For all of you reliability engineers and predictive and industrial maintenance professionals, job hunting probably feels like a full time job. Although you may feel overwhelmed with your job hunt,  even more worrisome are the large gaps on your resume that look unsightly when applying for positions.

Don’t be discouraged by the gaps in your resume. Look at them holes to mend and blanks to fill in. As a highly talented individual you have an arsenal of skills at your disposal. Put them to work!

 A rising trend for those who are unemployed is volunteering. A report released in June by Volunteering In America found that 2009 was the largest single-year increase in the number of volunteers since 2003.  The increase equates to 8.1 billion hours of volunteered service with an estimated value of $196 billion.

Not only does volunteering help your local community and serve others, it fills out areas of your resume that may need a little substance.

Find a volunteer group or position that allows you to use the skills you already have. The following websites are great resources for finding a volunteer position:

volunteeringinamerica.gov

serve.gov

networkforgood.org

dosomething.org

volunteermatch.org

If you’re having trouble finding a volunteer position that matches your specific talents reach out to your network of colleagues and friends. Your network is a great place to turn to when looking for the right place to volunteer. Colleagues and friends will be able to recommend places they have volunteered and get you connected with the right contacts.

Some perks of volunteering are:

• Giving back to your community and helping those in need
• Setting a good example for others to follow
• Enhancing your resume and variety experiences
• Learning new skills
• Combatting the unemployment blues
• Making contacts and creating relationships

While your resume may still have holes from being unemployed, your volunteer work will be a great topic of conversation for your next interview. Volunteering helps dodge the unwanted questions about gaps in employment and opens the doors for you to speak about your values and character.

We often blog about tips for interviews, resumes, and job searching.  Thoughtful consideration should go into each of these areas as part of your job hunting plan of attack. What happens though when that interview doesn’t do as planned and you don’t get the job?

Firstly, don’t beat yourself up asking “What’s wrong with me?”  Instead of drowning your sorrows with day-time reruns and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s, try reflecting on the interview while it’s still fresh in your mind.

The down-time after an interview is the perfect time to sit back and reflect on the interview and brainstorm a list of the highs and lows of the interview. First, visualize the whole interview, from handshake to exiting the building, in your mind. Write out distinct pros and cons in a list format and focus on prioritizing the list with the items of greatest importance first.

Step back. Read your list. Most likely they areas you felt you didn’t do so well on fall within one of these areas:

1.)    Poor Point of Contact – Did you arrive late to your interview, give a dead fish handshake or forget names of those interviewing you?

 A poor point of contact can leave a bad taste in any employer’s mouth so make sure you are comfortable with this first step to a good interview. Your handshake is your first impression. Tip: If you’re uncomfortable with handshakes or introductions then practice beforehand.

 It’s also important to review the names of those interviewing you. If you’re like any driven job seeker, you’ve probably had several interviews within weeks of each other and names can easily be mixed up. Tip: To avoid this go online to the prospective employer’s website and look up staff pictures to match faces to names before you meet them.

2.)    Appearance- Did you look the part?

We’ve blogged about appearance before, it’s crucial in an interview to look the part Remember you should look put together, well rested, and alert, have great posture, and most of all – appropriate dressed.  Tip:  Do a preflight check before you leave the house for your interview to make sure you’re looking sharp

3.)     Language- Did you use confusing language, colloquialisms, jargon or slang?

When you have great momentum going in an interview the tone can easily slip from professional to relaxed but don’t be fooled, it’s still an interview. It’s of upmost importance that you don’t use colloquialisms, jargon or slang. If your interviewer doesn’t understand the jargon or slang you are using you may unintentionally be talking over their head.  Tip: Even though you may find the words “chillax” and “defriended” in the dictionary doesn’t mean you have to use them.

4.)    Listening- Did you really listen to what they had to say?

Some employers like to use a more conversational interview technique than question and answer. This means you need to be on your toes at all times and listen to possible hidden questions.  If you incorrectly answer a question with an answer that is unrelated, it will show that you didn’t hear the question. Tip: Pay attention at all times and don’t allow your mind to wander.

5.)    Speaking- Did you talk too much, too little, too fast?

If you’re like 99% of job seekers, you probably get a little nervous before an interview. Be sure to moderate your pace and cadence of speech if you’re nervous so you don’t end up speaking too quickly. Also, be sure not to talk too much. You want to let your prospective employer get in all the questions they may have for you in the time allotted for your interview. Tip: When you answer a question try pausing for a second before answering. Doing this shows you’ve given the question consideration before responding.

6.)    Attitude – Did your attitude say you were engaged, energetic and interested?

Any astute interviewer can read an attitude. Be sure you are engaged, alert and energetic. If you’re having any problems before the interview be sure to leave them at the door. The last thing you want is for the interviewer to remember you as less than enthused. Show interest and be genuine in your answers.  Tip: Leave plenty of time to get to your destination and take five minutes before the interview to simply find a good mindset.

Keep a log of your post-interview pro/con lists for review. After each job interview it’s a good idea to reflect upon areas of weakness to track your improvement.

Once you’ve identified the areas that may be on your “con” list from your interview it’s easier to improve on areas to work on for your next interview. Instead of wondering why you didn’t get the job and wishing you got a call back–do something!

It’s always important to think about who you want to work for when searching for a job. Does your future employer share the same principals and values that you have?Finding out the answer to this question in advance can aid you in your job search.

I listened to this great interview that aired on NPR’s Marketplaceon August 19 with CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh. Hsieh discusses how he defined his company’s culture and then used that culture to create core values. With these core values in place, Hsieh determined the dynamic of his workforce and increased his employees’ overall happiness and productivity.

Although companies may have core value and principals, Hsieh argues that many don’t have committable core values. Once the principals are written and etched onto a plaque, Hsieh argues they are never instilled in employees. So, what are committable core values? Hsieh defines committable core values as values companies are willing to hire or fire an employee based upon, independent of their job performance.

Hsieh argues that soon after corporations and companies write their values they forget them. What Hsieh wanted for Zappos was a list of core values that employees could be held responsible for.  These core values created goals to aspire to and in return drove performance and productivity.

Listen to this interview and determine if your current or future employer has committable core values. If so, it is important to familiarize yourself with them. In the instance of Hsieg, who takes them very seriously, it can determine whether someone is hired or fired.

I once interviewed for a job and I knew it went great. I nailed it. I left the interview on could nine. After my interview I spoke with a friend (who happened to be in career advancement) and she asked, “Did you send your post-interview thank-you note yet?”

I asked, “Post-interview thank-you note? Of course, why hadn’t I thought of that?”

When you receive a gift you send a thank-you card. When you attend a dinner party you send a thank-you card. So why wouldn’t you send a thank-you card after an interview? Writing a thank-you card shows your prospective employer that you have appreciation, gratitude, and most importantly: good people skills!

Often times it’s easy to overlook the time and energy spent on interviewing. It’s an arduous task for both the interviewer and the interviewee. There may have been 100 people who applied for the position, ten who got an initial phone interview, and four who received a face-to-face interview. So, make yourself stand out! It’s also a great opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest of the pact.

There are a few very important points to remember about writing a post-interview thank-you letter:

1.)    Don’t send an e-mail. E-mails are impersonal and don’t convey that you are truly appreciative of the time allotted for your interview. Writing a card takes time and thoughtfulness. The recipient will respect your extra effort.

2.)    Choose your card wisely. Send something generic and universal. You don’t want an overly feminine or masculine card and you also don’t want it to be too formal or informal. Choose a card that is blank on the inside so you can hand craft your thank-you message.

3.)    Think about the tone of your writing.  When you write your card keep it light and ensure you are being genuine. You don’t need to grovel in your message, but be sincere in your thanks.

4.)    Make it tailored for where you interviewed. You could mention the great location of their office, a question you really enjoyed answering in the interview, or drop in the names of those who interviewed you. Make sure your message doesn’t sound generic.

5.)    Incorporate your contact information in a subdued way. Yes, they already have your information, but offer it again. By providing your cell phone and the best time to you are giving your prospective employer an additional invitation to contact you.

6.)    Read it out loud! The most important step before you address and lick the envelope is to read the card beforehand! You may have thought that a particular sentence sounded nice, but when read out loud it may seem out of place. Read and reread.

7.)    Be timely! Don’t wait days before writing your card. The sooner you get the card in the mail the better. Write the card the day of your interview and pop it in the mail the same day. By writing the card after your interview you’ve had time to reflect and the information is still fresh.  

If you follow these simple steps you can craft a stellar thank-you card. If you think that the card will just end up the trash, think again. I ended up accepting the position I was offered and didn’t give the thank-you card I sent another thought. When I started my first day of work I smiled when I saw, perched on my boss’ desk, the thank-you card I wrote.