Looking for a Job?

[Edwina's Secretary]

I have spent the better part of tday (yes, a Sunday) working on recruiting assignments for some clients. I thought I would share some tips from "this side" of the job search equation.

1. Your email address is the first impression you make on me. If it is too cutesy, sexy or silly, I am very likely to hit delete immediately. Hotmama96@whatever or dangerousbikerdude@theother doesn't strike me as someone I want to present to a client. If you like having an address like that, fine, but get a different one to use for your job search.

2. Typos. Delete. Have someone else proof your work. It is easier to see errors in someone else's work than your own. And use a dictionary.

3. Your answering machine. Voodoo may be your hobby but Madame Voodoo is not a good way to have your phone answered (I am not kidding.) Nor do I want to hear "Hey dude. I'm prob'ly out surfing. Leave a message and maybe I'll call you back." (again, I am not kidding.) I like to hear a name. It lets me know I reached the right number. If all I get is "You have reached 312.555.1212" I might leave a message, I might not. If I hear your name I WILL leave a message. Unless you are Madame Voodoo.

4. If someone else answers your phone, make sure they know how to do so. If I am not asked to leave a message, I don't. A pen and paper by the phone is a good idea.

5. Follow the instructions I leave. The number I ask you to call back may not be the number from which I called. Automatic callback is not a good idea. If I ask you to leave me a message with a good time to call you, please do so. And then be there when I call you at that time.

6. Be prepared. You answered an ad. Aren't you expecting a call?

I run an ad. I get over 200 responses. I narrow that down to a manageable number. Time matters to me in getting the assignment done. So if you don't make it easy on me to reach you...well there are a bunch of other candidates.

And if you get an in person interview, or even a phone interview with the company -- ask for a business card or an email address and send a thank you note. I have seen it make the difference!

From the other side....

[sasvermont]

Yes, that is the email address of one person I interviewed while at that nasty law firm, years ago.

I am in the process now, but in the other chair. I am being interviewed. My email address is simple and I always send a thank you note.

I cannot tell you how many times just someone's name is enough to make you want to never hire them. I won't go into details, since I might step on toes, here.

Thanks for the advice!

[kitten645]

Excellent advice ladies. I got my very first job out of high school by saying Thank you when I was offered a seat to be interviewed. The lady looked at me and said "You know you are the FIRST person to thank me." I was amazed. You'd think if you WANT a job, you'd be on your best behaviour!
I've interviewed many people since. I'm in retail and have had people interview in flip flops, tube tops and carrying a crumpled shopping bag from a competitor! I'm talking about interviewing for a store on the level of Tiffany's!
In this age of "entitlement", I'm amazed at how many "assume" they deserve the job. with no effort at all!
Claudia

[slick]

Sara:
Is it OK to email in the thank you or should it be a personal phone call?

I'm at a crossroad now. I don't know what I'm going to do. It's too long to get into but I am updating my resume and sending some out just to see what happens. Would you hire a 56 year old IT professional knowing that I only have 9 more working years left?

[Suki Wingy]

THANK YOU. I am very much looking for a job right now. I also really, really, don't want to change my hair color. Would you automatically rule me out? (I am the one with pink hair in my signature.)

[Randi]

Sara, that's good advice! I will only add, that if you send an application by e-mail, send it as a .pdf. That way, you're sure it will look the same when they open it. Also, a nice layout is a good idea!

In Denmark, it's not very common to send a Thank You note though, some would consider it too much "grease" for their taste.

Unemployed people in Denmark now have to apply for at least 4 jobs a week, and be able to prove it. Because of this, companies get so many unserious applications. I noticed in an add the other day, that a company had asked people that are not serious about it, to send their application to this address: [email protected]

Would you hire a 56 year old IT professional knowing that I only have 9 more working years left?

Slick, you know I'm looking for jobs, and that's my way of thinking too, but you have the advantage of having been in the same Company for so many years - and getting a new job when you already have one, is so much easier. Good luck girl!!

[Edwina's Secretary]

Slick - an email is actually better than a phone call. It gets passed around (really -- with "wow, isn't this nice!") and doesn't put the person "on the spot."

The average tenure right now is three years -- probably less for IT folk. Someone want to work for me for 9 years. Great! And maybe you should use that to market yourself. Youngster who will leave in two years or seasoned pro who understand loyalty and hard work!

Suki Wing...the hard honest truth? Unless I was recruiting for some way out artistic company or something theatrical - yes, your hair would be a knock out factor. Sorry, but most companies would find it distracting.

[kitten645]

Again, completely on the spot I think a hand written note is fine as is an email. A hand written note gets put into my file with the application so I remember the person better. I would try to remember to print out an email but life gets busy!
I had the conversation with a friend of mine the other day about how the employment value of women over 50 diminishes so quickly. It's nice to know that there's a field that would like someone to stay on more than two years.
The hard fact in this economy is that alot of people that thought they could retire at 65 are finding it's not a reality. Sad but many figure they'll have to keep working past their retirement age.
On the flip side, 65 isn't what it was in our parents day. I see so many people who would have been considered "elderly" back then that I'd LOVE to have as an employee. Some 65 year olds seem to be 40! As they say, age is in the mind...the trick is not letting it creep down to the body!
Claudia

[Uabassoon]

THANK YOU. I am very much looking for a job right now. I also really, really, don't want to change my hair color. Would you automatically rule me out? (I am the one with pink hair in my signature.)

I hate admit that I would automatically rule you out. I would put your application in my TBNT (thanks but no thanks) folder.

I'm also shocked at how people don't know how to dress for an interview. You should dress nicer than the dress code of the place you are interviewing for. If you show up in jeans, shorts or flip flops you are not getting hired.

I second #3 I will not leave a message if I don't know who I am calling.

[Aspen and Misty]

So I've recently applied for a job. I did an informal over the phone interview (the job is in Haines Alaska, I'm in Atlanta Georgia) and after that she asked me to send in my resume via email. When I emailed her I told her how nice it was to get to talk to her, thanked her for her time, included my resume and told her I looked forward to hearing from her soon (or something along those lines, it was very nice professional and well written). I then did a formal, over the phone interview with several board members, afterwards they asked for me to send them my references again via email. In my email I again thanked all of them for their time, told them I really enjoyed learning more about the job and that I look forward to speaking with them in the near future (or something along those lines, again it was very nice, professional and well written).

Now my question is do I send another thank you? Or was the one sent with my references sufficient enough? Is there anything else I could do that would help me to possibly land this job?

Ashley

[Miss Z]

Thanks for posting this, I'm astounded that the majority of people out there don't think that it's obvious to consider all the points you have made.

I'm considering looking for some employment soon. I know that I would never show up to a serious interview in anything other than a suit. I would keep make-up natural and jewelry to a minimum. I never plan to dye my hair all the colours of the rainbow, or get any form of tattoos. I just think someone in a well-cut, crisp business suit with natural features looks so professional, and a lot of jobs are secured on first impressions.

[sasvermont]

Right now I am in the throws of finding a new job. I have worked in law firms for so long that it is hard/difficult to shake the history.

I interviewed for a job I would like, and of course, ran into the "over qualified" comment again. I don't want a job like I had before. I want to be able to leave the place each day, with nothing to bring home.

I will know by the end of the week if I did get the position. I surely hope I will, but gee, I know they see "old fart" when they see someone with my years of experience AND hair that has streaks of gray! They seemed bright enough to know how much I can bring to the table. If I get the job, I will let you know, for sure.

There is so much that goes into hiring and working.....and much of it has to do with timing and luck.

Sas

[Edwina's Secretary]

Ashley - I would send another email -- to share some research you find about something related to the company or organization. It is a chance to keep your name in front of them. Again say how excited you are about the opportunity and why you are specially qualified for the job.

Sas...I've think I've mentioned this but...a year ago my husband faced the same thing. He was turned down as too qualified. He went back and asked to speak again. Explained why he wanted a job for which he was "over-qualifed" and why they should hire him. And they did.

If they told you that....send an email...Over-qualified vs under-qualifed - which is better? Light-hearted but pointed -- better work ethic, able to handle emergency. Maybe list the reasons people fear over qualified - want too much money, going to quit as soon as something better comes along, will want my job - and give a response to each one.

[Vio&Juni]

I have been interviewed quite a few times and I interviewed a few also. Selecting a few out of a hundred was a pretty difficult task. But I think the most difficult was to listen why they wanted the job - so many of them had no idea what the job was about.

It is important to be dressed properly, to have the proper make-up, and so on, and I try to stick to these rules when I am being interviewed, but I have to say that the most un-professional and the worst colleage I've ever had (who I was against hiring) had everything a good candidate should have: proper outfit, proper hair colour, good looking CV, she even had a Master's degree, but boy she was stupid! And lazy! And apparently very impolite. So, keeping this in mind, I will try to give people a chance to open their mouth. The one she was hired over was dressed a little too "pretty" (she was another employee we had at a lower paid job), and anyway she kept doing a big part of the job of the "proper" one. How's that for a lesson how to dress for an interview?

[Barbara]

So here are my five cent:
The question why you want to be hired by especially that company is important to answer: of course you may apply by different companies that appear fairly similar - e.g. two different publishing houses tat both publish travel guides. In any case you should have an answer in front of company A why you chose it. (And a different one for company B).
And : if you sent printed materials (and not e-mails): make sure it is good clean white paper ( a little heavier maybe than your average printer paper), there are no typos, there is not too much design (unless you are in advertising or something artsy) and you sign it properly. It is what first gets the attention.