“Job Search Strategy Myths” plus 2 more |
- Job Search Strategy Myths
- Job Candidates Need To Keep Composure During Interview
- Don’t emphasize your limits in job search
| Posted: 24 Feb 2011 12:28 PM PST  Enthusiasm matters. Here's another piece from New York City career coach Win Sheffield, on job search myths. This piece has to do with strategizing your search. For me, the great pearl of wisdom in this piece comes from Sheffield's observation about how much enthusiasm and genuine interest count when you're looking for work. Put yourself in the employer's shoes. Would you hire the candidate who seemed lackadaisical about the opening you needed to fill, or would you choose the slightly less qualified applicant who was champing at the bit to work for you. For a related article, check out this piece about new research showing that optimism pays off on your job search. Now, here is Win Sheffield's wisdom: Myth: In a tight market, my best strategies are to: (a) Look for jobs in growing sectors whether or not they interest me. (b) Pursue a lower-level job, because that will be easier to get. (c) If I am moving to a new industry or function where I don't have experience, I should aim for an entry-level job. (d) People will only want to hire me to do what I do now, so I should only look for jobs that closely match my current job description, even if I'm unhappy at work. (e ) Take any job; beggars can't be choosers. The thinking behind this: (a) "Plastics." This was the career advice famously given to Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. Health care, anything to do with aging Boomers, "green," are all hot new areas. I will join the trend and increase my chances of long-term, stable employment. I see statistics that show college grads moving away from banking and toward other fields. (b) It is easier to find a job that's one or more rungs down from my level. I increase my chances of employment by applying for jobs where I can clearly excel. (c) If my industry is on the decline, I will move to a new industry. Since I don't have experience there, I will only qualify for an entry-level job and will move up from there. (d) You can't get a job without experience. Employers want employees who have done the job before. Ads ask for 8-10 years of experience, so I can only do what I have done before. Unless I qualify for a job, I shouldn't bother applying. The candidate who can do the job for the least amount of money will get the offer. Besides, I don't know what I want and don't know how to discover what I want. Finding out about something new seems impossible, so I will stick with what I know. (e) If I present myself as broadly as possible, able to do many things, the more options I give myself. Because I am too old (young, inexperienced, had a bad experience in my last job, can't get a recommendation, have been out of the job market, etc.), I am even more at the mercy of employers. The appeal – why we want to believe it: Being without a job tends to undermine if not destroy our self-esteem. We are not inclined, having been burned once, to pursue a job that might be a stretch and may lead to us being burned again. In a situation where jobs seem scarce, we figure it is best to go for jobs that we assume are more plentiful or easier to get. The real deal: The deciding factor in the hiring decision is very often the candidate's enthusiasm for the job. Recruiters say it again and again. While current job market realities are an essential consideration, they are not the primary driver. People change fields all the time. Today's graduates will work in jobs and even in industries that do not exist today. The job market is complex and nuanced. Employers need employees who not only can do the job, but who want to do it. If there are two qualified candidates and one is clearly interested in the job, the interested one is clearly going to offer more to the employer than the one who is just putting in time. The assumption that we have to do what we don't want to is based on our idea of what the job market looks like. If ads reflected the full job marketplace, it would be easy to assume that we need to be something that we are not. Most jobs are not advertised, however, so job ads are really not a good indication of all the jobs out there. You are not going for a job that is like everyone else's. If that were going to work, it would have by now. Unintended consequences: Pursuing jobs because they are popular or seem easy to get can backfire if you're indifferent about the opportunity. You are competing with people who have a real interest in the job and who are therefore more likely to be hired. Even if you do get a job you don't really want, there's a good chance you'll wind up feeling bored or uninterested. What this means for you: You increase your chances of getting the job when you pursue an opportunity that truly interests you. In addition, going after something that excites you will make the whole process less painful. Many of you will say, "that is fine for people who know what they want, but I don't." I say to you: OK. I have been there. I understand. Start where you are. Take a look at things you have enjoyed in the past. Look at industries that interest you. Among the people you've known, have any had jobs that interest you? What are you curious about? By pursuing your interests, you learn about jobs you never thought existed and you open up new avenues. When I finished business school I briefly considered being a consultant. I rejected the idea because of the travel involved. I didn't want to stay in hotels in strange cities throughout the week. It wasn't until years later that I discovered that consulting firms sometimes organize themselves around industries and that by joining a practice focused on investment banking, my clients would largely be in New York City, where I live. I took a job in a consulting firm where I took short trips daily, and spent every night in my own bed. I never knew that was possible until I explored. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Job Candidates Need To Keep Composure During Interview Posted: 27 Feb 2011 02:03 AM PST Posted: Feb. 27, 2011 | 2:03 a.m. The job search process can be nerve-wracking for job seekers. Many times, the nervous feelings lead to mistakes and mishaps. What part of the application process proves to be the hardest for job candidates? If you guessed the interview, you are correct. At least that is the result from a survey by Accountemps, a staffing service that questioned 1,400 managers. Thirty-two percent of respondents feel the most mistakes occur in the interview phase of the application process. The resume comes in second place with 28 percent, followed by reference checks, the interview follow-up, the cover letter and the screening call. Mistakes happen when a job candidate is nervous, but Accountemps offers tips to turn the interview into a positive reflection of your skills: n Let it go: If you make an error, try to compose yourself and move to the next question. n Recover: Pause and give yourself encouragement to keep going. n Pay attention to the questions: Listen to the employer's questions. They will likely provide clues to what type of answers he or she hopes to receive. You want to show that you are the person needed at the company. n Avoid jumping to conclusions: You probably did better than you think. We tend to be our biggest critics. n Send a thank-you note: After the interview, remember to send a thank-you note to the hiring manager. It is a favorable gesture and gives you another chance to explain your qualifications. Above all, don't give up even when you are nervous. Keep your eyes on the prize -- a new job! This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Don’t emphasize your limits in job search Posted: 27 Feb 2011 03:14 AM PST Q. I spent four years in a high-stress job in finance, regularly working 60 to 70 hours per week. I was laid off a year ago, and since then rediscovered life outside of the office. I'd like to return to financial services, but I'm not interested in another time-demanding role. Many employers are afraid to hire someone looking to take a step back. How do I communicate that I am a conscientious, hard-working employee who's just not interested in working over 40 hours per week? A. You don't. Employers don't want clock watchers. They want employees who will do what it takes to get the job done. You don't benefit from putting limits like that up front. You have done some great assessment work to guide you, but that does not need to be shared with an employer. You have identified the kind of position you are looking for and found that you'd like to lead a more balanced life. These goals can be met without waving a red flag saying "I need to leave at 5.'' You can use search skills of networking and research to identify cultures, industries, and organizations where working 60 hours a week or more is not the norm. You may need to adjust your compensation requirements, which could enlarge the pool of potential employers. Your networking contacts can introduce you to managers who are looking for hard-working, talented people, particularly when they are reassured that the person isn't looking for a short-term opportunity. These companies do exist. You may also want to add information to your resume that showcases the activities to which you dedicate time outside of work. Good hiring managers want to see that people have outside interests. Elaine Varelas is managing partner at Boston career management firm Keystone Associates. © Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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