Ten Steps To Your First Job

I have been researching  the art of  Job Hunting for two years now and the one thing I have figured out is that most people don't approach the task with any kind of a plan. They upload their resume to some Job Boards. They set up a couple of job alerts and then apply to any hits they get from the alerts. These steps are where most people stop with any kind of planned approach.

If you want to set yourself apart from the pack and land your First Job Fast stay tuned. Over the next several posts I am going to walk you through my 14 Step program for finding a job!

Today, I am going to give you the outline of what is to come. Let's get started...


Step 1: Know Your Target...Describe your ideal job.

Step 2: Identify your Top 10 Target Companies. We will discuss one of the most effective ways to find these companies.

Step 3: Build your Toolbox.

Step 4: Your Top Ten...Start penetrating the walls.

Step 5: Find  the key players... identifying the Hiring Manager/ HR Manager/ CEO.

Step 6: Researching Companies...How to do it right.

Step 7: Seven Hits Per Target Plus a Tracking Sheet.

Step 8: The most under utilized tool in the job hunt...Your Phone.

Step 9: Targeted Resume with Targeted Cover Letter to Targeted Companies = YOU'RE HIRED!

Step 10: Creative Delivery...How to stand head - and  - shoulders above the rest.

Step 11: Interview Time...Prepare like a champion.

Step 12: Fabulous Follow-Up.

Step 13: Negotiation ... The lost art.

Step 14: Succeeding In Your New Job! A No-Fail approach to starting out right.

Stay tuned...We are going to cover a lot of material over the next couple weeks
but I'm confident it will be time well spent!

How To Nail Your Job Interview

How To Nail A Job Interview

The Basics:  I shouldn’t have to mention these things but based on some of what I have seen over the last several years, I feel I must. You need to be dressed appropriately. A suit is probably best. It is better to be overdressed than underdressed. Be well groomed. Nails trimmed and shoes shined. Cell Phone off!

Bring a portfolio with a half dozen copies of your resume printed on good resume quality paper. Also have several copies of  our  list of references. Be polite and courteous to everyone at all times. Show Up Early! Allow plenty of time for traffic jams, road construction,  etc.  Find the location of the interview a day or two in advance, if possible, so you don’t get lost

1) Know your resume cold. Be able to walk the interviewer through your resume in a clear, concise manner.  Start with your most recent work experience and stress the areas of achievement . Concentrate on experiences that relate to what would be expected of you in the new job.  As you move farther down the resume and discuss

jobs further in the past, just give a brief recap of what your responsibilities were and

emphasize areas of success.

2) Research The Company You Are Interviewing With. Spend a couple of hours researching the company. The internet can be your best friend in this regard. Start with Google.  Determine what is the major strategic imperatives are for the company, what are some of their major areas of concern, who are their main competitors. Be sure and check out their website and look for recent news releases

posted there. Use sites like Yahoo, CNBC, Manta and Hoover’s for financial information. Also, look at sites like Business Week, Fortune, and the Wall Street Journal. Take good notes on all you find. Interviewers want to know that you have the initiative to spend some time reviewing their company. In addition, this research will allow you to have some great questions for them during the interview.

Also, if you know the name of the interviewer, research him or her. Check Google,

Linked In etc to see what you can find out about this person. Have they ever published something in an industry journal? Find it and read it and take notes on it.

3) Be able to answer the top 5-10 interview questions. The best way to get some of the most current, common questions used by interviewers is to again use Google. Search on “Top 10 Interview Questions.”  You will find several lists …jot down the 10

questions that are common among the various lists.  Now sit down and write out an answer for each of the questions using your real life experiences. These answers should be honest and fairly short. A paragraph or two for each question should be sufficient. Your response, when verbalized, shouldn’t take more than 90 to 120 seconds. It is critical that you write each answer out . Then rewrite it. Get the phrasing just right. Show it to a friend or family member and ask them to critique it for you. Ask them to let you know which ones are strongest and which need additional work. If you think their suggestions make sense, rewrite your answers

one last time. Now commit them to memory. You don’t have to know them verbatim but you do need to be able to verbalize them in a smooth confident manner.

4) Have questions for the interviewer.  "Do you have any questions for us? "I have been a part of many interviews over my career and it always amazes me that when this question is asked people get that “deer in headlights look” more than at any other time during the process.  Why?

It is asked in almost every interview. Have some questions!  You should have some that you thought of while doing research on the company. Again, Google “Great Answers To Interview Questions.” Tailor them to your industry or job situation. Have questions…it shows you are enthused about this opportunity!

Now one key point I need to make here. Do Not Ask About  Benefits At This Point!!! Never ask about benefits in an a first interview, unless the interviewer brings them up first. Typically, this discussion will come up at the time an offer is made. That is the appropriate time to ask those types of questions.

5) Practice, Practice, Practice. Have a friend or family member conduct a mock interview with you. Go through all the steps listed above. Give them your list of questions and  make sure they ask those questions and then give them your responses. Ask them the questions you have developed. 

6) Close the deal. In sales, closing is king. The ability to close the deal, and complete the sale is what makes a successful sales person. The interview is a sales call and it requires a close. The good news for the you, the job hunter, is that few people do this in an interview. Having a strong closing statement can move you from a strong applicant to top prospect in a matter of seconds. Ask For The Job…this works! This isn’t hard to do. Here is an example of what this should look like: 

“Tom, thanks for taking the time to meet with me today. Coming into this interview I felt  Company XYZ was a great company with great people and after talking with you I am convinced that is the case. I know with my experience I could be a strong contributor to your company’s success.  I’d like the opportunity to do just that. I look forward to hearing from you soon.! Thanks again.”

7) Post-Interview Notes. After the interview, make some notes on about the interview while it is fresh in your mind. Record the questions you were asked . Make note of any questions that you struggled with as well as any that you think you answered extremely well. Jot down any points that any of the interviewers mentioned about the company. If the employer mentioned any hobbies, write it down. All of this information will help in any follow-up interviews.

8) Follow-Up Thank You. I think a handwritten thank you note works best. Use those small thank you cards you can buy at the card shop. Thank the interviewer for his time, mention a couple of your strongest skills or experiences that make you ideal for the job, and offer to provide any additional information if needed. Here is a sample:

Dear Mr. Owner,

Thanks so much for meeting with me about the engineering position at your company. I think my experience developing a working prototype at XYZ and my Cleanroom training at ABC would allow me to be a strong contributor  in a relative short time frame. If you need any additional information you can visit my website at

www.YOURNAME.com  or you can call me at 217-555-1212.

Thanks Again,

YOUR NAME 

If you follow this plan you will soon become very skilled at the interview process!

How to get Recommendations On LinkedIn

The best way I know to get a recommendation from a colleague or former co worker  is simple. Write one for them first! If you write a nice recommendation for one of your LinkedIn connections and ask them to return the favor, most will be happy to do so.

So how do you write a nice recommendation for someone? Again, this is a simple process if you do the following exercise.

Grab a pencil and a piece of paper and ask yourself the following questions about that person and then jot down your thoughts:

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about that person?

Is that person reliable?

Were they a contributing team member?

Are they intelligent?

Are they personable?

Focused?

A problem solver?

Are they a gifted orator?

How about creativity?

Do they possess strong leadership abilities.?

Once you have answered these questions you should have plenty of nice things to say about your colleague. Be honest but be positive. The old adage applies here, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything.” This really shouldn’t be an issue because if this person is someone you respect enough to ask for a recommendation, then there should be plenty of nice things you can say. The recommendation only needs to be a paragraph or two long. Just be sure you message the person and ask them to return the favor. Follow this plan and you’ll have plenty of great recommendations on your profile!