Lunch, dinner, and job hunting (2/2)
If you were looking for more breakfast-related stories this time around, well, Iād hate to be the bearer of bad news, but thereās no more.
This continuation jumps to the latter part of the title (also the part that doesnāt fit with the rest of the crowd) ā job hunting.
Iāve been job hunting the past couple weeks and if youāve been through the process before, youāll know that itās absolutely grueling and mentally draining. Itās not easy getting the job that aligns with what youāre passionate towards ā not in Vancouver at least. If youāre one to want āa jobā, there are tons of options. If youāre one to want āthe jobā, well, youāre dancing with an entirely different beast.
Iāve tried many different techniques and approaches when it comes to job hunting and I can break it down into three stages: Preparation, The Hunt, and The Dance.
Iāll highlight a few learnings that Iāve gained through my experiences. Depending on which stage youāre at, you can skip to it and only read that part. Just a friendly disclaimer, donāt bash at me if these were things you already know (this just means youāre well on your way).
Alright, here we go!
Preparation
1. Build a resume that stands out
The way I see it, your resume is an extension of yourself. It may be the first thing that people see with your name on it ā might as well make it count! Here are some things you should keep in mind when building/editing/revamping your resume:
Tailor your resume to the industry/positions you apply to. For example, if youāre apply to a customer-facing role, you may want to change āWork Experienceā to āCustomer Relations Experienceā (given that you have experience in that)
Showcase quantitative results if applicable. When you write about the things you have done, try adding in some tangible results ā itās always nice to know what impact you had at the end of the day
Cut, cut, cut. Donāt write paragraphs. Keep things short and sweet and make every word count. The more your resume looks like an essay, the less it appeals to anyone (including yourself)
Add some colour. Iām not talking about neon green or smearing the entire rainbow onto your resume. If you pair the black with one other colour, it makes all the difference (especially when you use it as a hierarchical tool ā e.g. headers vs content). One thing to note is that the colour you choose should be visible when your resume is printed out in black and white
Yes, itāll take time, but trust me.. itās worth it when people print out your resume and start telling their coworkers how cool your resume looks. And yes, that does happen.
2. Social Media Audit
Apparently a lot of organizations now do a social media audit on their candidates. This means theyāre out to stalk your social media accounts and checking if you have some āunspokenā habits that they might not be a fan of *cough* hard-core partying photos *cough*. Just make sure that your social media presence is relatively professional and that youād like to hire yourself if you were an employer. Iām practically a hermit, so I have nothing to worry about.
3. LinkedIn can be and will be your best friend
Make sure your LinkedIn is up to date! Why? First, people will likely check out your LinkedIn. Second, you can also easily apply for jobs via LinkedIn! If you donāt have a profile ā what are you waiting for?!
4. The infamous cover letter is still a thing
For some (and when I say āsomeā, I mean most) applications, theyāll request that you add a cover letter. I have heard, seen, and experienced myself how the moment a cover letter is needed, people just move on to the next opportunity. Again, this is probably the one thing that most people dread about job hunting. The tip I have for you is to build out a cover letter that is tailored to the positions youāre applying for and you can interchange most of the information to make it applicable to another organization (e.g. company name, position name, etc.)
The Hunt
1. A coffee chat is the best ice breaker
If youāre looking to knock on a door (apply to a job), the best way isnāt to stuff a flyer (your resume) at the mailbox ā although it does work sometimes, itās always nice to start with a coffee chat.
Iād suggest that you email a point-of-contact (anyone from the organization that has some relation to the department/position youāre looking to apply for) and ask politely for a coffee chat! The coffee chat isnāt for you to pitch yourself, but rather for you to ask questions and get to know the organization a bit more (who knows, maybe it turns out that itās not what you expected). Not to mention, youāll have a chance to connect with someone from that organization! Having coffee is the best way to remove yourself from āthe huntā and focus more on genuinely connecting with another human being (ironic that I called this stage āThe Huntā).
2. Reach out to your network
People generally like to help one another. If you reach out to a few close friends or mentors youāve had and let them know youāre in the job market, chances are, they may have someone to connect you to or an opportunity theyād refer you to! Iām guilty of not doing this one because I always feel like āI need to do this on my ownā, but reality is, a lot of careers start from a simple referral. Iāve began to lean on others for support and I always find a way to give back to them to show my appreciation. If anything, it helps strengthen the relationship between you and them.
3. Sit your butt down & just apply for it
Applying for jobs is an extremely time-consuming process, but it has to be done. Chances are, youāll hear back from 5-10% of jobs you apply for (if youāre lucky). If youāre aiming for quality > quantity, you might not get anywhere.. so the key thing that I found is to sit my bum down at a coffee shop and apply, apply, apply. Any lead is better than no lead and once you start hearing back, itās a giant ego boost thatāll keep you fuelled to keep applying. Even when I have leads, I am constantly apply because thatās my way of keeping options open. Nothing is certain until you put ink on the parchment.
The Dance
1. Bring your best shoes, socks, and everything above
In other words, bring extra copies of your resume (printed in colour on some standard/good paper) and other documents that you feel would help make a great impression. Iāve been to interviews where the interviewers had printed out my resume, but it was in black and white and double-sided. The moment I see that, I pretend I didnāt see it and proceed with offering my resume that I printed myselfā¦ in colour, single-sided, ready to rock nā roll. They always appreciate it! If you have documents of work youāve done and are extremely proud of, bring them too. If given the opportunity during your interview, whip it out ā itāll impress anyone.
2. Show your love, passion, and everything in-between
You applied to this position and organization for a reason. When youāre dancing with your potential employer, make sure you show them all your moves. Be genuine about it and make sure they know that youāre going to be the best fit for the position (at least from a cultural and passion-perspective). Most companies now look for cultural fit more than anything, so do showcase what tangibles you bring to the table, but also share the intangibles that they canāt get from another candidate.
3. Donāt be afraid to follow up and thank them for their time
Iāve once had 25 email interactions within a single thread with the Head Recruiter of a potential employer (weāve had more threads before this one). If youāre worried that you may have sent too many emails, think again.
My rule of thumb is to always email the person that interviewed you a day or two after to thank them for their time and add a little bit more so that they have a great impression of you. Youād be surprised how many people donāt do this and just wait around for the next steps. Remember, small gestures add up.
Wrap-up
Everyone approaches the entire job hunting journey a bit different. Find out what works for you and stick to things that work. The things I highlighted above are things that have worked for me and I hope you were able to take a thing or two away and make it your own.
At the end of the day, to be the cheesy person I am, I understand that hunting for that ideal job isnāt easy, but ānever give up something that you really wantā.
Cheers,
Ben