Shawn Boyer: Be Flexible And Prepared

Need an hourly job? Even in this tough economy, there are jobs out there.

Shawn Boyer, president and CEO of SnagAJob.com, says you will find tens of thousands of hourly job listings when you search sites like SnagAJob.com. But with increased competition, you have to stand out in the crowd if you want to get hired.

Here are four ways to do that:

• Be self aware. "I hate talking about myself," many job seekers say. "I don't know what to say." That's the wrong attitude. An employer isn't going to magically realize you have a shining personality and extensive job experience - you have to tell them. If you have trouble thinking of things to say, ask your friends or family for suggestions. Even if you don't have a lot of experience that relates directly to the job you're applying for, you can still talk about transferable skills in your job application or resume. Transferable skills are relevant to all types of jobs; examples include communication, problem-solving, collaboration and organization.
• Be thorough. If you have a year-long gap in your employment history, take the time to explain gaps in employment or education. From an employer's perspective, it's much better to read that a job applicant took time off to raise his or her kids than to see a big blank space on the resume. Also, take time to answer application questions with complete sentences, and check your spelling and grammar.
• Be flexible. Can't find a job in your field? Don't despair. Write down your transferable skills and brainstorm jobs where those skills would come in handy. If your skills include organization, budgeting, sales, customer service and managing a team, you could get a position as a sales rep, hotel, restaurant or store manager or something similar. Cast your net wide. Talk to friends, family, former bosses, neighbors - everyone you know - and let them know you're on a job hunt. You may be surprised by how many opportunities come from unlikely sources!
• Be prepared. Think interviews are easy? Here are a few common questions that often trip people up:
  
  
  1. Why do you want to work here?
     
  2. What's your greatest weakness?
     
  3. Tell me about yourself.

  Hints: The first is a trick question. The interviewer isn't asking you which job perks you like best; he or she wants to know what you can bring to the company. Your answer should sound something like "I've heard great things about your company culture, and I would bring a lot of energy and experience to the team." In the second, choose an answer that falls somewhere between insignificant ("Well, I'm not too good at keeping my desk drawers organized") and major ("I have a hard time motivating myself"). The ideal answer will include a solution: "I sometimes lose track of deadlines, so I started setting up automatic reminders for myself." Never, never begin and answer to thre third questions with "When I was five years old…" Employers want to hear about your work experience and interests. That's all they really care about.

And here are some tips for job-hunters:

• Tailor your application to the job. Read the job description carefully for hints about what the employer is looking for; then write your application to match.
• Practice interviewing. If you can practice interview questions with someone ahead of time, you'll be less nervous when the day of the real interview arrives.
• Check your voicemail. No, not the messages - your own voicemail recording. This may be the first impression you make on a prospective employer. Make sure you sound professional and say your own name clearly. Don't ramble, mumble or play music in the background.
• Ditto for your e-mail. If your email address is anything like laydeezman42 or kittylvr4evr, please don't let an employer see it. Get a simple, professional address from a free e-mail provider and use it for your job search. First initial + last name + number (not your age!) is a good formula to use.
• Don't leave them hanging. Don't wait until next week to respond to a call, or the hiring manager may assume you're not really interested.
• Follow up. This is the most common piece of advice job seekers get, for good reason. Imagine you're a hiring manager and you interview two great candidates. One calls the next day to thank you, while the other stays silent. Who are you going to hire?