|
|
Recently in Resumes Category
An age-old question I get is about how to land a job without having the prerequisite experience. This often befalls those who have experience in a field but lack management experience in that same field.
For those in college, management internships are a huge opportunity. For those beyond college, that luxury may not be afforded, but that does not mean there aren't possibilities to receive a probationary type assignment as a manager.
Often, companies will hire seasoned managers to senior hourly roles, and then offer them temporary management assignments or projects to help them fill the gaps.
For those who are seasoned hourly employees, taking on more responsibility where you work or seeking an opportunity with a company that is non-management can be the foot in the door to the proving ground you need to demonstrate what you are made of.
Next time you think about whether or not you are qualified, look at other opportunities to join an organization that will help you prove that you are worthy of the risk and the opportunity.
With sites like LinkedIn and others catering towards more and more information about you being able to be shared online, there have come about other sites which also provide you with easy to access portfolio building tools to share pictures of some of your finest work. One site I have come across is Carbonmade , which houses for 200,000 portfolios for designers, culinary employees, and other creative types. What I really enjoy about this site is the ease of use and layout which helps even the most novice internet user to showcase their work. Check it out for yourself, and feel free to contact me with any further insights. robert@galaconcierge.com
I previously posted about Internship Opportunities Out of State. Today, I'd like to share with you some strategies on how to find internships close to home.
Not all internships are posted; very often, if you are a college student, simply "casing" places and finding out what they need and sharing with them who you are is the first step to landing an internships. I encourage students always to seek out companies that they'd like to work for, and create an internship opportunity that they can then pitch to the company. I've seen this work too many times for it to be a fluke.
So if you are thinking of doing an internship, look at a company you'd like to do it for, and see what you can come up with for tasks, duties and responsibilities that match up with your talents and abilities and see if you can create a match!
I've often brought up the idea that resumes shouldn't have any data but work experience and education. Having a name on a resume, along with an address, may tempt people to have preconceived notions about a candidate.
Unsolicited resumes are another story altogether; resumes that are sent but not requested can add work to the HR department that can be unnecessary; however, others feel unsolicited resumes add to the potential pool of applicants.
What are your thoughts on these issues? I will post comments next Thursday from readers.
Q: How many internships should I do while in college?
A: As many as you can! I recently met a student who did 5 internships. Personally, I did three while in college. One of my recent graduates did one for over 9 months, and landed a permanent job with that company.
If you can get a company to hire you (even for just a few weeks) to be an intern, it is something to put on your resume, and will follow you wherever you go.
One question I often get is "where do I find an internship?" Sometimes it's just a matter of reaching out to people, and telling them you are a college student looking to gain some knowledge while sharing your skills; just that alone will open doors for you.
Q: I have received two excellent job offers from two competing companies in the same industry. One is a company that has been in business for many years, and has offered a generous compensation package including a high base salary, and the other is a fairly new company that is offering a more incentive laden package that may give me an opportunity to earn about 30% more, but there are no guarantees and the base is much lower. My friends and family tell me to go with the new company because of the risk/reward, but my heart is set on working for the company that has been around longer? I don't want to be a fool and take the wrong job; what do you suggest?
A: The heart and the mind can certainly cause a conflict of interest in your mind. While you certainly want to take advice of those who support you, you really have to look beyond the compensation and decide on the job that will give you the most joy in going to work every day.
The stability a long-established company brings can certainly bring comfort. Depending on how much faith you have in the opinions of others, that certainly is something to consider in your choice.
Do a pluses and minuses inventory of both companies, and determine which of the factors you look at (stability, pay, incentives, long-term potential, etc) seem most important to you, and you will make the decision that is best for you.
Q: I'm graduating in May, and have applied for many companies I hope to work for over winter break. A few companies have told me to wait until April to apply, while others have asked me to apply now. What is the right approach to take?
A: When I was graduating, it was common practice to have interviews lined up with companies before spring break of the last semester. Nowadays, companies practice different philosophies. Some, with clear succession plans and clear start dates of roles, may follow the practice that I describe. Others, whose needs are unclear, may wait until you are close to graduating to consider you for employment.
For example, if you are available May 15, you may want to revisit some of the companies you have sent a resume to around the 1st of April. At that point, the company knows you are going to be available within 6 weeks, and may have a more accurate picture of what their needs are.
Several news outlets reported this week that Wal-Mart was letting go of 12,000 workers in its Sam's Club division.
Reading deeper into this story, it became clear that most (if not all) of these workers were part-time and/or were in-store product demonstrators. These in-store demonstrations will now be outsourced to a firm specializing in this service.
Many companies fear bringing in outside workers for basic tasks, feeling it will take away from the level of service or consistency of that service.
While anyone losing their job faces an uncertain future, situations like this can happen and people holding the positions often are given the opportunity to pursue a position with the new company.
In my family alone, two of my relatives worked for companies whose services were then outsourced, and both received new jobs with the new company similar to the tasks they were performing.
If you are good at what you do and passionate about the products and services you offer, no layoff can stop you from trying to keep your job when it is sold off to another person or company to do.
Q: I'm finishing college in May; when should I begin searching for a job?
A: When I was finishing college, the old adage was "for every 10,000 you hope to make, allow 1 month of job searching." I began the job search in the Fall of 1996, and by March of 1997 I had companies in mind that I'd consider working for, and interviews setup. Sure enough, the job I landed (which paid about $30k at the time), started in May, which match the 10,000/per month rule).
This same rule can be applied after college. If you are planning on leaving the job you are in, you may want to plan on researching jobs several months prior to your decision to leave, allowing for maximum opportunities for consideration.
On Tuesday December 8th at 1pm, my students at SUNY Delhi at SCCC in Schenectady will be debating hot issues in human resources.
If you are interested in attending this free event, please contact me at braathrj@delhi.edu.
Five debates will take place, and each will be followed up by questions and answers from the audience and students.
|
|
Recent Comments