Time to get a job
Published in the Boulder Daily Camera, 3/24/14
Congratulations, all you soon-to-be college graduates. The real-world is right around the corner, and, let's be honest, university life is fun, but you're probably more ready than not to jump in to something more. well. challenging. It's time to find a job. All things considered, it's a good time for job hunting, especially in Colorado where our employment rate has been dropping steadily for four years. It's not quite the heyday of dot-com mania, but there are lots of employers out there looking for people just like you.
Still, you have plenty of competition. There is an ocean full of other talented graduates and people who are looking to improve their lot in life. So, ya gotta play to win if you want to get in the door.
What's it take? My wife, Mary Beth, and I started a technology business out of our garage in Boulder that grew to over a hundred people, so maybe we know a few things about hiring people. Well, maybe Mary Beth knows a few things. She ran Human Resources and I just rode her coattails and those of the people she hired. Like all good HR people, she had solid instincts about peoples' character that she was able to glean from the hiring process, and her input about who was hired carried weight and wisdom roughly equal to that of the technical staff, and for good reason.
So, I asked her to share some of her insights about what it takes to get noticed by the HR folks guarding the gate of your dream employer here in Colorado, and here is what she told me:
Start with first impressions -- they matter, so craft your cover letter to the position you're applying for. Sure, that means you'll actually have to learn something about the organization before applying for a job there. But, it shows them that you're interested enough in the job to make your first pitch a good one. Keep the letter short and sweet with the goal of making them want to learn more about you.
No typos or misspellings in any correspondence. None. They can be your application's quick road to the "not interested" pile since, in this day and age, the best explanations for these kinds of errors are "stupid" or "lazy." Neither of these are usually desirable traits in a future employee.
Dress with respect to yourself as well as to the interviewers. That doesn't mean that you need to dress formally, though if you think maybe you should, you should. Use an iron or go to a dry cleaner, even if you're applying for a programming position. Once you get the job, maybe you won't need the iron, but first you need to get the job.
If you're lucky enough to get an interview, show up 5 minutes before scheduled. While the main reason for this is avoiding lateness, it's also an opportunity to snoop around for tidbits, either technical or relating to corporate culture, that might be helpful during the interview. Plus, it's a great time to tap your inner vampire and glam the receptionist who, as we all know, really runs the company.
Speaking of glamming, look people in the eyes during the interview. Without eye contact, you won't make a personal connection with the person to whom you're speaking. Everyone interviewing you knows that they will often be spending more time with you than they will with their kids, so they want the personal connection to be a good one. Make them think it will be good with your eyes.
After the interview, send a short handwritten thank-you note as well as an email. Just do it. It's easy, it's courteous, and it gets your name in front of them one more time.
Make sure your references like you and believe in your abilities. Words on paper will get you to an interview, but the words from your references will get you the job. Trust me, references trash candidates all the time, and that conversation always ends with a thud as your job application hits the bottom of the garbage can.
Maybe most important of all, show passion for your skills and interests as they pertain to the job. Your character is important, but you are being hired for your skills. Show them off. Get excited about them. Make the organization believe that you are talented and committed to maintaining your skills throughout your career.
Simple things matter sometimes. Really. Good luck!
Congratulations, all you soon-to-be college graduates. The real-world is right around the corner, and, let's be honest, university life is fun, but you're probably more ready than not to jump in to something more. well. challenging. It's time to find a job. All things considered, it's a good time for job hunting, especially in Colorado where our employment rate has been dropping steadily for four years. It's not quite the heyday of dot-com mania, but there are lots of employers out there looking for people just like you.
Still, you have plenty of competition. There is an ocean full of other talented graduates and people who are looking to improve their lot in life. So, ya gotta play to win if you want to get in the door.
What's it take? My wife, Mary Beth, and I started a technology business out of our garage in Boulder that grew to over a hundred people, so maybe we know a few things about hiring people. Well, maybe Mary Beth knows a few things. She ran Human Resources and I just rode her coattails and those of the people she hired. Like all good HR people, she had solid instincts about peoples' character that she was able to glean from the hiring process, and her input about who was hired carried weight and wisdom roughly equal to that of the technical staff, and for good reason.
So, I asked her to share some of her insights about what it takes to get noticed by the HR folks guarding the gate of your dream employer here in Colorado, and here is what she told me:
Start with first impressions -- they matter, so craft your cover letter to the position you're applying for. Sure, that means you'll actually have to learn something about the organization before applying for a job there. But, it shows them that you're interested enough in the job to make your first pitch a good one. Keep the letter short and sweet with the goal of making them want to learn more about you.
No typos or misspellings in any correspondence. None. They can be your application's quick road to the "not interested" pile since, in this day and age, the best explanations for these kinds of errors are "stupid" or "lazy." Neither of these are usually desirable traits in a future employee.
Dress with respect to yourself as well as to the interviewers. That doesn't mean that you need to dress formally, though if you think maybe you should, you should. Use an iron or go to a dry cleaner, even if you're applying for a programming position. Once you get the job, maybe you won't need the iron, but first you need to get the job.
If you're lucky enough to get an interview, show up 5 minutes before scheduled. While the main reason for this is avoiding lateness, it's also an opportunity to snoop around for tidbits, either technical or relating to corporate culture, that might be helpful during the interview. Plus, it's a great time to tap your inner vampire and glam the receptionist who, as we all know, really runs the company.
Speaking of glamming, look people in the eyes during the interview. Without eye contact, you won't make a personal connection with the person to whom you're speaking. Everyone interviewing you knows that they will often be spending more time with you than they will with their kids, so they want the personal connection to be a good one. Make them think it will be good with your eyes.
After the interview, send a short handwritten thank-you note as well as an email. Just do it. It's easy, it's courteous, and it gets your name in front of them one more time.
Make sure your references like you and believe in your abilities. Words on paper will get you to an interview, but the words from your references will get you the job. Trust me, references trash candidates all the time, and that conversation always ends with a thud as your job application hits the bottom of the garbage can.
Maybe most important of all, show passion for your skills and interests as they pertain to the job. Your character is important, but you are being hired for your skills. Show them off. Get excited about them. Make the organization believe that you are talented and committed to maintaining your skills throughout your career.
Simple things matter sometimes. Really. Good luck!
