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1ST STEPS IN THE HUNT
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Net Research
May 28, 1999
The Net is a tool. For Jobhunters, what is the best use for this particular tool right now? Researching your target companies. While I'd love to say that you can quickly and efficiently look up whatever information you need on the Net, it doesn't always work that way. Sometimes the information you want is not available either on or off the Net. Other times it is not indexed in a way that search engines can easily locate it. And sometimes the information you want has not yet been transformed from its present incarnation as a wood byproduct into electronic impulses. And you should be very familiar with Internet searches that look more like a wild goose chase than a Sherlock Holmes investigation. You can get lost (or sidetracked) easily, and some of the links you pull up sure don't seem to have anything to do with your search terms. There are a few sites that can be a big help in researching these companies - like Big Yellow, 411, and
Big Yellow uses phone directories as it's primary database, which covers almost all companies and a wide range of people throughout most industrialized countries. You can search for email addresses and by topic as well. This is one of the first places that many people start their search for company information. The list of Top 300 business categories helps pinpoint where you might begin.
411 is part of Yahoo!, and searches for names and email addresses that you input. As one of the largest search engines Yahoo! gives you access to hundreds of millions of people and businesses. It also uses telephone directories as one of its main sources of data.
InfoUSA has bundled lots of useful links into topics on starting and managing a business, conducting marketing, sales, etc. Its nationwide directory assistance includes searches for company name, individual name, and the very useful reverse lookup. The only problem here is that you might forget that you are looking for info on a target company and start researching a few things for your own business (someday!).
As usual, these are only the tip of the information iceberg. On the Net there is always more than one way to skin a cat.
Net Sleuth
May 27, 1999
You're on the Net day in and day out, searching for a variety of things. Sometimes it's information you're looking for (maybe researching your target companies for your next dream Job), other times you're comparison shopping for a product or service. You are developing Internet Search skills that may seem obvious to you, but are in demand in a number of different fields.
One area where Internet Searching skills are notably in demand is Online Security. Some of the newer Job titles are Security Analyst, Information Systems Specialist, Manager Computer Security, Security Investigator, or Cyber Security Analyst. Problem solving is one of the key skills that these Jobs have in common, and if you have a logical mind and like detective work, this is growing field that might be an excellent stepping stone for several other well-paying positions.
Some Cyber Sleuths work for the Government tracking down hackers that threaten computer systems that control our energy infrastructure. Other Internet Detectives are trying to prevent private (or classified) documents from being accessed by individuals without the appropriate credentials. (And there are probably Jobs for computer hackers that want to expose government malfeasance, as well). Who you work for is really dependent on your conscience - and your contacts.
As with most Jobs, consider the maxim "Follow the Money". Insurance fraud is estimated at over $100 billion/year. That represents a huge amount of lost money for only one industry segment. Any mid-size to large corporation either is hiring (or about to hire) Internet Searchers to help stem this hemorrhage of funds. Pay ranges for this growing field start over $20/hr and run into triple digits for senior level managers and consultants. A list of hundreds of companies that offer a variety of computer security related services is on Yahoo!
While some of this work is limited to protecting firewalls and monitoring multiple log-on attempts, the field is new enough for ambitious employees to get in on the ground floor of the Information System Security hierarchy. Familiarity with technology databases is a useful background for Internet Detectives. Providing computer security for a firm is a lot less dangerous than being a security guard, pays a whole lot better, and offers room for quick advancement in and out of your department.
And is generally way more interesting than sitting in a shack eating donuts.
Phone Tag
May 26, 1999
One of the more frustrating aspects of an office Job, forgetting about office politics and collegial backstabbing for a moment, is wasting your time playing phone tag with someone you really really need to talk to, and soon.
Some people are slow to respond to their phone or email messages. And workers that are on the phone constantly end up spending much of their time trying to get in touch with other people who are busy talking to someone else. It all leads to a plethora of phone messages, return calls, and days between successfully talking to the person you need to get hold of. Is there any way to limit this mess?
Yes. A number of the following actions will help alleviate the problems of time wasting associated with playing phone tag.
When you leave a message, tell them when you will be available for a return call, and set aside an hour or two when you'll be taking those calls. Timing is crucial to effective telephony.
Make friends with the secretary or assistant that screens calls. They know when and how to get your calls through - learn their name and treat them with courtesy and kindness. Gatekeepers have a lot more power then either their title or salary indicates.
Know the difference between being persistent and becoming a nuisance. If no one calls back after your fifth attempt, they don't feel the need to give you any information, or don't feel you are a client that merits attention.
Ask for, and use, your contact's pager number. If you can get them to give you a pager number, then you are at an immediate response level - the highest level of telephone networking.
Always repeat your name and phone number. Start with who you are, what company you represent, your phone number, and the purpose for your call. End the message by repeating your name and phone number at a pace that a normal human can write it down on a message pad. Few things are more irritating than messages that race through the phone number so fast that you have to repeat the whole message to get to the end where the phone number is hastily given in a garbled manner.
Use alternative contacts for giving and receiving messages, when possible.
Ask for specific information in your message that obviates the need to talk to the person when they return your call. Answer calls with information (or links to info) that you have a reason to suspect the caller needs.
Some of these tips will make you a winner in the game of phone tag. Others will allow you to get more work done with less effort. And all of them will make the game more enjoyable for you and the person on the other end of the line.
Job Needs
May 25, 1999
Think about the last Job you had (or the next Job you want). Did you find it fulfilling most of the time? Job Satisfaction is crucial to success on the Job, in addition to reducing stress and promoting general good health. Needs form the basis for behavior, so assessing your Job needs is a good first step in your Job Hunt.
From the following list, rank your Job needs from most important to least important. This will tell you a good deal about the who, what, and where of your desirable field of work.
Purpose - expressing your real self, manifesting meaning in daily activities
Skills - using education, knowledge, and abilities
Autonomy - control over work, freedom from constraints
Spirituality - adherence to a set of religious, spiritual, or moral principles
Growth - learning skills, developing talents/potential
Competition - being in a competitive environment
Creativity - designing/developing ideas & products
Altruism - helping others and contributing to society
Achievement - job challenges & accomplishments
Security - knowing you always have employment when you need it
Variety - job allows for differing tasks and means to accomplish them
Adventure - fast pace, constant changes, high levels of excitement
Teamwork - collegial work environment, group goals
Location - close to affordable housing, schools, social activity, etc
Leisure - work affords enough time for other activities
Prestige - opportunity for recognition by professional peers
Power - decision making responsibility over budgets, staff, and resources
Intellect - works allows for mental stimulation & independent thinking
Money - good salary/benefits
Supervisor - your boss is fair, easy to understand & get along with
Aesthetics - your work makes the world a better, more beautiful place
Print this list out and rank the Job needs that are the most important to you. Take a close look at the Top Five, and question whether they are really the critical needs. Obviously we all want most of these needs met, but few Jobs will fulfill all twenty-one needs. Fulfilling some will mean ignoring others. Personality tests like Myers-Briggs are worth trying, as are other exercises.
While you are wise to be wary of career counselors peddling their wares online, there are a number of good sites out there. The
Career Action Center is well known and respected, as is Jobsmart. For listings of Career Counseling websites, access either the Catapult Career Office or RPI Career Source. There is plenty of free information to help you analyze your strengths/weaknesses, wants & needs. Take the time to inventory who you are, and where you want to go Before you start running toward destinations unknown.
Age Bias
May 24, 1999
Age Bias is something that we all face in the Job Market. And it is something that we will likely have to deal with throughout out careers as we move from Job to Job. Most of the protection afforded by the legal system covers only the most egregious examples of age discrimination - and even then widespread discriminatory policies are required to prove intent. (HR-Guide discusses the issue in detail if you think your case merits legal action.)
Younger workers are often grouped together based on stereotypes, and mistreated accordingly. You may be accused of being disrespectful of the corporate culture, unable to concentrate for longer than thirty seconds, or unwilling to listen to others and join in working in a team environment. Older workers are suspects for other reasons: They are more likely to miss work due to illness, they can't learn new skills as quickly as younger workers (they're set in their ways), and their productivity levels are steadily declining.
These are tendencies that are at best misleading, and at worst, damaging to your career chances.
The sad fact is that workers are discriminated against from day one until they retire, so the real question is how do you overcome it in a pragmatic manner? First, by recognizing that stereotypes may be true for small classes of people, but are not valid to prejudge an individual. If you go into an Interview believing some of the myths about your particular age group, your Interviewer is likely to come away with those myths reinforced, rather than rebutted.
It is usually necessary for you to take the time to confront the bias that your age group faces, and confront it with assertive arguments to the contrary. If you lack experience, show how the experience you have is sufficient to do the Job satisfactorily, and that you have the desire and ambition to learn and improve. Temper your opinions with well-thought out ideas. If you think that you are looked down on because of your age, stress your experience, perspective, openness to new ideas, and willingness to mentor younger workers.
Studies indicate that a mix of age groups in the workplace increases productivity, which just goes to show you that it takes all kinds.
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Materials written by John Sumser © TwoColorHat. All Rights Reserved.