Job Hunting for Freshers

Who will Tell the Truth?

Every year, year after year, I get utterly hit by the fresher season. Nothing has changed over the years. They remain as lost.Have we forgotten that job hunting for freshers comprises of decision making at a gun point? From a world where marks are the ultimate decision maker of choice, we push them into choosing career paths that the majority cannot translate into a picture of reality. 

Why do they have to learn the hard way? 

Reality is about asking what, how and why? But where are the answers to be found? I go to some of these career orientation programmes in schools. And I wonder who is going to tell them that travel jobs are not about traveling, nor hotel jobs about food, and neither are IT jobs about green cards! And if you want to believe that it is all crap, I suggest you go to a career counselor who deals in foreign education. Well, then you get to know the reality after paying some good money not only to them, but to some foreign Government. If you cannot translate reality into a career environment then the old fashioned way of trial and error may be more practical. It may take time to learn but is definitely cheaper and you have the luxury of wasting time to realize that all career choices are reversible or at least convertible.And what about the girls who are still wondering about the perfect choice – one that combines bread winning with marriage and kids? Well, you tell her there is no such thing! 

I really don’t have the guts!

Follow Through: Strategies to Keep You in The Interview Game

Follow Through: Strategies and Scripts to Keep You in The Interview Game

The word "succeed" comes from the Latin succedere -- to go up or follow after. Succeed is a verb, indicating action. To succeed in your search, you will need to act and follow through, often well beyond what you think should be required. One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is thinking that "the ball is in the employer's court." The fact is, the ball is permanently in your court. 

Rather than being passive, be persistent! 

You can always be doing something to keep things moving, as these before and after examples show:
Before (passive): "I've submitted my resume online, and now I'm just waiting to hear something from the company."

After (persistent): "I've submitted my resume online, and now I'm working on finding contacts inside the company."
Or:
Before (passive): "The interviewer told me that he'd be getting back to me in a week, but it's been two and I haven't heard anything." 

After (persistent): "When I didn't hear back from the interviewer in the timeframe he mentioned, I touched base with my contact in accounting and asked her advice on how to follow up. She said she'd ask around to find out what she could and also recommended that I attend the upcoming industry association meeting because it would likely give me a chance to run into the interviewer."
Or:
Before (passive): "I'm excited because it looks like I'm a top candidate for the position and I'm just waiting to hear about a third interview." 

After (persistent): "I'm excited about this opportunity, but at the same time, I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket. While I wait, I've done some calling and managed to line up two interviews with other companies."

Here are some strategies for following through before the interview. There's a fine line to walk between being persistent and being a pest. The following strategies will ensure that you come across to interviewers as a proactive professional (and not a pain in the posterior)!

Follow Through After Applying Online 

It's not enough to find openings on an employer's Web site, attach your resume, and click "Submit." You must follow through and connect with people in the company, preferably the hiring manager or people who influence the hiring decision. 

Peripheral contacts -- those who do not influence the hiring decision directly but have knowledge about the company, the position, or the hiring manager's preferences -- are also be critical to your success.

Ideally, it's best to find a referring employee prior to applying at the employer's Web site. When you do, the insider can give you tips about applying. You can also include the person's name on your online application because most large companies have an employee referral process that earns employees cash and other incentives for referring a new hire.