Networking within the company you are applying to - Follow Up

I wanted to follow up on last weeks blog about networking within the company you're applying to.

Again, it can be a great help to create an internal advocate for you while you're in the interview process, but it can also backfire on you if your so called 'friend' or past work associate doesn't speak highly of you.

Many folks get good reviews through this method, but unfortunately some do not. Just make sure that you only mention people as references that would say good things about you. Otherwise leave it alone.

Having said that the HR people will do the best they can in their background checks to find an unbiased opinion of your abilities.

Formal Education vs. Real World Experience

Check out this article on experience vs. education: http://utahbusiness.com/issues/articles/11919/2012/01/the_college_of_hard_knocks

Personally, I don't think they are at odds. You need formal education to give you tools and you need real world experience to give you tools.

What you don't need is one or the other. That is a one winged plane.

Networking within the company you are applying to

When you apply for any position you should connect with your network to find out if you know anyone that works at that company.

Many times I receive personal emails from coworkers about friends who have applied. This strengthens your credibility.

I usually at least give these folks a call because I trust the opinion of a lot of my coworkers. It doesn't mean you'll get the job, but at least you will increase your chances of getting a phone call.

Understanding the Interview Process

Once you've engaged with someone about a position and you both agree that it's a good fit, ask what the rest of the interview process will be like.

You will prepare and interview differently depending on who the interviewer is. It's important, for example, to know whether you'll be interviewing with an HR person or the CEO.

It's also good to know what kind of skills or personality tests you'll have and whether they'll be online or on site. Again, that changes how you prepare.

Just remember. You can't just send people a resume and assume they can derive your experience from it. Prepare so you can show them your experience.

Define your goals in your Job Hunt

Happy New Year! I hope your Christmas and New Year's celebrations were great and that you were able to receive support from your family.

I read a quote this morning I wanted to share.

"Define clearly what you want to have happen in your life. Keep the vision in front of you and make a total commitment to fulfill it." - Paul Donahue

Decide what you want to do for work that would be fulfilling and provide for your family then set goals for your job hunt and go after them.

Be Persistent in your Job Search

Don't get discouraged if you apply for a position and don't get it. If the company has other positions that you think are relevant to your skill set, keep applying. One gentleman did just that with our companies and we didn't select him for the first couple positions, but then a perfect position for him arose and he applied. We have him selected as one of the finalists. So persistence can pay off.

One caveat: don't apply ad nauseum or blanket apply to all positions. This will cause you to lose credibility, coming off desperate because you're really not that good. Just like dating, you don't want to go on the first date and scream I love you, I love you, I love you like Will Ferrell in Elf. Be persistent but don't be annoying.


Good luck in your job search and remember, if there's a company out there that you're excited about pursue them with persistence.

Make a Difference

"One of our strongest instincts as human beings is the innate drive to make a difference. We want to impact people's lives positively and make this world a better place. Go make your mark and add value wherever you can." - Paul Donohue a.k.a P-diddy

 This is the time of year to make a difference. Give a little more. Seek out a way to give back. After all, haven't you already received in abundance