| 6 steps for landing your dream job |
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According to the experts, industry
contacts offer the best insider advice. All you have to do: Call
and ask.
For names of industry contacts, read trade publications,
says Rothberg. If you're a finance major, read finance publications,
such as The Wall Street Journal, combing them for names of hiring
managers -- the people quoted by the media. "Look for press
releases and interviews with managers. Those are the people you
want to talk to."
Also turn to your personal network and ask the people
in it if they know anyone who works in your field, says Lester.
"That way, when you call an industry contact, you can say 'Hey,
I'm a friend of Sue's.'"
Either way, once you have a name, call the person
and ask if you can meet with her for a few minutes over coffee or
lunch -- your treat. Tell her she has a job you aspire to and you'd
love to hear about how she got there, says Rothberg.
"People generally love to hear themselves talk,"
says Lester. They'll be flattered and won't say no, unless they're
really busy.
Try to get several interviews for different points
of view, and if possible, meet at the person's workplace to see
the environment, she says.
Raise real concerns when interviewing
contacts
Besides asking them how they got to their current position, raise
difficult questions about work life, says Lester. Inquiring with
questions such as "Does this job get boring?" and "Is
it hard?" and "Why is it hard?" instead of "What
do you love about your job?" will really give you the nuts
and bolts of what it's like to have the job.
By meeting and interviewing people in the field you
are interested in pursuing, you'll not only get first-hand information
about the job, but you should be able to walk away with names of
people who might want to work with you. By networking and getting
referred this way, eventually someone will hire you -- or at least
hand you some priceless career advice.
All for the cost of a cup of coffee or a meal.
You can also expand your web of contacts by attending
job fairs and meeting representatives in the industry, joining local
groups and sending e-mails to people you find in a Google search,
says Jonathan Carey, a technical recruiter for GCR
Professional Services. "Networking is key."
4. Clear up background insufficiencies
before the job interview.
Once you figure out what the career ladder looks like for your dream
job, start building a competitive resume. That means making sure
you have all the necessary skills, certifications and degrees in
your background so you can nab the job you want.
"The market is saturated, and employers
can be selective," says Carey. "Stay current with your
skill set."
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