Ok, you know all the basics of interviewing that first job or even that better job.
Do research on the company. Dress appropriately. Arrive on time. Listen. Ask questions. Follow-up. It’s a simple formula that is basically common sense when you think about it. So why do interviewees fail at getting a job? It’s because they don’t know real job seeking tips.
I employee more than 100 people at any given time between running a bar-only catering company and an unique event venue in a booming downtown. I keep my eyes open for talent and likewise get inundated with resumes from recent college grads or people looking to transition between careers.
Here are some real job seeking tips based on problems that I see most often.
1. A person doesn’t respond to an e-mail or phone call immediately.
You have a strong enough resume to get me interested in hiring you, but it took you four days to respond to my e-mail. Guess what? Your strong resume is no longer a bonus because your lack of a reply sunk it. If you are not checking your e-mail that you are trying to get a job with then that says you are not serious. The times I have hired people who did not reply quickly have all turned out to be mistakes. I am not going to make that same mistake with you.
2. Seeking me out via a personal Facebook message.
On what planet is that a good idea? Seriously. I have two company websites with my e-mail all over them. The website is linked to numerous referral sites. If anything, you can reach me through my companies’ social media sites including Facebook. Why do you think it is a good idea to contact me on my personal site? There is no way I am hiring you blindly that way.
3. Having your mother send me your resume.
Especially if I don’t know who your mom is. That is a warning flag I don’t want to deal with ever. If you lack the initiative to look for a job, you likely will lack initiative on the job.
4. Putting too much personal information on your resume.
I’m not interested in if you can pull off a British accent of if you have completed the 70th level of Dungeons and Dragons. Seriously, I have seen those listed under accomplishments. Keep it pertinent to the job you are seeking.
5. Don’t fake your education.
Surprisingly, we get this one a lot. The internet makes it pretty easy to verify the truth.
So what can you as a young CEO do to the make the job of hiring people a little less of a pain?
1. Make sure your website has clear instructions and examples of where and how to send in a resume.
It makes your life easier because you can eliminate people who are not paying attention
2. Bring your staff into the equation when hiring.
Many young CEOs may not have a staff so run a person’s resume by your friends who are in the similar situation. The goal is to run a person by some other people. See what they think.
3. Hire slowly.
This is cliché, but it is true. It is easier to hire someone than fire someone from a personal standpoint. However, if you make the right hiring decision, you may not have to make the firing decision as soon.
A Houston native, Tammy Johnson opened hers first company, Liquid Catering, at age 27 and her second venture, The Old Cigar Warehouse, at age 28. She has yet to decide what company to open at age 29, but she is pretty sure that will happen.
Image Credit: californiaexaminer.net
