Get a Job!
By Mauri Schwartz
The View asked Hill resident and career expert Mauri Schwartz President/CEO of Career Insiders, to answer questions from job seekers. Submit your questions to editor@potreroview.net
Though times are tough, all is not hopeless. At a recent San Francisco job fair Toshiba, Wells Fargo Bank, San Francisco Housing Authority, National Park Service, Prudential Financial, Golden Gate University, and others were recruiting candidates for more than 600 jobs. Even if you missed the event, now you know who is hiring. Go for it!
Q: A colleague recently told me that I’ve over-priced myself, but I feel that based on my experience and past compensation, I should be paid what I’m worth at this point in my career. What’s your opinion?
A: Make sure you’re realistic about current salaries for your target position; you may have to accept a lateral or slightly lower base salary in today’s market. What you think you should be making doesn’t apply these days. It will hurt you to get stuck on this. It’s necessary to let the ego go. It’s more important to look at your annual compensation for your last position and consider how much you’re losing by holding out and remaining unemployed. Salaries will go up again one day, and you can reconsider your market worth at that time.
Q: What are your thoughts about cover letters? I have a standard letter that I use for every position, but I’m not getting many responses.
A: Remember that your cover letter and resume are the first writing samples a recruiter or hiring manager will see. If you claim you communicate well in writing, and you’ve done a poor job of creating your initial message, you’ll be presenting yourself in a bad light right off the bat. A cover letter should be carefully tailored to the job for which you’re applying, not a recitation or laundry list of your skills. It should also indicate that you’ve selected this specific job at this specific company for a reason; that you’ve done some homework to get to know them. I‘ve often said that a job search is like dating. The other person wants to be courted and made to feel special. When there are more jobs than candidates, the employer is doing the courting. In the current market, the candidate must do the courting.
