Career advice for college grads: Five tips for career readiness

Congratulations, graduates! Now the hard work of getting into the working world begins. Though there are many different areas to focus on, there is a simple prescription for a successful and smooth entry into the workforce, and it starts here:

1. The all-important resume. Resumes should tell a story about who you are and what your skills and talents are. Clearly, a 21-year old is not going to have the same resume as a seasoned veteran, but employers know this, so don’t worry about impressive credentials. Just do the best you can with your experience so far and find things that highlight your strengths and applicable skills.

2. What to put on your resume. Any kind of job, internship, volunteer work, or affiliation needs to go on your resume. The most important thing about “starter” jobs is to show that you were given responsibility -- If you were a lifeguard, put it on (that’s a position of great responsibility). If you worked in an ice-cream shop, put it on. Did your manager give you tasks that reflected a level of responsibility, like locking up at night, opening in the morning, making deposits, running the register? Also highlight those jobs or activities in which you were part of a team and helped lead it or had responsibility of some sort: Did you hold any leadership positions in clubs or sports team? Did you help with fundraisers or special events? Did you do volunteer work? Whatever you did or were involved in that reflects leadership and responsibility should go on your resume.

3. What the resume should look like. Don’t get fancy. Resumes should be simple, easily readable, and written in a standard format. Google "how to write a resume" to get a sense of what is standard. Don’t go over one page (unless you have had  a lot of jobs) and don’t use fancy fonts or colored paper. Pink paper and unreadable type are annoying to an employer. You want to stand out because of who you are, not because your resume is kitschy. And always, always, always spell check. Nothing sinks a candidate quicker than misspelling liaison.

4. Use your college. Your college wants you to be a successful alum, so use their career center. Many colleges offer career counseling, job fairs, and internship programs. Some will set up real or practice interviews for you and help you with your resume. Many offer personality and skills tests that can help you focus on your career choices.

And use your school's alumni network! Most alums registered with the career center are more than willing to help new graduates. Usually, they are broken out by profession and can be counted on to provide information about a certain field, advice on getting into it, and will review your resume. They may also off internships, informational interviews, and invaluable contacts in your field. Don’t be shy—this is networking, and it is one of the best ways to get a job. Use your friends and professors, too. Does someone have a parent, sibling, or associate in your field? Again, don’t be shy. This is what networking is all about.

5. Think before you take the summer off. While it may be true that this is your last summer of “freedom,” you need to remember that there are millions of other graduates who are getting out of the gate and into the market. Look at the hiring cycle of your desired profession or industry. If you want to enter one that actively seeks college graduates, then taking the summer off is not a good idea. In other professions, entry-level jobs open up all the time, so taking one last summer off may not be a big deal. But remember: this is not the same economy as five years ago; jobs are scarce and the market is tough.

Bad apples: Six strategies to deal with nightmare co-workers

Every company has at least one bad apple. These are the people who don't respect the organization or their coworkers, are negative, don't carry their own weight, or sabotage the work of others.

A bad apple is like a bad virus -- their attitude can affect morale, trust, and productivity. If not addressed, people can quickly become resentful, jaded, and unproductive. So, how do you deal with these people? If the bad apple is a co-worker, try these six strategies:

1. Avoidance. Try not to interact with this person any more than necessary.

2. Humor. Try to look at this person as funny/absurd. Not the most gracious approach, but sometimes if you can find the humor and the innocence in a situation, it can help you get through it (sexual harassment, of course, is not funny).

3. Consider the political landscape. Is this person really connected? If so, the reality is that you may have to work a bit harder to find a way to deal with this person.

4. Empathy. Most jerks are jerks because there is something deficient about them. Try to find that part of you that would befriend something that is wounded. Try to find some glimmer of humanity. Think Michael Scott from “The Office” -- quite possibly the most lovable office jerk of all time.

5. Try to help. Peers and co-workers can play a big role in turning the bad apple around. If the bad apple is a peer, and you feel comfortable doing so, find a way to address the problem tactfully but directly. Explain what you see him doing and your concerns about it. Express that you want to see him succeed but that you are afraid his current behavior may not be the best way to reach his goals.

6. Send it up the chain. If you have the difficult conversation and you continue to see the ill effects of this behavior, then you must send it up the chain. If you’re a manager or supervisor and one or more of your employees comes to you with complaints or feedback about a troublesome employee, and you know with certainty that the complaint is valid, you must take action immediately. There are five steps to take:

Step 1: Confront the person directly. Tell the person exactly what your concerns are with his behavior. Cite examples. Do not make it personal or single out who complained. Don’t say, “Carol complained about you.” Make sure you do your homework and use “I” or “We" statements.  Say: "I am not happy with the way you are treating your co-workers."

Step 2: Describe the impact of the behavior. Use specifics: “When you call your co-workers white trash losers you destroy our teamwork and morale,” or “When you don’t do your weekly reports it adds more work for the rest of your team.”

Step 3: State the change you want to see. Again be specific. Link to corporate values. “I need you to stop that behavior immediately. You must never denigrate a co-worker again.”

Step 4: Be explicit about the ramifications. And don't hedge: “If you continue with this behavior, you will be terminated. This is your one warning.”

Step 5: Follow up. If the behavior is modified then make sure you acknowledge it. Remember, you get what you reward. If the behavior doesn’t change, then you must terminate.

A note about termination: When you get rid of a bad apple use it as an opportunity to teach and reinforce your corporate value system to the rest of your employees. Jack Welch said if you terminate someone for not exhibiting corporate values then you should make that explicit when you speak of the termination. Don’t soft-pedal it by saying, “Carol wanted to spend time with her family.” Instead, say, “Carol was asked to leave because she was unable to be a good team player.”

Get real and get ahead: Five steps to professional authenticity

Believe it or not, authenticity is one of the cornerstones of success. Being authentic means being honest and genuine, which in turn engenders trust and accountability. People respond to people who feel “real” to them. Nobody likes a phony, and people get nervous and mistrustful when they can’t “read” a person. If people read you as authentic, they will trust you, value you, and look to you for leadership and guidance.

Authenticity is about how you conduct yourself, how you treat others, and the way you work and fit in to your corporate culture. It’s not about being nicey-nice or insincere; it’s about being real. Authenticity entails an emotional equation of:

Confidence + Self-awareness + Transparency + Consistency = Authenticity

In other words, authenticity is about establishing and showing an honest and consistent alignment between your personality, your words, and your actions. Much like other personal and professional skills, authenticity can be developed. Here are five ways to develop your authenticity:

1. Be honest. This does not mean you can be rude or disrespectful. You can be honest and still be respectful, diplomatic, and professional. The key is to express yourself well and use kind, constructive, and inclusive language. Here is where verbal skills like using “and” instead of “but” come into play; anytime you use “but” you risk alienating and making people feel defensive. Try to use inclusive, constructive words instead of negative ones. This isn’t being false; it’s framing the discussion in a forward-thinking way.

2. Engage other people. In order to be authentic, you have to care about more than just yourself, so it is important to engage other people. Look people in the eye when you speak to them. Ask questions. Practice reflective listening. Really listen to what they tell you. Resist the temptation to talk about yourself.

3. Treat everyone with respect. Treating other people well is the surest sign of someone who is confident, collected, and genuine. Be gracious, polite, and respectful to everyone, from the janitor to the vice president, from the secretaries to the barristas, from your co-workers to the garage attendants.

4. Test yourself. Becoming more aware of your self, how you operate in the world, how you behave, and how you impact people is the key to using your authentic self in business. A good way to learn about yourself is to take a personality test like the Meyers-Briggs. That test and others like it are an excellent tool for self-awareness, as long as you get the proper training around the assessment. Make sure a professional is able to go over the results with you so you can understand and use the information properly.

5. Look at others. Studying traits of successful but authentic business people is also a good way to understand what being real looks like. For example, here are three very different authentic leaders: Richard Branson, Warren Buffett, and Donald Trump. They each approach life and work very differently, yet you can tell that they are all passionate about what they do. They are consistent in their words, deeds, and ambitions. They are not apologetic about who they are and they integrate their personal qualities into their work life, personal life, and leadership.

Being authentic means you are honest and real. It means you are trusted and counted on. And it can mean all the difference in your success at work and in business.

The dos and don'ts of helping your child land a job

Here are the commandments -- both dos and don'ts -- to helping your kid land a job.

How to help your kid land a job

Helping your child land his or her first interview or job is very important. But there are clear boundaries to the things you should and should not do to help. Employers are looking for motivated, responsible, mature, self-starters. If they see a parent’s hand in the young person's employment efforts, it will hurt more than help.

Here are the things you should not do for your child:

•Do not attend job fairs with or for them.

•Do not fill out job applications for them.

•Do not write their resume.

•Do not write their cover letter.

•Do not accompany your child to job interviews.

•Do not contact the employer for any reason.

Now, you can and should help and guide your child with all of these, but helping and guiding do not mean doing. Just like with homework, your child MUST do these things for himself. He must learn and embrace these skills.

Here are the things you can and should do for your child:

•Proofread resumes and cover letters.

•Offer support and encouragement, and nag if you have to.

•Drive your child if necessary—just don't walk in with them.

•Offer financial support, if necessary and within reason.

•Practice interviewing with them. Do a Google search on common interview questions and practice them with your child.

•Teach them professional etiquette—how to shake hands firmly, how to look people in the eye, sit up straight, listen properly, etc.

•Help them dress for success.

•Help them network. Introduce them to your friends and business associates, and then encourage them to follow up on their own.

•Make sure they say thank you. Nag them if you have to, but make sure they send a thank you note to whomever interviewed them and/or whomever helped secure them the interview.

•Encourage them to think broadly and realistically. It's a tough market out there. They need to know that sometimes it is better to take the job or internship offered rather than wait unrealistically for that internship at the New York Times. 

The key to helping your child is just that—helping them. You can and should teach and guide them along the way (and nag if you have to), but they need to learn, embrace, and master these critical employment skills themselves.

Acing the interview: 12 tips to sell yourself and land the job

•Acing an interview is a critical skill that every working person should master. You can have a great education, a great resume, great experience, and great recommendations, but if you can't ace the interview, forget about it.

Employers are looking for certain skills, yes, but employers want to know what kind of person you are, what kind of employee you are going to be, and if you will fit into their organization. Employers rate the following list of skills and traits as the most important:

•Communication and interpersonal skills

•Honesty and integrity

•Teamwork skills

•Reliable, responsible, and mature

•Strong work ethic

•Motivated and flexible

•Analytical skills

•Computer skills

•Organizational skills

See where technical skills fall? Near the bottom. Employers are willing to train for those, provided you can prove yourself worthy of their investment. And to do that, you have to impress. So get ready to sell yourself. Whether you are a recent graduate embarking on your professional career or a seasoned pro looking for a new one, the rules are the same:

Before the interview:

1. Research the organization. You need to know the company’s core business, products, services, and markets. What are their key business challenges? What is their culture like? What kind of people do they hire? Familiarize yourself with their history, their structure, management, recent trends, growth areas, stock price, etc.

2. Research the job. Contact the HR department and see if they have a written description or can tell you about it. What are the general duties and responsibilities? What is the reporting structure? Find out as much as you can beforehand so your questions during the interview will be smarter and more targeted.

3. Research the industry. If you are interviewing at Coca-Cola, do some research on the beverage industry. What are the trends? What are the challenges? What are their competitors doing? Being able to intelligently discuss trends and challenges will really set you apart and make you stand out. Remember: you are more than a candidate for a job; you are a potential problem solver and contributor, so the more knowledgeable you are about the company and the industry, the more you’ll impress the interviewer.

4. Research the interviewer. A key element of succeeding in a job interview is building rapport with the interviewer. When you schedule an interview, it is perfectly acceptable to ask who will be conducting the interview. Find out, then find out all you can about that person. Perhaps you have something in common, like an alma mater, a hometown, a hobby, or perhaps he or she did something impressive that you can point to and compliment. You don’t want to appear overly solicitous, but an earnest and informed comment can go a long way to establishing rapport with the person who may hire you.

5. Practice your responses. Thee are basic questions every interviewer will ask. Know them, and practice your responses. No more than 1 minute to two minutes. Here is what the interviewer wants to know:

•Do you have what it takes to succeed in the job?

•Will you fit in the organization?

•Do you understand the company and its purpose/goals/challenges?

•How do you compare to your competition?

•Why do you want the job?

•Tell me about yourself.

•What are your strengths and weaknesses?

•Why should I hire you?

•Where do you see yourself in five years? 

6. Dress for success. Dressing for the interview is not about standing out—it’s about looking like you belong. Match your dress and image to the profession or business in which you want to succeed. Your image has to inspire trust and confidence. When you make an effort to look the part, you broadcast to the world that you take yourself and the job seriously.

And ladies, remember the cardinal rules of dressing for success:

•Nothing too short.

•Nothing too long.

•Nothing too tight.

•Nothing sleeveless.

•No cleavage.

•Keep makeup and jewelry to a minimum.

•No heavy perfumes or colognes.

At the interview...

7.  Be on time. Being late for an interview is the worst impression you can make. Do reconnaissance if you have to. Practice your route and where you will park. Being late is a pretty big hurdle to overcome, so do everything you can to ensure you arrive on time.

8. Be nice to everyone. And I mean everyone, from the doorman to the receptionists. Smile and say hello to everyone. Many organizations incorporate the impressions of other employees in evaluating a candidate. You want your impression, however brief, to be a positive one.

9. Use appropriate body language. Seventy percent of communication is non-verbal. People form a first impression in three seconds. That means your body language and your initial appearance speak louder than your words, so make sure your body language says I am confident and I’ve got what it takes to work here and do this job. Here are some simple dos and don’ts:

Do:

•Have straight posture, both standing and sitting.

•Smile.

•Make eye contact.

•Have a firm handshake.

Don't:

•Slouch or slump.

•Fidget.

•Cross your arms.

•Yawn.

•Chew gum.

•Tap your foot or play with your hair.

•Stuff hands in pockets.

10. Ask where they are in their hiring process. What is their time frame? When do they expect to make a decision? Ask them when and how you should follow-up. Should you call in two weeks? Is an e-mail appropriate? Don’t be afraid to ask. It is a completely legitimate and appropriate question. They will actually appreciate you taking responsibility by asking.

After the interview...

11. Don’t talk. Don’t talk about your interview or the company anywhere near the interview site or the business itself. Wait until you get in your car or get home. You never know who is walking behind you or in the elevator with you or at the lobby coffee shop.

12. Follow up immediately. There is one very simple thing you can do to set yourself apart: send a hand-written thank-you note immediately after the interview. I know, the interviewer said to send an e-mail, but send a hand-written letter, too. Send it to the person with whom you interviewed. Use good quality paper or card stock (no cartoon characters, no notebook paper) and keep it short:

Dear Ms. Jones,

Thank you so much for seeing me last week. I enjoyed our interview and am very excited about the opportunity. I want very much to work for the XYZ Corporation. Thank you again and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Jane Smith

The rest of the follow-up process should be dictated by what they told you in the interview—phone call, e-mail, etc.

Armed with these tips, and with practice and preparation, you can ace the interview. Good luck!