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18 Tips for Job Hunters, New and Experienced

By September 28, 2011January 26th, 2022No Comments
American University Washington College of Law for the ABA career workshop, flickr NCInDC

Last week, I had the pleasure of working with the American Bar Association (ABA) again here in the Washington, DC area. The ABA was sponsoring a career program at the American University Washington College of Law.

I sat on a panel with Juliet Aiken from the Georgetown Law School and Ken Goldsmith from the ABA.

Here are the five career tip areas I shared with the students. These tips are all applicable to those new to the professional world and those who find themselves needing to revise their career search tools.

1. Focus on the Better Tomorrow Message

  1. Think like the managing partner you must be/become (managing partner is like the CEO)
  2. Focus on the career benefits of hiring you. Identify the benefits the hiring firm/company will receive from your experience and hard work
  3. Develop your personal value statement (“headline”). This is the first sentence in your career elevator pitch or your answer to, “tell me about yourself.” I call this your Better Tomorrow Message™.
  4. “Rip Apart” position descriptions and requirements. Every statement and phrase in a position description has the potential to be a job requirement. Ensure you address every one of the requirements in your career search tools
  5. “Tell me about yourself” answer is 30 seconds or less
  6. Unify your messages across everything in your career search toolbox (e.g., elevator pitch, cover letter, resume, LinkedIn® profile, Twitter profile, Facebook profiles, recommendation letters, interview answers, and accomplishment success stories)

2. Be Deliberate with Relationship Building

  1. Don’t listen to your mother–talk to strangers. Break out of your comfort zone a little bit more each time you attend a networking function
  2. Make a networking plan. Select the right events for you personally and professionally to enhance your career
  3. Use “I’m a student” liberally. People love helping students. Don’t be shy about telling people you are a student/recent graduate

3. Find People Bridges Throughout Your Career

  1. It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you
  2. Leverage social media (e.g., LinkedIn). Expand your network…continuously
  3. Nurture scouts and champions. Scouts will be on the lookout for potential opportunities and people to meet. Champions are people who make referrals and open doors
  4. Help others and be a people bridge yourself. Networking is not a one-time event. It is a life-long process throughout your career

4. Show Them You Care

  1. Ask relevant, targeted questions about them (the interviewing hiring team)
  2. Follow up
  3. Write a personalized thank you note. Traveling for your interview? Take the thank you notes with you and mail them locally while you are still there.

5. Be Unforgettable

  1. Leave the “But”Heads home. Bring the “Yes, And’s” out. This is the most important foundational element to improvisational humor and in life! (read Treat Everyone Like a Key Decision Maker – How Improvisational Humor Training Helps You Sell
  2. Practice telling your stories, especially your best accomplishment stories

Photography Source: Flickr, NCInDC
#career #jobhunting #networking #communication

Ira Koretsky

Ira Koretsky has built The Chief Storyteller® into one of the most recognized names in communication, especially business storytelling. He has delivered over 500 keynote presentations and workshops in nearly a dozen countries, in more than one hundred cities, across 30 plus industries. His specialties are simplifying the complex and communicating when the stakes are high. He is also an adjunct professor in public speaking and storytelling at the University of Maryland's Business School. With over 25 years of experience, he is a sought-after storytelling coach, global speaker, trainer, consultant, communication coach, and public speaking coach.