, each one of whom could be part of your network.

People think that there are many different reasons why you might want to build a network of friends, associates, and professionals. But when it comes to finding a job, there is only one reason: to obtain their help.

So who will be in your network? Well for starters, anyone who you have met at school (and who aren’t just passing acquaintances) are part of your network. Any professionals or professors with whom you have developed relationships with are part of your network. In effect, everyone you meet that you stay in contact with is part of your network.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you have a group of people who can potentially help you in your job search. They may not be able to hand you a job, but often they can provide advice, encouragement, or support. This can include everything from letting you know about an open position that they are aware of, to providing a reference for you. For instance, I have had my resumes reviewed by a family friend who is a CEO at a large publishing company. While I don’t work in the publishing industry, having someone like that provide advice can be invaluable.

But even though you have a network full of people who may be able to help you, this is still only the second step in the process. The next post will be an overview of step three, how to find open jobs.

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In the last post I outlined the six steps to a successful job search. As a refresher, they are:

1. Preparation
2. Networking
3. Finding an Opening
4. Application (Resume and Cover Letter)
5. Interview
6. Offer/Acceptance

Today we are going to introduce the topic of “Preparation”.

In short, preparation is all of the work that is put in before you even start to look for a job. Before you interview, before you create a resume or cover letter, and before you even look for open positions, you will be preparing for your job search.

Preparation can take many forms. It can be the act of gaining work experience that will go on your resume. It can be time set aside for personal assessment (in order to clarify what it is that you are looking for in a job). It can even be setting up an area to work in that will allow for an effective job search.

Ultimately, anything that you do that prepares you for your job search can be considered preparation. It may be conscious (actively volunteering in order to build your resume) or subconscious (learning from listening to the shared interview experiences of your friends). Either way, it is not only vital to a successful job search, but it is critical to ensure that you find the right job for you.

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