Everyone has a story about the job they wanted but didn’t get. In this thought-provoking article, Shannon talks about why she believes that women are often the reason you don’t have a job today, and what you can do to change your future.
The “you’re the reason why you don’t have a job” is a phrase that people often say to someone who is unhappy with their current position. The person who says this usually means it as a way of motivating the other person to make a change.
I’ve had a number of job opportunities in the last several months. These occupations ranged from personal assistants to inside sales reps, and they were for a variety of professions. During my little experience recruiting competent individuals, I’ve discovered one very crucial fact about you: you’re the sole reason you don’t have a job. Get out of your own way, then!
Steps to land a job:
1. Make a strong resume
Make sure your resume is concise and to the point when you send it in. When I placed an ad for a personal assistant on Monster.com, I received a flood of 5-page resumes. I realize that it’s difficult for those of you with a lot of job experience to put everything on one page, but your aim should be to have no more than two pages. Employers believe you’re working too hard if you have to read more than two pages. You not only come off as desperate, but it also raises the issue of why you’ve never been able to hold down steady employment. Another thing to remember before submitting a resume is to proofread it for grammatical and spelling mistakes. Small errors like this indicate to prospective employers that you will not be meticulous in your job, which is a big turnoff.
2. Personalize your message
I despise it when someone applies for a job and all it says is: Who This Letter Is Addressed To: My resume is attached. I eagerly await your response.
Sincerely, Jennifer
Do you believe I’ll really reply to Jennifer? There’s no way. How can I trust her to interact with my clients if she couldn’t spend one minute customizing her CV for me? Demonstrate your excitement by telling us a little about yourself and why you think you’d be a good fit for the position. A simple cover letter may make a big difference.
You must market yourself, but not excessively. Don’t include hot images of yourself if you’ve been blessed with excellent looks. Yes, this has occurred to me on many occasions. It’s just humiliating! I’m not going to employ someone just on the basis of her (or his) appearance. I’m searching for individuals who can help me earn more money.
3. Complete your assignment
If you’re aware that I’m searching for a developer, do some research about my business and the criteria for the position. Instead of displaying your complete skill set, your CV should be customized to my vacancy. Last week, I was contacted by someone who claimed to be a great programmer and wanted to work for KISSmetrics. I advised them to send their resumes to support@kissmetrics.com since we are constantly seeking for skilled engineers to join our team. However, when the KISSmetrics team looked at the CV, we found that it was more focused on the person’s marketing experience than his or her development abilities.
So, when you apply for employment, make sure you tailor your presentation to the particular job opportunity. No one looks for a jack-of-all-trades since we all know they don’t exist.
4. Always arrive on time
If everything else went well and you were offered an in-person interview, make sure you arrive on time. You’d be shocked at how many individuals ignored me after agreeing to meet at a certain time. They were either late or did not arrive at all. Time is money, and if you can’t be on time, a prospective employer will not hire you. If you have an emergency and can’t make it, phone or email your boss to let him or her know you won’t be able to make it and why. You’ll have a better chance of not obtaining the job, but at least you won’t seem like a jerk.
5. Don’t lie
The most serious mistake you can make is to lie in an interview. It’s safe to presume that your future employer isn’t a moron. After all, to be in that position, he or she must have done something well. So, if you lie, there’s a good possibility you’ll be caught. Even if it hurts you, tell the truth. It’s in our instinct to strive to make oneself seem as good as possible. So, if someone asks whether you can do something and you can’t, tell them you can’t but that you’re ready to learn. I promise you will not get employed if you are found lying. Don’t ruin it by uttering a little fib if you’ve come this far.
6. Follow up
I’ve had a lot of applicants that were ideal for the positions I’ve had available. They followed all of the procedures exactly, but they failed to perform one crucial step: follow-up. If I inform you that you’ve been employed, please contact me as soon as possible. You’d be surprised at how many individuals vanished off the face of the planet after I hired them. It wasn’t because they didn’t like my business or because they got a better job when I eventually discovered out why—it was because their personal lives were distracting them. Make a list of your priorities. If you can’t, the least you can do is inform the employer that you are unable to work for him or her rather than keeping the employer in the dark. It’s simply a matter of basic politeness.
Conclusion
I know, the economy is terrible, and you can’t seem to find work, can you? Stop blaming the economy; there are plenty of employment opportunities. All you have to do now is search for them. Most of the business owners I know, including myself, are recruiting. The most difficult issue we’re having is finding individuals who are hungry, scrappy, and clever.
If you believe you are hungry, hardworking, and intelligent, the following is the greatest method to find work:
- Employ your network – businesses are more inclined to employ individuals who have been recommended to them. We don’t like spending time on poor hiring, therefore we’d rather take a chance and go with a referral.
- Don’t wait for a job opportunity to apply – the greatest error you can make is just applying to businesses that have vacancies. If you really believe you can assist a business is growing and you see that the firm is making errors, contact these individuals and inform them of all the issues that need to be addressed. When you do that, you’ll be amazed at how many businesses will employ you. You’ll almost certainly be paid extra.
- Don’t be afraid to speak out – what’s best for the business is usually best for you. During an interview, there is no need to equivocate. If you’re honest and tell it like it is, you’ll have a better chance of landing a job. Make sure you’re not telling me what I want to hear. Rather, tell me what’s best for my company.
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