A few months ago, I spoke to a class of graduating seniors at Keuka College, my alma mater. We talked about the challenges they face in looking for jobs and some of the ways the job hunt has changed recently. Driving home, I came up with a few more bits of advice that I wish I had thought of during our discussion, so I wrote them down:
There’s a terrific scene in an episode of The West Wing where the President and one of his political advisers are arguing about whether or not to poll where he spends Thanksgiving. The debate is over the intrusion of politics into personal matters of the President, specifically the involvement of his family in political matters. The President says they’re off limits, the advisor says he wants to use them. (Don’t worry, I’m getting somewhere with this...).
After Martin Sheen gives his ultimatum (in that great presidential swagger of his: “You don't poll where my family goes, am I making myself clear?”), the political advisor responds:
Advisor
Sometimes I have a difficulty talking to people who don't race sailboats.
The President
What?
Advisor
I have difficulty sometimes talking to people who don't race sailboats. When I was a teenager, I crewed Larchmont to Nassau on a 58-foot sloop called Cantice. There was a little piece of kelp that was stuck to the hull, and even though it was little, you don't want anything stuck to the hull. So, I take a boat hook on a pole and I stick it in the water and I try to get the kelp off, when seven guys start screaming at me, right? 'Cause now the pole is causing more drag than the kelp was. See, what you gotta do is you gotta drop it in and let the water lift it out in a windmill motion. Drop it in, and let the water take it by the kelp and lift it out. In, and out. In, and out, till you got it.
The voters aren't choosing a plumber, Mr. President. They are choosing a president. And if you don't think that your family should matter, my suggestion to you is to get out of professional politics. And if you think that I'm going to miss even one opportunity to pick up half-a-mile of boat speed, you're absolutely out of your mind. When it costs us nothing, when we give up nothing?! You're out of your mind.
Now, the point of that: if you’re not moving in a direction that helps your cause, you’re moving in a direction that hurts it. That’s absolutely true when it comes to looking for a job, especially when most HR people are already looking for reasons to toss your resume, not pass it on.
So how do you stand out? How do you differentiate yourself from the pile of a hundred or two hundred other resumes sitting on their desks?
Well, honestly, chances are, you’re not the best qualified. Someone else in the pool probably went to a better school or has more pertinent experience or better references. (You’re not going to hit them all out of the park.)
But even up against those competitors, you can stand out. You can leverage what you have and present yourself as a better option, as the best option.
You just have to do everything you can to pick up that extra half-a-mile of boat speed.
When I worked for Apple, selling computers and iPods and iPhones, they gave me a little card that had the company credo on it; it was a list of fourteen or fifteen ideals the company holds close, guidelines for what makes an Apple employee an Apple employee. Every company has one, I’m sure, but the tone of Apple’s is the reason Apple is Apple and everybody else is everybody else: it’s a perfect extension of Apple’s corporate culture.
The only one I really remember — since they were all pretty much common sense, anyway — was this: You Are Always On Stage. Whether you were dealing with a customer on the floor or another employee in the storage room, you were expected to perform the way an ideal Apple employee would. You were expected to live up to their standards whenever you put the blue t-shirt on, and because you did, you were better than any employee of any other company.
Sounds cheesy, but ya know what?
It works.
Apple is known for having outstanding employees, and because of that, it looks pretty good when you put it on your resume.
Even if you haven’t worked for Apple, follow the credo: realize that you’re always on stage, even when you don’t think you are. The way you carry yourself — on and off the clock — will show through, and employers will make judgements based on that. Which is great, frankly, because you can use it as one more opportunity to show that you’re the kind of person they want to deal with on a daily basis. It’s only a drag — like that little piece of kelp — if you let it be.
So all right, that sounds great. But how do you do it? Well, here's a list of things I wish somebody had told me, in no particular order:
Create a personal website.
Yourname.com. It’ll cost you like twelve bucks to register. Even if it's just business card info, with your name, your email address, your phone number, and a link to your LinkedIn profile, a website shows you have the presence of mind to be proactive. The internet’s not going anywhere, so embrace it. (If you’re applying for positions where you’re expected to have a portfolio, figure out a way to put your portfolio online. Learn how to use WordPress, find an online service that does it — LinkedIn has a portfolio section — or pay somebody to do it for you. But get it done yesterday.)
Follow trends/meet people.
Blogs and Twitter make it incredibly easy to get in touch with incredibly powerful people, like maybe the guy who’s looking to hire you. Or the guy who writes the blog he reads on a daily basis. Either way, there are so-called “thought leaders” who are talking, and if people in your industry are listening, you should be too.
Ask questions.
People love to talk about themselves and their experiences. When you meet someone in a position to help, ask them how they got to where they are, what advice they might have for someone in your position, and if they’d like to go out for a drink some time. Send follow-up questions every once in a while about something going on in the industry, so you stay fresh on their mind. But don't ask for the job. (They’re smart people; they already know you want it).
You're not a drone.
Have a personality. They're hiring you, they'll see you every day. Make their decision easy by being likable — but not a kiss-ass. To make the interview easier, include a few key interests at the bottom of your resume. This helps break the ice and gives them a chance to find out who you are outside of spreadsheets and timecards. Just don't put trivial interests, like the fact that you were on the intramural floor hockey team in college. Keep it basic: Poker, Baseball, Baking. (Baking is a good one, because it's basically just a legal form of bribery, according to my brother - he's a lawyer, so it's gotta be true.)
Sell yourself.
If you're going to be selling something — and let's be honest, they only hire people to sell, even positions in other roles; every interaction with a customer/client is a selling opportunity — show them how good you are by selling yourself to them. If you can't do that, why would they think you could sell their product?
Twitter public, Facebook private.
There's a reason for the distinction between “friends” and “followers.” Keep Facebook personal (dig around in the settings and only allow your friends to view your information), and use twitter to broadcast to the whole world. But remember: avoid politics, religion, and sex.
Have Something To Say.
Write a blog (again: Wordpress), and make it worth reading. The easiest way for employers to know that you’re engaged and passionate about your industry is to show them that you are. Keep a blog with your thoughts and opinions on industry news to show that you’re keeping up with what’s going on. (Remember those "thought leaders" I was talking about? How do you think they became thought leaders?)
Use gmail.
And it better be your name.
Speak authoritatively (and don't be wrong).
I might not know what I'm talking about - I could be full of shit - but you wouldn’t know it from reading this. When you say something, say it with conviction and support it with strong arguments. If you’re giving an opinion, make sure it’s well thought out. Do that and you won’t sound like a moron.
The guy on the other side of the table is a human being.
He plays with his kids, he eats leftovers for dinner, and every once in a while he calls his mother, just like you do. Be a little intimidated when you walk into his office, but don't let it control you.
Social networking.
Be where they're looking. If the company has a facebook page and a twitter account, you should follow them. If they use other services, you should use them too. And keep your LinkedIn account up to date.
In-person networking (which is also social, but shouldn’t involve an internet connection).
Share your experiences. They're unique and they're valuable. Whether you’re meeting people in the same industry or in a completely different field, we all offer our own perspective. While it might not necessarily relate, sometimes looking at things from another angle helps. Do it for others and they’ll do it for you.
Buy the first drink.
If you’re meeting with someone who outranks you (and is in a position to hire you or recommend you to someone who is hiring) or if they can help you meet new people, make sure you’re picking up the first round. If not, save your money. But be nice anyways. You never know when they might run into someone who needs a watchyamacallit, and you might be the answer. That's what networking is about.
Dress for the part.
I once went for an interview in the Hamptons for a social media position, and, nervous before the first meeting, shaved my beard off because I didn’t want to look out of place. Later, I told my brother about it and asked if he would have done the same. “No,” he said. “In fact, if I’m hiring a social media person, I don’t want somebody unless they have a beard!” I got the job, but it was an important lesson nonetheless: looking the part can be just as important as acting the part. Just err on the side of classy. Better to be the best-dressed one in the room than the poorest.
You're not interviewing for a job, you're interviewing for a career.
Even if you're looking at an entry level position, you're auditioning for a role with the company. Don't treat the job like it's any less important because it involves making coffee. Entry-level positions exist to train employees for higher-up positions, so employers look for personalities and work that ethic fit that their corporate culture (remember the credo?) and people who will show the potential to move up. (Unless, obviously, you're vying for a temporary position. In which case, try to show that you're too valuable to let go at the end of the job. Do it right, and they'll find something else for you to do.)
Don't go through HR.
Again, the HR person's job is to take the stack of 300 resumes on their desk and whittle it down to 10. Don't give them any reasons to dismiss yours. Avoid bright, obnoxious colors, unnecessary details (nobody cares that you were in the fishing club in college), previous experience that's not relevant, and bubbly text. It's not as cute as you think it is. Better yet, find out who is actually doing the hiring, and send your resume to them; cut out the middle man altogether.
Experience at the top, education at the bottom.
On your resume, show off your biggest asset first: the ability to do the job. Education is obviously important, but experience should come first.
That's what I've got. Did I miss anything? Share your tips in the comments below!
Pete Shelly is a writer and principal at Pollinate. Aaron Sorkin wrote the West Wing dialogue, Pete wrote the rest, except the little bit about baking, which came from his brother.
