Southwest Tribune Newspaper, Rochester, NY
Maybe you moved to a new city. Maybe you quit your job. Maybe you hate your job. Maybe you got laid off. Maybe you just graduated. Whatever the circumstances, you've found yourself needing a job sooner rather than later.
If you've been paying attention to the news lately, you may have noticed how many people are currently out of work. Thanks to the economic crisis, many people have lost their jobs or have had their hours reduced. You might be one of these people, in which case the following article can help you get a job.
Regardless of what job you are interviewing for, always dress appropriately. The more professional you look, the more credibility you have. Even if all you are doing is dropping off an application or a resume, dress well without going overboard.
When applying for a new job do not be shy about your financial needs. If you know you will only be paid around ten dollars, ask for about fifteen. This will tell your potential employer you feel you deserve more, and you may get lucky and get more than the average salary.
Ask questions during your interview. While you might look at this interview as them finding out if they want you to work there, you are also in control. You may not want to work with them! Use this time to ask about what the corporate culture is like, what the pay entails, and what opportunities for advancement exist.
The Internet is a great resource, but you need to search for a job in other places as well. Social networking sites can sometimes help, but the best approach is to research companies of interest, find out if they have any available positions and get your resume out there for people to see.
Always do your homework before going to any job interview. Research the company that you are applying to. Know everything you can about the company and the people who work for it. Any job applicant that knows what the company is about and the company history is going to be held in higher regard than an applicant who does not.
Recheck your references. It will be bad for an employer to call any of your references and find the information is no longer valid. Call each of your references so that you can ensure their number and location are properly recorded on your resume.
When you are creating a resume, try to include some of the key words that the job you are applying to is looking for. Sometimes, companies will weed out resumes based on these words, as it is a very easy way to get the call for an interview through your resume.
When going into an interview, it is just as important to be polite and friendly to the receptionist as it is to be polite to the interviewer. You never know if the interviewer will ask the receptionist how your demeanor was toward them. It will make you look better if the receptionist says you were polite.
If you are an older job seeker, understand that you do not have to include the dates of your high school and college graduation or dates of courses you may have taken early in your career. Additionally, you do not have to list high school at all if you graduated from college. It is understood that you also have a high school diploma.
Google yourself to see what type of information comes up for potential employers when they search. If you see something that looks like it could be damaging to you, do everything you can to have it removed. Whether you believe it or not, many employers use Google searches to weed out people they don't want to hire.
If you want to find a job that you will enjoy, try to remember that it is okay to be frivolous in order to be happy. Would you rather be wealthy and unhappy or would you rather look forward to going to work each day while sticking to a monthly budget? Money is not the end all, be all. Find something you love to do, build up your skills and move forward in your career.
Before any interview practice answering questions you may think will pop up. You don't want to be thrown for a loop during an important interview! Write out the ten toughest questions you think they may ask and really craft out good answers. This way you'll be ready with a good answer in case the question is asked.
Always track purchases if you are self-employed. Keep all receipts as this could be helpful come tax time. Get organized to stay on top of your finances.
Don't let the news reports discourage you. Yes, there are a lot of people out of work, and you may be one of them, but you don't have to be. You can rise from the ranks of the unemployed to get a job. Good luck job hunting.
