Tips for Job Success

I've kinda focused this post from a tangent from Jules' post on Monday. But I wanted to share this article from U.S. News about "Achieving Job Success." If you read my comment on Jules' post, you'll know I love the first sentence:

"Gone are the days of simply climbing the ladder"

These offer a lot of great tips for networking, searching for a job, preparing for interviews, patiently waiting out the process, accepting a new job, and doing well in your new position.

For those of you who don't know, I'm fascinated by this kind of information...it also all provides info for the content of the magazine I'm trying to start (HS2COLLEGE) about helping high school students prepare for life after high school (finding jobs, choosing a career, applying to college, etc.) So yay!

Online Networking:
Use resources like Facebook and LinkedIn to connect with people in your field. Just be sure to keep the unprofessional aspects of your personal life out of your profile. And remember that social networking is like a cocktail party: If you talk only about yourself and your accomplishments, you’ll bore people. Start a dialogue.

Networking in Person:
Shy? Don’t be defeated by networking. Set goals for yourself at networking events, and your skills will improve with time. Fortunately for you, being a good listener is an asset in networking, so make your introverted personality your advantage.

(I think online network is a great way to meet people you'll want to network with in person. Find people in your area. Find out about local meetups of people you've networked with online. These are great opportunities.)

Stand Out:
An important question to keep in mind as you write your résumé is “What did I accomplish in this job that someone else wouldn’t have?” Thinking about the answer to that will give you some great talking points for your interview, as well.

Be Discreet:
If you’re looking for a job while you’re already working, let recruiters know that discretion is key. You can use an offer to negotiate within your own company, but be prepared: Some employers do not take kindly to your interviewing with another company, and you could lose your current job.

Beware of Blunders:
The most common pitfalls in résumé-writing: not being specific about accomplishments, being too wordy, including a generic objective statement, and keeping college accomplishments on your résumé for too long. And watch the small stuff, like typos in your correspondence with the hiring manager. Tiny mistakes can mean the difference between an interview and a rejection.

Phone Prep:
If your interview will be conducted over the phone, keep your résumé and a list of talking points in front of you and a pen and paper handy to take notes. To make your voice clear and strong, stand up and smile while you speak. Some people find it helps to look at themselves in the mirror while they speak, but practice with a friend first to see what is best for you.

Interview Info:
Do your research on the company beforehand, and come prepped with a few questions. Ask for the name of your interviewer, and research his or her background online. Then, when the interview is over, send a thank-you note immediately.

Straight Talk:
When asked about your weaknesses, don’t pretend you have none or that your biggest weakness is “perfectionism.” It’s a good way to get an eye roll from your interviewer. Think about your weaknesses before the interview, and how you are able to overcome them, so you’re prepared for this common interview question.

Keep Anxiety at Bay:
The wait to find out if you got the job can be interminable, and it’s tempting to call and E-mail the hiring manager to check in. But a single thank-you note, and patience, are recommended instead.

Accept the Job with Class:
If you get the job, it’s tempting to celebrate your new move, but now is not the time to burn your bridges. Leave your current job with grace, and you’ll be able to keep your old coworkers in your network. Give notice according to your company policy, and volunteer to help find and train your replacement. Finish your projects, and organize all of your loose ends so your coworkers can take over with ease. Work up until your last day.

Negotiate Your Benefits and Pay:
Not sure what you’re worth? Check websites like Glassdoor, PayScale, and Salary Scout to find out the salaries of comparable jobs, and use that information to negotiate your starting salary.

Get Off to a Good Start:
For your first week of work, be sure to ask questions and pay careful attention to the company culture. Get an outline of your boss’s expectations for your first month in the job. And remember these four tips to make you an invaluable asset to your company: Be überreliable, outer directed, common-sensical, and bottom-line oriented. Thinking about the big picture will help you move ahead.

Post Prudently:
If you have a personal blog, tread carefully. First rule: Never write about work. You also shouldn’t use work time to blog. Consider password-protecting your blog so that only your selected audience can see it.

Play Nice:
When you get frustrated with your boss or coworkers, look inward. Changing your own behavior can stop a boss from micromanaging, and showing more appreciation can soften a difficult coworker. Share credit when a project goes well, but don’t avoid the blame when a project ends poorly.

Stand Out:
Before you ask for a raise, ask for more work—even the work no one else wants to do. It shows your employer that you can handle greater responsibility. Then, overperform.

What is a Real Job? - seriously, just do what makes you happy

Hey all - it's Jules. So, I'm finishing up my last MBA class and just accepted my first job. I was telling a girl about it and she asked me "oh so when are you going to get a real job?" I was kind of taken aback by that, not sure when i haven't had a "real job" - but for this post I thought I'd talk about this.

So, about the position, it's with an internet marketing consulting firm (help companies build up their web presence and increase the leads and website visits), they also have a new social media program that has awesome potential. The company is only about 8 months old and has two employees. I'll be focusing on business development (finding leads, building relationships, making sales), and then I'll grow with the business and when I help it reach a certain point I'll be able to move up quickly. Also, I can work from home on my own hours and it's almost 100% commission. Uh oh, maybe that last part is what means it's not a "real job"

So, I "google" everything - and I searched for 'real job' and found this site called Life Reboot: It takes courage to reinvent yourself and there was a post 'what is a real job exactly'. Here's some thoughts

According to those I’ve asked, a real job is…

1. a full-time job with set hours.
2. a job in my major/field/area of specialization.
3. a job that pays more than minimum wage.
4. a job that pays salary.
5. a job with health insurance/sick leave/paid vacation.
6. a job with room for growth/advancement opportunity.
7. a position with a job title and description.
8. anything that’s NOT a temp job.
9. anything that earns a steady paycheck.
10. something that will make me feel like going into debt for a degree was worthwhile.

What’s fascinating about these responses is how nearly all of them focus exclusively on job details. That is, there is a common expectation for the job to satisfy the requirements for being “real.” The exception is #10, where the responder believes how they feel about the job is more important.

This exception among the typical responses made me wonder: Why don’t all people think this way? When asked to describe a “real job,” why don’t people concentrate on the feeling they’d get from it, rather than the actual job? Wouldn’t it be inspiring to hear people describe how a real job is…

1. a job that’s fulfilling!
2. a job that’s stimulating!
3. a job that’s challenging!
4. a job that’s rewarding!
5. a job that’s enjoyable!

In other words, shouldn’t the single defining factor of how “real” a job is be determined by how it makes you feel? After all, you listen to your feelings when you decide which jobs aren’t real — and it makes them easy to identify because jobs that aren’t real feel wrong.

So, I'm excited to work with a small business to help it grow. I think I'll be able to take my creativity to a whole new level. There's no hierarchy to go through when I think I have a novel idea. As I'm on commission I can do anything in my power to be successful, there's nothing holding me back - if I do the work to make a ton, then I'll get the money and not be set back by a salary. The company that hired me feels that I will be vital to them and they can see all the skills I can offer and they're EXCITED. That makes me feel good and that's what I want from an employer. So, I HAVE a real job thank you very much :)