Career Doctor: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips #5

Career Doctor Q-TIPS #5:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips

These tips have been gathered from job-seeker Q&A's with the Career Doctor, Dr. Randall Hansen. For more information, go to The Career Doctor.

Disabled and trying to find a job? While there are a few sites on the Web for disabled workers -- there is a list of them at Quintessential Careers -- your best bet may be looking in the phone book for your community's social service organizations and contacting them about programs. If you live in or near a major metropolitan area, there are probably several large employers that you should target. Once you have identified the companies, contact the human resources offices and see about job openings.

Also read our article, Job-seeking Strategy for Differently-abled Candidates.

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What can you do to keep your mind from going blank in an interview, creating an awkward silence? Those silences in job interviews seem like they last for hours when your mind is racing for an answer, but all you draw is a blank. Not only is it embarrassing, it usually kills the interview. The easy answer is that you need more experience interviewing -- and more practice and rehearsals before big interviews. The more you rehearse, the less likely you will draw a blank. The best way is to ask a friend to serve as the interviewer and fire questions at you.

Numerous Web sites list practice interview questions; we've gathered a collection of them here. There's even software that offers mock interviews. You can find more links to these kind of resources at Quintessential Careers: Interviewing Resources.

Even if you've practiced, you should have a system down to give your mind more time to think, such as asking the interviewer to rephrase the question or rephrasing the question yourself and asking the interviewer if that was what he/she had in mind. Many employers we've talked to about this issue are split on our next piece of advice, so take it with a grain of salt: If you carry a portfolio with you to your interviews, keep a sheet of paper in there with a few memory aids that you can glance at to jog your brain. Keep in mind that some interviewers might find this practice odd.

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Be careful not to overload your resume with too much information. When identifying employers, list your position/title, company name, city, state, and dates of employment. You do not need street addresses, phone numbers, or names of supervisors. The rule of thumb for someone with considerable experience is to list about 15 years worth of jobs. Age discrimination, unfortunately, is a reality, and even more likely, employers may think you're too expensive if you list too much experience on your resume.

You can get more information about resumes, including some sample Web resumes, by visiting Quintessential Careers: Resume Resources.

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Interested in a career in politics? The best way to get involved is to join the staff of a local candidate or elected official, either as a volunteer (the easy way) or as a paid staffer. Once on board, you can learn the jobs and either move up the staff ladder or venture off on your own and run for elected office.

Network with political science professors at your college or alumni who are elected officials or staff members. See if they have additional contacts with current office holders or candidates running for office. If you are open to relocation, you can go to the national political party of your choosing and get more information.

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You want a better career but haven't attained a college degree -- and you don't feel you are in a position to attain one. Try to find a way to complete the degree anyway -- part-time at night, on weekends, or through one of the growing number of universities that offer courses via distance learning. Our society increasingly requires a college degree for almost any job, much as the high school diploma was required 20 to 30 years ago.

Taking courses and finishing your degree is long-term. In the short-term, design your resume to emphasize the transferable skills you have developed from your previous employment. Check our article, Transferable Skills: A Vital Job Search Technique.

The final step is finding those few enlightened employers who realize that experience is at least equally important with education. Even for positions that require a college degree, these employers have a formula in which "X" number of years experience is equivalent to a college degree; however, you should know that these formulas usually end up requiring quite a few years of experience to compensate for the lack of a degree.

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Want three best pieces of advice for someone fresh out of college starting a resume? First, get a hold of as many resumes of recent college graduates as you can get your hands on. Looking at these resumes will help you decide what you want to do with your resume. Your college's career services office should be able to show you samples. Second, get some expert advice. Again, you can start with your college's career services office, which probably has handouts and books on resumes. Visit some resume Web sites. Quintessential Careers has a list of the best resume sites. Consider buying a book on resumes or borrowing one from the library. A good one for recent grads is Resumes for College Students and Recent Graduates (VGM), but there are plenty of others. Third, remember the purpose of your resume as you are writing it. A resume is a document that describes your work experience, your education (and any special training you have), and your skills.

What makes an excellent resume, however, is marketing. You have to consider yourself a product, with the employer as the buyer. Why should the employer buy (hire) you? Your resume is a key marketing tool in your employment search. You can learn more about resumes -- as well as the keys to a successful job search -- by reading The Domino Effect.

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Sending out lots of resumes and not hearing anything back? You may have fallen into the classic mistake of many job-seekers: not being proactive. It is a rare situation where the employer will contact you. Instead, put on your best speaking voice and call all the people you sent resumes to and suggest setting up an interview.

For many job-seekers, this aspect of job-hunting is the hardest part. Perhaps we feel as though we are like the telemarketers who always call our homes -- and in a way, we are. We are calling with the intent selling ourselves over the phone to get an interview. Making these telephone calls is not magical. While you will succeed in scheduling some interviews, keep in mind that the rejection rate will still be high -- depending on your field and the demand for the type of job you seek.

Here's another tip: If the employer you call says that the firm has no current openings, you should still push for an interview, but instead of a job interview, ask for an informational interview to learn more about the field or company. Quintessential Careers has a tutorial on informational interviewing. Informational interviewing may not land you a job, but it is a way of building your network -- especially when you have just moved to a new area -- and a way to possibly obtain referrals to other job openings in your field.

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Numerous computer-science majors realize they don't enjoy programming but are not aware of what other types of jobs they might pursue. Plenty of other computer and technology-related jobs that do not involved programming are available. Some job titles/areas include: technical support, network administration, Web development, database administration, customer/client support, information specialist, and trainers.

To get a better idea of what is out there for you, talk with your professors. Also go to one of the general careers sites and conduct a search. Or, go to one of the technology-specific Web sites, such as IT Talent, and conduct a search. Quintessential Careers offers a list of technology-specific job sites.

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Headhunters (also known as recruiters or executive-search firms) want to package job-seekers in the best light so that they can place them in client companies and earn their commissions. If you find that recruiters are shying away from you, try to set up an appointment with one of them and have a frank discussion about your resume and your market potential. Get their evaluation of your situation. Oya's Recruiter Directory is a great place to start.

Also read our article, The Care and Feeding of Headhunters.

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Should you include a cover letter when you send your resume via e-mail or via fax? Unless an employer specifically states no cover letters, you should always include a cover letter. You wouldn't want to eliminate a key selling tool in your job-search portfolio. The whole point of a cover letter is to draw interest in you and motivate the employer to look over your resume.

For some great tips on writing a dynamic cover letter, visit our cover letter resources page, which includes some great links, such as to a cover letter tutorial (for those who need a lot of help with writing cover letters) and a cover letter formula.

When sending a fax, of course, send a normal cover letter. Email is a little trickier. Send your cover letter both as part of the email and as an attachment. You need to make a quick sale in your email, so why not take advantage of the possibility?

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Being fired is a problem, but nothing to panic about. Sit down and take a breath. Then evaluate your situation. Do you want the same kind of job, or are you looking for a new challenge? Do you want or need to stay in the same area, or are you willing to relocate? Next, update your resume and contact people in your network and tell them that you are looking for new employment.

Read our article, Getting Fired: An Opportunity for Change and Growth.

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Job-hunting on the Internet can be a little daunting because of the vast number of resources available.

Where to begin? Our article, The New Era of Job-Hunting: Strategies for Finding Employment on the Internet can help, as can our tutorial on Job-hunting on the Internet.

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If you are a "non-traditional" college student who has gone back to college because you reached a level in your career where you could not continue to advance without the college degree, realize that while the degree is often a sticking point for higher positions and salaries, you shouldn't expect a huge response in job offers once you have the degree. A bachelor's degree is more like a basic requirement, unlike an advanced degree, which might give you a more competitive edge.

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The once ill-perceived "job-hopping" stereotype is not as much of a career-killer as it used to be. Yes, employers seek stability, but once employers started demonstrating disloyalty to employees by rightsizing, downsizing, and re-engineering long-time workers, the entire picture changed. More employers recognize that some people will have several short stints on their resumes due either to some form of corporate re-engineering or to advancement.

If you feel you might be stigmatized by short stays at several jobs, move to a functional resume instead of a chronological resume. With a functional format, several short-term job changes won't be that evident because the focus of the resume is on the skills you have and your experiences and abilities. The actual job history goes at the end of your resume.

Read more about how to write such a resume and use these skills in our article: Should You Consider a Functional Resume?

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Looking for information about blue-collar resumes? The best bet is the late Yana Parker's book, Blue Collar & Beyond: Resumes for Skilled Trades & Services, or visit the Web site about her book. A couple of examples of blue-collar resumes appear at the site, and you can also go to your local library or bookstore and get the book.

For more general information about resume formats, see our article, Fundamentals of a Good Resume.

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Is it appropriate to request a prospective employer to pay for your airline ticket to an out-of-state interview? Any employer worth working for will buy your airline ticket, arrange for your transportation from the airport to your hotel, and pay for your hotel stay. Some pre-pay, others reimburse.

In a number of smaller firms and certain industries, companies do not pay for travel expenses and use the approach: "when you're in the area, give us a call and we'll set up an interview" to get around paying expenses. If you have any questions about who is paying, be sure to ask. It's better to know beforehand; employers shouldn't be offended by the question.

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One of the secrets of writing great cover letters that get you results is writing to a named individual. Rather than writing to a title or human resources, it makes much more sense to contact all the prospective employers on your targeted list and obtain the names of hiring managers for the type of position you seek. Address your letters to a named individual rather than just a title.

Lots more tips and suggestions can be found on our our cover letter resources section, including Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts.

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If a want ad asks for a salary history should you include this information in your cover letter or resume, or should it be a separate page? Most employers who ask for salary history in a want ad do so as a method of screening applicants out who are outside the salary range. Ask yourself whether you are outside (particularly above) the salary range. If not, you may choose to prepare a brief salary history, which can be part of your cover letter or on a separate piece of paper, just as a reference sheet. If you are above the salary range, state in your letter that your salary range is negotiable. The downside of not including your salary range is that you could be screened out anyway.

For more information on the salary negotiation process, visit Quintessential Careers: Salary and Job Offer Tutorial.

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Just what is a curriculum vitae anyway? A curriculum vitae (Latin for "the course of one's life") or CVs or vitaes for short, are basically resumes, used most often by academicians, physicians, and scientists.

They are also often required when applying to graduate or professional programs, and when applying for international employment. CVs contain all the basic information that resumes contain -- name, address, work experience, education, certifications, awards and honors -- but usually also contain other pertinent information, such as scholarly activities (such as papers published in academic journals, presentations and workshops, creative projects, etc.), professional development, patents, teaching/course evaluations, service to the profession.

Vitaes also do not have the short (1-2 page) requirement of resumes. See our article, Preparing a Curriculum Vitae (CV), which also contains links to some helpful Websites and lists other resources.

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Are you a teen who would like to work in an office setting for the summer? How is your network? We all know people who work in an office setting. Are any of them managers or in a position to help? Make a list of your friends, neighbors, and other family members who can help you. Use your network to line up some interviews.

Second, use the good old cold-contact method of securing employment. Develop a list of the larger employers in your area. Contact them to get the name of the office manager or human resources director. Write a letter to each person -- and make sure it is a person and not a title -- outlining the type of employment you seek.

Next, try a few Internet sites. I happen to love Summer Jobs; it's a great resource for teens to find employment. You can search by keyword and location.

Also see our article, A Guide for Teens: How to Find a Summer Job.

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Whom should you ask to serve as your references? For recent college graduates, the ideal sources of references would be:
1. College professors. Any professors you have worked closely with, had for several classes, or was an adviser to an organization you belonged to would make a great reference.
2. College administrators. Any management-level administrators who you worked closely with would make a great reference.
3. Internship/volunteer work supervisors. Anyone who has supervised your actual work patterns would make an ideal reference.
4. Former employment supervisors. As long as your employment was not too long ago, those people who supervised your work -- even if the work was waitressing or working in retail -- would be good references.
5. Character references. Anyone who can discuss your character as a person, such as a family friend, athletic coach, clergy person, etc., would make a good reference.

Some other comments about references: Requesting that people serve as your references is much better than asking them to write a generic letter of recommendation, which many employers discount (because anyone who who like a recommendation letter for you would say only good things about you, so the letter isn't especially credible). To list a reference, you simply need the name (with correct spelling), title, and contact information for each person who is willing to be a reference. Then let employers contact the people directly.

Finally, never put actual references on your resume. Submit a separate piece of paper (that matches your resume format) that lists your references -- and make sure the people you list know they will be on your reference list.

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Heard rumors about what the prospects are like in your intended career field? Rather than listening to rumors or opinions of other students, do some real investigating. The best source? The faculty at your college or any college that has a department related to your field. Just because you are not a student there does not mean you can't call, email, or set-up an appointment with a faculty member and discuss issues and concerns. You could also talk with the career resources office on campus and ask about the types and rates of job placement recent grads in your have had.

After that, there are some great sources on the Web. For example, you could search the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Finally, conduct informational interviews with those actually working in your intended profession to find out what the prospects are really like.

Read about how to conduct these interviews in our Informational Interviewing Tutorial.

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Interested in freelance or consulting work? You'll likely find that clients come from networking and word-of-mouth. People will not know your services are available unless you tell them. Many types of networking are available to you. Start with friends and colleagues outside your company. Move on to people in your professional organization. Then move on to the Internet and network through discussion groups.

You could also develop your own Web site (even for free at many places, such as Geocities) and advertise your services.

Check out the networking resources at the networking section of Quintessential Careers and find more specific information about finding clients, as well as explanations about the ins and outs of consulting in our article, The Word is Out: Becoming a Free Agent is a Hot Career Path.

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If you'd like to earn more by making the transition from the non-profit world to the corporate sector, your experience in not-for-profit shouldn't be a stumbling block. Have your resume reviewed by someone who can check both style and content. You may want to omit older experience from your resume, as many companies shy away from job-seekers who appear overqualified. Smaller companies are often more flexible, so consider that avenue. Don't rule out looking at other not-for-profit organizations. While some nonprofits take advantage of their employees with low pay, others parallel for-profit organizations.

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Making a geographic move to enhance your career should not too much of a hassle if you do some planning before you move. Determine your job opportunities in your new location, which you can do in a couple of different ways. First, go to a library get a phone book for your new city. Develop a list of possible employers. Write (and then call) hiring managers at these organizations and ask about job openings and possibilities. Second, go on the Web and check out a few geographic-specific job sites, which you can find through Quintessential Careers.

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As the world continues to get smaller, there is a growing need for individuals who are fluent in languages other than English. Governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations all have needs for employees who can speak (and write) other languages.

A good place for anyone looking for career information is our tutorial on Job-Hunting on the Internet.

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Did you go back to college and major in a different area than that in which you've been working? If you are currently working, you should be able to develop a list of transferable skills that you use in your current position that would also be valued in the type of position you aspire to. Determine the key skills needed for your dream position by looking at job descriptions for that kind of position. You can find such descriptions at Web sites related to your new field or by asking one of your old college professors. Once you have that list, examine what you do in your current job and see how many skills match the skills in your ideal field. With your degree and work experience, you should be able to polish your resume and find yourself a new job.

Check our article, Transferable Skills: A Vital Job Search Technique.

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What kinds of questions should you ask prospective employers in an interview, when you are asked, "Do you have any questions?" Employers are truly interested in answering your questions, but mainly they ask you because they want to see how prepared you are for the interview. If you don't have any questions, the interviewer may assume that you are not really interested in the job or too lazy to prepare any questions. Thus, have some questions ready! There are numerous questions you could ask in reply to that question:

You could ask fact-based questions about the company, division, branch, or product. Example: "How do you determine the value customers are receiving from your products or services?"
You could ask specific job-related questions for the position you are interviewing for. Example: "How much of the current position involves meeting with clients?"
You could ask about future plans of the company, division, branch, or product. Example: What are some of the challenges you see this organization (or division, branch, brand) facing in the next year?"
You could ask questions about the hiring process. Example: "When can I expect to hear back from you?"
You could ask a question that places you in the job. Example: "What kind of projects/assignments would I be working on first?"
You could ask about anything that you are really interesting in getting an answer to that was not already discussed during the interview (but avoid asking "me-first" question about salary and benefits).

A number of great interviewing Websites can help. For a list of the best, go to Quintessential Careers: Interviewing Resources.

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Strong verbs, also known as action verbs, are a vital part of a good resume. For your current position, verbs should be present tense (negotiate, resolve, conduct, provide, etc.). For all your past positions, the verbs should be past tense (monitored, researched, collected, etc.).

Another key is that you should list achievements or outcomes of your positions, rather than simply duties. You "achieved a $100,000 increase in sales" rather than "managed client relations and sales."

For a good list of action verbs, visit Quintessential Careers: Action Verbs.

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Looking for a job is a job itself. Make sure you are doing a complete job search. The Internet should be just one part of your job search. Make sure your resume is posted at all the best (and free) job sites. Answering want ads and job postings can be another part of your job search, but the percentage of people who actually get jobs from this method is small (about 5 percent). Developing a list of companies you want to work for and contacting them directly should be a key part of your search. Contacting recruitment or headhunter agencies, if your field has such companies, is another method. Finally, networking should help. Talk with former co-workers about possible positions. And does your profession have a professional organization? If so, network with people within your organization.

See How People Get Their Jobs.

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Is your resume the best it can be? You might want to get it critiqued by a professional -- or do the critique yourself. There are some great resume resources on the Web, as well as some great books on the subject.

Go to our Resume Resources for some pointers.

Finally, we offer a resume critiquing service. Go to Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters.

Read more tips from the Career Doctor in Career Doctor: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips #6.

Review all our Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips.

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Career Doctor Q-TIPS #5: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips

These tips have been gathered from job-seeker Q&A's with the Career Doctor, Dr. Randall Hansen. For more information, go to The Career Doctor.

Review all our Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips.

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

Career Doctor Q-TIPS #5:
Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips