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How To: Open the Doors to Success
by Hayli Morrison
When Pam Claughton ventured into the media industry with a advertising degree in hand, she fully expected to be welcomed into an ad agency. It didn’t take long for her perspective to change.
“What I found was that the market was so competitive then, and it really hasn’t changed much,” said Claughton, who now works as a senior-level marketing and technology recruiter for Custom Search Group, Inc. “I had a million student loans, so I couldn’t afford to take an entry-level receptionist job at an ad agency and work my way up.”
Instead, Claughton took a much more humbling job, typing in obituaries and wedding and birth announcements for the
Tampa Tribune. “I was considered extremely fortunate to get that job,” she recalled. Her college professor’s referral helped Claughton get the job, instilling in her the importance of networking. In landing her next job in radio advertising sales, Claughton learned the importance of determination and bravado. She called a local radio station just after 5 p.m. – and just after the end of the secretary’s shift – and found herself talking to the general manager.
“I just had enthusiasm going for me. I didn’t know enough to be nervous,” she said. “The most important thing is to be proactive. Figure out where you want to work, pick up the phone, and call the person who would do the hiring for the job you want to do. It’s really scary, cold-calling, but it’s important.”
Not everyone has to resort to cold-calling, however. For the lucky ones like Sandra Henderson, great jobs just materialize and fall out of the sky. In college, Henderson’s roommate decided to quit working as an editorial assistant at a local magazine, but felt guilty because the magazine had no backup plan. Henderson said she would take the job, even though the small publication with its skeletal staff was far from prestigious. There, Henderson worked nearly five years gathering experience she now considers invaluable.
“All the small projects that the editor didn’t have time for, I got,” she said. “It was great, because I did
everything, from proofreading to ad sales, production and archiving.”
That small-time experience yielded big results in Henderson’s professional future, as she went on to land internships at major newspapers, magazines and even a television station. She sampled a variety of media forms to make sure she was going into the niche that best suited her. In Germany, where she lived and worked, editors were expected to undergo several internships and a two-year stint editing under close supervision.
“I knew I wanted to do that, and I knew to get any serious job in the media, you needed internships,” she said. “I had money saved up to keep myself afloat for half a year, and I did one internship after another. Then, because I had these internships under my belt and I had all these samples in different media, I had a relatively easy time getting this editor job.”
Each person’s career path takes its own unique twists and turns. Some careers take a straight upward trajectory, while others more closely resemble a roller coaster. However, aside from patience and perseverance, there are some universal principles that can make the road easier for all.
Apply locally. Most employers are going to have plenty of local options and will be hesitant to hire out-of-town candidates. Many companies have been burned by a long-distance candidate who “committed” to the job and the relocation, only to back out at the last minute. “They might make an exception if you have something to offer that is not very easy to be found – like if they need someone who speaks Japanese, and you’re very fluent – but otherwise, it doesn’t make sense,” Claughton said.
If local jobs are scarce and relocation is necessary, one solution is to apply using a relative or friend's local address. Alternatively, state in the cover letter which dates you will be in that city, looking for an apartment to rent. Send the note no sooner than a couple weeks prior to your visit, so it is a fresh priority for the interested employer. Such a note can show commitment and “a more serious intent” to relocate, according to Claughton.
Be Tech Savvy. Employers often ask you to follow certain guidelines when applying for a position. Some will ask applicants to paste the resume and cover letter directly into the body of an email, zip up large files, or apply using the company website. There is no better opportunity to demonstrate your tech savvy than in your e-mail.
Convert your email to plain text or stick to universal fonts if you decide to use rich text format. Don’t send out your resume and cover letter as attachments in a blank email note or with a simple message stating, “Please see attachments.” Claughton recommends attaching the resume, but typing out the cover letter into the body of the e-mail. “Do not send your cover letter as an attachment, because it won’t get read,” she said. Employers are bombarded with applications when a position opens up. To keep their in-box uncluttered, they will automatically delete extremely large files, skip through improperly zipped files and attachments, and will most certainly delete an email without any text in the body of an email.
Talk less and listen more. Informational interviews with professionals already in the field can be a prime way to gather valuable information. Most professionals are open to the idea, if approached in a polite manner. But the time when listening can matter most is in job interviews. A job interview is essentially a conversation, so practice your conversation skills beforehand – the cornerstone of which involves genuinely listening to the other person.
“Let people talk, show that you are listening and that you hear them and that you’re interested,” Claughton said. “Ask a question directly related to what they’re talking about to show that you’re listening.”
Don’t spend the entire interview thinking about your next question or comment and try not to get distracted by the lava lamp on the desk. Truly listening to an employer can help establish a connection that could lead to a job. It can also help you better identify what exact traits they are seeking in an employee. It may not land you the job of your dreams right off the bat, but it can open doors and get your foot firmly planted on the ladder of success.
