Work, success, and meaning at every stage of your career
Just because you love Mad Men doesn’t mean you should seek out a career in advertising, or seek out a career in archaeology because you love the Indiana Jones franchise. While TV shows and movies are entertaining, they don’t necessarily offer the most accurate portrayal of what different careers are really like. (Shocking, right?)
Entourages are about collaboration and relationships, which means that both parties are committed to helping each other. If you meet someone who seems disinterested in you or overly interested in himself, he’ll probably never make the cut from contact to entourage member – no matter how well connected he is.
It’s a sad fact but some hiring managers have a stigma against unemployed candidates. Here’s how to overcome this bias and land the job.
Rivell Daniels says that there are several steps to creating a memorable brand, whether it’s for a new network or a candidate newly on the market for a job.
Recruiters are on your side. They’re out to help you, not exploit you, and they can be powerful allies during your job search process. But while you make yourself available to them and answer their questions promptly, it’s important to remember that you aren’t paying them—they’re working for their employer clients, not you. It’s their job to help their clients fill open positions as efficiently as possible, so when they have to choose between the needs of a client and a candidate, the candidate is likely to take second place. Generally, recruiters are diplomatic, respectful, kind, and pleasant to interact with.
But sometimes—there’s no harm in admitting it—they’ll tell a few white lies.
The first week that you started looking for a new position, hiring managers may not have even noticed that you were technically unemployed. And they certainly (hopefully) had the common sense not to hold this against you. But if you’ve been on the market for a few months—or years—now, things might be a bit different.
If you don’t have a great deal of work experience, or are fresh out of University, a great way to get international work is by Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). TEFL teachers mostly need a degree but don’t need to have any teaching specific qualifications. They also don’t have to speak the country’s language; they are being hired for their English ability after all.
Ms. Moody: I need advice.
This situation is very premature, but the interview that I went on seemed promising and I would like to know the answer in case the situation does arise – now or in the future.
As with all things in life, being successful at work is a much smoother process when you ask for guidance from someone who has already been successful. The wisdom and experience of a mentor is an invaluable tool for anyone who wants to avoid making rookie mistakes while climbing the professional ladder.
Infographic: The Dishonest Tradition of Fudging the Facts on a Resume (courtesy of http://www.gradschoolhub.com)
