Job Search Tips2getajob

@iJobSeek: Today’s guest Vickie Bell a Program Assistant at Pierce College in WA is the guest tonight via email. 

@iJobSeek: First let me start off by saying congrats Vickie for getting a job! All the job seekers on twitter thank you for sharing your job search experience via #tips2getajob.

@iJobSeek – Q1: How did you know what to do when job searching? #tips2getajob
Vickie – A1: I knew I wanted to work for the government, or get a federal job. #tips2getajob

@iJobSeek -Q2: Did you look for a specific job title or any job and how did you decide? #tips2getajob
Vickie – A2: I looked for any job within a my specific skill level. #tips2getajob

@iJobSeek - Q3: Did you decide to get degree because you knew it was required for the position or it would increase your chances of getting hired? #tips2getajob
Vickie – A3: I got a degree to get confidence and to get a job. I thought it would increase my chance of getting a job. #tips2getajob

@iJobSeek – Q4: Did you write your own resume? If yes, what book or website did you use as an example? #tips2getajob
Vickie – A4. Yes, I used an old book geared towards women. It was about which style resume works best. The book provided templates. #tips2getajob

@iJobSeek – Q5: How did you decide where to look for jobs? #tips2getajob
Vickie - A5: I did a general search online. A city job search website and usajobs. #tips2getajob

@ iJobSeek – Q6: Did you use social networks to find jobs, info about the schools or info about the Principal?
Vickie – A6: No

@iJobSeek – Q7: Do you have an online resume? #tips2getajob
Vickie – A7: No

@iJobSeek – Q8: Did you look for jobs online? #tips2getajob
Vickie – A8: Graduate from Pierce College and figured why not look there for employment. #tips2getajob

@iJobSeek - Q9: How long did it take for the entire job searching process to getting hired? #tips2getajob
Vickie – A9: It took a year. #tips2getajob

@iJobSeek - Q10: Are there any questions about your job searching experience that wasn’t ask that you would like to share with job seekers? #tips2getajob
Vickie - A10: My 1st interview was w/the director to see if I would be a good fit. 2nd interview was a panel of the teachers working at the school. Make sure you ask deep questions during the interview. Research the company and know why you want to work there. Know what value you can bring to the company and that position. Have a positive attitude and send a thank you letter right away after the interview. #tips2getajob

@iJobSeek - Thank you so much Vickie! I really appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to provide #tips2getajob – Enjoyed the chat!

Stumbled across this BNET article about what What Hiring Managers Really Look For. Sure, there are lots of points made in the article I agree with, a few things I could probably argue against, but overall a decent read. The author writes from his personal experience, and I have no doubt this worked for him. What really surprised me was one of the comments about the almighty interview thank you. Yes, this is a direct quote -“A thank you card? Please. Only if you just interviewed with your mother.” Who knew? I must be an absolute exception to this new rule because I have been told as a candidate my thank you card to my interviewer sealed the deal – more than once. In fact, my current boss actually had hers in hand when she came to the lobby to deliver me to her boss for my 2nd interview the next day. She wanted to tell me how much she appreciated the personal touch. Maybe I’m just old school but I believe a hand written note, personalized to the interviewer, can make a positive impact. I’m not talking about the “one size fits all thank you for your time” tired old line. If not that, though – what?

Targeted to the audience. Have we not made this clear? Target your cover letter. Target your resume. And for the love of Pete, target your thank you letter! Hopefully you’ve learned a thing or two about your interviewer in the 45 minutes you spent together. Mention it! I once made reference to Scottsdale, AZ after interviewing with someone who visited every year for the Barrett-Jackson auto show. One of my job seekers referenced the new starting pitcher on the favorite baseball team he and the hiring manager shared. Keep it clean, but make it personal. You might even go hog wild and mention a point or two about what in your background makes you a fit for the actual job.

Know your audience. Seems like we’ve covered this, but think about delivery. I like hand written thank you notes. In fact, in 10+ years of recruiting I’ve kept every one I’ve received. Less than 20, I’m sad to say… what I don’t have, though, are the thank you e-mails. Because I don’t care about them. Maybe your interviewer was different. Especially in this age of smart phones, maybe they prefer an e-mail. Once I got really creative and sent a free Hallmark e-card that was sponsored by one of this agency’s best customers (who I would be recruiting for). Hiring manager loved it and told me so. Tweet them if you think that will catch their interest. Just do SOMETHING.

Show your interest. We see this all the time with applications. I’ll call a candidate who actually went through our ATS and 24 hours later they have no idea why I’m calling. But it’s different in an interview! Of course you want the job! Right….? Just looking at my corporate experience filling nearly 30 positions in the last 90 days I can tell you the candidates who followed up – with at least a thank you e-mail – are the ones who were ultimately offered a position.

If nothing else, remember what your Mother taught you. JUST SAY THANK YOU. It’s polite. @alarecruiter