Used to be you didn’t have to think about getting a job until right before graduation.  Increased competition and a tighter economy make that impossible now.  You have to think about how to position yourself from the moment you decide on your career path.  Start researching jobs right away.

• What are the skills needed?
• What kind of degree(s) do you need?
• Talk to everyone you know about your career choice.  They may know someone you should talk to.   
• Get to know people in that field and schedule informational interviews* to find out what they do day to day, what it’s really like to do that job.
• Once you understand what is needed, equip yourself with those skills.

*An informational interview is one in which you don’t bring a resume and you aren’t asking for a job. It is simply to ask questions about that field.

Build Your Resume

Intern, volunteer, apprentice, attend seminars, workshops, be an unpaid slave, in other words do whatever you can do to get experience in your chosen field. List everything you have done related to that work on your resume.

Internships

One of the biggest mistakes students make is to send out resumes and then not follow up with a phone call or email.  In her last life as a journalist, Mama used to get an average of 60 resumes and cover letters per semester from very well qualified students who wanted to intern for her. Only two or three out of that bunch would bother to make contact to check on the status of their application and they were usually the ones we would hire.

• No one is going to hire you without an interview.
• You must call and ask for an interview.
• Even in very large companies people usually are too busy to sit around and think about which interns they will hire.
• You need to force them to focus on you and when they do, you need to make it clear that you really want to work for them.
• Show a little hunger – if you aren’t willing to work hard for the internship why would anyone think you would work hard as an intern or prospective employee.

Once you talk your way in to an internship lose your ego. By that I mean don’t walk in to a place of business and start to make suggestions on how they might do things better.  You have to earn your respect.  Be observant.  When you are coming from outside a company problems may be more readily apparent to you.  But don't offer your opinion unless you are asked for it.  At least not in the beginning.  You can learn a lot more when you're being quiet than you can when you are flapping your jaw.     

• You are being evaluated and tested by everyone you meet.
• If they ask you to do menial jobs, do them well.

A former boss told me once that she used to ask every intern to go get her a cup of coffee on their first day. In her words, the “losers” would roll their eyes and slink off to find it but the “go-getters” would ask “how do you take it?” and return with a smile. Afterwards, she would explain she would never ask them for coffee again and that the exercise was a test.

• No one will allow you to do an important job until you carry out minor responsibilities with flourish.

Once I asked an intern to please put more paper in the printer.  He did but ignored the little blinking light telling him to hit "enter" when finished.  His lack of thoroughness was noted later in the day when we were waiting for an important fax that never came.   

• If the instructions are not clear always clarify before you start. Being afraid to ask a question and then doing something the wrong way will not endear you to anyone. 

How to Get Noticed

I know, I know, some companies say don’t contact us but most of the time that is bogus.   

• Find a way to get yourself on their radar.
• Go to professional organization functions and ask around.
• Try to meet people from the company.
• Be creative -- there are always ways to get yourself noticed.
• Employers like to see a little hustle. It reminds them of when they were young and eager.
• Don’t just apply on line, have your resume hand delivered to the person making the hiring decision -- go the extra mile.   

True stories: 

A local TV reporter wanted to work for a network so she had a friend of hers invite her to a party that included lots of network reporters. Through those social connections she finally landed a position at a network and rose to become a very famous anchor woman.

Someone else I know was new to town and had applied to work for a local TV station. A few days later she attended a luncheon where a famous journalist was the guest speaker. Someone from the station saw her there and invited her to sit at their table. She was nervous as hell but managed to make small talk with the bosses and the following week they called her in for an interview. 

Get Yourself Invited

There are all kinds of trade meetings, social gatherings, workshops and seminars you can attend to rub elbows with people in your chosen field. In fact, now that there are tools you can use like eventbrite.com, Linked In and Twitter there is no excuse for not doing so. 

• What you are trying to do is get them to visualize you as someone who could fit into their world.
• Attending these events gives you a rare insight into that world and helps you find a way to wedge your way in.
• Not knowing anyone means you can be a sort of "fly on the wall" and and observe how they look, dress and act.
• At some point you have to take a deep breath and plunge yourself into the crowd and talk to people.
• Most people will be impressed that you took the time and had the initiative to attend a function.
• If they don't offer you a business card ask for one and follow up with a "thank you, nice to meet you note" via email and then ask if they know of any entry level jobs in the industry.
• Climbing the career ladder is more like entering a pyramid. There are plenty of entry level jobs at the bottom of the pyramid, but the higher you go the more scarce new positions become.   

Target Your Dream Job

Don’t waste your time sending out hundreds of resumes. I have never heard of anyone getting a job that way.

• If you know exactly what you want to do and who you want to work for you need to send the very best application you are capable of sending.
• Do your homework -- learn everything you can about the company and what they are looking for.
• Write your cover letter and resume’ specifically targeting that company. Use key words or phrases in your letter directly from the job description.
• Highlight skills in your resume that correspond with those listed in the job description.
• Try to find out who is going to read your cover letter. If at all possible address it to that person.
• To Whom It May Concern indicates you weren’t interested enough to research who you were sending it to.

A colleague recently told me she got a cover letter with her name spelled incorrectly – a major faux pas, kids. She tossed it in the trash!  Read and re-read your cover letter and resume to make sure there are no typos or misspelled words because that will immediately disqualify you. Ask someone else to read it.  You don’t just lose points for bad spelling or grammar in the workplace – you get a failing grade.

The Interview

Dress the Part  

Figure out what the appropriate attire should be for someone in the position you are applying for and then dress for it. This is more about perception than reality. If you don’t look like someone who already performs the job it will be hard for the prospective employer to see you in that position.

• Look well groomed. I have had prospective employees show up for interviews with their hair still wet from the shower. That indicates a lack of ability to plan ahead.
• Well groomed means hair is trimmed, nails are clean, clothes are pressed and shoes are shined (if that applies).  
• It also means you smell like you bathed very recently. 
• Perfume and cologne is a big taboo.  It can easily turn people off if they don't happen to like your chosen scent.
• Speak clearly and authoritatively not as if you are talking to your friends. Do not use the word “like” in conversation. (This could be like, you know like, really like, like so hard for some of you.)
• Practice interviewing with your friends or in front of a mirror. Write down possible questions (at least ten). If you practice answering them you will be more at ease during the interview.
• Take advantage of the career counseling services at your school or alma mater. That is what they are there for. The better their alumni do, the more the school can boast about their success rate in placing students. They have an incentive to help you.

Be Likeable 

Even though qualifications matter a lot, part of what is going on in an interview is that the prospective employer is deciding whether you would fit in to their workplace culture. They aren’t going to hire you if you have an annoying personality. I know this may seem trivial, but people spend on average 8-to-10 hours a day with each other at work and liking who you work with makes a huge difference in everyone’s level of job satisfaction.

• Make sure you give a firm handshake and smile when you meet someone.
• Look people in the eyes when you, or they, are speaking. Don’t answer questions with the word “yea.” Full sentences are required.
• During the interview listen very carefully to what the company says it needs in a candidate.
• Write down your questions if something seems unclear.
• Think about how you can present yourself as the best person to fill that position.
• Write down key words to come back and use later. Finally, when they ask if you have any questions the answer should always be “YES!” Of course you should have questions because you came in with a list and added to them during the interview.
• You should have questions such as, what would I be doing here, who would I report to, what is a typical day like, how much interaction would I have with others in the company?
• Would there be time to work on other projects?
• Show what you know about the company, ask what the ideal candidate would be like, and if anything was mentioned in the interview that wasn’t clear be sure to clear it up before you go.
• Finally, ask when they hope to make a final decision on filling the job.

Follow Up

• Always, always, always send a thank you note or card.  Employers will be more impressed by a hand written note delivered by snail mail.  Email is too easy.  Go the extra mile unless the job is being decided on in the next day or two.
• If they said they would make a decision in two weeks and you don’t hear from them, go ahead and contact them again in two weeks. Prospective employers often hope to make decisions in a timely manner but that usually doesn’t happen. People procrastinate; they get sidetracked or just can’t get all the parties together to make a decision. By contacting them again you are just sticking to a calendar they set and indicating you are still interested.

Accepting an Offer

• Always wait until you are sure they really want you before you negotiate salary. Once the offer comes through, and if you think there is any wiggle room, now would be the time to push for more in the way of compensation or benefits.
• If you are not sure if there is room to negotiate just ask. Employers won’t begrudge you trying to make the best deal for yourself.
• If there is no room and you truly feel like the compensation is too low then ask for a salary re-evaluation in three to six months. Make sure you remind them of the agreement to do so when the time comes. 

Professionalism

Mama was heartbroken recently when she read a study about how employers feel about today's college graduates. It was conducted by York College of Pennsylvania.

In the article there is a link to the actual study. Basically it says recent college grads:

• Don't dress appropriately
• Have poor communications skills
• Use bad grammar
• Have a crappy attitude
• Have a poor work ethic
• Have a sense of entitlement.

I know this doesn't describe any of you my darlings but it's important to know what you are up against. The study goes on to find what employers value most in new employees is someone who:  

• Accepts responsibility for their actions
• Is a competent speaker and writer
• Projects a professional image
• Is able to think independantly

Take it for what it's worth and go out there and make Mama proud!

Tax Forms

One of the first things you will be asked to do when you are hired is fill out a lot of paperwork.  What you fill out varies from job to job but everyone has to fill out a W-4 federal tax form and an I-9 form that proves you are eligible to work in the U.S.  There is also usually a state tax form and then other forms specific to that business. 

• Before you get there you should have an idea of how many exemptions you will claim on the W4. 
• If your parents still claim you as their dependent then you fill in a zero.  If not, then it's usually a one unless you have a spouse or children. 
• If your spouse works he or she may claim themselves and then whoever makes more money claims the kids. 
• The more exemptions you claim the less money the government takes out of your paycheck. 
• If you claim too many exemptions you may owe a lot of taxes at the end of the year. 
• The goal is to break even and not owe the government anything while also keeping as much money throughout the year as you are able. 
• Try to achieve the same thing when you fill in your state tax exemptions.   

For the I-9 form you will need to bring along a passport or two forms of identification like a drivers license and social security card.  Every single working person in the U.S. has to do this.  The company will make copies of those for their files.  Answer everything truthfully because federal offenses carry big penalties.

Pension Plans

One of the dumbest things new employees do is turn down the option to buy into their company's 401K or pension plan.  Often starting salaries are not that high to begin with so why would you give any of your precious money away when you need it for food and rent?  Because dummy, someone is giving you something for nothing!  How often does that happen?  Almost never. 

I know retirement seems like a long way off but I promise you it will arrive, and when it does you will feel really grateful you were smart enough to start saving early. 

In fact, retirement can come even sooner if you start saving early.   Statistical tables show that people who start saving at a young age and continue to do so for 30, 40 or even 50 years have a generous nest egg at retirement.  The beauty of this system is the money gets taken out of your paycheck before you even know it's there, so you never miss it.   

There are two kinds of plans: a 401K (or IRA) and a pension plan. 

1. The 401K is just an investment account that generally grows over time but the amount you get at retirement fluctuates depending on the economic climate when you choose to retire. 
2. A pension plan is a fixed amount of money that is supposed to be guaranteed.  Essentially you are giving your boss money to invest and then the company gives it back to you decades later. 

What is a Matching Fund?

• If your employer offers a "matching fund" take it!
• What that means is the employer chips in an equal amount into your savings up to a certain percentage of your income. 
• Only invest as much as your employer is matching. This is not money you can use to buy your first apartment or go to grad school so you don’t want to tie up all your funds in one place.  But a little goes a long way. 
• Some of you may be lucky enough to be offered a pension plan.  Those are more rare nowadays.  They are run privately and generally offered instead of social security. 
• If you are offered a pension plan do not hesitate to sign up for it.  Again this is money you won't see until retirement but you will never miss it because it's taken directly out of your paycheck. 

A Caveat

• There is one little hitch to this system.  The money in your pension or 401K is not all yours unless you are vested.  That means it is tied to tenure at the company and every business sets its own clock for how long it takes to be fully vested (usually 3-to-10 years) 
• Every year you stay at the company more of that money becomes yours until you are fully vested and then it's all yours and you can take it with you if you leave the company. 
• If you don't plan to stay anywhere that long, or you work for yourself, get yourself an IRA or investment retirement account.  Your contributions are tax deductible and it's yours.  The downside is no on else is contributing but you.