The worldwide pandemic ushered in cataclysmic shifts in the business landscape since the Spring 2021. An all-time low unemployment rate in 2019 has morphed into vacant positions reaching an all-time high in 2021 with 10 million job openings across the US. As employers, we struggled to find the best candidates in a competitive 2019 market. Today, we are struggling to get applicants in the door. In what has now been dubbed The Great Resignation, more adults are leaving the workforce and rethinking what they want from their career.
If you are someone preparing to enter or reenter the workforce, here are a few helpful hints that should prove useful…
Have an appropriate email address!
If you are still using Sexymomma@whatever.com, rethink your decision. Email addresses are free and should promote a professional image. Create one that you’re not embarrassed to share. The same recommendation
goes for your voicemail message. Employers are calling! What do you want them to hear?
If you are in college or have been out of the workforce for a period, seek out and include
volunteer experience.
That babysitting job for a special needs child? Include it! If you are waiting for the right work opportunity, invest your time in volunteer work that is translatable on a resume. Internships and volunteer experience are not just for college
students!
Limit your resume to one page.
Most employers are having job seekers fill out applications online but, when asked, you should have a resume. If you have less than 10 years of experience, you should not have more than a one-page resume. If you’ve had 10 employers in 10 years, we have other problems to discuss!
Show up to the interview!
If you have accepted another offer, call the prospective employer and let them know. Standing up an employer may seem like an anonymous slight, but you never know when you may be interested in re-applying!
Stretch yourself!
Don’t get caught in the Confidence Gap that traps women in lower paying positions compared to our male counterparts. Consider your experience, education, and acumen and translate that to the next job or promotion. You will grow with the experience!
If you are a hiring supervisor, here are some helpful suggestions for the right employee…
Don’t have ‘warm-body syndrome’!
Just because someone finally showed up for an interview, be sure they are the right fit. What’s their track record with other jobs? Did they present as motivated and engaging? Don’t just take a pulse and hand them a job!
Consider behavioral interviewing questions.
Successful employers invest in benchmarking positions and establishing what traits are critical for success. What is
important to you? Reliability? Customer service? Teamwork? Ask applicants questions about their experiences with what you know is essential and then listen for real answers. Don’t accept answers about what they would do in future situations.
However, be prepared! I asked a candidate a “discerner” question about 20 years ago as I wanted to know if this person could evaluate difficult problems. The young man was currently a nurse in an emergency room. When I asked what he liked best and least about his job, his response was “I like the money, but I don’t like all the sick people!”
Differentiate yourself.
Job seekers have an abundance of options today. Why does someone want to work for you? What is your value proposition? Be the boss you want to work for!
Remember you never get another chance to make a first impression. If you want to present your best self to your next boss or employee, be prepared, professional, and polite. The most important asset of any company are its employees.
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