Jobs: Where do we get 'em?

            We are all going to deal with this stuff eventually, so let’s talk about it. Wherever you are, currently in high school, graduating, in university, graduating, or even after, getting a job has the same components. We have to start by finding an available job.

            I find scrolling through Indeed applications to be frustrating, but it is one of the many modern-day evils we all must endure.

            In hopes of skipping this step, first look up businesses in your area where you may want to work. Just the business, not the open positions cause that would just lead you back to Indeed. Once you have those businesses, search their websites. Click on careers. Find contact pages and send messages. You could even try calling them. I know, crazy, but it does sometimes work. Not every business advertises when they are hiring.

            A good format for these kinds of messages is this:

Hello, my name is Jia. I admire your company/business/store and was wondering if you have any open positions. I am a quick learner and enjoy hard work. Please tell me if there are any openings or if you would like to know more about me.

            This is the rough idea for a “cold call” which a lot of generations before us depended on to find jobs. And it does work, sometimes. Modern day job hunting is full of contradictions. I have talked to hiring managers before, some said they love getting cold calls because it lets them know the applicant is a go getter. Others said if they get a cold call, they throw away that applicants file because it annoys them. Two very different responses to a single action.

            In my experience, cold calls have worked well for me (and this includes emails, reaching out over social media, or even showing up in person) when it is a small business or a part time job. I think jobs with more applicants or companies that are hiring for more serious full-time positions are so flooded with applications that hiring decisions might become more based on gut instinct and less on resumes.

            The most frustrating part of this? We cannot actually know the way hiring decisions are being made. Every company has their own hiring practices. There is no standardized way to look through applications. And job postings can be anything from vague late night Facebook posts from a company to very official looking Indeed job postings.

            And nepotism has become networking. If you know people, if you have business owners or managers who still remember you working for them, they could help you find a new job. Networking can be as easy as maintaining good relationships with your managers, teachers, and professors. It can also be as terrifying as going to public events, public speaking, or just interacting at professional based events. And I know that getting someone’s business card feels silly, cause we have the internet. But the moment of connection is the conversation. Without that in person conversation, your cold call is just lost in the mess of every other cold call. But that moment? The business card going from their hand to yours? Now you have an in. Now you are special.

            So, network. If you have trouble with memory (it is me), feel free to write notes to yourself after that conversation. Write the note right there on the business card. Try to write the person’s name (even if it is on the card) and whatever you discussed. Personal details are super helpful. Did you guys talk about your pets? Did you just talk about business? Oh, and write the date too, because this can be helpful days or years from now. Last detail for your note where did you meet this person.

            And in the future, when you need to reconnect, when you want to tug this string of connection, pull that note back out. It practically writes the “cold call” for you.

Dear Mr. Smith,

            Hi, my name is Jia. We met a few years ago at that charity fundraiser for sad dogs. I remember us talking about how you work in [hopefully somewhere]. I recently started looking for a position in a similar field. Just wanted to reach out and ask if you have any advice on where to look for openings.

            Tell your dog I say hi.

Sincerely,

Jia

            Does this work every time? No. Was that a silly example? Yes, because I made it up. There is not a charity fundraiser for sad dogs, we have Sara McLaughlin for that. The most important parts are when we met, what we talked about, who he was, and I added on that personal detail at the end. Plus, I didn’t demand he give me a job. I left it open ended. I just asked for advice on where to look for a similar job to his, not if his business would hire me. This is a corporate friendly worded “pretty please” for a job without being too pushy. Even a “we don’t have anything here right now, have you considered looking at [blank],” can help you find opportunities. Remember, even a no can come with helpful information.