The Job Hunt Begins Before Graduation

 The Job Hunt Begins Before Graduation

Rather than wait until after graduation at the end of 2014, hoping luck is on my side, I decided now was the time to begin my search for a company who would be interested in my particular skills and talents.

A good friend of mine--who happens to be part of the human resources management team for a multimillion dollar company--recommended I read a book titled "What Color is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers" by Richard N. Bolles (2013 edition).

How in the world do we stand out in a crowd?

So far I have to admit, after having read the entire book cover-to-cover, it was nothing like I expected. This isn't a predictable text on how to find a job. Rather, it's a cornucopia of invaluable resources and information designed around helping you discover your potential and ultimately find and secure the perfect job or career.

Mr. Bolles takes the reader through an in-depth series of self-actualization exercises, offers a variety of job search tools and research methods, lays out the steps leading up to and including the interview process, and provides great advice for aleviating anxieties associated with salary negotiation.

I plan on starting at the beginning again and slowly working through the steps and exercises. Then, I will periodically post updates, detailing my progress; the successes and failures alike.

My work begins in chapter five: You need to understand more fully who you are. For this, I will be taking into account everything that my life experience has provided through work, play, hobbies, school, etc. and figuring out what types of things I can do. The idea is to break down everything into much simpler forms. In this case, a list of mediums that I enjoy working in (words, people, graphics, wood, etc.) and determine what skills I have already acquired that pertain to those individual mediums.

Having Trouble Landing that Job? Get an Attitude Adjustment!

 Having Trouble Landing that Job? Get an Attitude Adjustment!

With unemployment rates hovering around 8% and employers hesitant to hire during these uncertain economic times, finding a job can prove rather difficult. If you are having trouble getting a leg up against the waves of applicants trying to enter the job market, maybe you need to get an attitude adjustment.

According to Sartain (2003), "Employees with positive attitudes have a more constructive influence on the success and fulfillment of organizational goals and objectives than employees who have more education and experience but also have a negative attitude."

Many companies recognize that a positive attitude trumps technical knowledge almost every time; especially when recruiting for positions which deal directly with customers. A positive attitude permeates throughout an organization, affecting employees and customers alike. 

High enthusiasm, strong desire to learn, and self-motivation are some key characteristics that employers thirst for above all other qualifying details.

I attended a webinar through Ashford University, and had the unique opportunity to speak with actual HR job recruiters. One key point they drilled into us was to make sure you are submitting a cover letter each and every time you apply for a job. It can never hurt! Plus, it is an opportunity to show off your personality a bit through the tone of the letter.

Think of it as a sales pitch where you can express that positive forward-thinking attitude and show that you've done your research for the company you are applying for.

Current employers are still out there looking for the perfect candidates to fill spots. Don't be so pessimistic!

Get out there and keep at it. Just don't forget to smile once in awhile.  ;-) 

Daniel Wagner.

I have a plan to begin that all-important search using an excellent book as a guide. "What Color is Your Parachute: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers" by Richard N. Bolles (2013 edition). You can begin that journey with me here: http://dwcreativerse.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-job-hunt-begins-before-graduation.html

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Reference: Sartain, L. (2003). Getting extraordinary results from ordinary people. In Effron, M., Gandossy, P., & Goldsmith, M. (Eds.), Human resources in the 21st century (pp. 3–9). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.