5 Things You MUST Do Before Attending A Job Fair

Most job fairs run between January and May. When Spring rolls around, things usually ramp up because most employers want job openings filled before Summer kicks off. If you are among the job seekers attending job fairs, then take down these tips to preparing for it and making the most of your time there.

Many employers have a presence at job fairs to increase brand awareness, but also to save time in the screening process. Job fairs offer an opportunity for employers to conduct initial screenings on potential candidates on the spot. Employers have an idea of what they are looking for in a candidate for each job opening, so anyone who appears to make the cut can be interviewed to advance the process along right then and there.

Things You MUST Do Before Attending A Job Fair

Job seekers who come prepared will strike up opportunities quickly, so here are five things you MUST do before attending a job fair:

Research ahead of time.

There can be hundreds of companies to talk to at each job fair, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have the time to reach out to all of them. Research ahead of time which ones you want to get to so you make the most of your time there. When you know your targets, you can also start to customize your materials. It’ll help to look at the company’s website so you see what job openings they have and the requirements for each position. This information can help you tailor your materials and what you communicate when you meet with the individuals at the job fair.

Plan to approach the employer even if they aren’t recruiting for the job you want.

Job fairs are great for networking – it’s not about simply dropping off the resume. You want to start conversation with the right contacts. If there is an employer you desire to work with, but they are not recruiting for the job you want, it’s important to still go over and talk to them. You never know when things may suddenly open up. The contacts there may also direct you to information in regards to who’s leading the department you want to work in so that you can make follow-up with that individual directly.

The key is to engage in conversation – ask insightful questions. Be someone they will remember at the end of the day or use it as an opportunity to open the door to more conversation.

Have your elevator pitch ready.

Employers are looking to hear what you can do for them, so come prepared with a quick pitch on your skills and experience, as well as how it can help solve their problems. 

Dress like you’re going for an interview.

On-the-spot interviews happen at job fairs, so come dressed the part and be ready with copies of your resume in hand. As you introduce yourself, be mindful of your body language, including your handshake, eye contact, facial expression, and voice.

Employers take notice of job candidates who exhibit a smile and enthusiasm. They want to see a candidate with a strong desire to work with them, not someone who’s simply swinging by randomly. Some may also screen your interest level by asking typical interview questions like: “What do you know about us?” and “Why do you want to work for us?” – so be prepared!

Plan to follow up.

Like a job interview, you should plan to send a follow-up note to the contacts you meet. It’s a chance to help keep you top of mind and it gives you a chance to reiterate why you have what they are looking for. Before ending each conversation, be sure to collect business cards from the people you speak with and take good notes so you know how best to personalize the follow-up note.

Approached the right way, job fairs can open many conversations and doors to job opportunities.

How To Handle Terminations In An Interview

Terminations happen – whether they are your fault or because someone decided to eliminate you for their own personal ambition/agenda reasons. But the end result is the same: Being fired from a job can taint your future prospects.

The biggest worry most job seekers looking for work who have been terminated is whether someone else will give you a chance. But before you even get to the interview, you need to have an attitude adjustment about what that termination means.

You need to seize control of it, and own it. Don’t let it own you. Fear will rule your life… if you let it.

Here are some tips to help you get past this difficult time in your career and overcome the pain of a termination:

1. Bury The Negativity With Positivity

Out of work right now? Try volunteering, and wow them with going above and beyond what is asked of you. The volunteer work can be listed in your employment history (be sure to indicate ‘Volunteer [job name]’). The good news? You’ve started to create a positive track record of what you can capably deliver, and also redefined yourself in a better light. Plus, you’ll feel better so the last (and most recent) thing you had done in your career isn’t negative, which is a powerful booster to your mental state during the job search.

2. Remove Preconceptions

Act the part by dressing, acting, and speaking professionally in every single interaction you have with an employer. Don’t give them a reason to doubt your abilities.

3. Address The Problems That Led To Your Termination

If you did make a mistake big enough to warrant termination, you need to be willing to investigate those reasons. Do you have an anger problem? Are you lacking in a skill that resulted in a less-than-satisfactory performance? Be willing to examine the contributing causes, no matter how painful they seem at the time. Identifying, knowing, and then working to resolve the problems that led to this situation will help you better prepare for the future.

4. Accept Blame Where It’s Due… Then Let Go Of The Rest

If your termination honestly had nothing to do with your job performance, you can’t change the course of history. Whatever circumstances led to the termination were obviously beyond your control, and while it is okay to be upset and angry about the outcomes, it is best to not stew about things… you can’t change them and your energy is better served to helping yourself towards the future, versus agonizing about the past.

5. Understand You Will Need To Explain Your Dismissal

Potential employers will find out anyway, so this is your one opportunity to answer the question before it is even asked and to influence the decision-maker’s opinion about you. Explain you ran into a difficult situation with your last employer and trying to make them happy simply didn’t work out, which is why you left. Bring up the point you have good references from previous employers who can speak to your abilities and productivity.

Tackling a termination head-on is not only honest, but also empowering, so you don’t let the fear of what happened in the past cloud your future.

How To Decline A Job Offer

It’s easy to get excited when an employer is interested in you, especially when you haven’t had any luck getting interviews or job offers. But what if the job proposal isn’t a good fit for you? How do you decline a job offer?

Some of you might be thinking, “Decline a job offer? Why would I do that? Have you seen the unemployment rates?”

When To Decline A Job Offer

With that in mind, here are some of the reasons why you should reject potential employment:

It Doesn’t Feel Right

“You are a company,” said professional development coach and facilitator J.Z. When you’re looking for a job or being offered a job, what the company is looking for is what J.Z. calls, a mutual benefit. For companies, it’s important to find ways to be a better company, and as a job seeker, you have to adapt to that same mindset. The ultimate goal for your “company” (you) is to thrive and excel at your professional talents. If the job description doesn’t make you feel like your company can progress, then it probably isn’t a good idea to take the job.

Your Values Don’t Align With The Company

It’s one thing to say a job position doesn’t feel right, it’s another thing entirely when your professional values are not in line with the company at all. J.Z. used the following analogy when describing why having mutual values with a company matters.

Let’s say you’re a person who’s an advocate for preserving the environment and the company that’s really interested in you is an oil company. That probably doesn’t align with your values if you’re an environmentalist. “You have to look at the bigger picture of the company and really find out if you want to support that,” said  J.Z.

The Employer Wants To Exploit Your Skills

This might be a no brainer for some, but it’s important to point out because when an employer wants to exploit your skills, rather than use them in a way where you’re still comfortable practicing those skills and enjoying them, then the job is no longer about how  you can benefit yourself and the company with your professional abilities. Rather, the job becomes something only your employer controls, and exploiting your talents is how they choose to use your expertise.

How To Decline A Job Offer

So, how does one reject an unwanted job offer?  J.Z. states that when it comes to rejecting a position, you have to think about that mutual benefit between yourself and the employer. “Tell the employer why you don’t see a match,” said  J.Z. “State the possibilities, areas, interests you have right now” and explain why it doesn’t match with their company.

By talking about the things you have to offer, you allow the employer to get a clearer sense of who you are as a professional and what you can provide for the company. It also clears up any misunderstandings about the position. By highlighting your concerns, the employer could clear things up in case you got the wrong idea.

In addition, crafting a rejection that allows an employer to respond is also key when declining a job offer. It shows that you don’t want to burn any bridges. We can do this by saying the things we would want to hear from an employer when rejecting us for a position.

“Treat others how you want to be treated,” said  J.Z. Nowadays, a lot of employers who aren’t interested in certain candidates don’t even take the time to respond to them. This is not the way you want to handle your rejections. Really think about the things you want to express about the position and why you feel it isn’t a good fit. Be honest, and authentic.

Emphasizing that the position isn’t right for you at this time is also something you want to make sure you include in your rejection.

“I would love to keep in touch with you and would love to know what other opportunities you would have in the future” are some good things to say to keep that connection with the employer, said  J.Z. This shows that you’re not rejecting the company entirely by declining position, and hopefully, sometime in the future, you could contact that employer and see if you’d be a better fit for the company at that point in time.

5 Simple Career Management Tips You Should Follow

There are a few standard career management tips I recommend to every professional regardless of position, industry, experience level, or future ambitions. These things are super easy to do and they help ensure you’re taking at least a minimally active role in your professional development.

No matter how busy you are, there’s just no excuse to ignore these tips. Get started NOW.

1. Keep Your Resume Up-To-Date

You never know when opportunity will knock. Even if you aren’t actively job searching, your resume should always be ready to go so you don’t get stuck making last minute updates.

Your resume is one of the most important documents you have to offer so you don’t want to rush it or ignore it for years on end. If you haven’t looked at it since starting your current job, pull it out, brush off the dust, and add the relevant information. If you’re not extremely proud of it, keep working. Your resume is no place to slack off. Now—while you’re not in a panic searching for a new job—is a great time to work on it.

You never know when the perfect position will open up and you’ll want to jump on it immediately. If you’ve been proactive about keeping your resume updated, you’ll be ready to pounce.

2. Join A Professional Association

Associations are one of the most powerful career tools available and yet, too many people disregard them. Find out what’s available for professionals who share your role or work in your same industry. Join the group and attend the meetings regularly. Most offer valuable continuing education opportunities as well as the chance to meet and mingle with some of the top professionals in your field.

I also suggest volunteering to serve on the leadership board if your schedule allows it. Through active participation you’ll get to know your fellow members and make a name for yourself. Remember that these are your people. Together you can share experiences, establish best practices and even explore new opportunities. Associations look great on your resume and are helpful networks to tap when job searching, but don’t wait until you need the support. Get involved right away and start building those relationships.

3. Get A Mentor

A professional mentor can help guide you through your career by sharing his or her experiences and offering practical advice. Find a professional in your field whose career you’d like to emulate. It doesn’t have to be someone who does the exact job you’d like to do in the future. Instead, focus on finding a person who demonstrates the character traits you’d like to hone in yourself. It should be someone you respect and want to learn from.

Ask the person if he or she would be willing to engage in a professional mentorship relationship with you. Define exactly what the means to you and how you’d like the relationship to work. For example, you could suggest doing a lunchtime meeting once a month to discuss specific issues you’re dealing with or goals you’re working on. Additionally, you might want to make time for two phone calls during the month for quick check-ins and progress updates.

Keep in mind that everyone wants to know “what’s in it for me” and, for most mentors, this is an opportunity to share their hard-earned wisdom. Make it clear why you chose this person and that you’re very eager to listen and learn.

If the person is unable or unwilling to commit to helping you, move on. A mentorship relationship is a two-way street. You need someone who sees your value and wants to help you grow and succeed.

4. Become A Mentor

Regardless of where you are in your career, there is someone who can benefit from your knowledge. Find that person and take him or her under your wing. Being a mentor is a wonderful opportunity to learn while you teach. You can share your advice and help someone else grow while, at the same time, expanding your own leadership capabilities. Plus, it feels good.

Approach the mentorship relationship in the same way described above. Make your proposal clear and be upfront about what is involved. Let the person know what you see in them and what you have to offer. It’s important to find the right person who really understands the benefits of mentorship and wants to learn from you. But once you start looking, you’ll probably find several potential candidates.

5. Keep A Win List

As you progress through your career, keep a running list of your accomplishments. These can be any size at all so don’t be stingy. Even small victories should be recorded. If possible, keep back-up evidence in a file as well. For example, if you receive a nice letter from a client complimenting your service, make a copy for your records. This is the kind of thing that can help keep you motivated in the future when you’re feeling down.

This list is also a great tool to pull out during performance reviews and job interviews. You can reference specific endeavors and projects you successfully completed, and you can offer details on how your work impacted the business. Plus, while you’re updating your resume, you can look at the list to get inspiration for the accomplishments you want to highlight. This helps make your resume more powerful and demonstrative of your capabilities.

7 Steps To Job Searching While Working Full-Time

Job search is a challenge on the best of situations, but it’s especially difficult to manage while you are working full-time. It’s hard, no doubt, but you can do it!

Here are a few tips that will help you keep your sanity and improve your chances of obtaining a better position.

1. Be clear about your goals.

What do you want to accomplish, and in what time frame? Many job seekers are hesitant to assign a time frame to their goals, but it is important in helping you to make short-term plans. Relax, you can adjust the “deadline” if you need to – nothing is written in stone.

Be as specific as possible. “I want a new job by next year” will not be as effective for you as, “By July 2015, I want to work for a 10,000+ employer in my own office, earning $65,000 a year no more than an hour commute from my home.”

Again, you can adjust and change this goal as needed, and it is certainly okay if you end up accepting an offer for a position that meets only some of these “requirements.” This level of specificity allows you to focus your search and keeps you from missing opportunities.

2. Make short-term plans from long-term goal.

Once you have a solid long-term goal with a time frame, it will be easier for you to make effective short-term goals that will keep you on track for your long-term goal. When you are also working full-time, it is easy to get sidetracked by your routine work day. Think about the big picture. What will you need to DO or HAVE to reach your goal? Make a list.

Your list might include something like: Identify the 10,000+ employers within an hour commute. Determine the most effective networking opportunities that might put me in touch with those company representatives. Identify contacts I have that might be helpful in connecting me with representatives of these companies. Find out which positions or in which departments hiring is done most. Determine skills currently possess versus need to develop. Search for job openings and apply.

3. Determine what tasks you will need to accomplish.

Once you have some big picture short-term goals, make a list of tasks. If possible, organize them under the appropriate short-term goals, but if it is easier for you just jot a list free form. Do what works for you.

I usually advise my clients to keep a career-related “notebook” with them at all times – this can be a folder in Dropbox, a notebook on Evernote, an old-fashioned spiral bound paper notebook, or section in your Daytimer.  It doesn’t matter much, as long as it is something you have with you all the time and you put everything career and job search related in it. This is especially important if you are working full-time.

4. Prioritize the tasks.

Next, prioritize the tasks you need to accomplish either in order of importance, in terms of frequency or both. You may know right off the bat that you are going to have to improve your computer skills or take a class to update your management skills – mark this accordingly. Other tasks, like those related to actual job searching, you might put into daily, weekly, and monthly lists. Once you have your tasks prioritized, make sure to review these, as well as your short and long-term goals, at least weekly to keep yourself on track.

5. Organize yourself – Consider a mobile office.

Organize yourself so you have everything you need to keep you on track anywhere you are, especially at work. You will also be ready for an interview if you are called for one. Some things to include are: A multipart folder with copies of your polished resume and other pertinent information, job leads to research and apply to, positions you have already applied for, headphones and charging cord for your phone and tablet, paper and pen for notes, business cards, and personal care items.

By thinking ahead and being organized, you can easily job search on a lunch break, waiting for a meeting to start, to fill time from a cancelled meeting or before or after you start work. You will also be able to quickly and easily access what you need at a networking event or resume your job search at home before or after work.

6. Schedule.

Develop a schedule and stick to it. Pencil in times for job search, employer research, job applications, follow up, networking, and cold calling employers. Figure out in advance when the best times and days to interview might be for you considering your work schedule and demands. If you do, you will be able to easily ask for the interview days and times that will be least stressful for you.

Include start and end times – you are not going to be effective at job search if you are trying to do so from the time you walk in the door until you fall asleep at the computer! Take breaks. Eat. Do some fun or social things so you have something interesting to talk about other than how hard it is to job search while working full-time.

7. Enlist help.

You may not be able to do everything on your own. I hate to break it to you! Think hard about what you actually need to do yourself and what you may be able to farm out. You may have a friend or relative who has the skill and time to help.

Pay someone to write your resume and cover letter for you – if you do you will look back and think it the best money you ever spent. Hire someone to find job leads for you. Likewise the cost-benefit ratio is in your favor.

Be realistic, diligent, organized and keep focused on the long-term goal: You will get there, sanity intact.