The Sweet Spot

A term commonly used in sports is the “sweet spot.” It refers to a lot of various things in the world of sports. Specifically, there is a sweet spot on an instrument like a golf club, baseball bat or tennis racquet, an ideal spot to hit the ball.

“The baseball bat (for instance) will rebound, but there is a location along the bat where this force is completely balanced out by turning force of the bat.” (Wikepedia).

The clearest non-sports related definition I could find came from www.pcmag.com. “Sweet spot refers to almost anything that embodies an optimum combination of characteristics and qualities.”

From a career perspective others have coined the phrase sweet spot to mean something similar. Dr. Lara Honos-Webb has a website called “The Sweet Spot Podcasts.” Her definition of sweet spot is, “where your passion meets your purpose.” http://psychjourney_blogs.typepad.com/sweet_spot_podcasts/motivation/.

Faith Ralston wrote about the motivational sweet spot, “When your best talents align with the needs of the business.” Simply, the sweet spot is where all the stars align; every factor plays out perfectly creating cohesion and a positive outcome.

Our goal in our career is to find the sweet spot. To discover what we have to offer, what we are passionate about, and where those things might be most needed and most utilized.

At some point in our career we think about changing jobs, have been laid off, fired, or otherwise find ourselves unemployed. Maybe we have hit a dead end in our position and mobility is essential to the life of our career. So, the task is upon us to make a change. One common question I hear is, “where do I start?” The first step is often the hardest step in any task. Many will start with their resume. Logical- but I would challenge you to back up one step before the resume.

Before you start your search, do some work to find your sweet spot. Instead of figuring out where to start, figure out what your finish line- the end goal, the dream job is- and work backward. If the sweet spot depends on aligning all the factors, we need to know what we bring and where it is needed in order to create the opportunity to bring it all together.

How do we figure out the pieces of the sweet spot puzzle? The best place to start is assessment. We should always assess two things when identifying a career goal. Assess ourselves and then assess the industry or career path. This entry will be in two parts. First we will start with personal assessment and then the next entry will explore ways to match that up with industries, careers and jobs. First, let’s look at ourselves.

What are our skills? What do we value? What type of personality do we have? What are our interests? These things are critical in deciding our career path. Those aspects of who we are will play such a role in our satisfaction within our career. If you are working in an environment that is constantly going against your values or doesn’t utilize your skills, work will feel like just that- work!

I always explain to students that it is similar to having a writing preference. I am right handed. If I wrote with my left hand for eight hours a day I would be tired, frustrated and my work would be about 10% of what it could be if I was using my right hand. The goal is to start writing with your preferred hand, so to speak.

There are multiple options for assessment. If you have a degree from any college, community college or university, they should have an alumni career services program. More than likely they will offer assessment for one third of the price you would pay working with a private counselor or coach. If you would prefer to work with someone in private practice, that would be excellent and beneficial as well.

Some assessments to investigate are the Myers Briggs Type Indicator which looks at personality, Strong Interest Inventory, and StrengthsQuest. Those are my personal favorites. For values assessment, there are card-sort exercises for instance, Values Driven Work. If you would like to utilize a free option to identify skills, there is a wonderful site, O Net, which provides a quick analysis of skills and matches it to particular jobs to explore.

This is fun, easy, quick and can be very informative. http://online.onetcenter.org/skills/

These are a few of the formalized assessments you can do to start to identify your sweet spot. You can also start right now. Start making lists or brain maps or pictures, however you most successfully process information. Start adding things you want and things you don’t want. Add to that things you are good at that you enjoy. Don’t add the things you are good at that you don’t enjoy. You want to focus on strength areas you would like to continue to utilize. Make a list of the things you would do if money was not a concern.

If you could do anything- no barriers, no boundaries, what would you do?

Another way to explore you is to ask yourself probing questions.

• It is Saturday and you have nothing to do, no one to care for, you have plenty of money and no timeframe. What would you do? Where would you go? In what activities would you participate?

• If you had to read a 1,000 page book what topic would you want the book to cover?

• If money/prestige didn’t matter what career would you choose?

Assess yourself. Remind yourself of your passions, your skills, your values and see how they can weave together to create your sweet spot. If all items have to be aligned to create the sweet spot, start by identifying which items need to connect. The next step will be to take those items and finding a place in which they fit.

To be continued…

Director of Brand Management: The Brand? Well… Me…

What is in a brand or a brand name? I was listening to the radio and heard an advertisement for canned vegetables, on sale. They said their vegetables were the “same quality as the name brands.” This statement was repeated four times during the commercial. It got me to think about name brands. Where does that come from? Who decides what a name brand is? Not the consumer, it is the group that is designing, creating and selling the product. We just continue to promote the brand by buying the products, wearing the names on our shoes, clothes or serving them at gatherings. So, the initial creation and branding of a product, sports team, restaurant, etc. comes from the producers of the product themselves. In our careers we need to follow this example. Our brand originates from us. We need to be the creator of our brand and be our own Brand Managers.

Although we all have different job responsibilities and titles and work for various organizations we all work as our own Brand Manager. Not for our company, our non profit organization or even our own business, we are a Brand Manager for ourselves. Have you ever thought of yourself as a brand? If not, my hope is to motivate you to do so. You are your own brand; CEO of, well…you.

David Andrusia and Rick Haskins, co-authors of “Brand Yourself: How to create an identity for a brilliant career,” define a brand as:
“A way of encapsulating and communicating a products power, pitch and position in the most succinct way, the combination of one name and visual image-a personality- that anyone, anywhere will recognize and interpret in precisely the same way. “

This description makes it easy to see how we can manage ourselves as a brand. Just think of people you admire or follow, maybe celebrities, or successful people. They follow this format in creating themselves as a brand. So what makes up our brand? We brand ourselves in the way we speak, the way we write, our actions, our work product all that we do is part of our brand. If you think about it, this concept is very liberating, especially with the economy fluctuating, and unemployment rates rising. When we leave a job, for whatever reason, we take our product with us. The best parts of our work go with us to the next endeavor.

A while back I had a friend who lost his job. Now, I deal with this all day, but when it is personal it’s different. I didn’t know what to say; so, I Googled it. Surprisingly there were a lot of items that came up under my search, “what do I say to a friend who lost his job?” One of the answers struck me and changed my view of the situation. It said not to tell the person “I am sorry you lost your job.” The words we choose can be so powerful! That statement implies two things. First that you lost your job. (Now if you got fired, maybe that is true. If you were laid off, you didn’t lose it, circumstances forced you out). Second, the statement implies that it was your job to lose. The fact is this job was never yours. You filled the position and you brought unique qualities to that position. When you leave the job it is filled by someone else who makes their unique contribution. This is reassuring because you are not losing something that was yours. Everything that belongs to you follows you to the next job! All of the qualities of your brand can continue on. The challenge is to make sure that it does.

So, think about your favorite brand. What makes it different than all of the others? What makes it better than all the others? That is what we are striving for- a uniqueness; a quality that makes us stand out above the rest. Thomas Nehren of Richter7, a marketing/advertising firm in Utah, wrote an article on the importance of branding in a recession. He was referring to corporate branding and spoke of how companies try to avoid "THE DILEMMA OF SAMENESS.” This term can be applied to us. We don’t want to fall into the dilemma of blending into the crowd. When I wrote earlier about strengths, this is what I mean. Those strengths are those things that will help us to stand out. The workforce is declining because there are more educated people, more companies merging and developments in automation continue to put people out of work. So, we are dealing with more competition and less jobs. How do we stand out? The old saying actions speak louder than words is relevant here. Our actions dictate our brand. Even less important than what we say is what we do, and then even more important how it makes others feel. If someone feels you are abrasive or arrogant it doesn’t matter how you try to convince them you are not. That is your brand to them. So even if you are arrogant or abrasive- own it! Don’t let your mouth be saying yes while you are shaking your head no. Be yourself. Be consistent in your brand. If you don’t want to be arrogant or abrasive, work to change it, but recognize your actions are doing a lot more to further your brand than the words you are speaking.

So what are some characteristics of a quality brand?
David F. D’Alessandro, author of “Career Warfare” says the goal is to brand you through the following qualities.

*Earn the organization money
Tell the truth
Be discreet
Keep your promises
Make people want to work for you

*I don’t work for an organization where I can make them money. So, think big on this one. For my job, the money I make is in students. If a student comes into my office and then they like the service I provide and come back, or refer a friend, I have made a little “money” for the college. I play a role in the retention and overall satisfaction of the student, which makes the college money. So, think about what your money is. If you are in sales, it’s obvious. If it isn’t so obvious, think about how your contributions earn the organization money.

The qualities mentioned above are a good place to start. Another place to look to is your boss. Whether you like it or not, your boss determines your brand (at this particular job). If you own your own business, then your focus is managing your brand. If you have a boss, how they see your brand is very important. David D’Alessandro says that bosses want three things. Knowing these things could help your brand.

The boss wants:
Loyalty
Good Advice
To have their personal brand polished

So, if the boss is helping to manage your brand, help them to help you. What I mean is that if you know what your boss is looking for- make it happen. Not for them, for you. Go the extra mile; create something new, again, for you, not them. Of course this makes them look good; it helps to polish their brand. Again, though, when you leave, you take that accomplishment, that thing you created, with you on your resume, to the interview and in the projects, assignments that follow.
We can’t be stagnant. Our brand is developed and managed by the things we do. So, we need to create, produce, contribute- all of those wonderful things that we talk about during the hiring process. The important thing is to think about them NOW. Not when we are looking for a job, not after we have been laid off, not after- RIGHT NOW. We can take action now to develop our brand. Is there a project you have been meaning to get to? Perhaps there is something that interests you that you would like to bring to your group, team or organization. Make time for it; schedule it into your day. Stay up late and do it! The importance of this is thinking about our career in the present tense. What can we do for us right now to show the quality and uniqueness of our brand? Even if your boss never acknowledges that you did it, so what! You created it. It exists. Perhaps somewhere some group is going to need what you have created and you will find your brand to be the only one they want. Do it for yourself. Do it for your brand. Remember we take our product with us wherever we go. We can strive for uniqueness, a divergence from the “dilemma of sameness.” We can always keep moving to make ourselves the best product, better than any of the name brands out there.

If you would like to read more on this subject I would highly recommend the book
“Creating You & Co.” by William Bridges.

The Interview: It's All Mental

When I was growing up I loved basketball. My coach Louie (even more importantly, my dad) always told me that it was “all mental.” I lost my cool sometimes and I would miss my shots over and over again because my head wasn’t in the game. I would then think of the last game, and more negativity would arise. Before I knew it I was carrying around frustration from this game and the last. Of course I found that my frustration bred a continued decline in my performance and my attitude. I was not an ideal teammate then. That negativity affected my play and my role on the team. Looking back, my dad taught me the best lesson for basketball and for life. “It’s all mental.” This same statement applies to our career development. We can be at the top of our game in performance, but if our mental game is off, we can run into a lot of problems in the job search and how potential employers see us as a member of the team. When it comes to the interview, it is all mental. Our state of mind, our past history and our most recent experiences will make their way into the interview. It is good to plan for that, to know it ahead of time, so that it is our true self, not our past experiences that come through.

For example, I recently had a student who was laid off from his job. He has been searching for jobs for months now. He is feeling down, stressed out and it is coming out in his interviews. Which of course, then makes it harder for him to get a job. It is the domino effect and it builds and builds if we don't grab hold of it. The problem is real. We all have baggage from our past jobs. Not every situation ends well- and sometimes, if we are not aware it will creep up into our job search and create a barrier to our success. Here are some tips to make sure your past job isn’t going to make an appearance in your present interview.

Beware of the traps you could fall into:

More than likely you can expect to hear a question that sounds similar to, “What do you think of your present/former boss?” Now I know you want to tell the truth and unload on them about your past boss. Don’t do it! That will only paint a negative impression of you. Be honest, find the one thing you can compliment your boss on and move on. For example if he/she is very knowledgeable with technology, express how you are constantly impressed with their use of technology and how it contributes to the goals of the organization. They have to have one positive thing you can say- focus on that one thing, be brief and move on. Negativity does not reflect poorly on your boss, it will be used against you, so keep it neutral.

How to avoid the trap: Practice

There are ways to avoid the trap. Practice is the best way to ensure comfort when this question comes up. First, practice your true answer, the one you would never dream of telling an interviewer. Sit in a room with a friend or significant other and have them ask you the question. Do this ahead of time and then again the night before. Unload everything you really want to say. Get it off your chest. Then, rehearse, a few times, the very clear and neutral answer you will give in the interview. Prepare ahead of time if you think this could be a trap you would fall into. This practice goes for anything that might be lingering from your career past. Anger, frustration and disappointment translate to negativity for the interviewer. Again, practice an unfiltered interview with a trusted friend or person that knows your situation. Tell them exactly what you would like to say to relieve the burden. Then go into the interview and focus only on what you have to offer.

The art of transforming the negative to positive

So how do you go about saying good things about a bad job or situation? “The key is to focus on yourself rather than the employer.” (Robert Holton, Making a Negative Sound Positive). Don’t worry about the past company; this is your chance to focus on you. What did you accomplish while you were there? What impact did you make? That is all the employer wants to hear because that dictates your future performance. Show them that you are the solution to their problem. Focus on your outcomes, your personal accomplishments; this is your time to shine. So in reality you don’t have to talk about a past job at all or the fact that you were laid off/fired/quit. What you can focus on is what you personally did with the time you had there.
This suggestion in no way implies to ignore your feelings. They are true and real and it is important to evaluate them, accept them and process them. When you deal with the concerns you may have you will slowly begin to let them go. My point is to stress that this process should be done before the interview. Know your potential barriers. Know the tough questions they might ask. If you have a long block of time where you are unemployed, expect to be asked about it. Be honest, be brief and don’t get personal. If you were laid off and it is taking you a while to find a job, find a neutral way to present that. However, try not to be caught off-guard. Be ready for it, you know it is coming.

Below are some questions to help you process your thoughts and feelings. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I pulled questions from “Acing the Interview: How to Ask and Answer the Questions That Will Get You the Job.” by Tony Beshara. These are questions you can ask yourself to focus on your strengths, your areas you can develop and liabilities:

What are my professional strengths?

Can and do I explain my experience, background and previous positions clearly and concisely?
How can I demonstrate that my strengths have been benefits to the people I’ve worked for in the past?

What are two or three of the most important features of my background that will be benefits to a company that I might be interviewing with?

How will I clearly communicate myself and my benefits to a prospective employer?
What are the facts or issues in my background or experience that might be perceived as liabilities to a perspective employer?

How am I going to offset, minimize or mitigate these perceived liabilities?

Can I turn these perceived liabilities into advantages to a prospective employer?

How can I avoid being defensive about the mistakes that I’ve made in the past? How can I make them positives?

The interview is all mental because it is about your attitude, your presence and your ability to articulate your potential for success in this position. Attitude is everything in the interview just as it was in basketball. I could shoot and shoot all night, but until my head was in the game I always failed to get the ball in the hoop. Enthusiasm, smiles, good feelings and positive energy are all things that attract an employer. That comes from you feeling good about the situation and about you. Your head will be in the interview game if you process your thoughts ahead of time and go in with a game plan. Show up with your best, most genuine , unburdened self and your positive energy will radiate from you even before you say a word.

You have to sell yourself; no one will do it for you

I have met with multiple students in the last two weeks who were comfortable talking with me until I ask them about their strengths. I asked, “What were you really good at in your job?” They stare back at me with a blank face as if I just asked them to split the atom. “I don’t know” is the standard response. I figure I would be a really bad career counselor if I let it go at that. I tell them we have to figure it out- and quick! Knowing our strengths is the only way we can promote ourselves as strong candidates and make it clear to the potential employer that we are the only one for the job. It is our responsibility not to sell ourselves short.

Marcus Buckingham, author of, “Now Discover your Strengths” spoke in a workshop to a group of professionals on television. He told a story of his son, who was incredibly bad at math, and kept bringing home bad grades. The rest of the report card was wonderful. His son was excelling in every other area. He found himself focusing entirely on the bad grade. He started to wonder why. The truth is we learn to focus on that which we can’t do instead of continuing to develop the skills we naturally possess. When Mr. Buckingham decided to focus on the areas where his son did well, he saw that his son was happier. He continued to thrive in other areas of his education. His message was- focus on the areas you excel and continue to develop them. When we focus on strengthening those areas, the potential is limitless.

So, my message would be FIRST: WE HAVE TO KNOW THE AREAS IN WHICH WE EXCEL! Second we have to continue to develop them and be comfortable articulating them in our career. The potential employer can guess and guess what our strengths are, but they are not mind readers, if we don’t tell them, how will they ever know?

Has a supervisor or colleague ever told you something they think you do well? In your performance evaluation are you constantly recognized for something you bring to the position? When your friends compliment you, what do they say? It takes some investigation into you. Don’t be afraid to look closer! You will be amazed at what you discover. Don’t be afraid to ask. Those who care about you will enjoy getting to play a part in your career development.

I met with a student who came in with a resume that was half a page. He said, “Brianna I don’t know how I am going to get an internship, I have nothing to put on my resume.” That is when I remember why I am here. I am fortunate enough to be able to help this person build their resume, and it is my responsibility to work with him to develop the document. So, we did. It took some probing for sure, but he left with a full resume and an excitement about the possibilities. The beauty was that I had nothing to do with it. It came from him. It was his insight into himself, and his accomplishments. I just asked the questions. He felt proud because he was able to recall all of the wonderful things he had done. He was getting a nice view of himself from the inside.

Here are some of the questions I asked him:

What are you most proud of?

What are you really good at?

If you weren’t at that particular job, how would the company/organization be different?

What did your colleagues/customers say about you?

After a little investigation we were able to uncover a great amount of valuable experience, skills and qualities he could bring to his desired internship. So, ask yourself the questions above. Even if you are not currently in a job search, it is a valuable exercise. If you have trouble, talk with someone. Ask them how they would describe your strengths and your accomplishments.

Laurie Edwards, Director of Learner and Workplace Services for Novia Scotia Community College, promotes her term of “Radical Careering.” She has eliminated her questions to students about weaknesses. “We want clients to think about their gifts and talents. Instead of trying to teach students how to overcome what they can’t do, let’s get them to focus on their natural talents.”

Two of her questions are:

How will you make a difference?

Tell me about a time when you operated at your best? What were you doing? What skills or talents were you using?

After you ask yourself these questions start making a list of your strengths, of the accomplishments and products of your work. Put it down on paper. Then translate that to your resume. Results get a resume read. Outcomes get you in the door. Show them, don’t tell them. Show them through examples of your strengths. Remember to be specific. Practice being proud of what you have accomplished and willing to make it known. Pat yourself on the back or ask a loved one to pat you on the back and say, “nice work.” After you have a nice laugh, take it seriously. When a potential employer asks you about your accomplishments, be ready. When you are asked a question about contributions you have made, don’t only be ready, but get excited! This is your chance to show who you are, what you have to offer, and the impact that you will make. Show enthusiasm for what you have accomplished. I know about the desire to remain humble. I get it. I respect it. However in this case we need to get over it. Sharing our strengths is not being arrogant. Being arrogant is different than being specific and enthusiastic. If you are genuine and proud to present yourself you will not come off as arrogant. If you are afraid to tell them what you are good at you will find yourself frustrated by the job search process and the interview. Know your strengths. Share what you can contribute and you will find those interviews quickly changing to career possibilities.

A New Approach to Networking

Not always immediate results
Networking is something that happens over time. You have to establish a relationship and the benefits of networking will reveal themselves to you. Networking is a two-way relationship. It takes time for a person to get to know you, your strengths and the extent of your abilities. Enter into networking for the long-term, the payoffs will be great and you will develop meaningful, beneficial relationships.

Every person you meet is in your network
The person in front of you in line is in your network. Your classmates, your faculty, your mechanic and your stylist are all valuable members of your network. Engage with people; tell them about you and ask about them. You never know who you will meet in an airport, in a coffee shop or waiting for your car to be serviced. Be open to meeting many individuals and be prepared to present to them who you are and what you hope to accomplish.

Take time to listen
For those who feel networking is a daunting or insincere task, this is for you! Networking is a relationship. That means every time you talk you should be listening twice as much. Ask questions and really hear people. Try not to be nervous and worry about what you are going to say. If you are thinking about what to say next, you are not listening. Truly be present and listen you will find that the conversation flows easily. You can learn a lot from those around you and they can learn from you. Make sure your networking consists of valuable conversations, and if you feel as if you are talking too much, you probably are.

Write thank you notes
One of the forgotten arts of networking and etiquette is writing a hand-written thank you note. If someone shares time with you, write them a note to thank them for taking time out of their busy day. If they show you around their office, write a note. If they introduce you to someone who can help you in your career, write a note. Write a hand written note. Email doesn’t provide the same effect. Buy a package of thank-you notes and keep them handy!

Organize a list of your network
It is much easier to keep track of your network if their names, email addresses and phone numbers are all in one place. Where do they work? How do you know them? Where did you meet? Keep a record of your interactions. Jot it down if you send a card. Keep track of how you are keeping in touch. This helps you avoid double contact or forgetting who a person is or how they fit into your network. Make it easy on yourself; the career journey is hard enough.

Request information, not a job
Networking is not about asking for a job. You want to make sure you are asking for information. “Is there someone you know that I could speak with about careers in Finance?” Find out how they got to where they are. Ask what they like about their job. Ask them if they have ideas about your career plans. What do they suggest? The more they know about you, the more they can help. Asking for a job is a dead end. Ask questions that will keep the communication flowing.

Know what you need to accomplish
Focus on your objective. Make every meeting, every conversation count. Prepare questions in advance. Research the person or their company before you meet. If you are attending a networking event, decide what you hope to accomplish. You know who to meet and you won’t feel as if you are wandering aimlessly. Having a focus will ensure you are maximizing your time and the time of those you meet.

A tough economy and the job search: What’s a new grad to do?

Fall 2008

As a career counselor it is hard to see students return after graduation because they have spent months on the job search and are still unemployed. It is even harder to get a graduating class excited about the future when the unemployment rate is high and companies are scaling back on their workforce. For those of you graduating in December and May- get excited! The job search is not impossible, there are opportunities out there. It is important to make sure you conduct your job search in a smart, focused way. Finding a job will not happen over night. It is important to lay a foundation through connections, research, patience and perseverance. As they say it is not about working harder, just smarter.
Here are some suggestions on how to search smart:
Network, Network, Network
In a tough job market you are more likely to find out about opportunities through your network. Who defines your network? Family, friends, faculty, the Career Resource Center on campus, Westminster alumni, your peers, supervisors, those who have worked with you during your volunteer activities, and anyone you know involved in the same extra curricular activities, all are members of your network. Do not rely on your resume only. Meeting people and staying in touch will produce more leads and more activity than your resume alone.
Communicate with your network about what you are working on in your last semester and what types of opportunities you look forward to after graduation. You are not asking for a job, just keeping in touch.
Attend as many types of events as possible. You never know who you will meet. The person sitting next to you at the event might prove to be a great connection. Get to know people, learn about their experiences and tell them about yours.
Break out of the networking mold! If you have tried a couple of networking activities- change it up, try something new. Join a professional organization and get to know a new group of individuals with similar interests. Most organizations offer a discount rate for student members.
Take advantage of the great things happening on campus! There are so many great networking opportunities sponsored by clubs or programs on campus. Everyday there is an opportunity to learn something new and meet new people outside your classroom. Try attending one new event this month. See who you meet!
Volunteering is a great way to network and get involved. You will have an opportunity to work on projects that are important to you, gain new skills and meet new individuals. This is a great way to showcase and develop your skills and organizations are always in need of extra help.
Don’t lower your expectations, manage your expectations
Remember that a college degree never guarantees a job after you graduate- especially in a struggling economy. That is not to say that you should just accept anything nor should you feel desperate. However, you are better able to ensure your success if your expectations are reasonable. For example, don’t expect to come out of school with a degree and job offer in-hand. It takes work, it takes time and it takes discipline. In other words- plan ahead! Start now! A quality job search will take months, not days, so don’t wait until you are desperate for money and will take anything to cover your expenses. Get your resume together now. Practice for interviews. Start doing research on potential companies and positions which are of interest to you.
Another way to manage expectations is to realize this will not be your only job. This will be your first job and it is important to get the experience. Money is important of course, but experience is far more valuable at this stage of your career. You don’t start at the top; you have to work your way up. If you want to work at a specific company, get a job where you can and work hard to gain mobility. You will also gain experience, get to know people and take on various projects which can propel you in the direction you want to go. Your career is a journey with many stops along the way. You won’t start at your destination. Again, don’t wait until you are desperate and go after jobs that aren’t right for you. Employers can sense desperation- you want to be calm, collected and confident in your search. So get started early!
Stay positive. Employers want to hire, excited, positive people. When you share information with your network- keep it positive. Let the words you share be filled with optimism and excitement. You don’t want them to know if you are having a difficult time in your search. People are much more inclined to refer positive, upbeat individuals.
Focus on what you want
In order to conduct a successful search you have to know two things. The first is you have to know yourself. What are your interests, skills and values? What do you enjoy? What do you hope to gain from a career? What type of organization or industry appeals to you? These are important questions to ask yourself. Your objective statement at the top of the resume is a statement of intent. Your objective is to obtain a specific job with a specific company. You have to know your goal before you can go after it. Know what you want, then begin your focused search.
In order to reach your goals it is important to be informed. Do your research. Get to know companies and organizations that are out there. When you find one you like get to know them. Find out their mission, their vision for the future and understand as much as you can how your desired position fits into that vision. All employers are looking to fill a need when they hire someone. They have identified something that they need and seek to find someone to fill it. You want to show the employer you are the best person to fill that need. You accomplish that by doing research. Find out what areas they are looking to develop and emphasize your skills that would help in that area. Come up with a plan to present addressing how they can overcome an area of difficulty. If they are looking to expand their sales in a certain region, prepare a list of leads to bring with you to a meeting or an interview. The more you know about the organization the more you know about how you can benefit them. In a slow economy, employers want to know you will be creative, proactive and invested- research will allow you to bring to their attention that which you know will be invaluable to them.
Graduating from college is a transition. Getting a job is transition. When you are doing both simultaneously there is bound to be some stress. Add a struggling economy to that mix and stress can quickly turn to anxiety. There are ways to prevent anxiety. This process is not impossible, just perhaps more challenging. To overcome those challenges it will take a bit more creativity, more energy and more focus. Remember to give yourself plenty of time to be creative and to get focused. Most importantly remember to stay positive. The search might be a bit longer than you planned, but it is possible, you just have to work smart.

Your Online Presence

There are many ways you can help your job search. Using the Career Resource Center on campus to have a resume reviewed, do a mock interview, or utilize any other of the many services are great ways to enhance your career. One important step in your job search might be less obvious, but no less important- managing your online presence. In addition to keeping up your reputation in the classroom and elsewhere, it is vital to represent yourself online in the best way possible. Employers and graduate schools have commonly searched Google, Yahoo! and other search engines to find out more about potential candidates. A new wave of background search is now being done through online communities. Your Facebook or MySpace account is at risk of being evaluated by a potential employer. Although there are questions as to whether this practice is ethical or acceptable, the fact remains that 35% of hiring managers use Google to do online background checks on job candidates, and 23% look people up on social networking sites according to a survey done in March 2007 by the Ponemon Institute, a privacy think tank. About one-third of those Web searches lead to rejections according to the same survey.
Although there is no need to immediately cancel all of your accounts there is some action you should take to manage your online presence. The first step is to use your common sense. Yes, this is a free country and yes, these are your private accounts. However, the simple fact is that people have access to your information when you post it on the World Wide Web. It is important to be cognizant of the fact that the internet is not private, nor do you have control over what ends up available for the world to see. Manage your reputation by doing a search of your name. Be aware of what comes up in Google, Yahoo! or any other search engine. Edit your “wall” or your “comments” section of your page making sure what your friends say is not inappropriate. Do not use violent, racist or demeaning comments in blogs, profiles or personal pages. Even if you are not serious, these comments can negatively affect your job search. Also, make sure you set your profile to the highest security settings possible.
The bottom line is that every day we are trying to manage our reputations. It is important to remember that the image we present in cyberspace often tells more about who we are than our resumes or graduate school applications. Recruiters are under pressure to find quality candidates and they do not want to be responsible for tarnishing their company or schools reputation- or their own. “The term they’ve (employers) used over and over is red flags,” said Trudy Steinfeld, executive director of New York Universities Center for Career Development. “Is there something about their lifestyle that we might find questionable or that we might find goes against the core values of our corporation?” Remember two things and you can’t go wrong; integrity and good judgment. Both are vital qualities recruiters look for in a candidate for any position. If you are having a hard time figuring out what would be acceptable on your personal page, consider if it is something you would be comfortable sharing with your grandmother. For more information on managing your online profile please contact the Career Resource Center at (801)832-2590.
References:
Job Candidates get tripped up by Facebook. MSNBC. August 14, 2007. (MSNBC.com)
What you say online can haunt you. USA TODAY. 2007. (USATODAY.com)
For some, online persona undermines a resume. The New York Times, June 11, 2006. (nytimes.com)