The job search isn’t just about resumes, responding to newspaper job ads, and interviewing anymore. It’s all about selling yourself. Here are some important points to consider as you begin your job search.
1. Follow the Girl Scout motto: Be Prepared. Do your research prior to meeting or contacting the company you are interested in working for. This means a variety of things inlcuding visiting the company website, researching their stock performance, and knowing that position qualifications and speaking to them. Have marketing tools ready to go including your sales pitch, resume, coverletter, business cards, and portfolio.
2. It’s a numbers game. Sales is a numbers game. I often use a deck of cards as an example. Consider the face cards as sales or interviews. The remaining cards are all no’s. As you flip through the deck of cards you may come across 12 consecutive no’s before coming upon a yes.
3. Be confident. Part of being a successful sales person is being confident, and it all starts with you. Dressing the part, a firm handshake, and good eye contact are a good start.
4. Keep it professional. Unless you are indepently wealthy or just lucky, having a job means being able to pay your bills. It’s very easy to cross the line from professional to personal. Always try to keep an open mind, an even keel, and keep your focus.
5. Opportunity knocks. Your sales opportunity can happen anytime and anywhere. Greet everyone you meet. Be ready with marketing materials and be prepared to sell. Networking opportunities happen at the most unusual places including Starbucks, the grocery store, movie theatre, and a Halloween party.
Finding the right job that meets your personal, professional, and finaicial goals is a full time job. However, with proper preparation, research, and a little bit of luck you’ll be off to a great start.
Next time. . . More Job Hunting on the Edge. Crazy, creative networking and job search ideas to get you noticed.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Jessica! I love your blog and am finding it very helpful. As a member of a women’s networking organization, I get a lot of questions from soon-to-be and new college grads on how to structure their resumes to highlight their experience even when it’s not actual on-the-job experience. Many have completed internships, but work the typical waitressing-type positions to get them through college. I’m curious as to what you would recommend.
Hi Anonymous!
See my newest blog post on college grads. As far as resume writing is concerned, check out one of my first blog posts in 2007, titled The Resume. Waitressing, is a tough job, however, it offers student valuable experiences in sales, negotiation, time management, and developing relationships. You can use the resume to market these valuable skills. The resume only gets your foot in the door, it’s up to the recent grad to sell these experiences in the interview and how they can be used in the position and company they are interviewing with.
Thanks for your comment!!
Cheers! Jessica