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Show Sunday, October 12, 2003 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS By Carol Kleiman Chicago Tribune Reviewing byAmyLindgren requires the job seeker to think about the people and companies onthetarget Knight Ridder Newspapers I am often asked what job seekers should do in a tight job market. The truth is, the steps for a good job search are the same in any kind of market, but the intensity with which you apply the steps may differ. Following are four concepts to keep list. At what conferences are youlikely to meet the company managersin person? What customerservice problems are the companies trying to solve? How can your experience playa part in that solution? When you think creatively, you increase your contacts as well as your effectiveness with those search: contacts. A productive job search is just that: 1. Stick with the basics. In any market, your job productive. Track your efforts and set standards. Your if mind as you conduct your job search should be situation consistent, i Saiiiective unique for me to iv E ; oy : cae cred = E a Seasioens j search, the seeker chooses a new job or industry, identifies the people and compa- nies to contact, and crafts the story to tell those people (creates a resume and interview answers, for exam- the basics and turning up the intensity of your search should lead to a job offer, even if it’s notfor the job you had envisioned. if oT path i wal caged primary life goal, restructure Other areas of your life to Cut yourexpensestothe “Creativity” in this case does not out dozens o resumes Your and goals equity to start over in a less expensive lifestyle. If you can’t afford to live alone, get a roommate. It’s tough to think about these kinds of choices,andit’s easy to get angry at will say they need an income. How much money and why? Remember thatin transition, cash flowis king.It’s not the amount of money you make, but when you get paid that matters. Small amounts of money that flow in early and regularly are more helpful than large checks thatarrive too late. To make use of this concept, you have to stop fussing about your “career.” It’s a critical mistake to spend down your savings while turning away certain number of opportunities that don’t seemto fit on a career path. A career is not something you can eat. outbound calls or If you need to take a position outside visits or letters each week, resulting in a certain number of responses. And a certain number of those responses should result in a job your field, bide your time bystaying current in your chosen area; you'll have another chance to get back in the eliminate extras. mean sending resumes stuffed into shoes. That old “foot in the door” pun is way old. Rather, a creative search =m who anne should include a bone, sell assets and in the job search is developed toward this focus and no effort is lost going for jobs outside the focus. The trick is to not make the focus so narrow that it becomes unrealistic. too receives no responses is not being productive. accommodatethis goal. ple). Every effort is 2. Review the big picture. Why are you looking for a job? Most people interview, with a certain number of interviewsresulting in an offer or two. Put some numbers in the blanks and track your progress for a few weeks. If you’re not coming close to your goals, chances are you need to adjust your approach. game. On the other hand, if your career path is your primary life goal, restructure other areas of your life to accommodate this goal. Cut your expenses to the the situation that makes them neces- sary. Go ahead andget angry, but when you're through, get out your pen and paperandstart strategizing. Go back to the Big Picture question and ask yourself why you’re looking for a job. Then evaluate your job search sofar. If you're not getting results and you’ve been consistent and creative, it might be time to take a lesser job or even a series of part-time jobs. 4. Pick a date to be re-employed. Give yourselftime to get your idealjob -— say, three months.Atthat point, use your results to decide if you shouldget a part-time job while continuing the hunt, or if you should take a different job and put yourideal job on hold. Set a date to be back at work, whatever path you choose. A word of warning: If you take this advice and end up with a different job bone, sell assets and eliminate extras. 3. Make the hard choices. If you from what you had envisioned, do not allow yourself to brood about the job can’t get the job you want, take a different job. If you can’t afford to keep your house, sell it and use the you have and focus your attention on you didn’t get. Take pride in the job the future. Q. Would it be arrogant, rude or simplyinappropriate to take notes during a job interview? I’ve been tempted to ask interviewers if they would mindif I took notes, but I’ve never mustered the courage actually to do that. What are your thoughts? A. | think it’s an excellent idea. Manyapplicants take notes for the same reason interviewers do: to make sure they get everything right. But instead of asking permission, just mention quite casually at the beginning of the interview that you’re going to take notes. I’m sure itll be OK. But don’t even consider using a tape recorder. Q. My current manager never asks what my goals are, so it’s difficult for me to determine ifI’m making progress in this large company. All he saysis that there are no complaints about me and I'm doing a great job. I can’t get anything else out of him, such as what he expects from me or my strengths or weaknesses. +l want a promotion but can’t make a case for it because my manager won't allow me to create goals and meet them. A. You sound like an extremely conscientious employee and your manager should bethrilled to have you on his staff. However, he obviously isn’t very savvy about managing, so no matter what you do, you won't get promoted unless he personally wants to promote you —withoutbasing his selection on mutually established standards. If you can, try to get a lateral transfer to another department with | amore professional manager. MOUNTAIN WEST COLLEGE “They helped me discover my tential. Now I have choices. SN A He's 28 months from earning a degree and $52,000 a year* NORTHFACE UNIVERSITY PREPARES YOU FOR MORE THAN A JOB, IT PREPARES YOU FOR A CAREER. In just 28 months you will graduate with: e A Bachelor of Science degree in ComputerScience e An awesome digital portfolio of project work e The two most respected certifications in the industry: Java and .NET (jCert Enterprise Developer for IBM and the Microsoft® Certified Solution Developer) « Financial aid and scholarships are available for those who qualify. Classes are forming now-<call today for a complimentary career planning session: 801-438-1100 For some ofour studentsit’s better pay. Forothers it's having a job theyenjoy. Whatever the reason, Mountain West College helps thousands ofstudents build better careers every day. And we can do the samefor you! Mountain West COLLEGE Preparefor a career at Mountain West College in one ofthesefields: ® Accounting e Business Accounting ¢ Business Administration ¢ Computer Information Systems ¢ Medical Assisting ® Medical InsuranceBilling/Coding etmeie eetee ¥ Member of the ( orinthian Colleges, Inc Nationwide Nerwork * Easy to get started, enroll today ° Day, evening and Saturday classes Paralegal/Legal Assistant * Professional Office Administration ¢ Financial aid available for those who qualify * Surgical Technologist ® Travel and Tourism ® Online courses available © Career planning and placement assistance To start your new career,call toll free © 2003 Northface University. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. *U.S. Dept. of Labor's Sureau of Labor Statistics, 2002-03 ANORTHFACE VUNtiverReifgTy 800-646-1468 ask for dept. 1049, or apply online at mwcollege.com Not an actual student. Quotation depicts generally expected performance onty heh oka |
