The Job Hunt

The Job Hunt...probably the most crucial part of getting settled into the Real World. And you wouldn't have a job without the hunting part of the process. This past weekend I spent a lot of time job hunting. With both my resume and cover letter perfected, I filled out applications for a summer staff position with University of Dreams and an associate editor position at Conde Nast. As stressful as it may be, I still find when I push the "APPLY" button so exhilerating.

So as I was searching the web for job hunting advice, I found tips, like I posted last week about Interviews, that make you aware of who to take tips from and to "Steer Clear of Bad Job-Hunting Advice."

Penelope Trunk, a former pro-volleyball player and now an advisor with careers and businesses, gives these eight tips for Job Hunting and who to take advice from, as the job world, in which I like to refer to as the real world, is changing:

Bad Rule 1: Draw a clear picture of yourself:
Trunk says that "a resume is not an autobiography, it's a marketing document." So instead of telling everyone everything about yourself, use this as your key in getting interviews. Your resume should make the employer want to know more about you, almost making it like a "tease," as Trunk states.

Bad Rule 2: Don't be too narrow:
"If you want to stand out, you have to stand for something." You want to appear unique to employers, almost like a specialist. Like Trunk says, "it's the specialists, not the generalists, who get what they want. That's because the specialists are the hardest to replace."

Bad Rule 3: Don't job-hop:
Trunk actually disagrees with the saying, "don't job-hop" because she says that job-hoppers are the happiest. She says, "Who cares about loyalty." Apparently, a person who changes jobs has a less boring lifestyle compared with the one who does, because their everyday work may get a little consistent. Unless you like consistency that is.

Bad Rule 4: Don't have gaps in your resume:
Gaps are sometimes seen as a place to grow with your resume and branch out with other activities and other employment opportunities. Unless your job is your only thing in your life, then gaps may be fine and they may work out for you. Gaps are sometimes an interesting point to talk about in your interviews, like other things that you may try out.

Bad Rule 5: Don't have typos in your resume:
Trunk's advice on this one may be a little wierd, but she says that she's not telling you to misspell words on purpose, but rather to not fret over a small typo in a resume. Not everything is perfect. Trunk states, "Look, if proofreading were such an easy job then publishing companies wouldn't have to hire proofreaders. So don't make yourself crazy about the typos, because while 10 typos is a sign of incompetence, one typo might be a sign that you have a moderate and healthy standard of perfectionism."

Bad Rule 6: Clean up your online identity:
Trunk says not to fret over pictures of yourself online when you were drunk that one time. She says that it's out of your control. Instead she says, is to build up your online identity with one that may pop up first when an employer googles your name or looks you up somewhere like a blog. Trunk feels that a blog is a place that may take the place of the drunk pictures and show employers what you want them to see.

Bad Rule 7: Treat a job hunt like a project and be a project manager:
Trunk says that that is great advice if you're looking for a job four times in your life. By building up your networks, you don't have time to take a break because Trunk compares being a good networker to being a good friend. She says to "treat your job hunt like a personal development project."

Those are some of Trunk's bad rules for job-hunting and either agree or disagree, whether you do or not, good luck with the job hunt!

For more of Trunk's advice: http://finance.yahoo.com/expert/article/careerist/19128