The Great Employment Experiment - Day O

Before I started looking for a job, I did a few things to help my chances of finding employment. They fall into two categories: getting my head ready and getting my appearance ready. I recommend these steps to anyone looking for a job, and they can take from just a couple hours to several weeks depending on your finances.

Getting My Head Ready

There are lots of job-getting resources online and in print. A mistake many jobseekers will make is not to spend a couple hours just poking around the internet looking up tips on job interviews, building a great resume, and dressing appropriately while looking for work. I've done this before but I still flipped through my (digital) copy of the Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume before and while rewriting my resume, and browsed the About.com Job Searching portal.

I also like to ask myself possible interview questions when doing mundane tasks like washing dishes or showering, just to help finesse my answers and remind myself which subjects sound awful when you bring them up. It's better than finding out during an interview!

In addition to all this, I'm reminding myself of things that give me confidence. I can present myself well because I know how to speak to people and I have relevant experience.. Somewhere, some dummy is getting fired from my dream job. I can write a killer resume. People like me. I'm going to do great. It's just a job, there's no reason to freak out. If I like it, I'll quit it.

Resources:

SoYouWanna Ace a Job Interview?
Sample resumes from About.com
Job Application Guide from About.com
Seven Steps to Positive Self Talk
The best of Courage Wolf
20 Tips to Nail a Job Interview 
Download The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Resume
Download Great Resume: Get Noticed, Get Hired
Download Same Day Resume: Write an Effective Resume in an Hour
Download The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Perfect Interview
Download Nail the Job Interview!: 101 Dynamite Answers to Interview Questions
Download Winning The Interview Game: Everything You Need To Know To Land The Job


Getting my Appearance Ready

Alright, so I'm in the right headspace. I'm educated about what I need to do to get this job and Courage Wolf has me feeling super confident and only slightly homocidal. Let's do this, right?

Sort of. Now's the time to examine my closet. My clothes are pretty sparce because I've been losing weight and because I've moved twice in six months. Luckily I went on a bit of a shopping spree before I left Toronto and came away with a few pieces that will work for job interviews. My sister also gave me a couple awesome pieces from last season's Cabi collection that look great together or separate and are totally interview appropriate.

J does it well.

Putting together a handful of good interview outfits (I'd suggest a minimum of three) is important, because everything having to do with applying for a job should be done in an outfit you're not embarrassed to be seen in, just in case the manager happens to be in and you're able to do an interview on the spot. You may then be called back one or two times to interview with different managers/HR, and then have to go through training before the place has a uniform for you. This happens more often than you think!

The bad news is that with no job and no clothing fairy swooping in to wave her magic wand, you'll have to be creative. Do you have any money you can put toward this goal? Then I'd suggest hitting up the Goodwill and then some consignment stores for clothes. If you're broke as a joke, think about who has an interest in you getting a job. If you live with your parents or significant other, see if they can spot you some cash so you can go to the -you guessed it- Goodwill. If you have a roomate staring daggers at you while you read this, try them. Your success in this job hunt benefits them, and you'll pay them back out of your first paycheck, honest to goodness.

I love Goodwill and have found a lot of great clothes there. For women I'd say to look for neutral-colored pants or a skirt that you can pair with different shirts, and two or three dressy blouses. Dresses can be lovely, but unless you're creative*, they can only be worn one way. Shoes are important and are easy to forget, so make sure to find a nice boring pair that you can wear with everything. If you have simple and understated jewelry, wear it, but avoid stuff that's overly flashy. Find clothes that fit your body, look appropriate for your age or a bit conservative, and look like they cost more than four dollars.  No one has to know that they didn't.

The general rule I've read about job interview clothes is that you want to dress as well as someone working at the place to which you're applying or bit better. As my method of job-getting involves applying at a variety of places, I think about the classiest joint to which I'll be going and aim for that or higher. My uniform for job searching used to be black pants, long sleeved button-up shirts, and black loafers, but now I'm willing to go more feminine and season-appropriate in my clothing choices. I'll be wearing low black heels with this outfit and this dress, 

It's also important to take care of your hair, makeup if you wear it, nails, toenails if they're visible, facial or leg hair, etc. The basics. The same rules apply: go for classic and conservative, and make it look like you're a functioning member of society who's not going to pilfer from the cash register. There are lots of guides online depending on what you're looking for, so just google nail care/effective deoderant/how to undo dreadlocks as your needs call for it, alright?

Resources:
*How to wear a dress as a skirt, from a fantasic fashion blogger right here in the Jacksonville area
How to Dress for a Job Interview from CollegeFashion
Michelle Phan's natural makeup video tutorial
About.com's guide to job interview readiness for men, featuring advice on facial hair, outfits, and other things I didn't cover very well for men


Today's Conclusion:

It takes a bit of time to prepare for the job hunt. It's best to accomplish these things passively and at your leisure, reading about job interviews and building your closet gradually while working another job. If you don't have that kind of time and need a job NOW, dedicate a day to this. It's worth double the time you'd put in filling out online applications, so do it and get ready to see results.