by Amanda Stanley
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”
Sounds ideal but finding a job you will love may prove to be harder than you think. Actually, finding the job may not be the difficult part; getting a response to your application or resume may be putting you at your wits’ end.
Whether you are a teenager looking for your first job, or a seasoned worker looking for a change, the job market can be a brutal place. Competition for jobs is fierce and those with a low tolerance for rejection may find themselves giving up soon after starting.
Stories of people putting in hundreds of resumes, but never even getting so much as a phone call, may sound familiar. Social media posts echo this all over the country. So many people apply for the same position, and with the AI programs, many resumes never even get seen by a real person.
It is also common to hear parents of teenagers complain that their child has applied to every fast-food restaurant in town with no success, even though the sign in the window says help wanted.
So how does anyone gain employment? Is it just a fluke, a matter of being in the right place at the right time? Or are there methods jobseekers can use to boost their odds of getting an interview and landing their dream job (or their dream-for-now job)?
Career strategist Deb Oronzio says yes, there are tactics that can help. Although job hunting is not the same as it was just a decade ago, there are some steps you can take to stand out among the rest.
Oronzio explains that the main thing to remember when you are looking for a job is that you are selling yourself. Employers are no longer interested in hearing just what you did in your daily tasks. They want to know how you handle challenging situations and the impact your solutions have had. Oronzio suggests keeping a journal of your work successes. Continue adding to the journal as your career progresses. This makes resume writing and answering interview questions easier. If you are new to the workforce, you can draw from experiences in school, sports, volunteering, or anytime you have had to work with a team.
“Recognize that the resume is a promotional piece, or advertisement for ‘You, Inc.,’” Oronzio says. “It has to read more like an advertising piece than an obituary.”
An error many job hunters make is using the same resume for every submission. Your resume should be tailored to the job description of the position to which you are applying. Make sure you are using key words from the job description in your resume.
Teenagers and first-time job seekers are in a unique position in regard to their resume. Employers want to see past work experience, but they don’t have typical experience. This is an opportunity to emphasize extracurricular activities, such as sports, music, clubs, and volunteer work. Babysitting jobs and regularly mowing the neighbor’s lawn count, too. Any activity that demonstrates the applicant’s ability to work in a group, manage their time, be responsible, and learn new skills will be of interest to a prospective employer. Be sure to include any leadership positions, such as captain of the team, lead or chair in the music class, vice president of the club, and so on.
Parents are encouraged to approach friends and business associates to make a connection for their child. It’s not cheating to make an introduction. Your child will still have to network, make an impression, and follow the process to get the job. Networking is a useful tool at any age.
For help with resume writing, websites like jobscan.co and tealhq.com can be useful. You can upload your resume along with the job description, and the website will rate your resume based on how it matches what employers are wanting. Take the time to revise and curate your resume.
You might also consider working one-on-one with a professional career services expert, like Oronzio, who can help you develop and plan how to position yourself in the marketplace and assist you with resume writing, interview prep, and negotiating a job offer.
Another option is to look into the career services department at Wake Tech. Their Career and Professional Development Center offers courses in career exploration, interview skill-building, and resume and cover letter writing. Additionally, Wake Tech offers drop-in labs where individuals can speak with a coach for hands-on assistance. Appointments are also available for in-person and virtual support. Many of these courses and services are free to the public. You can learn more and book appointments at www.waketech.edu/student-services/career-services.
The Wake County public library also offers employment guidance through their adult services librarians. They offer resume and cover letter reviews, support with online applications, and interview tips. Book a session online at wake.gov/departments-government/libraries, then select appointments.
With your resume and cover letter optimized, you are ready to apply and await a response. You are not done, though. Once you are called for an interview, the work continues. Oronzio emphasizes one word of advice, “Prepare!”
She elaborates by saying, “Do not ever consider going into an interview thinking you know what they will ask.”
Oronzio suggests Googling interview questions and saving them. If you are applying to a specialized industry, Google questions for that industry, too. Write out responses to each question so you can structure an answer. Then use that as a script and adapt your answers to conversation. Be prepared, but don’t sound rehearsed.
Record yourself and evaluate your answers, your body language, and your cadence. Keep practicing.
“End up with something that sounds authentic to you,” says Oronzio. “Preparation breeds confidence and confidence gets results.”
While you are preparing, make sure you learn everything you can about the company for which you are interviewing. Oronzio says it is important to go deeper than just the main pages of the website. Look into their investor relations, charity work, financials, and reviews from past employees and customers. The more you know, the better prepared you will be to answer their interview questions.
You also want to plan at least three questions you can ask the interviewer(s). Most likely, you will be asked if you have any questions, and Oronzio says to never reply that you don’t have any questions. This is an opportunity to not only show your interest in the company and the position, but also to show your insight and readiness for the job.
Joining the workforce can be daunting. It is important to look for a job that suits your interests and will help you to reach your ultimate goals. It used to be common that people would work at a job for decades, their entire career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2024 in the U.S., people are staying in their jobs an average of 3.9 to 4.1 years. Employees are using jobs more as stepping stones to their dream job or to retirement.
If you are currently employed and considering making a change due to workplace negativity or concerns about the company’s viability, Oronzio suggests that you do not wait too long to decide. You want to leave on your terms, not the company’s.
The current trend of people leaving jobs in about four years leaves employers constantly looking for good employees. This gives job seekers an opportunity to impress. According to an Indeed Career Guide article titled, “15 Qualities Employers Look for in Job Candidates,” employers are looking for candidates with ambition, effective communication, eagerness to learn, critical thinking skills, flexibility, and dependability. This sounds like a lot, but your resume and your interview are your opportunities to showcase these skills.
The article states, “Employers value both hard skills and soft skills in the hiring process, with interpersonal skills often determining the type of employee a candidate will be.”
Job searching is not an activity that most people would consider fun. It can be stressful, disappointing, and frustrating. But it can also be enlightening and fruitful, especially if you follow professional guidance. If all else fails, just remember that preparation and determination are your keys to a successful job hunt. Good luck out there!
Deb Oronzio is the owner of Self-Empower Coaching. You can visit her website at www.selfempowercoaching.com.
