The world has changed since your parents and professors were job hunting out of college. Want ads are digital. Resumes are as likely emailed as mailed. You might get a job without ever printing a resume on pretty linen paper or touching a stamp.
But don't get cocky about how much your Facebook, tech-saavy skills set you apart. Most of the same principles still apply. The most important principle is this: word of mouth is still the best way to get the best job.
When you think about it, this really makes sense. You are much more likely to buy a gadget or take a class recommended by a friend or someone you trust. So imagine how much better a job candidate will look to a recruiter if they are referred by someone they trust. If you can find a great candidate through word of mouth, you never have to post the job. Thus, many of the best jobs are never advertised.
Unfortunately, most people refuse to job hunt this way. They never tell anyone they are looking for a job.
Maybe they’re afraid that if they don’t have a job lined up people will think they have failed in some significant way. Maybe they don’t want to send out a spam email. I think it’s a lot like those people who refuse to talk to the take-out guy on the phone, as if he is going to judge you for what you just ordered.
At any rate, you live in a world of email. Email is a great way of getting the word out to everyone you know that you are talented, available and graduating in three months. Below is an example of a tactful, yet pointed email.
Dear friends and family,
I am excited to announce that I am finishing up my last semester at the Unversity of the Spotted Badger and am eagerly looking for a professional position. I have a degree in communications with a minor in marketing. I am looking at positions in sales, marketing, public relations, and event planning, but I am open to other suggestions. I am attaching a copy of my resume and would be grateful if you would forward this email to anyone who might be able to use my talents.
Many thanks to everyone!
Carl
While this email doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have to dig into the classifieds, it will at least make sure you aren’t missing an opportunity that’s right under your nose.
Note: Please remember to use a blind carbon copy (BCC) when sending it out so as not to share your address list with the world.
Now what?
Head to your college career services center.
These folks have a mission to help you get employed. They will review your resume, let you search their jobs database, and help set up on-campus recruiting interviews. Many will also conduct mock interviews and perform career counseling if you are still not sure about what to do with your after-college time.
Hopefully you have not waited this long to get to know this service, but if you have, then get acquainted now. You are paying for this with your tuition and fees, so make the most of it.
Check the Classifieds
Yes, the good old fashioned newspaper-run classifieds. The classifieds are still a cheap and easy way for employers to get the word out about positions in their organizations. Check both the online and the hardcopy versions, as some newspapers don’t post the same things in both places. Also note that different papers have different “key” career classified days. Some put the best ads on Sundays, some its Wed, etc. Get to know the local papers in all of the cities where you might want to work.
Get online
There are any number of on-line job banks out there, Monster.com, Yahoo Jobs, Careerbuilder, etc. Additionally, you will find local job search engines as well. Get on as many as possible and post a resume. You should live on these sites.
An important thing to know is that your resume is your calling card on most of these sites. Many jobs are never posted. There are different fee structures for job sites. For you, it’s free. And if it isn’t don’t use it. Period!
For a recruiter, the fee structure varies based on what they want to do. There is a monthly subscription fee to look at resumes, a “per post” fee to post a specific job, or a subscription fee to post lots of jobs. In other words, it costs more to post a job. So many companies just pay to review resumes of people like you for jobs you don’t even know exist. So search regularly, but pay close attention to how many views your resume is getting, and word it to hit the keywords that a recruiter might look for.
It's worth noting that lots of the companies on these sites are looking for warm bodies to fill high-turnover jobs. Commission only sales jobs, franchises, and other "opportunities" will come your way via email and phone if you leave your contact information. You can get so excited about getting a call that you don't care what it's for. You dress up for an inteview only to find out it's for a multi-level marekting company that wants you to "recruit" others. This happened to 3 different people I know who all went to the same company advertising for outside sales people. Find out what the job is before you agree to interview with a simple and eager: "Can you tell me a little bit about the position?"
Specific organization sites
Many organizations only post to external sites and classified ads as a last resort. First they post on their internal web pages. The larger the company, the more likely they are to take this approach. Universities are particularly prone to this method as they aren’t apt to spend a lot of money on recruiting anyway. This means you need to make regularly (at least weekly) checks to all of the major organizations in the cities in which you want to work. This includes state, city, and county jobs, colleges and universities, and companies of over 1,000 employees. New jobs usually post with little fanfare, so you will need to be vigilant. Follow the instructions for how to apply and you’re off!
Professional organizations
No matter what your career, there is probably an organization that serves its members. These groups are great places to track down jobs, whether it’s a non-profit job, a development job, a research job, or a medical job.
Online Groups for your fraternity/sorority
Many alumni groups have places where you can post to other members. This type of networking is great because it goes out to people with whom you have a connection, but who may not know you as an individual. It will also go out across the country to people in every industry. This is why you paid all of those dues!
Non Profit Jobs
This title is usually descriptive of both the organization and the job. To be blunt, nonprofits don’t pay as well as their for-profit counterparts. They are, however, exceptional places to get experience. They are usually much more willing to hire hardworking people without a track record than large companies. Also, they have fewer staff members, and as a result they expect their workers to learn lots of skills and take on many roles in a single job. This means you can learn lots of things, take on lots of responsibility, and move up quickly in preparation for your leap into the for-profit world.
Many people choose to stay in non-profit work because they like working in an environment where they can make a difference to a cause. If that’s you, then you can have a much faster-tracked career and a great sense of well-being. If it’s not you, or at least it’s not the you you can afford to be right now, then feel free to use non-profit work as your stepping stone to a great for-profit job. Expect to stay at least a year in your first job to make it look good to your next employer. Leave too early, and you look flakey and disloyal.
Remember: Your reputation is the most important thing you have. Protect it at all costs.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment