Jessica writes:
Hi, I just graduated from college and am one of the lucky ones, I guess, because I have a job offer. I am supposed to start working in the marketing department next week and I have no clue what to expect — and more importantly, what they expect of me. How can I make a good first impression? I really want to succeed in this company.
Wanting to make a good first impression with your new employer is very smart thinking. As with any situation, people often take short-cuts in making conclusions about people — and first impressions can make or break your future in any organization. Now, don’t panic. I’m not necessarily talking about work expertise first impressions as I am attitude first impressions. Most employers don’t expect new employees to solve all the company’s problems the first day; however, the way you handle yourself around the workplace is of vital importance and does indeed start the first day.
So, what are some ways to make a good first impression? I don’t have room for all my suggestions, so here are the most important:
- Have a positive attitude. Nothing works better — in all situations — than having and expressing a positive attitude. Don’t be afraid to show your enthusiasm.
- Dress professionally. Never underestimate the importance of dressing professionally in your new job, especially in those early days.
- Show your team spirit. You are now part of a work team, and teams work together to solve problems and get the job done — so become a good teammate.
- Learn names quickly. Nothing says disinterest as quickly as someone who can’t seem bothered to remember anyone’s name, so if you have trouble learning names you might want to try a memory aid — and at least show you’re trying.
- Ask questions. You are not expected to know everything, so don’t be afraid to seek out help and ask questions of your co-workers and your boss.
Being the newest member of the organization — the rookie — is both a challenging and exciting time. Just relax and remember to make the best first impression you can.
You can read all 20 of our tips for making a good first impression by reading the latest article published on Quintessential Careers, Your First Days Working at a New Job: 20 Tips to Help You Make a Great Impression.
And check out the new Workplace Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Anonymous writes:
I’m a journalist with a number of years of daily newspaper experience. I am currently working at a fairly large paper. I’m getting an MBA part-time, and I’ll graduate in about a year. It’s a 36-credit program with no specialties. I am in a dead-end job at my paper, and have no chance of moving forward because of office politics. I’m not sure what I can do with an MBA and my experience. My school does not have career-placement services. I’m considering law school after my MBA. What are my options, with and without law school? Will I potentially earn more money with a law degree?
I just read an alarming statistic that graduate school applications, especially MBAs and law school, are up dramatically this year over last as more and more people are at least attempting to earn graduate degrees in hopes of landing a better job — or any job — in a better economy once their graduate education is complete.
I don’t understand the thinking of job-seekers such as those - or you — that enter into a graduate program with no clear career strategy. The MBA is going to give you certain credentials to open many doors in business to you, especially combined with your years of work experience. The MBA is a symbol to employers that you have the ability to think strategically, analyze situations, formulate plans, and implement plans.
Of course, you could also combine two of your interests and try to move forward with your journalistic career into business reporting, but I sense you may be getting tired of journalism.
One of the current trends in graduate education is the idea of dual graduate degrees, and the MBA/JD is one of the most popular combinations. Many of these folks go into corporate law with all sizes of organizations. The benefit of having the strategic knowledge along with the legal knowledge is very appealing.
You really need to map out a strategy for your career before going any farther. I recommend you read my article, Developing a Strategic Vision for Your Career Plan, published on Quintessential Careers.
And since you are currently in an MBA program, I also recommend reviewing some of the resources we have in the Job and Career Resources for MBAs section of Quintessential Careers. These sites will at least give you an idea of the types of career paths and jobs for job-seekers with MBAs.
Karen writes:
I’ve been a travel agent for 10 years and am making less than $25,000 per year. I’ve recently received my bachelor’s degree, and am very interested in changing careers to the human resources field. Since my salary is so low, do you feel even with my degree it would be hard to even change careers and achieve a salary over $39,000 per year? What is the best route to break into a new career in human resources?
There are any number of reasons why people change careers, though usually it revolves around discovering a new career passion or interest — and not so much on the money. I’m a little concerned that you have such a focus on salary and not on other issues.
Often when you change careers — no matter how many years of work experience you have in other fields — you take a pay-cut because you have achieved a certain level within your old career. The good news for you, though, is that you should see a pay increase from the $25,000 you have been making — but don’t expect a huge jump.
The salary offer you may receive depends greatly on the position within HR you are hired for, the geographic location, the industry, and the company itself. You can get an idea of salary ranges you might expect based on some of these criteria by using a resource such as Salary.com.
I would also consult with the professionals in your college’s career services office, a few of your former HR professors, and the resources of the Society of Human Resource Management — one of your professional organizations.
Your best method of finding a new job in this field is through networking. Use professional organizations, alumni, career services, friends and family, and other sources for building your network of contacts. Let them know you have recently received your degree and are in the midst of a career change.
Resources that can help you in this career change:
- Career Change Resources
- Art of Networking
- Salary Negotiation Resources
- Society for Human Resource Management
Victoria writes:
Dear Dr. Hansen: The scenario is this. If I have a job interview on a Wednesday, and another (more preferred) interview on a Thursday, how should I handle it if the Wednesday interview results in a job offer on the spot? Should I accept the first offer and then decline it if the second one becomes available, or do I level with them that I have other interviews and would like a couple of days to mull it over? Would this put the first offer in jeopardy? I certainly wouldn’t want to insult anyone and appear to be hedging my bets (even though that’s what I would be doing). Any suggestions for proper direction? Thanks.
In any kind of job-hunting situation where a job-seeker is facing a tough choice, the solution is always to determine which alternative is the least offensive to the prospective employer(s). In your scenario, it would be much worse to accept the first offer, only to rescind the acceptance the next day.
The even better news for you is that there is much precedence in a job-seeker asking for time to consider an offer. In fact, my advice for all job-seekers would be to ask for time to consider the offer — if only to give you some time to think about it with a clear head. The stress of job interviews is enough to push some of us over the edge, but combine that with the excitement over getting the offer, and you have a job-seeker’s brain which is not functioning at peak capacity.
And if the employer did question your motives for not accepting the job on the spot, that might be a sign that you really would not want to work there anyway.
But all this advice might be moot, because as my mother says, while it’s good to think of all possible scenarios, you may be putting the cart before the horse. I continue to hear more and more of employers extending the typical job-search — where a search may have been completed in several weeks, now they are taking several months.
So, if you do not immediately get an offer from either employer, do not panic. Be sure to write your thank you letters to all your interviewers and be sure to follow-up with both companies.
For other interviewing tips and advice, go to the Interviewing Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Amy writes:
I am a sales representative, also in charge of all marketing and branding. My 6-month review is next week and I want to go in prepared and confident. I also want to ask for a raise. I have never had a review before and I’m nervous. How can the employee best prepare herself for the review?
It’s only natural to be a little nervous, a bit anxious. The best advice I can give you is to devise a strategy for the meeting. Go to the meeting prepared with examples of your accomplishments and contributions and a plan for how you will continue making those and more accomplishments in the future. You should have a realistic idea of the size of the raise you want, based on company policies and what you’re worth in the marketplace.
Some other tips concerning asking for a raise:
- Always remember to focus on the idea that you deserve a raise (and why), not that you need a raise.
- Especially in this economy, be flexible and open to other options besides a big raise. There are any number of options or perks you may be able to get instead of a raise (or a larger raise).
- Be able to demonstrate your commitment to the department and organization by showing how you have taken on new projects, acquired new skills, etc.
- Always be professional. Don’t make ultimatums, whine, or beg.
- Raise your profile within the department and organization. We’re taught to be modest, but no one is really going to know your accomplishments and contributions unless you broadcast them.
- Remember that the rules of asking for a raise mirror that of salary negotiation — and always let the employer make the first raise offer.
- Find a mentor in senior management who can be your advocate for future raises and promotions.
- If you didn’t get the raise you wanted, ask for suggestions on how you can improve and how you can make more contributions to the department and the organization.
You find other strategies in an article published on Quintessential Careers: Getting the Raise You Deserve.
Rachel writes:
I am currently 15 years old and in the 10th grade. Since I only have two more years left to really do my career planning and college planning, I was wondering if you could help me in any way. I would really love to become a magazine editor and I’m just not sure where to start at. For instance, what I should major in. If you can help me in any way, please email me back! Thanks!
I first need to give you a hearty congratulations, Rachel, for thinking about your career at such an early age. I think high school is a great time to begin thinking about the things you really enjoy doing — and then researching careers that match those interests.
Magazine editors, as you probably already know, need to have a strong grasp on the English language, have good people skills, and good organizational skills. Most editors were first writers who then progressed up the ladder to assistant editors, associate editors, and then editors.
So, your first step is really to learn more about the career. What really attracts you to the idea of being a magazine editor? There certainly is some glamour attached to the job, but you need to do the research to see all the hard work that goes along with the job. It’s never too early to contact a few editors and ask if they would allow you to conduct an informational interview with them. An informational interview is where you meet and discuss jobs and careers — where you can learn much more about a career field, and where you can begin to build your network.
The two most important things you can do now is find a good college where you can take more writing classes and start getting writing experiences. A college with a journalism program is helpful, partly because the professors may have more contacts in the field, but really any college that has a strong writing program would work. And experience is critical. Start writing for your high school publications and consider freelancing for your town’s newspaper. Once in college, strive for editorial internships and more experience.
Find lots more resources in the Career Exploration Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
And find lots of college resources in the College Planning Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
Josie writes:
I am writing because I don’t know where I am going wrong. I recently graduated with a B.S. in biology and had hopes to do something related in either the animal field or environmental field of biology. It seems no matter what search engine I use, there is never anything listed even under “job categories” that is closely related to what I want to do. What am I doing wrong? Where do I go to look for something in my field or are there just no jobs posted?
Please help me. I need a job bad.
I know this response is going to sound a little like a broken record, but the vast majority of jobs are not posted online. That said, I can guarantee that you could at least conduct some very solid research on environmental biology careers using the Internet.
So, your first step is getting a better handle on the types of careers and jobs that are available to someone with a bachelor’s degree in biology. While you could conduct a lot of this research on the Web, I would also utilize your former professors and the career services staff. You could also check your school or local library for a number of good books, such as Great Jobs for Biology Majors (McGraw-Hill, 1999). Some of your old textbooks probably even have some information about careers.
Once you’ve identified the types of careers and jobs you want to pursue, the next step is finding the companies and organizations that offer those jobs and career paths. Conduct industry research and find the leaders in the various fields and contact hiring managers at these companies.
Finally, do not forget that networking is really the key to successful job-hunting. Talk with the career services and alumni offices at your alma mater and start building your network.
A good place to find some job sites related to your field is to go to this section of Quintessential Careers: Jobs in Agriculture, Zoology, and the Environment.
You might also consider reading this article published on Quintessential Careers: Ten Questions to Ask Yourself if You Still Haven’t Found a Job.
Judith writes:
I don’t know what I am doing wrong. I have been able to get a few job interviews, but I never get beyond the first interview. One of the interviewers told me that I did not seem interested in the company — that I didn’t know anything about the company … but how am I supposed to? Please help me. I haven’t worked in almost a year.
A critical mistake many job-seekers make is not bothering to research potential employers, which is bad for several reasons. First, you should always research companies to help you decide if you even want to work at any of them; fit is such an important aspect of job enjoyment. Second, having information about the company can help you better prepare for the interview; the more you know about a company, the better you’ll understand all aspects of its operations. Third, you need to conduct some research on each company because you should expect the inevitable question from the interviewer: “What do you know about our company?” Sometimes it might be phrased as: “Why do you want to work for us?”
All job-seekers need to conduct research and develop critical information about each company — its products and services; key executives; new products, plants, or divisions; company culture; organizational structure; diversity and values; benefits; career paths; etc.
What’s the best source of company information? The company’s Website, of course! It’s absolutely amazing what you can find published on company Websites. You can either try directly entering the company name in your favorite browser. For example, if you were researching Aetna, you could simply try typing in www.aetna.com. Or, go to your favorite search engine (such as Google.com) and type in the company name in the search box. You can also go to the Quintessential Directory of Company Career Centers.
But not all companies have been quite so forthcoming on their Websites, so where else can you get company information? There are many, many sources — both online and in print — for both private and public companies.
Finally, you may also want to conduct some research on the main or key industries that the company operates within. To do so, simply use one or more of several industry sources available online and in print.
The last word(s): If you really want to make an impression, either add your company research to your portfolio or put the research into a binder. Then, when the interviewer asks you about what you know about the company, you can pull out the binder and do a little show and tell.
Want to learn more? Go to my article published on Quintessential Careers: Step-by-Step Guide to Researching Companies.
Find key country, industry, and company research tools here: Guide to Researching Companies, Industries, and Countries.
Jim writes:
Can you tell me of an online resource, that would tell me what careers would relate to a specific type of degree. I have a degree and cannot find what job can relate to it.
You need to totally change your focus. Except for very technical subject areas — or advanced degrees — your college major is not nearly as important as the degree itself. Employers want job-seekers with college degrees and work experience… everything else beyond that point it gravy.
So, rather than focusing on what types of jobs are available to people with your degree — and there are Websites that provide that information — a better exercise for you is to discover what truly interests you and excites you. Once you discover these things, you can then match jobs that utilize those skills and interests.
Take the time to examine all your courses, class projects, and work experience. Think about the times you were most excited, most energized, most satisfied. Make a list. Also think about the stuff you never want to do again — activities you found boring or uninspiring. Make a list of those, too.
Once you’re done with your lists, start investigating jobs and career paths that utilize the stuff you like to do while minimizing the stuff you don’t ever want to do. Once you’ve discovered the types of jobs that best fit you, your next step is identifying employers that are hiring for those jobs.
Don’t ever feel limited to search for jobs that fit your major in college. However, if you really want to see some examples, you can go to one of the many “what can I do with a major in…” sites, such as this one from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
You can find other good resources in this section of Quintessential Careers: Career Exploration Resources.
Ginny writes:
I graduated from graduate school 9 months ago and have been looking for a
good career supporting job since that time. I interviewed with Company A last
week and it went very well. This is my first choice for employment and I am
almost certain that I will be offered a position. I will find out in 2 weeks. If they
do offer me a position, it will be conditional based upon passing a security
clearance (which shouldn’t be a problem) but will take a minimum of 6 months.
Three days after my interview with Company A, I was offered a position at Company B to start immediately. This isn’t my top choice of job for my career but it is with a good stable company with good benefits and salary.
My dilemma is this: Do I accept company B’s offer and then resign if Company A’s offer comes through in 6 months? Personally, I believe this to be ethically reprehensible. But Company A’s offer isn’t in stone, and I don’t want to be left unemployed for potentially another year.
My mother taught me to believe that the bird in the hand is worth two in the bush… meaning that the job offer in hand is a lot more valuable than one that may come down the road some time — especially one six months away. So, if I had no further information, I would accept the offer from Company B.
That said, of course, I think you have some alternatives. I would inform my contact at Company A that I had another job offer and while I preferred to work for Company A, I could not afford to wait six months for a job offer. Perhaps there is room for a compromise, such as conditional employment, pending the final background screening. If Company A is not willing to work with you on a compromise, I would accept Company B’s offer and see what happens. In six months, you might find you really enjoy the work at Company B. And if Company A does decide to hire you conditionally, be sure to politely decline the offer from Company B so as not to burn any bridges there.
Learn more about negotiating job offers in the Salary Negotiation Tools section of Quintessential Careers.
EmpoweringSites.com -- DeLand, FL 32720
Home Page: http://www.empoweringsites.com/
Copyright � EmpoweringSites.com. All Rights Reserved
Serviced by Movable Type Solutions Company