I don’t typically create posts that are personal to my own life but I really felt that this is relevant and relatable with what a lot of you are being faced with right now. I left college after a year because I decided that I didn’t “like” it and that if I was paying for it myself I should really love it, and I decided that I just wanted to work. I didn’t know what I wanted to do for work, but I thought it would be better than school. I can also remember the time, not so fondly, when I reached the point of desperation in needing work and was willing to do any and everything that was out there. One mistake I made during these early years was allowing myself to be influenced by what other people told me I would be good at instead of going after what I really wanted. So I started applying… to EVERYTHING. I didn’t stop to take the time to read the job descriptions, or the skill/experience requirements. I put my resume in for every job I came across that I thought “Sure, I could do that”. I literally applied for the same role on every open requisition that was available at each company or just applying to every role they had open. I kept telling the companies and myself that “I’ll do anything!”, I just wanted to work. What I didn’t realize is how that actually came across to potential employers, HR teams, recruiters, hiring managers, etc. It came across as a lack of focus and awareness of what I was actually qualified for and what I wanted to do both in the short and long term. During this time I didn’t even stop to think about how this could be perceived in a negative way. I thought that they would take my eagerness to work at the company as excitement, but I now know that I was wrong. As a result, I applied to a ton of jobs I wasn’t A. Qualified for or B. Interested in. And unfortunately, this landed me in a few positions that I very quickly knew were not the right fit and ended up back on the hunt for a job. I decided it was time to make a change, it was time to do some soul searching (very quick soul searching because I needed a job!) to figure out what the heck it was that I wanted to do, and whether or not I was being realistic in my expectations to be qualified for that job. It was really tough, and it probably took a little bit longer than I would have liked. But in the end it did lead me to a career that I love, and for me that was and still is worth it.
Ok, so I know you’re thinking “I don’t have time for that”. I get it, believe me I do. I just want to gently suggest that you take a few extra minutes to read through the job descriptions and be very honest with yourself on whether or not you possess all of the skills and requirements that they require before applying. Just think, those extra few minutes could potentially spare you having to restart a job search because you realize you don’t like the job you just started. And from an employer or recruiter standpoint, it’s a professional “turn-off” to see applicants apply for roles that they’re not qualified for, and in most cases it’s because they haven’t fully read through the description/requirements. This can also result in decreasing your opportunity to work at the company in the future or on a different team. You are going to have significantly better chances of having your application or resume standout for something you’ve had experience doing rather than something you think you could do. This can potentially lead to providing you with a better chance for making it to the interview stage, and possibly to being hired. I know this isn’t a “one size fits all” type of situation, but it’s a gentle suggestion for more scenarios of a different way to look at things. We tend to get frustrated when we receive rejections emails or nothing at all. But we need to ask ourselves “Am I really qualified for that job?” and being honest with ourselves about that instead of putting the blame on the company or their hiring team.
In a perfect world we would all the time we need to find a job we love and be able to pay our bills during that time. Unfortunately this isn’t typically the case and money is a struggle so we need to always be working. But be thoughtful, this is your livelihood that we’re talking about and is a big part of your and your family’s lives.
As always, best of luck in your searches and on your interviews. Keep pushing and you will find what it is that you’re looking for! #interview #qualifications #awareness #beinghonestwithyourself #jobsearch
As a recruiter, when I hear “I don’t care about titles,” candidates are usually saying: “I’m flexible,” and/or “I’m willing to work my way up.” And that’s great. There’s another reason titles DO matter: because YOU can use this information as a tool to create a great interview!
Since titles help to define roles within an organization, you can use this information to demonstrate that you know something about the company, map out how departments work together, and they can be a great source of questions you can ask your interviewer… PLUS you can explain how your awesome experience in other jobs can work across the employer’s organization to contribute in lots of different ways. So do your research. Find out as much as you can by playing detective – use lots of different on-line resources, including the company’s own website – to dig up as much information as you can. Then figure out which accomplishments of your own would fit well and make your case to during your interview.
Good luck awesome Jobcasers! #interview #tips
Since interviews are a two-way conversation, as a recruiter, I love being asked: - What attracted you to (company)? What do you like best & least about working for (company)? What are (company’s) plans for growth? - What are the most important qualities an employee needs to excel here? - Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with? - Do you have any reservations about my qualifications? (Great chance to overcome any objections!) - What are the next steps in the interview process? When can I expect to hear from you? How/with whom can I follow up? (Write down contact info or collect business cards!!) - Are there any other questions I can answer for you? - (If unclear: Who would I report to? What is typical work week? Is overtime or travel expected? Hopefully, these things are covered, but if not, be sure to ask!)
What questions do YOU like to ask? Oh, and for what it’s worth, I think candidates look super-prepared if they bring a written list. ☺ Good luck Jobcasers!! Marijoy
“WHAT DID HE JUST SAY?!” immediately went through my head. My second thought was, “Oh, no. My STAR candidate just TALKED HIMSELF OUT OF A JOB!” I had just asked my candidate to outline a strategy to achieve the primary goal of the position for which he was interviewing… and he said, “Oh, that would be hard. Those people (the clients) are awful to work with.” My candidate has 13 years of experience. He has built whole departments from the ground up, including in a startup environment. Is the job hard? Yes, no doubt. But he was INTERVIEWING TO GET HIRED. This is an example of someone who has talked himself out of the job.
Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s not impossible to recover from saying the wrong thing. If he admitted that ‘that came out wrong.’ Or said, ‘The clients are tough, but I’ve had success doing (an example or 2 )…’ Or ‘I think clients would respond well to your company because I’ve seen (example) work well,’ we would have moved along and had a really engaging conversation. As it was, however, there was nowhere to go. I asked follow up questions to give him an opportunity to recover, to no avail.
Unfortunately, I could not move forward because he had just told me that he’s not interested in moving forward – because moving forward would mean working with (paying) clients who are ‘awful’. And he stuck to it. Sorry, but there are so many great candidates out there, I want someone who is excited by the challenge. Also, HE deserves to find a role that HE’S excited about.
And that’s the moral of the story: there are lots of jobs & lots of candidates out there in the world. Your experience is valuable – you are valuable – so take the time to understand what the new company needs, make sure your experience translates well, and use your experience to sell the heck out of yourself!
What types of success & failures have people had utilizing staffing firms/headhunters/agencies?
I know there are a lot of different feelings out there with these types of Recruiters who don’t work for the actual company but are hired to help them find candidates. The biggest issues I’ve heard from candidates is that these types of Recruiters don’t always get back to you with feedback or they are trying to place you in jobs that don’t line up with what you are looking for.
My advice is that even if you’ve had a bad experience with these types of Recruiters, DON’T STOP using them! There are no industries where 100% of the workforce is perfect. Agency Recruiter’s work on a commission based compensation plan, so they are trying to help you! The majority of the time they don’t get paid unless they place someone in a job…so they do want to help. It doesn’t cost you the candidate any money to use them, so what's the harm?
This is one of the most important parts of the job search. We all wish we could do what we are most passionate about but that can be tough! Sometimes it’s really hard to break into that field, the salary isn’t what you need to support your family or you’re just not qualified…
My advice is to take some time for self-reflection and try to figure out a few career paths that would make you happiest! Obviously, there are some careers that may be pretty far reached (professional athlete, movie star, etc.) but look at what surrounds those fields and maybe you can find something that would still be a lot of fun. If you know people in certain fields/industries that you find interesting, talk to them! Get as much information as you can from them on what their day-to-day’s are like and if they can help you network and find companies that would be a good match.
I’m a big advocate of happiness and enjoying life…as most people are. In my opinion, if you can find a job that gives you a sense of purpose and personal fulfillment, your life will be that much happier and work will feel like less of a “job” and more of something that you are excited for. Nothing beats waking up every morning and feeling excited to get your day going!
What types of jobs have made you the happiest and what would your dream job be?
Jobcasers, You guys are awesome, so I thought I'd pass on a tip: don't say "I'LL DO ANYTHING" in an interview since that means you are expecting the company to figure out what to do with you - they will NOT expend the effort. If you are saying, "I'll do anything" to demonstrate you're a team player, flexible, or creative... then SAY THAT INSTEAD with EXAMPLES. It won't guarantee you'll get the job, but you'll be miles ahead of the interview game.
A much, much better approach is this: 1.) evaluate your own experience and come up with 2 or 3 examples (or more) of things you DID to make your job/boss/company better. 2.) Practice explaining the context and examples to someone who doesn't know a lot about your job (a friend or family member is fine... as long as they haven't heard lots about your workplace). Allow them to ask questions or challenge you. Get your story down pat. 3.) Attach NUMBERS/DATA to your accomplishments (e.g. "I created a Customer Checklist that improved our home-delivery service, which caused rejected orders to decrease by 25%." or "I was recognized as the Employee of the Month twice and had 5 customers request to work directly with me when they had a problem.") and - most importantly - 4.) FIGURE OUT HOW YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE SOLVES A PROBLEM FOR THE INTERVIEWER. This is the opposite of "I'll do anything." It shows you have read the job description, understand what's important, and can make a case that your experience fits their needs.
There are so many talented, motivated, and worthy job seekers on Jobcase, I hope each one of you gets a chance to SHINE. Best of luck, Marijoy
Happy Tuesday Jobcasers, I hope your searches and interviews are successful this week! So, finding a job that makes you happy.. Might seem like a pretty easy thing, right? Unfortunately not all the time as we often get caught up in just finding a job and not taking the time to wait for the right one. I know what you’re thinking, sometimes you just really need to get back to work and you can’t wait or take your time. I understand that completely and this may not apply to all situations but still take a look for your future job searches! Here we go: It needs to be about the people too - Sitting back and thinking about how much time you spend with your coworkers, you should know that you’ll want to work with people that you “like”. And by “like” I mean you want to find people whose company you enjoy, and who you’ll like working next to day after day. You also want these people to help you continue to be better, and that can challenge you to do your best work possible. Take your time (if you can) - When you find yourself in the midst of a job search try to take your time and do some research to make sure you are going to a company that allows you do the work you enjoy. Be confident in knowing what you want - Try to take the time, at the beginning of your search, to sit down and really determine what it is that you want and what matters the most to you. This is definitely not one-size-fits-all so make sure you create your own unique list of what your requirements. Remember, this is all about YOU - I’m sure you have people to take into consideration when you’re deciding on a job, it could be family, or commute, or the hours, etc. But don’t lose sight of this being all about you and your job. I’m not saying completely ignore the above reasons, I’m just saying make sure you’re making the best decisions for yourself and not sacrificing what you really want to do. One of my favorite quotes, or motivational sayings, is “Life isn’t a dress rehearsal” so go out there and find what makes YOU happy.
And again, I know this situation is not the same for each of you and is not a one-size-fits-all approach but I hope it at least gives some things to think about. Have a great day and good luck!
It’s very important that you ask for the job after the interview. This shows continued interest and enthusiasm for the role. And while you want to be confident when doing so, you also don’t want to come across as too aggressive. I myself have a difficult time “closing” the interviewer at the end of any interviews I am in. No matter how many times I close out the interview and ask for the job, it still makes me nervous and often uncomfortable. But it’s good to get out of our comfort zones so here are a few suggestions on how to ask for the job: After you’ve had the opportunity to go through your qualifications you can ask “This is why I think I would be a good fit for this position. Is there anything I haven’t covered?” “I’m confident I’m the right person for this job, what can I do to assure you that I’m the right person?” “I’m very interested in pursuing this role, is there anything that would prevent you from offering it to me?” “After learning more about you and your company I’m confident I would be a good fit and I hope to hear from you soon.” “I feel strongly that I could add a lot of value to you and the company, have I answered all of your questions for you to offer me the job?” “How do I compare to the employees that have been successful in this role, and do you have any hesitations with my qualifications?” These are just a few sample questions, but should hopefully give you an idea of how to handle the final steps of the interview and how to make the final lasting impression. As always, keep your chins up and don’t get discouraged by a “no”. Use that as a way to keep improving upon your interview skills, and to see what else you need to be doing in your search. Have a great day!
For as long as I can remember I have received handwritten thank you notes, and have appreciated every one regardless of whether they were personal or professional. And in all honesty, I'm someone that still loves getting something via "snail mail". Unfortunately, I think this is an art that has been long lost over time due to the increased use of technology. We have fallen into the habit of either sending an email to say thank you, or not sending anything at all (which if it is between these two I would say make sure you at least send an email) and have stopped sending personalized, handwritten notes. This is something so simple that shows you took the time to write out your thoughts, you personalized it, and you are grateful for them giving you their time. And sure, it can be argued that you can do all of this via email, and you can, but think about how much of a differentiator it would be for a hiring manager or business owner to see this vs. the other candidate they interviewed that either didn't send a thank you or sent one through email. It's a standout effort and always very much appreciated. Here are a few articles I found that you might find interesting as well: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/06/fashion/the-found-art-of-thank-you-notes.html?_r=0 http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2016/03/27/interview-art-writing-thank-you-note/ http://ideas.hallmark.com/articles/thank-you-ideas/thank-you-messages-what-to-write-in-a-thank-you-card/
So, while I know it takes much more time, just think think it over. You never know, it could be the trick that lands you the job you're really crossing your fingers for! Good luck in your interviews!