Category HR Tips and Practices

Holidays shouldn’t freeze your job search

Thanksgiving is next week. Thursday, so

It’s time for my annual warning to job seekers: Don’t halt your job search during the holidays. You might miss out on something good.

This advice is especially important for those who are unemployed. If your job search efforts stall, you could miss out on a job lead or a job offer. In addition, your lack of progress could lead to feeling upset and maybe even depressed as the old year ends and the new year approaches.

Contrary to a common assumption, December is often an active hiring month. Many companies conduct job interviews during November and December. They keep the hiring process going during the holidays for several reasons:

• December is the end of the fiscal year for many companies. A manager might speed up the hiring process to use funds from the current year.

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• Some managers will have received a budget allocation for a new position for 2007. If the position is important, they want to interview now so the new employee can start as early as possible in January.

• Many managers want to tie up loose ends before the end of the year. If an unfilled position has been ignored for several months, they’ll give it full attention now to avoid getting off to a poor start in the new year.

• In some industries the workload declines during the holidays. Managers use the slack time to interview candidates. They make job offers in December that take effect in January.

Thomas J. Wacker, vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, urges job seekers to keep working at it.

“It’s important to keep momentum into the holidays,” he observes. “Taking a vacation from the job search between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day means missing opportunities. Some jobs are filled during that period, and the hiring process for others is too far along by the time January arrives.”

Wacker adds, “Smart job seekers realize that many of their competitors take the holidays off. They take advantage of that to compete for jobs against a smaller pool of candidates.”

Of course, some companies in certain industries might not do any hiring during the holidays. If you’re getting few responses to your inquiries, use the holiday period for further research on the companies that interest you.

Also keep in contact with the people in your network. Don’t assume they’re too busy. Some might be involved with end-of-the year deadlines, but others might have more time to talk or meet with you because many of their co-workers are gone and they have fewer meetings, client transactions or other demands on their time. Offer to take them to breakfast or lunch.

Accept as many invitations to holiday events as you can. They provide opportunities to continue networking in social settings. Be prepared to interact with people you already know and with people to whom you are introduced.

Wacker advises, “Act like a politician. Meet lots of people. Create a good impression.”

Before you meet with others socially, be sure your “elevator speech” easily falls off your tongue. Be prepared to describe your career and your job-search goals as succinctly as possible, conveying this information in only as much time as you would have to speak to someone on an elevator. Social events are not an appropriate time to conduct lengthy discussions about your job search.

If you are employed and looking for another job, you might not have as much time as usual for job-search activities because of holiday events and other holiday responsibilities. If you need to limit your job-search time, set priorities.

You might need to set temporary limits on making new contacts, but don’t ignore those you have already met. Keep in touch with them. Follow up on the leads you have collected. Write thank-you notes.

No matter how busy you are, or think others are, when you have an interview scheduled make it a priority to call the people in your network to learn about the company and its culture in preparation for the interview process.

If you are unemployed, you could be looking forward to a break from job-search tasks during the holidays. It’s fine to give yourself a break, but don’t totally neglect your search. A few hours here and there can keep your search moving. It will be easier to pick up the pace in January if there haven’t been large gaps in the process. And you’re more apt to avoid the post-holiday blahs.

Employed or unemployed, if you are going to be out of town during the holidays, be sure to give your schedule and contact information to prospective employers. You don’t want to miss out on a good job because you can’t be contacted.

Eat Turkey, Find Job

With the recent unpleasantness on the job boards (examples: rate hikes, NASDAQ reporting issues and the Monster Job Board scam) you may not think it¡¯s a good time to take action in your job search. You may be wrong¡­

Even before Halloween started, stockings and Santa hats could be found at local retailers. Now, with Thanksgiving just days away, the holiday spirit is taking over and people are envisioning feasts of turkey, Dallas Cowboys football, long lines at movie theaters, and perhaps even midday naps. It¡¯s safe to say that as the holidays approach, thoughts of the job search can subside. Many people are simply under the impression that companies stop looking for new employees during the holidays. This isn¡¯t the case:

¡°Contrary to a common assumption, December is often an active hiring month. Many companies conduct job interviews during November and December. They keep the hiring process going during the holidays for several reasons:

*December is the end of the fiscal year for many companies. A manager might speed up will have received a budget allocation for a new position for 2007. If the position is important, they want to interview now so the new employee can start as early as possible in January.

*Some managers will have received a budget allocation for a new position for 2007. If the position is important, they want to interview now so the new employee can start as early as possible in January.

*Many managers want to tie up loose ends before the end of the year. If an unfilled position has been ignored for several months, they¡¯ll give it full attention now to avoid getting off to a poor start in the new year.¡± (From JS Online)

Many suggest that the holidays serve as a key search time for unemployed candidates. While this is true, the holidays can also provide quiet candidates with the chance to see what the market has to offer for the upcoming year. It¡¯s also a time when that dream job might not have been picked clean by hundreds of other candidates:

¡°A job search at this time of year might be a bit different, but you can use holiday parties and other potential candidates¡¯ belief that it¡¯s not a good time to hunt for a job in your favor. Add in that the unemployment rate is the lowest since 2001, and it¡¯s a good time to look around.¡± (From the Chicago Tribune)

Hey, we want everybody to eat well, enjoy time with their families, and go back for thirds on pie. But we know that quiet and active candidates never know when the job they need or want is going to surface, so we say welcome the holidays and keep the search going. The two things don¡¯t have to be mutually exclusive.

Top 10 Tips for Salary Negotiations

Negotiating a better salary package has put more than a few stomachs in knots over the years. Remember, we all go through it sooner or later. Try to keep these 10 basic tips in mind when it¡¯s your turn to ask for a sweeter deal.

1. Be Persuasive

It¡¯s hard to force your boss to increase your compensation, and trying to do so can potentially damage your working relationship. Think about the process as trying to convince him that it might benefit the organization to pay you more.

2. Aim High and Be Realistic

Many researchers have found a strong correlation between people¡¯s aspirations and the results they achieve in negotiation. At the same time, you want to suggest ideas to which your boss can realistically say yes.

3. Start Off with the Right Tone

You want to let your boss know you will listen and try to understand his views. At the same time, you expect your boss to do the same for you so you can work together to address this issue. Avoid ultimatums, threats and other coercive behavior.

4. Clarify Your Interests

Your compensation should satisfy a range of needs, not just salary. Make sure you have thought about other points of value to you as well ¡ª like profit sharing, stock options that vest immediately, a bonus, greater work responsibilities, a quicker promotion schedule, increased vacation or flexible hours.

5. Anticipate Your Boss¡¯s Interests

Just like you, your boss has needs and concerns. To persuade him to say yes, your ideas will have to address those things that are important to him.

6. Create Several Options

Joint brainstorming is the most effective way to find ideas that satisfy everyone¡¯s interests. It works best when you separate it from commitment ¡ª first create possible solutions, and then decide among them.

7. Focus on Objective Criteria

It is far easier to persuade someone to agree with your proposal if he sees how that proposal is firmly grounded on objective criteria, such as what similar firms pay people of like experience or what others in the company make.

8. Think Through Your Alternatives

In case you cannot persuade your boss to say yes, you need to have a backup plan. Part of preparation is creating a specific action plan so you know what you¡¯ll do if you have to walk away from the table.

9. Prepare Thoughtfully to Achieve Your Goals

This is the only aspect of your negotiations you can completely control. To take advantage of all of the above advice, you have to invest a significant amount of your time and energy.

10. Review to Learn

The only way you can really improve your ability to negotiate is to explicitly learn from your experiences. After you finish negotiations, reflect on what you did that worked well and what you might want to do differently.

Hiring Manager Secrets: The 5 Smartest Interview Moves

Ever wonder why you don’t get called back after that first interview? What’s holding you back from that great job while others are getting hired after shorter job searches?

It could be something you DIDN’T do.

Careerbuilder.com recently asked hiring managers what the smartest things a candidate can do in an interview. What are the traits of a good candidate? How can you make a good impression? Here are the top five ways to win over your interviewer and get a leg up on the competition.

1. Demonstrate or communicate your experience and skills.
The number one thing a candidate can do in an interview is intelligently and clearly articulate professional experience, capabilities or knowledge. Hiring managers are most impressed when a candidate is able to “think on their feet” during the interview – this demonstrates competency. They’re also impressed when a candidate takes an active role in helping a customer or rectifying a situation right on the spot, whether posed by the interviewer or introduced by the candidate.

2. Act professionally.
A candidate who is professional during the selection process will stand out among fellow job seekers. When a candidate communicates intelligently, uses proper grammar, makes eye contact, listens and asks intelligent and relevant questions. This demonstrates how that person will act within the parameters of the position with coworkers and clients. A hiring manager will want to choose a candidate who will represent the company well.

3. Prepare.
Skimming the company’s website five minutes before you leave won’t help you at all. Simple steps to prepare for the interview include researching the company, market and opportunity, arriving on time and dressing appropriately. Bring extra copies of your resume and work samples, as well as your portfolio. And, don’t forget names of references and letters of recommendation. Thorough preparation for an interview can make or break your chances of landing the job. As someone once said – Proper planning prevents piss poor performance.

4. Exhibit enthusiasm.
Go ahead, be an eager beaver. Hiring managers are impressed when a candidate shows enthusiasm for the job and want to hire someone who is gung ho. The candidate who is ready and willing will likely carry those traits into the position. Plus, it demonstrates an eagerness to learn. This doesn’t mean you need an overly peppy personality with perma-grin, but zeal for the position, the company and profession will show you’ll go the distance.

5. Be honest.
The candidate was honest and showed integrity. A candidate’s honesty was important to hiring managers by being sincere and truthful about the past. Be candid and open about past jobs. This doesn’t mean you have to churn out all the dirty details of previous employers or supervisors. If you are coming from a bad experience, think of ways to put a positive spin on your previous situation. For example, if you were let go from your last job, be truthful without being negative and highlight your strengths or how you learned from that situation.

Seven Things to Tell an Interviewer

Many years ago when I hated what I was doing for a living, I was encouraged by my career coach to write down several short stories about times and events in my life where I influenced the outcome. I was stumped at first, but after a few days, I came up with more than 15 pages of stories of times in my life where I influenced the outcome and either grew myself and/or bettered the existence of either myself or others around me.

So what does this have to do with a job interview?

If you read other books on job interviews, you’ll notice they feed you lists of interview questions and answers to memorize. An interview is not an interrogation, however it’s a conversation. To make it that way you need to come armed with a multitude of small stories about both your business and personal lives.

When you go into an interview, you need to leave your nerves at the door. The best way to prepare is to be yourself. The best way to be yourself is to tell your own story (or stories).

This is especially great for the competency-based interview being used more today. In a traditional interview, the interviewer will ask you questions focused on whether you have the skills and knowledge needed to do the job. A competency-based interview goes further by asking you additional questions about your character and personal attributes that can better determine whether you fit their corporate culture. These are called “behavioral competencies.”

A competency-based interviewer will spend about half the interview on your job skills, and about half on your behavioral competencies. He or she will be looking for evidence of how you have acted in real situations in the past.

An employer wants to find out:

Are you an asset or liability? In other words, will you make money or save money for the company?

Are you a team player? Will you fit into the corporate hierarchy or be like sand in the gears? Can you take and give (if appropriate) orders?

Will you fit into the company culture? They don’t want prima donnas.

The best way to show these traits is to take the initiative and have several personal stories that you can tell, taking maybe 30 to 90 seconds each.

You may want to start by developing your stories around these seven areas:

1. Times where you either made money or saved money for your current or previous company.

2. A crisis in your life or job and how you responded or recovered from it.

3. A time where you functioned as part of a team and what your contribution was.

4. A time in your career or job where you had to overcome stress.

5. A time in your job where you provided successful leadership or a sense of direction.

6. A failure that occurred in your job and how you overcame it.

7. Any seminal events that happened during your career to cause you to change direction and how that worked out for you.

I want to emphasize that an interview should not be an interrogation. It should be a conversation between two equals. When you accomplish this you come away a step closer to your goal of landing the job you really want, because…

It’s the conversation that wins an interview, and it’s the conversation that wins the job

To have a conversation, have your stories ready.

Professionalism in Consulting

Like many profound ideas, ¡°professionalism¡± is an ambiguous concept used to refer to a wide range of attitudes, skills, values and behaviors. For example, if one asks people what is meant by referring to a consultant as ¡°really professional,¡± one hears a variety of replies. A really professional consultant, I am told,

Gets involved and doesn¡¯t just stick to their assigned role
Reaches out for responsibility
Does whatever it takes to get the job done
Is a team player
Is observant
Is honest
Is loyal
Really listens to the clients¡¯s needs
Takes pride in their work, and shows a commitment to quality
Shows initiative

This list indicates some of the differences between a ¡°really professional¡± consultant and an ordinary consultant. It reveals that a high level of professionalism doesn¡¯t stop with a foundation of technical qualifications and analytical skills. In addition to these basic attributes, the right attitudes and behavior must also be in place, and these become the distinguishing factor for achieving real professionalism. My former business manager, Julie MacDonald O¡¯Leary, said it best: ¡°Professional is not a title you claim for yourself, it¡¯s an adjective you hope other people will apply to you. You have to earn it.¡± (David H. Maister, True Professionalism, Free Press, 1997)

¡°You have to earn it¡± may not be a bad way to summarize what professionalism is really all about. It means deserving the rewards you wish to gain from others by being dedicated to serving their interests as part of an implied bargain. Professionalism implies that you do not focus only on the immediate transaction, but care about your relationship with the person with whom you are working. It means you can be trusted to put your clients¡¯ interests first, can be depended upon to do what you say you will do and will not consistently act for short-term personal gain. Professionals make decisions using principles of appropriate behavior, not just short-term expediency.

Significant efforts have been made, and continue to be made, to ¡°professionalize¡± consulting by promoting the use of the CMC¨CCertified Management Consultant¨Cqualification. However, professionalism is not about qualifications and certification. Having an MBA from a name school or official recognition from a trade association or certifying body might say something about your knowledge, but these pieces of paper are unlikely to be predictive of your attitudes and behaviors, and maybe not even your skills. No formal qualification will ever provide complete assurance to the buyer that the provider will act appropriately, even if equipped with the required skills.

Ten Ways to Tell if Someone is Lying to You

(Is it the word “Liar” or a man’s face?)

Important interview scheduled? Usually, the recruiter is sitting across from the candidate trying to determine whether or not the truth is being told.

Turn the tables.

If a Recruiter is credible (and smart), then you’ll hear nothing but the truth, the whole truth, so help me God.

But I would guess that there’s a few folks out there who aren’t convinced.

If that’s the case, here’s 10 ways to tell if someone is lying to you (courtesy of Elisabeth Eaves, Fortune.com):

Watch Body Language (sweating? fidgety?)

Seek Detail (liars’ stories often lack detail)

Beware Unpleasantness (liars are less cooperative than truth-tellers)

Observe Eye Contact (failure to do so is often a sign of deceit)

Signs of Stress (Dilated pupils / rise in vocal pitch)

Listen for the Pause (most people will take a second or two to collect their thoughts)

Ask Again (Interrogators often ask suspects to repeat their stories)

Beware Those Who Protest Too Much (“….to be honest….”)

Know Thyself (Liars succeed because listeners don’t really want to know the truth)

Work on Your Intuition (Good human lie detectors are likely to be good intuitive psychologists)

Finding Smaller Companies on the Job Boards

There are a few companies out there that draw the attention of both active and quiet candidates. Whether it¡¯s the success of these companies, the chance of success they offer to employees, or just the buzz they get, they attract top talent and newcomers alike.

It¡¯s no surprise that candidates seek out these companies, and many of the job boards seem to focus solely on these types of companies. However, we all know that candidates need an opportunity to look beyond the giants and the ¡°popular kids¡± in order to find the right match:

¡°Take this thought and apply it to your own job search. Are you truly passionate about the company you are applying to or are you using it as a ¡®resume booster¡¯? Are there other companies out there that would be a better match for your skills and interests even if they are smaller? Microsoft, Google, Yahoo! ¨C these may all be ¡®hot¡¯ commodities, but they may not necessarily be the right environment for you or provide you with the experience you need.¡± (Jobsyntax)

There was a hope that the niche boards would fill the void when it came to smaller companies and unique opportunities:

¡°Companies that post and hire through these job boards are typically small startups, however the booming nature of the boards has attracted large firms such as the New York Times and NBC Universal. They are generally looking for that awesome, super do-it-all person and are hoping to hire ASAP. It¡¯s not uncommon to see job listings entitled ¡®Superstar Sys Admin¡¯ or ¡®Ninja C/C++ Programmer¡¯ on these small, high-traffic job boards.¡± (From The Job Boards Boom)

Now, we¡¯ve discussed our issues with the niche boards before. While many are doing a fantastic job of bringing smaller companies to the table, most still lack the tools to help quiet candidates find their dream job at those smaller companies. While it¡¯s a step in the right direction to go beyond the Googles and Yahoos!, more steps have to be taken. It¡¯s not enough to post unique jobs, we have to effectively match candidates to companies.

Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) shores up staffing needs

It is estimated that 85 percent of all U.S. companies outsource some of their human resources functions, most notably those dealing with employee recruitment, called recruitment process outsourcing (RPO).

Can human resources outsourcing (HRO) and its more specialized technique of recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) be of use here in Gwinnett? Absolutely. Experts say it’s the way of the future, and if you’re not on board with it now, you should be.

HR outsourcing allows companies to focus on their particular areas of expertise and their bottom line while relying on HRO specialists to take care of some or all of the functions of the company’s HR needs, without the necessity of having an on-site HR staff within the company.

Employee benefits, hiring, training, administration, payroll and even total on-boarding of new hires can be monitored by HROs. Business owners need no longer worry about open enrollment periods or benefits paperwork when they have off-site specialists to do this job for them. Employees need only call an 800 number or visit the appropriate HRO Web site to answer questions they may have. While this may be tough to get used to at first, most employees grow to love the service.

One of the fastest-growing sectors of HRO is recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), where specifically only the hiring and other recruitment processes for a company are outsourced to an RPO specialist. What makes RPO different from an executive recruitment firm? A few key functions:

First, typically (but not always) RPO recruiting is for a temporary (long or short-term) job situation. Basically, it’s a “pay as you go” service, thereby allowing for cost benefits to the employer. In a seasonal business, for example, RPO can obtain the qualified talent you need for the time you need it.

Next, RPO is a measurable, or scalable, process. An updated version of employee leasing, an RPO specialist acts as a partner in the growth of a company’s bottom line. All recruiting, training and paperwork for the company’s RPO hires are handled off-site by the RPO provider. The RPO model is methodologically modeled to be scalable. In the event of a sudden need for talent, say a company is launching a new product, or a company is opening a new division, or the company performs seasonally, the formula for talent created by the RPO specialist is scalable to all potential hires of the client’s company. Fifty qualified people can be hired as easily as five, all in a remarkably quick time table. RPO providers have talent from which they can draw in a short amount of time. Speed is of the essence.

Naturally, RPO rules out C-level or Board-level hires, and even most executive hires as well. Again, the HR function of recruiting, or an RPO solution, is an extension of the company for which it is being utilized, handling administrative tasks and on-boarding. As you can see, this is not the same as an executive recruitment agency, although some recruiters are currently implementing RPO models themselves.

Bear in mind, RPO is not for broken companies. It cannot act in the manner of glue or tape to mend a cracked system. Since the hires are technically under the employ of the HR outsourcer, their loyalty lies with the person who signs their paycheck and this is not you. Sometimes it may be best to call in a business consultant or even an executive recruiter and see whether a new permanent position needs to be created within your company. Generally, however, with the economy running hot, businesses are staffing up. RPO may be your answer if your employee needs are of an urgent, perhaps temporary or seasonal, mid-level nature.

Ten Job Hunting Myths

The job market is improving. A recent study from the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that employers plan to hire 13% more new college grads this year than last year ¡ª with business, engineering and computer fields taking top priority.

That¡¯s good news if you or someone you know is preparing to make the move from library stacks to a corporate cubicle. But it doesn¡¯t mean the perfect job will just fall in your lap. And misconceptions about job hunting, the working world and the entry-level employee¡¯s role can easily bog down a young professional¡¯s progress.

Improve your chances of finding your dream job. Don¡¯t get sucked into these ten common job-hunting myths:

1 | Finding a job after college will be quick and easy

Although the job market for this year¡¯s college grads looks rosier than last year, don¡¯t expect the job offers to come rolling in. Finding work may be a cinch for a select few, but for the vast majority, it will still take serious effort.

The length of your hunt will depend on a variety of factors, including:

* The job market

* Your location

* Your qualifications

* The amount of time you dedicate to your search

* Your interviewing skills

* The types of resources you use to find job openings

If it takes a while, don¡¯t get discouraged. The average job search lasts four months, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas. To make ends meet in the meantime, you may have to take a less glamorous (and lower-paying) gig. A few of my friends have worked in call centers, flipped burgers or cleaned toilets for a couple months after graduation ¡ª just until they landed a job where they could use their degree.

2 | The Internet is the best place to look for a job

¡°One of the most prevalent misconceptions in job hunting is that job hunting on the Web is some magic elixir that will result in employers lining up to interview you,¡± says Randall Hansen, associate professor of marketing at Stetson University and publisher of Quintessential Careers.

While the Internet should probably make up one component of your search, says Hansen, it shouldn¡¯t be your only strategy. Only about 15% to 20% of all job openings are ever publicly advertised in any medium, and only about 5% of job seekers end up getting jobs through ads, Hansen says.

How does everyone else do it? Word of mouth.

¡°Networking is by far the most effective job-search tool you can use,¡± Hansen says. When you¡¯re first starting out, you probably don¡¯t know many people in your field that can help in your job hunt, so this can present a challenge. But there are plenty of ways beginners can plug into the grapevine:

* Check out the resources offered by your college alumni association.

* Join a professional organization or club.

* Subscribe to a trade magazine.

* Consider getting an internship.

* Find online discussion groups for your industry though groups.google.com.

* Set up informational interviews with experts in your field

* Keep in touch with college acquaintances in your major, especially those who may have graduated before you.

The Internet may not be a total bust ¡ª I found my first job out of college through an online journalism job board. But taking the time to weave a web of professional contacts could create more opportunities for you now and enhance your career options down the road.

Learn how to use the Web productively in your job hunt.

3 | I¡¯ll make at least $40,000 at my first job out of college

WHAT¡¯S YOUR DEGREE WORTH?

Chemical engineering: $53,659

Computer engineering: $51,523

Electrical engineering: $51,113

Computer science: $51,042

Mechanical engineering: $50,806

Information science: $43,741

Civil engineering: $43,159

Accounting: $43,050

Economics/finance: $40,719

Nursing: $38,788

Business administration: $38,357

Marketing: $37,519

Political science: $32,296*

English: $31,113*

Elementary education: $30,364

History: $30,344*

Biology/life sciences: $29,629*

Liberal arts (as a group): $29,060

Psychology: $28,230*

Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers, Winter 2005 Salary Survey

* NACE Fall 2004 Salary Survey (2005 numbers unavailable)

As graduation nears, you¡¯re probably fantasizing about the wads of money you¡¯ll make as a member of the working world ¡ª and how you¡¯ll spend your new-found cash. As such, you¡¯ll be happy to hear that according to the NACE, 2004/05 grads can expect higher starting salaries than last year¡¯s. There¡¯s nothing wrong with a little planning, but make sure your expectations are in line with reality.

Starting salaries for several fields featured in the NACE study averaged less than $40,000 (see box to the right). The most lucrative majors were in engineering and computer fields, running in the neighborhood of $50,000. But popular degrees such as business administration, English and marketing fell solidly below $40,000. Psychology, liberal arts and biology grads averaged less than $30,000 to start.

Although your degree and skills impact your salary, your location matters too. For example, an entry-level public relations specialist in Dallas typically makes about $40,000. But in Los Angeles, the median salary runs $4,000 higher, according to Salary.com, which surveys employers about the wages they actually pay their workers. Check out our salary calculator to learn what your job¡¯s going rate is in your neighborhood. You can select ¡°Entry Level¡± as the job category, or choose among 67 other fields to compare beginners¡¯ salaries in your field with positions you might qualify for in the future. You may have to start lower on the salary scale than you planned, and work your way up as you gain more experience.

And remember, just because you earn a certain amount doesn¡¯t mean that¡¯s what you¡¯ll take home. For example, a $40,000 annual salary is reduced to about $30,800 after federal, social security and medicare taxes are taken out. That¡¯s not counting state taxes and any money you might have withheld from your paycheck for benefits. Use the paycheck calculator from PaycheckCity.com to estimate your future take-home pay.

4 | There¡¯s no room for negotiation with an entry-level salary

With some jobs, this may very well be true. But most employers leave some wiggle room in their offers to new employees, even those that are fresh out of school. The bottom line: You won¡¯t know unless you ask.

Bargaining over a job offer shows your potential employer that you are discriminating about where you work. But that doesn¡¯t mean the sky is the limit. Let¡¯s face it, you have minimal ¡ª if any ¡ª real-world experience. And a prestigious alma mater doesn¡¯t entitle you to more pay. Employers care more about what you can do for them. Use our salary calculator to find out what your job is worth, and then negotiate around that figure, highlighting your unique skills and talents that you¡¯ll bring to the position. And don¡¯t say that your salary requirements are a deal breaker unless you mean it.

But even if there isn¡¯t any room for an increase in salary, consider negotiating your benefits such as vacation time, work hours, signing bonuses, starting date, relocation benefits, etc. Many college grads get so excited just to receive an offer that they accept the terms outright. But you don¡¯t want to find yourself a week later wondering if you could have gotten a better deal.

5 | The person who gets hired is the one who can do the job best

If you¡¯ve got the skills, you¡¯re a shoo-in. Right?

Not so, says Hansen. More often than not, it comes down to interviewing skills and your rapport with your interviewers. Your qualifications, education and experience will usually get you an interview, but then ¡°you need to prove why you are the best person to fill the job.¡±

Make a good first impression by showing up on time and looking clean and professional. Act confident but not cocky. Use concrete examples to illustrate your qualifications. Maintain eye contact and relax. For more pointers on how to master your presentation, check out the job interviewing resource center from Quintessential Careers. You¡¯ll find databases of interview questions, including one tailored specifically for recent college grads.

Before leaving the interview, make sure you find out how to follow up, says Carole Martin, interview coach and author of Boost Your Interview IQ. For example, she suggests asking your interviewer: ¡°I¡¯d like to stay in touch and follow up with you in a week or two to see how the process is going and where I stand. How do you prefer that I communicate with you ¡ª e-mail or phone?¡± You¡¯ll want to show your continuing interest in the job without becoming a pest.

6 | A well-designed r¨¦sum¨¦ will boost my chances of getting noticed

A snazzy resume may actually be a hindrance. Most employers accept resumes via email, but many won¡¯t open resume attachments either out of laziness or fear of contracting a computer virus. Your chance of getting noticed: zilch.

The solution: Create two copies of your r¨¦sum¨¦. The first one should be a simple version you can paste into the body of an e-mail ¡ª sans formatting. That means no fancy fonts, bolds, italics, underlines or special characters. Keep each line under 65 characters and replace bullets with plain old asterisks, says Kim Isaacs, director of ResumePower.com. (See a sample.) The second resume should be nicely formatted for you to carry in-hand to your interview. For more tips on how to get your r¨¦sum¨¦ noticed, see Polish Your R¨¦sum¨¦.

7 | What I think of an employer doesn¡¯t matter as much as what s/he thinks of me

Of course you¡¯re eager to impress. But in your zeal to get hired, don¡¯t forget that the employer must pass your screening too. Many first-time job hunters overlook this key point until it¡¯s too late. Think about this: There are 168 hours in a week. If you spend 40 of those at work, that means you¡¯ll pass one-quarter of your week there. You better make sure you like the place.

Find out about boss¡¯s management style, the company¡¯s stability and any company problems. Ask about the challenges specific to your position, what a typical day will be like and opportunities for growth and advancement in the company.

Some employers may introduce you to your potential co-workers either on the initial or secondary interview. Chat with them about the work environment, and what they like and don¡¯t like about their jobs. If you haven¡¯t had that opportunity before the company makes you an offer for hire, ask for the contact info of a couple of people you would be working with and give them a call or send them an e-mail before accepting the job. It is important to impress the employer, but it¡¯s equally important that you¡¯re impressed with the job.

8 | If I plaster the Web with my r¨¦sum¨¦, I¡¯ll receive more interviews

Let¡¯s face it ¡ª the sheer volume of r¨¦sum¨¦s on the massive job boards like Monster.com, HotJobs.com and CareerBuilder.com make it virtually impossible to get an employer¡¯s attention. In fact, job hunters such as yourself post thousands of new r¨¦sum¨¦s each day.

And sending out your r¨¦sum¨¦ en masse to every employer you can think of isn¡¯t a much better approach. On average, a company interviews only one person per 245 r¨¦sum¨¦s it receives. You need to be more proactive in your job search and tighten your focus if you expect to get results.

Tailor your r¨¦sum¨¦ and cover letter to target each job you apply for and follow-up your r¨¦sum¨¦ with personal contact.

And you can still use the Internet in other ways to hone in on more promising prospects:

* Check out job boards that cater to your specific field. You can find a list of industry-specific job sites at Quintessential Careers or the Riley Guide sites. Or check out local job boards on Craigslist.org.

* Research a prospective employer. Before applying for (and especially before going to an interview), you should spend some time on the employer¡¯s Web site. Make sure you understand the company and see if you can envision yourself working there. At WetFeet.com, you can also get company profiles for thousands of firms.

* Network. One of the best ways to jump-start your career is to talk with people in your field to get career advice and find job openings by word-of-mouth. Search for an online discussion group through Google or Yahoo!.

9 | If a company isn¡¯t currently hiring, I can¡¯t get an interview

One of the most powerful job-hunting tools is an informational interview. You can arrange an informal interview with people working in your field to learn more about working in the industry, get expert career advice and, most importantly, build a network of contacts in your field.

A friend of mine in college was interested in working in the insurance industry, and he¡¯d heard good things about an employer in the area. It wasn¡¯t hiring at the moment, but he set up an interview with one of its executives to talk generally about a career in the industry. He took a copy of his resume with him, and the exec offered to keep it on file should an opening arise. Two weeks later, he was called in for an interview for an opening that the firm hadn¡¯t even advertised yet. And he got the job.

Not all informational interviews will result in a job offer, but they¡¯re time well spent. It may not pay off immediately, but later in your career, you may reap the benefits of the contacts you made and advice you received.

10 | If I don¡¯t know what I want to do after graduation, I should go to graduate school

An advanced degree could be the ticket to a new career or a stepping stone to faster advancement in your current job. But if you¡¯re using it just to buy time because you can¡¯t make a decision, it could be a complete waste of time, energy and money. Grad school should be used as a means to a well-researched end.

Peter Vogt, president of Career Planning Resources suggests asking yourself the question: ¡°Are you going to graduate school for a purposeful reason or are you falling into grad school to get away from other things?¡± It¡¯s an awfully big investment, so you better make sure it¡¯s what you really want for yourself.

If you¡¯re finding yourself tempted the wrong reasons, get a job instead. Breaking out of the routine of school for a while could help you gain greater perspective about your skills, interests and career goals. Besides, you can always go back to school later. For more information on whether grad school is for you, see The Back to School Decision.