Speed Dating

Who would have thought that "dating" could lead to a job?

In the February 23rd edition of the Miami Herald, there was an article about Speed Dating---but not the romantic, "5-minutes with a person" kind. Rather, this was job speed dating, providing people with a chance to sit down with potential employers and pitch their skills. Here contact information is traded and small talk made before moving onto the next recruiter.

This kind of approach requires out of the box thinking. Instead of simply looking on-line and submitting resume after resume, job seekers can proactively pursue jobs and meet company representatives face to face. Job seekers were identified by blue name tags, employers by red name tags. And while the ratio of the unemployed to the employer was uneven, it gave people a chance to connect to companies they would not have previously considered and provided networking contacts.

It has become increasingly apparent that finding a job in this economy requres one to consider the unconventional, be it in a field they previously hadn't considered or in the way they acquire information. It also shows that networking is a crucial tool in finding a job. Even if being put in contact with a person doesn't result in a job, it can have incredible benefits. Networking can lead to informational interviews about a specific sector or a "day in the life of..." and it can also lead to the name of a person or company that is hiring. But what this article also shows is that this competative market is not just flooded with recent college graduates, but professionals who have been laid off from work with decades of experience. The key to being sucessful in your job search requires diligence, imagination and creativeness, all while being assertive and actively pursuing new (and perhaps unique) opportunities.

The real message of this post is not to ignore or scoff at any opportunity to put your name and resume out there. Upload your resume into the Resume Book! Connect with alumni on LinkedIn or through the Muhlenberg Career Network! And if you are brave enough, sign up for a career speed dating night.

Happy job hunting---or in this case, dating.

For the full article, click here: http://http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/02/23/1494580/job-seekers-speed-date-to-find.html

Find Your Passion, Make it Happen

Sunday afternoon in sleepy Allentown, normally dominated by homework, large iced coffees and re-runs of Law and Order. I always liked Sundays---I know people dread them because they lead to Monday, but they always give me a chance to catch up on old assignments, newspapers and sleep.

I have decided that Sunday will be Corner Office day. Each Sunday I will post a quote from the New York Times Corner Office section. Some weeks it will be about career advice. Other weeks it will be about how to handle failure, adapting to success or other verbal gems from our country's greatest business leaders.

Today's quote comes from Mindy Grossman of HSN, Inc.

"Take the time to absolutely find what makes you excited to wake up in the morning. Take the time. You don’t have to decide in five minutes."

The beauty of a job or internship is that it can be a stepping stone to a greater career path. It took me interning on Capitol Hill to realize that politics just wasn't my cup of tea. But each morning when I woke up to go to intern for Clinton Global Initiative, I became excited about what the day would hold and what projects would be passed my way. Something as small as researching kiosks was rewarding. Because for me, researching kiosks meant registering credentials. Registering credentials meant people could attend President Clinton's Annual Meeting. Members and Heads of State attending the Meeting meant collaborating for change, and working for a greater good is my passion.

The perfect job or career doesn't need to necessarily be one that is popular. The perfect job or career is one that brings about reward and satisfaction. It may take a few tries, but I have faith that people generally fall into a job or career that is best suited for them.

Take a good look within. Find what makes you happy. Then go for it.

If you fall off the horse, do you get back on?

It's bound to happen---the arrival of the first rejection letter.

It happened on an unassuming afternoon. After applying for a position with NYU's medical school, I realized that two weeks had passed since I had heard from the department. I sent a follow up e-mail and within five minutes I had a response.

I sat there and looked at my mailbox for a while. Part of me was so afraid to open up the e-mail and another part of me just wanted to get it over with. I finally got over my fears and clicked.

I anticipated it to be much worse than it was. My first rejection e-mail read:

"Dear Jessica. Thank you for your interest in this position but at this time we have pursued another candidate. Best of luck in your job search."

So I naturally pouted and called my dad whining, which prompted him to sternly tell me to "get over it and get used to it." I suppose the tough love approach worked--the next rejection didnt seem to sting so much and I realized that I at least got a response! I had applied for nearly a dozen jobs that went unanswered, which in my opinion, is worse than a rejection.

The thing that I learned was if you don't put yourself out there, you have no chance of getting hurt--or in this case--cut from consideration. Finding a job requires one to be persistent and not afraid of the bad news. The more applications you send out, the less defeated you will become. My parents and I have set a "house rule": for each rejection e-mail I get, I send out another three applications that day. Wallowing in the "why didn't they like me" mentality is a waste of time and energy. Instead, I have learned to say, "fine, if you don't like me I am going to find somebody and some company that does."

But just to make sure I don't burn my bridges, I take the time to e-mail that employer back and thank them for considering my application. Then (being assertive and not aggressive, as my mother likes to remind me) I ask them to keep my resume on file should another opening more suited to my experiences or time line arise. You never know--they could have an opening a few months from now and remember your application.

Just remember not to get defeated and if you fall off this "job" horse, brush off the dirt and get right back on.

Happy job hunting.