How to Win the Job Search Competition

When you talk about hiring an employee, sometimes it seems that a job applicant prevails because of a favorable convergence of the sun, moon, and stars.
Or, maybe hiring an employee is just like a crap shoot. Or, hiring an employee is like throwing a bunch of darts and hoping one sticks in the target. I have heard all of these references to the process of hiring an employee.
But the fundamental question remains. What makes one applicant the winner in the job search competition? Employees who were hired did a lot of things right. Better, they did almost nothing wrong. How did Mary get the job?
When comparing candidates, an employer has to differentiate between well-qualified applicants. Candidates who appear to have the qualities, skills, education, experience, and knowledge the employer seeks are invited to interview. One is selected. How do you get to be the one?

Your Personal Presentation Must Make You Stand Out

An effective, targeted, customized resume and cover letter got you in the door. Perhaps a telephone screen allowed you to highlight experience and interest that matched the employer's needs. You're on track and an interview is scheduled.
From this moment forward, the potential employer is assessing your fit for the job, the culture, and the needs and strengths of the team. At this point, the employer is giving you every opportunity to blow your chance.

• Your physical appearance matters. It's the first thing the employer sees. Your clothing, hair, makeup, jewelry, and accoutrements make an immediate impression. Make the best possible first impression. Your presentation of yourself as a candidate must be flawless. Unpolished shoes do sink job searches.

Your Interaction During Interviews Either Nails Your Job - or Fails

• Your preparation for the interview needs to include formulating specific, professional answers to potential questions. You want to sound knowledgeable, competent, and experienced. You need to be able to cite examples of what you have accomplished, contributed, and believe is important. This is not something most people do well off the cuff. Prepare responses.
• Pay special attention to the physical parts of you that will be in evidence throughout an interview across a desk or conference table. Dirty finger nails matter as does that faint stain on your shirt. They send loud messages about your attention to detail and personal care habits.
• Relaxed communication is critical. Talk about workplace issues and goals that are important to you. Ask questions to assess whether the culture is a good fit for you. You don't want to join every organization you encounter in a job search. Trust me; sometimes it's better to keep looking.

Your Past Will Come Back to Haunt You

• Smart employers, before making an offer, send out a wide networking inquiry to find people who have known you in your past jobs, professional associations, and community involvement activities. Smart employers also do extensive background checking. What people say about you matters.
• You may find it difficult to believe that how you live your life and comport yourself in the workplace matters. But, your values and their manifestation in your work life do matter. Living with integrity, playing well with coworkers, leaving friends - not enemies - in your prior jobs will support you in your job search. And, when the employer who has the job you really want casts his net to solicit feedback, ensure what people say about you will win you your dream job.
• Prepare your references and former supervisors to quickly and professionally return the call of your prospective employer. Smart employers call them and ask many questions. References who are unreachable can torpedo your job offer.
• Employers customarily "google" their candidate's names and do online searches to background check the candidate. If you have odd Internet references to your work, your life, or your background, beware. If you blog or write a web site, your comments will impact hiring decisions. You may never know why you were not hired for the job. The interested employer will ask about their concern, however.

Behave as if Every Interaction Matters Because They Do

From the initial phone screen or the phone call during which an employer sets up an interview, every interaction matters.

The receptionist has a vote. She or he makes statements like, "I really liked that candidate. He was so nice." "Did you see how late he was and he never even apologized?" "I didn't like him at all."

Additionally, if you are a favored candidate for hiring, the HR staff or the hiring manager will stay closely in touch to give you feedback. They will let you know how the hiring process is progressing, because they think you may be the one. When these calls start coming, you still have competition from other job searchers, but you are definitely on the short list.

These interactions and the relationship building are critical to the employer hiring an employee. When the eventual offer comes, you already have a relationship with the new employer. Building the relationship matters.

These tips for winning the job search competition are based on recent hiring. I asked myself the question, "why Mary, not Jim?" These are my answers. May they help you win your job search competition.
We have whole sites devoted to job searching including Job Searching and Job Searching: Technical at About.com. Check them out.
http://humanresources.about.com/od/careerdevelopment/a/got_job_2.htm

Internal Job Application for Job Opportunities

These directions provide guidance for employees who wish to apply for internal jobs within your organization. They accompany the two-part internal job application that are pages two and three of this feature. Please feel free to use and/or modify the format to meet your organization's needs.

Internal Job Application

(Your Organization Name) is dedicated to assisting employees to reach their professional goals through internal promotion and transfer opportunities. One of the tools the company makes available to employees in managing their career is (your organization) internal job posting. This procedure enables current employees to apply for any available position either before or at the same time the position is advertised outside of the company.
Internal job opportunities are regularly posted on the "Career Opportunities" bulletin board on the right side of the lunchroom. Job openings are also posted on the “General Information” board by the time clocks.
To apply for an opening:
Step 1: Ensure that you meet the following eligibility requirements.

• You are a current, regular full- or part-time (your company) employee.
• You have been in your current position for at least six months. (Exceptions to this six-month requirement can be made by your current supervisor and should be consistent with company business needs.)
• Your performance meets performance development plan (PDP) standards or established work standards in your current position.
• You have not had an employee counseling or corrective action within six months. You are not following a performance improvement plan for your current position.
• You meet the qualifications listed for the position on the job posting.

Step 2: Complete an Internal Job Application form.
Applications are available from Human Resources, the reception area of the front office and in the form bins on the right wall of the lunchroom. Attach your resume, if you have one, to the completed application.

Step 3: Submit the Internal Job Application to your supervisor for approval.
Step 4: Submit your completed and approved Internal Job Application to HR.
Step 5: Candidates who are qualified will participate in an initial interview with the supervisor of the position, if they have not interviewed with that particular supervisor within the past six months. Finalists will participate in two additional interviews, with an HR representative and with an internal customer of the position or a manager. The selected person will be notified by the supervisor of the position.
http://humanresources.about.com/cs/recruiting/a/intjobapp.htm

Employment Ads That Get Attention

The first step in attracting a pool of candidates for a position is to prepare an advertisement for employment to be placed in your local newspaper or one of the other resources mentioned later in this chapter. An ad that simply states the position, rate of pay, and how to apply will not excite anyone. Chances are that the people who respond will be those who are simply looking for a paycheck with no concern for a rewarding career opportunity. They are the ones applying for any job that is available, regardless of whether it's something that they would enjoy doing. People who are not happy at work will not impress your customers. Customers who are not impressed are unlikely to come back because they will patronize the competition instead.
A catchy advertisement will grab the attention of the best applicants. If the job is fast paced, mention this in your ad because many people thrive on being busy. Flexible scheduling options are a hot item right now as many people struggle to balance work, family, and continuing education. A person who works well independently is likely to respond to an ad seeking a self-starter. Is there an opportunity for growth? Let people know. Adding these extra perks turns a dry announcement into an exciting venture.
Newspaper advertisements are most successful if they appear in the Sunday edition of the paper. When you place an ad, you will have the option of running it for Sunday only, weekends only (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), or in increments of a few days or a week or two. As long as Sunday is covered in the timeframe you choose, you will get the best exposure possible.

An advertisement for employment may be used to determine if someone pays attention to detail and follows instructions. For example, if your ad instructs applicants to send a salary history along with their resume and they don't do this, assume that this person will not be meticulous at work.

Before placing your ad, decide how you want people to apply, and let it be known. You may want them to request an application in person at specific times. For positions that are beyond entry level, you may want to see a resume by mail, fax, or e-mail as the first step. If you need someone with prior experience, stating this in your ad will save time for everyone involved. Use bold print or a bigger font for the name of the position to make it stand out. Short ads are likely to be skimmed quickly and overlooked. Invest in the space you need to draw attention to your ad.
Before placing an ad or taking advantage of one of the other resources for finding people in this chapter, make sure you have an ample supply of employment applications. Most importantly, ensure that the applications ask questions that are legal in your state! The laws may change from year to year. Your state employment or labor-relations agency can help you verify if your applications are in compliance if you are not sure. Most likely, if you order your applications from a reputable source and they are current, you will be in compliance. Beware of outdated applications that may ask questions that were legal a few years ago, but that you are no longer allowed to ask.
If the applications you use ask job seekers for their social security number, verify if this is allowed in your state. If it is, keep completed applications in a secure place for the sake of the applicant. Some states have strict laws about who in the company has access to this information.
http://www.netplaces.com/human-resource-management/finding-the-best-applicants/employment-ads-that-get-attention.htm

What is an Event Planner?

Anyone interested in becoming an event planner should begin the path by understanding that it is not party planning. This is the case whether you're considering a path with social events or corporate events. The final program may appear as if the profession is about throwing great parties, but the event planning professional focuses on the rationale or goal of having an event, and whether it is achieved. And the real work is in the details that lead up to the event. My site will help educate you about how to become successful.

Meetings and conventions bring people together for a common purpose, and meeting and convention planners work to ensure that this purpose is achieved seamlessly. Meeting planners coordinate every detail of meetings and conventions, from the speakers and meeting location to arranging for printed materials and audio-visual equipment. Meeting and convention planners work for nonprofit organizations, professional and similar associations, hotels, corporations, and government. Some organizations have internal meeting planning staffs, and others hire independent meeting and convention planning firms to organize their events.

The the event planner creates programs that address the purpose, message or impression that their organization or client is trying to communicate.
Event planners work long and non-traditional hours to plan and execute all details related to a variety of meeting formats including seminars, conferences, trade shows, executive retreats, incentive programs, golf events, conventions, and other programs.
Successful event planners develop the following skills:

• Verbal and written communications
• Organization and time management
• Project management and multi-tasking
• Self-starter and team player
• Understand Microsoft Office applications
• Detail and deadline-oriented
• Calm and personable under pressure
• Negotiation
• Budget management
• Staff management
• Marketing and public relations
• Interpersonal skills with all levels of management

Successful event planners will develop the following knowledge:

• Venue selection
• Catering
• Production
• Entertainment
• Gifts
• Transportation
• Lodging
• Conference Services

Those who pursue a career in event planning come from a variety of professions and academic backgrounds. Many employers prefer a bachelor's degree in hospitality management, business administration, marketing, public relations, or communications. However, many successful planners begin in other professions or enter through administrative roles that include meeting planning responsibilities.
By Rob Hard

Job Specification

A job specification describes the knowledge, skills, education, experience, and abilities you believe are essential to performing a particular job. The job specification is developed from the job analysis. Ideally, also developed from a detailed job description, the job specification describes the person you want to hire for a particular job.
A job specification cuts to the quick with your requirements whereas the job description defines the duties and requirements of an employee’s job in detail. The job specification provides detailed characteristics, knowledge, education, skills, and experience needed to perform the job, with an overview of the specific job requirements.

Components of a Job Specification

Experience: Number of years of experience in the job you are seeking to fill. Number of years of work experience required for the selected candidate. Note whether the position requires progressively more complex and responsible experience, and supervisory or managerial experience.
Education: State what degrees, training, or certifications are required for the position.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Characteristics: State the skills, knowledge, and personal characteristics of individuals who have successfully performed this job. Or, use the job analysis data to determine the attributes you need from your “ideal” candidate. Your recruiting planning meeting or email participants can also help determine these requirements for the job specification.
High Level Overview of Job Requirements: In under ten bullet points, cite the key components and requirements of the job you are filling.
A job specification is useful for recruiting as it helps you write your job postings and your website recruiting material. The job specification is also useful for distribution in social media, for screening resumes, and for interviewers.
By Susan M. Heathfield