8. GET A JOB

WHETHER YOU’RE STILL in school or switching jobs or careers, be prepared to spend a lot of time and effort on finding a job. Treat your job search like a job in itself—a job with no boss to guide you, no coworkers to commiserate with, and no HR department to complain to. You’ll need to be persistent, organized, and thick-skinned.

Keep track of YOUR SEARCH

Technology has made it easy to apply for jobs. Instead of printing out resumes and cover letters on fancy paper and paying for postage, you can apply for jobs entirely online. But this means that the companies you want to work for are likely getting hundreds of applications for each open position.

In addition, many posted jobs don’t really exist. Some job “interviews” are really an attempt to get industry or competitor information; some jobs are not quite as advertised, for example commission-only instead of salaried; some positions are going to an inside applicant, but the rules require a national search. This means you should plan on sending out hundreds of applications. An app called JibberJobber (JibberJobber.com) can help you keep track of your search. It’s free for up to 25 contacts, so you can use it and decide whether you like it before paying for a subscription.

You can also create your own spreadsheet. Columns to include are:

Company Name	The name of the organization
First Contact	Your initial point of contact at the company.
App Contact	Who you addressed your cover letter to. Sometimes the name is not available, so just put the title or committee name.
Source	Where you saw the ad posted or who told you about the position.
Date Applied	When you submitted your application.
Application Summary	What you submitted: a cover letter, resume, and any additional materials
Response	Who got back to you, when, what they said.
Interview	When and where your interview is/was scheduled, interview notes afterward.
Follow-Up	What you sent (thank you email or letter) and when.
Date of last contact	Sort your sheet by date of last contact to follow up if you haven’t heard from them in a while.

Every time you send out an application or get a response, make a note of it. Make sure your spreadsheet is somewhere you can access. Use a service like Dropbox or Google Drive and back it up regularly. Make sure you can access it using your phone.

If you happen to be away from your desk when you get a call, you’ll want to the information available to you.

Set up daily email alerts

If your college or university has an active career office, sign up for any services they offer. Whether you are working with a career services office or not, make sure you have job announcements coming into your mailbox every day.

LinkedIn

SETTING UP A JOB ALERT ON LINKEDIN:

◻	Search for a job on LinkedIn.
◻	At the top of the left panel of the job search results page, switch the Job alert toggle to On to create a job alert for your current search criteria.
◻	Or set-up a job alert by switching the Create alert for this search toggle button at the bottom left of the search results page to On.
◻	In the Create search alert pop-up, select how often you'd like to receive alerts about new jobs on LinkedIn.com that fit those specific search parameters from the Receive alert dropdown. The available options are daily or weekly.
◻	Select how you’d like to get notified from the Get notified via dropdown. The available options are email, notifications, and email & notifications.
◻	Click Save.

USAJobs (U.S. citizens and legal residents)

SETTING UP A JOB ALERT ON USAJOBS
◻	Sign into USAJOBS. If you don’t have a profile, you need to create one. Only signed in users can save their search.
◻	Start a job search by entering a keyword or location in the search box and click Search.
◻	Narrow your results using filters.
◻	Click Save this search on the search results page located above the search results.
◻	Name your search—this will help you manage your saved searches.
◻	Choose how often you want to get notified. We recommend daily if you’re looking for very specific jobs, since some jobs can open and close within a week.
◻	Click Save.

Other job search sites

◻	CareerBuilder.com
◻	RobertHalf.com
◻	Indeed.com
◻	Glassdoor.com
◻	Ziprecruiter.com/search-jobs
◻	Monster.com

Specialized Sites

◻	Accounting and finance: cpajobfinder.com/jobs, efinancialcareers.com
◻	Culinary and restaurant: culintro.com
◻	Healthcare: healthcarejobsite.com, healthcareadministrationjobs.net
◻	Higher education: higheredjobs.com, insidehighered.com, chronicle.com.
◻	Programming and tech: Dice.com, TechCareers.com, Stackoverflow.com Crunchboard.com.

Your daily schedule

If you are still in school, or currently employed, you’ll only be able to use this schedule on weekends and holidays and will have to do what you can in your free hours during the week.

If you are currently between jobs, you should plan to follow this schedule just as you would a regular job. It may help to take your laptop to a library or coffee shop, just to get out of the house and feel like you’re at work.

When is your brain at its best?

You need to figure out what time of day you’re most productive. Once you know your best brain time, set aside those two hours or so for writing cover letters and customizing your resume. Use the less-productive hours for more routine tasks like sending out completed applications, filling in your tracking information, and finding new jobs to apply for.

Many people find they can concentrate for 20 minutes at a time, after which they start to lose focus. This varies among individuals, of course, but it’s a general enough rule that there is a popular time-management method, called the Pomodoro Method, that involves working in 20-minute bursts with 5-minute breaks in between. (The method’s inventor originally used an Italian kitchen timer shaped like a tomato—pomodoro is Italian for tomato—to time his work.) You can use this method to work through your most productive two hours.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN your brain is at its best? Observe yourself for a few days and see when you are most able to tackle challenging tasks like writing or starting a project. Or you can take the online questionnaire at

cet-surveys.com/index.php?sid=61524

SAMPLE WEEKDAY SCHEDULE for SOMEONE WHOSE PEAK TIME is 10 to NOON

7am:

Wake up, have a cup of coffee, take a half-hour walk, and come back and shower. This will start you off with mild exercise and sunlight, good for your cognition and mental health.

8-10am:

Because your brain’s not fully up and running, do moderately-taxing tasks. Open your job search email account and go through the day’s jobs. Save the ones you intend to apply for, and record them on your spreadsheet. Delete the ones you don’t intend to apply for.

Fix yourself breakfast.

Read some industry news. 

Set up for your productive time:

Find the announcements for the jobs you are going to apply to, and similar jobs that may not be in your desired location.

Copy similar jobs into a single document.

Then copy and paste the text into a word cloud generator such as tagcrowd.com or wordclouds.com. In this word cloud for hotel manager positions, unexpected words include “experience,” “vision,” “financial,” and “team.” You now have general keywords for your cover letter. You might emphasize that you are fluent in the financial as well as the people aspects of the job, and that you can direct your team to translate your employer’s vision into a consistent guest experience.

10am-noon:

This is your productive time. You will customize your resume and write a cover letter for each position.

Customizing your resume and cover letter

◻	Open up the word cloud generator again.
◻	Copy and paste in the text from the particular job you’re applying to.
◻	Open a new window. Go to the company website and find the Mission Statement, the Vision Statement, and/or the “About Us” description. Paste these into the same word cloud box.
◻	Generate your company-specific word cloud.

◻	These keywords reflect the company’s aspirations for itself. Work them in wherever they fit. You can even put them into the “keywords” section of your resume if appropriate.
◻	Some applications require a cover letter, while others make it optional. Always submit a cover letter if you can.
◻	In your cover letter, strike a tone that is confident but not overconfident. Flatter the employer (“It is with great pleasure that I am seeking an employment opportunity with your institution. It is a well-respected company and I would be proud to be a part of it.”) [101]
◻	Before you submit your resume and cover letter, run a spell check. Then run the documents through a machine scan simulator like jobscan.co. What comes out of the machine scan should look like what’s described in the job announcement.
◻	If the scan results don’t look right, edit your resume and try again.
◻	Proofread everything before sending. A single typo can disqualify you.
◻	Focus on sending a few well-crafted applications to jobs that are a good match. Don’t just blast out a generic resume to any position that’s remotely a fit.
◻	As soon as you complete each application, record the relevant information into JibberJobber.com or your spreadsheet.

12PM-2PM:

Break for lunch. Turn off the computer. Go for a walk. Exercise. Do your grocery shopping. Get the laundry done. If you haven’t showered or brushed your teeth yet, do it now.

2pm until bedtime:

Allocate your time among people-oriented activities like volunteering and networking, and solitary ones like reading industry news and relevant blogs. Alison Green, the woman behind the wonderful Ask a Manager blog (bookmark it now at askamanager.org) recommends boosting your job search by volunteering, reconnecting, and networking:

Volunteering.

Volunteering has three advantages: First, volunteering helps other people. Second, volunteering can help you to build your network and get connected to job opportunities. Finally, volunteering can help you to avoid a gap in your resume. A mainstream organization such as the Red Cross or United Way will be appealing to most employers. A church-related organization might not carry as much weight with employers, as they may assume your service is simply part of your church membership. If you can get onto the board of a nonprofit, that’s ideal, but director positions are competitive. Any computer, bookkeeping, or marketing skills that you can contribute are likely to be useful and in high demand.

Reconnecting.

Invite your former co-workers, old bosses, and friends to lunch or coffee. Don’t pressure them to provide you with job leads. Instead, use the time to catch up.

Reconnecting expands your network and the possibility of hearing about a position. It’s also good for your mental health, as it helps you to avoid becoming too isolated.

If you are an introvert, try to force yourself to do this at least once a month.

Networking.

Join professional organizations in your field. Your local Chamber of Commerce or Junior Chamber of Commerce are a good start. Service clubs like Rotary, Kiwanis, or Lion’s Club are a great way to meet local employers and benefit your community. Industry-specific associations can be helpful both for making contacts and keeping your knowledge current.

You might have the opportunity to take on a leadership position in one of these groups. If you can commit to doing the work well, do it. This will look great on your resume and will help you to build your network and generate goodwill.

Your Pre-Interview Checklist

Congratulations, you’ve been invited to interview! Whether it’s on the phone, via video, or in person, you need to prepare thoroughly beforehand.

Don’t be like the young lady who, when interviewing with IBM, volunteered that she admired their “Xerox machines.” Or the gentleman who, when asked why he had chosen to interview with a specific company during on-campus interviews, replied, “Because you guys were on the list.” Neither one got the job.

Research the company:

◻	Find the company’s mission statement and vision statement. Strictly speaking, the vision is where the company wants to be in the future (“A Yoyodyne personal interdimensional overthruster in every American household”) while the mission is what the company does every day (“Yoyodyne is a vertically-integrated company that bakes quality into every part of the manufacturing process”). Some companies have only a mission statement or a vision statement, while others have both. Some have neither and opt instead for “about” or “who we are.” You should be able to show your interviewer that you are familiar with the company’s self-image and aspirations.
◻	Research the company’s financial health, including any big decisions or events that might affect its future. Is the company publicly traded? That is, do they sell stocks on a stock exchange like NASDAQ? If so, they’ll have an Investor Information page. That will provide information about the financial health of the company. Bloomberg.com, Yahoo Finance, and other free sites can also be a good source of company information.
◻	Whether the company is publicly traded or not, do an online search for news of the company. If the company is small, you might find something in the online archives of the local newspaper.
◻	See where the company operates. Are they local, nationwide, or international? Do they have international customers or partners, and if so, are you willing to travel internationally? If you don’t have a current passport, be prepared to tell the interviewer that you are in the process of getting one. If you are a U.S. citizen, apply for a U.S. passport at usa.gov/passport.
◻	Find out where the department fits within the company. How does it work with or overlap other departments, and are there possible interdepartmental rivalries?
◻	Figure out the company’s business model, or how it makes its money. For example, social media companies and search engines get their revenue not from the people who use their services, but from advertisers who want to reach those people. Printer companies don’t make their money from selling printers; in fact, they often lose money on the printer itself but make it up by selling expensive printer cartridges.

Check LinkedIn

◻	Find out whether anyone you know works at that company or has a connection there. If you are comfortable contacting this person, reach out, share your good news (you are very excited about your upcoming interview with Yoyodyne’s new Consumer Devices Division) and ask for any advice or tips your contact might have. People are generally happy to be asked for advice.
◻	If you know the name of the person who will be interviewing you, you might want to look them up. But be aware that LinkedIn can tell them that you viewed their profile.

Find out about salaries and interview experiences at Glassdoor

◻	Read the company’s reviews at glassdoor.com/Reviews/index.htm, but keep an open mind. Anyone can post there.
◻	Look at the salary information, but again, keep in mind that it may not be entirely accurate: glassdoor.com/Salaries/index.htm

Prepare yourself

◻	If you have an in-person interview, make sure you know how to get there. Take a drive out to the building. Time how long it takes and make a note of where you can park.
◻	If you have a video interview, test your setup beforehand and make sure the background is clean and professional. A blank wall or a bookshelf (stocked with non-controversial books) is best. A window looking out on a view may be tempting, but you never know whether something distracting might happen outside. You don’t want to be upstaged by weather or wildlife.
◻	If you have an in-person interview scheduled, make copies of your resume and other important documents (cover letter, list of references, etc.) in advance. Don’t expect that your interviewers will have read or remembered your resume.
◻	If you have a phone or video interview, have a paper copy of your resume close by. You don’t want to blank if you’re asked about specific details or dates.
◻	Do your best to memorize your elevator pitch but have a printout handy too. This is what you’ll use to answer the “tell me about yourself” question.
◻	Prepare to be asked, “Why are you leaving your current job?” This doesn’t apply if you’re interviewing straight out of school, but if you are leaving another job, the right answer is something like “I’m happy where I am, but I’m looking for the opportunity to develop XYZ skill and/or work with XYZ technology.” Never, never badmouth your employer or coworkers.
◻	Prepare to answer the question, “Why do you want to work for us?” This is the corporate equivalent of “tell me you love me.” Pick something the company is likely to be proud of. “Yoyodyne products are the best in the industry and I’d be honored to work with the world-class engineers in the Consumer Devices Division.”
◻	Prepare an answer to the question, “What’s your greatest weakness?” Sorry, you can’t say you work too hard.

What’s your greatest weakness?

To respond to this question, pick something that isn’t too bad, and importantly, make sure it’s something you have found a way to fix. “I’m an introvert, so in my previous sales job that involved ten straight hours of cold-calling, I found that I was getting a little worn-out toward the end of the day.”

Next, talk about how you’re working on it: “I’ve been very deliberate about getting sufficient sleep, exercising regularly, and packing an energy bar when I have a day of dealing with people ahead of me. I’ve found that this way I can put in twelve-hour workdays with no drop in energy, and last month I was the most productive salesperson on my team.”

Your answers should take the company culture into account. If you know that the company has a hard-driving culture where people brag about having no work-life balance and never getting more than four hours of sleep, you need to take that into consideration. Some interviewers want to hear “I make sure to take care of myself and get enough sleep,” while others would prefer “I’m successfully training myself to be more and more productive.”

Prepare to be asked whether you have any questions of your own.

The worst response is probably something like, “so you guys don’t do background checks or anything, right?” But the second-worst response is, “no, I don’t have any questions.” Consultant Rachel Weingarten recommends asking your interviewer questions like these:

◻	Why did you join the company? Does the interviewer seem genuinely happy about the job and the company? If they can’t think of anything nice to say, that may be a red flag.
◻	How does this role further your company’s mission? This will give you an idea of where the job you’re interviewing for fits into the big picture, and whether its occupant is likely to have built-in enemies.
◻	Tell me about your most successful employees. What do they do differently? The answer will tell you a lot about what the company values.
◻	What do you expect someone in this position to accomplish in the first 60-90 days? It’s good to know what their expectations are.
◻	What, if anything, in my background gives you pause? The answer may give you a chance to address concerns, in the interview and/or in your thank-you note.
◻	What is the turnover in the department I’m interviewing for? This is a tricky one; if you sense this question may make them defensive, don’t ask it. But higher than average turnover for the industry might be a red flag.
◻	What are the opportunities for growth and advancement? This is good to know, and assures your interviewer that you’re looking at staying for the long term.
◻	If you had a chance to interview for your company again, knowing what you know now, what questions would you ask next time?  The answer can be very informative. Your interviewer might even enjoy sharing some insight.
◻	What haven’t I asked that most candidates ask? Your interviewer may not know how to answer this one. But if you do get an answer, it’s probably going to be a pretty useful one.
◻	What are the next steps in this process? This is a graceful way to end your questions, and you want to know the answer anyway.

Once you have prepared answers and questions, conduct at least one practice interview, and ideally run through it two or three times. Your college career center might be able to set up a practice interview for you, but if not, a friend, family member, or roommate can do it. Don’t skip this step. Tell your “interviewer” to be tough on you. Have them ask a few “illegal” questions about your age, family, marital status, or ethnic background. Practice now and you’re less likely to choke when it happens for real.

The day before the interview

◻	Make sure you have stamps, nice notecards, and a decent pen. You will be writing a thank-you note, and a handwritten note is usually preferable. A set of simple, cream-colored thank-you cards, and a blue or black gel pen are good choices.
◻	Only when you’ve prepared all your answers and questions should you think about what to wear. Don’t spend hours picking out your interview ensemble and procrastinating on everything else.
◻	You want your interviewers to remember you, not your outfit. Check the company’s website to see how the managers dress. If you’re not sure of the company’s dress code, err on the side of caution. When in doubt, cover tattoos, knees, elbows, belly, shoulders, and cleavage. Jewelry shouldn’t jangle. Shoes should cover the toes and be suitable for walking long distances comfortably.

The day of the interview

◻	You might be too nervous to eat breakfast. For an in-person interview pack a small bottle of water and a protein bar. Some interviews can take all day. It’s okay to ask for a bathroom break if you need one. If you start to get lightheaded from hunger, use your bathroom break to wolf down your protein bar.
◻	If you’re prone to headaches, take a nonprescription headache remedy like naproxen or ibuprofen before you go. Bring some with you as well.
◻	Make sure you’re clean, showered, and deodorized, but don’t wear fragrance. Some people are sensitive to strong scents, and leaving your interviewer gasping for air or breaking out in hives won’t help your chances.
◻	Be there (for a physical interview) or ready with your notes and water to drink (for a phone or video interview) 20 minutes early. Career service professionals will tell you that “on time is late.” Your interviewers won’t care that you got stuck behind the traffic accident of the century, or that you just reinstalled your operating system. If you’re not there when they expect you, you’ve lost the job.
◻	When you first meet your interviewer smile, make direct eye contact, and give a brief but firm handshake.
◻	Act like you are happy to be there and excited about meeting everyone and finding out more about the company.
◻	Don’t sit until your interviewer invites you to sit.
◻	Never interrupt your interviewer.
◻	Your interviewer is not supposed to ask about your age, marital status, sexual orientation, age, race, religion, or current or future pregnancies. They shouldn’t even ask you what year you graduated or whether you want to know about the school district.
◻	Some interviewers will ask illegal questions anyway. It’s up to you how to respond. You can answer the question; you can give the answer to the question you think they’re really asking (“it sounds like you’re looking for someone who can work after 5pm. I am able to work after-hours whenever needed.”); or you can pretend to mishear and change the subject.
◻	Make sure to confirm each interviewer’s name and ask for a business card. This will make you seem engaged and will help you to write your thank-you notes afterwards.

After the interview

As soon as you get home, record the details of your interview on your spreadsheet or on JibberJobber.com.

As soon as you get home, send a personal thank-you note to everyone who interviewed you.

A sample thank-you note

Dear Dr. Lizardo [make sure to use the recipient’s preferred title],

Thank you for the opportunity to interview with Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems. Speaking with you last Wednesday has confirmed my desire to join the Yoyodyne team. I really appreciated learning more about the Pocket Overthruster project and am eager to be a part of your new Consumer Devices Division. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Penny Priddy

Penny.Priddy@gmail.com