Seriously? 50% of college grads do NOT have jobs

By Kaycee Cash

50% of new college graduates do not have jobs…. Seriously? Here I am, pouring my heart and soul into my college education, and now I am threatened by this statistic. You don’t apply to colleges hoping to give them all your money and leave with a piece of paper but no money to your name. You think that you are going to college to get the “whole experience,” which is of course worth it and I encourage it, but me personally? I’m in college now so that I can get that job that I want. That one job that I have been dancing around, declaring majors for. Right now it happens to be a small animal veterinarian. It could change to anything with animals- but that’s just me. I feel like a lot of people go through the same cycle of not knowing exactly what you want to do with your life, and this statistic of not having a job is scary. None of us want to end up like that.

But here I am, not even finished with the third paragraph of the introduction to this book that is supposed to teach me how to get a job. “Do This! Get Hired!” is the title. Forceful, but it gets the point across. Why should I trust what this book says?  Well, to start off, the first chapter is titled “What Qualifies Me to Give You Advice?” Apparently, Mr. Lyden is quite qualified.

One of the things that I have learned about the author is that he evaluates college students for a living. He recruits people like me for businesses, grad school, etc. If I had to guess, he probably knows what he is doing, and I feel a bit more comfortable about the advice that he has to give. Not only does he recruit college students, he teaches them how to get recruited through several classes. Some of these include methods on how to succeed in applying online, interviews, and resume writing. I made my resume with a guide off of google, and I’m pretty sure it isn’t as good as it should be. I hope that the things that he has to say in his book will help. He also teaches others how to recruit, how to read resumes, and did I mention the businesses that he works for are ranked and rated highly? Within the first few pages I’ve already learned a lot about him and a fun fact: always put your GPA in your resume or run the risk of your resume getting thrown out immediately. Nobody has the time to call you and ask about anything you left out.

The most striking thing to me is his story behind writing this book. I know that the proceeds of the book go to saving animals, which is a fantastic thing, but he got the idea by reading somebody else’s help book for college students. That somebody else has a Ph.D, and his book was long and way too descriptive.  Not only that… some of it was wrong, at least from Mr. Lyden’s experience. What’s great about this book so far is that there is nothing fake to it. It’s concise and informative, and already helpful. Not only that, it has a sarcastic tone that keeps the book humorous.  I look forward to the rest of the book, and I think I have a lot left to learn about getting a job. (And I mean A LOT.)

Salary Negotiations by Abby Soley

Mark Lyden’s book, “Do This! Get Hired!” clearly identifies the steps you have to take in order to get hired, for almost any scenario. He explains how to make your resume as powerful as possible, how to succeed at a career fair, and how to master the interview. He goes beyond this, though, and helps you out even after you and the job!

“Did you know that failing to negotiate your starting salary at your first job by just $2000 will cost you about $250,000 over a career?”

I didn’t know that, but it makes perfect sense in hindsight! And I don’t know about you, but I am already imagining what I could do with that money (new boat anyone?)!

Mark describes exactly what you have to say in order to effectively negotiate your salary.  He explains the basics of the two-five rule, which is a way of determining your ideal salary range. It’s easier to explain in an example, so here is a scenario that Mark described in the book.

If the company offers you a salary of $61,000, add $2000 to it to come up with the bottom number of your range, and then add $5000 on top of that number to get the top number of your range. Here is what you should say to the company: “First, thank you for the offer. We are close! My ideal salary for this position is sixty-eight thousand with my range being between sixty-three and sixty-eight thousand.”

It’s that easy! Now, have fun on that new boat!! ;)

MARK LYDEN’S BIO

Mark Lyden is an expert at getting people jobs…in THIS difficult job market. He has already helped thousands with his advice because it is different and it is PROVEN to work! The advice he gives is not the traditional advice that can be found on the Internet or being given by most career professionals. Now and for the last 15-years, Mr. Lyden has been a Professional Lead Recruiter for a Fortune 50 company. Mark is the author of: College Students: Do This! Get Hired!; Veterans: Do This! Get Hired!; and, Professionals: Do This! Get Hired! Visit DoThisGetHired.com for additional information. A substantial portion of the proceeds from book sales are donated back to charity to help veterans and to help the stray and abandoned animals at Logan’s Run Rescue.

RELAX! by Abby Soley

I’m going to be honest with you: waiting in line to talk to a recruiter at a job fair can be boring and, for me personally, the most nervous part of the whole experience. Countless questions race through my mind. “What do I say?” “What are they going to say?” “Did I prepare enough?” “What if I don’t know how to answer the questions they ask me?”

RELAX!

While you are standing in line, don’t text your best friend about the new shoes you bought for spring break. Instead open your ears and listen to the questions the recruiters are asking the students who are in line in front of you. Chances are they will ask you similar, if not the same, questions! Now that you know the questions, spend the time waiting in line to formulate answers to them. Once you get to the front of the line, your answer will be perfect, and your confidence in yourself will sky rocket!

What if he line isn’t long enough to listen to the questions and come up with answers, casually walk by the table and listen to the questions, then go to a quiet corner to prepare your answers. Once you have them down pat, GO GET ‘EM!

MARK LYDEN’S BIO

Mark Lyden is an expert at getting people jobs…in THIS difficult job market. He has already helped thousands with his advice because it is different and it is PROVEN to work! The advice he gives is not the traditional advice that can be found on the Internet or being given by most career professionals. Now and for the last 15-years, Mr. Lyden has been a Professional Lead Recruiter for a Fortune 50 company. Mark is the author of: College Students: Do This! Get Hired!; Veterans: Do This! Get Hired!; and, Professionals: Do This! Get Hired! Visit DoThisGetHired.com for additional information. A substantial portion of the proceeds from book sales are donated back to charity to help veterans and to help the stray and abandoned animals at Logan’s Run Rescue.

Tell Your Story by Abby Soley

Do you dread seeking employment for the sole reason that you are scare to death of being interviewed? Fear no more.

I’m sure you know the basics when it comes to being interviewed: research the company, prepare, and if you wouldn’t wear it to your grandmother’s, don’t wear it on an interview. Beyond that, there are some very good tips outlined in the book, “Do This! Get Hired!”

The first one that helped settle my nerves about interviewing is to remember, “interviewing is nothing more than telling stories.” Yes, the company needs to know about the special skills you have, but that should be clear on your resume. The interviewer is trying to dig deeper to get to know how you can handle certain situations. Each story you tell should follow the SBO method. SBO stand for situation, behavior and outcome. You should describe the situation you were in, the steps you took and how you reacted to the situation, and the result to your action. If you spend about 30 seconds on each section (and completely answer the question in about a minute and a half), PERFECT! Remember, the interviewer wants to know how YOU reacted to a situation, not how the team worked together. Team work is important, but the team isn’t being interviewed, YOU ARE!

MARK LYDEN’S BIO

Mark Lyden is an expert at getting people jobs…in THIS difficult job market. He has already helped thousands with his advice because it is different and it is PROVEN to work! The advice he gives is not the traditional advice that can be found on the Internet or being given by most career professionals. Now and for the last 15-years, Mr. Lyden has been a Professional Lead Recruiter for a Fortune 50 company. Mark is the author of: College Students: Do This! Get Hired!; Veterans: Do This! Get Hired!; and, Professionals: Do This! Get Hired! Visit DoThisGetHired.com for additional information. A substantial portion of the proceeds from book sales are donated back to charity to help veterans and to help the stray and abandoned animals at Logan’s Run Rescue.

Ace the Interview by Abby Soley

Do you dread seeking employment for the sole reason that you are scare to death of being interviewed? Fear no more.

I’m sure you know the basics when it comes to being interviewed: research the company, prepare, and if you wouldn’t wear it to your grandmother’s, don’t wear it on an interview. Beyond that, there are some very good tips outlined in the book, “Do This! Get Hired!”

The first one that helped settle my nerves about interviewing is to remember, “interviewing is nothing more than telling stories.” Yes, the company needs to know about the special skills you have, but that should be clear on your resume. The interviewer is trying to dig deeper to get to know how you can handle certain situations. Each story you tell should follow the SBO method. SBO stand for situation, behavior and outcome.  You should describe the situation you were in, the steps you took and how you reacted to the situation, and the result to your action. If you spend about 30 seconds on each section (and completely answer the question in about a minute and a half), PERFECT! Remember, the interviewer wants to know how YOU reacted to a situation, not how the team worked together. Team work is important, but the team isn’t being interviewed, YOU ARE!

MARK LYDEN’S BIO

Mark Lyden is an expert at getting people jobs…in THIS difficult job market. He has already helped thousands with his advice because it is different and it is PROVEN to work! The advice he gives is not the traditional advice that can be found on the Internet or being given by most career professionals. Now and for the last 15-years, Mr. Lyden has been a Professional Lead Recruiter for a Fortune 50 company. Mark is the author of: College Students: Do This! Get Hired!; Veterans: Do This! Get Hired!; and, Professionals: Do This! Get Hired! Visit DoThisGetHired.com for additional information. A substantial portion of the proceeds from book sales are donated back to charity to help veterans and to help the stray and abandoned animals at Logan’s Run Rescue.

Veterans’ Day Comes Early for The Howard Keating Show Listeners

I will be part of this wonderful event along with many other organizations throughout the country which will take place online April 6th through April 7th at www.keatingnetwork.com. 

24-Hour Web-a-thon Will Connect Vets With Jobs, Financing and Franchise Opportunities

Veterans’ Day is observed every November, but for America’s veterans and listeners of The Howard Keating Show(www.keatingnetwork.com), the holiday will come early this year as Howard hosts a 24-hour national Web-a-thon to benefit struggling veterans and their families.

From 5:00 pm EDT on April 6 until 5:00 pm the next day, Howard will honor America’s most-important heroes by giving them what they need most – access to jobs and a better financial future. By bringing together authors, job boards, financing experts, franchising representatives, social services professionals, entertainers and a their fellow active soldiers Howard will be doing his part to end the national shame of poverty and hopelessness among so many of our veterans.

For more than 30 years, Howard Keating – a veteran himself -- has been one of the nation’s strongest advocates for supporting small, developing or minority-owned businesses. He has been involved with over 25 start-ups and 16 turnarounds and his expertise spans everything from manufacturing, to software, to electronics, to land development, to health care. He has deep roots with the intricacies of federal programs and he organized and chaired the World Summit for Small Businesses in Washington D.C.

For more than 30 years, Howard Keating – a veteran himself -- has been one of the nation’s strongest advocates for supporting small, developing or minority-owned businesses. He has been involved with over 25 start-ups and 16 turnarounds and his expertise spans everything from manufacturing, to software, to electronics, to land development, to health care. He has deep roots with the intricacies of federal programs and he organized and chaired the World Summit for Small Businesses in Washington D.C.

For this live, interactive Web-a-thon, over 60 associations and 200 companies have pledged to help our returned soldiers:

 Get a new job;

 Start a business;

 Expand their business; and 

 Obtain up to $25,000 in business development loans.

“Our goal for this program is to get 1,000 veterans to apply for a job, and make 1,000 business contracts available to veterans,” said Howard Keating, CEO of Keating Network and host of The Howard Keating Show.  “This is just the beginning. We will continue these Web-a-thons until all of our veterans and their families have established the financial independence they so deserve.”

Contact      Patrick Fitzgibbons, Fleishman-Hillard, (212) 453-2124, Patrick.fitzgibbons@fleishman.com

Veteran 24-hour Web-A-Thon

The Howard Keating Show is hosting a 24-Hour Veteran Web-A-Thon on April 6 – 7th, 2011.  The program is anticipating over 1MM viewers during the 24-hour period. 

According to Susan Wellman, Executive Vice President, “The web-a-thon is designed to help our veterans get jobs, start businesses or expand their existing businesses through opportunities and resources offered on the program….the purpose is to increase awareness throughout the media community of the significant needs and challenges our veterans face (90 percent divorce rate, 107,000 living on our streets, loss of homes and jobs, etc.).  These heroes are so completely demoralized upon their return from service, and we need them to know that the corporations of the U.S. are behind them.”       

The show’s goal is to honor our veterans by helping at least 2,000 get jobs, contracts, start a business, or create joint ventures. 

When:  April 6^th, 5:00 PM ET – April 7^th at 5:00 PM ET

Offering:

®     Businesses looking to partner with businesses

®     franchises at a discounted price

®     Jobs from major businesses

®     Loans to either start a business or to help increase sales of an existing business

®     Distributorship opportunities

®     Product and service companies that want to go global.

Media platform

®     The Howard Keating Show (keatingnetwork.com) 

Veterans

®     5.5 million veterans with disabilities

®     92 percent have high school diplomas or higher compared to 85 percent of the nation as a whole

®     90 percent of today’s returning veterans get divorced within 2 years.

®     For every military personnel that that die in war, a veteran commits suicide

®     7.6 million Vietnam era veterans are living

®     9 million veterans are 65 and older

®     1.5 million veterans are  female

®     20,000 veterans lost their homes in 2010

®     1.5 million veterans are in poverty or homeless

®   107,000 veterans are homeless on any given night

Two-thirds of Veterans Applying for Jobs are Counted Out

An alarming quote by a company representative needing to hire hundreds per month, “We love veterans.  We want to hire as many as we can.  But two-thirds of veterans applying online are counted out because they do not know the process.”

Before you apply to any job opening, before you set up any account or profile on any website, before you do anything, wouldn’t it be nice to have the inside story on what the manager is looking for in a candidate—the required skills or knowledge they want you to have—so that you can highlight them on your resume?   Well, you already have that information in the job description, and here is how you use it and the best way to apply online.  Here are the 7 Critical Steps:

1. Before doing anything else, go to the company website and print out all the jobs that interest you.
2. Take a highlighter and highlight the key words and phrases the manager uses to describe what skills and knowledge he is looking for right from the job description.
3. Take the key words and phrases you highlighted and incorporate them throughout your resume.
4. At the bottom of your resume, create a heading on your resume called "INTEREST AREAS," and take all the key words and phrases you highlighted and list them under this heading.  
5. Then, set up an account online, taking those same key words and phrases and incorporating them into your profile or the “interest areas” section they ask for. 
6. Then apply for the jobs.
7. As you apply to more openings, continually update the key words and phrases in your resume, in your profile or interest area section. 

This is known as Reverse Engineering your resume.  From the job description, see what the employer wants first.  See what are key words and phrases are that they want to see.  Then adjust your resume and apply.  Just remember, to do it right, it will take you about 40-45 minutes to take your “base resume" and transform it into a resume specifically for each job. 

Remember to approach it this way, as if each job that you apply to is the only job your resume is geared to.  It may sound like a lot of time and effort, but for you to stand out and get contacted, your resume can’t just be a good match, but must be a great match.  Reverse engineering is the way to ensure that that this is the case for every job you apply to.

Please keep in mind, your resume will get noticed, but this is only the first step. There are many more tips and tricks on the road to landing a job; but if you start with this, you are already ahead of the game.

Mark Lyden

DoThisGetHired.com

Mark Lyden is the author of: College Students: Do This! Get Hired!; Veterans: Do This! Get Hired!; and Professionals: Do This! Get Hired! (Coming Summer 2011).  A substantial portion of the proceeds from book sales are donated back to charity to help veterans and to help the stray and abandoned animals at Logan’s Run Rescue.   

The Truth about Company Reps behind the booths at Career and Job Fairs

In my experience, the smaller the company usually means the more experienced the reps are at recruiting; but not always.  That is logical if you think about it because they usually have a smaller budget, go to fewer events, and, therefore have one or two of the same people doing all their events.  That means they get a lot of experience and practice.  However, with larger companies? It’s a totally different story.  They usually go to a lot more events and need a lot more people to help at those events; often, many of those people lack the experience. 

This is why I am very comfortable with saying there are as many poor recruiters out there as there are good ones, simply for the fact that many don’t do it enough to have the experience and practice needed to develop into good or great recruiters.  This is reality.  And the reality is that recruiting is a talent and a skill that needs to be practiced often to get better.  It is the experience and repetition that is critical for recruiters to develop the skills and techniques that enable them to wade through a sea of candidates to find the very best ones, consistently.  It takes a substantial and continuous amount of practice and learning to grow and get better.  How can you get better if you only do it once a year?  Even a better question: How can you call someone a recruiter that only does it once a year?

Now you might be asking, “Why is this important to me?”  It is important because it helps you understand the importance of preparing for poor or inexperience people that are functioning in some capacity as a recruiter.  If you get one of them, which again I figure is about a fifty-fifty chance, you need to ensure you do everything you can to prevent them from making a mistake. 

This is exactly why I teach candidates and give seminars across the country.  Job seekers need to format their answers in a way so no matter what the experience level or training of the recruiter or interviewer, the candidates gives a complete answer that needs no probing or follow up questions.  This is also why I train recruiters.  They need to know that most, year in and year out, will not give them enough detail in their answers.  The recruiter needs to know how to ask probing, follow-up questions to get the detail they need to fairly assess a candidate’s answer.  However, I can train all I want, but I can’t be in the room or at the booth to hear what everyone says.  That is why the candidate needs to take the responsibility of preparing. 

Mark Lyden

DoThisGetHired.com

Mark Lyden is the author of a number of books: College Students: Do This! Get Hired!; Veterans: Do This! Get Hired!; and Professionals: Do This! Get Hired! (Coming Summer 2011).  A substantial portion of the proceeds from book sales are donated back to charity to help veterans and to help the stray and abandoned animals at Logan’s Run Rescue.   

A Candidates Ability to Strategically Navigate the Online Application Process is the Most Critical Part of their Job Hunt

In the recruiting world, it is now being argued that a candidate’s ability to strategically navigate the online application process is the most critical part of their job hunt.  I'm not a 100 percent there yet, but I'm close.  The facts are there are more people getting hired off the Internet than through all the recruiting events and all the professional recruiters combined.  I see nearly every large, medium, and even small companies now having some kind of online employment application process on their website.  At job fairs and recruiting events, I consistently and constantly hear company reps instructing candidates to apply online, because that is the only way that they will be considered.

Why do you think the vast majority of companies ask you to go and apply online?   If I didn’t know and I was reading this, I would probably say something like: “Who cares?  Can you just tell me what I have to do to get noticed?” But having a true understanding of why so many companies are adamant about you applying online will help you understand why you have to do it a particular way.  After all, you don’t want to get lost in the abyss called “Applying Online” like most do, right? 

There are a few good reasons why companies want you to apply online.  The obvious one you already know: it’s an efficient way of collecting and tracking a talent pool with little to no touch labor.

However, in the predominant motivating factor for corporate America is fear:   fear of litigation and liability.  You see, if you are a big company and it can be shown that you didn’t treat someone the same as everyone else or that you were not fair in the hiring process, you leave yourself open to, potentially, a very expensive lawsuit.  Having some kind of system in place that treats everyone the same and doesn’t discriminate among applicants whether they are male, female, black, white, Hispanic, or whether their first name is Bill or Saddam, means that no one can be accused of discriminating against a candidate for gender or race or anything else.  This reduces liability, which is the goal of corporate America.

Mark Lyden

DoThisGetHired.com

Mark Lyden is the author of a number of books: College Students: Do This! Get Hired!; Veterans: Do This! Get Hired!; and Professionals: Do This! Get Hired! (Coming Summer 2011).  A substantial portion of the proceeds from book sales are donated back to charity to help veterans and to help the stray and abandoned animals at Logan’s Run Rescue.