6 posts tagged “job search”

According to a BNet article, the balance of power between employers and job seekers has shifted -- towards employers.  What does this mean for today's job seekers?  Here are a few tips:

One of the key qualities that employers look for in applicants is soft skills.  What are these nebulous skills that are so important?  Soft skills include attitude, communication skills, leadership abilities, character, business acumen, flexibility -- and on and on.  For a longer list, check out "On the Up" at http://blog.ontheup.org/2008/03/31/identifying-soft-skills-for-the-social-innovation-camp/.  Soft skills are the skills, characteristics, and personal attributes that are hard to define and even harder to teach.  Employers can teach you the basics of their business and help you develop your technical expertise in the area of interest; however, they have less ability and even less time to teach you the nuances of interpersonal communication, coping skills, and the other intangibles that will make you a valued employee.

Many interviews start with the phrase "Tell me about yourself" -- or a similar invitation to give your 2 minute infomercial.  Like many interview prompts, this is an opening to tell your story; prepare for the opportunity by crafting your stories.  For a list of some of the toughest interview questions -- and how to answer them -- visit george's employment blawg.

For a list of the top steps to preparing for an interview, take a quick tour through this YouTube video presented by Job Interview Bootcamp:

Tell Me About Yourself
This standard prompt is not an invitation to begin your narrative from birth and bring listeners up to present moment.  Rather, it is an invitation to give a brief overview of the highlights of your academic and professional career, including your key qualifications for the position at hand and your motivating factors in applying for the opening.

Watch this brief Krueger Resources YouTube video to see a good answer to the question: 

Tell Me About a Time When You Overcame an Obstacle or Solved a Problem
Generally, interviewers are looking both for evidence of your problem-solving and critical thinking abilities as well as a story that resonates and sets you apart from other candidates.  What kind of story should you tell?  New grads typically tell stories from working with peers on class projects, so these don't rank high on the unique scale.  Plan for this question and search your personal history for an unusual story to tell, one that showcases your talents, personal qualities, and capacity for creative thinking.  Such a story may come from a family activity, a volunteer or part-time job, involvement in a campus organization, etc.  Be sure to focus on your role in solving the problem/scaling the challenging and don't get sidetracked with the details of the story.  If you realized in retrospect a better solution, share that.

Check out this brief YouTube video from Denham Resources showcase a good answer to the question:

What Is Your Weakness?
A very sticky question, indeed, but an opportune moment to share a story of personal development.  A job interview is not the equivalent of a confessional, so you should not come clean about your propensity for quarreling with colleagues, subverting authority, missing deadlines, or other major or minor workplace issues.  Rather, this question is a tool to mention an area you are targeting for personal development.  First of all, this gives the interviewer insight into your personality.  Secondly, this demonstrates that you are motivated and have the necessary initiative to succeed.  Use the frame of a personal story to tell the interviewer, for example, that time management has been a struggle for you since your teachers stopped writing assignments on the board and giving gold stars in your daily notebook -- but that you've been working towards better management habits through calendaring, to-do lists, and use of a PDA and these efforts have netted you sufficient daily time to join a gym and you turned all your class projects in on time last semester. 

Here's a good answer to the question, via YouTube video, from Krueger Resources:

Storytelling Basics
Remember the basics of a story: beginning, middle and end.  These elements, plus the foundation of character and setting, are essential to a well-crafted story.  Your stories should be succinct and well-rehearsed -- but not memorized.  The key is to be natural when you deliver your stories, so you will want to think through potential questions and scenarios ahead of time.  Beyond merely thinking of the stories, practicing them aloud is vital.  Stories in your head sound vastly different from stories in open space -- and if you don't practice speaking them, you may stumble over your tongue.  If you can't gather friends, family, or neighbors to listen to your rehearsals, preview your stories for the household plants, pets, or your mirror image.  As long as your tongue gets a workout, your practice session will be beneficial.

The old adage, "It's not what you know but who you know" holds sway.  Networking is the premier way to find a new job.  Of course, the word "networking" strikes fear into the hearts of many.  I've discussed the topic before -- and will again, I'm sure -- because of its value (and its largely misunderstood nature).  Today, though, I'm going to focus on the technological tools that making networking if not a breeze, at least a relatively painless process. 

There are hundreds of social networking sites to explore -- and hundreds more social bookmarking sites.  New sites are cropping up constantly.  The social web is the place to watch.  Some of the top spaces are:

Facebook  (http://www.facebook.com)
MySpace (http://www.myspace.com)
Bebo (http://www.bebo.com)
iMeem (http://www.imeem.com)
Xanga (http://www.xanga.com)
Classmates (http://www.classmates.com)
Gaia Online (http://www.gaiaonline.com)
Friendster (http://www.friendster.com)

These are generally social spaces, but they can be used for making employment contacts and finding jobs.  Job seekers be wary --

*  Know your friends (you're known by the company you keep, even in cyberspace)
*  Reveal discreetly to avoid discrimination (photos, gender, marital status, religion, political affiliation, etc all reveal information that is illegal to ask in interviews and could screen you out of the job search)
*  Manage digital dirt (know what's online about you, make sure good information is visible and bad information is invisible)

The net is a tool like any other -- use it as such.  If you use a tool well, it can be an invaluable aid in your job search process.  If you use a tool poorly, it can hinder or sideline your progress.

I have to confess . . . networking doesn't come naturally to me.  I love meeting new people, and I love talking to people but the part about the "two-minute infomercial" is definitely an acquired skill.  After much, much practice.  A great deal of which has been enhanced by my Internet interactions.  Contacts on the other end of a chat screen generally want the brief, attention-getting version of your life story when they say, "So tell me about yourself."

How did I overcome my aversion?  Pure and simple . . . I read a book by Andrea Nierenberg called Non-Stop Networking.  Then, I practiced online.  The more social networking I did online, the easier in-person networking became.  Plus, I set networking goals for myself at an event.  While it's tempting to cling to people I know, I realize that networking with new people exposes me to new ways of doing things.   Sometimes I imagine that I'm an ambassador on a mission to mix and mingle -- focusing this way gives me extra impetus to make connections.

And my next confession . . . quite honestly, I love hearing how others do things differently (even if it's better).  Each time I step out of my comfort zone, it gets a little easier and more natural.  Maybe I'll be a natural networker by the time I retire!

Networking is a concept that is difficult for many to grasp, particularly those who are transplants to the American culture or who are reserved by nature.  Another confession . . . for the longest time, I thought networking was only for people who were actively job hunting and wanted to make contacts to find a job.  A huge (and common) misconception!  Upwards of 60% of jobs are gained through networking, but networks provide a wealth of resources. 

I now realize that networking is a careerlong process.  You can search for leads, recruit new hires, promote projects, raise venture capital, and gather knowledge and resources through your network.  I would posit that your career horizon is only as strong as the network you build! 

As with a real web, the links are bi-directional -- meaning it is meant to be a mutual relationship with each person benefiting at some point.  Like a social network, a face-to-face network has the potential to connect you to multiple branching networks.

myspace-networking.jpg

A college student or new grad may wonder:  What do I have to offer to a young professional or a seasoned careerist?  Plenty -- your fresh perspectives of the field, cutting-edge classroom ideas, and as you build your network and progress in your career, other people to introduce to your contacts.

So, where do you start?  If you happen to be going to a business meeting, conference or convention, or anywhere amongst other people -- start there:  meet new people, preferably those you can identify as having some connection to your goals, aspirations, or interests.  Online sites make it easy to target individuals with commonalities through interest boards.  Make sure to also join professional networking sites, though, and build your network including both current and new contacts. 

When you have trouble thinking of whom to include in your network, make lists of all your circles of involvement in life (past and present): schools, family, friends, church, civic organizations, hobby groups, co-workers, employers, professional associations, campus clubs, sororities/fraternities, honor societies, etc. 

To nurture your network with etiquette in mind -- choose carefully (quality over quantity); stay in touch (seasonal cards, relevant resources); always be respectful of privacy of contact information and acknowledge assistance from your contacts along the way.

Great resources on the topic of networking include:

Andrea Nierenberg's Self-Marketing Blog (general insights, not all networking -- but she is the networking guru)
http://thenierenblog.typepad.com/

Career Bloom: Networking
http://workbloom.com/employmentblog/networking.aspx

Quintessential Careers: Tools for Networking on the Internet  http://www.quintcareers.com/Internet_networking_sources.html

College Recruiter.com (see "Do Employers Really Hire Candidates from Facebook and MySpace?")
http://www.collegerecruiter.com/weblog/