Q: I am a looking for a job right now. It’s stressful and I need help, but everyone I speak with has a different opinion. I’m not sure who to listen to and which books or Web sites to trust. Any advice on how to wade through all the information?
A: It’s nice to know that people care and want to help, but it is hard to tell the good advice from the bad. Then there are books and Internet sites with more suggestions. Add the emails, blogs and tweets to the mix and I totally understand how you feel. So let’s turn down the background noise and concentrate on the current protocol for a job search.
Manage your digital footprint: During a job search, it’s smart to use social media, but make sure that your on-line reputation remains professional and appropriate. Recruiters and hiring managers will be checking you out on-line. Don’t kill your chances by having anything out there that will cause someone to question your judgment or character. This includes photos or content posted on the Web. If you have questionable content on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter or elsewhere, you can be sure that someone will find it.
Make it easy for people to get in touch with you: Your email address should be close enough to your name, that someone who gets hundreds of emails a day will be able to indentify your messages in their inbox. I have worked with clients who had email addresses like trs49324X@domain.com. I found it impossible to keep track of them when scanning my inbox. Also resist the temptation to use a cute email address like Ilovetodance@domain.com. Unless you are a professional dancer, this won’t help you. Cell phones offer great convenience but please don’t force callers to listen to music while waiting to speak to you. Call me old fashioned, but simple, professional messages work best.
Your résumé: As your key marketing tool, make sure your résumé presents you in a professional manner. Ensure there are no typos by having several people proof it. I often get questions about how many pages a résumé should be. This depends on how much experience you have. Generally, new grads and those with up to five years of experience should be able to fit their résumé on a single page. For those with more than 5 years experience, two pages are fine. If you have many years of experience, your resume should not go back more than 15 to 20 years. I discourage having more than two pages except for those in academia, where a curriculum vitae or CV may be used instead of a resume. It is longer and contains a wider variety of information.
Cover Letters: There is confusion about the importance of this document. In my experience, the most common mistake is using a generic or standard cover letter. The cover letter provides a golden opportunity to demonstrate why you are the candidate to hire. At issue is the level of customization that should go into a cover letter. A cover letter that clearly links your qualifications to the stated job requirements can dramatically increase your response rate. I recommend copying the actual job requirements into the body of the cover letter. Write a concise accomplishment statement next to each requirement to demonstrate how you are qualified and meet those requirements. It takes time to create this type of cover letter but in my book, it is time well spent. In fact, recruiters have told me they love it because it makes their job so easy.
Interviews: Make sure you are prepared, practiced, professional and positive. Do thorough research and know as much as possible about the company. If you have never been to the location before, try a dry run to avoid the stress and embarrassment of arriving late. A dark colored suit is a good choice for both men and women. Have a few questions prepared that you can ask when prompted, using them to demonstrate your familiarity with the company and its business. Ask for business cards from each person who interviews you. Send a thank you email to each interviewer and take advantage of the opportunity to mention a key point you may have left out during the interview.
With three generations in the workforce now, there are bound to be different interpretations of job search protocol. Some aspects of the job search process have endured, but as more Gen X and Gen Y professionals rise through the ranks, things are bound to change. More than anything else, technology has had an impact on the process. Embracing new technologies and using them professionally during your job search will enhance your ability to compete. I encourage Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y to use this opportunity to learn and help one another move forward together.