The Career Counselor's True Test

The career counselor's true test is her ability to assist a loved one (especially one they live with) navigate the job search.  Now I'm speaking from personal experience here when I say that it is not easy for a career counselor, often times known for their interest and expertise in all things "job search," to live with a job-seeker that might lack some of the same enthusiasm for the topic.  Okay, by now you probably realize I'm not speaking in the hypothetical.  My boyfriend finished graduate school without a job offer in hand.  Since we live together and spend a lot of time together, I naturally wanted to share all my resources with him.  My desire to impart to him every teeny bit of knowledge was not deterred by his evil looks, overt sighs, and avoidance of me.

Fast forward 6 months and boyfriend, now fiance, has finally secured his first, full-time permanent, job within his desired industry.  No, he did not spend 6 months sitting on his you know what.  From a maternity-leave coverage, to weekly per diem jobs, to a permanent position in a physical therapy clinic, the fiance was doing pretty well for himself.  So, needless to say, we were happily surprised, not to mention unsure of how to proceed, when a long-forgotten interviewer called him out-of-the-blue to ask him to come back in.  Turns out their former first-choice candidate "hadn't worked out."

Needless to say, his job search is an excellent example in perseverance, hard work, and luck - all of which proved to be essential in this job search story.  And, as far as this career counselor's concerned, I am more than glad that I won't be taking my work home with me anymore.  I'm pretty sure the fiance's glad about that, too.

The Outlook Chronicles: Including Salary Requirements In Your Cover Letter

So here's the set-up: without fail, I meet with students who, upon leaving my office, have a million more questions. Some of these questions they figure out on their own, some they e-mail to me for my two cents. Not surprisingly, I tend to see a lot of the same questions. So for those of you are asking yourselves those ground-breaking questions, like "should I text the hiring manager?," here are my answers to some frequently asked questions.

A student writes:

Hi Shimrit,

I'm working on finding jobs and networking, as per your recommendations, and I've come across a job that I would really love. It's as a program associate at a non-profit. They ask that applicants send in a resume and cover letter, which is no problem, but they also ask that applicants include past salary history and desired salary in the cover letter. Given that I've never had a salaried position, nor have I ever considered what my "desired salary" could be, I'm at a loss for what to do on this. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ann

And I answer:

Hi Ann,

This is a common request by employers.  Often, it is made in order to ensure that the applicant understands the industry standards regarding salaries. You have a couple of options here. You could simply state a range based on research and industry standards.  Glassdoor.com is a great resource for ascertaining salary ranges. You could also refrain from giving any actual numbers, but still indicate that you are aware of these norms, and that you didn’t get into this kind of work to become rich.  This second option is probably what I would do, though you run the risk of angering the employer by not answering the questions. Still, here's what I might say:

“My salary requirements are negotiable and dependent on benefits. I am aware of the salary ranges in the non-profit industry and believe that the value of the work I am doing is as important a consideration as the amount of money I will be earning.”

Of course, this type of statement has to speak to your own beliefs, so don't say this unless you mean it.

If you have any other questions, or want to run what you think a reasonable salary range for this position might be by me, feel free to reach back out.

Best,

Shimrit

How do you handle job descriptions that ask you to include salary requirements in your cover letter?

LinkedIn Etiquette: Do Not Ask For A Job

I can't tell you how many times I've told job-seekers not to send out vague and unspecific e-mails inquiring about "jobs in Boston," "finance jobs," or "any jobs where I can use my [insert elite private institution] degree."  These type of e-mails are not only indicative of a lack of thought, but also suggest that you have no idea what you really want to do, which generally does not bode well for your job search. So what should you do?  Target specific individuals for networking conversations.  Ask pointed questions to learn more about their field/work and make a good impression.  This type of networking works.  Asking absolute strangers for help with a broadly defined, vague job search does not.

Don't Freak Out Just Yet AKA: Understanding Hiring Timelines

Around this time of year, we career services folk see even the least corporate of careerists in our office wondering where are all the jobs for them?  They've been to the career fair, they've scoured our online job posting platform, and they're ready to throw their hat (i.e. resume and cover letter) into the ring.  But wait! Job postings in the industries they're looking to start careers in are no where to be found.  Surely, they figure, the absence of healthcare, non-profit, or education industries is a simple oversight - or perhaps an intentional one deliberately done by corporate leaning career counselors.  Yet I assure you, this is not the case.  A major reason that these industries are not at fall career fairs and participating in on-campus recruiting en masse is that they do not generally hire Seniors graduating in the spring this early in the fall.  These industries, due to less predictable budgets, the inability to predict spring-time workforce needs, or industry norms simply do not recruit their workforce 6+ months in advance.  Yes, these industries will hire Seniors - but they will do so in the spring months.  So don't freak out yet just become your Economics major roommate is applying for jobs and getting ready for interviews, your time will come.  Instead, relax, network, and get ready for a busy and job-application-filled spring.

Way Too Busy Wednesday

Things have been really hectic around here (i.e. work), so I'm creating a new series of posts for days or weeks just like these. I dub thee: Way Too Busy Wednesday. So, here's the first gem I've been saving for exactly this kind of thing.

P.S. In case, you weren't sure, the career advice take-away here is DON'T DO THIS.

On Waiting It Out

The recent article in the New York Times, “Generation Limbo: Waiting It Out,” makes my career counselor heart ache. Here are students who’ve invested so much time, energy and money into their degree, waiting for a chance to put it to professional use. But then my pragmatic side kicks in, and I want to kick these kids in the behind for waiting around for anything. Because, as many successful, employed people know, success doesn’t happen to you, it’s something you need to actively pursue. In other words, waiting is not an effective job search strategy!

Okay, so that was my first mini-rant. Now it’s time for part two. And it’s in response to this sentence in article, “After three years without an advertising job, she is now applying to graduate school to freshen up her résumé.”

Going to graduate school, especially when you’re unemployed, is, most often, not an effective job search strategy. If you’ve tried to get a job in marketing, yet been unsuccessful, don’t think that a graduate degree in marketing is going to fix all your problems and catapult your careers. While the job market may be better in two years, you’ll also be out tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of dollars, you’ll be more expensive, and you probably won’t have any more full-time relevant work experience than you did before you started the whole back to school thing. Gosh, I’m really starting to feel like Penelope Trunk here, which means it’s about time to wrap this post up.

Career Strategies for Students with Aspergers (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

Before I present some of the best practices presented at the recent conference I attended on career strategies for students on the autism spectrum, let me make a few disclaimers. First, I am by no means an expert (or even experienced) in this field. Additionally, as our excellent presenters pointed out, when you meet one student with ASD, you’ve met one student with ASD. That being said, these practices may work for some students and not for others, but isn’t that true for our nuero-typical clients as well? Anyhow, here’s what I learned:

Infuse Academics with Employment

• Integrate vocational experiences into students’ academics as early as high school to allow students to experience the workplace, reflect on their experiences, and learn appropriate workplace interactions.

Provide Visual Aids

• Have handouts or written materials that cover and/or review the points you’re making during the conversation. Useful for lots of students, really.

Be Explicit

• Because students with ASD do not learn intuitively, it is very important that we as career counselors are explicit with our directions. We cannot expect these clients to pick up on our social cues or nuanced suggestions, we’ve got to be explicit when counseling these students on how to behave, act, and market themselves. Additionally, help students with ASD to dissect the jobs they are working in or applying for. What will be the tasks, the social requirements, and physical environments related to this position. Help students to prepare fully, and practice reacting to, as well as acting in these positions.

Don’t Modify Content, Modify Process

• Students with ASD can be smart. Sometimes really smart. Don’t change the content you’re delivering, rather shift the way you deliver it. See above points for more on this.

Know Your Resources

• Both at the institution you work at, and in the community. At the end of the day, there’s only so much that we as career counselors and university educators can do. We’re not mental health counselors and perhaps unqualified to provide the intensive services some students with ASD might need. Be in touch with disability services coordinator, as well as have some referrals handy from local non-profits or other relevant services providers.

Finally, our presenters made some recommendations for students with ASD on the job market. They advised us to help our clients look for positions that have all or some of the following elements:

Rules

• Students with ASD to be most successful in environments that have clear and consistent rules. This could include rules regarding acceptable dress, hours, breaks, and activities.

Do Not Require an In-Person Interview

• Students with ASD do not interview well. Of course, finagling a job without an interview will be a challenge, which is probably why our presenters suggested making the most of family and personal connections when possible. As far as working with ASD clients, our presenters suggested utilizing Skype during mock interviews, as opposed to face-to-face.

Wow, I Must Be Really Good At What I Do!

All day I advise students on the job search.  So, I took my own good advice and secured an awesome, super exciting new job. Ahem, new job!  Have no fear, I'm not abandoning my mission of making career services sexy.  In fact, I'm bringing my mission to a larger student population.  I've truly learned so much over the past year and have been so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with so many fantastic students and colleagues, but this was an opportunity I just couldn't pass up.  So here's to new opportunities - and to staying put for awhile :)