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How to Turn a Job Fair into a Job Offer

By Job Journey on Thursday, January 18, 2018

Not sure how to prepare for a job fair? We’ve got you covered.

Ours is a digital world, full of instant tweets and live Facebook updates. So it’s not surprising that many people have started to doubt the usefulness of the traditional, decidedly non-digital job fair.

Why go through the trouble of meeting a recruiter in person when you can simply email them a resume with a link to your LinkedIn profile?

Because meeting recruiters in person provides a chance to make a real, personal connection. To show them that you’re more than digital words on a digital page.

Job fairs come in all shapes and sizes, so odds are you’ll be able to find one in your industry. Some post their information online. Many college-sponsored job fairs are open to everyone, so even if you aren’t a student, there’s still an opportunity to be seen. Check out The United States Job Fair Directory for job fairs in your area.

Make the most of your job fair experience with these three tips for navigating it.

1. Prepare

A job fair is basically one huge chain of interviews. And just like any traditional interview, preparation starts before you even get to the event. Begin by discovering what companies will be there and which jobs they are currently hiring for. Browse their websites and prepare a few insightful questions.

Tailor your resume for the companies you’re interested in. That doesn’t mean adding fluff or lying—it just means framing your experiences in a way that is relevant to the job.

Get in touch with whoever is facilitating the job fair. Ask them what companies are going to be there (if that information isn’t already available online), and who is going to be representing the companies you’re interested in. Then look that person up online see what information you can discover.

Be sure to ready yourself for any question you might be asked by having a quick “elevator speech” prepared; something short and sweet that tells them why you’re worth hiring.

Finally, make a schedule and plan your day. Allocate time for both your dream company and your second or even third choices. They might surprise you!

2. Be Professional

Would you wear jeans and a t-shirt to a professional interview? Hopefully not. The same rules apply to a job fair. Dress for the job you want. Business casual at the least (usually dress shirt and slacks for men, skirt and blouse for women), preferably business professional (suits for both men and women). This is applicable regardless of industry—even if you’re not looking for a professional position, dressing to the nines will make you stand out as a serious candidate.

Introduce yourself with a firm handshake and conduct yourself with a good, enthusiastic attitude. Take notes after each interview to avoid forgetting even the smallest detail.

Keep your visits at each booth short and avoid letting the conversation become a monologue. Treat everyone professionally, including other job seekers. You never know where that next connection might come from, and odds are everyone has insight to share.

3. Follow Up

After you get home, review your notes. Decide which organizations made an impression on you and which ones didn’t. Then organize your huge stack of business cards and start the follow-up process. Be polite and succinct with your emails, and consider sending out a few hand-written thank you notes as well.

In addition, don’t forget to apply for any interesting positions online. Just handing over your resume doesn’t mean you’re being considered for the position. When you do apply, remember what was important from the recruiter’s viewpoint, and reference your conversation.

What has been your job fair experience? Let us know in the comments section below!

The Job Search

Getting Back Into the Job Search After a Gap

By Job Journey on Thursday, January 11, 2018

New year, new you.

Maybe you’ve been staying at home taking care of the kids for the past decade. Perhaps you dropped out of the workforce to care for your ailing parents. Whatever the reason, you’ve been out of the workforce for an extended amount of time, and now you’re ready to jump back in.

But how do you fill that gap on your resume? Although the details will differ depending on the industry you’re trying to rejoin, there are a few things to always keep in mind.

1. Acknowledge the Gap
Companies want to hear you tell them why you’re right for the position. They don’t want to hear your reasons for being out of the workforce—as far as the job search is concerned, those are irrelevant excuses. The first step to getting back into the workforce is accepting that you were out of it, and employers are going to notice that. Don’t try to beat around the bush or fill the gap with fluff.

Having a blank space on your resume is not a negative. It’s an opportunity to do something more.

2. Revamp Your Accomplishments
Turn your excuses into accomplishments. Show off who you are as an individual. Why did you get out of the workforce in the first place? What goal were you trying to accomplish? You have achieved that goal, so don’t be afraid to mention it. Tell prospective employers that you have realized that dream (whether it be raising your children, caring for your parents or other relatives, or traveling the world), and now you’re ready to bring all that passion to a new challenge.

What else were you doing while you were out of the workforce? If you volunteered in any capacity, include it. Even volunteering at your child’s school is something worth noting. If you were in the PTA, put that down, too. Any side projects you worked on are fair game as well.

3. Have a Plan
How do you want to portray yourself to employers? Once you’ve decided, use your resume to accomplish it. If you want a job in childcare, use your experience with your own children to show you can do the job. Taking care of your kids is a job after all.

Think of your gap as a job. What did you do? How many years did you do it for? What were your responsibilities? Apply that methodology to all your accomplishments and your resume will start to take shape.

Set a timeframe for finding a job and plan the milestones required to get there. What skills does your desired job require? What do you need to do to develop those skills? How long will that take? You need to treat your job search like a job. That means setting goals and following through on those goals.

4. Be Willing to Learn
Passion and drive alone aren’t going to get you the job. It’s a competitive job market, so you’ll need to play catch up. Enroll in online classes or check out your nearest CareerTech. You can even enroll in a community college if you have the time. Regardless of method, you need to do something to increase your skillset, and show that you’ve already been doing what it takes to succeed.

A great way to build experience and learn at the same time is volunteering at your local library. Volunteering gives you something to put on your resume, while the numerous books, programs, and meetings available at the library provide opportunities to learn.

5. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Above all else, don’t try to equate your accomplishments to those of others. Everyone’s path is different. Just because your friend Sally could be a company vice president and mother of two doesn’t mean that you’re a failure. Your cousin Tom starting a million-dollar tech startup has nothing to do with your own life.

A prolonged job search can be frustrating, especially after a gap. You’ll be tempted to compare yourself to everyone else and where they are on their career path. Don’t! You don’t know their story, and, to be frank, their story has little to do with yours. Focus on yourself and your own goals. What do you want? What makes you happy?

How have you dealt with resume gaps in your career? Let us know in the comments below!

The Job Search

What’s the Best Job Search Website: Part 1

By Job Journey on Tuesday, January 9, 2018

The pros and cons of the most popular job search sites

Our Assessment

Indeed. Monster. CareerBuilder. They are considered the titans of the job search scene. If you’re applying online, chances are you’ve visited some of these sites. If you haven’t, you’ve been doing your job search game a huge disservice.

Each site has its own intricacies and “culture.” Meaning each site is different in its own unique way.

Still not quite sure what we mean? Here are the differences between the major job search websites so that you can choose the right one for you.

Indeed.com

Indeed, along with Monster, is one of the most frequently used job search websites. This is partly because it is both a job search engine (in that it lists jobs the website finds on its own) and a job board (meaning that companies can post their jobs to the site).

The great thing about Indeed is it provides job information for every industry under the sun, and even lists jobs you might not think of that use your skill set. It is the most varied of the job search platforms, and you can find everything from contract, volunteer, and internship work to full-time and professional positions. However, because of its popularity, job listings you find are sometimes unrelated to what you want and may clutter your search results.

Indeed also has a company review function, although the number of reviews varies depending on the company. Keep in mind that when it is used, it’s more likely to be used by those dissatisfied with the company, so you may get a more biased assessment.

There are also many “sponsored” job listings, where companies pay Indeed to feature their content. This, combined with the bare bones look of the site, can be frustrating after a few hours of job searching. On the bright side, the site has plenty of subsections and categories to narrow your search. There’s also a salary predictor so you can get some idea of what others are getting paid in your industry and similar positions.

Monster.com

Monster, one of the older job search engines on our list, was created in 1994. But that doesn’t make it any less useful. All those years of experience have paid off. Monster offers an incredible amount of filtering options, and customer service that responds in a quick and efficient manner. The website design is clean and pleasing to the eye, and sponsored posts are bolded or highlighted, making it less obvious this is a pay-to-play game.

Monster is also frequently a company’s go-to job search site because of the pricing options. A company pays a flat rate for a job posting of either 30 or 60 days. Discounts are available for multiple job postings. Monster also features more industrial and commercial jobs than Indeed.

CareerBuilder.com

CareerBuilder focuses on job searchers that have college degrees. As implied by the name, the site caters to those that have already been in the workforce for some amount of time and want to continue building their career, not those fresh to the workforce.
Many employers choose CareerBuilder because they want less, more qualified applicants. This means you won’t see as many entry-level job listings on the site.

CareerBuilder is purely a job board, not a job search engine. This means that companies can post jobs directly to the site, but the site won’t pull submitted job listings from elsewhere online. This once again ties into the more selective nature of the platform.

CareerBuilder also has something called “My Career Path.” This is a salary aggregator that can tell you the average, high, and low salary ranges for your position at both the national and state level.

Any other job search websites you want to hear about? Let us know in the comments and we’ll feature them in Part 2!

Job Interviews Resumes and Cover Letters The Job Search

How to Get Hired Quickly in 2018

By Job Journey on Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Make 2018 your year

The new year is a time for resolutions, both big and small. Maybe you’ve decided to spend more time with your kids, get to the gym more often, cook a new dish, or start a new hobby. And then there’s your biggest resolution of all—getting a new job.

The key to making good on resolutions is to have smaller resolutions that lead to your goals. For example, if your goal is just to “be healthier,” you probably aren’t going to achieve much. If you set smaller goals like cutting your diet by 500 calories, working out three times a week, etc., you’ll hit your goal in no time. The job search is no different.

Here are a few job search resolutions to ensure that you get that dream job in 2018.

Practice Writing Your Cover Letter

Cover letters aren’t required by all companies and industries, but bringing one to an interview (or submitting one with a resume) can be a gamechanger. A well-done cover letter shows how your skills and experience make you the perfect pick for the job. Physically visiting the business you’re applying to and dropping off a cover letter can be a great way to get noticed.

When you’re applying for jobs, ideally, you’ll want to cater each cover letter to the job you’re applying for. However, nothing is stopping you from basing each cover letter on a general cover letter for the industry you’re interested in. Now is the perfect time to start refining that letter.

A great cover letter shows two things: how what you’ve done is relevant to the position you’re applying for, and why you want to work for the company. Since you can’t focus on the latter in a general cover letter, focus on the former. Filter through your accomplishments and list your strongest ones. If you don’t have any experience in the industry, find experiences in your career that are relevant. Try to feature your soft skills as well.

And even if no one reads your cover letter, going through the process of writing it can clear your head and help you focus on what you’re really looking for in a new job.

Gain Skills or Learn More About Your Industry

One way to stand out to employers is to build up your skillset, whether that means going online to find free learning applications or gaining certifications in new technologies.

Really understanding your industry will grab the attention of hiring managers. One way to build that understanding is to start a personal blog where you write about new developments in the industry. Set goals for yourself, such as writing one or two blogs a week. After a few months, you’ll have a wealth of knowledge about your industry and a blog that showcases that knowledge.

Writing a blog is a great idea even if you aren’t a great writer. However, if you use spellcheck and Grammarly (there is a free edition), you might even become a better writer over time. And writing well is a skill that everyone can use.

And if you don’t have time for a blog? Subscribe to email newsletters about your industry. Industry blogs are good resources as well.

Ace Your Interviews

Obviously, you should want the job you’re applying for—otherwise there’s no point in interviewing. However, you should go into each interview having prepared in every conceivable manner. You should already know almost everything about the company and where you fit in.

Interviews can reveal more about the company and the culture. However, at the end of the day, learning about the company is not your end goal. You’re here to get a job. So do your homework.

Know the ins and outs of the job, know your skills, and prepare a list of questions ahead of time. This could be your only chance to show the company you’re the right person for the job.

Any questions about changing up your job search for 2018? Let us know in the comments below!

The Job Search

The Importance of Celebrating Small Victories

By Job Journey on Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Importance of Celebrating Small Victories

Big, audacious goals are important. Most companies put extensive research and strategy into setting annual goals that will guide their workforces throughout the year and serve as the finish line looming on the horizon. And when those goals are achieved, a celebration often follows to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication.

But, just as important as the big celebration at the end of a hard fought battle to achieve a major goal is celebrating the small victories along the way. This is especially true for the job search. Even the most dedicated job searchers can burnout when the going gets tough, so reveling in minor milestones that push the job hunt toward completion helps maintain engagement and gives a motivational boost.

According to research conducted by Harvard Business School featured in the Harvard Business Review:

“Even ordinary, incremental progress can increase people’s engagement in the work and their happiness during the workday. Across all types of events, our participants reported that a notable proportion (28%) of incidents that had a minor impact on the project had a major impact on people’s feelings about it. Because inner work life has such a potent effect on creativity and productivity, and because small but consistent steps forward, shared by many people, can accumulate into excellent execution, progress events that often go unnoticed are critical to the overall performance of organizations.”

So, what are the key benefits of celebrating small victories on the path toward achieving major goals?

Showing progress: The best set goals outline a clear path toward success with measurable tasks or achievements along the way that show you are progressing in the right direction. It’s easier to avoid job search burnout when there’s always a tangible milestone within reach.
Building commitment: When working toward finding a job, it’s important to have full commitment from yourself and even other job searchers. If you connect with others in your position, you can congratulate and push each other on the way to a job. Celebrating small victories along the way helps everyone feel united and personally invested in encouraging each other to reach the next stage.
Allowing opportunities to “fine tune” along the way: Small victories are also beneficial when you don’t achieve them right away. If you find progress has stalled and that next milestone becomes harder and harder to reach, you have an early opportunity to assess the situation and make necessary adjustments to get the job search back on track.

Make it meaningful
Although there is no shortage of ways to celebrate small victories, the most important factor is to ensure the celebration is meaningful. That doesn’t mean you have to roll out the red carpet and strike up the band for every little accomplishment, but you do want to feel the hard work you’ve put in so far is worthwhile. From eating a fun snack or getting together with fellow job searchers to share the accomplishments that you personally consider small victories, the important thing is to truly celebrate what you’ve done. The job search is hard. Each resume sent, each interview had, each networking event attended—they all matter.

The Job Search

Don’t Let Your Resume Freeze

By Job Journey on Thursday, November 30, 2017

Melt the ice away with these helpful blogs!

Resumes are tough. They’re only a series of words on a page, but they’re the deciding factor on whether you get in the door for a job interview. If you start to improve your resume now, you’re more likely to succeed in the new year.

Here are a few of our past blogs jam-packed with resume renovation goodness you can use this holiday season.

30 Resume Power Words and Lucky Words for Your Resume

If your only way in the door is a series of words, then every word better count, right? Specific results-driven vocabulary can enhance your resume and help employers see that you have the soft skills they’re looking for.

Resume Tips to Impress Your Interviewer

Your resume needs to be uniquely tailored for whatever job you’re applying for—it should show why you’re right for the job, not just what you’ve done in the past. If you build your resume with these tips, you’ll hit the important points recruiters look for.

Creating an Organic Resume

Since there are only so many hours in a day, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that recruiters only spend about six seconds on each resume. If you have too much fluff and not enough substance, you’ll lose your reader fast. So cut out the less important information and focus on your experiences and hard facts. Formatting is also important. If it isn’t easy to read, nobody will go through the trouble of reading it.

Sizzling Hot Resume Tips

You can turn your resume into a warm cup of job search cheer with these hot tips. Take a break from the holiday bustle and review your resume. How is your spelling and grammar? Are your job descriptions both informative and concise?

Which is Better—Chronological or Functional Resume?

Still feel like there’s something off with your resume? Not sure that you’re really getting your point across? You may want to consider a functional resume. A chronological resume is perfect for a conventional career (you’ve gone from job to job with little downtime, and everything has been in the same industry), while a functional resume allows you to showcase your soft skills and experiences, rather than a string of continuous employment.

Not sure which soft skills to highlight? Check out this video on soft skills.

We’re happy to gift you answers for the holidays—just write your questions in the comments section below!