Five Things to Consider Before Accepting a Job Offer

Lately, I have written mostly about what it takes to land an interview: great resume and cover letter, proper phone etiquette, and powerful interviewing skills - the works. I have covered very little, however, on what to do when you receive a job offer. Often, especially in this economy, people are so relieved to have a job opportunity that they do not take the time to really consider things from all sides. Below is a compilation of several things to take into consideration. Each of these recommendations came from respected sources, including U.S. News and World Report, Levo League, and Forbes.

1. You accept the job requirements, expectations, and challenges

There is nothing worse than walking in on your first day than discovering that you were hired to do a completely different job than you imagined. Ideally, it is best to be aware of the expectations of a role during the interview. As outlined by U.S. World & News Report, “make sure you've probed deeply into exactly how you'll spend your time and what your most important responsibilities will be.” Do not be scared or too ashamed to admit to your recruiter or hiring manager, however, that you still have questions after the interview. Most people will be more than happy to speak with you again, especially if they want to hire you.

Mistakes College Job Seekers Make

Forbes staff writer, Susan Adams, published an article on April 22 titled, “Five Mistakes College Job Seekers Make”. The title immediately caught my attention. My first thought was, “what could I possibly be doing wrong? Maybe the author doesn’t actually know anything about being a job-seeking college grad.” After reading that Adams has been writing about careers for Forbes since 1995, I figured that she might be on to something and decided to read on (and you should too)!

Adams cited five main issues that current college job seekers face: 

1. Students are not applying for enough jobs

2. Failing to do enough of their own networking

3. Spending time on Facebook and YouTube when they should be on LinkedIn

4. Believing that applying through an employer’s website is all they need to do

5. Taking no for an answer when you get no response from an employer

Tips for a Professional Phone Call

Yesterday, I was at the gym sweating it out to Beyoncé’s ‘Drunk in Love’ when my music was suddenly cut off by a phone call. I vaguely recognized the ten numbers that popped up on my screen and had a sneaking suspicion that it was not another telemarketing call, but rather a follow-up call from a phone interview I had the previous week.

As I watched my heart rate on the elliptical monitor rise from anxiety I began to wonder, should I answer it? What if it’s urgent? I was a second away from pressing the answer button before I realized I should not answer it. This was not the best scenario for me to sound professional or be properly prepared. I told myself, “Let it go to voicemail and call them back later.”

It’s later now and I am about to call them back. I figured this was the perfect opportunity to outline some tips for a professional phone call. Whether or not it is a phone interview you should always come across as professional, poised, and calm in any business related phone call.

Networking: Conversation with Michael Thomas, Recruiter

Networking can often be a scary thought. Where do you start? How do you become good at it? Mike Thomas is a Recruiter for Razorfish Healthware, a healthcare advertising agency. With his years of experience in sales and recruitment, Mike has become a networking connoisseur. I spoke with Mike about his background, how he landed his most recent gig, and his thoughts on the importance of networking.

Ali: Hi Mike! I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with me today.

Mike: Sure thing!

A: Let me start off by asking a bit about your background and how you ended up working at Razorfish Healthware.

LinkedIn: Today’s Number One Networking Site

LinkedIn has become the 11^th most visited website in the entire world. One of the best ways to improve your chances of finding a job in today’s market is to increase your presence on LinkedIn. To learn more, I spoke with Dan Barrett, Senior Recruiter at Publicis Healthcare Communications Group. Barrett began his career in Telecommunications before he started working in recruitment. I talked with Dan about how LinkedIn has influenced the world of recruitment. With his assistance, I have complied a list of things you can do to help improve your presence on LinkedIn.

1. Create a Profile

This goes without saying. Barrett began by saying, LinkedIn is “a phenomenal tool for not only connecting with industry professionals, but also for staying abreast on industry trends and news.”

2. Complete Your Profile

Make sure no stone goes unturned (or however that saying goes). The point is, make sure you fill it out to its fullest extent. This includes a professional looking photo, a personal summary, and all your experience. Barrett also suggests adding your relevant skills under the ‘Skills and Endorsements’ section. When you’re writing these sections, make sure to include what industry professionals like to call ‘buzzwords’. These are words relevant to the field you hope to work in. According to Barrett, recruiters use LinkedIn nearly every day. Recruiters appreciate all the information you provide because it can really help when they are looking for someone with a specific background.

Write a Great Cover Letter

In my previous post, I wrote about the usefulness of your school’s career services department. I decided to pay a visit to the office at my university to speak with a career coordinator. I came to talk about the thing everyone dreads when applying for jobs: cover letters.

I met with Megan Rooney, a Career Coordinator at my university. Rooney was trained as a social worker but found her passion working with students. She has been working in student development for the past three years. I started off by asking Rooney how important she felt a cover letter is to the job application. She responded, “If requested, it is very important. The company is not asking for additional materials for no reason. I see a cover letter as a bridge between your resume and the job description. It explains why you are the best fit and why you should be invited for an interview.”

Career Placement Tests

When I was a sophomore in college I began to realize that I was not in the right major for where I wanted to go. I was not sure where to turn or how to figure out what the right career field was for me. Someone recommended making an appointment with my school’s career services department to discuss what I could do.

When I met with my career advisor, she recommended that I take a series of tests. My first thought was, “Ugh, I can barely pass my accounting exam, and now I have to take more tests?” She further explained to me, however, that these exams were not graded, rather they were known as career placement test. She said that they could help me to learn which fields I may be best suited for based on my interests and personality. The best part of all, the tests, which can often cost hundreds of dollars, were free!

Conversation with Cydney Bain, Senior Recruiter

Looking for a job can be daunting. There are so many ‘unknowns’. Cydney Bain is a recent graduate of Rutgers University where she obtained a degree in Psychology and Human Resources. After only a year out of college, Cydney was recently promoted to Senior Recruiter at Open Systems Healthcare, a home healthcare staffing firm. I spoke with Cydney recently, about her experience of looking for a job after graduating and what she now looks for in candidates.

Ali: Hi, Cydney! Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today.

Cydney: Thank you for having me!

Glamour’s Editor-in-Chief on Six Reasons Why She Would Hire You

Cindi Leive, Editor-in-Chief of Glamour, a very popular women’s magazine, recently penned an article titled” Six Reasons I Would Hire You.” She states that more women (and people in general) are looking for jobs than ever before. I found the article to be inspiring and reminiscent of what I want this blog to convey. So what are the six key steps that Leive lists? 

1. You’ve Done Your Homework

No, she is not referencing your biology homework. She is talking about the knowledge you possess about the company. Make sure you heavily research the company you are about to interview with. The best place to start is the Internet, of course. Look at its website in depth. Also research any articles where the company was mentioned. If you have friends who are aware of the company, ask them a few questions. Leive wrote something which stands true to this argument, “Your interviewer lives and breathes her company; when you’re in her office, you should too.”

Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

I am sure you have heard it time and time again, but just in case you were not sure, asking questions at the end of the interview is not an option; it is a requirement. The best thing to remember is that you are interviewing the company just as much as they are interviewing you.

Asking questions provides you with the opportunity to further understand the job and the culture. You can go over topics that may have not been covered in the initial interview. In addition, it also shows the interviewer that you are interested and engaged. Coming up with thoughtful and engaging questions, however, can often seem like a challenge. Below is a list of excellent questions to ask!

1. What is a typical day like for this role?

This question is direct and gives you the opportunity to understand what you would be doing day-to-day.  It also enables the interviewer to outline expectations of the role.

TED Talks: Powerful Speeches to Inspire Your Career

I have a confession to make. I am slightly obsessed with TED Talks; and by slightly, I mean incredibly obsessed. I’ve watched hundreds of TED Talks over the past few years. They can be funny, brutally honest, good, and even bad. I found that 99 percent of them have some kind of impact on how I view the world. I guarantee you that you can find a TED Talk on just about any topic. That’s what brought me to the idea of compiling a few great talks which revolve around career, life, and the future. I have watched all of these and feel as though they are excellent motivators to help you succeed in the world!

To inspire you to find your passion: Larry Smith – WhyYou Will Fail to Have a Great Career

Lots of times we hold ourselves back from accomplishing our goals. Maybe it’s out of fear or something else, but often we find excuses that prevent us from having a great career. Larry Smith, a professor of economics at the University of Waterloo presented a TED Talk on why you will fail to have a great career, unless. Watch and find out why!

What to Wear When...

I recently wrote that I attended a career fair at my university. I spent hours agonizing over what I was going to wear. It got me thinking about how important your outfit can be in an interview. Within the first few seconds of meeting someone people make assumptions of who that person is based upon what he or she is wearing. Imagine meeting someone in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. What do you think about him or her? Now imagine that you see that same person in a suit. Do you think about him or her differently? Most people do. Therefore, it’s important to dress appropriately. Below, I will outline the best attire for different job-seeking scenarios.

Phone Interview

Wear whatever you want! No one can see you and therefore cannot make assumptions about you based upon your attire. However, some studies suggest that people are often more professional sounding while wearing professional clothing. My suggestion, wear something that makes you feel confident. If you feel confident, you will sound confident!

College Life vs. Work Life

I love infographics. I think it has something to do with the fact that I am a visual learner. Anyhow, I thought I would share this interesting infographic with you about the differences between being a student and being a professional. Enjoy! 

Also, happy Tax Day to all my finance and accounting friends out there!

Career Fair 101

Recently, I attended a career fair at my university. As much as I wanted to feel confident going into it, I could not help but feel a little nervous. What if I forgot something or said something wrong? To help myself feel a bit less nervous and to hopefully help you, I came up with a list of things that I feel are important to remember before going to a career fair or networking event.

1. Bring Resumes! 

It goes without saying that resumes are a crucial part in landing a job. A lot has changed in the job market over the past few decades, but one thing has remained the same – resumes are always required. Don’t bring just one resume or even a couple, bring several. Depending on the size of the event that you’re attending usually 15 to 20 is a good starting point. 

LinkedIn & Indeed

In the previous post I talked about the importance of tailoring your resume to the specific job that you are applying for. Where do you find these jobs you may ask? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Below, I will outline my two preferred resources for locating job opportunities!

LinkedIn
I am a HUGE promoter of LinkedIn. In my opinion, there is no better tool for online networking, career conversations, and job openings than LinkedIn. If you do not have a LinkedIn profile, create one now! Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Back? Okay great! Searching for job openings on LinkedIn could not be any simpler. Basically, you just enter in what you’re looking for into the search bar and they populate. You can refine your search as narrow as you would like it to be. The more information you provide to LinkedIn in your profile and the more people you are connected to, the more LinkedIn will be able to suggest jobs that you may be a good fit for.

Resume Tips

Your resume is meant to be the representation of all your hard work and accomplishments placed onto one piece of paper. When you think about all that you’ve done to get where you are now, the idea of writing a resume can seem a bit daunting. Then, when you find out that on average a recruiter spends 15 seconds looking at your resume before deciding whether or not you may be a good fit, it can seem nearly impossible. Below, I have outlined a few tips that can help ensure your resume will stand out among the crowd.

Welcome!

Hi! Welcome to my professional blog! My name is Ali and I am currently a senior at Drexel University. I am managing this blog as a part of my senior project to explore my passion for all things career related. Several of my posts will focus on things that can help you establish your own career. Every now and then I will post about my own personal experiences of searching for a full-time job. In addition, I will feature some industry professionals who can offer helpful tips. I’m really excited about posting my thoughts and ideas and hearing back from you!