Ford R. Myers, author of “Get The Job You Want, Even When No One’s Hiring,” answers the questions of Heather Huhman of Entry Level Career Examiner. They talk about standing out in interview and specifically what entry level/internship job seekers should be doing to focus their job search.
Heather Huhman: What is a major mistake you continually see internship and entry-level job seekers make?
Ford Myers: There are a few major mistakes that internship and entry-level job seekers seem to consistently make. First, they often “take anything they can get” rather than having a clear focus and professional direction. Even at the outset of one’s career, it is vital to have a clear plan and career objective. The internship or entry-level job should be a natural and necessary part of that longer-term career plan.
The second mistake I see internship and entry-level job seekers make is that they usually don’t know the value of their own talents and skills. Young folks can make significant contributions to an organization in their first assignment, and can even negotiate for better positions and higher compensation, based on those tangible contributions.
HH: Contrary to popular belief, you say, the “résumé is your least important tool.” Why is this the case? Has this always been true?
FM: Without a doubt, the résumé is a critical component in the “Job Seeker’s Tool Kit” – and it has to be great! However, the résumé has always had only one specific purpose—to apply for actual job openings. Everyone knows that networking is the most effective means of seeking employment, and up to 85 percent of the job seeker’s time and effort should be directed toward networking. The main purpose of a networking meeting is not to get a job offer, but to gather important information, feedback and referrals.
It follows, therefore, that a résumé is not the appropriate tool to bring to a networking meeting. Instead, the candidate should show-up with two primary documents: the “Professional Biography” and the “Target Company List.” There are many other critical tools to be developed for one’s “Job Seeker’s Tool Kit,” so that the candidate can use the right tool, for the right purpose, with the right person, at the right time. Since a very small percentage of the job seeker’s time will actually be spent in interviews or applying for open positions, the résumé should be seen as the “least important tool.”
HH: What are three steps students and recent graduates can take to identify their ideal jobs?
FM: First, do an “internal career inventory.” Take time to really take stock of your talents, goals and desires. Get clear on how you want to apply your gifts to make your unique contribution in the world. Do it now, not in the future, when it may be too late. Take career assessments, and get a full interpretation of the results from a qualified career consultant.
Second, get help and support. The best time to seek career counseling support is at the start of your career. Take advantage of career coaching, and use other support systems like college career placement offices, job search clubs and groups, online career resources, non-profit employment initiatives, and government or community career programs.
Finally, see your first job as part of a long-term career plan. Your first few jobs will largely shape the direction and success of your long-term career experience. So, don’t take your first few job choices lightly. It’s never too early to begin designing your career future. Every career decision you make and every position you accept should be viewed as a stepping stone toward your ultimate career objectives.
HH: In your opinion, what is the most important question internship and entry-level job candidates can ask during an interview?
FM: As mentioned earlier, every career decision you make and every position you accept should be viewed as a stepping stone toward your ultimate career objectives. Therefore, the most important question internship and entry-level job candidates must address is, “How will this opportunity support and facilitate my long-term career goals?”
HH: In your book, you discuss the “number-one way to get hired when no one’s hiring.” Can you please explain this technique?
FM: The number-one way to get hired when no one’s hiring is known as the “Proposal for Service.” It’s a great strategy for differentiating yourself from all the other job seekers, and identifying yourself as the only candidate for a new opportunity!
Here’s how it works: Once in a while, when your networking efforts have led to a meeting where you and the hiring manager truly click, the idea will occur to him or her to ask if you’d be interested in coming to work for their company. At that point, there may not even be a specific job opening at that company, but you’ve piqued the interviewer’s interest enough to start the hiring conversation.
In this case, you should preparing a “Proposal for Service.” This is a document in which you itemize your qualifications, skills and accomplishments, and show how they align directly to the challenges, problems and needs that the hiring manager has discussed with you. The “Proposal for Service” is usually a one- or two-page document that outlines all of the different things you could do for the company and how you would generate results for them, based on the specific needs you uncovered during the networking meeting.
Because the “Proposal for Service” usually grows out of a networking meeting, the letter takes a soft-sell approach. Rather than pushing for another meeting (as you would with other sorts of follow-up letters), you’ll leave it in their hands. If the individual calls or writes you back in response to your proposal, you’ll know you’ve “got something.” The company may even create a position for you. If you don’t get a response to the “Proposal for Service,” this indicates that the company wasn’t interested enough in you to engage in a serious dialogue.
