Networking is a terrible verb to describe human interactions. For some people, networking still has that cheesy sounding ring to it. I've spent countless hours reading newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, tweets and Facebook posts from recruiters from all over the country and nearly all of them say that one of the most important job search strategies is networking.
Read MoreI recently had a casual conversation with a job seeker, someone that could be described as serially unemployed. I was introduced to him in a social setting but was immediately told "he needs help finding a job". I asked him the same question I have asked many job seekers: "Tell me about your job search." Yes, I realize that's not a question, but it always gets a response.
Read MoreAsking for a referral is important. How you handle that referral is even more important. If you want to work at XYZ Company and you know someone that works there, you should ask them to refer you to a hiring manager. Ideally, your contact will make a personal introduction, or copy you on an e-mail introduction. Sometimes, you'll just get a phone number or e-mail address of the hiring manager.
Read MoreSo, I covered phone interview tips before, but I'm going to add another one. How you answer the phone matters.
Read MoreYesterday, I wrote about some interview mistakes I've seen recently. Remember, the goal of the interview is to get an offer, or at least to get another interview. In other words, you don't want to be ruled out as a candidate just based on how you performed during the interview.
Read MoreSince the middle of December, I have conducted over fifty interviews for several back-office positions. Many were memorable. Many more were memorable for the wrong reasons.
Read MoreSo, you're out there interviewing and, even though you still have interviews scheduled, you accept a job offer. Of course, that is a good problem to have. But now what do you do about the interviews that are already scheduled?
Well, for starters, if you've not started the job, there is no reason to turn your back on the interviews with the other companies.
But if you do, here's how to do it.
Reach out to the person with whom you were going to interview. As is usually the case, a phone call works better than an e-mail. Thank them for the opportunity and graciously decline the interview. Don't beat around the bush. Thank them and tell them you won't be available to interview.
If you were working with a recruiter, they deserve a call as well.
Leaving a good impression is important, even if you're saying no.
You've started to look for a job. Who should you tell? Almost no one.
It's best to keep this information on a need-to-know basis. And right now, almost no one needs to know.
The risks are real. Telling too many people can hurt your chances. First, you could tell people (that, in turn, could tell more people) that may turn out to be your competition. It is generally best to have fewer candidates competing for the same job as you, no sense in advertising to your competition.
Secondly, your boss (or your boss's boss) doesn't need to know you're looking. Don't give your manager the perception that you are on your way out of the door. If you don't get a job right away, you should still want as many opportunities in your current job as you can get. There is one typical exception. If you are being laid off in the future, it may make sense to tell them you are looking. But there are still risks, so still be careful.
Don't tell your co-workers.
Don't tell your neighbors.
Don't tell your Facebook friends and Twitter followers.
Tell your spouse or partner, but ask that they not share it with anyone.
If you have a relationship with people at the company at which you're applying, it is best to tell the fewest number of people. Stick with either the senior most employee, or the one closest to the hiring manager of the position for which you are applying.
As hard as it may be to resist, wait until you've started the new job before making the big announcement.
I heard once that a woman need only look at the way her boyfriend treats his mother to see how he may treat her someday. The same thing applies to candidates in an interview.
When I am interviewing a candidate, I want to imagine them doing the job for which I am interviewing. I want to imagine how they would behave not just in the specific job, but as a member of our team. I want to know that they'll be part of the team even when things aren't going perfectly, and will accept responsibility for their part. And I want someone that will be proud to be part of the team.
One easy way to give the interviewer the impression that you are not part of the team is to use "they" in place of "we".
For example: an interviewer may ask you about the type of business your current employer is in. There is a big difference between, "They are a widget manufacturer that specializes in polymer widgets" and "We are a widget manufacturer, specializing is polymer widgets".
Pay attention to when you're using "their", "them", or "they". Oftentimes, using "our", "us", or "we" can come across more inclusive.
Reference checks are not going away. With every passing year, I hear people saying that the days of reference checks are almost over. The reason mentioned usually has something to do with the belief that is "illegal" for an employer to speak about a candidate's performance. I am not a lawyer, but on the surface, it is certainly not illegal for a previous employer to give a reference. As a hiring manager, I can tell you that is a pretty risky assumption to make.
While it is true that many employers have a policy against giving references, that does not mean you can get away with not providing one when asked.
The more common challenge is how to get a reference at your current job when you are still working. Marching into your boss's office and telling her that you are interviewing somewhere else and, oh by the way, you need a reference, might hurt you in the long run. So, what's a job seeker to do?
First off, the hiring manager or recruiter is more than likely very sensitive to your situation. They will typically understand that you cannot use your direct supervisor as a reference. Some other possible options:
Today was observed as Veterans Day, a time to honor veterans that have served our country. Thank you to all of our veterans. Words cannot adequately thank you for your hard work and sacrifice. We have all of you to thank for our freedom.
Many businesses and most government offices were closed today in observance of today's holiday. Perhaps you were able to take some time today to honor our veterans.
If you're actively looking for another job, hopefully you took advantage of the slower than normal Monday today. Looking for a job, like nearly all sales situations, is partly a numbers game. If there's an opportunity to work (read: applying for jobs, sending out resumes, making introduction calls) when some (if not most) of your competition is taking a day off, you should take it.
With Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching there will be other opportunities to work when others are resting. I'm not suggesting that you give up your holiday time. I am suggesting, however, that you take advantage of the season by finding time to do work a little.
There is a natural slow down in many companies but some still hire during the holiday season. For those that do not, what a perfect time to get your name out there.
Work when many rest. Work harder when many work.
And Happy Veterans Day!
Much of the work that can be bundled into "job search busy work" will almost never directly result in you getting a job. Tasks such as writing your resume and cover letter, researching companies, practicing being interviewed, and building your professional network are all very important, but unless you actually apply for jobs, you will probably never get one. It can be easy to get in a rut, especially since by its very nature, a job search has more opportunities to hear "no" than "yes".
And that means that some people will naturally migrate to comfortable tasks that can't result in rejection. And after a while, it can feel like they're doing a lot of work but getting nothing in return. If you're caught up in that, understand that you need to apply for jobs.
For the sake of simplicity, I define "applying" as getting your resume or application in front of someone that can potentially hire you.
One way to help you stay focused is to set daily or weekly goals that include applying for jobs specifically.
How many jobs will you apply to this week?
I really enjoy learning more about language and grammar. I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a grammar nerd. I do, occasionally, joke with friends about grammar mistakes, but mostly when I spot them in mass market advertising. So, having said that I am not an expert, here are my favorite grammar rules and how they apply to your resume and cover letter.
Read MoreIf you're currently working, the greatest asset in your job search bag-of-tricks is your performance in your current job. If you don't like your job, it can be real easy to become negative at work. But you must resist.
Especially if you deal with the public, there are so many opportunities to show people how great you are.
Years ago, one of the senior managers on my team needed to hire a manager. She wasn't getting the quality of applicants she was hoping for and decide to try something different. Rather than waiting for a recruiter in HR to find her the best candidates she hit the streets. Even though it wasn't a retail management job, she visited local retails stores and shopping centers and pretended to shop. She was actually shopping for a new manager.
Near the end of the day, she walked into a store in the Stoneridge Mall and was greeted by the store manager. Long story short... the hiring manager introduced herself and asked if she was in the market for a job change. She came to work for us a month or so later and performed very well.
Excelling in your current job has benefits beyond the chance encounter with someone that might want to hire you. Performing at your best can keep you sharp and at the top of your game.
You can control your attitude (read: you are in complete control of your actions that others observe and judge as your "attitude"). So, be great at your current job, it might just make all the difference.
The first line of this article on Yahoo caught my attention.
Could handshakes become a thing of the past?
Thankfully, the author quickly points out that handshakes are still important. But just in case you came across this article and, based on the first sentence alone, thought that handshakes are falling out of fashion, they are not!
If you don't have a genuine medical reason not to shake hands, you need to shake hands with everyone you meet throughout the interview process.
And your handshake should be firm, but it's not a strength competition. And ladies, your handshake is just like a gentleman's: firm and with the entire inside of your hand, not just your fingers.
One of the most effective exercises you can do in your job-search preparation is to go through everything you write and everything you may say in an interview and ask "why is that important?" Scrutinize every word you may write and ask yourself why it is important to the hiring manager? That's the important part. Why is it important to the hiring manager? It doesn't matter if it's important to you, just to the hiring manager.
For instance, you may have included on your resume a training program that you completed at a job 10 years ago, on a program used only in that company. Why would that be important to the hiring manager? Ok, I'll give you the answer to this one: it probably isn't.
If you can re-word it to put the focus of the importance on what the employer wants than it should stay, otherwise, toss it out.
Like many Stocktonians, I still have a sour taste in my mouth about a certain New York magazine that, conveniently starts with the letter F. So, imagine my surprise when, after I was reading something on Yahoo, I realized it came from that magazine (the name of which I won't write here) even though their name was everywhere in there.
But the article was good enough that I wanted to discuss it here.
10 Job Interview Myths Debunked
There is a great deal of truth in many of these.
Some key myths:
One week ago today, we sat in front of our computer and watched history be made. Felix Baumgartner jumped out of his balloon-lifted capsule from over 24 miles up in the air.
It took only around eight minutes for the professional skydiver and daredevil to reach the ground. But just as exciting for me was the fact that it took two and a half hours to ascend to the edge of space (not to mention the months and months of planning leading up to that).
As Baumgartner approached the jump height, retired United States Air Force Colonel Joe Kittinger went through their checklist. Kittinger, now the previous record holder, was the only one from mission control that spoke to Baumgartner. Some of the items in the checklist seemed basic, but they still went through each item.
Item 29, release the seat belt.
Item 32, disconnect chest chord umbilical.
Before the jump, Kittinger said, "Release the helmet tie down strap. Start the cameras. And our guardian angel will take care of ya."
Before he stepped out of the capsule, Baumgartner said, "I know the whole world is watching now. I wish they could see what I can see. Sometimes you have to get up really high to see how small you are. I'm coming home now."
And with that, he fell toward earth.
And what can this amazing feat remind us about looking for a job?
For more information, and some videos from last Sunday, check out these links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOk7MO99ETI
http://gizmodo.com/5951621/watch-the-video-of-the-space-jump-here
Hearing "no" is a normal part of a job search. Of course, by the very nature of a job search, there will be many more people hearing no than hearing yes. When a candidate hears "no" from the recruiter or hiring manager, or they receive one of those vague rejection letters, they can be left with that empty and helpless feeling. If you get the "no", it's completely natural to want to know what you could have done better.
But, you will almost never know. Move on to your next lead.
So, don't expect to get feedback. Well, not any useful feedback that is.
For those very rare times you get feedback about your interview performance, here's what you should do:
The biggest mistake candidates make when getting feedback is that they try to justify themselves. Anything other than a simple "thank you" can come across as ungrateful and give the impression that you want to go through your excuses.
Leave a good impression by staying professional and just thanking the interviewer.
When was the last time you visited the library? Yes, that library, the one with the books. Books are wonderful, but the library is so much more than just books. The Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library offers many services that can benefit job seekers.
Need to improve your computer skills? The library offers classes on basic computer use, and internet searching, as well as on job search crucial applications like Microsoft Word and Excel.
If you need to use a computer with Microsoft Word, or need to print, the library has computers available.
Some branches are open until 8 PM, perfect for those evenings when you need to get out of the house for some quiet time.
Lastly, of course you can borrow books and other resources from the library, but did you know you can search their catalog and reserve a book online? The great staff at the library will even pull your book off the shelf and have it waiting for you. Our library is now offering audiobooks and e-books as well!
Visit the library's website at ssjcpl.org to learn more and then, go check out their new blog, ssjcplibrary.blogspot.com.
In this week's My Job Story, we hear from Jenny-Faye Klooster, a Photo Stylist who runs the photography department for Gibson Overseas, a large kitchenware company, a job she has held for almost four years.
Do you want to differentiate yourself from your peers at work? I have a simple suggestion. All you have to do is speak up! That's right. It's time to work on your public speaking skills.
Networking is a terrible verb to describe human interactions. For some people, networking still has that cheesy sounding ring to it. I've spent countless hours reading newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, tweets and Facebook posts from recruiters from all over the country and nearly all of them say that one of the most important job search strategies is networking.
Asking for a referral is important. How you handle that referral is even more important. If you want to work at XYZ Company and you know someone that works there, you should ask them to refer you to a hiring manager. Ideally, your contact will make a personal introduction, or copy you on an e-mail introduction. Sometimes, you'll just get a phone number or e-mail address of the hiring manager.
Even if you've been without a job for some time, it is generally best not to settle for a job that you may not enjoy. Having said that, there are a couple of questions you should ask yourself when evaluating a job, or when determining what companies to target.
A job fair can be an effective way to meet hiring managers and recruiters in your community and learn about many job opportunities in one day. If you are prepared and use your time wisely, you can walk away with many strong job leads. Many job seekers make careless mistakes that can hurt their chances of success at a job fair. Here are 16 simple tips to make your next job fair a success.