Glassdoor Blog » YouTernhttp://www.glassdoor.com/blog
Glassdoor - An Inside Look at Jobs and CompaniesThu, 30 Jul 2015 17:34:28 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.2The 5 R’s For Conquering Career Obstacles In 2012http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-rs-conquering-career-obstacles-2012/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-rs-conquering-career-obstacles-2012/#commentsTue, 03 Jan 2012 14:00:30 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=10208Despite what we’re reading on myriad blogs this week, New Year’s resolutions aren’t bad – especially for job seekers, recent graduates and college students dealing with our new economic reality. The trouble with resolutions isn’t the resolutions, but lack of preparedness required to make them a reality. Until we know what we’re doing wrong – and what needs to change to get it right – resolutions are just “happy talk”. The turn of a calendar page does nothing to change that.

]]>Despite what we’re reading on myriad blogs this week, New Year’s resolutions aren’t bad – especially for job seekers, recent graduates and college students dealing with our new economic reality.

The trouble with resolutions isn’t the resolutions, but lack of preparedness required to make them a reality. Until we know what we’re doing wrong – and what needs to change to get it right – resolutions are just “happy talk”. The turn of a calendar page does nothing to change that.

Losing weight for instance, requires far more effort than saying “I’m going to eat less.” To accomplish our goal, we need a plan, a benchmark, an effective support group – and most important – we have to understand why we’re failing in the first place!

Same concept applies to our job search and early-stage career development. We must look at what we have been doing wrong – before we can change enough to succeed.

With that in mind, here are the 5 R’s for conquering career obstacles in 2012:

Refresh

This is the best part of the New Year’s resolution process – and the easiest to adapt. What a new calendar DOES do well: it allows a fresh start. We feel enabled. You’re ready to leave your baggage behind…

For about 3 days.

Then… everything goes back to the way it was on December 13, and August 27 – and back to January 4 of 2011 when this same process occurred – and our motivation ended.

A sincere refresh – is an attitude. A passion. An “I’m not letting anything get in the way!” revelation independent of the day of the week, the mood we’re in or external issues that stand between us and our goals.

January 1 gives us this opportunity to refresh – with no strings attached. Ultimately, however, it’s up to us to maintain that attitude until we’ve accomplished something real.

Realize

Reality is a far more difficult process. Objectively viewing our situation requires us to take a good hard look at what we’ve done so far – and determine what has (and has not) helped us accomplish our goals. After all, there are people out there – perhaps less qualified – getting job offers and moving their career development forward. Why aren’t we?

To help move this realization process along, answer these questions:

If my career collateral (resume and cover letter) is perfect – why am I not getting interviews?

When I do get interviews, why am I not a Top 3 candidate… why do I so rarely get a call-back?

If my online presence is so amazing, why have no influencers noticed?

If I am so good at networking, why am I receiving so few introductions from those in my sphere of influence?

For most of us… once we answer these questions… we have our benchmark. This is where we start.

This is our reality.

Reinvent

Now we start moving forward… past the happy talk and sometimes harsh realities – into action.

Why? Because for most of us, here are the answers to questions asked above:

Compared to our competition, our resumes are not good enough

It is highly likely we are not skilled at interviewing – yet

If no one has noticed us online – we haven’t done enough to make ourselves noticeable, and;

If we aren’t receiving introductions from our networks… we aren’t yet engaging

Time to reinvent! Get professional resume help (yes, help is affordable – or, Google “free resume help”). Work with someone to greatly improve your interview skills (if you don’t know someone – join a career-related Twitter chat to find a mentor and schedule informational interviews). Commit to both social and face-to-face networking two hours each day (anything less could be considered a waste of your time). Finally, commit to engaging: stop merely “liking”, “following” and “+1ing” – and actually TALK to people.

That’s the differentiator that gets you noticed!

You’ll reinvent because you are NOT yet as good as you think – or at least as good as your job seeking competition. Adjust your approach – and watch good things happen!

Reciprocate

Ah… the simplest ‘R’ of them all: reciprocation. When we as job seekers and young careerists begin to present first-class career collateral, show progress with our interview skills and network effectively with passion – it’s amazing how many people are willing to help!

Now, return the favor. Help others around you. Share what you’ve learned. Follow the advice stated by many others: “give more than you take”.

When you hit this point in your resolution process… you know you’re really doing something right.

Results

We hear this all the time: “I’ve applied for 200 jobs online and haven’t gotten a single response!” Our reply, as you can imagine, usually invokes the definition of insanity often attributed to Einstein and Twain (“doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results”). At the very least, we say: “Don’t tell us about the work you’ve done… tell us what you’ve done that works.”

So we’ve saved the best ‘R’ – results – for last. Why? Because no matter what your goals may be, working hard and getting nowhere is the biggest single obstacle we’ll stare down.

Our advice: focus on those items that generate real results. What exactly did you do to improve your resume? What did you learn from the interview that did result in a call-back? What process did you follow to build a relationship online? What did you do to “win” today that you can do again tomorrow?

Define your desired results by setting tangible goals (i.e. a new resume completed by January 15; 10 new high-quality contacts via social media a week; 2 interviews per month, etc.). Build a support network to help you achieve them. Execute. And always focus on results.

For 2012, don’t scream out resolutions like “I’m going to lose weight”, “I’ll finally quit smoking” and “I’m going to find a job!” Far too often, the outcome of such happy talk is failure.

]]>http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-rs-conquering-career-obstacles-2012/feed/4Avoid The Resume Clone Wars: Tell Me Your Story!http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/avoid-resume-clone-wars-story/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/avoid-resume-clone-wars-story/#commentsTue, 06 Dec 2011 23:00:09 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=9865As a hiring manager (read: non-human resource professional) who has recruited, interviewed and hired interns, entry-level and mid-level professionals, I have one word for those who insist a resume always be in a certain font or be structured in a certain way… “Really?” Honestly, when I review a resume (and maybe cover letter) I’m interested in getting answers to three questions.

]]>As a hiring manager (read: non-human resource professional) who has recruited, interviewed and hired interns, entry-level and mid-level professionals, I have one word for those who insist a resume always be in a certain font or be structured in a certain way…

“Really?”

Honestly, when I review a resume (and maybe cover letter) I’m interested in getting answers to three questions:

(1) Does this person have the background, experience and/or skills to do the job I’m hiring for?

Seriously… in my non-ATS recruiting world, as long as these questions get answered and the applicant’s basic information is presented in a clear, well-organized, easy-to-read format… I’m good.

I’ve been where you are now. Over the years, I’ve had my own resume critiqued countless times by different career professionals. I also trained as a Career Consultant with Lee Hecht Harrison. So it seems that by now I’d have a resume that a group of experts could agree on, right?

Wrong.

Instead, it seems as if every career coach, HR manager and recruitment firm has their own “correct” format of how a resume should be structured. And… each of them is absolutely convinced their method is the right one – even though their preference directly contradicts the opinions of other professionals.

My advice to job and internship seekers: what matters most is the experience your resume details, not the font you use to represent yourself, or conforming to some format straight out of Resume Xanadu.

Should the resume be one or two pages in length? That depends, of course, on the level of experience and the industry. Should it be chronological or functional? Well, that (like any other piece of marketing material) depends on the intended audience. Should you emphasize your education, and does it matter where on the resume that section is placed? Not to me. But… again… if the employer has stressed in the job description the importance of education requirements, why not make that recruiter’s job easy when presenting your resume?

What is really important (at least to me) is that the document is well organized, contains action verbs such as “managed”, “developed” and “coordinated” and highlights, wherever appropriate, specific outcomes (such as “increased sales 100%”) . I also would like to see some evidence of problem solving skills; using quantified statements, and examples of what business problems have you solved for previous employers (Example: “I saved the company $500,000 annually by switching technology platforms.”).

Hiring managers, like me, love to see this in a resume – regardless of style, font or format!

Bottom line: your job as an applicant is to show me that your skills and experience are relevant, that you are sincerely interested in working for me and that you can solve my problem. If all of that includes eye-catching charts, infographics, or other interesting ways of demonstrating your abilities, then by all means, go for it!

]]>http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/avoid-resume-clone-wars-story/feed/1Are Internships “Still” The New Entry-Level Job?http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/internships-entrylevel-job/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/internships-entrylevel-job/#commentsTue, 18 Oct 2011 16:00:59 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=9103A CNN article from the end of last year asked: “Are internships the new entry-level job?” After witnessing the lack of jobs for young professionals, and the internship opportunities available to emerging talent this fall, the question is still relevant some 10 months later.

]]>A CNN article from the end of last year asked: “Are internships the new entry-level job?”

After witnessing the lack of jobs for young professionals, and the internship opportunities available to emerging talent this fall, the question is still relevant some 10 months later.

In the CNN article, author Natalie Avon stated: “Full-time employment has dropped 9 percentage points among 18-to-29-year-olds since 2006, leaving only 41 percent of millennials with full-time jobs…”. More recently, the Census Bureau announced that 44.7 percent of people between 16 and 29 were unemployed in 2010.

The consensus is that instead of finding “real” jobs, millennials are still willing to take multiple internships just to stay active, to gain experience in order make themselves more competitive in the job market – all until the economy improves and “career” opportunities become available.

We also have service bureaus and career “experts” (most we’ve never heard of) touting interns as free labor. “Learn how to build your company on the back of interns – at no cost to you!” they scream as though they’re hawking used cars. And unfortunately, even some students are buying into this portrayal of internships.

As Heather Huhman, Founder and President of Come Recommended, stated eloquently to students in her blog titled “Stop Referring to Internships as Free Labor!”

“Internships are meant to be educational in nature and supplement what you’re learning in college classrooms. In class, you’re learning all about theory. Internships help you put those theories into practice… (you) have somehow translated this…into ‘free labor.”

What happened to internships, in their purest form, representing theopportunity forexperiential education? And when did we let the economy dictate whether or not competitive wages for interns were expected?

Employers: when selecting the perfect intern, choose the candidate who values the position as a mentor-based opportunity; a spring-board for their careers – and compensate accordingly.

Candidates: understand there is a huge difference between a quality unpaid internship and a company taking advantage of you as “free labor”. Perform due diligence; if it appears that company is in the “free labor” camp – walk away, quickly.

]]>http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/internships-entrylevel-job/feed/395 Tips To Nail A Job Interview With A Tough Recruiterhttp://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-tips-nail-job-interview-tough-recruiter/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-tips-nail-job-interview-tough-recruiter/#commentsTue, 20 Sep 2011 16:00:46 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=8680That elusive job or internship is almost yours. You just got off the phone after nailing the phone interview. You have a follow-up, in-person interview scheduled for next week. Your confidence is sky high. You’re going to get hired! Not so fast! The phone interview was with a fellow Gen Y. It was a friendly, relatively light conversation as the two of you had great chemistry and a lot in common.
Next week’s interview is going to be different. It’s with an old school hiring manager. A veteran. A Baby Boomer. (Add dramatic music, here). The mere thought significantly diminishes your hopes. Why? Many of these hiring managers are more experienced people… often Boomers. Interviews with older recruiters are often much tougher. And the hiring manager’s job is to hire the best person for the job, period. Follow our top 5 tips, and you’ll interview prepared and with confidence – ready to impress the toughest recruiters.

]]>That elusive job or internship is almost yours. You just got off the phone after nailing the phone interview. You have a follow-up, in-person interview scheduled for next week.

Your confidence is sky high. You’re going to get hired!

Not so fast! The phone interview was with a fellow Gen Y. It was a friendly, relatively light conversation as the two of you had great chemistry and a lot in common.

Next week’s interview is going to be different. It’s with an old school hiring manager. A veteran. A Baby Boomer. (Add dramatic music, here).

The mere thought significantly diminishes your hopes. Why?

Many of these hiring managers are more experienced people… often Boomers. Interviews with older recruiters are often much tougher. And the hiring manager’s job is to hire the best person for the job, period.

Follow our top 5 tips, and you’ll interview prepared and with confidence – ready to impress the toughest recruiters.

1.This is a Competition… Compete!

No hiring situation pits you against the recruiter. Instead, it’s you against the other candidates – the competition.

Too many opportunities are lost simply because we don’t understand that the recruiter wants us to succeed. In their eyes, it is our job to lose when we walk in the door – or you wouldn’t have gotten the face-to-face interview.

Knowing you’re there to compete is the first step. Get psyched up, smile like you’ve already won, and perform like the job is already yours. In almost any arena – athletics, personal, and career – good things happen when at that moment you expect to win.

2. Know your Competition, by Generation

You can’t compete well if you don’t know the competition – at least in general terms. In this economy, you’re not just competing against fellow graduates or current students; you are also competing against unemployed and underemployed Gen Y and Gen X. You can also count on Boomers re-entering the workforce being in the interview chair. Each candidate will bring certain qualifications – and stereotypes – with them.

3. Be Prepared to Offer Testimony for You

Practicing in the mirror is great. But what are you practicing? What is your game plan?

Define what sets you apart. Perhaps it is your online influence? The internships you’ve completed? Maybe your passion and enthusiasm? It could be your ability to serve as the voice of the iPhone generation while expanding the company’s customer base.

Now, be prepared to sell it. By selling “You, Inc.” for the next 45 minutes, you’re in the best position to compete – and win.

4. First Impressions Count

The phone interview could have been done in your boxers. In person, your appearance counts. It’s a cliché, but especially with a Boomer recruiter you must dress for success.

For a manual or casual labor position, think Dockers and a nicely ironed button-down dress shirt. Dress shoes are mandatory for any interview (as are dark socks). And for the sake of your future employment, leave the Chucks and tongue hardware at home.

For any job involving a higher degree of responsibility, wear a suit and tie. Women, wear a professional length skirt and top. With responsibility and opportunity come certain expectations of maturity and self-respect.

5. Impress by Going Above and Beyond

Back when the recruiter was entering the workforce, they may have read the company’s annual report before the interview. However, most of the organizations hiring now – start-ups, change-oriented non-profits, and companies run by passionate entrepreneurs – have never prepared an annual report.

Today, your first step is to review a company’s online presence: website, social media, and online reputation. Second, determine if there’s a “fit” between you and the employer – and how your skill set, experience and passion will best help that company. Finally, establish how best to articulate your unique “value proposition” by:

Creating a bullet-point marketing plan specific to that company?

Constructing an analysis of that organization’s top competitors?

Building a social media summary incorporating your current followers, contacts and influence?

And now, the one piece of advice that puts you in the proverbial driver’s seat…

With your value proposition in hand, introduce this unsolicited (and unexpected) contribution to the recruiter with these words: “I’ve taken the liberty to…” As in: “I’ve taken the liberty to perform an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of your competition…”

By utilizing this one piece of advice, you’ll show confidence, passion, and a precedent for exceeding expectations. In one sentence, you’ll leap ahead of your competition – regardless of birth generation. – Originally posted on YouTern by Mark Babbitt

]]>http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-tips-nail-job-interview-tough-recruiter/feed/134Interns Gone Wild: Bad Strategy Or Bad Hiring?http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/interns-wild-bad-strategy-bad-hiring/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/interns-wild-bad-strategy-bad-hiring/#commentsTue, 30 Aug 2011 18:00:33 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=8426Moltz suggests that for entrepreneurs, hiring interns can be a bad strategy – for both parties. However, he then lists six steps employers can take to ensure a successful internship experience.

Moltz suggests that for entrepreneurs, hiring interns can be a bad strategy – for both parties. However, he then lists six steps employers can take to ensure a successful internship experience.

Goals for internship period

Train the interns and give them a copy of the employee manual

Monitor the interns’ progress, weekly

Get other employees (in addition to the supervisor) involved with the interns

Conduct an exit interview

Pay an honorarium

So, according to this blog… Is this bad strategy? Or bad hiring?

Interns, like any other team member, come with various skill sets and most certainly varying levels of experience and maturity. So in addition to being prepared to integrate interns into your operation, you need to maintain a recruitment process that encourages hiring the right person for the right role. In other words, in many cases the intern hiring process is similar to that of hiring full-time employees.

Interns as Employees and Valuable Contributors

Interns require varying amounts of training, depending on the role they are being asked to fulfill. As stated in a previous YouTern blog, an increasing number of “student” interns now arrive at the doorstep of small and startup companies with considerable experience under their belts – including government, political, public relations, social media, web development, marketing and even Fortune 500 experience.

With increasingly experienced interns joining companies, the emphasis should be on mentorship and developing the talents the young professionals already possess.

Yes, some interns are more “green” than others and will undoubtedly need more guidance. Managing and molding – maybe even hand-holding – however, isn’t a unique management challenge exclusive to interns. In the ranks of workforce veterans, there are those who theoretically shouldn’t need “training”, “guidance”, or “mentoring”. Yet these people end up being, for lack of a better term, “high-maintenance”. I know – I’ve managed them!

As with any new employee hire, hiring the wrong intern will cost you time and productivity. Make the right hire, however, and there are tremendous rewards and benefits for both parties. – Originally posted on YouTern by Joe Gagliano

]]>http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/interns-wild-bad-strategy-bad-hiring/feed/69Have You Built Your Personal Brand – “Me, Inc.”?http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/built-personal-brand/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/built-personal-brand/#commentsTue, 26 Jul 2011 15:00:20 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=7822Many people think that all it takes to get the same quality of service from different vendors, at a reduced price, is to shop around.
I recently read an article in Fast Company about personal branding. And I wondered if people think about me, and my level of service and professionalism, the same way.
Regardless of whether we own a big name corporation or represent ourselves individually (Me, Inc., according to the article), we all have a brand and image associated with our name. When we move to a new city, we are often advised to find a highly recommended doctor, accountant, mechanic, etc. Associated with each of these small businesses are a local brand name, and a reputation – good or bad.

]]>Many people think that all it takes to get the same quality of service from different vendors, at a reduced price, is to shop around.

I recently read an article in Fast Company about personal branding. And I wondered if people think about me, and my level of service and professionalism, the same way.

Regardless of whether we own a big name corporation or represent ourselves individually (Me, Inc., according to the article), we all have a brand and image associated with our name. When we move to a new city, we are often advised to find a highly recommended doctor, accountant, mechanic, etc. Associated with each of these small businesses are a local brand name, and a reputation – good or bad.

For example, for almost a year I have received tremendous customer service at an auto dealership in Hyattsville, Maryland. Due to its reputation/brand, the company was highly recommended by a friend of mine. I’ve never been over-charged, I’m treated as a V.I.P. customer and the mechanics complete the work without causing me any inconvenience (i.e. I can leave my car overnight or all day long). From changing my ’94 Camry’s engine to fixing a slight wiring problem on my battery, they have speedily completed every repair over the last year at a price I can afford.

Since I refuse to be known as just another receipt, this level of service is important to me.

There is power in these type of relationships. I’ve realized in my own business how important those relations – customer, vendor, employee, and social (both online and offline) – are to my personal brand.

I want people who work with me, and my company, to feel the same way about my brand as I do about that Hyattsville auto dealership. Maybe my customers can go somewhere else and get a “cheaper price”. Maybe I can be replaced by customers, managers – and even vendors. But if my personal brand, my reputation, and my service levels are perceived to be at the highest possible standards, they wouldn’t consider leaving.

Of course, most of us have always been told we must “sell” ourselves, and I am perfectly comfortable with this newer phrase: “personal branding”. In fact, this new focus has created many resources specifically to help emerging talent and entrepreneurs realize their brand is always present, and their reputation always at stake.

Two of the best resources for you might be those produced by the author of Me 2.0, Dan Schwabel: PersonalBranding.com and StudentBranding.com. Two relatively new career-oriented sites that have been of value to me are Brazen Careerist and ComeRecommended. YouTern is also building a great content portfolio that will help brand “Me, Inc.” in a positive manner within the start-up and entrepreneurial communities. I’ve also found there is no shortage of information available through social networks – especially Twitter.

I recommend you spend some time researching not only these resources – but also your current brand.

]]>http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/built-personal-brand/feed/4Top 40 Reasons You’re Thrilled To Be A Summer Internhttp://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-40-reasons-youre-thrilled-summer-intern/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-40-reasons-youre-thrilled-summer-intern/#commentsTue, 12 Jul 2011 14:00:15 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=7754Life as an Intern can be difficult. It can also be fun!
With that in mind, and now that we’re knee deep in summer internship season, this seems like a great time to write down a few ideas on what interns may be experiencing as we dutifully fulfill our internship responsibilities.
Without further adieu (and tongue firmly in cheek) YouTern presents…

With that in mind, and now that we’re knee deep in summer internship season, this seems like a great time to write down a few ideas on what interns may be experiencing as we dutifully fulfill our internship responsibilities.

Without further adieu (and tongue firmly in cheek) YouTern presents…

Entertainment

1. Not needing an excuse to watch “The World’s Most Interesting Intern” videos
2. Filling out your fantasy baseball team roster while doing “marketing research”
3. Watching the boss do a spit-take as he sees you used “f^*k” in a blog
4. Watching the clown-intern walk just behind the boss, doing a perfect impression of her
5. Watching the Boomers give you the “I-don’t-get-it” look when you assume a martial arts pose and say “Qwid Pro Qwoh Motha F…”

11. Learning early in your career how to manage up, because your intern-boss is a doof
12. Accelerated teaching skills as you need to teach “experienced” staff MS Office basics
13. Coming up with the best idea in a brainstorming session (boss taking full credit)
14. Witnessing effective corporate brown-nose technique by veteran interns
15. Keeping your composure when the $150 per hour consultant gives a 2-hour “Introduction to Social Media” presentation (that you would have done in 30 minutes for a burger ‘n fries)

Reverse Mentorship

16. Explaining terms “Web 2.0”, “Freemium”, “Tweeps” and “Hashtag” with a straight face
17. You LOL every time your Boomer co-worker from the 60’s cracks up at the term “Hashtag”
18. Explaining “h-t-t-p-colon-backslash-no, backslash-another backslash, one more…”
19. Googling “The Jetson’s” to find out why the old folks say “Skype is just like the Jetson’s”
20. “Yes, my friends on Facebook are real friends, and yes, I have 1,512 of them”

Diversity and Tolerance

21. Repeat after me: “No, the tattoo didn’t hurt”
22. Repeat after me: “The piercing, well, I don’t remember…”
23. Coming up with a politically correct answer to “Why do you all think you’re entitled?”
24. Smiling when asked: “You closed that deal by… texting??”
25. The constant reminder of how “lucky” you are because the Boomers in your office “didn’t have all this technology – we actually had to work!”

Family and Friends

26. Explaining to your parents that your online friends are not called “TwitterFaces”
27. Explaining the benefits of a unpaid internship to your landlord, unsuccessfully
28. Telling your parents that you’ve taken your hard earned degree, and are working – for free
29. Telling your parents that you’re working in something called Social Media – for free
30. Making fun of your friends who are flipping burgers and delivering pizzas, while you work for a “real company” – for free

Soft Skills

31. Working without supervision, because your “mentor” is late (again)
32. Learning to overcome writers block after being asked to blog about your experience
33. Learning time management (when given an “all-day” project with a 1-hour deadline)
34. Learning vintage technology and saving minutes on your cell phone by using the landline
35. Learning stress management (when you’re on Kinect ’til 2AM – and still need to get your assignment done)

Motivation and Passion

36. Development of a fallback career (if your fallback is Admin or a Domestic God/Goddess)
37. Motivation to buy a car (the free metro card is cool until you’re constantly late for work)
38. School credit! (that costs you up to $1,000 per credit)
39. They’re going to hire you after these 10 hell weeks are over… right?
40. Having something to live for as you plot the death of the “intern broker” that took $7,000, then sent you to Shanghai for 10 weeks

We hope you enjoyed the light-hearted look at the “benefits” of summer internships.

]]>http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-40-reasons-youre-thrilled-summer-intern/feed/9No Excuse For No Experience: Four Foolproof Ways To Fill Holes In Your Resumehttp://www.glassdoor.com/blog/excuse-experience-foolproof-ways-fill-holes-resume/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/excuse-experience-foolproof-ways-fill-holes-resume/#commentsTue, 28 Jun 2011 14:00:16 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=7576At YouTern, we hear this all the time:
“I can’t get a job… I don’t have experience.”
This convenient cliché apparently applies to students, recent graduates and those in career transition. And, like most clichés, it exists for a reason… generally it’s true – at least in the moment said.
However, if you’re still saying that three months from now…
Well… there’s no excuse.
There are many relatively painless ways to remove the “no experience” void in your resume. On the 1 to 5 scale, let’s take a look at the best options available:

This convenient cliché apparently applies to students, recent graduates and those in career transition. And, like most clichés, it exists for a reason… generally it’s true – at least in the moment said.

However, if you’re still saying that three months from now…

Well… there’s no excuse.

There are many relatively painless ways to remove the “no experience” void in your resume. On the 1 to 5 scale, let’s take a look at the best options available:

1. Internships (5 out of 5 – a no-brainer)

Internships are the single best method of getting past the “no experience” gatekeeper.

In an internship, you gain:

Industry-relevant experience over a short period of time

The chance to show a prospective employer your potential

The opportunity to network – online and offline – with influential individuals in your chosen field

There are literally thousands of internships available across the country, right now – it’s highly likely an internship exists in your field, and near you. And, over half the postings on YouTern are tagged as “virtual” – meaning you can work around your existing schedule, from anywhere.

Think internships are only for college-aged applicants? Think again! You’re never too old for an internship – and many in career transition, regardless of age or experience, are turning to internships to fill gaps in experience.

To find a dynamic internship go to YouTern, or see your career center professional.

2. Volunteer (4 out of 5, maybe more)

“The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

I was recently on a panel discussion with Joi Gordon, CEO of Dress for Success. When we were asked a sure-fire way to get the attention of influential people, the immediate answer from this amazing, dynamic leader was: “Volunteer!”

She went on to give specific examples where the passion, work ethic and character of a potential employee was clearly on display during volunteer activities – and that she would go out of her way to recommend someone who volunteered right along with her.

This is true in many arenas: start-ups, non-profits, charities, church and civic activities and more.

Volunteering makes your best character traits come alive – mostly because you feel good about yourself while helping others. Many times, this happens in front of influential people who can make a difference in your career, providing you with connections and recommendations.

Get out there, show your passion, hustle… and someone will notice.

To immediately dive into volunteerism, take a look at Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America, or a change-oriented non-profit in your area.

3. Entrepreneurship (3.5 out of 5)

Essentially, there isn’t much difference between searching for a job and searching for customers – both, in their own way, pay the bills. Many businesses – especially small businesses and start-ups – would much rather pay “You, Inc.” for 10 hours a week for your specialty than hire a new employee.

Perhaps you have a knack for social media, public relations, event planning, marketing, graphic design, or spreadsheets. These are valuable – and marketable – skills.

Think you can’t afford to start your own business? Wrong. Look what you can do for about $100.00:

Domain Name and Web Hosting, 1 year: $84 (BlueHost)

Business Cards: $19 for 250 (Smartlevels.com)

WordPress: Free

Advertising through TweetDeck, LinkedIn and Facebook: Free

Google Docs: Free

Elbow-grease and confidence: Free

Hint: To get an idea of the resources available to those with blossoming entrepreneurial spirit, we strongly encourage you to join two Twitter chats: #entrep Sundays at 7PM Pacific and #smallbizchat Wednesdays at 5:00 Pacific.

Also, check out a great example of someone that has taken this exact approach to work, and life: OfficialTherefromHere.com.

4. Passion, Ambition and Guts (depends on you… at least a 3.5 out of 5)

A recruiter’s definition of passion: “Are you excited to come to work at the company I’m representing?”

Fast forward to when you’re running your own department, or business…

Who would you rather work with, and trust with the future of your company: A) the stale, over-confident loner with ten years of experience? Or B) the person who walks in displaying confidence, a passion for the work and the team, and who obviously has a clear path to success?

I choose “B”. Every single time.

Not sure how to make that kind of impression during the interview? Walk in with a strong handshake, good eye contact, and an unsolicited, unexpected “plan”.

Hint: Bring in a well-thought out marketing strategy, a social media plan to extend brand awareness, or a thorough analysis of the competition. Then, lean forward in your chair, and walk the recruiter through your ideas with unbridled passion and this phrase: “I’ve taken the liberty to…”

By the time you’re done, you’ll be shaking with adrenaline. And so will the person you just talked to about your job.

Since none of them are mutually exclusive – your answer may be “all of the above”.

You can certainly engage in a 10 to 20 hour per-week internship while volunteering Saturdays or Sundays. It is more than possible to build a blog or website and get business cards in a few man-hours. And by spending just a couple hours a day, you can spread your entrepreneurial message through Twitter and Facebook.

]]>http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/excuse-experience-foolproof-ways-fill-holes-resume/feed/256Even A Bad Internship Is A Good Experiencehttp://www.glassdoor.com/blog/bad-internship-good-experience/
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/bad-internship-good-experience/#commentsTue, 14 Jun 2011 16:00:14 +0000http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/?p=7424Throughout our careers, we’ll have good jobs and bad; bosses we grow to call friends, and those we never want to see again; and companies we loved working for – and others we deem not worthy of respect.
And human nature dictates we’ll probably talk more about the bad jobs, bosses and companies than we will the good. Not necessarily because we are/were bitter or angry, although we probably are. But because after we let go of the emotion – there is a lot more to learn from a bad experience.

]]>Throughout our careers, we’ll have good jobs and bad; bosses we grow to call friends, and those we never want to see again; and companies we loved working for – and others we deem not worthy of respect.

And human nature dictates we’ll probably talk more about the bad jobs, bosses and companies than we will the good. Not necessarily because we are/were bitter or angry, although we probably are. But because after we let go of the emotion – there is a lot more to learn from a bad experience.

I once worked for a start-up that was probably the worst run organization I’d ever seen (and I was in the military and organized community youth sports, so that is saying quite a bit). And yet, after the experience was over… universally everyone associated with that start-up agreed we all learned significantly more than we might have in a successful operation. We coined the phrase: “Sometimes, we get a PhD in what NOT to do.”

Internships are the perfect place to learn from a bad experience. The “time served” is relatively short. There is no pressure to continue past your agreed upon commitment. And, there is no nasty divorce-style situation common of a severed employment relationship.

In other words, all we have to do… is learn.

If you are stuck in a bad internship, make your situation much more tolerable by:

Remember: this is a short term commitment (there is a built in “light at the end of the tunnel”)

Focus: Keep your original goals – those established when you accepted the internship – in mind; try not to dwell on the negative

Prevent: do NOT allow yourself to become a “victim” – keep a great attitude (prospective employers are watching how you handle a negative situation)

Engage: overcome your disappointment by initiating conversation with mentors and managers; discover – from their point of view – why this internship may not be going well

Initiate: corrective action – and your satisfaction with this experience – is just as much your responsibility as the employers (time to make some lemonade out of lemons, perhaps?)

If the internship does not improve after you’ve kept a positive outlook and done everything possible to correct your situation…

Well, it’s time to start earning your PhD in what not to do.

Learn well, and turn your bad internship into a good experience – for your career.