You’ve found it! Found it! The perfect job for you! It’s exactly the type of job you want, and you’re sure the work, people, and salary will be great, right? Maybe—but maybe not. This scenario is not uncommon to many of us. We have all gotten very hopeful at one point or another during our job search, and why shouldn’t we? There is nothing wrong with being hopeful; staying positive is a great attitude to have while looking for work. But the rules of finding a job can be a lot like the rules of dating—you don’t want to get too attached without getting to know each other first.

Things to Find Out Before the Interview

Job description. Job boards will usually have some kind of job description, but you may encounter jobs that don’t have a clear, written description at career fairs or other networking events. Ask yourself if you know the following:

•    Areas of responsibility and job functions
•    Required education, experience level, and technological experience
•    Location of the job
•    Time requirements (how many hours per week you are expected to work and the shift you are expected to work)

Based on this information, decide if this is the right job to apply to. If you cannot find this information in the job description, either try calling the HR rep to find this information out; or if this is not possible, apply to the job and find out this information during the interview.

The company’s products, services, and mission. Let’s say you’re a PR graduate who wants to work in meeting planning. You apply for a meeting planning position for PETA—but you own a crocodile skin purse and a fur coat. It doesn’t seem like your values align with the company’s mission, so this may not be the best fit for you. If you don’t find this information on the company’s About Us section on its Web site, you might be able to find out more on sites like www.zoominfo.com where you can get detailed information about companies and their industry leaders. You can use LinkedIn to find out more about the company by using the Search Companies option. You might also want to find out who will be interviewing you and search for that person through LinkedIn, using the Search People function.

Things to Find Out at the Interview

Company culture. The company wants to decide if you are the right fit for an organization, and conversely, you are deciding the same. Ask the interviewer about the company culture—the shared values and actions of the employees. This might be something difficult for an interviewer to define (and what the interviewer says may or may not actually be what the culture is), but pay attention to keywords like casual, friendly, busy, efficient, ethical, and so on. Take notice of the way the employees are dressed and how they interact with one another. Ask questions like, “Would I be expected to work more in teams or individually?” “What is the company’s growth plan?” “Why is this position open/what are the primary reasons for people leaving this company?”

Expectations for this position. Just because you’re interviewing for the same title you had at your last position, doesn’t mean the job expectations are the same! Find out the following:

•    What kind of traits does the ideal candidate have for this position?
•    What are some of the challenges in this position?
•    Do you see any significant changes in this position in the near future?

Things to Find Out After the Interview

With dating, there are certain things you may not want to ask your partner until you are “official.” The same is true with waiting to ask certain questions until you get the official job offer. After you have received a job offer, there is a litany of questions you may want to ask to find out if the job is the right fit for you:

•    What is the yearly/hourly salary?
•    How many paid vacation days do I have?
•    What is your benefit package?
•    Am I expected to work overtime? Do you pay for overtime?
•    When do you assess raises; what is the typical raise rate?
•    Do you give bonuses, and what is the typical bonus amount?

Just like finding the right partner may take a long time, so might finding the right job. Find out everything you need to know to create a successful partnership, and make sure you don’t settle!

Doctors get a lot of questions from friends and neighbors about medications and illnesses.  As a Human Resources professional in this tough labor market, I’ve been getting a lot of employment and job search questions from friends and acquaintances.

In the last week I was approached with two job-related situations. Here’s to dispelling job search urban legends and fears!

Situation # 1

A college friend of my daughter is getting ready to graduate.  She is applying to companies and putting together a few versions of her resume.

This friend had an internship last year.  Her supervisors thought highly of her and gave her additional work because they knew she could handle it.  Late in the semester she had some personal family issues arise.  As a result, she needed to end the internship because she needed to use her time to help out her family.  She feels her supervisors were disappointed.  Now she is a bit skittish about putting the internship on her resume.

The friend’s questions to me were, “Do I list this internship on my resume? What do I say if I’m asked why I left? and If I think they were disappointed that I left; should I use them as a reference?”  Great questions.

First I told her that she should absolutely list the internship on her resume.  It was an experience that gave her insight into the working world.  She learned a lot from it and helped the organization.

Next, I said that when she interviews she should be ready to talk about why the internship ended.  The truth is that she really enjoyed her role, what she learned and contributed, and the people there.  I said she needs to say she left because of an urgent family matter that needed her immediate attention.  She should mention she was excited about the experience she gained while there.  If asked, she will have the chance to elaborate on her role and her accomplishments during the internship.

Now the tricky part – using the internship as a reference.  I told the friend that she should find someone she worked with there who would be willing to talk to a future employer about her.  Since she did a great job, there should be someone who can help her out.  Alternatively, her college counselor could probably speak on her behalf about the internship.

The takeaways:  1) List your relevant experience.  2) Be prepared to explain why you left a position, even if the reason is a family emergency.  I would make sure you add what you contributed and what you gained from the experience as well. Never speak negatively about a past employer.  3)  Have references available to talk about you to prospective employers.

Situation #2

My neighbor is doing well at his job, but he heard about an opening with another company.  The new job would pay more and have more advancement opportunities.  He has heard stories of his current employer seeing some of its employees’ resumes on Internet resume databases and firing them. He also knows his current employer is struggling in this economy, so he would like to move on.  He is worried that A) If he puts his resume on one of the job boards his company will see it and fire him and B) If he gets an interview with the company with the opening, the new company will call his current company to verify employment or find out about his work habits and ethics.

My advice back to him:

A)  He can put his resume on the job boards, leave out his last name, and have the name of the current company “Confidential.”  He needs the resume to have an e-mail address and phone number so that recruiters and employers have a way to contact him.  Author’s note: It is disheartening that a company would fire someone because he or she put his or her resume on a job board.  I do have a friend who saw his current job posted on one and confronted his boss.  That is how he found out the company was letting him go.

B)  In general, a prospective company will ask candidates on an application if they can contact the current employer.  It is completely acceptable to say “no” or to say “after an offer is made.” Many companies do employment verifications but only after an offer has been made.

The takeaway:  If you are worried your company will find you on a resume board, keep your last name off your resume and your employer confidential but make sure your email address is listed.  Don’t worry that prospective companies will call your current employer during the interview process.  It really doesn’t work that way.  Companies may do employment verifications after they have made you an offer.

When it comes to analyzing the job offer there are some key things that you should be reviewing to determine whether or not the position is right. Of course if you have made it this far, chances are you like the company and they like you. But how much do they really like you? Is it worthwhile to leave (if you are currently employed) or accept vs. continuing the search for something more suitable?
Since you are not going to accept the offer on the spot (it’s perfectly fine to take 3-4 days to mull it over), here are some things to consider before you take the plunge:

• Compensation: You should have done research already regarding the market and the pay scale for similar or the same position so you understand what other employers are paying for the role. Salary is the most critical part of the offer so it is in your best interest to know what the value of the position is before you accept. Make sure you also know the company’s review policy. Is there a formal review policy? When can you expect to receive a review? What are the parameters of the review? Is there a 360° review process? If so, how does it work? Does the company reward based on performance or are they going to 3% you to death once you get there? You want to make sure that if you ‘bring it’ that you will be compensated in alignment with your efforts and what you do for the new employer.
• Bonus: Does the company have a bonus program? You should find this out before accepting the offer. What is the qualification process?  When are bonuses paid? How are they calculated? This should be something that you discuss as part of the offer process. Oftentimes bonuses are contingent upon meeting certain performance criteria. Make sure you understand how bonuses are calculated. Any offer of employment you receive should provide you with the structure, including what you need to do to be considered for a bonus. If you are getting a sign-on bonus to join, find out when you can expect the payment once you have joined the company. Sometimes sign-on bonuses are paid within the first or second payroll period. In some instances you might have to wait 3-6 months for the bonus to be issued. What of you get a sign-on bonus and decide the job isn't right for you - do you need to pay it back? 
• Health Benefits: One of the things to consider before accepting any role is the type of benefits offered. While you might be getting an increase in salary, if you have to pay through the nose for the benefits, you could actually lose money by accepting a new offer. Make sure you know the types of coverage you can choose from. Oftentimes companies will have several plans. It is important that you review the medical and dental plans primarily to understand plan allowances, deductibles, and cost of participation. When do the benefits begin? Some employers have benefits that don’t begin until you have been there 30 days. If that were the case, you would need COBRA to continue your benefits until the new plan starts. COBRA can be very expensive, and you might want to negotiate to have your new potential employer pick up the tab for the month or period of time until the new plan takes effect.
• Other benefits may include short- and long-term disability, vision care, life insurance, access to a credit union, and a car allowance. Some companies offer stock options so be sure to find out if you qualify for them and how the program works. 401(k)s, pensions or IRAs are other benefits offered by many companies. Find out when you can start participating and if the company offers a matching program. Matching is the process by which a company will contribute money to the plan depending upon how much you contribute. Other benefits include tuition reimbursement and training. If continuing your education is important to your personal and professional goals, don’t accept the offer without discussing the tuition or training program.
• Vacation: Vacation time is worth its weight in gold – not to mention that there is a dollar figure associated with vacation. You wouldn’t want to go from having four weeks’ vacation to only two. For me vacation would be a deal breaker. This is definitely something that can be negotiated. Generally companies have a vacation policy. Sometimes you are granted two weeks when you start and accrue additional time over your tenure. Review this point with your hiring manager before accepting the position. You should also be aware of any sick and personal days that you are entitled to over the course of your employment. 

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Many job search candidates spend innumerable hours pursuing employment opportunities; yet many do not achieve the desired results. Having worked with thousands of people trying to obtain positions of increased responsibility in their chosen industry or field, I have encountered the following common mistakes, resulting in failure to achieve optimal outcomes:

No organized search strategy:  You need a plan. Keep yourself organized with a list of things that you need to do on a daily basis. This list will allow you to focus your efforts in the areas that require your full attention. Would you go to the supermarket without a list of things you need? If you do, I will guarantee that you forget to buy something or purchase things that you don’t need. Your job search works in a similar fashion. The list will allow you to plan for a successful campaign.

No record keeping: It is important to keep a list or spreadsheet of some kind so you can review to whom you have sent your resume or the contacts made. There is no possibility of your being able to recall all of the companies or people that you have contacted – let alone those that may have contacted you. Without a record, you might miss an opportunity, or worse be unprepared when someone does reach out to you. Make sure you keep names, dates, and details of discussions you had. Your records will allow you to follow-up when appropriate and supports your organized approach (see above.)

No use of diverse search methods: You cannot simply apply online and think that the calls are going to roll in. A job search requires far more effort than the use of the Internet. The following must be done to ensure a successful campaign:

• Identifying specific companies where you might be interested in working. Once you have a list, you should do some research to get the name of someone internally to direct your correspondence.
• Conducting research regarding the names of people in senior level positions. Use trade publications and the Internet to uncover names of people. Trade publications can be a great source of information, including providing you with movement within your targeted industry.
• Leveraging your network of friends and family members. Your network should also include people you meet at local networking events. You will not be able to join every group so choose wisely. Engage with people that you meet to establish relationships that can be reciprocal.
• Identifying a few niche job boards where you can post your resume. You should not broadcast it on every board out there. You will look desperate.
• Establishing a relationship with a few key recruiters. Like any relationship, you will need to work at maintaining contact. Recruiters definitely know the market and have contacts within the companies where them make placements. You cannot work with everyone. Make sure you choose wisely; be prepared to conduct a fair amount of floww up to keep the communications lines open.

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As I write this, I wonder how many of you have declared, “find a new job,” on your list of resolutions for 2010. And I wonder how many more of you wanted to write it down, but DIDN’T, simply because of fear around the economy and the job market. You’re not entirely wrong if the shaky employment situation has you hanging on to your desk and you’re job with all of your might. After all, the latest statistics tell us that ten percent of us are out of work.

But that does not mean you should lose an entire YEAR of your career path and your life. Cautious, appropriate steps CAN be taken to continue to build your success, no matter what statistics and news headlines say. Here are three steps to help you find a great new job in 2010.

#1. Resume Renovation. Yes, there’s no way around it, your resume MUST be updated and perhaps even thrown away altogether and begun anew. This is one area that I strongly suggest you all use an expert in order to create real success. There are some things you can learn on your own and / or succeed at in varying degrees – but the resume is not one of them. As a Member of the National Association of Resume Writers, I know that styles and formats are always changing and they DO matter; your choice of wording and phrasing ALSO matter. If you’re not finding success getting interviews, it’s quite likely that your resume (often the only introduction companies have of you) simply isn’t working any magic on your behalf. Contact me at cp@palmierecareerservices.com to begin an effective resume renovation for 2010.

#2. Networking. Yes, there it is again. Networking probably comes up at least five times a day for most of us – either on TV, by email, with our friends and colleagues, etc., etc. But the truth is there’s simply no way around the fact that MOST career connections and new jobs come from recommendations and / or networking in one way or another. Let me offer one quick way to create more networking opportunities for job seekers. Consider joining a Meetup Group in your area, in your career field of choice. So if you are a VP of Marketing in Pharmaceuticals, but really want to move into advertising, go to http://www.Meetup.com and search out the groups for advertising professionals in your area. Don’t forget to bring business cards to the event that are NOT from your current (or past) jobs.

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