nPath Ltd.

A couple of weeks ago I began working as a Web Developer for the American Motorcyclist Association. To me this is a big deal because I have the actual title of “Web Developer”. I love it. It’s a dream job. Nice people, nice gear, nice facilities and they have an adequate budget, I get benefits and paid over time. WooHoo! Getting here has been a bit of a journey. I’ve just come off a 3 month period of un-employment. It was hell but everything turned out well in the end.

10%+  of the population is still unemployed in my state so if you are in a similar situation here is what I have learned:

1.) Get as many interviews as possible. Each interview is valuable experience and practice. If you mess up learn from it and fix it next time.  An introvert like me needs lots of practice. Take any one you can get even if you know you don’t want that particular job.

2.) Sell yourself! The first half of the interview is usually them explaining the job and selling it to you. If you want the job you need to explain how your skills make you a good fit. It sounds simple and obvious but if you want the job ask for it. Enthusiasm is a good thing. Act like your selling the Sham-Wow.

3.) DO NOT B.S. If they ask you a question and you don’t know the answer, say so.  If you answer wrong it’s over in their mind. I fudged some answers in an interview once and there was an email rejection letter in my in-box by the time I got home. Some interviewers suck at interviewing and rely on technical questions. That’s probably a red flag but still don’t B.S.

4.) Wear a suit and get a hair cut. Hopefully this goes without saying but you never know. You need to look like a professional. The company is about to invest a lot of money in you. You need to look like you have it together.

5.) Be early. Get there 15 minutes early. The interview is probably your first impression. Don’t blow it. Mapquest the route the night before, get a Garmin, what ever. Take extra copies of your resume and have references printed up and ready.

6.)  Don’t rely on monster. If you see a posting on Monster or dice use it as a lead.  Try to figure out the  company’s website based on their  email domain.  Go to their website, look up the HR director and call them . Ask to speak with the hiring manager.  Get on that phone.

7.) Craig’s list is your friend. I was surprised to find out how many good jobs were posted on Craig’s list. It makes sense though I guess. Craig’s list is free. Monster costs hundreds of dollars. I found my job though Craig’s list.

8.)LinkedIn. Recruiters are now starting to use LinkedIn to find people. Make sure your on it. Get some references out there.

9.) Get good at the cover letter. Download as many examples as you can find. Study them and master the cover letter. It’s just as important as your resume. This, for me, was why job hunting was a full time job. Each resume sent should have a custom written cover  letter explaining how you are a good fit for the posting.

10.) Have an answer. When you are asked a question in an interview, answer it in specifics. For example “what kind of environment are you looking for?”. “Any kind” is a bad answer. This is where doing your home work comes in.  If it’s a big shop you don’t want to say you are looking for something small. But it’s more about confidence than anything.

11.) Be ready for rejection. It’s bound to happen so don’t let it get you down. Interviewing is hard on both sides.  Just do the best you can, be confident, be positive. Try to learn from every failure. It’s not enought to say the guy interviewing you was an idiot. You have to develop an idiot strategy for the next time you come across one.No matter how well you do, you could have none better. More eye contact, less mono-tone, firmer handshake, act less nervous, something…

12.) There is such a thing as over-qualified. When things get really bleak you may find yourself looking at jobs you are over qualified for. I would try to avoid that. They are likely to reject you. It defies logic! I got rejected for every single job I was overqualified for. Many times I was more qualified that the hiring manager. If you  are  trying to downgrade your job and settle for something you may want to alter your resume.  Leave off the Master’s degree if you applying for a level-one help desk job. There’s nothing wrong with getting a little desperate when money is tight but it led to a lot of disappointment for me.

Well that’s it. I hope nobody needs any of this. If you do, Best of luck!