Some Advice for the Job Hunting Trail

by George Lorenzo

I recently read an article from Forbes titled “The Biggest Mistakes 20-Something Job Seekers Make” (see http://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2013/07/31/the-biggest-mistakes-20-something-job-seekers-make-2/print/).  I both agreed and disagreed with some of the statements made by the writer of this article. First off, she referred to a counselor who said that “too many parents tell their offspring that they have to earn a living, and then let them live at home indefinitely rent-free.” I don’t see anything wrong with letting your children live at home indefinitely rent free. I think that things are hard enough for them to force them out of the house when they may not be ready. I think most young people want to get out on their own and if you give them enough space, eventually they will. I also believe that letting your children know that they are always welcome home is vitally important overall. It gives them a sense of security to know that they have something to fall back on. It also allows them to take risks and feel out the job market until they find something that they really like doing. Just knowing that home is always an option is definitely good to have, and not everyone has that option

In another piece of advice, the writer noted that “young job seekers often just glance at a company website before an interview. Instead they should read everything on the site, search for news clippings about the company, and track social media information, like Twitter feeds, on company managers.” Now that’s really sound advice and I would think that 20-somethings already are savvy enough to track social media but perhaps are not as information literate as they could be. (More on information literacy and how it applies to the world of job searching in a later post.)

The writer also warned about making sure that Facebook accounts do not reveal all kinds of embarrassing, reputation-ruining information about their unprofessional lives.

Also, in what I thought was the soundest piece of advice offered, it was noted that “people find jobs through people they know, rather than through advertisements. If you see a listing for a job, try to find a personal connection to the employer and use that as your entry point.” Yes, indeed, if at all possible do this. However, it is definitely easier said than done. This is where, as I have said before, effective email communication can be utilized. One way to start an email communication is to find the HR director from the company you are seeking to get hired with through LinkedIn. Send a request to connect with them, either through a common LinkedIn group you may be belong to, or through a direct inquiry. Of course, be extraordinarily polite and explain that you are trying to be proactive in your job inquiry (see me earlier post about email communications).

Finally, my advice, not the aforementioned writer’s, is to try to remain optimistic and don’t give up. Try different strategies and ways to communicate and network with people who may provide helpful insights. It’s extremely difficult to remain positive when you get one rejection letter after another – none of which offer any kind of real reason why you did not reach the interview phase. I’m fairly convinced – not yet fully convinced – that the majority of online advertisements for jobs already have a strong internal, local, or well-connected candidate in mind and are just going through the motions of making it look like they are being fair-minded in their hiring practices.  Under these kinds of circumstances, building a network of professionals through active communications, face-to-face when possible and online via social media and email, is probably a more effective exercise than spending time writing cover letters and re-writing your resume to fit jobs that really have no intention of hiring you despite your qualifications.