oh, you want a real job?
portland state university flickr let’s say, for example, that you are coming out of college with your four-year degree. it’s shiny. it’s new. it’s totally you. in the current economy, unemployment is going down and yet it still sits around 7.0 percent (as of november 2013).
how are you going to get this super awesome job? how are you going to keep this spectacular entry-level job?
fact: your degree does not guarantee you a full-time job (bye bye 1965).
snarky humor off. positivity on.
as someone who’s been in their first full-time job an official year (yay, work birthday!) i thought i would loop back and cover some of the things i felt were crucial to finding a job and keeping it.
in a nutshell…
- confidence is key
- risk management
- embracing full-time employment
interviewing
as someone who’s sat in the career center trainings (incredibly valuable), submitted countless applications (a necessary step), slaved over a hot cover letter (or twenty), reviewed hundreds of resumes and trained student employees, it all boils down to how well you can sell yourself.
i’m not perfect. i’m not always the best candidate. but i will be the most confident. this does not mean that i won’t talk about times that i have made mistakes (trust me, there are way too many to count). i think it is important to reflect on the experiences we have had and the lessons learned as this is crucial to our development and professional skills.
three-part summation of interviews?
- come early (minimum 10 minutes)
- sell yourself like your future depends on it (with a smile). find new ways to make your work stand out.
- bring questions for the interviewer and extra resumes.
meet risk management
remember that one time, at the one bar, with that one friend? well, it’s all over your twitter/facebook feed in case you forgot. while i holistically embrace the fundamental concept that your social media is “your opinions” or “your life” (which is it) lest not forget that you are also a spokesperson for your company.
think i’m crazy? well, you’re about 80% right. here is a real-world example for funzies: duck dynasty. phil robertson was definitely in the clear for expressing his own opinion on gays (ugh), but that differs from the stance that a&e as a corporation.
my recommendation is that before every post, think critically about what current (or future) employers will think. have a glass of wine, or a beer. heck, have three! at the end of the day, this does not need to make social media headlines. let’s leave it for organic gatherings.
getting to work
ever sat down in one spot for eight hours? i mean really sit. as an it support analyst (fancy words for tech support), i spend a large majority of my day sitting in front of my screens.
for me sitting and focusing on tasks and emails was not the easiest thing to do. especially for an entire day. then four more days. then fifty-one more weeks. yikes.
process is what leads to success. events are just milestones along the way. sure there’s luck involved for all success, and sometimes people really do make it overnight, but 99% of the time, process is what breeds winners. — otis kingsbury
find ways to stay engaged. what moves you? i’m lucky. i work in a rec center. i get stuck on a puzzle, on an idea, on a task and i walk up one flight of stairs and run. boom. hello endorphins and fabulous ideas.
take risks, own your position, work with your boss/team to create superb ideas. never stop learning.
have other ideas on keeping engaged at work? better tips at interviewing? more suggestions for risk management? let’s chat! find me on twitter @alexlaughnan!