Observations about a job search
Post script- I am now gainfully employed.
60 days ago I found myself unexpectedly unemployed. The purpose of this is to give some observations about my experiences during this time. Ok so I was employed and thought everything was going pretty well. There were some warning signs but I thought I would be able to manage through them. I was wrong and at a later time I will give some additional insight on that. Here are some of my tips and tricks to help get a job as quickly as possible:
1. Be prepared to be judged very quickly by your prospective boss. He/she will be looking at you with essentially one question in mind- how quickly can you solve my immediate problem? If that is sales then how does your background give me confidence that you will be able to produce the fastest. So you as the job seeker better uncover that need before the interview and make sure your every word on the interview is directed towards answering that question.
2. Be prepared to take a really deep dive into your background. Now if you are interviewing with someone you know from a previous job then this may not be as painful, but if you are interviewing with someone you dont know be prepared. I would advise you to keep copies of your prior performance reviews. I was asked in one interview to provide my last 3-4 performance reviews. I didnt have them and the last company where I worked for 10 years refused to give them to me. Even if you dont get asked to provide them, they are really helpful to remember what you did over an extended period of time. It was difficult for me to remember in the detail needed to satisfy questions I was being asked.
Further, write out the questions and answers to every kind of questions you think you might be asked. "Tell me about a time in your past when you had a situation where....?" Expect at some point you will be asked this kind of question, so dont wait. Take the time to script out the answer in a way that paints you in the most favorable light. This is what I mean by taking a deep dive into your background. If you have a partner (friend, spouse etc) have them do a mock interview. You cant be too prepared.
3. Companies doing the hiring move very slowly. For reasons no one can really explain and even when they are feeling real pain they move slowly. So be prepared for periods of inaction. This is especially frustrating when you are chomping at the bit to get started.
4. Use the job boards religiously- Indeed.com was the most helpful for me, but there are others.
5. Activate your network- Linkedin is very useful for this. Reach out to everyone you have in your network who can help you. Dont be afraid to let them know that you are actively seeking a new job and do they know of anything going on in their company or in other companies.
Check every companies web site for the job listing. If you see one fitting your background then apply.
6. Use recruiters but dont depend on them. I worked with several recruiters and was set up on interviews a couple of times, but they didnt lead to an offer.
7. Resume writing. I'm not sure what to say here. I had a lot of advice from various people on writing and rewriting the resume. Obviously, if you can taylor it to the job you are seeking. One size doesnt fit all.
60 days ago I found myself unexpectedly unemployed. The purpose of this is to give some observations about my experiences during this time. Ok so I was employed and thought everything was going pretty well. There were some warning signs but I thought I would be able to manage through them. I was wrong and at a later time I will give some additional insight on that. Here are some of my tips and tricks to help get a job as quickly as possible:
1. Be prepared to be judged very quickly by your prospective boss. He/she will be looking at you with essentially one question in mind- how quickly can you solve my immediate problem? If that is sales then how does your background give me confidence that you will be able to produce the fastest. So you as the job seeker better uncover that need before the interview and make sure your every word on the interview is directed towards answering that question.
2. Be prepared to take a really deep dive into your background. Now if you are interviewing with someone you know from a previous job then this may not be as painful, but if you are interviewing with someone you dont know be prepared. I would advise you to keep copies of your prior performance reviews. I was asked in one interview to provide my last 3-4 performance reviews. I didnt have them and the last company where I worked for 10 years refused to give them to me. Even if you dont get asked to provide them, they are really helpful to remember what you did over an extended period of time. It was difficult for me to remember in the detail needed to satisfy questions I was being asked.
Further, write out the questions and answers to every kind of questions you think you might be asked. "Tell me about a time in your past when you had a situation where....?" Expect at some point you will be asked this kind of question, so dont wait. Take the time to script out the answer in a way that paints you in the most favorable light. This is what I mean by taking a deep dive into your background. If you have a partner (friend, spouse etc) have them do a mock interview. You cant be too prepared.
3. Companies doing the hiring move very slowly. For reasons no one can really explain and even when they are feeling real pain they move slowly. So be prepared for periods of inaction. This is especially frustrating when you are chomping at the bit to get started.
4. Use the job boards religiously- Indeed.com was the most helpful for me, but there are others.
5. Activate your network- Linkedin is very useful for this. Reach out to everyone you have in your network who can help you. Dont be afraid to let them know that you are actively seeking a new job and do they know of anything going on in their company or in other companies.
Check every companies web site for the job listing. If you see one fitting your background then apply.
6. Use recruiters but dont depend on them. I worked with several recruiters and was set up on interviews a couple of times, but they didnt lead to an offer.
7. Resume writing. I'm not sure what to say here. I had a lot of advice from various people on writing and rewriting the resume. Obviously, if you can taylor it to the job you are seeking. One size doesnt fit all.