July 15, 2009

Some don'ts for first-timers in job market

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With the national unemployment rate edging ever closer to 10 percent this summer, it's no secret that finding work is tough out there. But for the recent wave of college grads piling up on the job market the outlook has been particularly sour.

The problem for most young grads these days is that much of the current job-search advice is based on relying on your network of contacts and emphasizing your past achievements. But what if all you have to promote yourself is a smile, a diploma and boundless--but unproven--potential?

I recently chatted about this conundrum with Alexandra Levit, an expert on the workplace needs of the so-called Millennial Generation, and author of such popular books as "Success for Hire" and "How'd You Score That Gig?" She says the answer for young first-timers is to view the job search a bit differently than their more-experienced peers. Here are some tips from Levit on what young people should not to do while they search for work in the coming months:

Don't look for a career: "When you're 22 years old, you really don't know what you want to do," Levit says. "The truth is, those graduating now will likely have around 20 different jobs in their lifetime." Instead, she says, try to make an intelligent first step by looking into positions that can be applied to a wide range of careers, such as marketing, budgeting or sales. To help get a better idea of work that would suit your interests, she also suggests checking out some self-assessment Web sites, such as Path101.com or CoachCompass.com. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also publishes an Occupational Outlook Handbook that is useful in describing what skills are required for hundreds of jobs.

Don't rely on advertised job openings: By the time a job is posted on a job board or in the paper, it's most likely already taken or has been pounced upon by hundreds of others, Levit says. Your chances will improve, she says, if you show some initiative. "Target the organization you'd like to work for and see if you can talk with someone who works there," she says. "Don't ask them for a specific job, but see if you can talk with them for about 20 minutes about how they got the job and what it's like to work there." If you can build a rapport with that person, you may gain an advantage once a position does open up.

Don't bother submitting online resumes: "This is nothing but a black hole," Levit says. As convenient as theses online forms can be for getting your name out to hundreds of employers, you quickly get lost in a flood of other online data from which even the most well-placed keywords can't rescue you. Levit says a more effective approach is to contact people at the places where you want to work (see above) and establish a relationship with them first before sending a resume.

Don't forget about volunteer work: Many college grads don't include volunteer work on their resumes, thinking that it doesn't look professional enough. Hiring managers, Levit says, will expect that you will have little experience, but they will also be interested to see whether you've been actively pursuing other interests.

Don't spend all day online: The networking advantages of online social networks are well documented, but, if unchecked, they can pose a danger of creating a new generation of Twitter-pated hermits with no social skills. "There is some damage being done," Levit says. "I recently saw a group of students sitting by an airport gate, waiting to take a class trip, and not one of them was talking to anyone else. They were all hunched over and texting. Their counterparts five to 10 years ago put a lot more emphasis on spoken communication." After all, job interviews are still done face-to-face, she says. "You still have to pay close attention to that first impression and show enthusiasm."

Randy Woods writes about job-search tools, networking techniques and other tips to help you land your dream job.

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3 Comments

Rod Mattson on July 16, 2009 3:30 PM | Reply

Alexandra Levit is right on target. The advice she gives is solid and backed up by research. Those "don'ts" apply to all generations, not just the "millennials." It seems like such simple, common sense, sound advice; however, many of us just don't follow it. It's one thing to know what we should do, it's another thing to do it, right?

As she suggested, we have to be proactive and find the jobs before they are posted. For all the wonderful things high tech has brought us, it still takes eyeball to eyeball contact to be effective.

I would add one more thing to Alexandra's advice about finding a person at an organization to talk to for 20 minutes. Doing such is still doing something for your own self interest. Offer them something.

One thing I strongly suggest is to get to know your local library. Here in the Seattle area we have a wonderful King County Library System. It is full of organized information--unlike the randomness of the Internet.

Offer the manager you talk with in an organization some up-to-date or "cutting edge" information. Go to the library, find peer review articles in data bases or find articles from popular periodicals in the industry and tell the manager that since you are out of work, you have time to read up on the latest in formation in the field and you'd be willing to send her/him a copy of different articles with 1/2 to 3/4 page executive summaries.

You will impress people with your initiative, writing skills, and knowledge in their field. Do this with several managers. You read one article a month, summarize it, copy both, and send them out to several managers. You will be adding value to them and their organization.

Rod Mattson
Mattson Communication Training
www.MattsonCommunication.com

anonymous on August 4, 2009 2:05 AM | Reply

Umm, no Rod, no.

Vic on August 21, 2009 3:59 PM | Reply

Anonymous, Rod was willing to let us all know who he is, but you just shut him down and don't even tell us why YOU are.
Actually Rod's advice sounds edgy and assertive enough to win me over if I were looking for a new employee. I'd want someone with initiative - whether or not I valued the synopsis of the 22-year old looking for a job.
Thank you Rod for helping all the 22-year-olds out there.
Vicki in Seattle

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