A Crash Course in Finding, Landing, and Keeping Your First Real Job
This fresh, authoritative guide isn't just for nose-ring wearers! It's for anyone who's ready to get serious about the job search.
Writing with enormous authority and a compelling, lively voice, Ellen
Reeves brings together her lifetime of experience of hiring, counseling,
and résumé-doctoring into an essential guide for young job seekers.
Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?
takes readers step-by-step through a process that was always tough, but
is today especially challenging. Begin the search with a professional
mind-set—get organized, and set yourself up with business cards, a
respectable e-mail address, and a working cell phone. The importance of
networking and the rule of three—try to make three e-mails or phone
calls a day, but never more than that. The "elevator speech"—hone your
pitch to the length of an elevator ride and be prepared to use it at the
most unexpected times. The art of writing cringe-free cover letters and
killer résumés—from timelines, hooks, and grammatical do's and don'ts
to why you should never use the phrase "References available upon
request," never include your GPA, and never, ever make a typo. How to
dress for an interview, including why to put on your business clothes
when interviewing at home, over the phone. Things to be honest about:
citizenship and past salary range. And things not to say: "I want this
job because I need health insurance."
Then once you're in, how to
negotiate salary, what to expect in a review, and basic first job
common sense: take initiative, be humble and helpful, never use your
boss as a confidant, and always say "I'll find out" instead of "I don’t
know." Now you're on your way.