You’re about to graduate from college: Four years of hard work (and probably a little fun, too!) and you have your diploma in hand. Congratulations are in order — but don’t think the hard part is over! Now, you have to compete in a massive job market, which doesn’t have many jobs to offer. You’ll need to prove your worth to potential employers to get (and keep) that comfy job. Luckily, you can take some advice from our furry canine friends and follow their lead when it’s time to land a sweet gig.
1) Always Keep Your Ears Pricked — Dogs that are slow are never first in line to be fed. An alert watch dog always keeps his ears pricked and is ready to pounce at the first opportunity. This goes the same in the job hunt. Most jobs won’t stay open very long after being posted, and positions will be filled quickly. You have to be quick: respond to job postings fast so you can land an interview.
2) The Early Dog Gets the Bone — Your ears were pricked, you’re ready for your interview. Now, all you have to do is not screw it up! Be early (super early if you are usually late), remember, when it comes to interviews, early is on time and on time is late. If your interview is at 9:00 am, get there at 8:45 am. Arriving at your interview with enough time will give you a chance to compose your thoughts and acclimate yourself to your surroundings. But most importantly, it’s first impression time — you’re hungry, you’re ready, you’re motivated, so dazzle them with your good breeding.
3) Show What You Can Bring to the Pack — Dogs are pack animals and they rely on the pack to work as a team to get the job done. But each pack member brings something a little different to make the team work. Companies are exactly the same way, so differentiate yourself from the other applicants What makes you stand out among the other applicants? Let your personality show and briefly work in your non-work related interests (to a certain point; don’t go cat lady crazy or it’ll turn the interviewers off). Remember, the alpha dogs are adding not just your skills to the pack, but you as a person.
4) Don’t Hide Your Scars, Use Them — Everyone has weak parts of their resumes. Maybe you didn’t do extremely well in college, or there is a big whole in your work experience. Don’t worry about it coming up in the interview, because it will. Don’t try to hide from these questions — use them as opportunities to showcase how you have overcome diversity. Every hard-working dog is going to have a few scars on his nose, but it’s how you came out of the fight that counts. Show how you can overcome diversity and come out on top. This will make you a more attractive candidate, rather than a weak one.
5) Let Them Know You Play Well With Others — Dogs that prefer to be lone wolves are not great pack members. They aren’t socialized, and don’t get along with the team. Don’t come off as a lone wolf. No employer is looking to hire a person who can’t get contribute to and get along with team. Instead, employers want team players who assimilate into the pack with general ease. They know to survive in the wild, they need an efficient and loyal pack.
6) Before You Interview, Study the Pack — Do your research: study the company you’re hoping to work for. You need to go beyond the few key words or phrases that seem relevant to the position you are interview for. Being able to discuss and analyze the company’s policy’s and the position you are interviewing for will show you are passionate about not only getting the job, but about the work you will be doing in it. This will make you seem like a potential asset to the company.
7) Show You Want to Learn New Tricks — You may have the necessary skills for the job, but if you can’t show you are teachable and adaptable. Both new and old dogs need to be able to learn on the job, and be open to criticism. The ability to integrate feedback into your everyday working life is a huge plus for companies looking to hire new people.
8) Be Agile When Responding to Challenges — Jump those hurdles quickly. When employers ask questions or present new challenges, show you respond swiftly to problems. Talk about a heavy professional load you once had, or about a challenging semester in college and how you became a quick problem solver and swift organizer because of it.
For the Best that Pet Lifestyle and Animal Welfare has to offer follow Wendy Diamond on Facebook, Twitter, and right here at AnimalFair.com!