How to talk to job-fair recruiter

Transcription

1 How to talk to job-fair recruiter By Harry Dahlstrom, author of Turn a Job Fair into a Job Offer Attend a job fair and you could meet dozens of employers face to face, all in one place, all in one day. Don t be shy, employers are there to meet you. Here s what to say: 1 Walk up to the employer s table or booth. Make eye contact with the recruiter, smile, and say hello. 2 Offer a sincere handshake and introduce yourself. 3 Ask about the career opportunities for your occupation at that company. 4 Deliver your 15-second sales pitch. 5 Answer the recruiter s questions and ask a few follow-up questions of your own. 6 Tell the recruiter that you would like to apply for that job. 7 Offer the recruiter a copy of your resume. 8 Ask how you can schedule a job interview with the hiring manager. 9 Ask for the recruiter s business card. The business card will give you the recruiter s name, address, phone number and address everything you need to follow up and stay in touch after the job fair. J Thank the recruiter, smile, and offer your handshake.

2 10 ways to find a good job By Harry Dahlstrom, author of Now Hiring, Apply Yourself Finding a good job takes work. Don t apply to just one or two companies and cross your fingers. Apply to dozens of different companies. Let everyone see what a great catch you are. 1 Look for Now Hiring signs on buildings. Go in and ask to fill out a job application. 2 Ask your family and friends if they could help you get a job where they work. 3 Ask family and friends if they know someone who works at your dream company or in your dream job. You ll be surprised who can make a phone call and set up a job interview for you. 4 Make a list of your favorite companies. Visit their web sites. Apply for jobs through their Employment pages. 5 Answer newspaper Help Wanted ads. Be sure to read both the paper and online editions. 6 Check the job postings at web sites like CareerBuilder.com, Monster.com, CraigsList.org and other popular sites. 7 Attend job fairs and meet recruiters face-to-face. 8 Register with employment agencies like Manpower, Kelly Services, or a local agency. 9 Apply for jobs posted at your school s career center. J Google your state s One Stop Career Center for job listings, referrals, career counseling, and other services.

3 Don t answer that phone call! By Harry Dahlstrom, author of The Job Hunting Handbook At least, not until you ve read this first. Instead of a short phone call to invite you to an interview, lots of employers are now using that phone call to conduct a full, formal job interview. It s a faster, easier way for them to sort through their huge pile of job applicants and invite only the best candidates to an interview. Be prepared for that phone call. Create a packet for each company you apply to. Keep the packets in a folder, and keep the folder near your phone. Include the following items in each packet 1 Your resume Hiring managers will want to talk about your work experience. With your resume in hand, you ll be able to give accurate dates, job titles, duties, addresses, and other details. 2 Your cover letter A quick glance at your letter will tell you why you wrote to that company and what you said. 3 Company notes Look over your notes from the company s web site and you ll be able to recall who they are, what they do, and why you want to work there. 4 The help-wanted ad If you responded to an ad, look it over and you ll be able to talk intelligently about the requirements of the job and what you have to offer.

4 15 Job-Interview Mistakes to Avoid by Harry Dahlstrom, author of The Job Hunting Handbook 1 Not showing up for your interview 2 Showing up late 3 Having a negative attitude 4 Dressing too casually for an interview 5 Not knowing what the company does 6 Not knowing why you want to work for that company 7 Overly concerned with wages, paid vacations, sick days, and benefits 8 Complaining about your former job, former boss, or former co-workers 9 Not asking questions J Exaggerating about your abilities, skills and accomplishments K Bringing food or a beverage into an interview. L Using crude language M Taking a cell call during an interview N Bringing an uninvited friend to your interview O Assuming that because you got the interview, you also got the job

5 Rules of Thumb for Job Hunters by Harry Dahlstrom, author of The Job Hunting Handbook 1 80 percent of all job openings are not advertised. 2 The best way to get a job is to ask family and friends if they could help you get a job where they work. 3 The next best way to get a job is to apply through the Employment page of a company s own web site 4 70 percent of job hunters use both newspapers and the internet to look for employment. 5 Every year, about 12 million people find work through employment agencies. 6 Mail a letter and your resume to 100 employers asking for a job interview and you could expect about 3 interviews. 7 Employers interview four people for every hire they make. 8 Showing up 5-15 minutes late for a job interview will disqualify you 60 percent of the time. 9 The first question asked during an interview is usually: Can you tell me a little about yourself? J 80 percent of employers regularly conduct reference checks.

6 The art of the job search By Harry Dahlstrom, author of The Job Hunting Handbook Even during a recession, millions of jobs become available. People still quit their jobs, transfer, and get promoted. To stay in business, employers will replace needed personnel. 1 Find out which skills today s hiring managers really need. To find those skills, read the help-wanted ads and job postings for jobs in your field. 2 Use that information to build a powerful resume. Show the employers you have the skills and experience they want. 3 Apply to five companies every day: Network with friends and relatives to find job openings. Visit company web sites and apply through their employment pages. Attend job fairs. Answer help-wanted ads. Visit your school s career center. Google your state s One Stop Career Centers and read the job listings. 4 Keep notes on all the companies you apply to. Know who they are, what they do, and why you want to work there. 5 When you go on an interview, dress up. You'll look and act more confident and professional. 6 Before you offer anyone s name as a reference, make sure you have their permission. People who are expecting an employer s call always give a better recommendation. 7 Do your homework. Know which questions the hiring manager is likely to ask and have some good answers ready. 8 Enthusiasm, it separates the winners from the losers. It can be more important than experience. So, smile, sit on the edge of the chair, have a sense of humor, and tell the manager what you can bring to the job. 9 If you want the job, be sure to ask for it during your interview. J After each interview, send the manager a thank-you note.

7 10 tips to make your layoff a little easier By Harry Dahlstrom, author of Surviving A Layoff 1 Don t feel guilty about being laid off. A layoff is not a firing. You did nothing wrong. A layoff is a business decision to eliminate jobs. 2 Tell your family. You might say, I have sad news about my job. I ve been laid off. The layoff is effective today and the decision is final. Layoffs are emotional. You ll want to talk about it. So, explain what happened. 3 Don t make any important financial or emotional decisions for a few days. Take time to get over the shock of losing your job. 4 Do the things you want to do. Spend some time with your family. Take a day trip. Read a novel. Volunteer. Take a class or a lesson. 5 Sign up for unemployment benefits. Google, Unemployment Insurance in (Massachusetts) for your state s rules and qualifications. 6 Ask your former employer about the rules for extending your health-care coverage under the COBRA health benefits act. Or, get family coverage under your spouse s health policy. 7 To help conserve your money don t carry your credit cards. Pay by debit card, check or use cash. Avoid restaurants and malls. 8 Call your creditors. Explain that you have been laid off. Ask them to reduce your monthly payments until you find another job. 9 Work on your resume. Read some help ads and job postings to see which skills today s hiring managers really want. J Line up some job interviews: Network with friends and relatives, attend a job fair, apply for jobs through company employment pages, answer help-wanted ads and job postings, register with an employment agency, visit your state s One Stop Career Center.