These days, thanks to the Internet, many people spend time job hunting in their pajamas. They sit cross-legged in front of the computer, drinking coffee, typing up resumes and researching companies on a sleepy weekend morning.
Remember the chaos of pounding the pavement? The frustration of relying on cold calls? Those nerve-busting tactics have fallen by the wayside, and job searching (at least in its early stages) has transitioned into a casual, home-based activity.
You can locate potential employers, introduce yourself and even schedule interviews without picking up the phone. And with just a few clicks of the mouse, you can learn about the vision of a start-up firm, gather clues about the financial history of a major corporation or follow the marketing plan of your favorite consumer brand. You can also use your private time to strengthen your resume and prepare some impressive and truthful work-related stories to discuss during interviews.
Job searching at home can be extremely productive. If you use your time well, it can transform a drag-your-feet search into a highly focused, fast-paced effort. Your additional preparation — whether it involves research, writing or planning — will significantly improve your chances in a competitive job market.
But some job seekers forget to transition from the living room to the office. When it comes time to place phone calls or meet hiring managers in person, they overlook some basic job-hunting guidelines: details about professionalism and interpersonal communication.
If you have been conducting the early stages of your job hunt in the privacy of your home, you might need to nudge yourself a bit before you take the next step. Leaving the house for an interview? Check your clothing, down to your shoes. Is your attire suitable for the workplace? Does it fit in with the norm for your industry? And don’t neglect your resume. You should have a few clean, up-to-date copies on hand during every interview.
Here’s something else that tends to be left behind when home-based job seekers leave the house: Work-appropriate language. Unless you are targeting trendy companies such as advertising firms, gaming businesses or technology start-ups, you may choose to avoid words such as “dude,” “man,” “totally awesome,” and “hot” (when used to describe something other than the temperature).
Am I being old-fashioned? I don’t think so. I find nothing personally offensive against this list of words. And if it makes you happy, I think you should wear jeans (or pajamas) almost every day of your life. When you land the job, you can say whatever you want, and dress as casually as your boss allows. But until you get hired, I recommend saving the cut-offs for vacation days, and keeping the youthful chatter to yourself.
In job searching, you have one goal: To land a rewarding job as quickly as possible. To succeed, you need to impress the hiring manager. That’s all.
I applaud home-based job seekers. They know how to make the most of a challenging task, leaning back in an easy-chair, laptop on their knees, wearing the most comfortable clothing that they own.
My advice is this: Don’t forget to keep your composure when you head out into the world. If you’re looking for a professional position, act like a professional, dude.
Send your job search questions to Eve.GetAJob@gmail.com.
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