Job Seekers Beware!

After the SLCC Job Fair last week, I started thinking about what it takes to prepare oneself for job searching.

Updated Resume-check
Cover letter-check
Business clothes (for interviews)-check
Interviewing skills-check

As someone who has been creating a lot of experiences at work these past five years, I often find myself thinking, "I need to update my resume so I don't forget things."  Of course, the thought is usually fleeting and I forget until something triggers my memory once again.  Like a job fair.  Or an interesting job posting.  In Hawaii.  Sitting on a few hiring committees in the last two months has made me open my eyes to resumes, cover letters, and interviewing skills as well.  It amazes me how people just slap something together as if they were in a rush and posting on a job site at the very last minute. "It's 10 minutes until midnight and the job closes then" type of frenzied, last minute application.  The problem is, we can tell those were put together at the last minute.  Without any thought or anyone really reading the job posting.  Why is this important?  Resumes are a summary of your background and skills mainly used for employment purposes.  Typically, a good resume will focus on the skills a job seeker has that aligns with the job posting.  That's why a person wants to take the time to read through the job listing, pull out key words and phrases, and adjust the resume according to each position.  Some companies will even have an automatic reader that looks for the key words and if there are not enough present, the application goes right into the recycling bin.

There is also a 'sign of the times' change where job seekers are creating online resumes through blog sites.  This helps them to create links to important documents (ex. welding pictures, architectural drawings, writing samples, research experiences) and keeping the traditionally asked for documents such as a cover letter and resume.  This also allows job seekers to show their technological skills and update documents easily and efficiently for each job listing.  Even with this new technology, writing a strong resume will also be a key factor in whether or not you will get an interview.

I sat on a hiring committee for our Career and Student Employment Services office a few months ago.  These are advisors who assist students with everything you need to know about the job process from writing a resume to interviewing to looking for a job.  After our first interview, one of the advisors commented on how the applicant did not shake anyone's hand or bring a resume.  Even though we don't ask for an extra resume, it's always good to have it handy just in case it is required. Staying within the time limit of the interview was an important aspect to me as we had back-to-back interviews for two days which can make for a very long day.  At the same time, don't forget to elaborate a bit on your experiences and how it coincides with the interview question.  Do you feel like it's a "don't do this but remember to do this" type of scenario?  Every interview, every company, every situation will be different but if you go into the interview process prepared, you should be just fine.

Lastly, what if you're in the encore career category?  You've had a great run at a career but you're now in your 50s or 60s and you need a change.  You've been working in something that you NEEDED to do. Now you're looking at something that you WANT to do.  Your passion, saving the world, community service, SOMETHING that gives you satisfaction even if it doesn't pay as well.  And how do you adjust your resume accordingly?  Your former self and career may not relate to your new, encore career.  I had an advisor who used to be a stay-at-home mom and when she started getting back into the workforce, she tailored her skills around what she did at home.  For example, when asked if she managed a budget, she used her home budgeting experiences as her skill.  Organizing parties and school/church schedules for her children were also used as skill sets.  Always try to find what you can relate to what is being asked in a job posting.  When I present about major and career exploration, I have students ask me about my college degree.  I never worked in the specific field BUT, I emphasize, I used the skills acquired in that program to move myself into jobs and careers.  Plus, I went on to obtain a Masters degree which also helped with finding careers that not only required the communication skills I acquired from my first degree but also needed my second degree as a requirement.  The building blocks to success, whether it's your first career or your encore career, is critical to finding your place in the job world.

If resume building is far from your mind because you don't even know what major you want to choose, visit our career advising site at http://www.slcc.edu/academicadvising/career-advising/index.aspx to obtain information on major and career exploration.

If you've chosen a major and career path but would like to work on job skills and possibly working in your chosen field as an intern or entry-level position, visit our Career and Student Employment Services office at http://www.slcc.edu/cses/index.aspx.