Six Figure Success Coach
Helping recent graduates get hired...
If you are a recent college graduate, chances are that you might be struggling finding a job in this market. Even though we have seen an increase over the last two years of recent college graduates being hired, the numbers are still drastically lower then they were five years ago. So how can you can put everything you learned to use and find yourself a position in this market?
Social Media. Social Media is the answer to many things in today's market. It can be a wonderful tool that can give you access to employers and jobs that you might not otherwise attain. Of the top three social media sites, Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin, I find Linkedin to be the most valuable resource in helping recent graduates get hired (or anyone for that matter).
What steps can you take using Linkedin to get yourself hired?
- Research potential companies you would like to work at using Linkedin and see if you have any connections or contacts there. If so, reach out to those contacts to ask for an introduction. If you do not have any connections at a particular company, you can use Linkedin to research the names of hiring managers or people in the department you want to get in to. From there you can reach out to those individuals directly to ask for a job.
- Another possible way to utilize Linkedin contacts is to call those individuals at companies who are in the industry you want to get into and request to interview them for an e-book or blog you could write about the industry. This can be a very innovative way to get your foot in the door and make connections with key people in your industry. By working on a blog or book it will open doors for you to find people to speak with in your industry. This will also help to automatically set you up as an expert in your field of choice and will help you to learn more about your chosen industry.
- Research your competition on Linkedin and look up the job you want. Research a person's background who has the job you want and take note of their skills and background for ideas of other companies you may want to look at applying at. Additionally, notice the skills they list and be sure to incorporate any of those skills that you posses already into your resume or if you don't already have those skills, ask yourself how you can go about getting those skills to make yourself more credible and employable.
These few ideas can greatly increase your effectiveness in finding your next position whether you a recent graduate or looking to jump start your career in a new field.
How does your first impression shape your interview?
In an interview, an employer comes up with an assessment about you within the first 10 seconds of when they meet you. This assessment then shapes HOW that employer interviews you. If the employer assesses you to be someone who is professional and trustworthy, then they are going to ask you questions and listen to you through the lens of someone who is trustworthy and professional.
If the employer assesses you to be someone who is unreliable and lacking composure, then the employer's questions they ask you and how they listen to you will be colored by that judgement. So how do you make the first 10 seconds you have with an employer count?
- Smile + a positive attitude (leave your problems/concerns at home!). An authentic smile is the universal signal that puts people at ease and makes them comfortable with you. In addition, a positive attitude makes others want to be around you and get to know you better.
- A firm, but friendly handshake. Stay away from the dead-fish handshake or even worse, the bone-cruncher hand-shake. Instead, go with a firm, but warm handshake while looking the person in the eyes
- Use open body language. Do not cross your arms or your legs, as this puts a barrier between you and the person you are meeting with. Also be careful of fidgeting
- Make sure you are dressed to impress. A few rules to follow: simple jewelry, if any or a nice watch if you are a man (NO visible body piercings [except possibly earrings] or tattoos); a conservative, pressed suit in black, grey or navy (pant or skirt suit is acceptable for women so long as you do NOT show cleavage and you DO wear a bra); very little if any cologne/perfume (too heavy of a scent can turn an employer off); a tie if you are a man; an understated purse/bag or briefcase (be careful you do not have too much in your hands as this can make you appear cluttered and disorganized)
- A clean, sharp hair cut or style with natural looking make-up if you are a woman. It is important that your hair is gelled, blow-dryed, or pulled back. Frizzy, unstyled or unwashed hair can leave a bad first impression by making you appear unkempt
If you follow the above 5 rules, you will be on your way to making a positive first impression.
Skills vs. Attitude
What is more important in this market: skills or attitude?
The interesting thing I have noticed as a recruiter is that the better someone's attitude is, the more likely they are to be hired. Noticing this fact, I surveyed numerous human resources professionals who hire job seekers through me (both temporary and permanent) about whether they would prefer someone with stronger skills or a better attitude and they unanimously answered that attitude trumped skills.
What does attitude mean? What my clients mean by having a good attitude are the following:
- Always be willing to pitch in and help out your peers or your bosses
- NEVER complain or gossip
- Have a pleasant demeanor, including smiling and being upbeat about things, especially when there is a problem or challenge
- Nothing is too big or too small a task for you to handle
- Never leave someone hanging on a project or assignment (ie. not following through)
If you focus on following the five areas listed above, your attitude will automatically improve and both employers and others will gravitate towards you and want to hire you.
Skill do still play an important role in some positions, but it is your Skills multiplied by your Attitude that gets you the job.
(Good Skills) X (Good Attitude) = Employment
*This also holds true for keeping a job and preventing yourself from being disposable.
Help Recruiters Help You!
In order for recruiters to be effective at placing you, we need your help. There are a few things you can do to help us get you a job:
If you are looking for a job, the following things can help recruiters help you in your search:
-Clearly communicate with your recruiter about what you want so that your recruiter doesn't waste your time by sending you on positions that are not the right fit for you
-Clearly communicate any and all feedback, both good and bad, following any interview so that we can help negotiate and get you the job if you want it or gracefully decline if you are not interested
-Let your recruiter know well in advance if there is a potential issue with your background check such as bad credit or a DUI. It is better for a recruiter to let the client company know about an issue up front if an offer is to be made and typically if the company is alerted early enough, the issue is not a big deal as long as you are honest about it
-NEVER lie to your recruiter
-Let your recruiter know about any pre-exisiting vacations so that we can alert an employer if necessary
-Be sure you can provide a minimum of at least one reference and ideally 3-5 references that can be called. Reference letters are useless in today's day and age. If you cannot provide a reference, you might not be able to be hired.
-Be clear with your recruiter about what your preferred hours are and if there might be any schedule conflicts with a potential job or special circumstances that you require
-Be clear with your recruiter about what your ideal salary is and what your bottom line salary is. It is a recruiter's job to negotiate you top dollar
-Always be on time and research the company you are interviewing with in advance.
Additional things you can do to help a recruiter help you if you are unemployed. These additional things can help us place you in a temporary to hire or temporary situation:
-Let your recruiter know if and when you are available for temporary or temporary to hire assignments. Often the people who check in with us once a week are the ones who get called first for a job. Email is always preferable.
-Be extremely flexible and accommodating on the first day of any temporary or temporary to hire assignment. This includes offering to help others, asking questions, and NOT complaining about anything unless you are doing so directly with your recruiter and not the employer. Keep in mind, you are not hired until an offer is made
-Do not ever bring up benefits or salary on a temporary assignment. If an employer brings these things up with you, that is acceptable, but it is inappropriate for you to broach the subject directly with the employer
-Do not push the employer to hire you directly. This typically turns the employer off. Always communicate directly with your recruiter regarding the status of your employment
-If you are ever going to be late or out, always call your recruiter to let them know
What are employers looking for?
Can you do the job?
Do you have the right skills for the job?
Do you fit into the environment/culture of the company?
If you can effectively communicate that you can do the job and that you have the right skills and that you can fit in, then the job is yours. So why do most people not get hired?
What people often do in the interview is GIVE employers reasons not to hire them. The average person has the right skills and could do the job, but they share inappropriate information during the interview. Below are some examples of inappropriate things to discuss in an interview that will cause the employer to not want to hire you:
1) Sharing medical information, such as the fact that you were on a recent medical leave
2) Sharing information that is personal, such as the fact that your are divorced and going through a hard time
3) Sharing information that is covered under the federal discrimination laws (EEOC), such as information related to your age, race, sexual orientation etc...
4) Complaining about past employers and exhibiting a negative attitude about anything in general
5) Sharing confidential information about your past employer that is not meant for public knowledge
These are just a few examples of things you could discuss that would give employers a reason to NOT want to hire you.
Keep this in mind in your next interview and remember to use discretion!
Delivery makes the Difference
It is not what you say, as much as how you say it. This is very true, especially in interviews. Below are some examples of what people say in and interview versus, what they are trying to say:
What was said Example 1:
Interviewer: "Why did you leave your last job?"
Job Seeker: "The company closed."
What could have been said to make more of an impact/what was meant:
Job Seeker: "I was at my last job over five years and loved everyone there, which is why I stayed as long as I did. Unfortunately, due to things slowing down, they had to restructure, but I am grateful for everything I learned there and look forward to applying it in my next position."
What was said Example 2:
Interviewer: "Why should we want to hire you?"
Job Seeker: "I am hard working, detail oriented and organized."
What could have been said to make more of an impact/what was meant:
Job Seeker: "I have spent over 10 years in the field and I love what I do. A few things that make me stand out are probably the fact that I am very detail oriented and organized. An example of where that proved useful in my most recent position was when we were working on a large project that didn't have any structure. I took the lead on the project and implemented a new organizational system that help cut the time of the project in half."
Above are just two examples of where job seekers can increase their ability to sell themselves in an interview through better delivery and communication. Almost everyone I have ever interviewed has at least one example of where they have been effective, but often they are not clear on how to deliver that information in an interview.
It is not just what you say, it is how you say it!
Tell me about yourself formula
Employer asks you in an interview "Tell me about yourself...." The average person would just start rambling on about any personal or business things that come to mind.
The most effective formula I have found for answering this question is as follows:
"I started in the field X years ago and got into the field because of Y and Z. What I really like about the field I am in is A and B. What most of my prior employers would tell you makes me stand out from others in my field is C & D."
Block & Bridge your way into your next job
Do you know the trick that every politician and TV personality uses in their interview? It is simple task of blocking and bridging. The next time you are watching a politician being interviewed about their campaign or a movie star about their next big blockbuster, watch the way they block and bridge to make a point.
Blocking and bridging simply means addressing the question that was asked such as "Why is the sky blue?," then blocking that question and then bridging over to an answer that relates to a point you want to get across. Example: A politician is asked "Why is the sky blue?," but actually wants to discuss healthcare reform. He would then answer something like this "I was just admiring the blue sky today on my drive to this speech. As I was admiring the blue sky, I began considering the implications of the current state of health care in this country and realized that I had to do something about it..." This is a very simple example, but you can see where I am going with this.
Politicians and celebrities do this because they have an agenda or a point they want to convey and often times are not asked direct questions that allow them to relay this point.
You, as a job seeker, can use this same tactic during an interview. When asked ANY question in an interview, your goal should always be to look at where you can emphasize a point about why they should want to hire you. You should always have a list of 10 or more talking points that you want to cover during your interview. These talking points should highlight examples of what makes you stand out from others in your position and where you have increased the PEP (Productivity-Efficient-Performance) of your company, your clients, your peers etc... You may touch on one or two points during the interview, or you may hit all 10 depending on how effectively you block & bridge.
During the interview, by using the blocking and bridging technique, you can address these talking points at appropriate times in the interview.
Example: You were at your last job 10 years and you were recently laid off. Point you want to get across is how stable and loyal you are. Question the Employer asks you "Why did you leave your last position?" The average person would answer by saying "I was laid off." One way you could answer if you were blocking and bridging is "I am glad you brought up why I left my last job. That was really an amazing experience. I loved the company, which is why I stayed there 10+ years, and would have stayed there long term since I loved the people and the work. Unfortunately, like many firms, they had to restructure, but I am grateful for the 10 great years I had there and the experience I gained."
In this case, you are addressing the question still, but you are also bridging to a point about how stable and loyal you are.
I want to be clear. I am not saying to NOT answer the questions you are being asked. I am suggesting that you answer the questions you are asked intentionally to get a point across that you are the right candidate for the job.
Top 5 Social Media tips for job hunters
1) Put together a Linkedin profile that includes Linkedin recommendations and include your Linkedin URL on your resume
2) Join a minimum of 20 groups on Linkedin and start discussions in your speciality area to set yourself up as an expert in your field with a group of your peers
3) Follow your favorite recruiters and companies on Linkedin/Twitter and/or Facebook to stay aware of the latest job postings
4) Use Twitter to start conversations with people in your field who you wouldn't normally have access to
5) Maximize your connections on Facebook, Twitter and/or Linkedin by asking your friends and business associates for job leads (always use the 30/30/30 rule when doing this: 30%
personal, 30% offering resources such as interesting articles and 30% about
your job search such as requests for introductions)
The TOP 15 things NOT to wear on an interview
There are many job seekers who still do not know what is appropriate and what is not appropriate to wear in an interview. Often times, something as simple as what you wear can get you passed on for a position.
Here is my list of the TOP 15 things NOT to wear in an interview:
1) Denim! It is never, ever appropriate to wear denim to an interview
2) A short skirt
3) A t-shirt
4) A dress or blouse that shows any sort of cleavage
5) Dangly jewelry (this can distract the person you are interviewing with)
6) Carrying a back-pack or big bulky bag
7) Headphones or sunglasses or a cell phone earpiece
8) Facial or body piercings or visible tattoos, including earrings on men (small earrings are OK for women) or heavy make-up
9) Brightly colored or overly patterned clothing (this includes "Hawaiian Shirts")
10) Long acrylic nails
11) Overly baggy or ill-fitting clothes (it makes you look frumpy)
12) Stained clothes or wrinkled clothes
13) Scuffed shoes or too high of heels if you are a woman or flip flops
14) YOU MUST WEAR SOCKS if you are a man and they MUST match
15) A heavy fragrance or perfume-this can lose you the position
