Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Job hunt cheat sheet

Notes on What Color is Your Parachute 2010

Resumes
Resumes are used to speed rejection, 8 seconds to scan and dump. a <10% success rate.
Employers hate them because they cannot tell what is a lie.

Purpose of Resume: to get an invite to an interview. (it does not get you a job) Other ways are better such as connections.
Purpose of interview: to get invited for a second.

Resume: business card not biography.
Deciding what to write: will this get me invited in or is it puzzling, off putting or a red flag? If it needs explaining save it for the interview.

-Deliver physical resume so that an employer can feel it with his/her fingers.
-Never send ahead of you, leave it behind you.
-Customize it for the target.

Starter kit for resume writing
Write about
skills, accomplishments-
be quantitative, mention dates, percents, dollars, brand names
(ex 57-60)
For each role, go through the “EASY” process:
E-experiences
A-Achievements
S-skills (learned or used)
Y-You link to the relevant aspects of job you are applying for.

Cover letter (alt 1)
surveys revelal employers prefer cover letters.

Portfolio (alt 2)
Career portfolio-of your accomplishments-evidence of what I can do Plus have done is better than resume because it proves your abiliites often.

the career portfolio workbook
proof of performance-how to build career portfolio







KEY-%=out of 100 people that try this only, that percent of people get a job within 2 months.
NOTE: est 90-99% success rate =trying exactly four of the top six following methods.

FIVE BEST JOB-HUNT METHODS
1. Self exploration-Do extensive homework on yourself: what skills you enjoy and are transferable, what environments you work best in, researching what business fit you and your desired geographical location and who in them has power to hire you, how to approach him to show your skills will help their company: FLOWER EXCERCISES                                                                                        86%


2. Group- Joining job hunt club and doing step 3 together with a group of people.                    70-84%
if part of emotional support group 70%
if part of the proper group job hunt model, (48 eyes looking for leads +work ethic): 84%

3. Phone book-Using phone books yellow pages to identify interesting places then calling or visiting employers listed in that field to ask if they are hiring for what you do well. This targets the “Hidden job market” companies that have vacancies but are slow to post them if they ever do.
www.asktheheadhunter.com www.indeed.com search engine: directories/area
metacrawler google
call manufacturer of things you use, get customer list, call them for jobs.                                       69%

4. Door knockin' - Knocking on the door of any employer that interests you.                                 47%

5. Connections - Asking for job leads from connections                                                                  33%
ask: “do you know of any vacancies where you work or elsewhere?”
Use yellow pages-> find people that share your passion/network connections->
Be organized -document contacts.
(more on investigative interview in INTERVIEW section)

Worst method for Job hunting
1. Looking for job postings on the internet 4-10%
(if IT, engineering, finance, or health care success=10%)
2. Mailing out resumes to employers at random 7%
(1 response per 1470-1700 resumes sent. 1/100 resumes get viewed.)
3. Answering ads in professional or trade journals, appropriate to your field 7%
4. Answering local newspaper ads 5-24%
Higher salary sought 5%
Lower salary sought 24%
5. Going to agencies or firms for help 5-28%
women find a job in 2 months 27.8%

Other methods
1. Going to places where employers pick out workers: ie. Union halls 8%
2. Taking a civil service examination 12%
3. Asking a former teacher or professor for job leads 12%
4. Going to the state or federal employment service office 14%






APPROACHING TARGET
How to get an interview (small organization)
-Easy to identify who-has-the power to hire you, just ask: “who is the boss!”
-Easy to get by gatekeepers Plus barriers → use connections.
-If growing they might be willing to create a new position for you if they like you.

Approaching Large Organizations for an interviews
You Must
1. Research +figure out who has the power-to-hire-you (most job hunters do not do this)
2. Figure out mutual connection. Through asking every contact you have.
How to figure out who has PTHY=internet +library directories +connections ask contact (if they know someone) “what is the name of the person you know who works, or used to work, at ____corp? Do you have their phone # and or address?
“would you be willing to call ahead, to tell them who I am?

Contacts=(list of examples: ex 64)
-call the person
1. I wont need more than 20 minutes of your time.
2. Chat
3. Ask “who would have the power to hire me at ___corp for x position?
If they don't know, ask who does.
-ask for Name, address, phone, email address, what they do, their interests +interview style.
(ex 65) (quotations)
4. ask about the organization in general
5. thank them.
6. MUST write thank-you note to them (the person you talked to ondiplyo

Getting in
If the person does not know the person w/hiring power personally but give you their name,
go back to your contacts, and ask “do you know Ms. Or M. see, at x corp or do you know someone who does? Follow questions: (ex 66)







Interviews prep:
2-step System to help “shy” people mentally prepare
1. practice talking to people about random things: anything to improve at socializing.
2. Talk about things you are passionate about: shyness-> enthusiasm
*hobby, curiousity, new city aspect, an issue you feel strongly.

GENERAL PREP
1. research organization- online and through connections, all organizations love to be loved, find out as much as you can. Most job hunters do not do this.
2. ask for 20 minutes for interview, do not stay longer unless they BEG you.
Say “I said I would only take twenty minutes of your time, and I like to honor my agreements.”
3. Remember the interviewer is sweating. Knowing that interviews are unreliable. 3% better than choosing at random, if interviewer were to work with the hire directly-> 2% worse than choosing at random. HR-> 10% worse than choosing at random.
Interview is not a science but a hazy art. 2 individuals scared to death. Employers fears (ex 74)

1. Male
-bathed, shaved, clean fingernails, deodorant.
-Fresh laundered clothes, pants w/sharp crease, polished shoes.
-no bad breath, no bad smells
-brush +flossed teeth
-not wafting aftershave.

Female
-Fresh bath, easy on makeup
-newly cut or styled hair
-clean, modest nails,
-clean clothes, suit, shoes not sandals, not daring, attention grabbing.
-no bad smells brush floss teeth
-no wafting perfume.

*Bring resume on matte paper,
*cover letter,
*notepad pencil.

4. Pre-interview, research typical salary ranges.
How: research field plus organization, -salary research ONLINE: Free:
-OFFLINE
talk to people, universities that train the people, people who work the jobs at other companies, go interview at similar companies after learning the range decline, temporary work agency-ask what the agency gets paid, or take a temp job then ask for a real one.

Define an interrelated range for yourself (after research)
Figure out how much someone under you is making, and above you, your possible range is between those.
→ use contacts, or look at competitors.
→ civil service positions mirror private sector, ask about starting salary
Plan your range as:
-invent an asking range where the minimum “hooks” just below the empoyers maximum.
-when the employee states their “low” offer first in order to bracket, say “I understand the constraints under which all organizations are operating considering this brutal economy, but I believe my productivity will justify a salary between ___and ____.
-be prepared to show in what ways you will save money for the organization.
Note-if you hit it off, but they can't afford you, consider working part time for what they pay.








During interview

Mindset: not a “job beggar” but as “the resource” the company needs.
Interview is not you “selling” yourself but two people trying to decide if they want a worker employer relationship.
-when you have decided you want to work there you start selling yourself.

-they want to know 3 things
1. does he have the SKILLS, knowledge etc. to work her?
2. does he have the right attitude I like?
3. How will they get along w/my employees

-50/50 rule-> share convo
-20sec-2min responses
-Determine to be seen as part of the solution, not part of the problem,
*reserach how “bad” employees screwed up. Beforehand.
*emphasize that you are the opposite +to
*research skills they are looking for. Traits they look for (ex 76)
-Employer believes how you do job-hunt =how you will do the job. They will interpret your claims based on the interview.
Bring evidence if you can.
-avoid bad mouthing previous employer(s) → speak positively no matter what.

-only memorize answers to 5 questions (more q's (ex 78))
1. “why are you here?” (and not applying somewhere else/why do you want to work here more than somewhere else?)
2. “what can you do for us?” would you be the solution? What skills do you have?
3. “what kind of person are you?”-(will you fit in?)
4. “what distinguishes you from the others?” -work habits, arrive earlier stay later.
5. “can I afford you?” are you within our budget?

-How to help employer answer these -^ first 4 questions.
-Ask the following questions (to yourself or the employer)
1. what does this job involve? (to figure out if you can help)
2. what are the skills a top employee in this job would have to have? To see if you can do it well.
3. Are these the kind of people I would like to work with?
Intuition-> priorities values-> are they shared?
4. If we like each other is there something I am do to persuade that I am different?
5. Can I persuade them to hire me at the salary I want? (salary negotiation)

Ask about 2 aloud, observe the other 3 following points.
-If they would create a job for you: substitute the questions for statements.
1. what you like about this organizations.
2. What sorts of needs you find intriguing in this field and in this organization-challenges or needs-> not “problems”
3. Skills needed to meet those needs.
4. Evidence you have those skills-> examples. Concrete examples.
5. What is unique about the way you perform the skills. Its like a product in a supermarket-> how does it stand out.

-employers don't care about your past they only ask in order to predict your future behavior.
-How to interpret their questions (ex 83-5)
-Observe how the topics shift time frames.
This tells you how well the interview goes, how quickly smoothly it moves from=distant past-immediate past-present-immediate future-distance future.


-ask questions on (ex 86)
-realize hiring decisions are subject to human imperfections: ie emotions.
-Most interviews are failed within the first 2 minutes. They usually fail for stupid little things like bad breath.

FOUR THINGS TO PAY ATTENTION TO During the interview
1. no nervious mannerisms-
continually avoid eye contact (big no no), limp handshake slouch in chair, fidget, crack knuckles, play w/hair.
2. unconfident
-softly speaking, too loud, hesitant answers, one word answers, interupting employer, downplaying achievements.
3. The consideration to others
-to receptionist, past employer, ordering a strong drink, Forget to thank interviewer or send thank you card. + brief synapsis of strong points faxed after/+thank you note 1/15 people do this.
4. Your values, minus points for signs of
-arrogence, aggression, tardiness (hint of). Laziness, lack of motivation, constant complaining, blaming others, dishonesty, irresponsibility, disobedience, lack enthusiasm, instability, inapropriateness, meticulousness, what you would sacrifice, what you want.
-You can control those 4 things.

Always ask these questions before the interview closes
1. can you offer me this job? Many get the job JUST because they are bold enough to ask
2. “When may I expect to hear from you?” if they need more time to consider, get an answer...
3. “Might I ask what would be the latest I can expect to hear from you?
4. May I, contact you after that date if for any reason you haven't gotten back to me by that time?
Some employers resent this-^
Some appreciate the safety net sadhere to their answer strictly.
5. If they reject you:
“can you think of anyone else who might be interested in hiring me?
-Jot down notes.

FINISH
*Stand up, thank them for their time, give firm handshake then leave.
ALWAYS send thank-you-note-the same night, at the latest → plus to everyone you meet there!
-most ignore that last step-> thus it is the easiest way to set yourself apart. This might get you the job.
-Does 6 things- shows you're good w/people, helps them remember you, if someone has to argue to a committee they can back you up, shows you are interested in further talks, corrects bad impressions, opportunity to reiterate your strong points in the note, they

REMEMBER: OFTEN employers invite employees for interviews knowing they WONT hire them, in order to meet quotas, such as ones where a government gives money and stipulates that a position be open to everyone.

On the job (if you get it)
Document your accomplishments, to get raises or promotions. (ex97 chapter summary.)









SALARY NEGOTIATION

*salary research pays handsomely 1-3 days can get you 15k annually
Six secrets
1. Never discuss salary before they say they want you-> make sure everything on (ex 102) happened. If they try to discuss it before say, “until you've decided you definitely want me, and I've decided I definitely could help you, I worry any salary discussion might be premature.”
-if they push-> “I'll gladly answer that, but could you first help me understand what this job involves?”
-if they push again → “I'm looking for a salary in the range of ___to ___ a year”
-if they push yet again-> there is probably no job for you there, but answer anyway...why not. Or ask what they have in mind.
Note-premature salary talks happen more on the phone.
Respond to any salary suggestions with “I need a little more time, to think about this.”
Wait till the end when they like you and would be willing to pay more for you.

2. The purpose of the negotiation is to discover how much they will be willing to pay to get you.
They will try to see how low they can get you for.

3. Never be the first to mention a figure. If they say: “what kind of salary are you looking for” respond in a polite tone: “no, no, you created this position, I'm sure you have a figure in mind. I want to know what you have in mind.”

4. Pre-interview, research typical salary ranges. (discussed in “pre interview section)

5. Define an interrelated range for yourself (discussed in “pre interview section)

6. Close the negotiation
-address fringe benefits-> life insurance, health benefits, vacation, holiday retirement, 15-28% workers salaries
-identify fringes you value beforehand
-ALWAYS request a “letter of agreement” or employee contract. Many executives conveniently forget what they negotiated or if they leave the company and the successor disown any unwritten promises.

Greatest secret:
They could hire you and then one week later decide to put your hire on hold.
-always have alternative life plans, ways to describe goals, ways to job hunt, job prospects, target organizations, ways to approach employers.  


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