BP2 Tips and Tricks

Job hunting is one of life’s biggest stressors right up there with moving and divorce. Having a plan and being proactive are two things you can do to gain some control over a seemingly uncontrollable process.  Following are some tips to help contribute to your success.

Do let your network know that you are looking

You probably know to engage your business acquaintances, former managers/co-workers, and vendors, but in reality, your network is significantly larger. Does your neighbor know what you do for a living and that you are currently in the job market? How about the person on the yoga mat next to you in your weekly exercise class? Job leads can come from surprisingly unexpected sources.

Do post your resume on the major job boards

Many recruiters don’t post openings, but rather they search resumes in the databases of such sites as Monster, CareerBuilder and Dice. As a step in your job search process, be sure to take the time to load your resume on these sites.  If you are nervous about your current employer finding you, simply leave off yours and your company’s name, thus allowing for complete confidentiality.

Do keep your resume up to date

Updating your resume is an overwhelming task; having to detail all the relevant accomplishments of the last five, ten, even twenty years can be time consuming and frustrating. One tip to make the process less onerous is to update your resume during your company’s annual review cycle. Oftentimes companies ask employees to complete a self evaluation at their review.  This is the perfect opportunity to dust off your resume by adding recent accomplishments, auditing the skills list to include new software you’ve learned, or maybe adding in any volunteer experience or training you’ve received.

Do line up your references

Having your references ready to go is an important part of the job search process. Identify who you would like to have as references, and then confirm that they’re happy to speak positively on your behalf.  Ask if they might be willing to provide written letters (on company stationary) that you could then photocopy and leave behind at interviews. Companies look for 360 degree references; this means a manager (ideally two), vendor or colleague in another business unit, and if you managed people, then someone who reported to you. Try to offer a full spectrum from your work experience.

Do join local networking groups

Look into joining a local job seekers networking group; such groups provide tangible advice, introductions into companies, and moral support through the job search process.  Groups can be found through churches, as well as sites such as Meetup.com and Linked In.

Don’t appear undecided about your interest in switching jobs

Cancelling interviews, taking call waiting while on a phone interview, asking recruiters to call you at night are all signs that you are not ready to switch jobs. Job hunting needs to be a top priority, and while it’s challenging to search for a job when you have one, once you decide to do so, you need to carve out time in your day to return recruiter calls and attend interviews.

Don’t forget about social media

If you haven’t already, join LinkedIn and complete your profile and start collecting references.  Join some of the groups that are relevant to your industry and search the job postings within. If it won’t jeopardize your current job, let your Facebook friends know that you are in the job market, again, referrals can come from the most surprising of places.

Don’t wait to be called

Recruiters are overwhelmed with the volume of resumes they receive for each position available.  When at all possible, follow up with a phone call or email. See if you know anyone who has contacts into the company and can help with an introduction.  Keep applying and interview, no matter how perfect a job may seem or an interview goes, don’t stop pursuing new opportunities until you have the offer you want in hand.

Don’t ignore jobs that have been posted for awhile

Recruiters often see a flurry of resumes, then after a week the resume flow slows to a crawl. If the right candidate didn’t appear in the first batch of resumes, the recruiter often finds themselves having to refresh the ads in hopes of attracting new candidates. While it’s always a good rule of thumb to apply as quickly as you can (incase they do find the perfect candidate in that first batch of resumes), don’t ignore jobs that seem a bit older, your resume may be perfectly timed to catch a recruiter’s attention.

Don’t forget to be creative

Often times the best jobs aren’t advertised, they’re created by a candidate’s interest and knowledge of a company. If you can present a good business plan to solve a need or add to revenue, be entrepreneurial and create a role for yourself. This can also work very nicely when it comes to moving about within a larger organization.

Summary

Being proactive and creative can help shorten your job search process and lead you to your next career opportunity, if not the job of your dreams. Whether you’ve been downsized, or are feeling frustrated in your current role, lay the ground work for a planned out, broad based job search, and you’ll begin to see results.

As graduation approaches and as excitement builds to get out and find a job, it’s easy to make the very common mistake of being under prepared. First, decide on a few target jobs. Think about what would be the best fit for you based on your major, internship, clubs, associations, work experience, and interests. Research these targeted jobs and determine possible career paths. Think about where you want to be in five years, and create appropriate career goals.

Keep in mind that your targeted jobs and career path may change as you learn more about your industry, but having a set of targets and goals will bring your job search into focus.  The following will help you make the most of your search.

Do create an eye catching resume

Create a well formatted, eye-catching, professional resume and cover letter template. These templates should be tailored to your targeted jobs based on the information that you collected during your research. Note that these are templates because they will be modified and further tailored to specific positions for which you apply. Have a career counselor and a few other people proofread these templates. Need a template to start with? Try a Google search and you’ll find plenty to choose from.

Do know where to search for jobs

Start with your target companies. Go to their websites to see if they have a list of available positions. If this is not an option, you may want to contact the company’s human resources or recruiting department to inquire about opportunities. Create profiles, post your resume, and search for opportunities on the various online job boards including Monster and Career Builder. Check your industry’s association website for available opportunities there. Visit your school’s career center for additional resources and to learn about upcoming career fairs at your school and in the area. Staffing services can also be a great resource for finding jobs, this is especially true if you register at one that is specific to your industry (just remember don’t rely solely on the staffing service to find you a job. Look at the staffing service as just another job search resource). Even temporary or seasonal positions are valuable because they are opportunities to network with employers. Besides, you never know, a temporary position could become a temp-to-hire opportunity.

Do network

Remember that throughout your years at college you have created a very valuable network. First, talk to your professors and see if they know of any companies that are hiring for your target positions. Recruiters often contact professors in search of candidates. Professors can also provide you with some additional resources and provide you with a letter of recommendation or reference. Contacts at previous internships are also extremely valuable. Check back to see if they are hiring or if they can provide references. You have a great advantage with these companies, because you are familiar with their company culture, their challenges, and their needs. Use this knowledge to your advantage when you are speaking to them! If you joined associations or clubs that are specific to your major, you can use them as sources as well. Many associations place job advertisements on their websites and your club’s members may know of valuable contacts or open positions as well.

Do prepare for interviews

By the time you get an interview you should already be very familiar with the position and the company. This knowledge is extremely useful because it allows you to anticipate the types of questions you will be asked during the interview and it allows you to practice. Create a list of possible interview questions and practice your answers. This will help you get over your nervous jitters and make you more confident. Bring a few copies of your cover letter and resume (ones that you have tailored to the position and printed on resume paper), dress professionally, and use a firm handshake. Remember not to wear any lotions or perfumes with strong scents, turn off your cell phone, don’t be argumentative, and fill out all paper work carefully. After the interview, remember to send a thank you note to the recruiter or hiring manager. Follow up in a few days unless you’re told otherwise.   

Do not wait until after you graduate to start your job search

Depending on the industry, many students start their job searches as early as three months before they graduate. With so much competition in this economy, it’s important for you to get a head start. Prepare early. Get your resume and cover letter templates together, obtain references and letters of recommendation, start to research jobs in your industry as well as potential employers, and make a list of job search sources. Once you’ve made these preparations get out there and start your job search. Just remember to let hiring managers and recruiters know if you must wait to start the job after your graduate.

Do not forget about social media

These days it is essential that you use social media for your job search not just your personal life. Remember that part of your job search involves marketing yourself. First, protect your personal brand. Make sure to set your personal Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts to private, or delete any pictures, messages, and videos that you wouldn’t want a hiring manager to see. Google yourself to see if there are any results that might put your job search at risk. Next, create appropriate social media accounts for business and job search purposes. You can use Linked In, Facebook and Twitter to follow your target companies and learn more about them. You can also use these sites to find contacts from within these companies and connect with them. On Linked In, you can join associations and groups and network with other contacts in your industry. You can also find job postings on all of these sites. Recruiters are using social media more and more to find talent. You are missing out on many job and networking opportunities if you ignore these sites. 

Do not get discouraged

There are hundreds of reasons that a company might have for not making you an offer. They may have had an internal transfer or promotion; they might have canceled the requisition or put it on hold. The point is that just because they didn’t make you an offer doesn’t mean you’re not qualified, so don’t take it personal. Instead, look at each opportunity to interview as practice. Each time, think about the things you did well and the areas in which you could improve. Like anything else, interviewing should become easier and more natural the more you do it.  The interview also gave you a chance to meet contacts at the organization that might come in handy in the future, so you can also look at it as an opportunity to network. Keep thinking positive, keep up your confidence, and continue your job search!

Remember to use every resource possible. The more places you look, the more you submit your resume, the higher the chances of being hired.

Originally published on Expert Beacon.

Let’s face it, most of us don’t like to negotiate, and not much in life surpasses the discomfort of confronting a future employer with a request for more money. But the fact remains that most companies start an offer low, fully anticipating that you’ll negotiate your job offer, and if you don’t play the game then you’re likely leaving money and other benefits on the table.

Do

Do be gracious
Receiving a job offer is a big deal. An offer tells you that of all the candidates a company has met with, you’re the one they want to join their team. Acknowledge the honor by thanking them for the offer.

Do pause after their offer
A quiet moment causes the future employer to wonder if you’re happy with the offer they’ve presented. Immediately, they brace for an impending negotiation session, and are likely thinking, “how much more money could I get approval for, so that I can get this candidate to join our company.”

Do be aware of small, low increases once on board
The best shot you have at increasing your salary is when you’re between jobs. Once on board at a company, the raises tend to be small cost of living increases (short of a promotion). To make big jumps in your pay you often have to leave a company, so take advantage of when you’re between jobs to make the most of the increase that you can.

Do be prepared to close the deal
When you’re ready, whether that’s a day, a week or even just a few hours after receiving an offer, follow some version of the following script: “Thank you for your offer. You offered $X. I was really hoping for something closer to $Y. Is there any way we can meet in the middle; if so, I’m prepared to sign today.” It’s the final line, combined with the graciousness that helps speed the deal in your favor.

Do have confidence
Your future employer has likely been interviewing for weeks, if not months, and very much wants to close the search and move on with their new hire. Have confidence in knowing that they’ve picked you, and the last thing they want is to have to start the search all over again. If you’re gracious and reasonable, the worst they’ll do is say no.

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Don’t

Do not accept an offer on the spot
Even if you aren’t comfortable negotiating, never accept an offer on the spot, no matter how wonderful it seems. Always give yourself a minimum of a few hours to think through the pay, to inquire about benefits and to consider the whole package. Ask yourself if you have all the details to make the best decision.

Do not be greedy
Companies will often negotiate, but if you ask for too large of a bump in pay, or unrealistic benefits, the company may begin to doubt your true interest in the opportunity. While it’s highly unlikely to rescind an offer once received, you don’t want to cause unnecessary doubt in the manager’s mind.

Do not forget about sign-on bonuses
Because bonuses aren’t tied to annual increases like base pay, it’s often easier to get a lump sum bonus than a higher salary. Keep in mind these often come with the caveat that you will need to repay the money if you leave before a year, and that they are also taxed.

Do not forget about benefits
Companies with tight budgets may not have much wiggle room on pay, but may be able to offer more paid time off or telecommuting options. Think about what will make your life easier; is it flex-time so that you can have time in the morning to get your kids off to school? Or is telecommuting for snow days and bad weather in your best interests?

Do not forget to get it in writing
If the company comes back with a new offer over the phone, ask for it in writing before accepting. You want a paper trail (email can work) to show the adjusted amounts, benefits levels and whatever else you’ve negotiated for. Sometimes companies will offer more time off, “off the record” in some cases, and you’ll just have to trust your new manager to honor your agreement, but make sure to get anything tied to money that payroll will be administering in writing.

Summary:

Negotiating is part of the job search process and really, a part of life. Confidence in negotiating is particularly lacking in women, a frustrating legacy of their former roles as “less than equal” in the workplace. Negotiating an offer shows a company that you’re strong and confident, and really, don’t we all want to be perceived that way?

Originally Published at Expert Beacon.