How To Get a Job
posted by Larry Weintraub | 1:55 PM |
We're hiring at Fanscape. That's the good news. It means we're doing well. Which as you know, is not something everyone can say these days. The flip side to that is that every time we post for a job, we get a slew of resumes.
I wrote a few weeks ago about "losing big" when you go for a job. That was meant for college grads trying to get an edge. But some of the same ideas can translate to those who graduated many moons ago but are trying to get in with my company or any other for that matter. In that post I wrote about making sure your LinkedIn profile was top notch and making sure you had a blog. One to show your professional side, the other to show who you are as a person. I also wrote about showing confidence because most don't.
Here are a few other tips that I can give you to help you with getting a job at our company and others. (note: we really do need great people here, so this is not meant to be frustrating, quite the contrary, this will hopefully give you an edge)
Do you have the experience we need?
I know you need a job. I feel for you, I really do. I hope you are the person we are looking for. But if you are not, please acknowledge that before you apply. Don't burn the bridge. If you send a resume that clearly shows you are not qualified then we won't call on you next time. And there will be a next time.
If you get to the next round which means you talk to our HR/Recruiting folks, then be prepared to discuss how you have the experience that speaks directly to what the job description states. Don't make it up. Please. Again, if you aggravate the recruiters, they won't call on you next time. Stay on track, speak directly to the specifics of the job description and how you possess the skills required. Give great examples.
If you realize early on that you are not right for the job, stop the interview. Say something like, "you know what, I love what your company does. I hope to be a member of your team at some point soon. I am an expert in _________. I can do that job better than anyone and I would love to do it for you. But I think what you need right now is something else." I can't tell you how many brownie points you will earn by doing that. We are all so busy and if you can save time, you'll help yourself and us.
Are you an expert?
What are you an expert at? We're all experts at something. If you aren't, then it just means that either you aren't focused on one particular area or you just don't realize that you are an expert. Hek, it could be washing a car or at building iPhone apps. So, the question here is whether you are an expert in the job we're looking to hire. We have numerous jobs open and they are in vastly different areas. There is room for different types of experts. One job requires an expert at organizing an office, another requires an expert at social media, and another requires an expert at client management.
If you are an expert in one of these areas, make sure you plan how to explain that you are an expert.
Our world has shifted. If you spoke to me 10 years ago, we just wanted smart people who could figure things out and grow with us. Now we're looking for experts in particular areas. It's just what we need right now. I've learned in my many years of managing companies and departments that you need to find experts. And you don't make those experts become something they are not. Allow them to thrive in their area of expertise.
So, if you are looking at the job descriptions for my company or any company, ask yourself, am I an expert? Then apply for that job and go for it. Win it.
How do you stay ahead?
If you are an expert, then the next question is how you stay ahead? How do you continue to be an expert and not fall behind. If you work in my line of work, social media, then you know that it changes hourly. Staying ahead requires constant reading, studying, participating, meeting, and just plain inhaling your area of expertise. Be prepared to answer how you stay ahead. Anybody that hires you is going to want to know that you live to learn. That you are not the kind of person that becomes complacent.
Does all of that make sense? Again, as I mentioned previously, this is all meant to inspire and not discourage. It is highly competitive, but if you are great at the jobs we're offering or anyone is offering, make sure that you state that clearly when you get the opportunity. And if you are not, don't push. There will be more opportunities. Trust me, there will be many many more opportunities.
If you like where I'm going with this, read my friend Derek Sivers' most recent post about "How to get hired." He gives some great advice that works well in tandem with what I've just told you.
I wrote a few weeks ago about "losing big" when you go for a job. That was meant for college grads trying to get an edge. But some of the same ideas can translate to those who graduated many moons ago but are trying to get in with my company or any other for that matter. In that post I wrote about making sure your LinkedIn profile was top notch and making sure you had a blog. One to show your professional side, the other to show who you are as a person. I also wrote about showing confidence because most don't.Here are a few other tips that I can give you to help you with getting a job at our company and others. (note: we really do need great people here, so this is not meant to be frustrating, quite the contrary, this will hopefully give you an edge)
- Do you have the experience we need?
- Are you an expert?
- How do you stay ahead?
Do you have the experience we need?
I know you need a job. I feel for you, I really do. I hope you are the person we are looking for. But if you are not, please acknowledge that before you apply. Don't burn the bridge. If you send a resume that clearly shows you are not qualified then we won't call on you next time. And there will be a next time.
If you get to the next round which means you talk to our HR/Recruiting folks, then be prepared to discuss how you have the experience that speaks directly to what the job description states. Don't make it up. Please. Again, if you aggravate the recruiters, they won't call on you next time. Stay on track, speak directly to the specifics of the job description and how you possess the skills required. Give great examples.
If you realize early on that you are not right for the job, stop the interview. Say something like, "you know what, I love what your company does. I hope to be a member of your team at some point soon. I am an expert in _________. I can do that job better than anyone and I would love to do it for you. But I think what you need right now is something else." I can't tell you how many brownie points you will earn by doing that. We are all so busy and if you can save time, you'll help yourself and us.
Are you an expert?
What are you an expert at? We're all experts at something. If you aren't, then it just means that either you aren't focused on one particular area or you just don't realize that you are an expert. Hek, it could be washing a car or at building iPhone apps. So, the question here is whether you are an expert in the job we're looking to hire. We have numerous jobs open and they are in vastly different areas. There is room for different types of experts. One job requires an expert at organizing an office, another requires an expert at social media, and another requires an expert at client management.
If you are an expert in one of these areas, make sure you plan how to explain that you are an expert.
Our world has shifted. If you spoke to me 10 years ago, we just wanted smart people who could figure things out and grow with us. Now we're looking for experts in particular areas. It's just what we need right now. I've learned in my many years of managing companies and departments that you need to find experts. And you don't make those experts become something they are not. Allow them to thrive in their area of expertise.
So, if you are looking at the job descriptions for my company or any company, ask yourself, am I an expert? Then apply for that job and go for it. Win it.
How do you stay ahead?
If you are an expert, then the next question is how you stay ahead? How do you continue to be an expert and not fall behind. If you work in my line of work, social media, then you know that it changes hourly. Staying ahead requires constant reading, studying, participating, meeting, and just plain inhaling your area of expertise. Be prepared to answer how you stay ahead. Anybody that hires you is going to want to know that you live to learn. That you are not the kind of person that becomes complacent.
Does all of that make sense? Again, as I mentioned previously, this is all meant to inspire and not discourage. It is highly competitive, but if you are great at the jobs we're offering or anyone is offering, make sure that you state that clearly when you get the opportunity. And if you are not, don't push. There will be more opportunities. Trust me, there will be many many more opportunities.
If you like where I'm going with this, read my friend Derek Sivers' most recent post about "How to get hired." He gives some great advice that works well in tandem with what I've just told you.
Labels: advice, derek sivers, hiring, job
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I see much in life as a possible business. It is exciting, but also torturous. I just don’t have enough time. A new idea often sends me into hours of thought, research, and ultimately deviation from what I really need to do in a day. I believe that the Internet has made it easy for anyone to create a business. I believe that the Internet has made nearly everything in life easier. I believe that trying to impact the masses is a tough notion, but finding a group of people similar to you, is at your fingertips. I believe that music is free, and that is not a good thing. I believe that life is a collection of experiences and that every day I learn something new and forget something slightly new.
1 Comments:
Hey Larry,
I'm the guy who runs BlogcastFM. We met at the #140 Conference. Anyways, I think this is a really interesting point because I think that far too many people try to force themselves into less than ideal roles just because they need a job. There are MBA student friends of mine who have gone on job interviews for jobs that they are clearly not a fit for. To some degree the employers are guilty of calling them in as well. But I've told them that there is no point to going to some of these interviews. During my job search I got to the point where I didn't have any issue telling an employer I was looking for a job that was not entry level since I had just completed an MBA. I think that people should stick to having standards when searching for a job because ultimately that helps the employee and the company
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