Are you looking for a job?  Are you looking to replace the job you have?

 These seem like the same question but they are very different.

Let’s take the first one. If you do not presently have employment you are free to spread the word to your friends and contacts and on the Internet that you are in the market for a job.  There are many tips on how to look for a job when you don’t have one.  Some are, of course, well known. 

1.  The resume. A cover letter.  I am assuming you have prepared these.  But who has edited it except your friends or your brother?  They say that a potential employer gives a resume 15 seconds to decide if he wants to go further than the first few sentences of your cover letter and resume. Those seconds have to draw the person into the rest of what you have to say and they have to be compelling!  Don’t waste that time by submitting something that has not been edited by a professional.  (Yes, you will have to pay for this) What you must keep in mind is that the prospective employer is looking for how you can benefit the company – not what you want. The worst mistake is a resume that states what you are looking for.  The best ones start out with a statement of your qualifications.  That will take about ten seconds of the 15 you will be offered.

 If you are a young person or rejoining the work force, you must have computer skills.  Take courses in Word, Power Point, Adobe, and Excel.  Make the investment.  It will not impress a new employer that you graduated Magna Cum Laude in English Literature if you are not proficient with technology.   Here is an example of a heading I prepared for a client looking for a sales job.  Please notice he is selling benefits. 

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS:   A proven track record for over ten years in sales, customer service, procedural implementation and management. Known as a self-starter with problem solving and analytical abilities.  Recognized by superiors for creativity, adaptability, and attention to detail. A team player. Skilled in Word, Power Point, Excel and other programs.  Persuasive speaker and presenter.  

 Wouldn’t you want to meet this person? 

 2.  Look carefully at the job description.  Tailor all your information only to that. Use their words in your cover letter. Sell them what they want to buy. Keep your cover letter and your resume down to one page.  White paper please.  Nothing cute.  No photos.  Jobs listed in time line sequence. They do not care if you were the Captain of the hockey team in college or if your hobby is stamp collecting. They are interested if you received any academic awards or if you were president of the student council.

The exception to the one page requirement is if  you are applying for a high powered job or an academic position.  That employer will be looking for a more extensive view of your background.  It could run three pages.  You might even include a bio. 

3.  You may be applying to a recruiter.  Act as if they are the employer.  That means dress for business.  No flip flops or casual clothes. Nice suit.  Crisp.  Shined shoes.  They are the ones you have to impress first because they will be presenting you. They are not going to waste one of their requests on someone who does not look like someone their client will hire.  They get paid only if you are that person.

4.  Do extensive research on the company who is interviewing you.  You will get a better idea of what they are looking for.  Direct your request for an interview to the exact person you will be seeing.  Please, no “To whom it may concern” or “Managing Director” without his name and his exact title.  Call the company and ask the telephone operator for the information.  They will tell you.

5.  Be a little early for the interview.  Be pleasant to the receptionist.  In many companies, everyone is asked for their impression. 

6.  Start off with thanking the person for his time.  SMILE.  No, you do not want coffee or tea, thank you. 

7.  Be prepared to answer some tough questions.  Like “What do you think are your greatest strengths?”  You don’t want to brag but don’t minimize your abilities.  An employer wants to know that you get along with people.  One client told me he said, “I was known in my company as the “Go to” person.  They used to tell me if I couldn’t get it done, it wasn’t possible.”  Put the words in someone else’s mouth. 

They will ask what your greatest weakness is also.  That is a tougher one because you don’t want to appear weak at all.  Another client told me he answered, “I’m like a dog with a bone.  I don’t give up easily!” Make a list of possible questions for yourself and practice your answers with a friend.  

8.  Do research on the company.  Know everything you can about them.  You may have been in an entirely different industry.  Be prepared to show how your skills are transferable.  They will not reveal all their company secrets on the Internet but get a general overview.  You might also consider “googling” them for any breaking news in the media.

9.  Don’t knock your old company.  You loved your job there.  Decide to say something like there was no way to progress.  If you were fired, say that you left for “personal reasons.” They won’t ask you what they were. 

10.  Be prepared for rejection.  Always send a hand written note the same day. Even if you were turned down.  You never know if something else comes up later in that company. 

11. You have two ears and one mouth.  There is a reason for that.  Listen more and talk less. 

12.  Do not ask questions about benefits and vacations.  That you can do later but do ask intelligent questions about the job.

13. End the interview pleasantly.  Again, thanks for seeing me. I enjoyed meeting you.  Exit graciously. 

I started by saying there was a difference if you were looking for a job when you already have one. Now, you have to be careful.  You want to leave on your time frame.  And it is true that it is easier to find a new job if you have one.

1.  Do not put your resume on the Internet.  Be careful when spreading the word you are in the market that it is a person you can trust.

2.  Never answer a blind ad.  A friend did this recently and found that she was applying for a job at the company she worked for now!  They were not happy about that.  We’re still waiting to see what the fallout will be.  If you are working with a recruiter or a head hunter, you don’t have to worry.  They will not reveal your present situation.

3.  If you are not working with a recruiter, decide on some of the companies that interest you and go to their web pages.  Most now post jobs on their site.  They also will not go to your present company for a reference unless they are actually making you and offer and you have accepted it.  These are business people.  They know the rules.   

    MISCELLANEOUS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION   

 Google yourself to see what is on line about you.  It is hard to get things off Google so be prepared to defend anything that needs defending. If you have a My Space or Face Book page, look at them carefully.  Also look at your friend’s pages that may have included you in some photos.  Eliminate anything that looks sexy, party person or puts you in any frivolous situation.  Take them all down.  Everybody looks everywhere these days.  What might have been a fun party in college will reflect badly on you in the business world. Good luck!  

 Special thanks to Peg Barry of Barry Personnel Resources, Inc. in Chicago and Linda Mills, Esq. for their invaluable input to this article.  Peg will be joining us at a later date for an in person podcast especially for young people.

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