Don’t sell yourself short in interview

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Sometimes I just lose patience. Maybe it's because I've seen one too many cover letters with misspelled words or heard "I like to work with people" too often.

Rather than throttling the next hapless job hunter who says, "I don't care, I'll like any job that's available," I thought I'd better take hold of myself. Maybe if I write down my pet peeves I'll feel better:

·        Resumes that don't include accomplishments: "Responsible for..." tells how big your job was but nothing about how well you did it. Interviewers are people who can tie their past accomplishments to results needed on the new job. Would you buy a product that didn't advertise what it could do for you? Sell yourself or sit on the shelf.

·        Interviewees who aren't prepared: A job hunter gets one crack at it. He or she needs to practice hitting curve balls and spit balls - one foul ball and you're out. Be ready with examples, stories and statistics. Practice answering tough questions about why you left your former employer, why you weren't promoted in your last job, why you want this job. Practice or sit on the bench.

·        Potential career changers who aren't willing to work hard: Some career changers are like ghastly American tourists in a foreign land. They refuse to learn the language or understand the customs or culture, yet demand that they be accepted and respected. Au contraire mon cher.

Career changers need more drive and persistence than other job travelers. They need to learn new jargon, meet new contacts in strange lands, discover unexplored skills and understand foreign customs.

A successful trip from one career to another, can be an exciting adventure with a satisfying destination. If you're not committed to the trip, stay home and read travel brochures.

·        Informational interviewers who don't use my time wisely: I can feel the first nibble when the caller rambles on without asking if I have time to talk. Another bite out of my time is taken when the job hunter arrives unprepared. No resume, no idea of skills, strengths, and interests.  Tasty tidbits are chewed away when ideas and potential contacts aren't written down. I know they'll be calling back for the crumbs they left behind.

Some have even gobbled away chunks of time by never showing up at all.

Most people are happy to help job hunters because of the satisfaction it brings. If you invite yourself to dinner, be kind to the chef.

It worked. I feel better already. If you want to give your pet peeves a good home, send them to me at the e-mail address below. You'll feel better, too. 

Do you need answers to tough job hunting questions? Are you looking for some added punch to help you stand out from the crowd? Joan Lloyd’s has developed job hunting tools that can help you to maximize your job search:

Savvy Negotiation Strategies to Get Paid What You’re Worth on a New Job (Detailed, 8-page PDF by email – no shipping charge)
Easy, Step-by-step Guide to Using the Internet to Land a Great Job (Detailed, 10-page PDF by email  – no shipping charge)
The Resume That Opens the Door and the Interview That Gets the Job (Detailed, 37-page PDF by email – no shipping charge)