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Creative ways to land entry-level jobs
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Due to the struggling economy, entry-level jobs are increasingly going to people with experience rather than recent graduates, even those who had a fair amount of internships during college. Networking, both online and off, has gotten you interviews – perhaps even to the final stage of the hiring process – but organizations continue to offer open positions to those who simply have more experience than you. What should you do next?
Evan Michner, a 2005 Butler University graduate who majored in English, wanted a job as an advertising copywriter. Knowing the stiff competition he faced, he came up with a “recipe.”
1. He bought jars of salsa, peeled off the labels and put on his own that said, "Evan Michner’s Word Salsa: For Tasty Copy." He included his phone number, e-mail address and a list of ingredients: “Powerful Ideas, Brilliant Insight, Caffeine, Creative Stimulation, Funk, Outrageous Imagination, Pure Genius and Natural Flavorings.”
2. He mailed the salsa to potential employers, without a cover letter or résumé.
3. A week later, he sent them his résumé (a spiral-bound minibook that included several work samples), a three-sentence cover letter and a $5 Starbucks gift card. What did his cover letter say? “Have a cup of coffee on me. And, while you’re doing that, take a look at my work.”
Michner is now a project manager at NetSpend Online.
Salsa might not work in every industry, so here are a few more ideas:
1. Stay in contact with the employers who liked you but opted for the more experienced candidate. I went through three interviews with a company just this past summer, but they decided I wasn’t an exact fit for the job. However, I stayed in contact and was referred to an open position at another organization because they valued the skills I brought to the table. I interviewed with the second company within three days.
2. Practice interviewing. “Young candidates often make recruiters feel uncomfortable with incomplete answers to questions, poor eye contact, bad posture, etc. Practice interviewing with family and friends,” said Barry Lawrence, PR director and career expert at Jobfox. “Make sure you have several stories ready on taking initiative, and just as important, provide examples of the results produced by those initiatives.”
3. Consider the interview only the first step. “An A+ interview deserves an A+ follow-up thank you e-mail that gently reminds your interviewer why he or she liked you so much in the first place. If you still don't hear anything, don't be afraid to pick up the phone. Gentle, polite persistence lowers resistance,” said Vicky Oliver, author of “301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions.”
4. Send a David Letterman-style top 10 list. Allison Brinkman, public relations manager at the Eisen Management Group, submitted a top 10 list for why EMG should interview her. “Our agency president was actually so impressed that he keeps my list on file for reference,” she said. However, I challenge you to take her creative idea one step further. In your thank you note, provide the top 10 reasons why the organization would be a fool not to hire you.
5. Show them your potential. “You have to make yourself stand out from the crowd. One way to do this is to be exceptionally knowledgeable about the job and company you're considering, and by being articulate,” said Nicholas Aretakis, life skills and career coach and author of “No More Ramen: The 20-Something's Real World Survival Guide.”
Further, come to the interview prepared with "tangible" ideas. For example, if you are interviewing at a public relations agency, research their clients, and what they’ve done for these clients, and come to the table with new, innovative ideas. You might even want to prepare a sample press release for your suggested “campaign.”
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