Singing On-Key

I've been getting a lot of e-mail lately from people who say they can't find this war for talent everyone's talking about. (More on that later - I'm going to post some of the letters.) Dona DeZube wrote a story for us on why some may not be landing jobs they're sure they're qualified for:

Knowing what you're seeking can help you recognize the right job. "Make a list of what you are looking for in a firm," says Roberta Chinsky Matuson, principal, Human Resource Solutions in Northampton, Mass. "Your list may include items like work-life balance, high profile clients, opportunities to mentor or be mentored, etc." Seek out companies that appear to fit your profile, rather than specific jobs. "Confirm this by reviewing a company's Web site, looking over its benefit package and asking people you know - who either work there or have left the firm - for an insider's view of the organization," she says.

One passage that didn't make the final edition, but is still interesting:

Even those with no prior experience can sometimes hit the wrong notes during a job search. “We do see students who graduate and expect to become the CFO in three months, or perhaps have the power to influence and change corporate culture within weeks of their hire,” acknowledges Jason Eckert, associate director of the Marquette University Career Services Center. “It could be partially due to generational difference. Perhaps parents or others are feeding them advice that they can have all that, or that’s how they’ve been raised.”

The whole article's at the link below.

The 'American Idol Factor' in Job Interviews [JITM]