Applying For Jobs Online

Posted on February 22, 2012 by E. James

There are many obvious advantages to applying for jobs online. You can cover a wide swath of job applications, geographic regions, and message boards very quickly and efficiently. However, job search websites are certainly no silver bullet for finding a job, and you still have to apply many of the same considerations that you would for a traditional job search. With literally thousands of new job sites cropping up each year (some more reputable than others), here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Maintain control. Job sites offer a service, but there’s always something in it for them. Ultimately, a website is just one more tool in the tool kit, and you want the end result to be the same: you send your application to a particular individual within the company. It is important that you are apply on your own behalf, as some websites will offer to do this for you. This is one of the reasons that a low-tech online search, such as a google search that leads to the webpage of the hiring manager, is often more productive than a fancy automated service.

2. Look before you leap. Online job services are required to provide you with the fine print. Check out their privacy policy and the details of their service agreements before you give away your information. The internet is a powerful and wonderful place, but it is also very dangerous, and once your information is given to the wrong people, it can never be retracted or undone.

3. Maintain your profile. As you know, job searching is a job in itself. Make sure you’re putting sufficient time into maintaining your online profiles on job sites and LinkedIn.

Photo © so47 – Fotolia.com

How To Apply When You’re Overqualified

Posted on February 15, 2012 by E. James

One problem that has increased dramatically throughout the recent recession is the epidemic of high-level workers who have lost work and have not been able to find lower-level work because they appear to be overqualified. If you find yourself in this difficult position—where you have to convince your interviewer that you’re looking to stay when in fact you regard the position as temporary—then consider our advice:

Redefine your presentation. The trick here is to match what you have to offer to what the hiring manager needs, rather than to fluff yourself up with all of your degrees, honors, and awards. You should certainly mention your work experience and your education on your resume, but put the focus on what you can do, not on what you expect from your prospective employer. This will certainly require preparing a new resume for each and every job you apply for.

Show off your versatility. Present your interviewer with specific examples of jobs where you demonstrated the flexibility and teamwork required to work in a variety of positions. Since you’re obviously downgrading your career, flexibility and teamwork will be major concerns for your prospective employer. The burden is on you to prove that you work well with others in a variety of positions. Always connect your qualifications to concrete job experiences and illustrate how well those experiences would carry over to the work you are currently applying for.

Expect less. Being overqualified means, by definition, that you’ll be getting paid for less than you’re worth. This is a painful and unfair situation, but in order to make it work, you must convince your interviewer that you understand the compensation involved and are nevertheless completely dedicated the job (even more so than another, younger worker, for whom the work would be a step up).

Photo © JohnKwan – Fotolia.com

Why You’re Not Getting That Job (Part 2)

Posted on February 3, 2012 by E. James

CNN recently offered a special report on small mistakes that can lead to big losses in your job search. Here is a selected review inspired by their most helpful tips:

4. Are you focusing on the company, or on yourself? Address your cover letter to your prospective employer by focusing on what the company needs and how you can offer it. Many applicants make the mistake of focusing on themselves and what they stand to gain. As in any relationship, coming off narcissistic can be a deal breaker.

5. Are you tracking your own accomplishments? In order to stay successful throughout your career, you must think ahead by keeping your resume well-maintained and up-to-date. Each time you receive an award or commendation, be sure to add it quickly and thoroughly to your resume. Otherwise, it can be very difficult to remember all your accomplishments down the road.

6. Professional contact information. Make sure you give your prospective employer the most accessible and professional way to reach you. Have a professional email address and a clear, professional voicemail outgoing message. Whatever you do, do not give out your phone number at your current place of employment. That shows that you are taking paid time out of your current job to look for work, which is very unprofessional.

7. Asking questions. When an interviewer gives you an opportunity to ask questions, take advantage of it. Saying you don’t have any questions about your potential job communicates a lack of interest. Your interview should not come off as disinterested or perfunctory. Make sure your interviewer sees how engaged you are and how much you care.

Photo © vicky – Fotolia.com

Why You’re Not Getting That Job (Part 1)

Posted on February 2, 2012 by E. James

CNN recently offered a special report on small mistakes that can lead to big losses in your job search. Here is a selected review inspired by their most helpful tips:

1. Proofread for typos! Rarely is your cost to benefit ratio so steep as it is when proofreading for typos. It only takes a second to create a typographical error, and only a minute to identify and correct it, but if you leave typos and misspellings in your professional documents, the effects can last a lifetime. Your cover letter and resume are the portal through which potential employees get to know you. Typos are the fastest way to close a door, even before it fully opens.

2. Presentation. Most companies make their policies regarding dress code and professional presentation very clear. If you want to seal the deal, you need to look like you already work for you prospective employer. You interviewer is trying to imagine you in the job you’re applying for, and you need to make his or her job easier by looking like you’ve already got it. Similarly, give the same amount of attention to your documents that you give to your dress and coiffure. High-quality resume paper and professional-looking formatting don’t require a lot of extra time and money, but they can pay off big.

3. Speaking badly about a former boss. This advice applies to business as much as it does to dating. Just like speaking badly about an ex on a first date can be off-putting (“Is that how he/she is going to talk about me if we break up?” your date is probably thinking), badmouthing a previous employer can leave your interviewer wondering how you will represent their company if and when you leave.

Photo © Richard Cote – Fotolia.com

Refresh Your Job Search

Posted on January 26, 2012 by J. L. Eisenberg

If you’re feeling discouraged in your search for a new job, the new year can be a great time to relax, recharge, and refresh your vision and goals for the coming months. If you put your job search aside during the holidays, coming back to it now will give you a fresh perspective and renewed energy for the task at hand. If you didn’t take a break over the holidays, consider taking one now. Even a few days of rest will help you reset for a renewed effort at finding a job.

When you’re ready to get back to the hunt, start by evaluating what you’ve been doing for the past few months of searching and decide what’s been working and what hasn’t. Throw the methods that haven’t worked for you out the window, and resolve to focus more on finding new techniques and developing the old ones that are still working.

Before you start concentrating on the methods of your hunt, however, take some time to think about your goals. Are you still chasing after the dream job you had in mind when your job search began? If not, think about why you’re now prepared to settle for a lesser job. Is it a matter of money? Try taking on some contract work to get you through the coming months. A matter of experience? You may need to take some classes or set your sights on a lower-ranking job that will groom you for the one you really want. Write down what steps you need to take to achieve your dream job so that you know the purpose of all that you’ll be doing in the coming year.

Finally, remember that there’s a difference between accepting a job because there’s nothing better and accepting a job because it’s a rung on the ladder to your ultimate goal. Even if it’s the bottom rung, whatever job you get will help to give you the experience and knowledge to achieve your career-related goals.

Photo © RTimages – Fotolia.com

The Coveted Call-Back

Posted on January 20, 2012 by J. L. Eisenberg

Waiting to hear about a potential job often brings to mind your very first date – waiting by the phone for hours hoping to get a call, and, more often than not, the phone stubbornly refusing to ring. Although waiting by the phone no longer means holing yourself up in your bedroom for days (thanks mobile phones!), it can be just as frustrating waiting for a job call-back that never comes.

Although we can’t tell you how to make the hiring manager start dialing any faster, there are some simple things you can do to increase your chances of a timely call back.

Firstly, keep in mind that it’s often most effective to take the bull by the horns and call the hiring manager yourself. Instead of calling out of the blue, which can make you seem impatient, end your thank you note with a follow up date – for example, “I look forward to hearing from you, and will follow up next Wednesday.” This tells the hiring manager that you’re interested enough in the job to keep in contact, and the subsequent communication will keep you fresh in his or her mind.

Second, strive to establish a connection with the hiring manager that will distinguish you from all the other candidates he or she has to deal with. While you don’t want to distract from your professional attributes while in an interview, noticing and pointing out something you might have in common with the hiring manager can have a big payoff in terms of how he or she relates to you. For example, if you notice a lot of family photos, mention that you have kids as well – the knowledge of a shared life experience will make the hiring manager eager to know more about you and hopefully hasten the speed of the call back.

Like first dates, job interviews take patience and a little luck. But unlike first dates, waiting for a call doesn’t have to mean waiting in an anxious frenzy. With a few strategic moves, waiting for a call will go by as quickly as your first good date – an experience worth waiting for.

Photo © Photo_Ma – Fotolia.com

Your Biggest Weakness

Posted on January 18, 2012 by J. L. Eisenberg

Although it’s asked in every interview you’ve ever been to, the question “what’s your biggest weakness?” never fails to bring out the stutterer in every one of us. While saying “nothing” isn’t an option, neither is confessing each and every flaw from your inability to keep organized files to your cuticle-biting habit. Here are a few little tricks to turn this common interview question to your advantage.

Don’t delude yourself in to thinking this question won’t be asked; prepare your answer in advance. You’ll want to frame your flaws as specific problems rather than one overarching flaw – “I tend to procrastinate on my budget reports” sounds much better than “I can’t meet a deadline to save my life.”

Once you’ve spit it out, don’t let your interviewer say another word before you explain what you’re doing to improve your weaknesses. Once again, specific examples are best here – try mentioning a time-management class you took to help with your procrastination or show your interviewer the new filing system you’ve invented to help deal with your messiness. He or she will be impressed that you have already taken specific steps to correct the problem. Also, mention any continuing plans you have for improvement, even if it’s as small as setting up your calendar so that your deadline alerts start showing up a few days earlier.

Finally, the dreaded “weakness” question can be a great opportunity to address any weak spots in your resume – instead of talking about a personal weakness, choose a professional one, such as your lack of experience with certain types of photo-editing software. When you explain how your experience with Photoshop and graphics editing more than makes up for your deficiency with another type of software, you’ll both answer the question and get a chance to address any concerns you might anticipate coming up with your resume.

Photo © Alexander Raths – Fotolia.com

More Bad Habits Of Job Seekers

Posted on January 17, 2012 by R. A. M.

In this third installment of breaking bad habits that are holding you back from getting the job you want, we look at a number of things you need to change right away.

1. Use social media wisely and professionally. Don’t use profanity or bad grammar and spelling, and don’t trash people. Employers will see it all.

2. Don’t limit your search to a small geographic area. Sometimes we need to go where the jobs are.

3. Don’t limit yourself solely to big and well-known employers.

4. If you get to an interview, don’t talk too much or chew gum. After the interview, don’t assume that the company will inform you of the status of the opening. Be bold enough to check in and check up.

5. Don’t race too quickly to negotiate the job offer, and don’t wait forever for the company to call you. You are walking a fine line here, but never give the impression that you are desperate for the job. While you wait, spend some time learning new things about your field and occupation. Read newspapers, industry newsletters and trade publications to become better informed. This work will only make you more attractive to employee seekers, and it will also make you (eventually) a better worker and colleague.

These tips and suggestions are aimed at streamlining your job seeking efforts and making you a stronger candidate. Good luck with your search.

Seven Bad Habits Of Job Seekers

Posted on January 16, 2012 by R. A. M.

In an earlier post, we shared 7 bad habits that job seekers today should get rid of as soon as possible. Here are 7 more valuable tips if you want to clean up your act and land that next great job. If you are serious about getting work, you need to pay attention to these big Don’ts.

1. Don’t limit your range too narrowly by only targeting specific companies.

2. Similarly, don’t just apply to anything anywhere. This approach is too scattershot. You need to cultivate more expansive and relaxed energy.

3. Avoid depending on people you know to get you a job. This is a quick way to lose friends. Desperation chases everyone away. Take stock of your strengths and weaknesses. You should be in a calm state of constant reassessment regarding your skills and abilities and needs.

4. Another bad habit is failing to research salaries. This is like a foghorn announcing that you are unprepared.

5. Follow up on everything that comes your way. If you can’t follow up, why should anyone want to hire you? This attitude fosters another bad habit—failing to prepare for your interview.

6. Prepare for each interview. No serious candidate wings an interview.

7. Be versatile. Don’t fall into the self-destructive pit of not doing anything differently. This is precisely when you need to do it all with a difference. Wake up to that fact.

Seven Things To Stop Doing If You Want To Get The Job

Posted on January 15, 2012 by R. A. M.

The job market is like water, always changing. What looks solid at one moment, in the next looks completely different. This presents obvious challenges to those who are looking for a new job. To some extent, we are all old dogs, creatures of habit, but we need to buck some of those habits if we are to survive and thrive in the current world of job hunting. Here are 7 things you should stop doing right now to maximize your chances of being hired.

1. Don’t limit yourself by only applying for jobs online. It seems like the thing to do in the internet age, but you miss out on a lot of opportunities. A new job can come to you in many ways. Even print ads can be fruitful.

2. Do not send the same cover letter with every job application. This generic approach is packed with dead energy, and that gets communicated at the other end. Make your letters personal. Feel something!

3. Don’t use the same résumé for every job you apply to. It isn’t appropriate. Tweak your document to connect with the job you’re applying for.

4. Don’t forget to take advantage of your networks, but be careful how you present yourself to the public! Potential employers will be checking you out.

5. Don’t ask friends and family for information about possible jobs. This puts everybody on the spot.

6. Don’t complain about being unemployed when approaching job interviews and other professional settings. Nobody wants to listen to your sob stories.

7. Don’t trash your previous employer. Again, this negative energy will only turn back on you and sink your chances.