Report from Career Day

March 13, 2009

Advice for Challenging Times

METRO’s 2009 Career Day was yet again a success, bringing out students, graduates and practitioners eager to learn and network. The tone for this year’s Career Day was geared toward providing attendees with essentials that will help job seekers start and build successful careers; even in the midst of a bear market, companies are seeking good help. The essential tools highlighted include self-awareness, flexibility, and being opportunistic.

Be Self-aware

Self-awareness starts with knowing your strengths and capabilities. In the current market, organizations are being functional, not strategic. In other words, organizations are not looking to develop people but bring people in that are good at what they do. Job candidates should have solid foundational knowledge and experiences from which they’ve learned, whether in the classroom, doing research, at an internship, or on the job. You’re not expected to know everything off the bat, but you need to come to the table with more knowledge, skills, and abilities than you may realize.

Think about your brand by taking the time so that you know what you bring to employers and how to market yourself to both traditional and non-traditional I/O roles. For example, graduate students develop strong analytical and project management skills as part of their training, which are both very marketable. Also, ask yourself: Am I skilled with measurement, statistics, or consulting? Am I a good problem solver? Good facilitator? Do I have acumen about the industry in which I am interested in working? Am I adaptable? Am I a quick learner? Can I make complex ideas easy to understand? Questions such as these will clarify what you have to offer. In addition, figure out what you’re passionate about. Interviewers get excited by someone who is interesting and engaging.

Finally, you need to be aware of how the decisions you make now affect your future. Think about the positions you take and whether you will be able to move up, and what knowledge, skills, and experiences you can gain from the position. Think about the industries in which you work and how easily you will be able to transition from one industry to another.

Be Flexible

Organizations are returning to traditional transactional functions that allow the company to run. This means that companies are reducing spending and focusing on roles involving such areas as data reporting, compensation and benefits, retention, and employee relations. What does this mean for you? You need to be open when doing your job search as companies are looking for someone who learns quickly and can hit the ground running. Additionally, the job you want right now may not be the job that is available. Therefore, you need to tailor your resume to the jobs on the market. Be sure to make the terms on the job description and your resume match. Highlight your skills, where you worked, what you accomplished, and what sets you apart. Also keep in mind what companies are looking for in potential employees. For example what systems knowledge are they asking for or will you need a certification? If you don’t have what companies are looking for, now is the time to augment your knowledge.

Another key area you need to be flexible with is the type of work you do. It’s okay not to land the “perfect job” on your first try. Learn the business from the bottom up by taking an entry level role in which you can position yourself to move up in the organization. Also, because companies are looking to spend less, they are more likely to hire contract employees rather than full-time employees. Consider the benefits of taking on contract work: it can possibly become permanent; it is a new experience; it provides an inroad to the organization; and it is an opportunity to network and make connections. So where do you find contract jobs? The same places you’ve been searching for full-time, part-time, or internship positions, including job boards, professional organizations, alumni, and your college career center.

Be an Opportunist

Once you know what you’ve got to offer and what you are looking for, become an opportunist. One of the most important skills is getting to know people; networking is key and this point cannot be stressed enough. Networking is key! It’s about who you know and who you partner with. LinkedIn is a wonderful resource for displaying your work. Look at your list of contacts and make sure that it is representative of your network and includes people that you go/went to school with, people that you’ve worked with, and people that you’ve met at METRO, conferences or other professional events.

Even if organizations don’t have a position to offer you now, they may in the future so it’s important to get on people’s calendars and demonstrate what you have to offer. Be sure, however, not to make networking all about you. In other words, don’t only network when you need a job. Use internships as network-building opportunities or network simply to learn or share information. Meet with people to ask questions and talk about what they do and how they do what they do. You want to be memorable. This includes not only scheduling informational interviews, but doing volunteer work at a job fair or a conference, offering to write for a professional organization, presenting at a conference, or joining a panel. The goal is to let others know who you are, what you do and what you are interested in.

Another important point is to maximize your experience in your current role. If you are looking for change, now may not be the right time. Stick with what your position but ask for an opportunity to extend your responsibilities that won’t affect your current functions. If you are looking to grow in your organization, look to a more senior person who can be a mentor to you. Think of who you can learn from and work with different people throughout the organization. Offer your help and ask for help. Get to know the business, the people, and the clients. Remember, every experience is an opportunity and a stepping stone. The growth of your position and in your organization depends on you being driven, being interested in something new, being capable of learning, taking on new responsibilities, asking questions, and getting visibility.

Although the current job market appears bleak, opportunities for growth and success exist. METRO’s Career Day provided insight and encouragement for all types of job seekers.

Many thanks to our esteemed panelists:

• Michel Buffet, PhD, Partner, Fisher Rock Consulting
• Kirsten Faurot, Director Employee & Organizational Development,Thomas Publishing Company
• Jake Weiss, Independent Consultant; Previously: VP & Director of Global Talent Research, Goldman Sachs
• Erica Desrosiers, PhD, Director, Organization & Management Development, PepsiCo
• Seymour Adler, Senior VP, Aon Talent Solutions Consulting
• Joe Ryan, Senior VP, Citigroup
• Gretchen Gelson, Maximum Management
• Marc Schweitzer, Maximum Management
• Corrine Donovan, MetLife, Practice Development Group, Adjunct Assistant Professor

Reported by: Tiffany Ivory