Last night, while my fellow recruiters were giving a presentation to a group of graduating IT students, I spent some time with my son at a local baseball school. I’m telling you this because I want my co-workers to know that I actually DO think about the time and effort they put in above and beyond the standard workday to help people find gainful employment. I’m also telling you this because I firmly believe that the only way to improve is to practice. For my son, it means spending time working on his batting and fielding. For our recruiters, it means spending more and more time learning how to more effectively identify talent for our client openings. For job seekers, like the graduates they met with, it means learning AND practicing the art of the job search and interview.

An important part of practicing is learning WHAT to practice and HOW to practice. My son thinks that he can be a switch hitter. Last night he had a rude awakening when the coach told him that he could be doing more harm than good and that he shouldn’t even try to bat lefty until he perfects his ability to bat as a righty. Together, he and the coach worked on some drills to improve his batting and by the end of the night, I could see improvement.

What do you need practice on for your job search? Honestly. Have you talked with someone who can provide you with an independent and fair assessment of your strengths and weaknesses? Once you have discovered what you need to work on, have you figured out how to improve those skills? 

I had a candidate who was having trouble landing his next job. He had the skills. He fit the expected salary range. He made an amazing first impression. After I convinced him to come in to do a mock interview (he didn’t think he needed any practice), we discovered the problem – he had trouble making eye contact during his interviews. It may not have been a huge problem, but when he was answering questions about why he had left previous positions, his behavior may have appeared to be less than honest.  If he was interviewing for a management position, the behavior may have also been perceived as being “weak”.

Once he finally recognized and agreed with my assessment of the problem, my candidate was able to practice his interviewing with his friends and relatives. Within two weeks of our coaching session, he had offers on the table. My clients were quick to note his “confidence” and his “honesty” during the interview!

I strongly encourage graduating students to talk with counselors and teachers. Ask for their help in your job search. There is no greater pride than that of a teacher who sees a student achieve their goals.

For experienced job-seekers, my suggestion is to reach out to the “coaches” who may be right in front of you. A trusted co-worker, a former manager, or even someone you know through a social group or connection can share their tips and honest opinions with you. Rather than arguing with constructive criticism, consider the source and thank them for their honesty. 

Our offices are the perfect setting for mock interviews. We recently had someone who thought that the purpose of our in-office interview was nothing more than a “meet and greet” to affirm our understanding of what he wanted in a job. While that is certainly a part of the process, it is not the purpose of the meeting. Our recruiters are experienced in working with candidates to identify strengths and weaknesses and in coaching throughout the job-seeking process. 

You practice and improve your IT skills every day you’re on the job. You never really get the chance to “practice” your job-seeking skills until you find yourself needing those skills the most. We welcome the opportunity to help you hit your next interview “out of the park”!