Seeking employment? Stop here for tips.

Sticks_n_Stones had a fabulous idea to start a new thread
for those seeking employment.

Tips, tricks and little tidbits you may not have known.

Such as....

Take it away, Sticks! :-)

so job hunters....or others who have been lucky enuf to find a job recently ....please put your tips, tricks, etc about getting a job....
continued from this thread :

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/774102/

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/781598/

I had no idea how much my resume sucked, until I took a course in resume-writing! I totally re-designed my resume for each job application, so that my attributes/experience that best fitted the job were listed first. Also, I learned how to write a covering letter that would grab the attention of the poor soul in the HR department whose job it was to read hundreds of applications and select the few who would be called for an interview. I also made sure there were no errors (spelling, grammar, typos) by having at least two people proof read my resume and covering letter.

If you are lucky enough to get an interview (being a retired HR director for a large government agency) Please do the following:

1. Show up on time!!
2. Be appropriately dressed, loose the jeans!!
3. Loose the perfume and extra cosmetics.
4. Wear a smile.
5. Ask questions about the job.
6. Act interested.
7. Volunteer information, if it is not asked by the interviewer.
8. Thank the HR person for the opportunity for the interview.
10.Send a Thank you letter, be sure that you get the intrviewers name right!!
11. Follow up with a phone call.
12. Ultimate rule- NO GUM CHEWING

You would be surprised at how many applicants I have turned down because of failure to follow these simple rules.

If you are nervous, please tell the intervieiwer, and that will help them to put you at ease. Be aware of nervous gestures, no knuckle cracking, no tapping your feet, no fanning, (however hot you may be), no finger drumming on the desk.

Look the interviewer in the eyes as you answer the questions that will be posed. No looking toward the ceiling, and saying, "let me think". Be really familiar with the information on your application/resume" and reel off those dates of former employment. Volunteer information about times that you may have been unemployed, ie, I had a serious illness, I stayed home to raise my family, my husband/wife was in the military, I was in school. This will explain any gaps that you may have in your employment history.

I hired one lady, who was the least qualified for the job, just because she sent a thank you letter and followed up with a phone call. Don't under estimate the weight of the nicities to your interviewer. That said, don't overdo it either, don't act like you are trying to "suck up",

Turn off your cell phone!! I turned down one applicant because he answered his cell phone in the middle of the interview.

That said, hope that all who are seeking employment find it, and find a good job, with a nice boss thrown in.

june...thanks for that information about the resume...i kinda feel like it is my calling card;

defoe...wow you are a wealth of information...thanks, i am sure alot of us can use that invaluable information; thanks for that:)

Just sharing a wealth of information gathered "on site" while doing the interviewing for this agency.

If you have any questions to direct to the "interviewer" please post them.

hi, defoe
Everything you posted is correct. My oldest DD was a head hunter for a time. She employed people for Engineering jobs. She helped them with interview skills and their resume.

Good luck guys on your quest for employment.

I was out of the work force 20 years while the kids were at home. It also helps to know someone. My boss now, meet my son and them called me later for an interview.

A few things NOT to say at your interview:
1."I only want this job until I can find something better."
2. "What does this company do, anyway?"
3. "I refuse to work overtime/weekends/holidays."
4. "My previous boss/co-worker was impossible to work with."
5. "How many days vacation/sickness leave will I get."
These statements indicate to the interviewer that:
1. You will not be on the job long enough to justify the time spent training you.
2. You are not interested enough to have researched the company.
3. You have other commitments that will negatively impact your work productivity.
4. You have difficulty working with others.
5. You are more interested in what the company can do for you than in what you can do for the company.

thank you thank you thank you for the information...

are there creative places to find temp jobs to tide us over till we find 'the job'?

i have tried substuting...at a 100 dollars a day it really helps and for those that don't have a degree
well substituing is still a viable option...here in texas you just need 60 hours of college....
there are some areas in the school system that have temp/contract positions for people without college too

Great information here. Thanks for starting the post. I think there are many people that can benefit from this information.

With my last job, I hired a few people, so I kind of go with what I liked and didn't like about a person's dress, manner and application.

I once had an application, that the gentleman had put for reason that he left a job....
"couldn't deal with the balance of life"
That would probably not be a good statement to use on an application. LOL

Jobs here are really hard to get right now. I have always had jobs handed to me, offered to me all the time. Finding myself out of work for 18 months seems crazy to me. (And I have several professional contacts from my past helping, even a recent interviewer that liked me, even though I didn't have enough experience for the job she was hiring for)

I feel like a professional job hunter.
It is easy to get depressed. I see jobs that expect BA in related field and they are paying min wage. Are they NUTS? No, it is that they can get away with it.
Overqualified, underqualified, we are not hiring as we have many people layed off. Ugh.

I have taken many odd jobs in the meantime. I have done everything from dog sit, charity work, consignment sales, to roofing a house. (That one nearly killed me) This girl is too old to scrape shingles!

Sticks, we were typing at the same time.
I cked into teaching (sub work)
In Michigan, you need a BA in education and I think it is one year student teaching to get a teaching certificate. That keeps me out.
I can't go back to school at this late date, I do not have the money to live on for the couple years it would take, and what about that degree I already have? Is it like a computer, worthless and out of date once you get it?

yup, being 'older' 52 makes me feel like i am in a different ball game than when i was 30 looking for a job....i am not 'old' but i think potential employer might look at me that way....yuk

we don't have to have a teaching certificate here to get a subbing job...; so sorry that avenue didn't work out...
what is your education in? besides life 101

We may be old, but we have life experience and are much more at ease during interviews. There is a plus to the age.
But then I wonder if they think that we are too old and will not stay very long.
An employer would be fortunate to get one of us. We know how to handle many situations, we are creative, smart old croans!!!

very definitely:)

And never, never lie. My DD had one applicant for a $100,000 plus job and he had many years of work experience but they found out he lied about a college degree. He was passed over. She told him he had it until that came up.

Typing over each other again.
Lets add that to our resume. We are aggressive. Ha.
I have an associates degree in Auto technology. 8 Mi mechanic's license, and ASE certified in Auto/truck parts. 6 years in management, administration, inventory control, buying, and all the accounting stuff that goes with it.
Shouldn't I be qualified to be a receptionist? No, the big place that wanted one, you needed a BA in business.

amazing....; we are burning up the thread this morning...if only 'they' could see us gals...he he.; normally i am not alive till 10....at which i think i will go back to bed...had to see my hubbie off to run the county fair bless his heart ...

Blue, you are right about adding a lie to a resume. I have been tempted to tweek some things, but it is not worth it. Once you lie, I could never forgive myself.

Sticks, thought after I was "downsized" I would be able to sleep in. Ha. The old internal clock still wakes me up. Have to bide my time until daylight to walk the dog.

Agressive is good, but I do go easy on the interview. I tend to be too intimidating otherwise. This has been a real learning experience. And VERY humbling.

well hopefull we will get a job...i shall keep knocking knocking knocking on doors....and that is all i can do...it is one day at a time...that is all we both have:)

There are advantages to being an older worker. Please make this point in interviews, with comments such as I am dependable, will be on time, take off less and work overtime if needed. In my last couple of years if given the choice between a 20's something and a 40-50's something, I would go with the older person. I feel that they were just more stable and dependable.

Def,

I wonder if you could give me a feeling about my interview. In
my opinion, it went quite well, but hubby told me I may have goofed a few
things. As I have been out of the workforce for a while, I tend to tell the
truth, or what is on my mind rather than rehearsed statements.

When she asked what my positives were, I said "I'd like to think I'm
articulate, organized and efficient." She asked for more and I said that
I had a sense of humor. I know, it wasn't what she wanted to hear, but
all I could think of on the spot. Of course I have more to offer than laughter,
and I'm not a jokester, but it popped out and was too late to take back.

And here's the kicker. Before I could think about it, another thing popped
out of my mouth. While trying to answer why I thought I was the right one
for the job, I mentioned that I am a happy person free of drama and negativity,
that my kids are older, hubby works, so I don't have daycare issues, everyone
is gone all day anyway. I told her that I don't need this job, I wanted it.

Was that last statement a bad thing to say? I was trying to point out that I
would be bringing a whistle-while-you-work attitude to work, instead of fretting
over paying the bills. Maybe what I said would be misconstrued? In hindsight,
I should have said that I will get the job done, on time and do it right.

This may be a tidbit to add to the list here, to have these things ready. I was
floored when she asked me what my faults were. My response? I lost all
sense of the interview and said that I tend to be self conscious. With regard
to the job, which is what she was referring to, the answer would be that I tend
to do things myself rather than wait for someone to do it right or do it at all.
I'm not a leader and not really a follower, but in the middle.

Alas, she did say a few good things, like "You sound like a good fit." and
"I really like your attitude." When we were parting ways, she not only shook my
hand, but held my hand a little longer and looked me right in the eye and said
"Be careful on the way home."

INTERVIEW TIP
Before the interview, think about and remember your key positives and negatives
with regard to your work ethic. Inability to match clothing with shoes does not count.

WUVIE, had I been the interviewer, I would have found those truthful answers, however, I advise never to say, I don't need this job, this sounds like if you get it, and are not satisfied, you may jump ship.

I always liked to ask the potential employee this question: Where do you see yourself in 1 year, or in 2 years? This usually causes the person to stop and think a moment, but the right answer to me was this: Here at this company, but having progressed to a more challenging position. Or maybe, here with a job, where my innovative ideas can be used.

Again, don't sound like a "know it all" but let them know that you can contribute in other ways, besides the grunt work!!

Oh, I'm glad you said that. The head hunter asked a similar question
and I pretty much answered it with the fact that while I did not mind the
daily grind, it may lead to opportunities for more responsibility.

;-)

WUVIE, good answer!!

Wuvie, I think you did great.
Pushing the fact that you want to be there everyday is important. A happy employee is one that does a good job and is pleasant to work with.
I don't think humor is bad either, I don't mean full of jokes, but there are too many "downer" type people. A pleasant person that can laugh, is a much better employee.
Honesty, is my downfall too. Sometimes I think I say things that are maybe not the best, but I hope they appreciate that I am honest, and that I am not trying to say I am perfect, but will try harder than anyone else.
Some of those "pat" questions put me off at first. Now I expect them. I still hate the stupid questions, but a least I have a respectable answer for them now. LOL.
Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the nation. Our county has double that figure.
But I can still smile and have a chuckle.

Thanks, ladies. I like to think that honesty is still valued. It's funny
to me that a person with all the right things to say gets the job, but
doesn't DO it well. All the fluff and none of the stuff.

Sigh.

I'm still hopeful.

wuvie...any word?

Not one single peep. Each time the phone rang, my heart
began pounding. First it was hubby, then my youngest son,
and my oldest son tried to call but missed me.

While I'm disappointed for not hearing from the job, any day
all three of my guys try to call me is worth more than any job call.

:-) KM...trying to think positively.

your guys calling is the most important thing:)

don't you hate waiting? it is kinda like, 'don't ya'll know what i am going thru'? when they probably are going thru their work day,' la la la la la....'

the employement section of the paper had really no candidates...i think this will will be employment agency for me this week....let them do the thinking searching etc...

The funny thing is, I could take any old job, but never have
so many things been in my favor with this one. They just
don't know that I'm the one. LOL.

Gals, don't get down in the dumps now, that interviewer probably has to "run this by" her superior, and I have found that the higher up on the ladder in a business/corporation the harder it is to get an appointment to see the higher ups. And in some companies, they have a set day for a staff meeting, and things less than an employee on the loose with a gun in the building, doesn't change that staff meeting day!!

And in the event that this doesn't work out, just try to take the attitude "they will never know what a good potential employee they turned down".

One thing I always did, after the interviews were over, the decision made about whom to hire, I called every applicant that I interviewed and told them that they unfortunately didn't get the job, but told them that if we had openings in the future, that they would be considered. Sometimes, I even gave constructive criticism about a reason they may not have been hired. Most were appreciative of the phone call, and thanked me for not making them wonder what had happened. Hope they have the gumption to call no matter the outcome.

GOOD LUCK

Okay, so here we all are, sitting here with the same principals (don't lie, be on time, etc., etc., ........and no job. (Well, okay I have a crummy one).........I've come to the conclusion, it doesn't work. Just take a look at some people in good positions and it doesn't take much to know they didn't get there on brains.

I say maybe it's time to change our attitudes. Kiss butt, tell them your last employer is still begging you to come back, tell them how you have spent months researching their company, and that you have plans on staying there until you retire.........what do you think ?

Oh, wouldn't that be great if they would call, even if I don't get the job?

just thought you might be mildly amused by this-- my first ever full-time professinal job interview, the guy asked' hobbies' I guess I said I read books, so he said what so I said wel l I just started THe Guns of August (about WW I, I think) anyhoo, he offered the job and on the first day asked, So how do you like the book? I said oh it got boring and I quit. Turns out he was a big military buff. little did I know, May have been how he chose me! He was the boss, not a seasoned interviewer, and few people probably to choose from too.
I really wish everybody luck with the jobs. I have been home with kids a long time and would/will be scared to death to look for a real job at this point.

Betterbloom, many times, what you said is so true!

When you hear the former employee you are trying to replace
was dismissed for smoking marijuana at work, calling in sick all
the time, taking extra long breaks, surfing the internet, I just have to
wonder, what went on during the interview that would not at least reveal
clues to such? I guess you never know, though. Some people wear
a sheep's clothing to the interview.

Funny how hubby, myself and many others have lost their jobs, yet the
company seems oblivious to the idiots they decide to keep. Upper
crust sleeping with the production workers - while not against the law
perhaps - it lends favoritism. Job promotions after holiday office parties (ahem)
theft, drinking on the job, complete slackery, inappropriate
and unprofessional attire / behavior, oh, the qualifications!

Yet we, the dutiful duds await a morsel. Sigh.

Sally, oh my gosh, if they asked what my latest read was, I would never
be hired! LOL. (And no, I'm not telling the title, ha ha!)

They kiss butt, before they get the job, and after ! I don't, and tell it like it is......gets me in trouble everytime (lol)

WUVIE, I saw the same behavior you describe in my professional career. Many years ago, when I was just a clerk, doing menial labor, and saw the gals who dressed way nicer, smoozing with the bosses, and finally figured out that they were where they were because of "outside" activities, I thought, that if I had to resort to that sort of behavior to have a "good job" I would just as soon not. I called it I called it "going up the ladder on your back" and believe me, they didn't last long. I didn't do that, retained my self respect, and garnered many awards and promotions based on what was in my head, instead of what was between my legs. I would have dug ditches before resorting to that type of activity. At least there would have been respect in a hard back breaking job well done.

betterbloom, I know what you are saying surely ran through my mind lots of time, but just stop to think about compromising your honor and truthfulness, for a "silver coin". I couldn't stand myself if I had done that, I know that we get desperate from time to time, but when it all is boiled down, reputation, honor, truthfulness, and personality, is all we really own, and I won't sell any of that for a job.

(holding my cup of tea up to defoe)

Here, here!

Defo....you have d-mail .