Y Gen Out Loud » Economy

Networking your way to a career

Lauren Phillips — Mon, 03 May 2010 02:27:01 +0000

Andy Langer, KGSR-FM DJ, and Lauren Phillips meet at The 2010 Recovery: Best Jobs for the Future Economy

I’m still knee-deep looking for my purpose in life, but for this column, I am taking a break from telling you about my adventures in job hunting. Instead, I want to tell you about a recent job panel I attended. The event, optimistically labeled “The 2010 Recovery: Best Jobs for the Future Economy,” was co-sponsored by Y Gen Out Loud and campus2careers. Since I write for Y Gen Out Loud, I figured I should see what was up.

The panelists included Texas State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, Colin Pope, editor Austin Business Journal, Jay Whitchurch, CEO, campus2careers, Nathan Green, President, campus2careers, Kate McLagan, VP Client Services, Right Management, and Drew Scheberle, Senior Vice President, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. The moderator was Andy Langer, a DJ with KGSR-FM and contributor to Esquire.

I know what you’re thinking. Even though I’m part of the Y Gen team, why did I spend a Wednesday evening listening to yet more people tell me how to find a job? And believe me, that question definitely ran through my head. But, the information I learned and the people I met have made me think twice about my job search from here on out.

The good news is, it’s not all doom and gloom. The economy and job market are picking up, albeit slowly. And to prepare for the return of businesses hiring, here’s what the panel suggested – Networking. I realize this isn’t an earth-shattering pronouncement, but it really works. It did for me just last week. It’s all about putting yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to approach people, shake their hands, set up informational meetings, and distribute your business cards.

Business cards? Yes. They’re not just for the employed anymore. Some call them informational or contact cards. It’s better to have cards pre-printed with your name, e-mail address, and phone number than write that information on a napkin that’s easily lost or misplaced. Your card also makes the statement that you are proactive and professional.

But handing out your cards alone doesn’t further your job search. Arranging informational meetings are key to finding employment. Identify companies that you want to work for, go to their websites and look for people who are in the positions and departments you want to be in. Then just call them up and invite them for coffee or lunch. Most people love to give advice, and these folks will be flattered that you approached them to seek their guidance in finding work.

This shows you’re motivated and driven to find a career, attributes that won’t be forgotten. Even if their company isn’t hiring at the moment, they will know you and will keep you in mind for future openings. And make sure you send an e-mail “thank you” within 24 hours after the meeting. It may not be an official interview, but you still need to adhere to the rules, especially since these people are giving their time when they really don’t have to.

And the panelists taught me there is one more thing I should be doing every day. Treating every outing as a potential networking situation. At the panel event, I met several people that I will be contacting in the next few weeks to ask for their ideas and direction in my ongoing job search. You never know where a new perspective might take you.

Every day brings new opportunities, new chance meetings, for us to find our dream career. And that’s the main lesson I will take away from the job panel.

Book review: Y’s Up!

Regan Mathias — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:30:23 +0000

Y’s Up! 85 Tips From the Trenches to Help You Succeed in Today’s No-Guarantees Job Market

By James J. Simon and Nicole D. Simon
Paperback 192 pages
BookSurge Publishing $15.99

A quick skim of Y’s Up! 85 Tips From the Trenches to Help You Succeed in Today’s No-Guarantees Job Market is rather unimpressive. Many tips, such as “Number 60: Dressing to Impress,” seem so obvious that nobody should need a book for this advice. Others, such as “Number 10: Empowering Your PowerPoint,” seem very useless. Who in Generation Y doesn’t know how to use PowerPoint? Still other tips, such as “Number 16: Less is Sometimes More,” feel too cliché to apply in real-life situations.

However, an in-depth reading of Y’s Up! provides invaluable insight for anyone starting a career. James Simon and Nicole Simon have 25 years of combined experience in the business world and it shows in their work. It is clear that they have experience in both entry-level and managerial positions. From both perspectives, they offer advice on how to ace an interview, how to ensure a promotion, and how to secure a job in a tough economy.

Reading the tips that may seem dumb at first glance can actually be quite educational. Yes, everyone knows to dress for success, but not everyone knows what that entails. The authors offer more than just what is appropriate office wear. They offer advice on how to avoid a bad impression if someone spills his coffee on you during the day (a back-up shirt in the car never hurt anybody) and other scenarios that you may not think about until it is too late.

Their advice on PowerPoint is actually useful – even to technologically savvy Generation Y. Knowing how to use the program is not enough to guarantee success. Simon and Simon point out the traps that many people get caught in when presenting with PowerPoint. Too much information on one slide can be overwhelming and reading directly off the slide gives the impression that you are ill prepared and lack confidence.

Even the cliché “Less is Sometimes More” offers knowledge that could help a career. Everyone is guilty of being a little verbose at times or offering unnecessary information. Perhaps this seems innocent, but as the authors illustrate with another cliché, time is money and nobody in the office appreciates it when her time is wasted.

The one area lacking in this book is advice on obtaining a job. The final tip, “Number 85: Maximizing Your Chances for a Successful Interview,” is longer than any other tip. Yet, resumes are barely mentioned and many of the tips for interviews are not included in the real-life example, which makes it hard to translate their advice into action. Still, Simon and Simon acknowledge that there are other books better suited for those attempting to find jobs and ace interviews. This book is designed to guide those who already have jobs.

Overall, the authors provide excellent insight into the mind of a manager. Their book offers a unique perspective that could only be written by those who have been there. They provide the reader with detailed career advice, but more importantly, they create the mind-set of a person driven to succeed. With these tips, your career could go a long way.

Gen Y job outlook not all bleak

Regan Mathias — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:48:12 +0000

With the jobs-creation bill possibly heading for defeat in the U.S. Senate next week, and the unemployment rate at 9.7 percent, it’s no wonder that Generation Y is nervous about their economic future.

Even though the situation looks bleak, there may be hope for our generation. Some companies have managed to grow despite the recession, adding entry-level positions more often filled by recent college graduates. HomeAway, a vacation rental Web site, is one of those businesses.

“We don’t consider the age of applicants when recruiting,” said Lori Knowlton, vice president of Human Resources at HomeAway. “But we do find that we have many entry level applicants for our customer support and telesales roles. The most successful applicants for these jobs often have one to two years of experience in a customer service role and have strong technical skills.”

Other companies have grown around Generation Y. Homescout Realty, a Chicago real estate company, was recently ranked the 16th best workplace in the Windy City for Generation Y.

“The age range of our agents works with the age range of our clients,” said Jordan Wilson, business operations manager for Homescout. “Our clients are all recent graduates and it is easier for our agents of the same demographics to connect with them. They are able to build relationships and build their careers with these clients. They will help them rent an apartment now and help them buy in the future.”

Still, a struggling economy makes finding jobs difficult, especially when fighting against negative stereotypes. As pointed out by Jason Dorsey, author of Y-Size Your Business: How Gen Y Employees Can Save You Money and Grow Your Business, many employers have bought in to the idea that Generation Y isn’t as committed to hard work as previous generations.

“The biggest apprehensions I hear about Generation Y are that we act like we should be rewarded for doing the minimum, that we don’t carry ourselves in a professional manner at work, that we want constant praise, and that we are disloyal because we tend not to work for one company for many years,” Dorsey said. “It’s important to note that not all employers feel this way, but the ones who do tend to be quite vocal.”

On the other hand, Dorsey said that Generation Y does have some redeeming qualities. We are known for being technologically savvy, optimistic, good problem-solvers, and always striving for self-improvement. These qualities have not gone unnoticed by employers.

“In our entry level roles, our employees are using multiple systems to help our customers manage their property listing,” said Knowlton of HomeAway. “So it’s important to be able to solve problems effectively using a variety of tools and techniques.”

The key to landing a job, according to Dorsey, is highlighting these skills and addressing the concerns that employers may have.

“Focus on your achievements, desire to work hard, and willingness to learn on the job,” Dorsey advised. “Confront the Gen Y stereotypes head on. Let the potential employer know that you are committed to being on time – or a few minutes early – dressing professionally, working well with others of all ages and backgrounds, and trying to build a career rather than just look for a job.”

A lack of experience does not always mean that an applicant has nothing to offer a potential employer, Dorsey added. “One other tip taken from the front lines of job seeking: emphasize your past achievements rather than responsibilities. Potential employers want to know what you have accomplished and this could extend into the community or school if you don’t have much work experience.”

Gen Y’s job search up close

Samantha Scharff — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 05:47:35 +0000

The notion of being handed a full time job straight out of college is quickly fading for graduates in the 21st century. A recent statistic brings it home further. Less than 20 percent of students in the class of 2009 had jobs when they graduated. This leads us to ask what is in store for the next generation? How are recent college graduates dealing with the situation?

Michael (who, like the others interviewed for this article, asked to be referred to by first name only), a 22-year-old graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, describes the job search as much more difficult than he had expected. Graduating with excellent grades in economics, he thought finding employment wouldn’t be as strenuous as the reality has proved. The main drawback has been his lack of experience.

“I think I’m a highly credible candidate for the companies I’ve been applying to, but the majority of them won’t even consider hiring me because I don’t have two to three years of prior experience,” Michael said. “This just frustrates me because I don’t understand when they would have expected me to gain that experience while I’ve been working hard on my degree.”

Others such as Katlyn, a 24-year-old art history major, have found looking for a job in such specialty fields even more taxing. Currently a graduate student at UT focused on museum and community-based art education, Katlyn’s main concern is if the economy doesn’t get better her area of expertise will be less in demand.

“When times are bad and the economy worsens, art education programs are usually the first to be cut,” she noted. “This leaves me extremely anxious about the field of study I’ve chosen. It’s my passion, but what if I can’t find a job for years to come?”

While Stephanie, 23, expected a challenge in finding her dream career, she wasn’t prepared for the fact that even jobs she’s over-qualified for are difficult to come by. “It’s not even the jobs with high salaries or great benefits that are hard to find these days, but with this economy it feels like any job at all is hard to find!”

Like many in her generation, having a fall back plan to support herself is imperative. Stephanie is waiting tables while pursuing her employment goals.

Job interviews: not always a foot in the door

Lauren Phillips — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:38:53 +0000

After a month spent clearing my head and trying to come to terms with the fact that I was now part of the unemployed (it sounds more like an affliction), I decided to get back on the horse and seek out job interviews. For anyone who is searching for a job again, you know what I am talking about. It takes effort to prepare yourself mentally and physically for interviews. Add in the need to rework your resume to focus on the skills that employers are looking for now, and it can be a grueling time.

Most jobs provide an opportunity to build relationships that you can call on in case of emergency. My unemployment is such an emergency. I called on my employed friends, hoping something positive would come from it. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Oh, there were the occasional lunches with ex-coworkers, where I showed them my latest reworked resume and asked for any job leads. And in the few weeks after my unemployment, I felt hopeful that all this networking would turn into a new position.

But I quickly realized that the professional world is a busy one that has little time to deal with the unemployed. I know I sound negative and pessimistic, but, honestly, this was a dark time for me. As it is for many without jobs. It’s the month or so after you’ve been let go and it dawns on you that another position may not be right around the corner. At that point, panic begins to take over.

I can only say I must have been in a state of panic around the time I was put in touch with a liquor company that apparently had a marketing position open. Naturally, I began picturing myself behind a big oak desk, writing marketing-type reports and taking marketing-type calls. I talked to the company’s Director of Marketing and got an interview for that same day. Before I hung up, though, she asked me to bring a photo. I thought it was strange but, really, I was too excited that this job could be the one to end my unemployment.

So, just as I was taught in school, I went to the company’s Web site and devoured all the information. I wanted to be on fire when I walked through the doors. A few hours later, dressed in my best serious attire, I grabbed my resume folder, cover letter, reference letters, photo, and hit the road. I should have known something was up when the company address was an extravagant home on the outskirts of Austin.

I walked in to a group interview, something I had never experienced before. The Director of Marketing was dressed as if she had been running errands all day hoping to not see anyone she knew. This wasn’t exactly what I had expected, but I kept my head up and my confidence high.

The Director of Marketing instructed me to sit down at the table, a kitchen table. Four other girls were sitting at the table, also waiting to be interviewed. How should I put this? I was a tad-bit over-dressed. One girl at the end of the table could not have been older than 18, and the girl sitting across from me looked like she was ready to hit 6th Street.

The group interview was just awkward. At the end, there were contracts for each of us to fill out and turn in. The first page was fairly standard, but the second page was just weird. It asked for my weight, height, hair color, eye color and cup size – yes you read that right. I quickly added everything together and realized that I wasn’t interviewing for a marketing position that came with an oak desk. I was interviewing to be a promo girl that goes to bars asking if you want a free Coors Light. Not exactly my dream job.

I left without looking back, after first filling out the form (hey, I’m desperate). While this was one of my most unique job interviews, it wasn’t a complete waste of time. I know how much beer girls make and what the job entails, so if you’re interested in learning the ins and outs, just ask. After that interview it was back to the drawing board for me.

Follow me on Twitter @LaurenMPhillips.

Adventures in job hunting

Lauren Phillips — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:49:50 +0000

In these tough job-hunting times, everyone could use some advice, a sounding board, and definitely a laugh. That’s why I’m here. Through this column, I will share my life experiences in the world of unemployment, since I am, well unemployed. It’s been eight months and counting since I had a stable, full-time job with benefits and insurance.

But before I get into talking about my struggle to find gainful employment, let me start by introducing myself. My name is Lauren Phillips, and I am a 25-year-old graduate of The University of Texas who still resides in Austin. I graduated with a degree in English and a minor in Communication. Sometime in the spring of my junior year I fell in love with the world of radio. I was lucky enough to stay there until recently when I was let go because of budget cuts, something I’m sure some of you are very familiar with.

I started out my radio career as an intern for a top station in Austin. I moved quickly to the promotions and marketing department as a part-time employee. Soon after, I was promoted to full time and was happy! I loved that department and really felt as though I had found my niche. I had one more promotion and thought this is where I would stay.

But then came the ever popular (dun, dun, DUN) budget cuts, and that pretty much sums up where I am today.

Don’t get me wrong. I am in no way upset or bitter towards my former employers – sad yes, but not angry. It is a hard thing to deal with, but it makes you stronger in the end. I am not going to lie – I did shut down for a while just to get my thoughts straight and to clear my head, which I think is much needed when someone for the first time becomes one of the unemployed masses.

With all that said, I plan to use this column to describe and explain what I have been through these past eight months (and maybe more as the column goes on), with a liberal dose of sarcasm and humor thrown in. With any luck, my adventures will make it easier for you to cope and know that you’re not alone in the unemployment boat. And I want to hear from you, about your travails through the laid off land mine, in the hope that we can learn from each other as we work to become full-time employees!

Follow me on Twitter @LaurenMPhillips.