Knowledge Hoop

Last week, President Obama gave the State of the Union address.  Many have described his speech as inspiring and uplifting.  During his speech, he talked about signs of economic recovery.  While it is not happening as fast as we’d like, it is happening.

As I reflect on the report of the economy and unemployment, I am concerned that the recovery for the African American community appears stagnant.  Although the national unemployment rate dropped by .4 percentage point in December to 9.4%, the rate for African Americans, 15.8%, showed little change.  In isolation this may not seem like a big deal considering that historically, unemployment rates for African Americans have always been higher than the national average.  But, when you look at the impact of the mortgage crisis and the disparity in unemployment rates together, the outlook for the African American community does not appear to be as bright as the outlook for our Nation.

Although the report is bleak, we are not a people that will simply retreat with our “tail between our legs” at the first sign of trouble.  However, as President Obama mentioned during his address to the Nation, the “game” has changed.  Are you ready to play?  Over the next couple of weeks, I will complete a three part series entitled,  Aim to Win in This Economy.  The first posting in the series is about personal branding during the employment search.

With unemployment rates at record highs, employers have a large pool of qualified candidates to choose from.  The competition is fierce.  That being said, you must present your “A” game – make sure you’re at your best.  Many times positions are filled before they’re ever posted.  Well, you might say, how can I compete when a job is filled before it’s offered?  Be proactive.  If you are waiting for the Sunday paper to identify job openings, you will not win in this economy.  The reality is this, if you are unemployed, your “job” is to get a job.  There are always career fairs and information sessions going on.  Take the opportunity to go out and meet the individuals that often make the decision on whether or not you get an interview with the company.  Included below are a few things to keep in mind when attending these events:

•  Dress the Part.  At a minimum this should be business casual.  Never wear tennis shoes or urban wear to a career fair.  Although it’s not a formal job interview, it is the employer’s first impression.  First impressions are lasting impressions; make sure you make a good one.  If you have tattoos or piercings, recognize that the prospective employer may perceive certain things about you.  This may be controversial, but I recommend that you remove the piercings and cover the visible tattoos.  Remember, you’re the one seeking employment.
• Have copies of your resume on hand.  Your resume should be printed on quality paper, and should be free of grammatical errors.  With recent technological advances (i.e., spell check and grammar correction), employers can be unforgiving.  As a precautionary measure, have someone proofread your resume.
•  Follow-up.  If you have extended conversations with potential employers, remember to request business cards and follow-up to ensure that you leave a lasting impression.  This step should be completed right after the event.  
• Clean up Facebook and check your credit.  Yes, employers do review Facebook during the hiring process.  Check your security, clean up your photos, and review your Wall for derogatory comments / postings.  My last blog posting was entitled Get Your Credit Straight!  If you get an interview, it is very likely that the employer will perform a background check and review your credit.  Take an offensive position; make sure that you’re aware of what’s included in your credit report.

I know you may be thinking this is a lot of work considering that you don’t even have an interview.  In this economy, this is often what it takes to get the interview.  Once you get an interview, the following steps will position you for success:

• Research the company.  Spend some time on the company’s website and develop questions to ask during the interview.  Additionally, sites like www.careerbuilder.com have resources that can assist you in preparing for the interview.  The service is free, and you can only benefit from using it.
• Dress at the level above the job you’re applying for.  For instance, if the attire for the job is business casual, you should wear a suit.  It is always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed.  Also, personal hygiene is important; your nails should be trimmed, hair neat, clothes pressed, shoes polished, accessories modest, and by all means, do not wear fragrances. 
• Don’t forget to say thank you.  Once the interview is over, an important step that is often overlooked is a thank you note.  This is very important.  A nice hand-written thank you card or email to your interviewers is appropriate and expected.  Don’t lose out on an opportunity because you forget this critical step.

I hope you’ve been enlightened and are now ready to charge ahead!  The next posting in this series will focus on Retooling Yourself to Win in this Economy.  As always, I’d love to hear from you.  Please share your lessons learned or recommendations on how to achieve success during the employment search.