Career Services Newsletter 11/25/2013

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Career Tips

Attitude

Happy Thanksgiving! This is a good time to think about how a positive outlook and gratitude might benefit your job search, and ways to show it throughout your career process. One of the most important predictors of job search success (in my experience watching many hundreds of candidates) is positive attitude, and displaying appreciation and positivity will do more for you in your job search than any perfect resume could. Here are some ways to ensure that your attitude is what sets you apart:

1. Smile. People hear it in your voice on the phone, and when you smile as you email your tone will be lighter, happier, and more pleasant. If smiling doesn’t come naturally to you, that’s all the more reason to practice it. Smile when you meet people for the first time and they will like you more. Smile at networking events and you’ll be seen as more approachable. This one simple act will do amazing things for your professional networking, I promise you.

2. Be positive in ALL your interactions. Are you asking someone for their time or a connection? Thank them in advance for their willingness to help you out and they may be more likely to do so, tell them what their help means to you. Did you have an interview, even a so-so one? Express specific and genuine thanks in a message to your interviewer for the opportunity and any pieces of helpful information they provided. Did you get a job offer that maybe isn’t exactly what you want? Be gracious, appreciative, express thanks and a genuine appreciation for HR rep’s time and effort to work with you and bring you on board.

3. Credit others for what you appreciate about them. The colleagues you have in your classes or internships now are people you will continue to have in your professional lives. Be grateful for them, the support they offer you on the work you do together, for their diverse perspective, and the contributions they make that help you think and perform better or differently. Are you talking in an interview about a past supervisor or team of colleagues? Credit them for all the good qualities that made them a pleasure to work with. Speak positively about others, and you’ll be seen as a valuable team asset.

4. Give first. Find even small ways to help, support, or give to others, and you’ll develop a reputation as a team player, someone who contributes valuably, and a nice person who’s great to work with. When you’re making networking connections, provide helpful information, connections, resources, invitations, knowledge in your communications to these new professional contacts. Offer to help. When you do favors and provide benefit to others, they will be much more likely to want to do the same for you.

5. Say thank you. People always appreciate knowing how they are appreciated or how they made a difference to you. So say thank you in expected ways, like writing a note after an interview, but also say it when it’s not as expected. Write a professor a card or email after an especially great class or lecture or topic. Write a note to a contact after you took their advice and it worked for you. Take an extra step to say thank you in a meaningful way to someone, even for a small act that you found nice or helpful. It will go a long way.

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