GRADUATING WITH A PLAN OF ACTION
Congratulations, you've just graduated with a degree in your chosen field.
So what's your next step going to be to launch your long-anticipated career?
Like a young racehorse at the starting gate, you have tons of energy and determination, and are anxious to get out there and seize new career opportunities. But are you ready? Do you know what you need to do? Do you have a plan of action to turn those opportunities into a reality? If you don't, you will need to get one.
I'm sure you've heard the old adage that the quickest route from point A to point B is a straight line. Well, launching your career is no different in terms of setting your job search goals and carrying them out diligently and methodically You might have a few corners to navigate, but you should do your best to avoid deviating from your goal as much as possible.
One of the first things you need to decide is what type of job interests you the most. Depending on what your degree is, there might be many positions in your field to consider. For example, if you are a graduate nurse you can work in a hospital, clinic, nursing home, childcare center, school, private practice, or field setting. Then, within those settings you can work within various units such as medical-surgical, pediatrics, and maternity. Then there are transitional opportunities.
Let's say you tried your hand at nursing and realized it was not what you expected. You can always consider pharmaceutical sales as a new career. Some fields, such as business management, are even more flexible. The key is to decide which direction you are headed towards and learn as much about that field as you possible can.
Okay, you hate to admit it, but you spent all of that time and money, but you're still not sure what you want to do. You have an idea about what you might want to do, but it's just not clear yet. None of the possibilities you've explored get you excited. In fact, you're feeling downright frustrated and depressed. Don't worry. It really isn't that bad. Keep in mind that you don't have to start at the top, and don't have to commit yourself to an employer. So don't put so much pressure on yourself. Maybe you just need to get your foot in the door somewhere to test the waters before you decide to go full steam ahead. You might even want to spend the first year to discover what it is that you really want to do. That way your mind will be open to possibilities and you will have a positive attitude. Just don't waste time. Set weekly goals. Use that year to WORK at finding out what you want to do. Then prepare to do it – and do it well.
If you want to explore your career without the assistance of a job coach or career counselor, a good way to start is to conduct some independent research. Let's assume your degree in is law enforcement or criminal justice. You will need to decide if you want to work in corporate security or private investigation. But how do you decide? Well, if your college's career center cannot provide you with specific information, visit Occupational Outlook Handbook online (http://www.bls.gov/oco/) to get an overview of various positions in your field. Join industry specific chat rooms to see what everyone is talking about. Go to the websites of various companies. Get involved in conversations. Ask lots of questions. Get advice from friends, family members, and neighbors. Ask them what they do and how they got started.
If you are not sure if a particular area of your industry is right for you, call or write professionals already in positions of interest to request an information interview. An information interview will allow you the opportunity to question a professional about the nature and requirements of a position. Some people will not be available, whereas other people will welcome the opportunity to give you fifteen minutes of their time. If someone avoids you, don't take it personally. Just move on to the next possible contact. Once you make a connection, you will need to be polite, organized, and demonstrate exceptional professionalism and communication skills. During your information interview, remember to take detailed notes. When you are done, thank them wholeheartedly for their time. Be sure to get their full name and contact information so you can send them a follow-up thank you letter. They might even have an opening, so be sure to make a good impression.
Once you have narrowed it down, have your résumé developed professionally and post it on major job boards, such as monster.com, careerbuilder.com, and hotjobs.com to see what contacts can be made. While you are there, search job openings to glean what the job descriptions are so you can see what will be expected of you. Your résumé writer will probably want you to do that anyway so they can get a good idea of the jobs you are interested in to ensure your résumé is very targeted. Be proactive and tell your résumé writer that you have done that and would like to share that information with them.
Okay, so now you know what you want to do and you have a great résumé and cover letter. Now what? You've probably heard how important networking is – that it's not what you know but who you know. Well, that's not always the case; but knowing the right person sure can't hurt. With that in mind, let everyone you come in contact with know you are looking for a job. Be sure to keep your résumé updated and in your car (protected from spills and creasing) so you can hand them out at a moment's notice. Join an organization to become acquainted with people in your industry, attend career fairs, become affiliated with recruiters, and research companies online (post your résumé at their websites), at the library, and even in the yellow pages to get leads to mail your résumé and cover letter. This last approach is a great strategy. Let's say you recently graduated with your Masters in Social Work. You can open your yellow pages to Adoption Agencies to acquire the mailing addresses of several social service agencies. Be sure to call the receptionist first to request the proper name, title, and department of the contact to send your résumé and cover letter. Other strategies include creating a web résumé so people can view your formatted, interactive resume online. If you don't know how to do this, research how or hire someone to do it for you. Be sure to have business cards made and add your web résumé address to it!
Another great way to get started is to temp for a while. If you do decide to temp, be selective. You should only work for the best companies in your field to get the very best experience possible. It is also a great way to prove yourself as a favorable candidate for a permanent position. Don't temp for too long because it might cause a potential employer to wonder why you haven't secured a permanent position for a certain length of time. If during an interview you are asked why you temped, confidently state that you chose to temp to gain well-rounded experience in your field. Don't apologize for anything!
No matter what your plan of action is, be sure to keep organized notes and track every move you make. Prepare a list of names, company names, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses, and website addresses. Keep the list near the phone of every company you sent your résumé and cover letter. That way you will know whom you are speaking with when they call to extend an initial or follow up interview. This is especially important if you are going on several interviews. If you are not organized, you will get confused and seem unprofessional. You will want to make a great first impression from the very beginning, starting with a great résumé and cover letter. If you have your baby sister's cute little voice or a musical greeting on your answering machine, replace it with a professional message that says," You have reached John Smith at 555-5555. I am not available at this time. Please leave your name and reason for calling. I will return your call as soon as possible. Have a great day!" If your email address is bowlingkingpin@aol.com, be sure to change it to JSmith1234@aol.com. If you are on the road all of the time, or if members of your family do not speak English, get a cell phone so you can be reached anytime, anywhere. List that number as your only number without the word "cell" listed on your résumé. If you list both your home number and your cell number, then indicate which number is your home number and which number is your cell number. They will probably call your home number first. If you have a lot of friends who call you on your cell, be on guard to answer your cell phone professionally. If you are going on an interview, leave your cell phone in your glove compartment. You don't want your cell phone to ring in the middle of the interview.
Be prepared and on time for the interview, if not early. Make sure you have several outfits to wear to go on several interviews in a week's time so you don't stress. Make sure you dress appropriately for your interview. You can't go wrong if you are conservative. If it is a creative industry, you can dress with more flair or even casual, but don't dress too crazy. Have extra résumés handy (don't bring your cover letter) to give to the hiring manager so he/she can distribute them to other managers without having to make copies. Practice your interviewing technique. Ask a friend to role-play with you. Get a book with commonly asked interview questions. In addition to learning what to say, you need to learn what not to say and what not to do. Send out thank you letters within 24-hours that mention something important discussed in the interview keeping the position in mind at all times and reiterating your strengths.
Above all, be professional in behavior and appearance, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, organized, interested in the company and position (have about ten questions to ask them that have nothing to do with you), and try your best to be interesting when you talk about your experiences, regardless how limited they may be. If you are nervous, keep in mind that you are interviewing them, too. You don't want to work for just anyone, do you? Be sure to convey that. You don't have to be arrogant about it, but you should come across as a commodity, not as a desperate, nervous job seeker. If you think like that, your confidence will shine through naturally because you will feel good about yourself and will be ready for anything! Before long, you'll be launching your career. Good luck!
Ann Baehr is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and President of Best Resumes of New York. Notable credentials include her role as former Second Vice President of the National Resume Writers' Association and published contributor to over twenty resume and cover letter books by McGraw-Hill, Jist Publishers, and Adams Media. To learn more, visit Best Resumes of New York at http://www.e-bestresumes.com
WOULD YOU LIE ON YOUR RESUME?
How many times have you heard someone say, "Just put it on your resume. There's no way they're going to find out"?
It is tempting to put little white lies on your resume. These might include overstating your knowledge of required software ("If they call me, I'll teach myself over the weekend"), a certification ("They'll never go through all that trouble to find out") or extending dates at a former employer ("They can't find out. The company went out of business").
So what's the big deal? It's not like you're claiming to be a medical doctor, right? Who are you hurting anyway? You're just stretching the truth a little to get your foot in the door -- or so you tell yourself. If these are familiar thoughts, you might want to re-think them. Why? Because the risk of getting caught is real. The odds of getting away with listing false information on your resume are probably, well . . . who really knows? Do you really want to find out the hard way?
There are many reasons that could prompt a human resources manager to conduct an employment background check. Maybe you are not performing your job as well as expected. Maybe a co-worker has the same credential and became suspicious when your facts did not add up during a conversation. Some companies have never experienced a dishonest employee who lied on his/her resume, and does not routinely verify work histories and the validity of credentials. In short, they have a false sense of security. Just the same, many hiring managers are keenly aware that lying on a resume is becoming a costly problem for many companies, and thoroughly check all facts even after they hire a candidate.
Sadly, it is quite common these days to learn of employee terminations because background checks revealed dishonesty. Depending on the level of the position or the severity of the falsification, this could sometimes lead to legal actions. So, before you decide to make yourself look better on paper, think again. It is not worth getting the job if you are not going to be able to live up to it or hold on to it.
The moral of this story? Don't risk your future by lying about your past! Honesty is always the best policy!
Ann Baehr is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and President of Best Resumes of New York. Notable credentials include her role as former Second Vice President of the National Resume Writers' Association and published contributor to over twenty resume and cover letter books by McGraw-Hill, Jist Publishers, and Adams Media. To learn more, visit Best Resumes of New York at http://www.e-bestresumes.com.
CAN YOU AFFORD TO WRITE YOUR OWN RESUME?
Why would someone pay a professional resume writer to write their resume when they have a computer, can use resume templates, and can find resume samples online and in books to get ideas on setting up and composing their own resume?
The answer lies in what type of position they are targeting and their level of resume writing skills. Whether basic or complex, a resume must be attractive, focused, and interesting to read. Failing to achieve these objectives means failing to make a good first impression. Many things need to be taken into consideration in order to accomplish these goals. Here are five things to consider:
1. You must understand the technical aspects of resume development. This includes resume design (what fonts to use and spacing), use of industry specific key words, career synopsis and company profiles, appropriate resume style and formats (reverse chronological, functional and combination), and page length.
2. You must have good word processing skills!
3. You must understand what the hiring manager is looking for and what you've done so you can make a match between their needs and your qualifications.
4. You must have grammatically correct, creative writing skills to communicate what you have done in the positions you have held using a reasonable amount of detail.
5. You must avoid wasting the reader's time by listing too much irrelevant information or going back too far if the position does not warrant it.
Some positions such as waitress, car wash attendant, and cashier might not require a resume. If they do, it would be a general resume with a traditional objective statement and chronological listing of jobs held with a sentence or two under each to indicate responsibilities, along with job-specific skills, and education. In a word: simple. However, sometimes a resume needs to be strategically developed to emphasize the value you offer a company, especially if the position is very competitive and you need to stand out from the rest of the potential candidates.
Often, a job seeker finds himself or herself in a pickle because they have held many different positions over the years and do not know how to keep the resume focused for a particular position. Maybe you are returning to the workplace after raising your children and are concerned the gap will put you at a disadvantage. Maybe you are just starting out in your career and do not think you have enough to offer a company. Or, maybe you are ready for a career change and do not know how to create a presentation that will position you for a new field.
If you have done your homework (which we believe you have since you are reading this article!), you know that a resume is often referred to as a "marketing tool." No different than a commercial advertisement, your resume needs to entice the reader to buy the product (you) by grabbing their attention, listing the product's benefits (your qualifications), and compel the reader to make a move - in this case, to invite you to an interview. As you know, time is money. The more time that passes after sending your resume out, the more money you lose if it is not generating responses. If you cannot afford to be out of work for several months, you should make the decision to have your resume professionally prepared. Here is a quick quiz to help you put things into perspective:
Client A: wanted to save money, so she prepared her own resume. She faxed and mailed her resume to over 50 companies over a period of six weeks, but nothing happened. While she kept her fingers crossed, she depleted half of her savings. She eventually landed an interview in the seventh week through someone she knew.
Client B: understood that having her resume professionally developed was a good investment. Without one, she knew she could not launch her career in the right direction. She faxed and mailed her professionally prepared resume out to ten companies over a two-week period. By the end of week two, she landed a great interview that resulted in a fabulous job.
Quick Quiz: who came out financially ahead in the long run?
If you answered the job seeker that invested wisely in consulting with a professional resume writer, you are 100% correct! So, in summary, the question is not whether or not you can afford to write your own resume. The question is whether or not you can afford not to have it done properly.
Ann Baehr is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and President of Best Resumes of New York. Notable credentials include her role as former Second Vice President of the National Resume Writers' Association and published contributor to over twenty resume and cover letter books by McGraw-Hill, Jist Publishers, and Adams Media. To learn more, visit Best Resumes of New York at http://www.e-bestresumes.com
