Marathons and Job Searches Have a Lot in Common!

Running shoes are kind of like resumes -
they adapt to the person wearing them, so they're a customized fit!

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

Running a marathon is hard work – it requires dedication to a goal, sacrifice of one’s time and energy, and a payout that is not guaranteed. Sounds a lot like a job search, come to think of it! Compare the two…

Making the decision to run a marathon for the first time is just like making the decision to do something about your present job situation. First, you have to figure out how to change what you’re currently doing – are you watching TV shows instead of walking around the block? Are you eating a bag of potato chips rather than half a baked potato and steamed broccoli? The right shoes make all the difference to your new routine too – there’s a reason why basketball players don’t wear flip flops on the court!

The first steps to your job search are similar; you need to make time to figure out what you’re interested in applying for before you start writing your resume. You need to make time to go to the public library or a career center to search for jobs, or buy a newspaper and search the classifieds for job descriptions that interest you. Filling out an interest survey can point you in the right direction too!

Once you start walking around the block, don’t stop there! You’re going to run the marathon, so you’ve got to start jogging. Slowly at first, like jogging a quarter mile and then walking a quarter mile, and working it up to a half mile, then a mile, building up to the 5K and the 10K, the half-marathon. But wait – a marathon is 26.2 miles! How are you ever going to get to that point? Look up other marathoners for inspiration, and all of a sudden you’re inspired again.

Your interest is flagging and you’re possibly feeling a little discouraged about your job search around this time too. You keep finding all these jobs that you can do, and that you want to do, but you keep getting rejection letters, or even worse, no response at all. So call those hiring managers and ask what it was that caused them to reject you! Was it the wording on your resume or cover letter? Easily fixed for the next application, all you have to do is rewrite it. Call your career coach for pointers and encouragement, and you'll start feeling better about your own abilities.

One day you’re in your groove, and all of a sudden, you realize that you’ve run further than you’ve ever run before, and you feel great about your progress, so you sign up for that marathon. This is your goal, this is the result of all your hard work! You run in the marathon, not caring that people are passing you, because this is your moment for you; you changed yourself and the result is a wonderful sense of pride as you cross that finish line. Now… celebrate, turn around, and start training for that next marathon, and beat your personal best!

You’ve finally gotten through the interview, which went so well you went home with a broad smile on your face and patting yourself on the back, and it showed in your thank-you note. They call and give you an offer, and after considering and perhaps a little negotiation and a discussion of benefits – you’ve accepted! Now you’re working, and you keep showing your boss just how good of a worker you are, which is nothing that can be adequately put on a resume. This is what all those hours spent sending applications were for, and now you have to keep proving yourself. Take on those work challenges with a smile on your face, because you did it! Who knows what you can accomplish next?

*Dedicated to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing.

Your Job Search Checklist

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

So you’re finally ready to start working!  Great!  Let’s get started by creating a checklist, to make sure you don’t forget anything while you’re looking for a job.

□       What are you interested in doing?  One of the first steps of becoming a client of EmployReward Solutions is taking an interest profiler.  This helps your career coach determine what jobs to look for, and the results also help you figure out what you’re interested in too!  If you don’t like talking to people, waiting tables is probably not a job you’re going to enjoy.

□       Write that resume!  Take your time with it, customizing it for the job openings you’re finding that you’re interested in applying for.  Read the job description and use the keywords in the description.  

o     For example, the local Rooms to Go is looking for an office assistant.  The description says “This position will assist sales associates, customers, and managers in the processing of payments, finance applications, delivery questions as well as various other office duties as assigned.”  What are the words in that sentence that could make your objective statement stand out?

o     Try “I possess excellent time management and basic math skills, which would make me a great candidate for the position of office assistant with Rooms To Go.”  Using similar keywords will let a hiring manager or recruiter know that you read the description of the position.

 

□       A lot of jobs that are posted online require a cover letter, so it is best to write one of these as well. This will be a chance for you to explain any gaps in your work history as they show up on your resume, so you’ll want to reference your resume for those gaps.  Were you working for a construction company in 2008, and then you went on disability?  If you volunteered somewhere, this is a perfect place to explain your volunteer experience.

□       One of the most overlooked steps in applying for a job is preparing your references!  Who could be a good job reference for you?  Have you asked them to be a reference for you and prepared them?  You don’t have to include the names and contact information about your references on your resume (as a matter of fact, it is recommended that you not do this), but it is just good manners to let someone know they will be used as a reference on an application.

□       Practice your interviewing skills.  You can call your ERS career coach and set up a time to practice with one of us, or get a friend or a family member to practice with you.  By practicing with some common interview questions, you’ll get more comfortable with your responses.

Remember, you’re not going to get a response from every company you send your resume or application to, and that’s OK.  Focus on the next opening, and if you need any help, remember, we’re here for you every step of the way!