Necessity is the Mother of Invention: Some Unique Job Search Strategies

We are all on the hunt for great ideas to augment the job search process. One of the best methods to uncover some “tried and true” paths to land a job, is taking the time to read the job search stories detailed in other people’s blogs. Here are some unique ideas posed by other writers on WordPress – just in the last couple of weeks. (I have offered one of my own for good measure). Try one or all of these methods and let us know how things work out.

Join the Toastmasters

Job interviewing can be a challenge for many people  and almost everyone can develop a case of the jitters. Giselle General, President of her local Toastmasters club in Alberta, Canada says membership in the Toastmasters can offer you a needed edge during employment interviews and help build your career network. As she explains in CESA, perfecting your presentation skills in front of a group has great job search value.

• It teaches you timing. Toastmasters has a system laid out to help you learn the basics of public speaking: “The impromptu speaking sessions are timed, so in your short time to speak you learn how to make your response short, sweet, relevant and with impact.” She also points out this skill helps you to stand out in the crowd.  “Interviewers listen to dozens of responses all day long, therefore it’s important to make every second and every word count and not bore them to tears. If you’re memorable – you’re more likely to get the job.”

• You learn fear management. Interviewers are notorious for throwing people off their guard with tough questions. “The worst part in interviews is when you get that unexpected question and don’t know how to respond. In Toastmasters, you get this all the time so you learn your own style of managing the initial shock and coming up with a good response based on what you know.”  She goes on to explain that, “Every time people are anxious or blank out, they say a lot of  filler words (like um). Toastmasters helps you manage and reduce those with practice and awareness; we count them so you have a target to say less of these next time you speak.” (Find your local club  here.)

Reverse the Job Posting Process

Another interesting viewpoint comes from Helen Schranz, a barrister (attorney) and part-time teacher who found herself transplanted (and unemployed) in a foreign country. In her blog helosphy, she suggests reversing the traditional job search process to find the right job.

• Advertise yourself. “Put an ad in relevant journals, papers, post online, sell yourself, ” she explains. She adds that before you try this technique, it is important to envision the job that you would like. “Write out what it is you are good at and your best skills. Think of the hours you want to work and where you want to work, what quality of life you want and how you can support this while maintaining balance. Then put it out there.”

• Keep active and improve yourself. Of course focusing on your job search is key, but don’t neglect other areas of your life. “Never sit around doing nothing while waiting for responses. Learn new skills, meet friends, volunteer, work for free if needs be…Build a business plan, prepare for that 5k run, make time for friends and family. Engage in all the other things that will be beneficial in supporting your goal.”

Follow the Grant Money

If you find yourself living near or on a college campus – stay informed concerning grants that have been awarded to various academic departments.  These awards, which can be sizeable, often create job opportunities. If you happen to possess a needed background (for example you are well versed in Excel)  you may land a part-time position.

• Read the local papers and visit university websites. Grants won by universities are frequently an important news item and are covered in the local media. Be sure to note any discussion concerning hiring opportunities and when the work will actually begin.

• Contact the university employment office. Let them know you are interested in working in some capacity for a grant – they will help you and direct you to the right professors or staff.  Frequently there are jobs at varying levels and pay grades, so be sure to ask questions concerning the different opportunities which might exist.

• Talk to your professors. Are you taking a course that is particularly fascinating? Don’t forget that your instructors do more than teach courses. Inquire about the research or grants they are involved with -  and if there is the possibility of work.

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is a Workplace Psychologist and career coach located in East Lansing, Michigan. You can also find her on Twitter and Linkedin.

Too much information: Why I hate job interviews

I recently finished reading “Blink” by Malcolm Gladwell – a very interesting and clever book which poses the theory that we don’t need to process the whole story to actually grasp the “gestalt” of that story. Of course, the real skill lies in knowing what information to consider and what information to ignore. While reading, I couldn’t help but think of how this concept of making decisions on thinner “slices” of behavior or information could apply to workplace practices.
So – is less information better? Well, yes.

One case in the point: the employment interview

When you think of all the business practices we openly malign (yearly performance reviews for example) employment interviews have really escaped a fair share of deserved criticism. Why is this? One reason is that employment interviews have simply been a fact of work life – an accepted way of doing business. It seems that through the passage of time, when you consider the prospect of a new job, an interview is always the first thing you start to picture in your mind.

A living fossil in the world of business practices

Interviews have simply been around forever. Interestingly enough, I always thought the run of the mill interview did a pretty good job at doing what it was supposed to do – to evaluate a candidate for a job – until a class in selection systems in graduate school. There I learned the ugly truth. I learned that the validity of the standard interview as a selection device was quite low.

I was utterly shocked. While pondering what I had just learned, a classmate asked the obvious: “If the validity of the employment interview is so low, why do we still use them? The professor paused and then thoughtfully responded: “People by nature are hopelessly curious. The idea of making decisions about a candidate without speaking with them in person makes us feel uncomfortable, even at the cost of making our decisions less accurate.”

In other words, we just seem to want all of the extra information that can run us in the wrong direction. We resist evaluating a candidate based upon qualifications, tests and work history alone, even though those options may be a better bet. In this situation, it is not the amount of information, but the type of information that sways an interviewer to make a poor prediction.

There is a bright side

Researchers have investigated practices that help the employment interview do a better job. Of course, these practices attempt to keep decision makers on track and help them focus on the pieces of information that really matter. The practices are designed to limit the subjectivity of the interview process and idiosyncratic interviewer practices. You can read more about that here, if you wish.

You can use the time with a candidate wisely. Here are some key findings from past research, which you can apply in your organization to help avoid decision-making errors that come with too much information.

• Make sure you have the job description for the role finalized. Be sure it is accurate and up to date. Jobs will evolve and “reshape” over time. Be sure that all of the current tasks and responsibilities are captured.
• Utilize the job description to hammer out a set of meaningful questions. I would suggest a set of core questions about the job in question. Use “critical incidents” for the job as a basis for questions. These are behaviors that separate excellent employees from the pack.
• Pose the same questions to all the candidates. This allows a comparison of answers after all of the interviews are completed – a fascinating process.
• Use behaviorally anchored rating scales to evaluate core areas of skill or knowledge. This process helps make ratings concerning candidates more straight forward. Learn more about that here.
• Train interviewers to convey accurate (and realistic) information about the job and the organization. That way a candidate can decide if there is a real fit between person and job. If possible offer an RJP (Realistic Job Preview) before the interview begins.
• Have more than one interviewer evaluate a candidate. A panel works well if you have the manpower. More than one view of a candidate can begin an active discussion about a candidate’s qualifications for the job in question.
• Train interviewers to delay a decision until after the interview and all important candidate information is reviewed. A little time and reflection can go a long way – no “gut” feelings allowed.

Interviews aren’t going away – that’s a given. So let’s manage the “information overflow” with what we already know about improving them.

Dr. Marla Gottschalk is a Workplace Psychologist located in East Lansing, Michigan. Contact her practice at marlagottschalk@comcast.net. You can also find her on Twitter and Linkedin.