Driving to the Interview

Right after I graduated college, I didn’t have any direction. I was looking for a job out of my major and did not know where to begin or to look. I went to a few career fairs and saw a few interesting opportunities. I finally got an interview with a major telecommunications company outside of Baltimore. I think my interview was either at 10 or 11 in the morning. I looked up directions on Mapquest the night before and printed them out. It said it would take me 20 minutes to get to the interview. I wasn’t taking any chances; I left an hour and 20 minutes in advance. I figured that I’d hang out in the lobby for a while and prepare for my interview. Besides, I didn’t know the traffic pattern all that well anyway. Well, my plan backfired and I made a wrong turn. I drove around in circles and never made it to my interview. What I learned from all of this, was I should have made the trip the day before while I had the time. Preferably, 24 hours before the interview, so I could get a feel for the traffic time. But either way, give yourself plenty of time to make sure you are there with minutes to spare. I travel for work a lot and know that when I arrive for a meeting a few minutes early, I get to look around and calm myself down for a few minutes. Also bring the phone number of the company with you of course, and if you do get lost, make sure to call for directions.

Personality Plus

There are several key aspects to bringing on a new employee. It will take a career to really fully cover them. Today I am going to look at something that many people don’t really think about, which is personality. You must bring on people that will get along with the rest of the group. A simple interview is not a large enough sample to determine if the candidate will fit in with the rest of the employees. Bringing on an employee is not easy and is very time consuming. Make sure to check references. Even that is not enough. With today’s technology make sure to do your homework and find out if this candidate fits in your companies culture. Between Facebook and Myspace, there is a lot of information that is just there for the public eye. Skills and ability are obviously essential, but if there are personality conflicts and other drama, performance will suffer for everybody.

Actively Seeking Employment?

A friend once told me, "Weiss, if you are really looking for a job, you should be spending 40 hours a week working on it". That did not make sense to me at the time. Why should I spend 40 hours a week doing something when I don't have a job? That's not fun. I would wake up at 10 or 11 every day. I would probably watch Sports Center more than once, and before I knew it, I was ready to start my day just as companies were closing. Especially while unemployed, you must spend 40 hours a week seeking employment. Searching job boards online a few minutes a day is alright, but most jobs posted on there are not legitimate. Visit your local library. Check out the Dalton's Industrial Guide and look up various companies in the area. Make sure your resume is ready to go. Check out what local networking events are going on. A lot of human resources organizations have free events for those that are in transition. Reflect on what aspects you liked about your job and what you see yourself doing. Remember the longer you go between jobs, the less desirable you become to an employer. If you are having trouble seeking employment, or don't know what it is that you want to do, register with your local staffing company.

Know What You Are Looking For

Sometimes when a person leaves a company either voluntarily or not, there is a mad rush to fill the position as quickly as possible. That is fine and dandy, but make sure to know exactly what it is that you are looking for first. Have an accurate and detailed job description of the position. This will allow you to better mine through resumes and narrow your search. The last thing you want to do is to go through the process (which can be time consuming and costly) more than once. That is why you must take the time in the beginning to save you time in the end. If you need assistance in creating a job description, check out the Perry Temps website and contact a rep.

Summer Time

Although things are a little slower this time of year right now is a great time to get your resume together if you are unhappy at your current position. Spend a lot of time and make sure the resume is not only clean of typos, but also accurate with information. The slightest mistake could cost you a position. Having this completed now will enable you to get a head start on the competition and allow you the chance to enjoy the summer.