@msnbc posted a depressing article today showing teen unemployment hitting 26.1%.
Even though companies are demonstrating big profits and steady growth since the economic collapse of 2008, the job market remains tough. This particular unemployment number should come as no shock as we see teens competing for summer jobs held by twenty-something people who are finding it difficult to land career positions.
Companies were forced to lean out when the economy crashed in 2008. As growth expands these companies are making profit hand over fist, but they simply aren’t hiring. They were forced to optimize, and they did. So if you were the CEO of a company that was making more profit than ever before what incentive do you have to hire more people?
In other words, if you leaned out and your running in great shape why eat a cake for breakfast? -- unless somehow you can demonstrate that by eating that cake you will run even faster.
So finding a job is more difficult now than it ever was. In order for you to compete you need to think differently, the status quo is no longer effective. Being on unemployment sucks, not being able to eat sucks even more, and doubting your abilities because you can’t get a job must seriously suck.
Over the years I have personally been involved with hiring and/or hired hundreds of people. I believe I know what it takes to stand out and be successful. I want to help by sharing some good ideas with you.
Follow these simple rules and you will be on the path to getting the job of your dreams.
1. Find something that interests you.
The key to being a total knock out success in anything you do is to really enjoy what you’re doing. I know you’ve probably heard this before and never believed it - but if you ask any successful person if they love what they do the majority will say yes. Find something that interests you and chase it down.
2. Don’t be lazy, do the research.
Getting a great job involves research. You can assume you know everything, or take the time to understand the competitive landscape in the field you which you want to work, the players, the locations, etc. The more you understand the better you will find or create the right role. There are many hidden roles within organizations that may be of interest to you -- that is why research is very important.
3. Look at the job board, but don’t believe it.
Going to a website and checking out their career section is a start, but it usually leads to a dead end somewhere along the line. The big problem with job boards is it’s usually the last resort for a company to hire. They usually start with internal hires, friends, people who know people, advertisements, and then job boards. It’s good to write down the job requisition numbers, email people you know within the company (if you do) and ask questions. ..but moreover, use it as a reference and instead of relying on those job postings try to network in other ways or create your own role as described below.
4. Personalize your resume.
I can’t tell you how many emailed/faxed generic resumes with the “to whom it may concern” cover letter that I ended up filing under the letter “G”. Don’t do this! Spamming your resume is about as useless as drilling a hole in your toe. Take the time to understand the job you’re applying for, the hiring manager, and create a personalized letter and goal sheet specific to the company you’re applying.
5. Get into social media.
Seriously if you aren’t using Linkedin, Twitter, and/or Facebook then you best bite the bullet and get on it. Some of the most successful people in the world use these sites on a regular basis, so what makes you king of all things nothing? If you don’t have a Linkedin then people aren’t paying attention to you. Linkedin is one of the best recruiting tools out there and I know many companies that use it as a primary screening source.
If you don’t use Twitter because you don’t understand it - you should probably take the time to understand it. There is more to Twitter than telling people what you ate for lunch and many companies are still trying to harness the power of social media.
Facebook, well, it’s up to you what you want to share online. Facebook is great for connecting with colleagues, people from the past, etc. I use Facebook as a tool, and I rarely post anything too personal on it which brings me to my next point.
..and if you’re worried about privacy maybe it’s time you learned the line between sharing too much vs sharing too little.
Just know this, social media is here to stay. Like Word Perfect in the 1980’s, if you didn’t know how to use it you became obsolete very quickly.
6. Be careful what you post online.
Check out this blog so you understand what I’m saying. It’s a true story, take the time to read it. Don’t be a D-Bag online, you will never live it down. We’ve all made mistakes before, but it’s hard to cover up the ones that end up archived on someones web server.
7. Keep your resume up to date even if you have a job.
Don’t leave this to the last minute. Keeping your resume fresh and updated is one of the best things you will do for yourself and your career. By keeping a running track of your goals, accomplishments, awards, letters of recommendations and so forth, you are not only challenging yourself to be better but you’re prepared for the worst.. Treat your resume well and you won’t regret it. I find keeping a profile on Linkedin and updating it every now and then helps.
8. Find a hole and fill it (create your role).
I fully believe if you’re good enough you can create your own role within an organization. This may require a SWOT analysis of the company, nothing too deep, but just enough so you understand what the company may be lacking. Once you figure this out see if you can fill the hole by creating a role and pitching it to them. Everyone is accessible, everyone has an email.
9. Don’t be a yes man, don’t suck up, don’t be a dick.
Nobody likes a yes man except maybe the wrong leader. When you go looking for a job make sure you fully understand the role ahead of time. When you answer questions during the interview, make sure you express your views without sounding too confident or arrogant. Always be yourself and stick to your beliefs, because if you lie it will catch up to you.
10. Always listen, wait a few seconds before you answer.
Sometimes we tend to answer questions too quickly without thinking. Remember what happened to miss teen USA 2007? Yeah, that’s pretty much a no no in a job interview or in life. Don’t ever answer a question you don’t know the answer to.
For more resources on finding a job here are a couple of articles I wrote on this subject - quick reads:
