employment

How I got a job and how you can too

As a person who graduated from university in the heat of the recession (2008), I can safely say I am very familiar with an unsteady job market and making the most out of any opportunity I have come across.

After years of working in a few different positions within in recruitment and staffing, I finally landed my golden opportunity. One might ask, how did you get there and why did it take you so long?

With patience, the right questions and determination, I landed the biggest job of my career.

Friends, I have applied thousands of times, went on a plethora of interviews, completed tons of job shadows, and attended numerous volunteer workshops and all I can really say is that the process is equivalent to that of dating. It takes patience. You have to find the right match for yourself and similarly you have to be a solid match for the company as well. This process where we figure it out involves asking the right questions during the interview and really getting to know the company and the folks who would be your team members.

And that goes without saying, there were some companies who knew right away if they wanted me or if they did not want me; and then there were companies who never responded. I used these obstacles and hurdles as motivation. In my previous job, it took instances of feeling hopeless, where I realized if I could gather the experience I need or want to gain for my next job in my current position, then I would be golden. Simple, right?

Hardly. This did not happen overnight.

1) Find your passion and inject it into your current position. If you can build a solid repertoire WHILE you have employment, you are creating the path that will lead you to your next opportunity.

Attend volunteer workshops
Volunteer on projects that push your boundaries and force you to try new things
Apply to promotional positions
Ask to shadow your boss or a top-notch employee who has the job that you want
Don’t give up

2) Build an online presence and use it to assist you. If you are unfamiliar with Linkedin or Twitter or blogging, get your name out there in the social media circles within the fields you hold a particular interest.

Linkedin is a professional networking super highway – use it to your advantage
Show of your skills (presentations, photography, writing skills, video editing)
Be bold and creative, it will show you like to push the limits
Use social media correctly especially when it comes to talking about yourself. Braggarts are never fun to be around.

3) Talk the talk and walk the walk. Learn the lingo and understand why decisions are made a certain way.

4) Let people come to you. More often than not, new positions are offered to those who are not looking for a position/did not know the position existed or would never have considered themselves qualified. So, you’re probably wondering, how did they apply?

Internal employees or Recruiters will come to you if they see you have what it takes. The best ways to show off yourself is via social media in the form of presentations/blogging/tweeting/photography, etc.

5) Find your niche and stick with it! Good things come to those who are clear and patient.

On a more personal note, I was about to give up on my job search a month ago until I received an anonymous but personalized e-mail and a phone call about a position. It just so happened to be the jobs I just recently landed. I posted a presentation that I had created and inserted it into my profile. All it took was that presentation to lead me to 7 successful interviews and a new opportunity.

I cannot begin to thank those who have supported me, encouraged me and showed me that anything can happen especially when you push yourself out there and reach for what you want. Sure, you don’t always get it but it’s worth a shot.

Anyone can do that or get there. All it takes is some structure, time and patience. It will happen when you least expect but if you can stay focused and remember your deep passions, you will never go wrong.

Your dream job is possible, just obtain the proper tools and get it done!

HELP! UNEMPLOYMENT! I am Unemployed. What do I do now?

by Chris

HELP! UNEMPLOYMENT! I am Unemployed. What do I do now? Take a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. While being unemployed or facing unemployment is a very scary and daunting moment in one’s life, it is not the end of the world. On many levels, Job hunting is much like dating. You win some, you lose some but when it comes down to it, you learn more about your true wants and needs in the end.

Just like dating and meeting people for the first time, unemployment or the single life, can open many doors and venues that you may not have thought of whilst in your last position (relationship).

Jobs come in many different shapes, sizes and skill sets. They also have different salaries, schedule structures, corporate structures and employee perks.

You gotta know what you want in a job before you can make it happen. Culture Beat: Mr. Vain “I know what I want and I want it now”

1) Education. Despite the high costs of this sector furthering your education is never a bad thing as long as you are researching and understanding the short and long-term benefits and negatives to education. Yes, you are unemployed and money is tight but this could be a GOOD boost to your experience.

2) Career transition. Maybe you have reached that moment with your job where you have had enough? It’s okay, this happens sometimes and you are not at fault but in this time of a slowed lifestyle, try to focus on what you want to do next and how you can attain that goal.

3) Network. But don’t beg.

DON’T. Sit and complain about your job situation. Keep in mind that just because you are unemployed does not mean EVERYONE is unemployed. The last thing you want to become is that guy/girl who never stops complaining and gives the ‘I’m poor and unemployed’ sob story. We get it. Get over it. It’s life and make something happen out of it. Complaining will not get you a job.

DO. Ask friends how they are doing and politely see if they know of any openings in their company. Some may ask for your resume and forward it along, others may not feel so inclined. Try and stay as happy and positive as you can. I repeat no one needs another Debbie Downer in their life.

Don’t Be a Debbie Downer with Unemployment!

Don’t Be a Debbie Downer with Unemployment! http://cdn.business2community.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/debbie_downer.jpg

4) Too much unemployment is NOT a good thing. Despite what many people have yet to realize about job hunting is that the moment you become unemployed, your career clock is ticking. This clock determines the probability as to how quickly you will be hired again. The longer you allow this clock to tick, the more challenging the search will become ESPECIALLY if you wait a year or longer before you hop into the job market again.

Yes, I know that there are SOME people out there who get lucky and have the ability to pull some strings but most of us do not have such luck and when an employer sees a huge unemployment period they question a person’s motivation/drive and work ethic.

Keep this in mind before your two-year hibernation.

5) Learn a New Hobby! Get yourself out there and try something new. Anything. Ballet, magic, architecture, travelling, bear wrestling. Yes, it is important to spend a large chunk of your time finding work and honing in on job opportunities but this gives you ample time to find yourself again and discover new things about yourself. Keep it light, keep it simple. As humans, once we stop learning, we stop living. As a Ghandi writes, ““Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Seize the day! THIS.IS.UNEMPLOYMENT!

THIS IS JOB HUNTING! — THIS. IS. UNEMPLOYMENT!!! http://www.bwmag.in/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/This-is-Sparta.jpg

Most of all what I would like to reiterate in this post is to be consistent. Job hunting IS a full-time job and it requires consistency to really put a dent in finding what you want.

Regardless of your career level, the state of being unemployed is a tough position to be in but with the right attitude and motivation it can propel you forward in your career.

Have you ever been unemployed? How did you go about obtaining your next job? What did you succeed with in your job search? What were your struggles? Feel free to share! There are MANY of us out there who are dying to know because, well, quite frankly we are very high in unemployment numbers right now.

Reach out and grab your next job. Literally.

by Chris

There used to be a time where a person would call about an open job opportunity, ask some job related questions, find out who to send their resume to and then BAM they would MAIL or FAX this information to the appropriate person.

Applying to jobs seems less stressful as there was not a suspiciously large resume blackhole but when can this start happening again? Any day now, any day. I’d love to apply to a job, hear back from a person and one who is not griping about not reaching a sales goal. That, friends, would be the ultimate job searching experience.

Alas, this is not 1982 and the Internet has vastly changed this process forever *dramatic interlude – dun dun DUN*

If you are wondering how to make this process a little less daunting let’s start by tackling your professional social media footprint. What the heck is that?

A professional social media footprint is the links; blog posts; Facebook entries; videos; created images and graphics that shape your professional persona for the rest of the world.

Your professional social media footprint is the most important thing in existence right now. It should pop into your mind every time you consider posting a scathing political rant ripping apart a friend or random online person (s)!

I am going to skip the lecturing on what to post and what is appropriate. While we are all adults, we still like to have our fun but does it always have to end up on the Internet? Unfortunately, if the FBI’s first place to find suspects of accused activity via Facebook, then well, I wonder where hiring managers begin to find their future employees.

[Just be smart. That’s all I ask.]

So this also goes for those of you who may be a photographer/DJ/or person of creative value who MAKES things. Be sure to protect and copyright your material before it ends up on some randos’ website. In fact, I highly recommend creating a website or webportal that will store this information with appropriate watermarks that successfully promote your brand. We will get to that in a later post.

After all that is accomplished, you are ready to start searching. Wait, we forgot a major cog of this whole process. The resume that you will use for the rest of the world to see.

As many of my managers have ever put to me, “there are two times in your life when you are perfect: when you are born and your resume”.

Make that resume count. Keep the resume filled with accomplishments from your jobs and not the responsibilities. Make your resume reflect what YOU have done for your company. And please, PLEASE have someone read it before posting it or sending it out to hiring managers.

Once this feat is accomplished, you are ready.

How to successfully obtain a job opportunity for 2013 and beyond:

1) Use your Audience to stand out. There is only ONE you. In order to get what you want out of your next job, you need to know what you want, and who you are competing with because these are the people who may or may not take your next opportunity right from your dinner plate. THIEVES!!!

If you are a graphic designer, be sure you are the most creative and witty graphic designer out there. You need a plethora of mixed material because I hate to burst that beautiful, bubble but there are so many of you out there that you have to make yourself standout.

2) Know the companies you want as an employer and research employee success stories.

Linkedin and Glassdoor are my favorite web portals for such information.

Linkedin is a professional network that is becoming more and more widely used by companies and job seekers alike and is a great portal for employee recommendations; current job openings; News updates; company success stories; and tons of previous and current employees, who will give you a better idea of what the types of jobs at the company; the type of candidates they hired; etc.

Use it. Now. Create a profile, it’s FREE.

Glassdoor is popular company profile website that gives a deep look into the company personality and how it might fit with your own. There are some instances where companies include what it takes to survive an interview and even the kind of caliber they seek in employees.

3) Network. I cannot say this enough. Utilize professional networks such as Linkedin; Ziggs; and dare I even say it; Facebook. There are many people within your personal network who are out there in the job world who may or may not be able to assist you in finding the right person to talk to about a position you seek.

4) Do not burn bridges. Even if you are meeting people completely outside your professional network and field, you never know who you may encounter who can help you find that ultimate position.

5) Be Bold and reach out to hiring managers. I realize many people are doing this and it is much easier to do than ever before so – a word to the wise here – BUT it could be very helpful in finding out exactly what the top qualities are for the position and what the managers are seeking.

Even if you cannot have your dream job today, there are other positions out there that could propel you forward.

6) Do not give up. Job seeking in itself IS a JOB. Do not think twice that you can slack off and just expect a position to fall onto your laps. True, this MAY happen for some people but for most of us, life is about the effort you put in.

If all else fails, listen to a little Jason Mraz, he might pick you up when you are down.

Don’t Give Up on Us. Jason Mraz is WATCHING. (Source: Youtube)

What did you do to obtain that DREAM job or better yet, your NEXT job? Feel free to share your favorite job seeking memories. Don’t worry, we won’t be applying to YOUR job…although…on second thought 🙂 KIDDING!

employment

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