We’ve all heard the news. The market is shedding tens of thousands of jobs each day now, leaving everyone feeling nervous, no matter the stage of their career. So, the debate rages on – will just any job or internship do, or is there a way to find one that really suits you and might become a career instead of “just a job”?
In a recent interview with Gary Sutton, author of “Launch!...Get That First Paycheck In 90 Days,” He offered to ways to land a job that fits your natural interests.
1. Know yourself. Are you more comfortable in a big or small organization? How important is location? What did you love in school? What do you enjoy in your spare time? Are you more social or private?
2. Use your network. Which teachers will help you find openings? What about former employers? Can your parents or parents’ friends make introductions for you?
3. Discover the real tasks. Find out the details of what happens in a position during a typical day. What determines success?
4. Don’t get hung up on the real tasks. You’re looking for an entry, and all jobs change. Maybe you’ll even get promoted. Be careful. That happens.
5. Be careful about spending time with Craigslist or Monster.com. They’re great sources to discover who’s hiring, but competitive to the extreme for specific jobs. Monster.com gets 17,000 new résumés daily. That’s not where you want to be. Use these sources to discover the healthy organizations that are hiring, and apply for the unadvertised jobs that fit you.
6. Keep your résumé to one page. Less is more. There are several stronger aspects about every candidate that get lost if you put too much on your paper.
7. Use large type on your resume so it copies and faxes well. When e-mailing, follow up with a hard copy.
8. Do a weekend project that uncovers something interesting about the field you’re joining. This makes you stand out way more than GPA or other activities.
9. Use the Web to learn more about each organization before interviewing. Get there early, watch the parking lot and observe lobby behavior.
10. Use landlines when calling prospective employers. When leaving messages, repeat your phone number. Clean up the message on your answering service. Get rid of any weird Facebook or MySpace listings.
Join me and J.T. O'Donnell, a caeer coach, workplace consultant and founder of Careerealism, for a free, live, online chat about crafting winning cover letter and résumés for internship and entry-level job candidates. The chat will begin at 4 p.m. EST / 1 p.m. PST on Sunday, February 8, 2009. Click here to register.
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