Job Hunt Blog

Job Search Depression - and Help

Yesterday (October 29, 2007) Jason Alba, who blogs very successfully on his JibberJobber Blog, wrote an excellent posting about the dark side of job hunting - the job search depression that seems to overtake many people after months of knocking on doors, sending out resumes, and trying to find a new job - a discouraging task that seems to have no end.

Seeing Tragedy First Hand

As a 1994 layoff "graduate" I have seen what happens when people cannot deal with losing their jobs or with the SEEMINGLY endless battle to find a good, new job.  My former employer was a Fortune 40 company, the # 2 computer company in the world at that time.  But the market zigged while we zagged, and thousands of people in this area, and across the globe, lost their jobs. The layoffs extended over several years as the company gradually shrank.  Now, it's gone - the remnanents sold to another (smaller) computer company.

Relatively quickly after the layoffs began, two true “victims” of the layoff, from nearby towns, committed suicide.  A third, a co-worker of mine for nearly 10 years, waited a couple of years after he was laid off to murder his wife and then commit suicide.  Appalling!  But, not really surprising when you consider how most people handle a layoff and look for a job.

The Problem - Self-Fulfiling Prophesy

The first time you go through a “pay period” without having a paycheck at the end is a terrible shock.  I remember being frightened, and also convinced that I would never receive another paycheck ever again.  It is terrifying to have bills to pay without money coming into the bank account. 

On top of that fear of not being able to pay bills, a job search can be a lonely and very discouraging process.  The repeated rejection and – perhaps worse – lack of response can be terribly discouraging, even to those with the most robust egos.  Over and over again, it can seem like people you don’t know (and maybe some that you do!) convey that you are worthless or just not good enough.  Of course, it’s not true, but after you get that message over and over and over again, you begin to wonder.  What’s wrong with me?  Why won’t anyone talk with me?  Return a call?  Schedule an interview?  Call back when they say they will call back?

After a while, job seekers get discouraged, expecting lack of positive response and lack of progress in everything they try.  This feeling becomes the classic "self-fulfilling prophesy" - you end up creating what you expect (and fear the most) by sharing your sense of hopelessness.  It becomes obvious to those who speak with you.

The Solution

You need to have a better additude.  But, how do you dig yourself out of this hole?  Get help!  Doing it by yourself is very difficult if not impossible. 

1.  Get some counseling.

This is typically something people try to avoid because of the expense potentially involved when income is already too low, but it may be the best money you've ever spent.

You may find free counseling at your local One-Stop Career Center.  You'll usually find local support through your state's employment offices.  See Job-Hunt's list of state employment offices to find the one for your state.

2.  Join a job search support group.

Job search support groups are wonderful if there is a good one nearby or a relevant one online. Most of them meet weekly, some less often.   In the U.S. every state has some form of state employment office, usually with One-Stop Career Centers where you can find counseling, help with your resume, and, possibly, retraining assistance.  You'll find comiseration from others "in the same boat" PLUS help with your resume, leads, advice, and help moving forward.  Knowing that you're not the only one being rejected and ignored can be very encouraging.  And, a positive attitude will help you reach that positive outcome sooner.

Find links to over 600 networking and job support groups on Job-Hunt’s Job Search Networking page.  (Let me know if you find additional ones to include.)

3.  Read "Beating the Job Search Blues."

This is an article I wrote in 2003, but it still applies.

The Bottom Line

The good news is that you WILL get another job!  Honest!!  You WILL!!!  It may not be perfect, but it will be income.  You will survive!  And, you'll have improved your network and your job search skills so that your next job search - if there is one - will be easier.

---

Making a New Network after a Move

I recently answered a question from a woman who had moved to California for better job prospects after a divorce.  However, although she was well-qualified, she was having difficulty finding a job, and she was sounding desperate, contemplating yet another move for better prospects.

The problem really was 3-fold:  Her job search was unfocused, she had cut herself off from the network of people who knew her in her home, and she hadn't established a new network in her new location.

First, she needed to define the job that she wanted, and then she needed to develop a list of preferred potential employers, so she could focus her search and her networking efforts.  It's hard to hit a target when it keeps moving (or when you keep moving it yourself).

Then, she needed to establish a new network in her new location:

• Locate local members of the "old" network:
  
  Ask her friends and family to see if they know anyone who now lives in California, preferably near her new home.
  
  Also, check out LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, Classmates, etc. to find old friends, former colleagues, and others from the past who might live in her new location, too.

• Develop a new network:
  
  Check out her college's career center.  Most schools have caught on to the benefits of helping alums as well as recent grads, and they often have a network of alums scattered across the country who help other alums.  She can contact those people to ask for advice, preferably from someone in her target industry, profession, and/or one of her target employers.
  
  If she had joined a church, synagogue, etc. in the new location, she might find a job search support group there that would help her network.  These networks are usually very helpful, as long as they aren't all that you do.
  
  There are also many independent job search support groups run by local governmental agencies, non-profit organizations like the Jewish Vocational Services, career coaches who offer free or low cost services as part of their outreach, people who just like to help others, etc.
  
  She could also contact local professional and/or industry organizations where she could meet people who work for her target employers.  Volunteering in those groups is a great way to meet people and establish credibility at the same time.

Of course, the most important thing to remember about networking is to help others, to give as well as receive.

Bottom Line:

People with good networks don't often find themselves job hunting, because when they are ready to move, they tap into their network for new opportunities (or the new opportunities tap them).  If they do need a job, unexpectedly, they land one relatively effortlessly.

---

Job Hunting Is Hard!

For some reason, everyone expects their job search to be short, simple, and easy.  And, they also expect that the Internet has helped make things simpler.

I'm not sure why we all think that, but I expect it's probably lack of experience and knowledge.  Or, maybe there's some built-in denial factor that tries to protect us from reality.

The problem is that we don't job search often enough to be good at it.

And, with the Internet becoming a significant factor, the ground rules for what worked in the past often don't apply 2 or 3 years later because of changes in technology and, unfortunately, the fact that the world's scammers have recognized and zeroed in on a jucy target - desperate job seekers.

So what?

So - don't assume that last year's or the last decade's effective job search strategies are still effective or even relevant.  Check out Job-Hunt.org, JobHuntersBible, the RileyGuide, and other good Websites and new books to understand what works and what doesn't.

So - stop being so trusting.  Keep your shields up!  A job seeker asked me how to get her Internet "employer" to pay her for the work she'd done when she should have been turing them in to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (a.k.a. IC3) - http://www.ic3.gov/  The "employer" was a scammer who just "hired" her to get her to tell him her SSN.

Bottom Line

Expect that your job search will be as difficult as it was the last time you looked for a job, perhaps a bit worse because of greater competition.  The good news is that the labor market is supposed to be turning around to favor job seekers, with a shortage of qualified applicants for most jobs.  Just don't underestimate the attraction and ease of out-sourcing, off-shoring, and offering massive numbers of visas to immigrants with "scarce" skills.

One assumption from the past DOES applies today - if it looks too good to be true, it probably is!  Verify BEFORE you trust in e-mail and online transactions with people you don't know locally!

---

Finding Your First Job After College

Question:

I am graduating from college in May and want to start my job in July.  I want to work in marketing for a large technology company.  When should I start filling out applications and sending out resumes?

Answer:

May is 3 months from now.  Get busy planning and networking - not completing applications, or sending out un-targeted resumes to strangers!

1.) Put together a list of potential employers.

One of the best lists of technology companies is the Deloitte Technology Fast 500.  Since your target is "large" companies, the FORTUNE 500 and Forbes 500 are also good places to look

2.) Identify contacts at those potential employers.

Check with your school's Career Center to see if they have contacts for you at Goldman Sachs and your other target employers. Hopefully, some alumni/ae of your school are working in those organizations now (or have worked there recently).

Then, contact them to find out

• What it's like to work for each of those employers. What is the "culture" for each like? How competitive? How collegial? How honest and ethical?

• How are people promoted? What is the criteria for promotion? If you are a woman or a minority, ask how many people in middle and senior management are women or minorities? Try to understand what the typical career paths are.

• Where do people work after they leave? How long to people normally stay there? Is it an "up or out" culture or do people stay for long periods?

• How did your contact get hired? What was the process? What process would they recommend as best/most effective, now, if they were in your shoes?

• What do people do in the typical "first job" in that organization? How long do people stay in that first job? What are the criteria for being promoted? What options are open to them for the "next" step in their careers within the organization?

• Can you visit your contacts in their offices to see what these places are like? You want to see where people starting work and what they do?

Don't let compensation be your only criteria for choosing an employer. A job is where you'll spend most of your time - at least 40 hours a week, probably 60 or 80 hours for investment banking. You don't want to be working in a place where your efforts aren't appreciated, or where you hate everyone you work with or for and everything you do.

3.) If your school doesn't have a good Career Center that can put you in touch with alumni/ae working in your target companies - or, even if it does - check out Ziggs.com to see if you can find someone at those companies who seems approachable. Also, of course, check LinkedIn, Ryze, Hi5, etc. to see if you have any contacts or friends connected with your target employers. Look for the same information as in # 2.

4.) Research the companies yourself. Yahoo Finance has EXCELLENT company and industry research resources. Also, go to PRNewsWire, BusinessWire, WetFeet, Vault, etc. to see what information they have.

5.) When you have completed the 2nd draft of your resume (with help from your school's Career Center, preferably), ask your contacts if they would review your resume to see if it's the right format and content for their employer. Customize your resume for each potential employer based on your research and the advice your contacts have given you.

6.) If it's appropriate for the organization (and it usually is), ask one or more of your contacts to take your resume to the appropriate hiring manager(s). I don't recommend having 2 people submit your resume to the same manager, but having 2 people submit to 2 different managers should be OK. Or, how ever many hiring managers are of interest to you.

7.) Your research in step # 2 and/or # 3 above should help you do the appropriate thing. Follow the processes recommended by your contacts, and you should be hired before Spring Break if your grades are decent.

Good luck!

---

Safe Online Job Search

Job seekers need to be extremely careful looking for a new job, particularly if they have a current job to protect.  Employers are not usually happy to see employees looking for another job.  Firing that employee is a fairly common employer reaction, unfortunately.  The thinking seems to be that the employee is being disloyal to the employer, and, since the employee is leaving anyway, why give that disloyal employee an opportunity to cost the organization more money in salary while they job search and - worse - existing or potential customers as well as company secrets.

Don'ts:

* Don't plaster the Internet with your resume.

You have no idea who will see it - maybe your current supervisor will find it, maybe someone from HR. If you feel you must post your resume on Monster (et al), post a "cyber-safe" version of it with your name and contact information removed. See Job-Hunt.org's article http://www.job-hunt.org/resumecybersafe.... for more details

* Don't job hunt from work.

Because you are using "company assets" at work, employers have the right to monitor your Internet use, including your e-mail and Web surfing. They MAY even monitor your voicemail and phone use at work, even if you are job hunting ONLY on "personal time." Leave the office to do your hunting.

DO's:

* Network, NETWORK, N*E*T*W*O*R*K!!

- Go to industry/professional/business organization meetings that are relevant to your work. You'll learn more about the industry or profession, and you'll meet other people in similar jobs working for similar - or related - employers.

- The BEST way to meet people quickly in organizations is to volunteer to help out with something at the meeting - handing out badges at the event registration desk is my favorite. You'll see all the people and company names and, hopefully, get to meet those people.

- Contact former employers, co-workers, colleagues, roommates and classmates, school and college career centers, etc. Tell them about your pending job search. Offer to help them with anything they need professionally.

- "Networking" is a 2-way street. If you are only a "taker," your network will be pretty small. Be a "giver" too, and you'll have a great network.

- Don't drop your network when you get a new job! Stay active. Keep that network alive so that it's there for your NEXT job search.

* Use the "confidential" resume posting option where ever you post your resume.

Most job sites offer you the option of either supressing your contact information or keeping your resume out of the database searched by employers and recruiters.

See Job-Hunt's article on Protecting Your Privacy (http://www.job-hunt.org/privacy.shtml... ) and Using Web Job Sites (http://www.job-hunt.org/jobsearchusing.s... ) for more details.

* Make personal business cards to hand out at networking events or to potential employers.

Be careful, but know that millions of people have been in the same position and done fine.

---

 

How Do I Get Noticed by a Recruiter?

Question:

How do you stand out from the deluge of resumes submitted by other job seekers?

Answer:

Follow the directions.  Sounds simple and obvious, but apparently it isn't.

When I've posted jobs for employers, I've asked job seekers to answer specific questions (e.g., "describe your greatest achievement in your most recent job") in their applications. While many people applied for those jobs, fewer than 5% answered the questions. Which ones had their resumes reviewed? Only the ones who answered the question.

We've also asked job seekers to submit their resume in plain ASCII text, not to attach Word documents to e-mail.  If the job seeker didn't know what ASCII text was, a quick Google search would have told them.  But we got many Word document attachments anyway - and they all went into the "ignore" file.

This doesn't leave a good impression on a potential employer - if the job seeker cannot follow basic instructions, what kind of employee would they be?

Don't apply for a job unless you meet the minimum qualifications.

This seems obvious, but, again, it apparently isn't. I think it's because of the "why not give it a shot" theory.  The job seeker thinks, "Maybe they (the employer or recruiter) won't get the person they want, so why not give it a shot and apply anyway."  Wrong.  You're just wasting their time and looking clueless or dumb - not a good impression

With hundreds of resumes to choose from for every opportunity, employers don't need to risk hiring someone who isn't qualified, so the "why not give it a shot" theory just wastes everyone's time and actually makes it more difficult for everyone.

Don't make them think or guess.

Connect the dots for the employer in your cover lette/rmessage:

• If you are responding to a job posting, put the job posting identifier in the subject of your message, and repeat it again in the text of your message.

• Demonstrate that you have read, understand, and meet the job requirements. Don't make the recruiter/employer work to figure out that you have the qualifications they need. Point it out to them, nicely, but clearly.  "You need someone with 2 years of experience doing [whatever], and I have been doing [whatever] for more than 2 years."

Research the company.

Read the "Tips to Ace That Interview" article for tips on doing effective research, and use that research to focus your resume on the experience you have that relates to the job and the employer, and drop names (products, services, competitors, partners, employees) in your cover letter, too.  With luck, you'll get a chance to use your research in an interview.

Follow up off line.

Use your research to connect with someone inside the employer's organization, even in HR. It's tough, because job seekers don't want to ruin their job chances by becoming a pest, but just submitting a resume and then passively waiting to hear from an employer is not that effective any more, unless you really are the perfect candidate.

Be politely persistent.

You will get a job.  Just don't give up, and don't be careless

---

Finding an Entry Level Job

Question:

I'm looking for a job as a structural engineer. I just finished my degree, so I don't have much real experience. How do I find a job?

Answer:

MOST JOBS ARE NOT POSTED ANYWHERE. You find them by approaching the employer directly, if you know someone who works there, and asking for help and information.

So, the BEST thing to do is to identify the companies or organizations where you want to work. You'll need to do research, and it will take time, but it's really a better career building strategy than just "shagging" a job from who ever has one posted when and where you are looking.  Once you've identified the employer, find contacts already working inside the target employers' organizations, and network your way to a job.

Find Potential Employers

You can identify potential employers a number of ways:

• Yellow Pages (on-line and off) for the location where you want to work.  You can do a location and keyword searches using SuperPages - http://www.superpages.com/ - for structural engineers, I look at the engineering and construction companies, even government agencies (both Federal and local)

• ThomasNet - from the Thomas Register directory people - has thousands of businesses organized by category, including a large engineering category.  You can also do keyword searches, but scan the categories first for ideas.  You'll find ThomasNet online at http://www.thomasnet.com

• Local news (on-line and off)  What major construction projects are going on?  What companies and government agencies are involved?  That should be relatively easy to find out.  Online news stories frequently have links to the newsmakers, and the sites are usually searchable.

• Yahoo Finance - http://finance.yahoo.com - don't be the last person hired before the layoffs begin.  If it's a company with publically traded stock, there will be a ton of information about the company's financial performance, the management team, even stock analyst projections.

Make Contact

Once you've identified potential employers, look for contacts in those organizations.  Check with your school's Career Center to see if there are any alumni/ae who work at any of your targen employers.  Often, the school will have pre-approval from people willing to help their school's new graduates.  Sites like LinkedIn.com, Jiggs.com, and JigSaw.com can be very useful for making contacts with people inside a target employer's organization.  Having a friend/advocate "on the inside" is an ENORMOUS advantage for your job search!

Also:

You can also identify employers by checking out job sites, and here are some which should be useful to you:

• CollegeJournal.com - http://www.collegejournal.com From The Wall Street Journal people for new graduates of any major, so you'll need to search for structural engineering jobs. Really a top notch site, as you would expect from WSJ.

• EngineeringJobs - http://www.engineerjobs.com/structural_e... Has a section for structural engineers, but not necessarily new grads. You'll need to look through the listings to find those, typically called "entry level" jobs.

• Indeed.com - http://www.indeed.com Indeed is an "aggregator" site which means they collect job postings from job sites and employers. I did a search on "entry level structural engineer" (WITH the quotes) and found 55 job postings today. There were nearly 4,000 postings using the less restrictive search term "structural engineer" (WITH the quotes).

And, I'd also check quirky sites like Craig's List for opportunities too.

Good luck!

---

Finding a Job with a Silicon Valley Startup

Question:

I'm finishing my MBA in Pennsylvania and want to get a job in a Silicon Valley startup. How do I do that?

Answer:

Do you know which Silicon Valley startups you might want to work for? If not, you need to put together a list of "possibilities" and then start trying to get their attention.

Finding Silicon Valley startups:

1. I'd start with a search for Silicon Valley venture capital companies (startups with a VC firm behind them usually - not always - have a better chance of survival). Often, they'll have a list of companies in their "portfolio" of investments and press releases on their Websites about the companies that they are investing in.

• Menlo Ventures is one Silicon Valley VC firm I've heard about (which doesn't really mean anything)

• Yahoo has a list of VC firms, but it is not limited to Silicon Valley

• The National Venture Capital Association has a list of members.

2. Then, Google the "possibilities" to see what you find. If they are a few years old, well-funded, and growing, they probably have Websites with jobs posted on them.

3. Check the online Silicon Valley business press and other local area news sources to see who they are writing about. That should give you the names of more "possibilities" to add to your list and - if you read the "socialite" columns - potentially contact names at those companies.

4. See if Yahoo Finance has information on your "possibilities" - stock analysis, company officer names, press releases and other news, analyst reports, etc.

Finding a Job with a Silicon Valley Startup

Your best bet to get a job at a startup - once you've identified the startups that interest you and have a good chance of survival - is to try to network your way into the company. I'd check Websites like Ziggs.com, JigSaw.com, and even ZoomInfo.com to see if you can find the companies listed there and identify contacts for you.

In case you aren't sure of the geography involved (which you'll need to know to use both Craig's List and Indeed), here's the Wikipedia definition of Silicon Valley.

Last but NOT least, check out "How to Get a Job at a Silicon Valley Startup" from Andreas.com both for leads and for the good and bad aspects of working for a startup. ...

If you have a place to live in Pennsylvania, stay there until you have found a job in Silicon Valley. According to Forbes, the San Francisco area tough job market right now, so don't invest in moving there unless you've got a job. You'll be spending your money - or maybe an employer will spend theirs - on plane tickets and hotel rooms, but you'll still have a relatively safe home base until you move.

---

Job Scams

Question:

A company I never heard of emailed me with a part time job offer. I will be able to work from my home using my internet connection and my own computer, and they'll pay me every week. Sounds like just what I want, but now they want me to email them my Social Security Number. I'm not sure I should send it to them.

Answer:

Great instincts! Don't do it, until you know more about them and have proof that the work and the company are for real.  It will take a little time and you may be a little uncomfortable asking these questions, but it's better than being scammed by someone who's trying to take advantage of you.

Ask them where they are located - you want the company name, business address, and business phone number inside the U.S. If it's outside the U.S., walk away NOW!

• Google the phone number, with area code.
  Just type the whole phone number, with dashes in the appropriate spot (e.g. 212-555-1212), to see if you get a listing in the company's name.

• Check their listing in an online Yellow Pages.
  You should be able to do a lookup on the Business Name to find their listing, and it should agree with the information they've already given you or be very close to the same.

• Ask for their Website address.
  They should have their own domain [*whatever.com*], and you should find a complete and professional Website at that address.
  
  If they are legitimate, they should be using email address containting their domain name - like msmith @ [*whatever.com"]>.  If they are using an address @yahoo.com (HotMail.com or MSN.com) be very suspicious.
  
  Look at the About Us and Contact Us pages of their site to see if they provide proof about who and where they are. If it doesn't match up with what they've already told you or if there's no concrete information about who they are, where they are, and what they do, stop dealing with them.
  
  Check their domain name to see who owns it.  You do this through a Whois (literally, who is...) Lookup, like the one at DomainTools.com.  Look for their company name as the "Registrant" for the domain, and hopefully the same address and a similar - or the same - phone number.

• Contact their local Better Business Bureau (BBB).
  Visit the national Better Business Bureau Website to find the local BBB for this company by finding the one closest to their city in that state. Then, check with their local BBB to see if other people have filed complaints agains them for how they operate their business, pay their bills, etc.

• Ask for references.
  You want the names and contact information of other people who work for them as they are expecting you to work for them.  Then, contact those people, and ask them what their experience has been.  How long have they worked for the company?  How they work for the company?  What the work is like and how good is the company about paying bills. 

If they can't or don't want to provide you with any contact information that you can verify, if the contact information does NOT check out (wrong name for the phone number or no listing for the phone number), and/or if your other research indicates any problems, do not send them any more information or have anything else to do with them.

You would probably be doing everyone a favor if you reported them to the FBI's Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3), but you must be honest in your complaint, and it must be a valid complaint.  Making a false complaint, even over the Internet, could get YOU into trouble.

---

Leaving a Bad Job Situation

Question:

I seriously dislike my supervisor at work. Can I leave without giving them the 2 weeks notice?

Answer:

Yes, you can, but it's not a good idea!

3 really important DON'TS:

1.  Don't leave without giving the customary notice, which is usually 2 weeks (check to be sure).  You'll pay a long-term price for ignoring this obligation. 

2.  Don't job search from work, even during "personal time" like lunch, or from home using your employer's assets.  You cannot assume that you have privacy, and if your employer discovers that you are job hunting, you may lose your job (and income) immediately.

3.  If you can manage, don't leave until you have landed another job.  Employers are much more interested in you if you are still employed by someone else.  If you don't have a job, you are a less appealing applicant.

Give Notice
Leaving without giving notice will not impress a new employer (even 4 jobs from now).  Who wants an employee who walks away from their commitment to another employer?  So, even though you are so angry with your current boss that you don't care if the company is inconvenienced by your departure, another employer may see your actions as immature or disrespectful.

Pack Unobtrusively
Before you give your notice, take home most of the family photos and your other personal items.  One or two a day or a week, so that the change in your work space is not abrupt.

Work Samples
If possible and appropriate, take home samples of your work before you give your notice - that report or presentation you spent so much time on (as long as it's NOT company confidential information).

Attitude Check
Keep your attitude good those last 2 weeks - or however long you stay after giving your notice - you may need a recommendation from that employer some day, and those co-workers are part of your "network" for the future. You may be "escorted out" the day you give your notice, but in case you aren't, be on good behavior and try to leave things in good shape for your boss and who ever follows you in that job.  You really don't want them to be happy that you left - that's not in your best long-term interest.

Recommendations
Tell potential employers that your job search is confidential at this point so you can't offer them a "current" recommendation. Most will understand your position, and if they don't, you probably wouldn't like working for them. If possible, offer written recommendations from previous employers, college professors, or teachers.  NOTE:  On your resume, you may want to disguise the name of your current employer to keep someone from contacting them about your job search before you are ready.  So, for example, IBM morphs into "multinational info technology company" - or whatever is appropriate - on your resume.

Bottom Line
Leaving a bad situation is very stressful and uncomfortable, but it's not permanent.  You'll move on to a better situation (hopefully!).  From painful personal experience, I learned that it's important to focus on finding a great new job vs. finding any job just so you can get away from a bad situation.  If you're not careful (as I was not), you'll find yourself in the old out-of-the-frying-pan-into-the-fire situation, and then you'll be job hunting again much too soon.

Good luck with your job search!

---