Hunting Jobs
Like our ancient ancestors, the entrance to adulthood is marked by the completion of a hunt. It is a ritualistic rite of passage — an arduous task completed by all those who came before you. Except now you’re hunting for jobs instead of deer, and it’s definitely not acceptable to smear your face with the blood of your new employer.
It’s stressful. It’s laborious. It’s quite frankly one of the worst parts of being an adult. But job hunting is a skill — and all skills can be perfected. There are ways to minimize the stress and get the most out of your efforts.
The First Step: Know Your Prey
Like any classic boss fight, victory depends on your ability to use the correct strategy. Not all jobs are created equal. There’s a big difference between applying for a professional salaried position and an entry-level blue collar job. You might not always have steady employment in your “intended” profession, so you should always remain flexible enough to pick up work when available.
Lots of recent graduates don’t always find a good job in their field immediately after leaving school. Sometimes you have to work in the service industry to make ends meet. Likewise, if you’re ready to move up to a better career after working lower-wage jobs for a long time, the new application process can feel a little daunting.
These are helpful preparation tips for job hunting on all levels:
Research the employer. Are they doing well financially? Are they actively seeking new employees? Your chances of landing a job vastly increase if you find a company that’s expanding or doing very well. They have the money to hire new workers and are in need of new personnel to meet demands. Read employee reviews. Look at how often the company has to put the same job notice up. Avoid working for companies with a high turnover rate and negative feedback. Working for a bad company makes your soul die a little each day.
Study mock interview questions for the job type. Various websites, like snagajob.com or glassdoor.com, sometimes post common interview questions for each industry and job type. Study them! They are genuinely helpful, especially if you’re starting a new profession or trade. Most of these questions were posted by people who actually encountered them during their hiring process. It will give you a good idea of what to expect.
Networking is a beneficial evil. Socializing is the bane of all introverts, but it really does help. If you know someone working for a company you want to join, your chances of being hired (or at least getting an interview) skyrocket. If you have a referral or recommendation from an existing employee, you’re put near the top of the potential candidate list. It’s just policy. In specialized professions with lots of competition, networking can absolutely make or break your application.
The Second Step: Creating a Good Resume / CV / Etc.
Ignore most advice from your parents and elders. You don’t apply in person or “hit the streets” looking for work anymore. Most companies don’t even have paper application forms at this point.
You can network in person. You can chat with employees or the HR department of a company you’re interested in — you might even make a good impression. But when it comes time to actually apply, they will redirect you to their website and online application process. When applying online, you need to remember one key thing:
A human does not read your resume.
In most cases, HR won’t read your resume or application unless the computer catches several key words first. Think of a company’s application software as a glorified google search. It’s looking for desired words. If your resume has those words, it will be moved forward. An actual person, usually the hiring manager, will then read it. If your resume does not contain those words, it will be removed from the queue and no one will lay actual eyes on it. You could write like goddamn Tolstoy, but it won’t matter. No key words, no reading, no job.
People don’t want passive employees who merely follow orders. They want people who take initiative and act independently. So, the computer is looking for “active” words and phrases, such as:
- “Built relationships with clients…”
- “Achieved record sales…”
- “Provided award-winning customer service…”
- “Trained new personnel…”
- “Designed a highly-efficient software program…”
It will also catch words that are relevant to whatever position you’re applying for. Like: customer service, software development, sales, inventory auditing, SQL experience, etc.
Biggest takeaway from this: Don’t use a stock resume for every job application. Customize your resume to suit the desires of your employer. You can usually get away with having a few resumes tailored to certain job types — one for customer service positions, another for whatever your degree is in, and more for any additional careers you’re pursuing. They don’t necessarily have to be customized for each and every company you apply to, but they should at least be tailored to the industry.
Put emphasis on your most relevant skills. If you don’t have much experience, focus on your schooling and relevant training. Fluff up the education section.
If you have experience, flaunt it. Employers heavily prefer seeing experience over educational history. Keep the education section short — list your degree, your honors, and maybe your GPA. If you have a college degree, you can probably leave off your high school information. Save most of your page for work history, certifications, and acquired skills.
And remember, a standard resume should never be more than 1 page long. They will throw a multi-page resume straight into the trash can.
If you’re applying to a salaried position they might request a longer application packet in lieu of a normal resume. If so, always follow their guidelines to the letter. This, unfortunately, will be different for every employer because of the specialized nature of your work.
Some places will want to see a portfolio of your work (especially if you’re in media). Always keep your portfolio up-to-date. Remember to highlight your best recent work. If you just have a bunch of older stuff in there, people might think you haven’t actually done anything for a while — which will be a ding on your appearance.
The Third Step: The Dreaded Interview
If you have a good resume, you’ll be regularly picked up by the computer systems and get attention from HR personnel. Your chances of landing an interview have increased considerably. Some places do a phone interview first — usually big companies or distant job offers — but most will want to see you in person.
Good news: A lot of people are terrible at interviews.
If you have good interview techniques, you’re immediately lifted above the rank and file. This is especially true for customer service and entry-level jobs. Some employers say that half of the people they bring in don’t even bother to dress appropriately, much less hold eye contact or answer questions with confidence.
Even highly trained white collar workers can get flustered in the hot seat. So long as you keep cool and look professional, you’re already doing better than half of the people who show up (if not more).
Here are some good general pointers:
Dress up. Get a nice pair of slacks / a nice skirt. Wear a button-up shirt and a blazer. Invest in good clothes for this purpose. You don’t need to have more than one or two nice outfits if you’re hard up for money; other employers aren’t going to know you wore the same thing to another interview. Trim your scraggly beard. Use product to smooth down your frizzy hair. Do your makeup. You don’t have to be “hot,” but you do have to look neat and clean. Aim for the prissy bank-teller appearance. Employers like that. Putting effort into your appearance will put you ahead of at least some of your competition.
Don’t look down. Don’t avert your eyes. Smile and maintain eye contact. It shows confidence. Practice if you have to — I know it can be hard for shy people. Most jobs involve some form of socialization, so you have to be able to present yourself in a friendly and confident manner. Confidence isn’t always a natural trait. It’s something you can develop with practice. Even if it’s hard at first.
Have some stuff memorized. They’re going to ask you about your accomplishments. So write down some of your biggest professional or educational accomplishments. Think of various events where you went above and beyond to get a job done. I’ll give you a list of examples below, but making a list of your biggest successes helps a lot — even if you think they aren’t relevant.
They’re going to ask you various questions to determine what kind of worker you are. These questions can vary wildly between professions, so this is where your earlier research comes into play. If you have experience, then they’ll ask about some of your accomplishments with a previous employers. If you’re fresh out of school, they’ll ask a lot of “what if” questions to determine your ethics and dedication.
This is where they’ll really separate you from the competition. If you’re in a highly competitive job hunt, then these questions are game-breakers. You’ll also be judged on your confidence level, so practice in advance so you don’t stammer or get nervous.
Remember. You’re just telling cool stories. Pretend you’re telling a loved one about something awesome that happened at work the other day. You don’t have to “sell it.”
Example questions:
- Describe a time when you encountered an unhappy customer and ensured they left the store with a positive impression of the company.
- How have you gone “above and beyond” your duties?
- What have you done to further your education beyond the designated curriculum?
- What would you do if your colleague was caught doing something illegal?
- What is your greatest professional failure, and how did you handle it?
- How would you handle a situation where you are required to finish multiple tasks by the end of the day, but there is no possible way to complete all of them?
- What was your biggest professional (or educational) success? And why?
- What was the last project you led, and what were the results?
- See a bigger list here.
You don’t have to memorize all of them, but try to have answers lined up for the most relevant ones to your professions. Don’t be in a rush to answer. You can take a moment to reflect. You aren’t being timed.
Ask Questions!!
At the conclusion of the interview, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions or voice concerns. A lot of people brush this part off. DON’T. Asking questions will give you a big advantage over the people who decided to just wrap things up.
Asking questions shows that you’re interested in the company and have the initiative to take control of a situation. You have yet another chance to demonstrate your ethics, character, and drive. Prepare a list in advance. It’s okay if you write them down on a card (since your brain will probably be occupied with managing the interview itself). Here are some suggestions.
- Where do you see the company going in five years?
- What are your short-term and long-term goals?
- How long has this team been working together?
- What major projects do you have planned?
- Do you have any concerns about my qualifications that I might address?
- In your mind, what does the ideal candidate for this position look like?
- What are your biggest challenges?
- What is the company culture/atmosphere like?
- What can I do in the first 60 days to maximize team/company efficiency?
You might be hired on the spot, but don’t stress if they don’t. Sometimes they like to interview as many candidates as possible before making a decision. Most companies will call you back within two weeks if they want to move forward. Some salaried positions might take longer if they have a big hiring window.
The Fourth Step: Job Offer Negotiations
Congratulations! You’ve been extended an offer of employment. I’m sure you’re excited, but don’t immediately accept. Your prey could still jump up and bite you.
The job offer is where you’ll really get to see the company’s intentions. You might notice some red flags in their offer. Always be sure to read through the fine print before signing anything. A few companies try to get away with some shady shit that would otherwise go unnoticed until it’s too late to protest (pay deductions, meager benefits, very conditional terms for promised pay, etc.).
Money. The first thing an employer will do is offer you a salary — either a yearly salary or an hourly wage. You are free to negotiate if you think it should be a higher rate of pay. Companies can be surprisingly flexible so long as you aren’t being outrageous. If you have 1+ year of experience and a degree, there’s almost no reason for you to be working at minimum wage. Even low-end retail jobs will offer experienced workers more than minimum wage… if they’re worth working for. If they promise you higher pay at the end of a probationary period, get it in writing.
Benefits. This should also be discussed and laid out on paper. Part-time employees don’t often receive any benefits in lower-level jobs, but full-time employees will. Discuss health insurance, retirement, and how long it will take before benefits kick in. Make sure you understand how many hours per week you need to work for them to kick in. File the documents. If you have a spouse and/or dependents, discuss what the healthcare rates for them would be — some companies will only give you a good rate. Monthly fees can jump 200%-1000% (or more!) if you have dependents that need coverage.
Additional Conditions. If you’re promised a bonus, get it in writing. If you have to meet certain quotas before benefits kick in, get it in writing. Company promises to pay for your gas mileage if you have to go on a business trip? Get it in writing. If you’re working on commission, get all the rates on paper. General rule? Just get everything in writing so you can use it as evidence later on if someone tries to pull a fast one. Talk about all this extra stuff before you start working.
Probationary period. You usually have to work for a month or two before gaining “full” employment status. This is an opportunity for you, too. You and the employer are both testing each other out to make sure you’re a right fit. You’ll usually know right away if the company is terrible. If you notice too many red flags during the probationary period, do not accept full employment and find work elsewhere. Save yourself a headache. You won’t have to include it in your work history.
The Fifth Step: Feast On Your Kill
Start saving, build up a good reputation, always seek out good experience. Keep an eye on the horizon for better job opportunities — or, if your company is fantastic, look for ways to move up. Be wary of undying company loyalty. Those days are over. Employers definitely don’t hesitate to lay off workers in a downturn, and nobody gets a pension anymore, so you aren’t obligated to be with them forever if you have a better offer.
In general, though, try to stay with a company for at least a couple years. Rapid job-hopping tends to look bad on your resume.
Buy video games.
Buy candy and cookies.
You are an adult now, and that means you can do whatever you want in your own home.