Tuesday, July 28, 2009

[NE-Financial-Services-IT-Jobs] Digest Number 348

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1.: Desperation, and six other mistakes job-seekers should avoid From: Gary Wright - Wright Associates

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1.: Desperation, and six other mistakes job-seekers should avoid

Posted by: "Gary Wright - Wright Associates" gary_wright@verizon.net wrightassociates

Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:48 pm (PDT)

Jul 25, 2009, 11:51 a.m. EST

Fear and loathing in the labor market
Desperation, and six other mistakes job-seekers should avoid
By Andrea Coombes, MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Economists call it the labor market, but for
job hunters competing with almost 15 million unemployed workers, it probably
feels more like a labor jungle.

And many economists expect the current 9.5% unemployment rate to get worse
before it gets better, possibly topping 10% -- a situation not seen since
the early 1980s, when for a 10-month period the jobless rate hovered between
10% and 10.8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In times like these, bad news isn't hard to find. But jobs are -- and job
seekers are all too aware of it. That alone can have negative ramifications,
some experts say.

"Job hunters, because they are so fearful and full of anxiety, the way they
are approaching job hunting is more off base than ever," said Andrea Kay, a
career consultant and author of "Work's a Bitch and Then You Make It Work."

They're "not taking time to think about strategy," Kay said. "They're merely
reacting."

Hide your desperation
When asked about the biggest mistakes job seekers are making, the three
most-cited problems were "too desperate/willing to take anything," "poor
interview preparation" and "weak resumes," according to a survey of 500
executive recruiters conducted for TheLadders.com, a career site for
executives.

In this job market it's not surprising people are "willing to take
anything." Still, career experts say it's important to spend time digging up
information on jobs that are well suited to you, rather than applying to any
open position.

"It's not about how many jobs you apply to; it's applying to the right one,"
said Alex Douzet, president and co-founder of TheLadders.com. "The skill and
preparation is in narrowing down the right job for you."

The right strategy is not complicated, Kay said. "A good job hunter has two
jobs: They should be discovering the problems that employers have for which
they need help and then they should be presenting themselves as the
solution."

Is the company struggling to stay in business? Developing a new product?
"What are their issues that I as an IT person or a marketing person or a
customer-service person can help them with?" Kay said.

Others agreed that in job hunting, strategy is all-important. "Even during
good times, there are still people competing for virtually every job
listing," said Richard Bolles, author of "The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide"
and "What Color Is Parachute?"

"During hard times, you have to have better job-hunting skills to compete,"
he said.

Developing a strategy can help you focus your search and, ideally, help you
overcome that sense of desperation. Also, consider these other mistakes to
avoid when job-hunting:

1. Relying solely on ads and online job sites
Jobs often are not advertised, and the only way to find them is by
networking. "Many employers prefer not to advertise on the Internet. They
prefer to fill vacancies in more personal ways. Job hunters who go on the
Internet, typically only 10% or less" are successful, Bolles said.

That means finding and contacting companies that can use your skills, Kay
said. "Find a live human being there that you can connect to so you're not
just another resume coming in the door."

Contact that person via email or telephone, and say, for instance, "I
understand you're in the process of rolling out a new product. I would like
to talk to you about how I can support you in this," Kay said. Also send
your resume and a letter "packed with reasons for them to want to talk to
you."

At small to mid-size firms, try simply walking in the door, resume in
hand -- but keep in mind that not all employers appreciate this.

"I'm a fan of physically going to the company," said Robert Hosking,
executive director of OfficeTeam, a temporary staffing agency for
administrative professionals and unit of Robert Half International.

"Get yourself looking professional. Walk into reception. 'I understand you
posted an ad for this. I know it said to email the resume. I personally
wanted to drop one off,'" Hosking said. "It shows tremendous initiative to
be able to do that. It sets you apart from 90% of job seekers out there, and
it gets your resume to the top of the pile in hardcopy."

Still, at a larger company, you'll likely need to find somebody to drop off
your resume for you, Bolles said. In that case, your network, as well as
online sites such as LinkedIn can be invaluable for making connections.

2. Don't make your resume a list of activities
Job seekers often think their resume is for listing "everything I've ever
done in my life," TheLadders.com's Douzet said. "No, no, no. This is a
marketing vehicle. This is your company brochure. It's your brand statement.
It's got to tell your story."

Focus on detailing your achievements, not listing what you've done. Quantify
your successes, whether in dollars or time saved for your previous company,
or in customers retained, experts said.

Also, your resume should be tailored to fit the company's job description so
it catches the eye of the person doing the initial resume sorting. Also,
your resume's story should parallel what you say in the interview. "When I
meet with you and I've read your story on paper," Douzet said, "there
shouldn't be a disconnect."

More resume rules: Two pages maximum, and no colored paper or cute graphics,
Hosking said. If you drop off your resume, use a slightly heavier paper so
it stands out from the stack the company printed out from emails.

3. Don't go to the interview unprepared
If the company recently made an acquisition or unveiled a new product, you
need to know, and be able to speak intelligently about the company's needs
and culture. "Companies loved to be loved, just as much as individuals,"
Bolles said.

Another way to prepare: Come up with two or three messages you want to get
across to hiring managers. Again, tailor these to match the job description,
Douzet said. Why? More than one person is going to have to approve hiring
you.

"These people are going to get together later and discuss your candidacy,"
Douzet said. "They have to remember something about you and they have to
convince each other that you are the right person to do the job."

If you've presented a coherent story about your achievements and how they
fit the job's requirements, you're more likely to be considered as a
contender.

Winning at the interview

4. Don't confuse 'networking' with asking for work
Networking is about developing relationships, Kay said. Contact people you
know to ask for advice; don't ask for work. Tap their expertise about their
industry and company, and what advice they have for you on the job hunt.

Also, don't ask chance acquaintances for a reference, but tap them for
information on their firm's hiring process, its culture and even the name
and number of the person doing the hiring.

Networking "is developing relationships that may not have an immediate
payoff tomorrow but certainly in the long run are very helpful," said Judith
Applebaum, director of career services at the University of Buffalo.

5. Don't treat support staff poorly
Sixty-one percent of executives said they considered their assistant's
opinion important when evaluating job candidates, according to an OfficeTeam
survey. "No matter how stressed you get, keep in mind that if you're not as
nice to the front desk person as you could be, that information always gets
back," Hosking said.

6. Failing to tap resources
Many college career offices offer their services to alumni of all ages,
Applebaum said.

"At the University of Buffalo we provide individual assistance through
career counseling, we have vacancy listings, resume databases that we offer
to employers, job fairs [and] networking opportunities with employers and
with alumni," she said.

Also, search for local nonprofit and for-profit career-counseling agencies,
she said. Along with networking opportunities, support groups can help job
seekers maintain a positive attitude.

Finally, while you're job-hunting, consider volunteering or taking a class
at a local college. The experience will keep you connected and may lead to
achievements that will serve you well on your resume.

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The New England Networking Group is Moderated by:

Gary L. Wright - President/Principal - Wright Associates

Wright Associates specializes in High Technology Recruiting Services for the New England Market Place.

Phone: 508-761-6354
Email: mailto:garywright@prodigy.net
Website: www.WrightAssociates.org

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