Sunday, July 3, 2011

Job Hunting 101

Job Hunting Tips from Hannah:
I am not an expert of course, but I have recently had some conversations with a few of my younger friends and feel the need to type this.
To you who are:
-about to graduate/ recently graduated from college
-searching for a job- whether it’s your first or you need a change in careers
-discouraged about work because it doesn’t offer enough hours or money to support you and your parents are helping you stay alive
-“disheartened and at a loss of what to do”
…my heart goes out to you!


Here are some tips from my past 18 months of life:

-Find a mentor to help edit your resumes and give you some interview pointers
-Get work experience (take a part-time job) while you look for your dream job
-No matter how hard your job is or how much you dislike it, ALWAYS do your best work! You need a reference letter when you leave and will feel better at the end of each day.
-Be a good listener where you work- sometimes this will give you the chance to get to know the people above you and you won’t feel like they are picking on you anymore when you see what they’re dealing with- plus you’ll earn their appreciation.
-Be patient- usually someone has to quit in order for those dream jobs to open up (that’s how I got mine!)
-Make every single interview important in your mind and act as if it was for the job you always wanted! You never know down the road if you’re going to get a call a month later (that’s what happened to me!)
-Take some questions to ask your interviewer, my favorite one: “Do you have any concerns about me being able to do the job?”- risky, but it landed me the job that same day! (Because I was able to talk to them about their concerns and tell them what I could do.)
-Be yourself during the interview (I know that you’re nervous and putting on the charm, but remember that they are going to expect the same person from the interview to be at work the next several years…so don’t act fake!)
-Be humble and apply for jobs you would’ve snubbed your nose at when you were in college- you need the experience interviewing AND you might actually LIKE one of the job offers!
-NO job is ever going to always be fun all the time…unless you work with dolphins…so plan on working hard and the occasional rough days!
-Be open to new adventures and opportunities!
-If you’re still in that part-time job, ask to do the jobs that no one else wants to do- this will get attention and give you a chance to shine!
-Ask friends and family how they got their jobs- it might give you ideas!

Oh I could go on and on, maybe you have some tips of your own? Comment!

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