Don't Job Hunt Like Your Parents
and Grandparents Did!

By Rick Seaman

Be the interviewer, not just the interviewee. Today you have the opportunity to evaluate and interview prospective employers in a way not possible for generations past. Technology has turned the tables. You can take the lead and select the job position you truly want.

Ask prospective employers why their company would be a great place for you to work. Research them on the web. Ask to see their company handbook. Evaluate their policies and procedures to see if the environment might fit your lifestyle. Ask about opportunities for advancement. Ask to visit with employees in the department where you might work.

For generation past, scanning the want ads in the newspaper (what's a newspaper?) was the first step to finding a job before the introduction of the Internet. For most, job opportunities were limited to the ones posted in the Sunday paper. Circle the good ones for a call during the week. Call. Drop off your resume. Make an appointment. Interview. Wait. Wait. Watch the mail and jump when the phone rang in hopes of good news. Wait. The process took weeks. Months.

By the time you got your answer, you were willing to accept the first job that was offered. One has to pay the bills, right? Accepting any job set a new course for one's life. For some, a positive new direction. For others, it was better than nothing. For all it soon became normal. The new normal became a way of life. Sadly for many, it was the end of their search for a better job, a new career and an improved life for them and their family.

Choose to be in charge of the job interview process. These five steps let you facilitate the interview.

1. Only apply for jobs you are truly qualified for. If you can't excel in the position you are not likely to get it and/or keep it.

2. Do your homework. Research the company. See if they have company policy posted live on the web in the form of an employee handbook or other publication.

3. Prepare a resume that clearly points out your skills, experience and education in a way that demonstrates your value for the position in question.

4. Let the prospective employer conduct their portion of the interview on their terms, first. Be attentive and answer their questions truthfully and respectfully.

5. End the interview by asking for a few minutes for questions you have about the employer. Be prepared with specific questions covering issues important to you and your family. Finish the interview by asking for a copy of company brochures, employee handbook or policy manual and promotion materials.

You now have the information to decide if you are interested in the job position being offered. If you are, follow up with a thank you letter expressing your interest.

Your parents and grandparents will be proud of you for taking your future into your own hands.