SHU Career Corner

Job Search Trouble? Look to the Squirrel...

I was reading an article today in the Wall Street Journal about networking, Ferris Beuller, and a prolonged job search (I did this because I'm a big fan of Ferris Beuller and because I have often been told I look a lot like Matthew Broderick circa 1985).

I came across the text below in the comments section of the article (attributed to this site) and loved it because it reminded me of the picture above (which I took a few years ago). I have this picture hanging in my office as a reminder that job searches can sometimes be difficult.

In your job search are you a squirrel?

"Squirrel Sense: Prevailing in Tough Times

Squirrels are ALWAYS facing intense competition amid threatening socioeconomic conditions. Much of what will equip us to succeed despite these challenging economic times can be discerned by observing their behaviors. They are:

1.early risers
2.highly industrious; endlessly striving
3.not intimidated by those larger than they are
4.undaunted that the odds are stacked heavily against them
5.not expectant of help from others; they take responsibility for themselves
6.able to accomplish amazing feats because they’re willing to try what those who are smarter than they are believe to be impossible
7.willing to turn themselves upside down to get what they need
8.establishers of territory or niche, and are willing to be aggressive in defending it
9.perpetually, keenly alert
10.FAST – responding instantly to opportunities and threats
11.instantaneous decision makers when necessary
12.willing to be off balance, even to fall
13.willing to take the leap, to take risks, to get what they want
14.able to ignore their wounds, and continue their mission
15.resolved not to cower when under peer attack
16.not intimidated by those of larger size
17.confident. They’re committed to outlasting or outsmarting their enemies
18.sophisticated communicators
19.willing to be thought of and treated as pests if that helps them succeed
20.not passive; they behave commensurate with being in a competition for survival
21.action oriented, regardless of their fears. They have a fighting spirit rather than a victim mentality
22.unconquerably persistent. When confronted by barriers, they find another way to win. They just never, Never, NEVER give up"

Millennials, Workplace Happiness, and the Balance of Power

A recent Salary.com survey revealed that the least happy age group in the workforce was the Millennial Generation (those under 30). This dissatisfaction was attributed to low salaries and lesser job titles. While I believe this is true I think the dissatisfaction is not just with those things in general, but with what they represent: a shift in the balance of power.

A few years ago, every other article in the news about Millennials in the workforce seemed centered on how employers were going to have to adapt to Millennials or face major talent shortages. Suddenly, every employer seemed to be bending over backwards to accommodate the desires of their new recruits. Millennials were supposed to overwhelm employers through sheer numbers, re-shape the office, and command work/life concessions from their employers never before seen (employers would have to hire someone as Baby Boomers retired and Gen X didn't have the numbers to compensate on their own). If employers didn't do this well enough, employees would walk away and find a new job where they were "appreciated".

Funny how I haven't seen any of those articles lately.

What was once an inevitable and permanent shift in the way companies were going to recruit, hire and manage Millennials no longer seems so inevitable. In all the hoopla about the upcoming generation, we seemed to lose sight of the cyclical nature of employment and the economy. All that "power by numbers" stuff still requires a strong economy and a surplus of jobs, or else the "power" of a large generation just becomes more competition for fewer jobs.

Students currently looking for full-time work entered college with employment expectations based on a booming economy, but (as workers over 30 can attest) the balance of power in the working world has always gone in cycles. In a booming economy, everyone needs talent and the power is in the hands of the employee. Jobs are readily available so employers give up more money, more perks, and work hard to attract and retain the best talent. Of course, when the economy takes a turn for the worse, that balance of power shifts back to the employer. The most common "perk" in a recession is continued employment. Additional "rewards" might come in the form of doing all the work that an unlucky laid off co-worker used to do, for no additional pay.

Of course, these changes affect every generation in the workforce, but Millennials lack the experience to adjust their expectations. While Millennials grew up in a time where they probably saw their parents laid off in previous downturns, they have never seen a downturn in their own professional careers. As a result they likely never developed a good understanding of how your working life can change even if you keep your job.

Many Millenials also possess a well documented trait that may be contributing to their unhappiness more so than their coworkers: an aversion to "paying your dues".  As a group they have been known for thinking nothing of abandoning a job after only a year (and sometimes much less) if they feel they aren't advancing at what they perceive to be the proper pace or that they aren't being given "interesting" work, both things that tend to increase in a recession. Job hopping is nice escape if you can do it, but at 9.5% unemployment (and rising) it isn't realistic on a broad scale. In other words, go ahead and leave but remember there are 20 people waiting in the lobby (and in the lobby of every other place you might want to go work), with just as much experience and education as you, willing to work under any terms the employer sets.

To make matters worse for younger workers, this isn't your typical recession. We have seen a number of jobs lost to the recession that may never return. This restructuring of the economy as we have known it may well lead to a much longer period of high unemployment numbers than in previous recessions. Add to that the fact that Baby Boomers just saw their bulging 401k vanish and are holding on to their jobs, and you get an even greater reduction in opportunities for younger workers.

In a down economy, students need to be prepared for a search that will be much more competitive. You will need to be better prepared and able to articulate why you are the best for the job. The search will take longer and you may end up being offered a job that has some elements you don't like. You may be offered less salary than your friends were offered when they graduated only a few years ago. You may need to look in a broader geographic area to find employment (not everyone can work in New York City or Boston). Once you do land a position, you may find that your job changes soon after (including more work, less pay/furlough days, or any other number of "bad" changes).

If you find yourself unhappy with your position it never hurts to keep an eye out for new opportunities. Even in a deep recession there are always some jobs available. However, even if you dislike your job you should use the opportunity to learn as much as you can, gain experience and prepare yourself for a leap when the economy improves.

The good news is that, eventually, the balance of power will always shift again.

SHU Career Development storms the Social Media scene!

OK, depending on who you ask, we are either ahead of the curve or way behind...but we are getting out there!

We've seen some significant increases in employers using social media as a part of their recruiting efforts, so we are joining the party to make sure we are providing SHU students and alumni with every possible resource. I'll have more in future posts about how these tools can help you, but for now...get on board! Here's where you can find us:

On Twitter: @SHUCareerDev

On Facebook: Become a fan of the "Sacred Heart University Career Development Center"

On LinkedIn: Join our "Sacred Heart University Career Development Center" group

And, you can always find us on our main website: www.sacredheart.edu/career.cfm

LinkedIn for the Class of 2009!

I've been a fan of LinkedIn for a long time now. When I joined there were about 20 million users and in the last two years or so that number has grown to over 35 million.

It can be an outstanding professional networking tool and an essential part of any job search. As the Class of 2009 gets ready to enter the working world LinkedIn is sponsoring "Seek Week" through their blog to help new graduates jump start their job search. It is packed with helpful advice and tips, and takes you through the process of getting started with LinkedIn if you don't already have an account.

If you are looking for more help with this service, or just need help with your job search or post-grad plans in general, don't hesitate to come see us!

Sun Tzu and the Art of Interviewing

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.

If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."- Sun Tzu

 

I came across this quote the other day and I, of course, made the immediate connection to interview strategy. Knowledge is the big test in any interview. It is a test of how well you know yourself (and how well you can articulate that under pressure) and how well you know the company you are trying to join.

 

By the way, I don't want to get hung up on the term "enemy" in this extended analogy. You shouldn't treat your interviewer like the enemy even though it sometimes might feel that way. Ideally, your interview should be an open exchange of information where each party can learn what they need to know about the other party and both sides can make an informed decision about moving forward. Going into the interview prepared for combat is probably not the best mindset.

 

"If you know neither your enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle". If you head into an interview without having practiced answers to common questions and without having researched the company or your potential role, you will fail in the interview every time. Being able to answer basic questions about yourself and your background (and ideally being able to relate it to the specific job you are after) is critical to interview success. Likewise, nothing is more annoying to an employer than finding out a candidate knows nothing about their company. They don't want to hear that you applied for the position "because they are a Fortune 100 company". They want to know, specifically, why you want to work for THEM.

 

"If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.".  Let's say you do half the work. You know yourself but not your enemy. If you head into an interview having practiced interview questions for hours and rehearsing what you would say, chance are you will impress your interviewer. If you failed to research the company, they might cut you some slack. The reverse might also be true. If you show lots of knowledge and passion for their work, they might forgive a stumble or two in the questioning. I think SunTzu has the ratios just about right here. Being "half ready" for your interview will probably work about half the time. Some interviewers give more leeway than others.

 

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.".Of course, this is the ultimate goal. You know yourself and how you fit this role perfectly and have rehearsed multiple answers to all the typical questions. You've come up with lots of examples to use in answering all of those "Tell me about a time when you..." behavioral questions. You also did hours of research on the company and the position you are after. You read the company's annual report and Googled them for recent news. You networked your way into conversations with two other people at the company who gave you tips on company goals and upcoming initiatives. You are ready in every way possible.

 

If you take this approach, Sun Tzu is right. You may not get an offer from every interview you have, but you will certainly be able to go in the door with nothing to fear.

Look before you leap with "Entry Level Marketing" jobs

As graduation draws near some students, many with significant student loans on their back, begin to panic. It doesn't matter if they majored in Business, History, or Psychology they need a paying job, like, yesterday. These students become prime targets for recruiters looking to fill the numerous "Entry Level Marketing" positions that always seem to be available regardless of the state of the economy.

First, let me just say there is nothing wrong with sales as a career. Many people have highly successful sales careers with legitimate companies and make lots of money. Short of owning your own business it is one of the few occupations where your effort has the best chance to directly correlate to your compensation.

However, it is a job function that is very often misrepresented in the recruiting process. Most employers know if they write the job description as "door-to-door office supply sales" almost no one will apply. Marketing, however, is sexy. That conjures up images of writing the next great Super Bowl ad campaign. So, the job going door-to-door selling staplers is transformed into "premier marketing company seeking entry-level marketing assistant to help promote Fortune 500 brands". Some companies will take this a step further and offer you the "freedom and excitement" of "running your own business", and some of them are exploitive if not outright illegal. As you conduct a search it becomes hard to tell the potentially shady businesses from the legitimate ones, especially when a company you have never heard of is in the Monster or CareerBuilder search results right next to major companies with which you are familiar.

Here are some red flags to watch out for:

• When an ad SCREAMS AT YOU using LOTS OF CAPITAL LETTERS about HOW MUCH MONEY YOU CAN MAKE!!!!!! Seriously, have you ever seen a job posting from someone like General Electric telling you how GREAT their EXCLUSIVE JOB OPPORTUNITY is? If they have to sell you that hard, beware.

• If the email address given as the contact does not match the company website.If you are applying to "ABC Marketing" and the contact is a free Yahoo or Gmail address it should be something to question. Domain-based email addresses are given out free with many webhosts and most legitimate businesses will have one. There are always exceptions to this rule, but it is another reason to look more closely. Google the email address itself and see what comes up.

• If they mention compensation as the first and most important thing. Money talks for many people, and they know it. Salary is a common element in many legitimate job postings, but if an ad starts with "You can bank $2,000 a week!!" or "Unlimited Earning Potential!! Up to $100K typical in your first year!", be very skeptical. As a rule, the earlier the salary is mentioned in the process, the less likely those claims are to be true.

• The job offers no salary. True, there are many legitimate sales jobs where the compensation is "commission only". Sales managers like to "keep you hungry". This shouldn't be a disqualifier, but it should get your attention. Is this purely commission, or is there a salaried period during training? Is there training? Is the salary a draw against future commissions? Is the draw a "recoverable" or "refundable" draw (meaning you owe it back to your employer if you sell nothing)? What is the one-year retention rate for staff (how many sales people make it to year two)?

• The job requires you to recruit new salespeople. Again, nothing illegal about this, but ask a lot of questions. Most legitimate businesses prefer to have their salespeople selling, not recruiting. You may have found a MLM business (Multi-Level Marketing). These are the legal cousins of Pyramid Schemes and they may or may not be legitimate. Check out the company very carefully before getting involved. 

• They offer you a "face to face" sales position. It sounds so nice when they put it this way, like you are going to be sitting across a mahogany conference table from the potential client in a luxurious office suite. Most of the time you can translate "face-to-face" to mean "door-to-door". Put on your comfortable shoes and be prepared to hit every house in the neighborhood. And you better make 500 contacts this week. Again, nothing illegal here, but probably not the future you were imagining while daydreaming in your Consumer Motivation class. These positions often require you to make some sort of initial "investment" which may be difficult or impossible to recover.

So, what do you do if you are contacted by a company with a "marketing opportunity" that concerns you?

• Never, ever, give them any information that is financial or personal in nature until you have checked them out thoroughly and preferably met them in person. Until you have received an offer, there is usually not any legitimate reason for an employer to ask for anything personal. For example, an employer might need your bank account number to set up direct deposit, but that should happen well after you receive an offer. Your employer will need your exact birth date upon hiring, but until they offer you the position it is actually illegal in the U.S. for them to ask for it. Until an offer has been made they can only ask general age questions based on the job requirements (e.g., Are you over 18?).

 

• Check them out with the Better Business Bureau. Some really bad companies know they are bad and change their name often to stay ahead of the BBB. So make sure you always take the next step as well.

• Do a quick Google search. Enter the company name and "scam" together in the search field and see what comes up. Remember, it is the internet so take it with a grain of salt. You can find complaints about legitimate companies, too. But if you see 22 pages of scam complaints on one company, move on.

The best advice is the oldest. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Use common sense and do your research before jumping in!

Don't Let The Numbers Get You Down

The numbers get worse every day. Jobs are being lost in every sector of the economy and some of the numbers are staggering. 2008 was the worst year for job losses since World War II with over 2.6 million jobs lost and 2009 is largely expected to be even worse. The list of new layoff announcements grows every day.

However, it would be a mistake to assume that there are simply no jobs available. In fact, in some cases the same companies laying off workers in huge numbers are still hiring. Many companies use a downturn as a chance to re-organize and re-invest in profitable areas while trimming back in less successful ones.

If you are beginning a job search in this economy broaden your horizons and look everywhere. Even companies under a hiring freeze typically have an exception for "areas of critical need". That could be you, and you only have to find one!

A Job Search In a Slow Economy (Part III)

At this point, I don't think there are many people who haven't heard the term "Helicopter Parent" (a quick Google search yielded 3.3 million hits). There is, however, still a lot of debate on what exactly defines one and if having one--or being one--is a good thing or bad thing. [A quick thanks to Wikipedia for introducing me to the new, more extreme versions of helicopter parents: "Black Hawk" parents and "Lawnmower" parents!]

There seems to be some growing evidence that parents who "hover" over their college-age children (particularly as it relates to their educational experience) are actually helping their children. The 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement found that "Helicoptered" college students were more deeply engaged and "more satisfied with every aspect of their college experience". (By the way, Mom and Dad, if you think you might be a Helicopter Parent you can take a test to see where you fall on the spectrum between "Thanks, Mom!" and "Back off already!").

When it comes time for the job search, however, new graduates (and even current students pursuing internships) need to begin to "ground" their parents and take the initiative or risk losing their credibility as a professional in the eyes of some recruiters.

Millennial Negative #2: You are too attached to your parents.

You call them (or they call you) multiple times a day. You don't (or can't) make any major decision without consulting them first. They have been heavily involved in every aspect of your life from birth through college.

A few select employers have started to adjust to this relatively new social order. A few of the firms we work with have now begun integrating the parents into the recruiting process. Some merely place a call to the parents to discuss the opportunity, others get more involved--actually interviewing the parents themselves. The thought seems to be that, since they know the students will consult with Mom and Dad, they better address them directly to make sure the message gets through correctly.

That being said, companies are not happy about the prospect of an over-involved parent. Most managers find it hard enough managing their employees without also having to manage a parent or two. Remember, they are hiring you not your parents. Even the firms who involve parents during the recruiting process still expect it to stop there. If your parent calls up to complain about your first performance review, or negotiate your raise don't expect that to leave a favorable impression with your employer.

So, how can you continue with our theme of "going against the grain" and present yourself to an employer during a job search in such a way that you deflect this potential negative?

Well, in this case, it is more about what you don't do (or say) than what you do.

1. Don't bring your parents along with you to a job fair or an interview.

Job fairs are essentially first interviews. They are your best chance to make a good initial impression. This is why you spend a lot of time preparing your resume in advance and dressing up in your best professional attire. Your goal is to convey the image that "I am a competent adult ready to contribute to your organization". Nothing will shatter that carefully crafted image faster than Mom standing next to you asking questions and handing over your resume instead of you. If you can't handle talking to a recruiter at a fair on your own, how can they trust you to interact with their clients alone? The same applies to interviews (unless, as noted earlier, the employer specifically invites them).

2. Don't answer behavioral interview questions by saying "I'd call my Mom".

Many times interviewers will ask "behavioral" questions where you must give examples of how you dealt with a situation in the past. The assumption being that you would approach the situation in a similar fashion in the future. Questions like "Tell me about a time when you had to manage a project where not everyone was carrying their fair share" might be a typical one. Again, the goal of the interview is to sell yourself as being a competent adult ready for the challenge. You can use questions like this to illustrate past successes and to demonstrate effective analytical, management and problem solving skills. Unless she happens to be a world famous expert on the particular topic at hand, you should avoid suggesting that your method of problem solving and conflict resolution involves Mom and a cellphone.

3. Don't let your parents directly negotiate your job offer.

You can, and should, have your parents (or other experienced worker) review any job offer you receive. Sometimes they can be pretty complicated, especially if you have never dealt with one before. Deciphering the relative value of different salary and benefit packages and determining if there is room for negotiation can be difficult even for experienced workers. However, any interaction with the actual employer should be between only the future employer and future employee. Don't undermine your credibility right when you are about to cross the finish line!

When it comes time for your job search, consult with your parents as much as you need to--they are a tremendous resource for you--but publicly you must stand on your own. Take their advice, make it your own and show the world that you are ready!

 

A Job Search in a Slow Economy (Part II)

I read a lot about the "Millennial Generation" (If you are a current college student, you are one of them). In the business world a lot of people are making a big fuss these days over figuring out how to "handle" you, and some of your negative "generational personality traits", in the workplace.

If you are a student looking to enter that workplace you can create a competitive advantage for yourself in the search process by knowing in advance what concerns employers have about your generation (keeping in mind that most of them are still from the previous generations-Baby Boomers and Gen X) and preparing yourself based on that knowledge. Once you know what they don't like you are better positioned to present yourself as the exact opposite and stand out from your competitors. We will take a look at several of these generational negatives over the next several posts.

[A note here...yes, I agree that it is absurd as a rule to define an entire generation, any generation, by one set of characteristics. Every generation is made up of individuals with unique personalities. However, the reality is that, in public perception, every generation is saddled with a group of shared traits and to just argue that it should not be so misses the point.]

Millennial Negative #1: You won't stick around long and you want important work NOW.

The average Millennial is seen as one who has no interest in "paying their dues". They expect meaningful work and significant responsibility on day one. If they don't get this type of opportunity right away (or at least before their first year is up) they will quit and move on to another, better position working for someone "who appreciates them".

Employers hate this. They spend a lot of time and money recruiting you and getting you up to speed on how to do things...just in time for you to leave and take that training to another employer. When the two most recent generations (the ones now in charge of hiring and managing new grads) were just-out-of-college themselves most had very little expectation that they would be given highly significant work in their first few months (or in some industries, years) on the job. Today, the reality is that even experienced workers still need some time to get up to speed, get current with training specific to that organization and get a feel for how the organization works before they can effectively contribute. In most cases, a recent college grad is not likely to be managing teams of experienced workers on big projects after 6 months. While this is slowly changing in some workplaces, many employers may still be reluctant to make any changes (like promotions or significant increases in responsibility) before your one year anniversary with the company.

So how can you convince someone, let's say in an interview, that you aren't going to bolt out the door next month if you aren't on the fast track to CEO?

In most cases, interviewers will try to get at this trait by asking something like "Where do you see yourself in five years?". Start with humility. No one, of any generation, likes a know it all. Especially one who already knows exactly how to do the job they don't even have yet. There's no better way to end the interview before it starts than to tell them you've got it all figured out. Confidence is fine, but remember they were (in most cases) doing fine without you.

Acknowledge the fact that, while you feel you are well prepared for the challenge, you have a lot to learn...and this is an excellent place to learn and advance in the future. In five years you see yourself here with their organization having advanced as much as your performance and opportunities allow. This type of answer conveys realistic expectations, demonstrates appropriate ambition and, most importantly, places you still with their organization in five years which goes "against the grain" of their perceptions of your generation.

In my next post we will take on Millennial Negative #2: You are too attached to your parents.

A Job Search in a Slow Economy (Part I)...

It's sitting there, a few posts down in the blog archive, mocking me.

I wrote a post about 7 weeks ago that was as ill-timed as John McCain's now infamous "Our economy is fundamentally strong" comment during the recent Presidential race. My post was all about how GOOD the job outlook was for this year's college grads and, similar to McCain's comment, it was posted just hours before the financial system began its historic collapse.

While the cheery optimism of my headline now looks a little silly in retrospect, I was trying to make an important point which still stands: College hiring trends are a subset that aren't always reflected in national data.

Even before the recent collapse, the prevailing wisdom was that the economy was headed south. For about a year now we have seen increases in unemployment rates and dire predictions for the future. Meanwhile, college hiring over the last several years had increased by double-digit percentages year over year, meaning each consecutive class had more and more opportunity. The national report I cited in my earlier post was, at the time, predicting yet another increase for this year, although at a more modest 8%. Even in the midst of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression, that national report has been revised to predict hiring will be level this year. In other words, excluding certain troubled areas like finance and real estate, this year's graduates should have the same amount of opportunity as last year's, even with the troubled economy.

[A word of warning before I get you too optimistic again. I am by no means an expert on the economy. One thing that is apparent as I listen to the people who are supposed to be experts is that no one knows for sure what will happen going forward. This current economic crises is unique in that it was caused in large part by problems that never existed before, so it is difficult for anyone to predict where it might go from here...and, as we have seen, things can change quickly.]

So, what does this mean for this year's graduating class? Any time there is uncertainty in the economy the best preparation is an early start. There are jobs out there, but there are no silver bullets. A competitive market means you need to start earlier, work harder, and make sure you stand out from the crowd.

Over the next few days and weeks I will be adding several new posts discussing ways you can differentiate yourself from the competition in a job search. A hint for now...you need to learn to think like an employer and use that knowledge strategically.

Stay tuned.