Ten Steps between you and your Career

How to Get a Job in Ten Simple Steps: 

We have all heard the phrase “In this economy…” which is often followed by a discussion regarding the lack of jobs there currently are around the globe. Such a fact rings especially true for this years graduating college seniors. But if you play your cards right, there is hope. There are many means by which you can help yourself get a job and impress your employer in the process. Read on to find out more. 

1.) Intern: Interning at a company will allow you to gain experience in all different areas of an industry. Most importantly internships can help you decide if your intended career path is the right fit for you. Lemore Hecht, a senior at Quinnipiac University, interned with WOR radio station in New York City this past summer. Hecht says, “an internship is the most valuable experience one can have in terms of getting a job in the future.” You can experience what it is like to be in a real work environment, and learn aspects of a particular industry you would never gain in a classroom. She believes, “not only does it get your foot in the door and gives you the experience of working in the field of your choice, but it also helps you form a network that will help you in the future.” Also having an internship will put you ahead of others applying for a job who have less experience. Hecht says, “the connections that you build are important so that when the time comes around to find a job, you have an "in" with a company. She believes forming such a relationship with professionals in your field of study will only help you when you begin your job search. Most importantly interning during your time in college shows you are ambitious about the field you are trying to break into. Also you will gain useful knowledge about the entire industry, inside and out, as you will have experienced it for yourself first hand.

2.) Network: It seems too good to be true but simply talking to the right person can be the gateway to the job of your dreams. “Networking is how I got my first job,” says Jacqueline Elliot, a Communications Planner at MediaCom, an advertising agency in New York City. Scott Siminsky, the Manager of Sales at ABC and family friend of Elliot’s, had ties with the ad agency she currently works for. He reffered Elliot to three different ad agencies which led to three different interviews. Elliot got offered a position at MediaCom as a Communications Planning Assistant in 2006 and was promoted within six months. As mentioned above, internships can also help form relationships with those in the professional field both within your company and beyond. Making the right impression on someone may prompt them to refer you to your next potential employer. 

3.)  Do Your Research: One of the first steps one should take when preparing for an interview is to research the company. The last thing you want to do is find yourself dumbfounded when an employer mentions something about the company and you have absolutely no idea what he or she is talking about. Knowledge about your company, its partners and competitors will make you stand out from the crowd. It will prove that you are not only interested in working there, but have taken the initiate to stay abreast of the company’s goals, reputation and possible changes they may be making. Researching a company can be done simply by taking a look at the company’s website, annual reports, or even researching them at any good old fashioned library. 

4.) Use the Internet: There are a plethora of websites out there that can help you get your foot in the door, without even getting off your couch. The internet is a great way to make your name and resume easily accessible to companies and employers who may be using the internet as means to find potential candidates. Many job postings are found on websites like Craig’s List, an online classifieds site, with job opportunities listed around the world. Sites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com allow you to not only post your resume and look for jobs, but also seek career advice and research various occupations. 

5.) Clean Up Your Act: Facebook and Myspace are tools that allow people to stay in touch and keep track of what your friends, co-workers and family are up to. While sites like these were especially useful during college, however when it comes to finding a job, employers often look to such sites to learn more about their potential employees. Although pictures of you drinking with your friends may seem harmless, it's not particularly the type of image you want to promote of yourself when seeking employment. Elliot says one applicant at her company was turned down for a job after her boss came across her myspace page, which featured the girl in a less than flattering light. Deleting your profile completely is not necessarily being suggested, but limiting what kind of personal information you share with the public should be used with discretion. There are however websites that can be beneficial for you to join when beginning your professional career. See step 6.

6.) Get “Linkedin:” Linkedin is a website that allows you to “get the most from your professional network.” Once you sign up you can search for job opportunities, speak with experts in a particular industry as well as reconnect with colleagues from previous jobs. The site also allows you to make a personal profile which highlights your career goals and experiences. The website states its “mission is to connect the world’s professionals to accelerate their success.” Take a look at the video below to get an insight as to how linkedin can benefit you and your career.        

7.)  Customize your resume: “Gearing your resume towards the field you’re seeking employment in is very important,” says Elliot. Highlighting such qualities will enforce how you are specifically required for a certain position, not just the industry in general. “In my objectives I put pertinent information about the prevalent experiences I had at my past places of employment.” If you are applying for a niche position that requires particular skills, be sure to highlight such attributes you may possess which could be particularly essential for your position. Capitalizing on such special skills you may have could be what ends up setting you apart from another applicant. 

8.) Dress Appropriately: People say looks aren’t everything, but when it comes to job interviews, first impressions are extremely important. How you look when you first greet your potential employer is key. According to About.com, men should dress in a solid colored suit and tie, wear their hair neatly, and limit any distracting jewelry or strong aftershave. Women should also dress in a pants suit, or skirt that is still at a conservative and comfortable length when sitting. Women should especially limit wearing too much perfume or gaudy jewelry and should perhaps just wear simple earrings. Eileen Mancision, a Medical Assistant for Westchester Medical Group in Scarsdale, NY says even if your interview is taking place over the phone you should dress as though you were having a face to face interview. Mancision says doing so will help put you in the right mind set, even if you are only speaking to your interviewer by telephone. Whether you are having an interview in person or not, dressing correctly is highly important; because no matter how qualified you may be your appearance is the first thing your employer will be judging.

9.) Be on time: Getting to your job interview is the hard part, being punctual shouldn’t be. Showing up even just a few minutes late to your interview can make you appear as though you are a tardy or irresponsible employee. Especially, dare I say, in this economy it is crucial to try and do everything possible to give yourself that extra edge. Running late may only add to your anxiety and nerves which will make it harder for you to concentrate at the task at hand: getting a job offer!

      10.) Stay Confident: Now that you have adequately networked to land yourself an interview, researched the company, and deleted any incriminating photos of yourself on facebook, staying confident is a major component when trying to impress your boss during an interview. Prior to your interview you should ask yourself why you want to work for this particular company and how you feel you can be an asset to them. Having a good understanding of such goals will help you to stay on track when answering questions during your interview.  Elliot says, "staying confident and positive is very important." Especially these days with the struggling economy and constant layoffs being made, such attributes will only help you in the long run. Even if you don't get the job you were hoping for the first time around, each experience will only make you stronger, and show you what you need to work on in the future; because the right job for you will come along eventually, but it takes a great deal of hard work and determination to find it

vivvideo courtesy of Youtube.com

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Marry Rich...

Marry rich and you can live like the women of the "The Real Housewives." Over the past few years, I must admit, this show has become my guilty pleasure. While I'm from NYC I unfortunately can't say I can relate to any of the women on this seasons installment of  Bravo's the Real Desperate Housewives of New York City. One thing I am thankful for is that I don't (or at least I hope, have an accent like Jill Zarin's, one of the members of this season's cast of characters.) I became hooked on the series freshman year when too much caffeine and excess amount of time on my hands allowed me to stay up all night watching a better part of the first season of the show. The first season focused on the women of Orange County who all live in a development of mansions known as Coto de Caza. Some of them work, while others live off their husbands money, either way they are equally wealthy a all lead extravagant lives. 

When they're not gossiping about each other or pretending to be friends they're typically seen dining out, going on vacation and of course relaxing at the spa, because their lives are oh so stressful. The same theme of activites hold true for the women of both coasts. The ladies of NYC can be seen jaunting off to the Hamptons and the women of the OC stay at the most lavish hotels in Las Vegas. 

As I mentioned some of the women married rich which is how they found themselves living the lavish lifestyle they do, while others have made their fortune selling insurance or real estate. What bothers me about these women is they all consider themselves to have 'class' simply because they have money. But the majority of the faux blonde, fake breasted women of the OC all engage in activities that are far from classy and often downright mean. 

On a recent episode of the Real OC Housewives one of the women, Tamra, the self described "hottest housewife," plotted to get one of the other women "naked wasted" (not so sure what that entails). Basically she forced tequila shots down her throat to get her so drunk that she embarrassed herself in front of everyone, many of whom she had just met. Tamra has a personal vendetta against Gretchen, who she fears may take over the reign of "hottest housewife," as she is younger, spunkier and new to the crowd--clearly this is evidence of "classy" behavior. 

Jill of NYC, has an accent something similar to the sounds of a sweet combination of Long Island, the Bronx and straight up loud and obnoxious. Unfortunately on a recent episode she realized how detrimental opening up her big mouth can be in NYC; she bashed one of the other women's husbands and it just so happened to be printed in the NY Post. Nevertheless I still manage to find myself setting my TIVO to tape the ridiculousness of this show each week-whose latest installment included a one year birthday party for one of the women's dogs-which was sadly nicer than my sweet 16. Check out the drama for yourself every Tuesday night at 10 on Bravo.  

photos courtesy of bravotv.com