Finding a Job
Resume:
Searching for a job can be a stressful task. There are endless choices of search engines to utilize when applying for jobs, but it can still be difficult to find the perfect job that piques your interest. The information below is intended to assist with the process of finding a job, beginning with resume preparation, then discussing job search methods, and finishing details that are important to remember when accepting and starting your new position.
If you do not have a resume, then get started! Some important information that you should have on your resume includes, your personal information, contact information, your educational qualifications like degrees, certificates, publications, and any other noteworthy accomplishments that occurred during your time developing your education, and finally, your work experience chronologically. There is a plethora of tools to help you with building your resume that can be found via the interwebs. For more specific assistance, try reaching out to a Team SyBBURE member or the VU Career Center.
A helpful tip when writing a resume is, use actual figures to illustrate the impact you had when highlighting accomplishments in your previous roles. For example, “improved efficiency by 15% by…”. Another tip is to relate your past experiences to the career you desire; if the job you want is in a specific area of research that requires attention to detail, then highlight an area of your research where your attention to detail influenced the outcome of a task you were responsible for. The more you can relate your past experiences to desirable qualities in your ideal job, the more your resume will stand out.
Some job recruiters narrow down their initial applicant pool by assessing resumes for keywords. To find these keywords, search for job descriptions and include some of the words that often appear in the job qualifications field. If you have multiple areas of interest in your job search, then it may be worth the extra effort to make multiple versions of your resume with different buzz words.
Something else to note before applying to jobs is your desired salary. It is common that applications will ask what your desired salary is. Conduct some research into your desired job’s starting salary. Weigh yourself by comparing the qualifications needed for that job and your own qualifications. Then you can use this information to liken yourself to others. This can help if you need a starting point on what salary to ask for. You can also just ask for the salary listed on the higher end and hope you get more monies.
Most job applications have an area to include a cover letter, although it is likely optional. So, it is up to you whether to include a cover letter. If you chose to do so, then consider creating a generic cover letter that can be manipulated easily to fit different job applications. Search for a job is already tough, this can make your application stand out (unless you cover letter is trash) and not involve much extra work.
Job Search:
Search for which search engines are most fruitful in your desired career field. This may give you a new application that is more useful to your specific field. If you have specific companies or organizations that you are interested in, then start with their websites.
As you begin applying to jobs, find a way to keep track of the jobs you apply to. It will likely take weeks to find a job that fits what you are looking for, so it can become easy to lose track of jobs that you have applied to. When job recruiters call to talk about a job, you want to make sure you remember what job they are referring to, so make sure you have a system (or a really great memory). Details that are useful to keep track of include date of application, job title, company, link to job application, requested salary, and keep conversation notes if a recruiter reaches out. If you have an interview, it is useful to keep track of the interviewers contact information and dates of contact. This will be useful when sending any follow-up communications.
Searching for a job will likely be tedious work. Don’t get discouraged. Make a goal to apply to at least 3 jobs a day and reach that goal every day. If you can get the contact information for someone in the hiring department of a company that you applied to join, reach out to them with the intent to show your interest in the position. Be professional with how you word any communication to the company employees. Leaving an impression on someone within the company may help you stand out.
Job Interview Process:
The hiring process follows a somewhat standard process. After the application is submitted, the process will likely go as follows. Someone will reach out to schedule an interview. The interview process will involve one to three interviews. If there are multiple rounds of interviews, then the first round is often a recruiting officer, or someone involved with the HR department. Their goal is to make sure you are qualified for the position before sending you to the second round. The second round involves employees that will likely be your closest colleagues, if hired. They will interview you on job-specific qualities and ensure you match their desired candidate for the open position. If you are then passed along to the third round, you will meet an executive of the organization who will ask you questions about your qualifications and get to know you a bit. If you make it to the third round, the pool of applicants will likely be narrowed down to three or less. If the interview process only involves one interview, then it will likely involve employees that will work closely with the open position or supervise the open position.
Job Interview Etiquette & Tips:
First, dress for the job. Try to find out the dress code for the position you are interviewing for and dress accordingly. If you are unable to find specifics, then business casual is usually a safe bet. Remember that this will be the first impression your potential employer will have of you, aside from reading through your resume. On that note, it is also wise to make your social media pages private or at the very least, don’t post anything too strange. It is common for employers to investigate into your social media to get a better view of who you are. You do not need to censor who you are as a person, but in extreme cases, it can help to restrict what you are sharing with the world.
If your interview is in person, consider bringing a few printouts of your resume on cardstock. They will likely have your resume already available, but this makes it apparent that you are prepared. It will also likely be helpful if you have a copy of your resume for yourself, as you may need to reference your past experiences. Make sure you have studied your resume and the job description; be as familiar as possible with the expected duties and qualifications as possible. Come up with a few questions that you would like answered about the job. This will show more interest and understanding into the position. If you need a jump start, you can ask for a more detailed description of the day-to-day responsibilities in this position, you can ask if this position is a new position or a previous position with a vacancy, and you can ask what the employer wants to get out of the candidate they select to fill this position.
You will likely be asked questions about your past experiences, for example, describe a time when there was a conflict in your work history and how did you resolve this conflict. Search for a list of these potential questions via the internets and come up with answers to as many of them as you like. Take note of these answers and rehearse these answers until you are comfortable answering them without the assistance of your notes. When asked questions about your work experience, it is okay to pause and think about your answer for a few seconds, but it will make you look much worse if you take too long to answer or cannot produce an answer at all. Being able to answer questions like these is crucial to a successful interview.
Something else that could assist with the employer’s impression of you is to have a side conversation with the interviewers. It doesn’t need to be about the job. It might be better to steer a conversation away from the job for a moment. If you can find anything relevant in the room you are being interviewed in, that is a good place to being. For example, if there is a photograph on the desk of the interviewer hiking you could note that the photo is nice and ask them about their interest in hiking. Connecting on a basis that is deeper than the job opening will likely lead to them remembering you and perhaps favoring you more than they would have without this extra connection.
The first interview in a series of interviews may be a phone interview. Considering that many people are still working from home, it is likely that you may also encounter an interview via webcam. If this is the case, dress appropriately for a webcam interview, study and prepare for the interview with questions and interview run-throughs, and consider steering the conversation away from the job briefly to try to establish a separate connection. In a phone interview, there are several differences you should be aware of. Ensure that you have good service, speak loud and clear, and are prepared to listen attentively. Often, a phone interview in a series will be conducted by someone in HR or a recruiter, so they may not have an exact connection with the job, but they will assess your qualifications and personality to see if you are a good fit for the open position. You should still be prepared for this interview as you would be for any other interview, but if they are a recruiter/HR administrator, you can cater the questions to their knowledge of the position. They may not know the specific responsibilities that will be held by the position, but they will be knowledgeable about the benefits and salary, as well as other HR-related information. Do your research before the interview and adjust your tactic accordingly.
In a webcam interview, you should consider all relevant advice given thus far, but there are a few adjustments to consider for this specific scenario: print out your resume and the job description to have on hand while you interview; take your notes directly on these documents to make sure you are as prepared as possible. The interviewers won’t be able to see these documents, so include what you feel necessary. Dress appropriately. Make sure you have a stable internet connection. Consider running an ethernet cable directly to the computer you plan to use for your interview. This will ensure a more stable connection. Set up adequate lighting and test your audio and video feed prior to the interview. You should be able to see and hear yourself clearly. Clear your background of any distractions. Remember, there may be a delay or an interruption in your video feed. If this happens, roll with it as best as you can. Most interviewers will be understanding of this, so don’t let it affect your ability to showcase your skills.
You should understand that there is a chance that this process can take several months and consist of many applications and interviews. It is important that you don’t let it discourage you. To get the job you want, you will need to put in the effort. Set a goal for yourself to apply to a few jobs per day and don’t relent.
Reviewing & Accepting a Job Offer
Yay! You finally got a job offer. Here are some things to consider when reviewing the job offer and before you accept.
One of the first things that comes to mind when accepting a job is the salary. It is important that you established a reasonable “worth” for yourself as an asset to the workforce, which was discussed in the earlier sections on resumes. Now it is time to reassess your worth, keeping in mind any previous discussions you have had with the employer offering the job regarding your desired salary. If you have already discussed a desired salary, then use this as a baseline. If they offer less, ask for the amount you discussed. If they offer the amount you discussed, then you should accept. If you discussed a salary but later found out that the job entailed more responsibilities than you based your desired salary on, then you should bring this up and consider asking for higher compensation, sighting these unforeseen duties as the reason for changing your ask.
If you are being offered a full-time position, then this will include benefits. You should understand the benefits being offered. Some of the more important benefits that you should be expecting from an employer include health coverage, dental coverage, vision coverage, and a 401k or similar retirement fund. It is important to also be aware of the contribution amount that the company will match in your retirement fund. For example, if you elect to deposit a percentage of your earnings into a retirement fund, it is standard that your employer will match your contribution amount up to a certain percentage. The higher the better, but 3% is a good standard. These will likely be shared when you receive a job offer, but if they are not, you can ask for details on the benefits offered. This is also your final chance to ask any other questions you have about the job, so take some time to make sure you have no other uncertainties prior to accepting.
Accept your job offer as soon as you are certain. Don’t let the deadline to accept pass.
Joining the Workforce
Welcome to the rest of your life. This will be the final section on finding a job. It will include some unofficial guidelines for beginning a new job and important aspects to consider.
Learn the company’s rules and make sure you are following them when you begin. Start with the dress code. Make sure you have a wardrobe that can cover the necessities. It doesn’t need to be vast. You can always build it as you earn. Know when you are supposed to begin working.
Understand that the time you are scheduled to begin working means that when that time comes you should already be in your office or at your desk and working. It doesn’t mean you should be walking into the office at that time or making coffee in the break room at the time. Perhaps your new employer has a more relaxed policy on working hours that allows you to come and go as you please. You should make sure you understand the work atmosphere before you make any changes to your effort to be on a strict schedule.
You will likely feel overwhelmed and confused for the first few weeks or longer. This is normal. Most managers and trainers should understand that there is an acclimation period for a new employee. It is not your job to understand everything the first week, but it is your job to learn all that you can as best as you can. If you have questions, you should ask them. If you make a mistake, you should feel comfortable owning up to it. Mistakes are to be expected.
You will more than likely have a set amount of time for your lunch break. It will help to plan out your meals beforehand. If you would like to be frugal, then grocery shop for meals and snacks that will be easy to bring as your meal. There are plenty of ideas and recipes online. Bring water to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. This will help with your energy level. It is wise to bring a snack. A full day of work is a long time to only have one small lunch. A snack will help to break of the day and give you a little boost of energy. If you can then you should take a short walk around the office or around the block when you begin to feel fatigued. Keeping your body moving will help bring your energy level higher.
When you begin a job with a new company, you will have a limited time to select your benefits. You need to be aware of the date in which your benefits must be elected and ensure you complete this task prior to the deadline. If you have questions about what the different selections entail, consider asking you company’s HR department or a friend/family member who understands benefits.
The common benefits that are selected are health insurance, dental insurance, and vision insurance. There may be multiple levels of each that include different coverages. This is where HR can come in to clarify if you are having trouble understanding. Some other helpful tools that most benefits offer are flexible savings account (FSA) and health savings account (HSA). These are optional elections but can be useful if you plan on spending money on your well-being. An FSA is an account that you can elect an amount to contribute to monthly that lets you pay for many out-of-pocket medical-related expenses with tax free dollars. Your employer will send you a prepaid debit card with these monies loaded. You can purchase a lot of varying medical supplies and cover some medical expenses with this card. There will be a place to check purchases that qualify in your company’s HR documents. Similarly, your HSA is an account that your company may offer in a benefits package. The money is this account will be invested pretax and can gain interest in the account. There are qualifying purchases that this can be used for as well, but it can help with out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Make sure you are contributing to your company’s retirement plan as soon as you can. The earlier the better when it comes to investing in your retirement. If you have the option to choose between investing in a pretax or Roth IRA, then you should invest in a Roth IRA. To simplify the reasoning behind this, if you invest in a pretax retirement account, then you will not pay taxes upon contributing to this account and instead be taxed upon withdrawal. Meaning, after you earn interest on your contributions, then taxes will be taken out of that increased amount. A larger amount of money means a larger dollar amount of taxes being taken out. If you invest in a Roth retirement account, then you will pay your taxes upfront when you contribute to the account and will not be taxed when money is withdrawn.
The final advice for being a professional in the workforce is to not overwork yourself. Put in your 40 hours and then go home. Establish boundaries for yourself so your work-life does not consume your free-time. You will regret this in the future. If you work hard and produce results in the 40 hours you are scheduled to work, then you don’t need to worry about working extra hours to make yourself look better. Do your best and you will progress in your career.
