Selling Yourself

Searching and applying for jobs is all about selling yourself. Sure, people have probably told you this many, many times. But, let's think about this in a simple way that most people (consumers) can find understandable using a few retail examples.

Example 1
Candy bars are on sale at the grocery store. You can get 2 for $3. OR, you can buy 1 for $1.75. Which one is the better deal? Answer: 2 for $3. You'll be saving 50 cents and you get TWO candy bars, not just one. This makes sense, right?

When you talk or write about your work experience and skills think about bundling. For example: Let's say the employer wants to hire someone who has social networking skills. Candidate A only knows how to use Facebook. Candidate B not only knows how to use Facebook but has experience with twitter, blogspot and wordpress blogging, digg, delicious, myspace and AIM. You'd hire Candidate B right? Bigger bang for your buck.

Example 2
You're searching for a Christmas gift for your aunt. She likes soaps, perfumes, lotions, and things of that nature. You stop into your local fragrance store in search of the perfect gift. It turns out that the store has a gift set with just the right items that your aunt will love. The items are in a beautiful gift box complete with Christmas ribbons and a gift tag. The gift set is $40. The only other alternative is for you to buy the items separately for $50 and wrap them at home. Which one are you going to buy? Answer: The gift set for $40. No brainer, right? It is nicely put together and cost less. Why would you spend more for the same items which you will have to wrap later?

Think about what experiences and skills you have (what you're trying to sell) and step into the employers shoes. Do your skills fit the job annoucement? Are your skills "the perfectly packaged gift set" that the employer is looking for? In addition, your cover letters and resumes should be "put together" just like that gift set. No typos or rambling in your cover letters. Be specific and succinct.

Example 3
You need a new coffee maker. Your friend tells you that he just got one at the local department store for a good price. He says his new coffee maker makes the best cup of coffee and he'd rather have that over a Starbucks. You decide to buy that coffee maker because your friend recommended it and you trust his taste.

Same thing goes for jobs. If you were the employer wouldn't you rather hire someone who came with a recommendation (or a referal) from a co-worker? This is why networking is so important! You may be one of the better candidates for the job. But, if you come with a referral then you may become the best (and only) candidate.

Job Fair Preparation Tips, Part 1

You NEED to prepare for a job fair! Don't just show up. Here's a starter list:

1. Find out which companies or organizations will be at the fair BEFORE you go. Make a list of which ones you want to visit. Preview their websites (mission statement, team members, possible job openings and descriptions, new advances or projects, etc.) so that you can hold an intelligent conversation if necessary. Prepare questions in advance.

2. Read my advice on how to improve your resume.

3. Print copies of your resume on fine resume paper (24# is good). Bring extras just in case. Also, bring a jump drive/flash that has your resume saved in a PDF an Microsoft Word document because some employers may have you upload it onto a laptop. If you're using the newest version of Word then make sure you also save a copy in the older (97-2003) version*. You never know which version of Word the employer will have and you want the format of your resume to remain intact.

4. Prepare for an on-the-spot interview. Check out my list of common interview questions.

*Don't know how to save your Word file in a different file format (i.e. PDF, or 97-2003 version of Word)? In the newest version of Word go to the very top left portion of your screen and click on the Microsoft button (colorful). Click, "Save as" and then chose the file format type from the drop down menu. In the 97-2003 version you can just select "File" from the top of the screen and then click "Save as" and select your file format, similarly.

Resumes: Good, Bad, and Ugly

Sometimes creating a resume can seem like re-inventing the wheel. It does not have to be that way. There are many, many examples and templates on the internet that you can use to transform your resume. One website, razume, has LOTS of resume examples (good, bad, and ugly) if you're looking for a make-over or for fresh ideas on formatting. Here are some more tips:

+Get as many people as possible to read your resume for free. Gathering different perspectives will allow you to tweak your resume which may make it more appealing to more potential employers.

+When you think you're finished, pretend to be the employer. You have 30 seconds to look over the resume. What pops out? What gets you bogged down? Is the font big enough? Is there enough white space on the page (enough breathing room)?

+Aim for continuity and flow. Triple-check (at the very minimum) spelling, spacing, font size(s), bullets, capitalization, etc.

+Remember, you're trying to sell yourself through your resume. Is it packaged in a neat, user-friendly way? If you have applied for hundreds of jobs and have not received a single response back then something might be wrong. Check your resume. Change your resume. After all, what do you have to lose if no one was calling you to begin with?

To the Forgotten, Jobless Graduates:

There is not much in the news about jobless, recent graduates. In our current recession, many of us have been and will continue to be crushed by those who have years of work experience for entry level jobs. This presents a bit of a financial problem for most of us...

My name is Genevieve. I am a scientist and I recently secured a full time position completely unrelated to my academic background. When I began applying for jobs in November 2008 I had no idea how to write a cover letter, apply for a federal government job, create an effective resume instead of a curriculum vitae, or what to prepare for a phone interview. Trial and error can be quite time consuming. The process I use to apply for jobs now is completely different from when I started. If only I knew then what I know now.

This blog was born out of my desire to provide helpful tips for recent graduates entering the job market for the first time, for those re-entering the job market after a long period of unemployment, or for those just looking to improve their job searching and application techniques. I truly believe that the best tips come from those who are currently searching for jobs, have held many different jobs, or are hiring personnel. I have experience in the first two categories. Many of the tips come from my personal experiences and from kind friends, family, and colleagues of mine representing many occupations and fields of study. This blog is an open forum. We can agree to disagree. As I post my tips, please add your likes and dislikes as well as comments about what you have found that works and does not work. Comments should be written in a way that will be helpful for all readers---this is not a blog for personal tirades. Happy job hunting!