Job Searching While You’re Already Employed
Not all job seekers are unemployed. In fact, a large amount of the people searching job boards are professionals looking to make a change from their current positions. These employed job seekers have a whole separate list of rules they need to be aware of when on the job hunt, so we’ve included a few below:
- Don’t use your work email to correspond with potential employers or submit your resume.
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- Use only your personal contact information, including your home/cell phone number when applying for jobs.
- You might not be the only person with access to your work email inbox, especially if you work for a large corporation or government agency.
- Don’t make calls to potential employers while at work.
- Don’t assume that no one can hear you making inquisitive phone calls to companies about potential opportunities in your cubicle or office.
- Don’t job search while on the clock.
- Your current employer is paying you to work for them, not to job hunt. Do all of your applying and job searching on your own time.
- There is always the chance that someone will catch you checking out the job boards instead of working, and this could result in you leaving your current position sooner than expected.
- Be considerate of your current employer when scheduling phone or in-person interviews.
- If you get the opportunity to interview with a new company, whether in person or on the phone, try to schedule it so that you don’t need to take a whole day off from work.
- Ideally, you should schedule interviews over your lunch break so that you don’t have to take any time off. If that is not a possibility, try to schedule them first thing in the morning or at the very end of the day, so that you can either come in a little late or leave a little early without missing much work.
- Give plenty of notice before quitting.
- If you do end up accepting a job offer, make sure to give your current employer plenty of notice.
- Two weeks notice is the generally acceptable amount of time, but every situation is different.
Why Your First Post-Graduate Job is Important
When college graduates receive their diploma and start their job hunt, they typically assume that the “education” phase of their life is over, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Your first job out of college will teach you innumerable, valuable lessons that you will carry with you through the rest of your career. Find out exactly how important your first “real” job is by reading on below:
- You will get a reality check: Starting a full-time position will require you to be somewhere every day at the same time for most likely eight or nine hours a day. Recent college graduates used to waking up at ten, going to classes for a few hours and then returning home will surely have to make a big adjustment for full-time work. In the real world there is no such thing as “skipping class” or “playing hooky.” You will be accountable for your time and a low attendance record will result in more than just a bad grade.
- You will learn to be professional: Immersing yourself into company culture will require you to adhere to a dress code, and it will teach you how to speak and interact with others in a professional manner.
- You will learn how to prioritize: In college, you were given an assignment, specific instructions, and a due date. In the real world, work is not always so black and white. You may be given several assignments with conflicting deadlines and importance, and you will have to learn how to prioritize your workload.
- You will make important networking connections: If you are lucky, your first job can be a great starting point for your career. You can make valuable connections with people who can help you progress within your desired industry or career. In college, most of the networking you did was probably through your professors or parents, but in the real world you can make connections of your own.
- You will learn and gain experience: The most important thing you will gain from your first job will be valuable knowledge and experience. The hands-on experience gained in a full-time job will teach you lessons you could have never fully grasped in a college classroom. You will make mistakes and have successes that will teach you life lessons you can take with you throughout your career.
Job Interview – Benefits of Boasting
Bragging or boasting about yourself is generally unacceptable, especially in the workplace. You never want to be perceived as arrogant or egotistical, so you avoid patting yourself on the back in public. As a job seeker, sometimes it is important to brag or boast a little bit, especially in a job interview. You don’t want to be arrogant about it though, so learn how to brag in an acceptable way in our advice below.
- Know your strengths:
- If you are going to brag in an interview, you have to be honest about your abilities and strengths.
- Focus in on things that former supervisors or coworkers have applauded you for.
- For example, if a supervisor frequently complimented your writing abilities, that is something you should highlight in an interview.
- Brag about your success:
- If you helped your former employer meet their sales figures or exceeded your quarterly goals, be sure to mention that in an interview.
- You should definitely mention any instance from your past positions where you went above and beyond the call of duty.
- Potential employers want to know what value you can bring to their company, and listing specific figures you met or increased in a former position is a great way to show them.
- Don’t exaggerate your abilities:
- While you are highlighting all the great qualities that will make you a fit for a position, be sure you don’t let things get out of hand. Exaggerating your abilities is pretty much the same thing as lying to a potential employer.
- For example, if you are proficient with the Microsoft Office Suite, that doesn’t make you an “expert,” or mean that you are capable of using Excel to do anything an employer might need you to.
- Be honest and let a potential employer know that you are confident and comfortable handling a task, without leading them to believe you are an expert at it.
- On the other hand, if you are an expert at a task, be sure to tell them. Any certifications or training courses you have taken are definitely worth mentioning.
If you can learn how to brag in a tasteful way, without exaggerating your abilities or being overly arrogant, you are sure to have many successful interviews in your future.
Top Ten Rules for Job Seekers
Every job is different, and so is the application/interview process for each job. While it’s difficult to create rules that will apply for job seekers everywhere, we have done our best below. Check out the rules we believe are applicable for any professional looking for work:
- Always bring a few copies of your resume to an interview, whether or not you were asked to.
- Always read job descriptions thoroughly and research companies before submitting an application.
- Always err on the side of overdressed rather than underdressed when choosing your interview outfit.
- Never show up more than fifteen minutes early for an interview. (Unless otherwise instructed by your interviewer)
- Always include your address and contact information on your resume.
- Review your resume frequently and revise it as necessary.
- Always specifically follow a hiring manager’s instructions regarding applying, following-up, interviewing and/or testing.
- Never call a potential employer to ask a question that could easily be answered with a perfunctory search of their website.
- Always ask your interviewer for a business card so you can follow up appropriately.
- Never lie about your dates of employment or your reason for leaving your past employers.
- Never wear strong perfume or cologne to an interview. A great interview can be ruined if your fragrance irritates your interviewer’s allergies.