Speaking engagement

The way in which one speaks has a great impact on chances of being hired. The phone screening, phone interview, and in-person interview are all indicators of job performance; if a candidate speaks inclearly or unprofessionally in these steps, what indication would the employer have the the candidate would do any differently on the job? A person must speak clearly and professionaly in all interviews and in the office. It's as simple as that. Slang is unacceptable. Swear words are unacceptable.

Myspace versus Workspace

Okay, I know the Myspace reference is a little outdated, but it was easier to rhyme than Facebook.

As an emerging professional it is important to clean up your trail on the internet. College was fun, the parties were great, the pictures are hilarious. You don't necessarily have to get rid of all of that, just make sure it's pretty well covered. Your potential employers will search for you on the internet. Chances are they did the same things in college that you did, but they didn't have the internet to deal with. Tighten up the security settings on your online profiles. Create new - more professional online profiles with Twitter, or Foursquare. You might even consider creating a new facebook account - as I did. You can keep the old one, but change your settings so that you aren't searchable and nobody can see your information except for your own friends. Then create a new account, that is professional. Add your professional contacts as friends on the new account, and keep your old (Private) account for your friends.

Another tip is to run some searches on yourself. Google your name, search through several pages of hits - don't assume that your name won't come up if your not in the first three hits. Try looking yourself up on yasni.com. It's one that many employers use. If you find results that you don't want your employers to see - deal with it then and there.

Brand Name

Having a personal brand is one of the best things that you can do to help your job search. The best part of this one is that you already have one! You just need to fine tune it and polish it up a bit to get it ready for the professional world. Your personal brand is who you are. When translating "who you are" into a professional job search there are a few easy things that you can do. When drafting your professional documents (resume, cover letters, thank you notes, etc) pick one signature font and size. It should be easy to read but it should be something that you like and that you think says a lot about you. Have one type of resume paper that all of your professional correspondance gets printed on. Mine happens to be a blue tinted linen paper that is a little bit heavier than most. It is a bit more expensive than regular printer paper but it definitely makes you look more put together. You might go so far as to include a color. Again, mine is blue. I have blue resume paper, I typically have blue in my outfits for meetings and interviews, I have a blue padfolio and use a blue pen. Admittedly blue is the most popular logo color in America, but it is one more thing that makes you as a candidate and employee more recognizable.

You already have a personal brand. Now you just need to highlight the professional parts of it.

HIde and Go Seek

This is somewhat of a continuation of my last post, but I feel like I need to comment on it. In addition to not lying about your past experiences, it is also absolutely critical that you not lie about things that will be on your record. Many employers may run a criminal background check and a credit background check on you. Be honest with them. If there is something that could reflect negatively upon you on your record, most employers will be more forgiving if you are upfront and honest about it. Some employers may not not be able to be forgiving depending on the type of work though, but this is not a valid reason to try and conceal something. It will come out.

For those of you who don't know, I was recently hired as a Career Services Representative at Bryant & Stratton College where I will be focusing on Student Development. I'm very excited.

Be Honest

It is so important to be yourself in an interview. Recruiters can see through false pretenses very easily. They can see through a fake personality and they can tell if you are lying about your experiences. Even if you are qualified for the job, being fake in an interview will probably result in your name being taken out of the hat for the job. Let the best parts of your personality shine through in an interview - it's not an interrogation. If you have a great sense of humor make a joke or two, just make sure they are work appropriate and appropriately timed. If you're detail oriented and have a color coded planner let that be known also. These are things that are going to come out once you're in the job anyway and they aren't bad, so why not be up front about it?

Just make sure that you are being work appropriate!

Being honest about your experiences is also of paramount importance. If you lie about your experiences you will almost certainly be immediately disqualified from the interview process. If you make it through in the beginning but your employer finds out you lied about your experience you will likely be dismissed from the job. If your experience doesn't directly line up with the position for which you are applying be honest about it and draw connections from the experience that you do have. Any position that you have had has given you transferrable skills, I guarantee it. If you are yourself and draw connections from your past experiences to the new position you will have a much better chance than if you are fake and lie in your interview.

Count Cards

When you meet new people or make new collections, don't be afraid to ask for cards. There is no better way to ensure you will remember their name or email address than to take their business card. If you meet somebody and they express interest or willingness to talk to you, ask for their card so that you can take the initiative to follow up. Once you have their card though, make sure you actually do take the initiative and follow up. Collecting cards won't do you any good if you just collect them and don't do anything with them.

This might also help others who are trying to network through you. Even if they aren't looking for career opportunities like you are, but are looking for a product or service, if you have business cards you can pass the name along. Networking is not just about helping yourself - if you want to network through other people, you should be able to help others network. Networking is not about using people - it is about having connections and being able to help others as well as yourself.

Dress the part

The way you look has a huge impact on your job prospects. I know we'd all like to say that what you're wearing doesn't matter and it's your work ethic and skills that are paramount. That's true to a point, your work ethic and skills are paramount, but be real, you aren't going to get a job if you go to the interview in sweat pants. It is possible though to over dress for an interview. Try to keep it pretty traditional and conservative, but very business professional.

Men: Athletic socks and sneakers are NOT appropriate even though they are comfortable. Wear a suit with a tie. If you're going to an interview for a more creative type job, maybe throw on a brightly colored shirt and a patterned tie, but don't wear a line green suit.

Women: Your party clothes are not professional. That skirt may be black but it's about 7 inches too short. Wear professional attire, approximately knee length on the skirts or wear pants, and a nice top with a jacket maybe.

Dress for the job that you'd like to have, not necessarily the one that you are applying for. But don't be defined by your outfit. You want your skills and work ethic to shine to the recruiter, not your metallic shirt.