I've picked up some applying/interview tricks over the course of this process that have helped me better manage my time and energy. I will list them, because I have an affinity for lists.
1. When you're looking at a job on a job site board, don't just read the job description posting, go to the company's website. This will give you a better feel for the company, what they do, and give you some background material for a cover letter and interview. I've had recruiters tell me they've interviewed people who didn't know what the company really was or what they do...probably not going to make a great impression there.
2. After you've checked out the company's website, since they can write anything about themselves, I've found it's helpful to read some reviews. My favorite site for this is www.Glassdoor.com. Glassdoor gives an overview of the company, salary ranges, employee reviews, and sometimes some questions they've asked in past interviews. This will help you weed out the door-to-door and telemarketing jobs (if that's not what you're looking for). Therefore, saving you the time and energy of applying for something you don't really want. The salary component can help you see what that company is paying and also compare it to similar positions in different cities. I've found this to be helpful since I'm just starting out and don't really know what I should ask for salary-wise, and it helps give prospective to different cities costs of living.
3. We live in the age of the Internet, use it to your advantage! Through sites like LinkedIn and Facebook, I have found the pages of the people for which I am going to be interviewing. This allows me to know a little about them before I talk to them. You may find out you have a similar interest which, at least to me, makes them feel more real and approachable, which helps calm my nerves before/in the interview. You can be sure they are looking up you too, so if the information is out there, might as well use it.
4. Networking sites, such as LinkedIn, have job boards. I use LinkedIn most, so I'll discuss that one. You can apply for a job using your account. All you have to do is upload your resume and cover letter and LinkedIn automatically adds your profile with all of your information you supply there. LinkedIn (let's see how many times I can say that in one paragraph) also sends you an email when your application has been viewed so you don't have to sit around wondering if your application has actually gone somewhere or if it's just floating around somewhere in cyberspace.
5. Organization- I have a separate folder in my email designated for job emails. Every time I get a confirmation email about a job, I stick it in the folder. This allows me to keep track of how many jobs I've applied for and helps remind me of the jobs for which I have already applied. (When I started getting into the 100s of applications, I started to forget which ones I'd submitted already. No point sending out the same thing twice.
I'm sure there are a lot of other great ideas that help the process. If you have any feel free to share. Lord knows I need all the help I can get. :p
Some tips from someone who was looking for two and a half years:
ReplyDeleteThe strategy that was best for my morale, and eventually landed me a job, was just meeting people. Find someone you know who can get you an introduction. "Informational Interviews" get you in the door and put a face behind the piece of paper they're looking at. Companies are receiving hundreds of resumes and cover letters for every one job opening. Set yourself apart.
Also, it's important to hold a job somewhere. ANYWHERE! (Mine was Starbucks; also a great place to meet people) Companies and organizations will start questioning work ethic/commitment if there is a large gap of time between graduating and finding a job. It's never the most glamorous or ideal situation, but if you play your cards right, you can use that job to network with many new faces.
Hope this helps.
- Tony B