Hey Pandas, Share Your Job-Hunting Tips (Closed)

As a manager at a small bank, I recently interviewed about 10 candidates for an entry level position. I understand these 20-something’s are applying anywhere and everywhere. Most of them acted like they’d no clue they were applying at a bank. Here’s my advice:
1. Visit the business at least once in person prior to the interview if possible. Notice what they are wearing.
2. Dress that way in the interview.
3. Look up their website and find out who you applied to work for. Take note of something you find interesting.
4. Use that information to ask a question about the business or use something you read as a reason for why you want to work there.

If you seem genuinely interested in doing this type of work, the manager will be more interested in you.

Develop a good network. Friends, former co-workers and supervisors, customers. Maintain good relationships. When management asks if anyone knows someone for a position you want your name to come up.

If you haven't interviewed for a job in a while. Apply and interview for a job that you don't want to sharpen your interviewing skills. Have a pen and notepad and take notes. Look sharp but, if at all possible do NOT out-dress the interviewer.

ALWAYS...-Check In where you've applied for a job and CHECK IN OFTEN! Once or twice weekly...-When Checking In on your application, consider leaving a fresh Resume' once a month, even fill out another application. -Always say "Thank You for your time" no matter what, hired or not as this leaves a lasting impression. And Most importantly, - Always keep a log of Whom, What, and Where you applied for a Job at! Nothing more frustrating than not remembering where you applied, what you applied for!

Note what companies/businesses are near you. Visit their websites to see if they have any openings of the sort you are seeking.

Never be afraid to cold-call! Companies don't always advertise their openings.

Keep a journal of your search. Make a spreadsheet of the companies you contact, how you applied if you did, and any results. If there is a place where you really want to work, check their website once a week.

If you don't have a LinkedIn account, make one.

Watch for games the interview may play, and other staff playing alone. This is most prevalent with retail jobs. If you hear something the interview says that sounds off or seems unprofessional this is likely done on purpose just to see how you react. Don't fall for it. But you also don't have to put up with that kind of behaviour.
Not all retail job interviews are like this. Some examples of these games that I have witnessed:

1. Applied at Warehouse One. Got to the interview 5 minutes early. Was told the manager was a busy and to look around while waiting. There was a lady, I presumed was either a co-worker tidying up the store or a customer. The 2 associates were just hanging around sort of watching me. Awkward. Turns out the "Customer" was the manager. We did the interview. She said nothing about why she didn't acknowledge me. I didn't get the job.

2. Arden's this time in the worst mall in my city: The interview seemed to go well, the conversation was casual. The manager was rambling most of the time. I asked about what to do if I saw someone stealing. She told me nothing can be done and the security guards don't want store staff to intervene. Normal enough answer. But then she went on talking about a mom bringing in her 5 kids to steal a bunch of stuff all the time, calling them "The Tribe" because of their Indigenous race. I'm glad I didn't get the job.

Not just retail, but any sales type job.
3. I can't remember the name of this company, but I was recommended to apply at an office, I think it was a call center job. I got to the interview on time and waited in the lobby. The receptionist told me the interviewer will take me now. I walked into the office and saw he was on the phone. I stood there waiting patiently for a bit. When he got off the phone he told me I can just go. Strange. The lady who told me to apply said she was told by the guy that he was looking for someone more aggressive to get someone's attention. I was supposed to actually interrupt his phone call. I was totally OK with not getting that job.

Remember that you are interviewing the interviewer as much as the interviewer is interviewing you. DO ask questions, not just about the position and company, but also how the interviewer enjoys working for the company. This was something I had always forgot to do to, except for the last interview I got and that ended up being the job I was accepted at.

Personality and character is about as important as your skills.

Don't worry if you don't have all the skills to start out with for the position. They're not looking for a master. They're looking for someone who's eager and willing to learn and improve on themselves.

Sometimes what makes a great place to work for is not the tasks but the people. Remember that, always. You could be working your dream job but hate every moment of it because the manager won't stop shouting at you in front of everyone for every little mistake.
Read employee reviews and pay attention to the quantity of bad reviews. If the company has multiple locations pay attention to what people are saying about specific locations, and about the company's values. "This was the worst job ever. The customers are so mean. I got fired for standing around chatting with a co-worker for 15 minutes and I wasn't allowed be on my phone. Not even for a quick message." (I saw this as an actual employee review regarding the store I work at.) If you're not familiar with the policies it may sound like a valid reason to rant. But once you learn that cellphones have to be kept locked in your locker, and not allowed to be kept on you, and that standing around chatting for 15 minutes when there's a TON of work to be done all the time, but can still chat with co-workers while working, you'll see that the employee in the review was let go for good reasons.
But if you see reviews that say something very specific and concerning about the work culture there may be some valid truths to take into account.

I always ask the same questions they ask me. If they ask me "Why do you think you should work here?" I'll give them my answer and ask them, "And why do YOU think I should work here? What on my resume caught your eye, and would you like me to expand on something?"

Where do you see yourself in five years? After giving my answer, I'd ask them, "Where do YOU see me in five years? Do you see a path that you think would be appropriate me?"

I didn't ask these in a snarky way. I asked them as a matter of engagement and to get their insight, and keep the dialog going. I don't believe in "gotcha" questions, just a chance to learn more about the company.

Also, I am not on social media. When I was, I kept my account deeply private and told employers I didn't have any accounts. Employers can check my work history, credit rating, etc., but no way did I want them looking at conversations between me and my friends and family. I didn't engaged in any potty behavior on social media; I just wanted employers to stay out of my personal life. That's my line.

All through my teens, 20s and 30s I always tried to be the person who the employer wanted for the job, while staying truthful of course. This usually ended in a job offer which I accepted. Sometime in my 40s I realized just how many times this resulted in a bad fit culture and personality wise. I decided that I would try being myself first and then show them how I was best for the job. While I sometimes didn't get an offer, those that I got were much better for me and I enjoyed them more. For example, I like to have fun when I work and if things are stressful I often joke around to lighten the mood. I was so busy trying to be "professional" in interviews that I would find myself in a position where the people I worked with had no sense of humor and thought that I wasn't serious about my work. Another example is that I like to find better ways to do things once I understand the nature of my job. I've ended up working for managers whose style is "we've always done it this way." Not a good fit because I don't feel challenged or like I'm contributing in a meaningful way. Anyway, I guess my point is that if you want to find a company/manager who appreciates your work style and understands you, you have to show them who you are. And if being yourself doesn't get you an offer, you wouldn't have been happy working there. If you desperately need any job, you can disregard being yourself. Just know that you might be looking for something else after you start. 😉

Jobs are most commonly found in freshwater but can occasionally be found in mud puddles. You might want to consider bringing a few nets on your job-hunting trip, since jobs are known for evading capture. No but for real this time, I’d suggest looking for a job you’re interested in (when possible). If you enjoy the job you will probably be more motivated to work harder.

If you're looking for a White Collar Job, use the ideas from the book 2 Hour Job search by Steve Dalton. I used it for making a mid career shift and found it an invaluable resource.

- Don't overload your application with overly academic sounding redundancy if it isn't a field that doesn't require it and/or if you don't actually talk that way. Writting in the natural way you talk makes it easier for the employer to get a more correct image of you and it shows that it's not a cookie-cutter application from the internet. (It should of course be somewhat professional and not full of slang for example). It also makes you stand out positivley from the competition.

- Don't drag out your cover letter with too much emphasis on the motivation. The most important part are your skills, all the rest can be talked about in the actual interview. The goal is to gain enough interest to get invited but not enough to paint a full picture.

- Always be able to explain periods without work in your CV/Resume in a plausible manner, having good reasons is better than saying it was tough to find work.

Following that really helped me, and as somebody trained in managing hiring processes I can say that such things really raise your chances.

When you get to the part where they say, "Any other questions," always, ALWAYS ask, "So, the company car is a BMW, correct?" Watch their faces, and if they smile, laugh, or joke back, TAKE THE JOB! If they frown, stare, or say, "There is no company car here," RUN FOR THE HILLS!

Everyone always used to say you need to make sure your résumé stands out... this used to be great advice but now this is a very bad thing to do.

Unless you are applying for a very small business, many companies use AI to comb through résumés for the first round. The problem with this is that most were taught using actual résumés which means it learned based on the appearance and wording of those specific résumé. The AIs look for particular terms and particular formatting. Often times the source resumes are retyped and submitted meaning they look more plain to improve learning. Because you don't know what exactly the source was, your goal has to be to have a résumé that blends in so that it's appearance isn't grounds for immediate disqualification. If you truly want to "stand out" then bring a new résumé to your interview formatted in a was that reflects your vibe.

Always dress conservative unless it's a graphic design post. It shows you respect them. If it's a graphic design post, make sure you have a man bun, one of those ring earrings that enlarges the hole, some tattoos, a chequered shirt, and a portable LP player.

Tattoo your resume on your arm (jk)

Be related to the interviewer and more higher ups in the company.

In the interview, get names and email addresses. That night, send everyone involved a thank you email. It doesn't need to be long, you don't need to sell yourself more, and you don't need to use snail mail like the old days. This alone will set you apart from other interviewees.

I find that the best two ways to get a job are (A) hang around a place and be useful in an unobtrusive way. Eventually they'll hire you. I know that sounds like boomer advice but it's just how I got my jobs every time (the last four or so). (B) make friends with fancy people at bars and make sure you occasionally let on what your skillset is. Eventually they'll be like "hey I know a guy who can do X"