Q TIPS:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Job-hunting tips from the April 12, 2004 issue of
QuintZine.
If you're unemployed, you might want to consider an internship -- even if it means working for no pay, writes Amy Lindgren in an
article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that suggests that internships aren't only for college students.
"An internship is a cross between volunteer work and apprenticeships," Lindgren writes. "Like the former,
it is usually unpaid and the commitment is short term. Like the latter, it provides a structured work experience
centered on goals for skill development."
Lindgren points out that an internship can provide an opportunity to apply for permanent positions from inside
the company. "Even if no job offer results from the experience, an intern who does well usually earns new contacts, generous
letters of reference and substantial work experience, Lindgren notes, observing that "internships are an especially good tool
for mid-life career changers who need to quickly learn new skills while also building a network in the new field."
Lindgren says structured internships can be found in a directory, such as Peterson's Internships, an annual
guide available at libraries and bookstores.
"To create your own internship," Lindgren writes, "you will need to know which skills you are trying to develop and which
companies can help you build those skills in exchange for your labor. This process of information gathering can take several
weeks or months, depending on your familiarity with the field."
Lindgren also suggests attending meetings of the professional associations serving your target industry to meet employers
with whom you can create an internship.
Try to avoid the words/phrases "Duties included," "Responsibilities included," or "Responsible for" on your resume. That's job-description
language, not accomplishments-oriented resume language that sells. Verbiage like that is "taking up valuable space where a
compelling competency could be included," notes Susan Eckert of Career & Professional Development, Brightwaters, NY, as quoted in
CareerBuilder. After all, if you were an employer and wanted to run a successful organization, would you be looking for candidates
who can perform only their basic job functions, or would you want employees who can make real contributions?
And in these days in which most resumes are placed into keyword-searchable databases, you won't find employers
searching resumes for words like "responsibilities," "duties," or "responsible for."
A recent study reported in the National Post has found that women who decide to have children
early in their Ph.D. careers are less likely to be promoted to tenured positions. And the study also found that women in
academia are putting off having a family for fear of harming their chances of promotions.
No. 9: Have you found some job leads? I hope so. Apply for what you have found whether it is a
job you want or not. I am not advocating lying to yourself or to an employer. I am suggesting
this exercise as practice. You might get the job you want in a practice mode. It can happen!
You are still exploring with more action steps! .... to be continued ...
If you're unemployed, you might want to consider an internship -- even if it means working for no pay, writes Amy Lindgren in an
article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that suggests that internships aren't only for college students.
"An internship is a cross between volunteer work and apprenticeships," Lindgren writes. "Like the former,
it is usually unpaid and the commitment is short term. Like the latter, it provides a structured work experience
centered on goals for skill development."
