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QUESTION: Five Tips to Finding a Job

March 17, 2008 By 9 Comments

This week, the CS Insider answers one of your questions! This comes from a 27-year-old MBA who is an accountant at a securities services company. He doesn’t think he can advance his career in his current position and is looking to find another job, but is unsure of how to approach the situation, especially since many of his requests have gone unanswered. “I know it helps to know people,” he says, “but in the event that you don’t, any tips?” Take a look at five…

Tip 1: Don’t get discouraged. You may be applying to jobs like it is your full-time job and you may not be leaving any stone unturned, but you just can’t seem to get a callback. Definitely stay positive because giving up will not yield the results you expect. Go into the search thinking that you’re the best person for the job and if a company doesn’t get back to you, it’s certainly their loss. But remember not to be cocky about it either.

Tip 2: Perfect your resume and cover letter. Since this is the first and perhaps only thing a potential employer can initially see about you, you’ll need to make an impression. Make sure that you reflect your skills that are specifically necessary for the job. This may mean tweaking your resume a bit, depending on the job description. The cover letter is especially important because this will hook the reader. Just think about it: you wouldn’t continue reading something that didn’t interest you. Constantly fine-tune and perfect.

Tip 3: Attend networking events. If you Google your field, there are sure to be networking events or job fairs in your area. It’s always a good idea to go to these because you never know whom you can meet. Though you may not know anyone now, you can meet people who you can leave an impression on. It’s a chance to showcase your personality and become more than just that piece of paper. You can also look into associations or groups that are specifically designed to support people in your profession and sign up for their listserves that might send you a list of jobs periodically.

Tip 4: Take advantage of your current position. If you’re already working, but seeking something more, be sure to get all you can out of your current position. These skills can prove very helpful in landing your next job. You’re already there so you might as well make the best of it until you’re able to move on to greener pastures, so to speak. And be sure to keep good relationships with those you already work with because you never know when they might be able to help you in the future.

Tip 5: Research. Take the time to learn all things you can about the company and positions you apply for. Call out those details in your resume and cover letter to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Also, check out who’s in charge and who might be the best person to send your info to. If you send it to the wrong person, it’ll take longer to get where it needs to be or may not get there at all. Be proactive in your search and follow up to make sure your resume was received. The one who is most likely to get a job is the one who leaves an impression.

Good luck in your search! And check out some stories of real career individuals at CollegeSurfing. Thanks for your question – keep ‘em coming!

-Amanda Fornecker

Filed Under: Career Advice, getting hired, job hunting, Making a Career Change Tagged With: ,

On Shaky Ground at Work? Go on a PR Campaign

February 11, 2008 By 29 Comments
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Sick of hearing about the impending recession? Just this morning there was yet another segment on The Today Show (check it out!) about how to recession-proof your job. But my feeling is that even in good economic times, it’s always smart to do a PR push — a public relations campaign, if you will — to promote why you’re an important asset to your company.

Of course, you may not always be able to control your fate when layoffs happen and new corporate visions don’t mesh with your skills, in which case, it might be a good time to assess if you want to make that career change you’ve always talked about. But if you’d like nothing more than to flourish at your current company, take the following tips from The Five O’Clock Club’s book, Navigating Your Career, to heart, you’ll become the kind of employee bosses want to take along for the bumpy ride:

Train your brain. When companies clean house, they first look to people whose skills are obsolete. Take classes, join trade organizations, stay in tune with the industry as a whole. Plus, doing so is good networking anyway in case tough times send you packing.

Take initiative. Don’t let choice assignments go to someone else. Volunteer for critical responsibilities, including tasks that will have you working more closely with higher-ups. Just doing your job well may not be enough if you want to make the cut.

Put on a happy face. Or as the Today Show experts say, “no drama, no diva, no complaining.” If you’re a problem child, a complainer, miss your deadlines, or gossip too much, a staff cut-back may be a good excuse to get rid of you. Work as if Big Brother is always watching, and be a source of support for your co-workers.

Become visible to those above you in the corporate pecking order. Make sure everyone knows about your great work and what you bring to the company. In other words, increase your emails to higher ups about project updates, ask questions, or offer encouragement about initiatives in other departments. Showing a genuine interest in the company as a whole will make you a more likely candidate for a lateral move should your department get the axe.

Keep an eye out. In unstable times, don’t feel like you’re being disloyal by keeping your resume current and your eye on job postings. You never know what tomorrow may bring, and you don’t want to be caught off guard.

Filed Under: Career Skills, job hunting Tagged With: , ,

Career Pre-School?

October 23, 2007 By Leave a Comment
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When I was in college nearly 10 years ago, it was perfectly normal to not have a clue as to what you wanted to major in, let alone which career you would eventually pursue. The idea was to spend the first couple of years in higher education taking core classes, testing the waters, and for the super ambitious ones, exploring various fields via internships (today, internships are a given). And truth be told, I think those I’ve kept in touch with from my graduating class have done alright navigating the career waters, even if they didn’t jump in right away.

In fact, more than ever, people are launching new careers later in life for a variety of reasons and flourishing. So what’s with the unnecessary pressure on the younger crowd to think grown up thoughts? Granted, unless you’re hovering at genius level, companies won’t come to you offering a six figure salary (a myth that perpetuated in my day… and, of course, I’m still waiting!), so you should do all you can to “sell” yourself. And if you happen to be one of the lucky few who always knew they wanted to be a teacher, or police officer, or nurse, then great for you — go for it! Otherwise, it may take some trial and error to find your niche. As long as you pick up universal skills along the way that you can apply to any future job, such as communicating with others, multitasking, and working in teams, taking your time is OK. Isn’t it?

Tell that to some parents. No, these aren’t the SAT-crazy parents from my era that forced flashcards and prep courses on their teens. I’m talking about the next generation of uber-parents in which it’s considered vital to put 18 month old babies on waiting lists for the most prestigious toddler programs. And get this — there are even career-focused pre-schools if you do your homework! So if you think your little tyke has an aptitude for criminal justice, it would be a shame not to get him enrolled at the local 3-year-old law program, right?! The sad part is, I’m not even kidding or exaggerating to make for an interesting read.

See the madness for yourself — then be glad your parents gave you some space to choose a career that’s right for you.

Filed Under: Career Advice, getting hired Tagged With: ,

Book Review: Ditch the Dusty Ol’ Corporate Ladder

April 30, 2007 By Leave a Comment
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Start low and work your way up the corporate ladder.
Your hard work will get you noticed.
Pay your dues and work long hours and it will pay off.

Sounds like pretty sound advice, just like your dad gave you when you set out into the world of work, right? The problem, says Penelope Trunk in her new book, “Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success,” is that such thinking applies to yesterday’s ‘old school’ workforce. “Today, there are new rules, new expectations, and new standards for success,” she writes.

For one thing, she stresses, people are not going to come and throw money at you or necessarily notice the great job you’re doing. That might sound obvious, but it took me years to find out from a manager that I need to “play the game” more if I want to get ahead. I’m a self-professed quiet type, always buried in my laptop, listening to my iTunes, typing away. I had always equated the “game” with office politics, schmoozing, and brown-nosing, all of which I wanted no part — or had time to do! But I’ve learned, it’s sometimes a necessary and even fulfilling part of the job, like sharing news with colleagues and higher-ups about my latest initiatives, like this blog. Had I not sent around a staff email, none of my co-workers would have a clue it even existed.

“Brazen Careerist” solidified for me some of the lessons that I learned the hard way throughout the years. For anyone making their way through corporate struggles, deciding if they should go for an advanced degree or launch a new business, or discovering a completely new line of work, Trunk’s renegade advice is right on. Some other highlights (you’ll have to pick up a copy yourself for the rest!):

- Break job-hunting rules. “Even though the advertisement says no calls, a call is a great way to get someone to pay attention to you when there’s a huge pile of resumes.”

- A messy desk portrays you as unorganized, not busy. “Use your workspace to control how people perceive you.”

- Forget dollars and cents. “Learning new skills is worth a lot more to you, in the long run, than some ridiculous 4 percent raise.”

Add Trunk’s book to your wishlist for her complete 45 rules for success. (And don’t believe everything Dad tells you.)

Filed Under: Career Advice, getting hired, resources