For more than 25 years, while readying myself for work in the morning, ABC’s Good Morning America has been the backdrop for my get-up-and-go routine. I half-listen as I rush out of the house, but I always give full attention to segments led by Tory Johnson, CEO of Women for Hire. Johnson is GMA’s workplace contributor and a career guru whose sage advice isn’t just for women-guys can benefit, too.
If you aren’t familiar with Johnson’s website, www.womenforhire.com, take a look. At its core are its major city career expos, enabling women in all fields to meet directly with recruiters and hiring managers. The next local one is Nov. 11 at the Manhattan Center; attendance is free. Beyond the expos, the site holds valuable information for job seekers and those looking to connect or improve careers.
advertisement
I recently had the opportunity to ask Johnson a few questions. Here’s our exchange:
What is the smartest thing a job seeker can do at a career expo?
TJ: Prepare in advance by researching the participating employers. Don’t just walk up to a booth to ask what the company does or what it’s hiring for. Have your intro ready when someone asks you about yourself. Keep personal information, especially struggles, to yourself. Don’t wear it on your sleeve that you’re frustrated and at your wits’ end. Project confidence. Talk to the other attendees, not just the participating employers.
What is different about today’s job-search process than 10 years ago?
TJ: There was a war for talent and top performers could jump ship as desired. Today, the economy is more challenging and even the best people aren’t getting hired as quickly as they would hope. Today job seekers spend too much time on the Internet, applying online and hoping their resumé is discovered in the big black hole. That makes the process so much harder. You sit in front of your computer and send out 100 resumés, all with quick clicks of the mouse, which leads to a false sense of accomplishment (“Wow, I applied for 100 jobs-someone has to call me, someone has to reply”), but often someone doesn’t reply and the phone never rings. Quality matters, not just quantity.
Do you think women job candidates still face challenges that their male counterparts never deal with?
TJ: “There are still many people in 2008 who would prefer to hire men over women in certain roles. They worry about women devoting too much time to family and not enough to work. They worry about a woman getting pregnant and leaving the job. There are all kinds of biases, but you can’t control what other people think…you can only focus on presenting your best self.
Learn more about presenting your best self by seeing Johnson speak in our own backyard. At the Long Island Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, she’ll lead a session titled “Talk Your Way to the Top: Communication Strategies for Career Advancement.” The event is Wednesday, Sept. 17, at Blackstone Steakhouse in Melville. Attendance is open to the public and costs $50 in advance. You can find out more at www.iabc-li.org.
Nancy Schuman is a vice president at Lloyd Staffing, headquartered in Melville, and is the author of seven how-to books on career guidance and job-search techniques. Lloyd Staffing offers temporary, contract and full-time employment services on a regional and national basis. Send your career-related questions tojobadvice@lloydstaffing.com.
