Job Hunt / Interviews Tips: Any validity to these?

[SeerSGB]

So I'm looking at (if the freelance market don't pick up and this season is a bad one for county contracts) to be back in the market for a 9 to 5 job (bleargh) again. So I got one of this "tips for for sucessful job hunt" pamphlets that the get passed around and though some of them seemed a little...well shallow.

Here's a few:

* Know local sports. Even if you don't follow the teams, know who is the couch and quarterback of the local highschool football teams. That way if you're prospective employer is a sports fan, you'll have something to talk about.

* Don't wear a wedding or engagement ring. It might make a prospective employer think you have commitments outside work and won't be able to give a 100% to your job.

* If you have a older model car, rent a better looking car or park down the road and walk to the interview. Employers see older model cars or cars in disrepair as a sign that you're unreliable.

* Buy a prepaid phone and use it only for job hunts. That way a prospective employer can always get a hold of you.

* Buy a money-clip and use it instead of your wallet. Keep several small bills in it so that it looks like you're not desperate for money and could be a theft risk.

The above seems a little "overboard" to me. Now these make sense:

* Keep breath mints in your pocket. Take one just before walk into the office and let it freshen your breath while you wait. Don't use chewing gum cause it might look rude.

* Always have a nice (not expensive) pen in your shirt pocket or bag.

* If in a waiting area, if their are magazines read the company or trade magazines to show interest in the company, not the popular magazines.

* Tailor your resume to the job.

* If you're applying for a content generation or graphic design job, have a portable memory device with you with samples of your work, as well as a portfolio. Be prepared to leave a company of your work.

* Set your e-mail or social-networking messenger to alert your phone should in case they contact you via one of those.

So which of those do you think are bunk and which do you think are good ideals? I think all of the first least are utter BS.

 

[Shatnertage]

1-5 and 7 are bunk.

The last three seem like decent advice. I don't think that applicants are being scrutinized as much as the tips suggest, though it can't hurt to brush up on industry stuff while you're waiting.

The wedding ring one is interesting--I would have guessed it would be the opposite, that being married is a sign that you're able to accept long-term commitments, and that at least one person in the world can put up with your bullshit--surely a trait an employer would welcome.

 

[SeerSGB]

I would think a lot of that would come off as "trying to hard" and make you look more desperate.

 

[Spot's Meow]

The first few seem a little overboard to me. Also, if you do get the job, you have to spend every day with these people. The fact that you're married and have a shitty car is sure to come out, and then those who interviewed you might think you're not a very sincere person.

Also I don't think they care about your cars or pens that much. They probably have crappy ones themselves. I think it's much better to be yourself and just talk about your strengths than to try and get hired on these superficial circumstances.

I also wouldn't learn all I could about local sports as I have no interest whatsoever, but I would make sure I have some conversation topics in case you are left sitting around chatting for a while.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I'm a software engineer, so my comments will be limited to that domain.

* Know local sports. Even if you don't follow the teams, know who is the couch and quarterback of the local highschool football teams. That way if you're prospective employer is a sports fan, you'll have something to talk about.

I don't think it would hurt but I've never had it come up, nor have I needed it in an interview.

* Don't wear a wedding or engagement ring. It might make a prospective employer think you have commitments outside work and won't be able to give a 100% to your job.

Bullshit. Lots of people have families and if you filter out everyone who is married that really doesn't leave much in the way of candidates.

* If you have a older model car, rent a better looking car or park down the road and walk to the interview. Employers see older model cars or cars in disrepair as a sign that you're unreliable.

Bullshit unless your job actually involves driving.

* Buy a prepaid phone and use it only for job hunts. That way a prospective employer can always get a hold of you.

If you already have a cell I don't see why you'd need to do this.

* Buy a money-clip and use it instead of your wallet. Keep several small bills in it so that it looks like you're not desperate for money and could be a theft risk.

Uh, when would a prospective employer be watching me open my wallet? Bullshit.

* Keep breath mints in your pocket. Take one just before walk into the office and let it freshen your breath while you wait. Don't use chewing gum cause it might look rude.

Gum is indeed considered rude in many instances. Mints are definitely a better idea. Generally speaking, you should (and smell) your best when walking into an interview.

* Always have a nice (not expensive) pen in your shirt pocket or bag.

I would say it's good to come prepared to take notes--so yes, a notepad and pen are good things to have. The quality of the pen is not that important, though. Just make sure it's not all chewed up or something.

* If in a waiting area, if their are magazines read the company or trade magazines to show interest in the company, not the popular magazines.

Assuming anyone is paying attention to what you're reading in the waiting room. I've never met an interviewer that anal.

* Tailor your resume to the job.

Well, yeah. You should review your resume and make sure it's appropriate to the job for which you're applying.

* If you're applying for a content generation or graphic design job, have a portable memory device with you with samples of your work, as well as a portfolio. Be prepared to leave a company of your work.

This is good advice for software-oriented jobs, too. If you write documentation, bring samples. If you write programs, bring samples.

* Set your e-mail or social-networking messenger to alert your phone should in case they contact you via one of those.

Not a bad idea to be alerted but you don't want to respond within a couple minutes of getting the message--it makes you look desperate, as if you have no other prospects and you're waiting on pins and needles just for them.

Some more general advice I would offer for resumes and interviews:

* Make sure your resume looks good. Seriously. Edit the hell out of it. Make sure it is consistently formatted and with no typos. Never refer to yourself in the first person in a resume, either. If you want to stand out a little, use a heavier paper stock or a different color. Don't go nuts--make it cream or some other subtle but different color.

* Do some research on the company before you show up to the interview. Know a little about what they do.

* Come prepared with questions for the interviewer and be prepared to formulate more during the course of the interview. Asking questions shows you are interested in the company and the job.

* Never tell a prospective employer how much you are seeking or how much you made in a previous position. It's none of their business. Remember, whoever throws out the first dollar amount loses.

* It should go without saying, but make eye contact and appear interested at the interview. If it's a phone interview, you should still sound interested in the job! All interviews are important so don't blow them off or come into them with a bad attitude.

 

[SeerSGB]

I've always thought that it was to err on the side of caution to avoid chit-chatting with the new boss / co-workers about religion, politics, and/or sports. Those, in my experience, always seemed to be the big hot button topics that can sour a job or prospect pretty damn quick. And I think there's a thing as "over selling" yourself in a interview; that line between confidence and a-hole braggart.

The last time I applied for a full-time staff gig with a company (Shift Supervisor for a Tinsletown about 5 years ago) they were more worried about flexible schedules, customer interaction, and whether or not I knew the job. The only that that screwed the deal what that I could work a third-shift swing at the time.

 

[Mr. B]

The only one of those tips I would bother with is "tailor your resume to the job."

There are exceptions, but I happen to think the interview is largely about the employer assessing your personality and determining if you will fit in with the company. Odds are if you got in the door they already think you're qualified.

 

[ToddKent]

Many of those range from being somewhat dated to being downright bizarre. That being said, it's always a good idea to have a pen handy regardless of your employment status.

 

[Timby]

Odds are if you got in the door they already think you're qualified.

Pretty much. For example, at my company, we're actively recruiting for a convention services assistant, an operations coordinator and a public relations manager (though I hope to slide into that latter role myself). Applicants are first put through a phone screen (basically a 10- or 15-minute introductory interview), with background and Internet checks done, and then have to complete a project pertaining to the job. If the results of the project are satisfactory, then they're brought in for the in-person interview. The only people who make it to the interview phase are people that can clearly do the job.

One thing that I will say for job hunters: Clean up your goddamn social media profiles. One person who applied for the public relations position had his Facebook page wide-open, with no privacy whatsoever, and the profile picture was of him wearing a cow costume with a girl sucking on the udders, and his status updates were just filled with profanity. Yeah, that application goes in the trash.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Odds are if you got in the door they already think you're qualified.

Pretty much. For example, at my company, we're actively recruiting for a convention services assistant, an operations coordinator and a public relations manager (though I hope to slide into that latter role myself). Applicants are first put through a phone screen (basically a 10- or 15-minute introductory interview), with background and Internet checks done, and then have to complete a project pertaining to the job. If the results of the project are satisfactory, then they're brought in for the in-person interview. The only people who make it to the interview phase are people that can clearly do the job.

One thing that I will say for job hunters: Clean up your goddamn social media profiles. One person who applied for the public relations position had his Facebook page wide-open, with no privacy whatsoever, and the profile picture was of him wearing a cow costume with a girl sucking on the udders, and his status updates were just filled with profanity. Yeah, that application goes in the trash.

One guy we interviewed blew it with the CEO because he said he was a "scatterbrain." The CEO asked, "If I were to talk to one of your friends and they were to describe you in a single word, what would it be?"

And he said, "Scatterbrained." That was it for him.

 

[marillion]

So I'm looking at (if the freelance market don't pick up and this season is a bad one for county contracts) to be back in the market for a 9 to 5 job (bleargh) again. So I got one of this "tips for for sucessful job hunt" pamphlets that the get passed around and though some of them seemed a little...well shallow.

Here's a few:

* Know local sports. Even if you don't follow the teams, know who is the couch and quarterback of the local highschool football teams. That way if you're prospective employer is a sports fan, you'll have something to talk about.

It never hurts to be up on this for small talk before the official interview starts.

* Don't wear a wedding or engagement ring. It might make a prospective employer think you have commitments outside work and won't be able to give a 100% to your job.

BS... If the subject comes up in casual conversation and you ARE married, they will wonder why you aren't wearing a ring.

* If you have a older model car, rent a better looking car or park down the road and walk to the interview. Employers see older model cars or cars in disrepair as a sign that you're unreliable.

There might be some validity to this, but it might be easier/cheaper just to park away from the office so they can't see you park, if you're that worried about it.

* Buy a prepaid phone and use it only for job hunts. That way a prospective employer can always get a hold of you.

Only if you don't have a cell phone already. If you have a personal cell phone already, you're covered.

* Buy a money-clip and use it instead of your wallet. Keep several small bills in it so that it looks like you're not desperate for money and could be a theft risk.

Having a money clip for an interview keeps you from having a "George Costanza Bulge" wallet show through your jacket or pants pocket. I usually just take my car key and lock fob off the rest of the key ring so I'm not jingle-jangling or have a noticibly bulging pocket.. Same goes for loose change - Don't have any...

The above seems a little "overboard" to me. Now these make sense:

* Keep breath mints in your pocket. Take one just before walk into the office and let it freshen your breath while you wait. Don't use chewing gum cause it might look rude

.

Not bad.

* Always have a nice (not expensive) pen in your shirt pocket or bag.

You should always have a pen handy. Expensive or not. But nothing too big.

* If in a waiting area, if their are magazines read the company or trade magazines to show interest in the company, not the popular magazines.

It always helps to brush up on the company for interivew purposes. Good call on this one.

* Tailor your resume to the job.

Always.. And make sure you have a couple extra copies with you in a portfolio NOT a manilla folder.

* If you're applying for a content generation or graphic design job, have a portable memory device with you with samples of your work, as well as a portfolio. Be prepared to leave a company of your work.

Absolutely!!

* Set your e-mail or social-networking messenger to alert your phone should in case they contact you via one of those.

Very true.. And you may want to ditch your email signature if you correspond with them. You never know what some people may find offensive or off-color.

So which of those do you think are bunk and which do you think are good ideals? I think all of the first least are utter BS.

Also.. Make sure shoes are cleaned and shiney, suits/skirts are pressed and jewerly/piercings are at a minumum..

 

[Tora Ziyal]

I basically agree w/ your own assessment. The first five -- and the last one -- are silly. Except, if your car is going to be parked it might be seen, I would make sure it's reasonably clean. The other four make sense. Though having a pen is way more important than what kind.

Two that nobody's mentioned: Be pleasant and respectful to everybody you meet there, not just the interviewer. And send a thank-you note afterwards (e-mail, fax and snail mail are all okay).

 

[JiNX-01]

So I'm looking at (if the freelance market don't pick up and this season is a bad one for county contracts) to be back in the market for a 9 to 5 job (bleargh) again. So I got one of this "tips for for sucessful job hunt" pamphlets that the get passed around and though some of them seemed a little...well shallow.

* Know local sports. Even if you don't follow the teams, know who is the couch and quarterback of the local highschool football teams. That way if you're prospective employer is a sports fan, you'll have something to talk about.

Even if the boss is a huge sports fan, he isn't going to be paying you to B.S. about last night's game.

* Don't wear a wedding or engagement ring. It might make a prospective employer think you have commitments outside work and won't be able to give a 100% to your job.

Lots of people are married and/or engaged and still manage to get good jobs. And any employer worth working for isn't going to expect you to give 100% to the job.

* If you have a older model car, rent a better looking car or park down the road and walk to the interview. Employers see older model cars or cars in disrepair as a sign that you're unreliable.

A dirty car might reflect badly. But an older model car could indicate that you are responsible and take good care of your things and that you can be expected to give the same attention to your work.

* Buy a prepaid phone and use it only for job hunts. That way a prospective employer can always get a hold of you.

* Buy a money-clip and use it instead of your wallet. Keep several small bills in it so that it looks like you're not desperate for money and could be a theft risk.

Um... Chances are pretty good they'll be checking references and previous employers and if they are actually concerned that you have sticky fingers, they might even run a criminal background check.

The above seems a little "overboard" to me.

At least.

Now these make sense:

* Keep breath mints in your pocket. Take one just before walk into the office and let it freshen your breath while you wait. Don't use chewing gum cause it might look rude.

Yes. Mint good. Gum bad.

* Always have a nice (not expensive) pen in your shirt pocket or bag.

Any pen that writes (no felt pens) would be sufficient.

* If in a waiting area, if there are magazines, read the company or trade magazines to show interest in the company, not the popular magazines.

You'd do better to read up on the company in well in advance of the interview. Then give yourself a refresher just before you head out for the interview.

* Tailor your resume to the job.

Best way to do that is to follow my previous post.

* If you're applying for a content generation or graphic design job, have a portable memory device with you with samples of your work, as well as a portfolio. Be prepared to leave a company of your work.

Excellent.

* Set your e-mail or social-networking messenger to alert your phone should in case they contact you via one of those.

More to the point, long before you send in a resume, go to your social-networking site and make sure you don't have any posts that would reflect badly on you. Cursing, trolling, vulgarity, etc. Even if you're just joking around with your pals, you'll come across as a lowlife.


I recently attended a class on successful resume writing (NYS requires you update skills to keep the unemployment coming). Here are some ideas I picked up:

Keep the resume to one side of one page (I already knew this one). Avoid using large blocks of type (Already knew this one, too.) Use key terms associated with the kind of work you are looking for (e.g.: administrative assistant: handled payroll, well-organized, was responsible for purchasing supplies and revise the process, saving company money).

The chronological resume:
Outlines your career in reverse chronological order. Best used to demonstrate your ascent on the "career ladder" (e.g.: district sales manager; previously a sales manager; started out as a salesperson).

The functional resume:
Emphasizes job skills and areas of expertise with less emphasis on the employment where you acquired those skills.

And if you're a "mature worker" (aka anywhere from upper 40s or older), don't go back any further than 10 years in your in employment history (and if you had higher education, don't put in the year you graduated, just include your degrees and where you got them). Age discrimination is against the law, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen anyway (and it's hard to prove).

2. If you are a lousy speller or challenged in the grammar department, have someone who is really good in both proofread your resume and cover letter before you send them out.

3. For the interview, be neat and clean (don't forget your fingernails!). Make sure your attire is appropriate for the office (clean, pressed and lint-free).

 

[SeerSGB]

More to the point, long before you send in a resume, go to your social-networking site and make sure you don't have any posts that would reflect badly on you. Cursing, trolling, vulgarity, etc. Even if you're just joking around with your pals, you'll come across as a lowlife.

I actually don't even use my real last name (for once, having a common first name pays off) online ANYWHERE. I either use my family's original Irish last name or I use the wife's maiden name.

 

[JiNX-01]

More to the point, long before you send in a resume, go to your social-networking site and make sure you don't have any posts that would reflect badly on you. Cursing, trolling, vulgarity, etc. Even if you're just joking around with your pals, you'll come across as a lowlife.

I actually don't even use my real last name (for once, having a common first name pays off) online ANYWHERE. I either use my family's original Irish last name or I use the wife's maiden name.

That's a good idea.

But a lot of people (like my nephew) get really careless about what they say in open social-networks.

 

[PsychoPere]

^ And that is exactly why one should always take full use of the privacy features on social networking sites. Hell, I have no family members on my Facebook friends list, despite knowing that both of my parents have profiles. I do have former co-workers, but I don't tend to post anything on Facebook that I wouldn't have said while in the pharmacy with them.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I have a few rules about my Facebook account:

1. Virtually nothing is visible to non-Friends.
2. I never accept Friend requests from coworkers--past, present, or future.

If someone from work wants to network with me, that's what I have a LinkedIn account for.

 

[SeerSGB]

Here's one: don't over dress. If you're applying for a job as a cashier at the Wally-World you don't want to show up in a business suit carrying a briefcase.

I have a few rules about my Facebook account:

1. Virtually nothing is visible to non-Friends.
2. I never accept Friend requests from coworkers--past, present, or future.

If someone from work wants to network with me, that's what I have a LinkedIn account for.

That's pretty much me. A few ex-coworkers have found me on Facebook (cause they knew my online aliases) and I denied their friend request. My wife has some of her coworkers (they've are pretty much on each other friends list) on there and invariably some drama on Facebook leads to a bad day the next day at work; usally kicked off with the phrase "did you see what <insert name> posted about <insert name / me> on Facebook last night!"

I've got two accounts: my "public" account which is the one I give out to people online or use to "Connect With Facebook" on some sites. Then there is my "private" account that has family (ugh) and a few really, really, really close online friends from years back that I had the pleasure of meeting in person a few times over the years.

 

[SeerSGB]

So I'm updating the old resume this AM, and something struck me: my certifications are 15 years old (1995 / 1996 / 1997). These are my MOUS* in Microsoft Office and Microsoft Operating Systems. After so much stuff getting moved and stored and so many years freelancing where it's not been a issue, I don't even know where the hard-copies are packed away in. Granted I'm up to date, but I've never bothered to renew/update my certifications-- never saw the point. Would I be better off leaving the old certificates off my resume, or should I put them on there and and explain that I plan to renew them in the near future?

 

[Mr. B]

If that qualification isn't directly relevant to the job you're applying for, you could pull them. If it is, I would just leave it be. Don't mention your intention to renew them. I would wait for that topic to come up during the interview. College graduation dates are probably the only thing on a resume that can/should be future tense.

If you have real job experience that overlaps those certifications, that might be another reason the certifications are worth removing.