Maybe nothing! Jeff Schmitt's article, "Job Hunting Realities: What 'No' Really Means" contends that an employer's "NO" may not have anything to do with your actual fit for the position. I would tend to agree with Mr. Schmitt. But it doesn't hurt to step back from the initial sting of rejection to evaluate what, if anything, you might do to improve yourself for the next round of applications. If you're new to the field, perhaps a recent college grad or a college senior, it's especially worth while to evaluate your job hunting strategies.
If you landed an interview, then your resume and cover letter are likely in pretty good shape. Prior to the interview, did you take time to practice? I have heard many a college student and young professional refuse interviewing assistance because they feel confident in their ability to "express themselves in person." I have no doubt that you're perfectly capable of expressing yourself in person. However, an interview requires that you express yourself in a way far different than normal conversations - you must talk about yourself in-depth, providing detailed, relevant, succinct examples. If you spoke this way about yourself on a regular basis, you'd likely not have many friends! Since you don't talk like this all the time, practice is essential.
Practice your interview, preferably with a professional who does not know you very well. Your friends and family are familiar with your habits, your manner of speech, your idiosyncrasies. A professional will better be able to identify aspects of your interviewing that may be masking your true talent.
For example, does your confidence come across as arrogance?
Are your nervous habits, (such as, fidgeting, over-sharing, quiet talking, etc.), distracting from your abilities?
Are you observing certain cultural norms, (such as avoiding eye contact, standing very close/far, making physical contact, etc.), that are unexpected in North American culture?
Are you appearing too casual/too formal in your manner of speaking?
Are you providing examples that truly demonstrate your abilities?
A professional career advisor should be able to help you identify if there any stumbling blocks in the way of employers seeing your real potential.
After the actual interview, ask for feedback. If you didn't get a job offer, at the very least get some suggestions or advice from the employer about improving your interviewing. Perhaps they'll give you a list of things you could improve - in which case, you'll learn from the experience and do better next time.
Keep in mind, just as Jeff Schmitt argues, you may have done nothing wrong at all! But, evaluating your job hunting strategies, particularly your interviewing skills, will keep you sharp and ready for your next round of applications.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
You weren't offered the job...what did you do wrong?
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Video: How to Make Your Resume More Effective
This is an older video, but will hopefully still be useful. (I hope to post some newer videos soon, but ones that you don't actually have to see ME.) Anyhow, for Cassie, and all the Cassie's of the world, hope this is helpful.
Topic: How do you make your resume more effective when you have little to no work experience?
OT: What are you thankful for?
American Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so I thought I'd take a moment to pause and think about what I'm thankful for...
...Jesus
...my husband and son
...my family and extended family
...an exciting career
...a warm house
...fall weather
...pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, anything pumpkin!
What about you? What are you thankful for? It doesn't have to be career-related, I'd just love to read about what makes you grateful.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
International Students and Employment
- Through coursework and practical experience, mastering the content knowledge required within your chosen field
- Becoming comfortable articulating your value to prospective employers and network contacts
- Employer's willingness to hire international candidates
You have control over hurdles one and two, which in turn can have a positive impact on hurdle three.
Most of the international students with whom I have had the pleasure of working have had little to no trouble mastering the content knowledge within their field - they have typically excelled in their courses and, when given the opportunity, often stand out as interns or researchers. So, in terms of hurdles, the first one seems to be a less daunting one.
Hurdle number two seems to be the one that really stumbles a lot of international students. My first suggestion would be to make sure you're staying in close contact with your school's international student advisor and are familiar with the most current regulations for OPT (Optional Practical Training), CPT (Curricular Practical Training), H1Bs and green cards. For some employers, the idea of hiring an international student may appear more complicated than it really is. It's important that you have a clear understanding of your work authorization and are able to communicate this to potential employers. Possibly even more important is that you are able to articulate your skills, experiences and knowledge clearly and persuasively. Too often I work with very talented, bright and eager international students who are either uncomfortable talking about themselves, uncertain if it's appropriate to do so, or both! My blunt response to these concerns? Yes, it's appropriate to talk about yourself, so get comfortable doing it! As a woman born in the Philippines and raised in Canada, only moving to the United States in 2001, I fully appreciate the concern that you might come across as boastful, or worse, if you talk about your talents and skills to an employer. Typically, North American employers expect you to know how you can benefit their organization. They want you to have thought through your worth and then prove that worth to them by providing examples. Some of this is accomplished in your resume and cover letter, much more is shared during interviews and networking interactions. There are certainly ways to talk about yourself without sounding, or feeling, boastful (I'll likely discuss this further in a separate post). The key is to give yourself permission to talk about why you're special and uniquely qualified for the position for which you've applied.
Once you've overcome hurdles one and two, you will have done your best to positively impact the employer's willingness to hire you - which is hurdle number three. Keep in mind that in some cases, some employers are simply not in a position to hire international students, likely due to company policy. If you know this about an employer in advance, I'd strongly encourage you not to use your valuable time and energy trying to change the employer's mind. Instead, turn your attention to networking with alums of your institution, with other internationals who have landed employment in the U.S., and with members of professional associations within your field. Also, take advantage of resources available through your institution's Career Center and international student services office. For example, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is hosting an International Student Virtual Career Fair. Student sign-up will begin on December 1, 2008, so check with your institution's Career Center to see if they will be participating.
As I mentioned earlier, I came to work in the United States in 2001, and was an immigrant to Canada when I was a child. The issues faced by international students are near and dear to my heart. If you are an international student, either studying in the US or Canada, I'd love to hear from you!
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Related links:
Job Search for International Students (LU Career Center)
Working with International Students (LU Career Center)
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Job Board Reviews
I haven't quite decided how best to go about reviewing job board sites. For the Career Center to Go site, I've conducted just two reviews so far and will be conducting many more, but I'm not sure if I should duplicate my reviews from that site to this one. What do you guys think?
For now, by all means, check my reviews of Indeed.com and Tech-centric.net.
Please let me know if there are particular job board sites you'd like to see reviewed.
Monday, November 10, 2008
So what makes you so special?
No, really, what makes you so special? And, I don't mean the fact that you can wiggle your ears or that you make a mean chicken alfredo - unless, of course, either of these talents are requirements in your chosen career field. What makes you special as a professional? What makes you stand out from the hundreds of thousands of other professionals out there, some of whom may be applying for the exact same positions to which you are applying?
Maybe you're wondering why it's even important to think about what makes you special. In my article, "Job Search in Tough Economic Times," I mention that it's not a good idea to blend in. You want current or potential employers to recognize your value - in order for that to happen, you need to not only recognize your value, but be able to articulate your value, as well. Knowing the ways in which you are special helps this process.
Many of us don't take the time to really stop and think about the characteristics that make us especially marketable. So, I challenge you to do so - take a moment to think about 3-5 specific characteristics, (i.e. personal traits, skills, knowledge or experiences) that make you special as a professional within your chosen career field. Keep in mind that many of your competitors, (fellow applicants), will likely have similar skill sets, educational backgrounds, or even work experiences as you. So, if for example, your education is a characteristic you've identified as making you special, be sure to think of the aspects of your education that may be different than those of other candidates. Did you work full time while completing your studies? Were you an active member of student organizations? Did you write a paper on a particular topic that might be of interest to potential employers?
Once you've identified your 3-5 characteristics, take a few more moments to think of examples that illustrate each one. Then, become comfortable talking about these characteristics. Yes, I mean out loud. These characteristics will eventually become part of your "brand." (I apologize, I know "branding" is a somewhat overused term, but I think the word really does fit in this situation.)
Then, as you write resumes and cover letters, as you network, and as you interview for positions, allow these characteristics to become something of an over-arching theme for how you market yourself. Of course, over time, re-evaluate these characteristics - you're likely to have developed new ones.
Hopefully, you've been told you're special; hopefully, you know that it's true. Now, my hope is that you can articulate why.
Been a while
Gosh, it's really been a LONG, LOOOONG time since I've posted anything. I apologize for that! It's not that I haven't been writing blog posts - just that I haven't been posting them here. I write much of the content for the Career Center to Go site and have been trying to avoid duplicating content. But, I do really want to continue to keep this blog going and generate new content for this site, as well. I am also hoping to start creating some video tutorials and begin answering reader questions, so please feel free to submit questions you may have about career related topics. I would love to hear from you.
So, more to come!
