Top 10 Jobs tips

Considering that more than 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn as their primary search tool, this is not an understatement. If you’re a professional, you need to not only be on LinkedIn, you need to be using it to your full advantage. Don’t believe me? Think about it this way: If tomorrow morning, a recruiter logs onto LinkedIn looking for someone in your geography, with expertise in what you do, and you’re not there? Guess who they’re going to find and contact? Yes, that person’s name is “not you.”

It’s easy to miss something important during an interview. It’s also sometimes very difficult to interrupt without an embarrassing mess of overlapping sound bytes. Avoid weird situations by jotting down keywords or short reminder phrases if you want to remember a point or circle back to ask a question. Try not to let your note-taking interfere with the flow of the interview. If you do miss something that was said, make sure you ask. Pro Tip: Sometimes devices have speakers that don’t get very loud. You may want to consider connecting your laptop to external speakers or even headphones to get clearer sound. If you have any gaming or podcasting microphones, using one could really improve the quality of your voice for the call.

Importance: [⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐] Just like they’ll do their due diligence on you, researching the company to know what they do and how they operate is a must. Also, double-check if the company’s a match for you. When you get to that interview, you’ll be asked about why you want to join and how you can contribute. Read up on the prospective employer on Glassdoor, for example. Researching the hiring manager who will conduct the interview is much harder. It happens that you only learn who the interviewer is when you walk into the meeting. However, if you can, look them up online. You’ll have a way to make some great, tailored comments and small talk to bond. Also, don’t go into an interview without trying out the products or services that the company offers. You need to prepare for an interview. If they have a blog, read it. If it’s a restaurant, eat there. If they manufacture dish soap, make some bubbly foam. Employers expect you to understand their business, and nothing makes them happier than hiring a fan!

I once placed a candidate into an engineering role with a company that manufactures packaging equipment. He was competing head-to-head with another engineer, who had similar talents and wanted the job just as badly. My candidate sent a thoughtful, non-robotic thank you note to each person with whom he’d interviewed, within about two hours of leaving their offices. The other candidate sent nothing. Guess why my candidate got the job offer? Yep, the thoughtful, non-robotic thank you notes. They sealed the deal for him, especially considering the other front-runner sent nothing.

I have skipped my break on night shift more than a few times because the unit was absolutely horrible. But I can tell you, I was no good to anybody. You are not a “hero” because you skipped your break and worked harder. I know you want to be a team player when the chips are down, but the reality is you need to rest, eat, drink and use the bathroom – even for a couple of minutes to reboot your energy stores. This reduces errors, minimizes fatigue and stops you from becoming sick from overworking yourself.

Plus, your boss is taking out your break time from your pay anyway!

Coordinate your break with your fellow colleagues and get away from your desk or the direct working environment. Enjoy your home-cooked food surrounded by your workmates in a separate space such as the tea room or separate “hang out space” if available. This is a great time to catch up and also importantly allows your brain to rest and reset. We are not invincible to fatigue as much we want to fight it. We recently wrote an article titled, Shift Work Burnout: Causes, Red Flags and How to Beat It​ which I think is very timely right about now.

Be nice to EVERYONE! Did you know your interview starts the minute you walk through the front door of the company you are interviewing with?  How you treat everyone around you, from potential future co-workers to the receptionist at the front desk, can help determine if you get a job or not. It’s a good idea to assume that as soon as you walk into the office, your job interview has started. By being open, friendly and professional with everyone you encounter (not just your hiring manager) you’re helping to pave the way for positive feedback because as everyone knows, people talk…and if they’re going to talk about you, it’s always best to have it be about positive aspects of your visit!