What Lies Ahead, Job Huntress! ... But, What Lies Within?

Here are a few stats on what to expect in our technology-driven world as a job applicant.

Huh.  That's a little intimidating, isn't it?  From a statistical standpoint, what are the chances that I am the one person who is offered the position? 1/1000... 0.001.  Pardon me for a moment as I panic!

Of course, these estimations do not take into account one of our most powerful weapons: Networking.  We've talked about it before, and we can all agree, it's a key point of differentiation in the job search.  It's all about landing the interview before you land the job, and you can secure an interview much more easily if you know someone within the company.

If you'll notice, only the first three stages are computer driven.  Good news for you!  With your strong network, you'll bypass those steps and go straight to a real-live human!  You've prepared and practiced your concise description of what you want out of a job and what you can offer!  You know what you can bring to the table that no one else can, and that makes you unique and different.  You will catch the eye (& ear) of any recruiter and position yourself to succeed!

Though the stats seem a little ... daunting, don't let them intimidate you. Remember how far you've come and how hard you've worked to get to this place!

"What lies ahead of you is nothing compared to what lies within you," right?  So, when the job search - or any challenge - gets tough, hang in there!  You're kind of a big deal, so don't forget that!

How's Your Sales Pitch?

I don't know about you, but the job search has taught me many lessons - many of which, I did not see coming!

For example, it is not as easy as it may appear to provide an eloquent, on-the-spot response to: "What kind of job are you looking for?"  Can you articulate your ideal job in 20 seconds or less?  Try it! It takes some serious thought!

You'd think it would be easy to rattle off an answer, particularly after submitting job applications, drafting customized cover letters, exchanging emails with friends and colleagues on the topic, and giving it plenty of thought, wouldn't you?  However, it has taken time and practice for me to craft an authentic and articulate description of what I'm looking for!

With this in mind, I wanted to share a few points on how to communicate your career objectives and how to present your best, most authentic self in a concise and enthusiastic way:

Practice your sales pitch so that you can concisely convey the most valuable assets you've got that others don't - your skills, talents, passion and individuality!  Just like any other sales opportunity, the keys to promoting yourself are preparation, relevance and authenticity!  

A Day In the Life of A Job-Hunting Grad Student

Ever since kicking the job search into high gear, the days are a little different than when I was "only a student."  Meetings, networking events, emails, internet searches and more have taken over the time I once only devoted to class work.  Talk about re-prioritization!  Don't tell my Econ professor, but one of my classes has slipped to the bottom of the totem pole! Can you guess which one?

Here is what to expect if you find yourself in the same boat.  (And don't worry, it IS manageable if you're smart about it!)

7 am - 8:30 am: Get up, make coffee, let the dogs out, assess which tasks I can handle while waiting for the coffee to kick in.  Decide to begin answering emails, work on taxes, and make a list of what to prepare for class this week.

8:35 am: Refill coffee mug.  Get my act together to go to kickboxing.

9:00 am - 10:00 am: Go to kickboxing.

10:00 am - 10:45 am:  Prepare for a meeting with our Alumni Association, grab a Luna Bar, rush out the door.  Run back inside to grab laptop. You never know, may need it later today... On the way, call my grandmother to check in since she had surgery this week.

11:00 am - 12:30 pm: Meet with alumni.  Start planning a Graduate Business Association mentor program with the Alumni Association to go into effect in the Fall.

12:35 pm: Grab lunch at Chipotle.  Read through emails on my phone while eating.  Find out my meeting later today with a social media guru who is helping me find a job needs to be rescheduled for two days later.  Send email to Career Coach at Georgia State to find out status on a couple internship applications and get names of contacts at target companies.

1:00 pm:  Receive harsh email from professor letting us know that the group presentation we've worked on for over a month has significant room for improvement.  Note: We have to give the presentation tomorrow. 

1:01 pm: Panic.

1:04 pm - 4 pm:  Pull it together.  Breathe a sigh of relief that I have my laptop & that meeting was cancelled, which means the afternoon is wide open!  Send an email to the group - all of whom are employed full-time - to let them know I'll handle the editing, then thank my lucky stars that I'm a full-time student with time to work on this.  Take a few breaks from the project during which I check emails, follow-up on job applications, do a brief job search for my target companies... I might have gone on Facebook, too.  Just for a minute. :)

4 pm:  Reinforcements arrive!  Ashley, a team member, & I keep working on the presentation. Sheesh!

6 pm - 7:30 pm:  Change locations to grab a bite to eat while we keep working on the presentation.  Just today, we've spent over 6 hours of work on this presentation, folks!  This is exhausting!  I need a refill on my Diet Coke. We finally finish up the presentation, then send it out to group for final edits.

7:45pm to 10pm: Head home. Walk the dogs. Catch up on the other work I had to push to the side to work on the presentation.  Try to stay awake because I'm exhausted!

10pm - 11pm:  Get ready for bed.  Read a few chapters of the 2nd book in the Hunger Games series.  It's so good!

11 pm: Zzzzzzz....

As you can tell, there's a lot we students have to cram into one day!  The good news is, it always gets done.  It's weird.  Snafus and unpredictable challenges are inevitable, but, remarkably, they can sometimes be a blessing.  Had that meeting not been cancelled, there is no way we could have made such headway on the presentation with enough time to prepare.  Silver lining, you could say.  What I've learned is to swallow the panic and frustration and keep on keeping on.  It will always get done, and it will be good enough!

What I Learned Wednesday for March 13, 2012

This week’s WILW is brought to you by… ME!

Why? Because I want to share with you what I have been learning about resumes, and let’s just say this about that, creating a resume is nothing compared to refining a resume!

Here are some tried, true, and tough tips I've learned from people who took the time to point me in the right direction. (Thank goodness they did, too, because I was NOT on the right track!)

A resume is to get you an interview NOT a job! 

And here, I thought that was the point – to make it obvious what a good fit I am for the job, not to make it clear I would be fun to meet in person… whew, I keep having to remind myself of this again and again as I go through draft after draft.

On that note, keep your CV/resume to ONE PAGE.

This task is particularly a challenge for those of us with robust experiences and lots of enthusiasm about the work we have done. (Not that I know anything about that!)  :)  So, be careful to avoid telling your life story. The point is to hook your audience and make them want to learn more about you and give you an interview! (Again, with the interview!)

Do NOT put anything in a resume you are not dying to talk about.

For instance, if you are looking to show off as a community minded individual and list your community service in a lofty manner, consider downplaying it if your only responsibility at your company’s Habitat for Humanity project was bringing the donuts. Just sayin’.

Every single line must relate to the job you’re going after.

You must convey that you are a good fit for the job with every word! 

Have separate resumes for each job/company to which you are applying.

Again, tailor your resume to what the company is looking for (which you can find out on their corporate website and within the job description). For example, if you’re going for a very creative agency gig, do not emphasize the conservative corporate work you’ve done in the past. Dazzle them with your creative pursuits and the innovative campaigns you developed!  

On the other hand, though, if you are dying to have a job with a prestigious investment bank that demands attention to detail and a focus on results, your resume should shine with your skills and experiences to showcase that side of yourself.  Emphasize the experiences you have had that relate to the objective they explain in the job description.

Stay tuned for more networking and job-hunting strategies.  These are the just a few of them!  And as always, I welcome your feedback on your own experiences and job hunting adventures, so please share!  

Quick Tips for Those in the Trenches of "The Job Hunt"

Here are a few quick tips I wanted to share after meeting with one of the top career counselors in the area:

The big one? Start early and devote 10 hours a week for 8-10 weeks to finding a job.  

Of these 10 hours, do not spend more than 20% spinning your wheels on mass career sites, like Monster or Career Builder.  If, at the beginning, you need to devote time and energy to gain momentum and find comfort in increasing your presence online, that's ok, but pump the breaks when you find yourself spinning and applying to hundreds of jobs online.  That will not help you find your dream job, nor will it differentiate you from the masses.  Differentiate, Differentiate, Differentiate.  (A key to success - always.)

Back to that What Makes You Unique discussion... Do not fall back on submitting your resume to a generic email address on their website, or submitting without follow-up.  Even your application approach is an opportunity for you to separate yourself from the pack.  Directly contact these companies through phone calls, personalized emails (personalized!), and office visits.  Get in front of them.  To position yourself in their consideration set, they must actually have an idea of who you are.  If they can put your face to your name, even better! (Obviously, do not become a stalker, but be assertive, pleasant, and tasteful in your interactions.  You are building the brand of who you are, and it will last throughout your career!)

As I finagle this whole job search approach, look out for more tips to help you learn from my mistakes and to help you work smarter, not harder, but that's all for now!

Good luck to everyone getting started in creating a new future, and if you, too, are in job-search mode, please feel free to share your tips on what has worked and what hasn't!

Job Search continues...

The job search just started, and it is already is in full swing!

First of all, I must mention & thank my mentor who has guided me through the process.  (If you haven't found a mentor, you simply must stop reading immediately and start looking into mentoring programs.  The experience, wisdom and support a mentor can provide is simply invaluable!)

So far, the Mentor Extraordinaire and I have made a list of my ideal companies - even including the pie-in-the-sky ones!  Next, we will begin selecting the top 10 to really target.  However will I decide?!

So far, here are my "Must-Have's":
1)International training programs and/or international travel opportunities, and
2)A product or service that I can really get behind... No McDonald's expansion endeavors in the future for this girl!

I'm very excited to see what becomes of it all, especially since someone recently noted that now is the time to go after my dream job, and he is absolutely right.  Why not!?  At this stage, I can be flexible and committed to any opportunity.  (That McKinsey article really resonated with me!)

I am now particularly open to those opportunities that will take me abroad!  How exhilarating!  A fresh start ahead, and with an MBA and a sparkling résumé (well, it will be once I'm done with it!), I may just find the perfect job I never knew I always wanted. :)

Now I just have to touch up my résumé and "get to work" so to speak!  Wish me luck and pass along any tips you have on how you found your dream job!