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Career Corner: Sitting in Judgment
Arcadia Weekly Sep 08, 2018
Monrovia is still in a drought and the city has ways to help you save water. – Courtesy photo
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Job searching is like dating; it’s really tough until you find “the one.” – Courtesy photo
By Angela Copeland
If you’re looking for a new job and if you’re actively interviewing, I want to encourage you to hang in there. It’s going to work out. I’m sure of it. Job searching is like dating; it’s really tough until you find “the one.” And, it just takes one. You only need one good job to change your current situation.
But, in the meantime, it’s painful. It’s really, extra painful. I get it. I’m starting to think some hiring managers haven’t been watching the news lately. They haven’t heard that the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in seventeen years. There are no longer enough talented people to go around. The job market has shifted back to the favor of the job seeker.
Some of the questions and demands the hiring manager will ask may come across as demeaning or disrespectful. Some may even be illegal. I’ve been asked my marital status, my age, and whether or not I have children in job interviews. No kidding.
It’s hard to say that you should always keep a positive attitude when job searching – especially when you’re going through it. But, the truth is, keeping it positive is the only way you’re going to find your way to the right job opportunity.
My hope is that sometime soon, all hiring managers will wake up to the fact that the job market has changed. The job seeker is evaluating them too. And, job seekers are not just products to be bought. They’re real people with real feelings and their own opinions.
Either way, don’t let the bad hiring managers get to you, or try not to, because you do want to be ready with a positive attitude when the right hiring manager comes along. You can’t let those who are rude get into your mind. You have to remember who you are and all the great things you bring to the table.
The right hiring manager won’t simply sit in judgement. They’ll ask you solid, relevant questions. They’ll talk to you with respect. They’ll be prepared. And, they’ll take into consideration that you’re evaluating them too. They’ll ask if you have questions, and they’ll give you thoughtful answers back.
The right hiring manager will value you. They’ll give you an appropriate title and a fair amount of money. They want to hire someone good and they’re willing to pay for it. The right hiring manager will build you up, not tear you down.
The right hiring manager is out there. Pushing yourself to keep your head up will ensure that you’re in the right space when you meet them.
And, to the hiring managers out there: the market has shifted. Talent is scarce. Treat candidates the way you’d want to be treated. Even if they aren’t the perfect fit, be respectful. You may need the job seeker one day. You may want them to work for you.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
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