Written by: Lisa McCallister

If you have lost your job in this tough economy, you know you are not alone. Two years ago, when the unemployment rate for college-educated workers was less than 2%, periods of extended unemployment were highly scrutinized by employers. If there is any good news to being unemployed right now, it is that due tectonic shifts in the economy, employers are more accepting that job loss and unemployment may be due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control.

Still, if you are an unemployed job seeker right now, the road to a new position maybe longer and harder ever. Things like past performance, cultural and job fit will all play most heavily into the employer’s decision of whether you are right for the position. But employers also consider your behavior during the interview process as an important indicator of whether you will be a welcome addition to their team, or not. To maximize your potential for landing a new position, make sure you are sending the right signals to prospective employers.

1.      Keep your current job as long as you can. As outrageous as it may seem, I have spoken to people who have left their jobs to undertake a full-time job search.  In this economy, this is a bad choice, even if you think your present company is contemplating layoffs, working you into the ground, or you are otherwise dissatisfied.  To Type A hiring managers (who seem to multi-task even in their sleep), it is incomprehensible that someone would be unable to do their job and conduct a job search at the same time. Moreover, in this economic climate, it is seen as evidence of poor decision-making.

2.     Apply only to the jobs you are qualified for.  This seems like another no-brainer. However, since there are fewer jobs available, a sense of desperation may creep in and you might find yourself applying for jobs that are a real stretch. As a rule of thumb, if you cannot check off 75% of the requirements listed for the job (including all mandatory requirements), then you should probably pass on applying for that particular position- no matter how smart, enthusiastic or willing to learn you may be.

3.      Responsiveness. If you are already unemployed, then finding a new job is your full-time job. This means you should check your e-mail several times daily, and return all calls promptly, within the same business day. Any requests by the employer for paperwork should ideally be completed within hours, or at most within 24 hours. The employer will appreciate your responsiveness, earning you some goodwill in the process. It lessens the likelihood you will be lost in the shuffle by keeping you “on top of the pile”. If you are not responsive enough, you risk the likelihood of being perceived as unmotivated or unorganized.

4.     Flexibility. Keep your schedule as open as possible. You should be able to readily accommodate requests for interviews. If necessary, you should be willing to drive several hours to take part. If you have taken on additional childcare or other responsibilities, perhaps in an effort to reduce expenses, be sure you carve out a definite and regular amount of time to devote to your job search daily. Make it known to your family and friends that your job search is a clear priority, and ask for their support and understanding. Be willing to cancel or rearrange your personal plans if an opportunity for an interview arises during normal business hours.

5.     Appropriate follow-up. Some people seem to have a hard time distinguishing between appropriate follow-up and harassment. If you are anxious, it might understandably be hard for you to wait. Allow people an opportunity to get back to you, especially if they have given you a specific timeframe of when to expect a response. If you don’t hear something when you expected to, allow 24 hours if possible before politely checking in. Do not call repeatedly without leaving a message or try multiple phone numbers - this can be perceived as stalking.  If you are not getting a response to your call, try e-mailing, or vice versa. By all means, be persistent, but always, always be polite.

6.     Salary Negotiations. Recently, there was a candidate who was made a fair offer. He quibbled over a couple thousand dollars. It would seem in this economy, the candidate was lucky to have an offer. Whether this perception is right or wrong, arguing over a relatively small amount of money seems unreasonable in times like these. Obviously, you should expect to be fairly compensated for your work, but what is fair is often heavily influenced by the both the job market and the company’s internal equity (what their current employees in similar job are being paid). Expecting to make a huge income leap in this economy could lead to employers branding you as unreasonable or unrealistic. Be sure you are looking at the big picture and long-term fit, not just the money. Things like company culture, opportunity for developing new skills and future prospects for advancement are often just as important as the paycheck you will receive.

The suggestions above may keep you from getting in the way of effectively conveying your ability to get the job done. If you are already doing all the things listed above, good for you. If not, then consider modifying your approach. You may find you’ll achieve better results in your job search as a result. By generating goodwill throughout the interview process, more employers are likely to envision you as part of their team.

Lisa McCallister is a sales and marketing Recruiting Consultant for ConMed, a leader in medical devices. She has interviewed thousands and hired hundreds in her career. To learn more, read her blog at upsidepotential.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 Lisa McCallister

Resume Advice by: Ralph Steeber, CPC

I have reviewed more than 100,000 resumes during my 30 plus years in sales recruiting.  There have been many books and online articles produced over the past 10 years about how to write the perfect resume and it still amazes me how many poor and ineffective resumes are being produced.

Individuals in the Sales Profession need to present three very important elements to get noticed by employers: (1) who do you work for; (2) what do you sell; (3) how good are you? Many people just put name of company and expect someone to know who it is (that’s Ok if you work for Xerox or Proctor & Gamble) so placing a short thumbnail summary is very beneficial. (2) Tell them what you sell and who are your customers and contacts. (3) List your accomplishments over the past 2-3 years only.  (nobody cares what you did 10 years ago)

We all know that your resume only gets a quick 7-8 second visual scan. So, if it isn’t easy to read and have the key ingredients above, more often than not, it’s going in the circular file.

To be successful and get selected for more phone followups and potential face to face interviews, remember to make sure your resume has the “who, what and how” factors.

Searching for a job isn’t as difficult as it used to be. With the Internet at your disposable 24X7, the searching process has become much easier. Now you can locate jobs that interested you and send your resume via Internet  from the comforts of your living room.

Since job postings are online, it’s important that you teach yourself in the finer points of online job searching. If you’re not tuned in to the nitty-gritty of job searching online, you might find yourself getting frustrated and overwhelmed.

Once you’re online, start with niche job sites in your specialty, the biggest job boards can be cumbersome. To find the most number of job listings you might consider using sites such as Indeed and simply hired. They pull from all sites, newspapers and companies. Once you have spent a few hours you should get a good feel of where to spend your time most effectively.

Register your profile and resume with as many job agencies as possible. This also can be done online today. Once the recruiting firm reviews your background and feels you qualify for clients they represent they will be on the lookout for an opportunity that matches your requirements. The key to success in searching for a new career is to utilize all the options available.

While you are online surfing for a job, you may come across opportunities where your experience level may be slightly more or less than what they are asking for or your area of expertise may be a little different. Give it a shot, take a chance, go ahead and respond because they may want to interview you based on your experience and overall qualifications.

Do not send every job you respond to the same resume. Make changes that reflect your experience as it pertains and speak to the job in question. Customize your job resume to meet the requirements of each company according to their needs. Dress up your skills in such a way that it shows your biggest strengths.

And to make the necessary first impression you must read and re-read your resume. Make sure it’s right. Have a friend review if possible. A second set of eyes is always best. Do not have any grammatical errors. That’s the surest way to the proverbial trash can.

 

 

Always follow up if possible to see if your application has been received by the recruiter or company you have applied to and send a follow email saying you’re still interested in the job.

effectively using the online technology is the 21st century way but never forget to keep networking. GOOD LUCK!

Many jobseekers are not aware that Medical Sales Marketplace offers numerous product levels that can impact their career path. Because of the vast multifacets of the industry, knowing where you are is important so you don’t get trapped or become stagnate.

The Five Basic Product Sales Levels are: (1) Pharmaceuticals (2) Disposables (3) Medical Devices (4) Small Equipment (50K-500K) (5) Large Equipment (500K-5 million)

Most people who begin their career without having past medical sales experience start in levels 1 or 2 depending on experience and many times “who they have worked for”. Once accomplished, after 3-4 years you need to evaluate yourself and determine if you like what you do and can be challenged, plus earn the type of money to keep you happy.

Choosing the right first job isn’t always possible because generally you’re just excited to “Get a Job in Medical Sales” and when given the first offer the answer is “YES”.

If that’s the case, you need to periodically evaluate your career, determine whether you can stay the course, be happy for a long time or start checking out your options in higher levels. Unfortunately, in my 30 years of recruiting, I have seen too many people get content, wait too long, then when the light finally goes off it’s often too late.

Once you get over 3 years in any level, both money and options to be a “Choice A Candidate” to that hiring employer, becomes less and less with each passing year.

When making career changes, to sell yourself you have to offer either product or market knowledge to command attention from hiring managers and companies. Of course demonstrating sales accomplishments over the past 2-3 years is also very important. Anything more than that is irrelevant and nobody usually cares what you did 7-8 years ago.

So my advice is to periodically evaluate your career path and future with your current employer and keep an open ear to other options when they present themselves. If you would like a professional evaluation of your employment path and advice on possibilities for future options send your resume to admin@medicalreps.com

Thanks to better technology, more companies and people are conducting job interviews and screening via video.

The good news about this new media is that it can provide a quick and easy platform to introduce yourself and sell your strengths, experience and personality to others before ever meeting face to face.

Now don’t get me wrong, the personal face to face interview will still be the way that employers hire. Video interviewing basically offers a stage allowing you to get your foot in the door.

An important rule is “don’t forget that people are evaluating you” so be prepared and ready.

Always dress the part based on the type of job you’re looking for, it never hurts to be safe and wear the proper business attire. First impressions are always very important.

Maintain eye contact and don’t gaze off into the distance while videoing and always present a professional demeanor.

It’s good practice to practice. Have someone assist you in making your personal video and review it to see if you have any little quirks thatneed corrected.  Also observe whether you’re speaking clearly and boldly.

If you have experience, comments or suggestions, please register and share your experiences. We appreciate that!

Thanks from the staff at Medicalreps

A Recruiter’s job is to find the “best person” for a position. Recruiters in general or specialty agencies are better known as Headhunters and specialize in matching a candidate’s skills, experience and personality to a particular job.  Companies who want pre-qualified matches for their critical openings hire Recruiters to assist them in finding the best people.