1. CAREER DOCTOR: SILLY SELF SABOTAGE
Everyone who has ever recruited or hired people has seen plenty of silly errors. While some errors
may enliven a boring day in the recruiter's office, they hinder your chances. You may think you
would never do something so stupid. But we see these errors every day.
Finding the right job is hard enough, don't make these common errors.
RESUMES
How does your resume represent you?
Too many resumes are poorly written, have incorrect grammar and spelling, are too long, or are
difficult to read. A. Start your resume with the basics. Surprising how many people forget these!
- You need your name and contact information right up front.
- If you do not want to be contacted at work, give only your home or cell phone numbers. Be
sure your voice-mail message is professional.
- Use an email address that you can get such email on and one that has a professional image.
Cutesy names, braggadocio, and nasty names hurt your chances. When 'topstud' , 'blondbabe'
and similar handles show up, both hiring managers and Human Resources folk wonder about the
business sense of the person - and are more likely to pass on you even if your resume is terrific.
B. Describe your achievements, skip the job descriptions.
C. Be sure to have others review your resume for clarity, focus, spelling and grammar.
Solution: Remember a resume is an ADVERTISEMENT designed to present your best attributes
effectively.
Multiple Objectives, One Resume
So, you want to be an editor or do marketing or manage online content delivery. List them all
on one resume and you will never get called. It is not my job to figure out what you want to do.
But it is my job to weed out the unfocused.
Solution: One resume tailored to each objective.
RESEARCH
Why bother? I just need a new job!
Do you really know what you want to do? What industry, environment, positions, and work
culture offer you your best shot at success?
Solution: Do your research before you begin a job search and at every step of the way. Use it to
show your professionalism and to improve your chance at the right job.
Organizations are overwhelmed with resumes from folks who do not know what the organization
does, what it is like, or which ignore the ads’ stated position requirements.
2. A. Networking for information: have a specific purpose in mind. Many professionals are willing to
help but are also quickly turned off by un-focused requests. Don't:
* just ask for "help" -know what you want and ask for it clearly (leads, contacts,
information, etc.)* use these contacts as a way to figure out your goals or desires. * ask
for too much time or assistance from one person. * sell yourself short or act apologetic or
desparate.* forget to thank people who help you.
Want more networking tips? Try www.schmoozemonger.com
B. Figuring out the positions, organizations, and environments for you.
Some good basic URLs for job-hunting info include:Cornell University's job search guide:
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/library/
reference/guides/show_guide/default.html?guide_number=104Interviewing questions
and info: http://job-interview.net/Job hunting skills from a headhunter's perspective:
http://www.asktheheadhunter.com/basics3.htm
Runyon's Corollary: A few hours on the Internet often saves a few minutes in the library.
Everything is not on the 'net. But your public library has a lot of resources. Take a look at various
business periodicals for leads. Read trade publications. Look at the business reference section's
materials for appropriate topics. Review various business guides and SEC information. Check
out their online resources - often these are ones requiring paid access otherwise. Ask the
reference librarian for sources or help.
ALONG THE WAY
Ignore the Requirements
You have seen a job ad and you are interested. You don't match all the requirements so you
just ignore them when you apply. And just why should I dig to see if you have met the
requirements?
Solution: Cover letter includes section with requirements stated and your matching
achievements. Two columns is easy and attractive. Put in something closely related if you have
one you do not match.
We won't even talk about all those who apply with few, if any, of the requirements, but it
happens. Don't ruin your chances with the company or recruiter for the future. Skip the jobs
where you do not match most of the requirements.
Be assertive, the requirements are wrong.
Sure, you know better -- this is the job you want. Tell the recruiter all about why what the
organization says it wants is wrong and how you know what skills the job should require (say,
yours?). And the recruiter should ignore her boss/client for you why?
Solution: Apply for jobs for which you are qualified. If they have a requirement that you feel is
not relevant, ask about it but don't fuss. When you do contact a recruiter, remember that most
handle a range of jobs. Be positive and professional and you might get a call for another
position that does match your skills. Always better than being on the "you won't believe this
applicant I had" discussion list.
3. Blast your resume all over
So you got a list of recruiters or other organizational contacts and you immediately e-mailed
your resume to everyone on the list. And maybe you sent it out to all at once rather than to
each individually. And you signed up with every recruiting agency you could find -- some of
whom also blasted your resume all over. So now you look desperate; but, you don't look like a
good candidate.
Solution: Target your resume to the types of organizations that have jobs you are qualified for
and interested in. Contact each individually and tailor your cover email/letter to them. Use
reputable recruiting agencies, recommended by people you trust, who will only send your
resume to their clients who have a specific current need for your skills.
Answer that ad immediately
At last, an ad that looked like just what you want -- and you zipped off the resume or hit the reply
button immediately and included a general cover letter or nothing at all. And the recruiter is
supposed to know why you are the best candidate...even though you give no indication how
well you match the organization's values and needs?
Solution: Check out the organization before you answer their ad. Your cover e-mail or letter with
your resume can talk a lot more specifically about how your skills match their needs if you
actually know what they do and what is currently going on in the organization.
Ignore your friends and networks
OK, you don't want to bother your friends for every job lead. Or you don't know anyone in the
organization that has the opening. Maybe you are embarrassed to ask for help or contacts. Or
you don't 'have time' to contact someone -- even if they could help you understand the
organization and tailor your application. Besides, you hate to ask anyone you know for their
support and risk hearing a no.
Solution: Think about your contacts. See if you know anyone in the organization or who knows
someone who is. Ask for their help. You will certainly learn something that helps in your job
search. AND, you may find a way in via the employee referral program.
Forget your manners
The secretary is giving you the run-around. The receptionist told you to have a seat but did not
offer you anything. The first interviewer is late. The hiring manager doesn't have your resume.
And you get upset, don't they know you are busy! Then you get huffy, or complain loudly, or
make snide comments.
Solution: If everyone you deal with makes you wonder about the organization's culture, maybe it
is the wrong place for you. But mistakes happen in the best places. If there is just a glitch or two,
stay calm and polite. Ask for information or the restroom if you need it. Check to see if you
should reschedule if the delay is a problem. Never go to interviews without extra copies of your
resume. Take something to read or do. And remember, many senior managers ask the support
staff for feedback on applicants -- thinking how you treat your customers relates directly to how
you treated the support staff.
4. Be defensive
Why does every interviewer keep asking about why you got laid-off? Why are there so many
questions about all those jerks who were your past bosses? What business is it of theirs what you
have been doing the past six months? Why do they keep asking about your career change
reasons? Why do they ask about your professional activities outside work, like you have time?
Solution: Be prepared for common questions and test your answers with good friends. Don't be
negative about past bosses or companies -- the interviewer will think about how negative you
will be if she hires you. Give yourself time to grieve a job loss and get your feelings sorted out
with others before starting interviews so you will not sound upset or defensive. Bad things
happen to almost everyone. If you can sound positive about the good things and be brief
about the bad, you will win the interviewer's confidence that you can succeed in their
organization.
COMPENSATION
You want to talk about your pay expectations in terms of the position you are seeking. This
means you need to do some research about what current salaries are for the jobs which interest
you. Many professional associations do salary surveys for their members. You can also ask these
questions when you are networking: "what is the typical current pay range for X position", "what
do you currently see happening to pay rates for Z". You can ask headhunters you know for their
take on the current market.
Metropolitan areas always have a very wide range of salaries for most any job because they
have a wide range of options. Typically, one job can pay very differently depending on:
- type of organization: non-profit, major national company, government contractor, service
business, federal or state agency, health care organization, association, law firm, etc.
- size of organization
- function within the organization -- positions in the organization’s core functions generally pay
more than similar positions in a non-core function.
- location. While most of us realize that pay rates differ across the US, it is also true that many jobs
have noticeable differences depending on whether they are in a city proper, in inner or outer
suburbs, etc.
- and the state of the market always plays a part.
If you looked at a good local salary survey, you would find that a 25-40% range in average
salaries exists in many positions depending on how the data is cut (for example: by the
categories above.)
Sometimes during interviews you may be asked what it will take to get you to accept a position.
When that happens, you have an ideal opportunity to ask for what is most important to you.
And, if you are realistic, to get it. (Greediness does crop up but usually the result is no offer.)
More often, you may be asked about salary expectations during an interview or the organization
may just check what salary data you have provided on their application. In such cases, you
may want to negotiate some aspects of an offer. Be smart and realistic about what you want
and what you are willing to settle for - best to think these things out in advance.
Hint: you might be surprised at the number of people who say one figure/range in an interview
and then want more when the offer comes -- don't do this to yourself! Hiring managers feel
betrayed when this happens and even if the offer is not rescinded, you both are unhappy if you
5. take the job.
REFERENCES
Organizations ask for references to check your past work experiences. Good friends and family
have no place in your references. Past supervisors are most critical, other management or
clients are also good. You need to work with the people you select as references in advance.
Ask them if they are willing to be a reference. Send them a copy of your resume as a reminder
of the work you did together and your other attributes. Ideally you want to have 6-8 references
identified and agreeable to being contacted. You want their current phone number of
preference.
Then, when you are asked to give your references for a specific position, pick 3-4 who can really
speak to your skills for that specific position. Contact them and tell them that you are
considering position X and want to give their name. Use this contact as a way to remind them
of the skills and attributes you want them to talk about in the reference check so that they can
be prepared to speak well for you.
BUMPS ALONG THE ROAD
Rejecting a Job Offer
Do it as quickly as you can. Be professional. You do not have to give a reason. You can say
something simple -- perhaps just that you have another opportunity which more closely meets
your goals. You never know when you will run into the hiring manager or other company
representatives again and you do not need to create a bad reputation. Yet every hiring
manager and HR person can tell you about a candidate who blasted someone/something in
their organization when turning down a job. And many of us can tell you about the next time
we saw them job-hunting at our new or a friend's organization.
Changing Your Mind
You accepted the job...and now you want to take another job or you have realized that you
made a bad decision. What do you do? Contact the hiring manager immediately. No emails
on the day you were supposed to start. Tell her/him quickly and professionally that you have
changed your mind and will not be coming to work with the organization. If you have signed
and returned an offer letter, send in a new copy rescinding your decision after you have talked
to the hiring manager.
In recent years, too many candidates, at all levels, change their minds but do not let the
company know until the day before or the day they were to start. Such behavior leaves a very
bad impression in the minds of those involved in hiring.
SUMMARY
Job search and interviewing are hard work on both sides of the desk. You are making a big
life-impacting decision in taking a new position and need to know you can succeed there.
