Caps & Immunities


and you have great skills. Let your cover letter and resume reflect your skills. Don’t regurgitate the advertisement language in your cover letter. Instead, speak honestly and let your correspondence highlight your experiences.


•


Be patient. You may not get a callback for several weeks.


Employers are finding it hard to weed


through the chaff to reach the wheat. If you have not had a response, you may want to send a note or email reminder two weeks after you submitted your resume, or use your network to gauge the process.


• Don’t waste your time on “science projects”. If this is not the job you want, do not apply. No matter what your situation, if you take a job you do not want, you will be miserable. Remember, it is going to be hard to take off from a new job to interview for another. Also, how are you going to explain the switch? Te bottom line is that employers know when you’re interviewing.


Interviewing:


• Too many times people forget to interview the company. I have sat and listened to many mangers tell me about the job and their needs, giving me little time to interview them. But I always do.


I’m old


enough to be that audacious, but face it, if you do not know what you are getting into, no matter how good the money, you could land in hell. Don’t you want to know that before you make a commitment?


• Ask for a detailed job description for the position. If the interviewer does not have one, watch out. If you get the job, make sure that a job description is part of your employment paperwork. I have seen positions morph into something far beyond what was promised with a result you may not have expected. Now, I am not saying that jobs don’t change, but you have to have a clear understanding of your core duties and responsibilities in the beginning, and as you become more comfortable with the firm, you can discuss taking on more responsibilities. Again, if the job morphs, get --- or write --- an updated position description.


• Get to know the office during the interview or soon thereafter. Ask questions that give you insight into the personality of the office.


If all the employees


go rock climbing every weekend and you prefer to read books, guess what, you are not going to fit in. Again, don’t force your decision; you do not want to find yourself dangling at the end of a rope - literally.


Trial Reporter / Spring 2011 11


• Ask to speak with some current staff or obtain their email address to speak with them about the office culture. I said culture, not gossip. Is this a suit and tie office, or is it dress casual? What do they do for birthdays? Are there staff meetings? Ask questions that give you an idea of how the office works on a daily basis. As a professional, you know to stay out of the gossip mill since it will chew you up.


• Managers hire slowly. Follow up after your interview, but don’t pester the office. Remember, the office is trying to do the work with one (or more) people down, and hiring managers/principals are trying to make the right decision for all parties.


•


If you follow up and no decision has been made yet, ask if you can work in the office for a couple a days a week on a contractual basis. Tis might help both you and the office with a final decision.


• Facebook and other social networking sites are not your friend. No matter how tight your security, your friends may not have the same settings. Also, once on the internet, always on the internet. For the most part, employers do not make their decisions based on social networking sites. However, should some not-so-flattering comments or pictures make their way to someone in the office, there may be issues. Te internet is public domain, and may not reflect the person you really are. I know I am about to sound like a dad (because I am), but be careful what you post, anywhere.


• Be honest with the employer. If you feel this is not the right match, let the hiring manager know as soon as possible. Don’t waste your time or theirs.


Decision Time:


• Go with your gut. You’ve been on enough interviews to know where you think you want to work. Evaluate the offer, but go with what your gut is telling you (it is usually right).


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