Temping Tricks of the Trade

Following Sharon's advice, I registered with most of the temp companies she listed in her post on June 25, 2009. Within a week or two, Innovations already had two separate assignments for me: I had to turn down one due to a scheduling conflict but I was able to accept the other. They placed me for a week at a life science VC firm in downtown San Francisco. The position itself is nothing fabulous as I'm filling in for a receptionist who went on vacation. However, the job has put me in the vicinity of some of the most powerful life science entrepreneurs in the world. For example, one of the partners has a meeting this week with the president...as in, the president of the UNITED STATES!

Although I'm not interested in working for a VC firm or in the life sciences industry, I scheduled a brief 15 minute informational interview with the Director of Marketing and Communications--a field I am interested in.

Which brings me to Courtney's Temping Tip #1: when you're on an assignment, look around and see who works in a position that you are interested in. Then schedule a very brief informational interview. Offer to buy them coffee. Then pick their brain. You never know where it might lead.

I think temping is a great way to go when you're struggling to find a job. It's actually how I got my first job out of college. It gave me a chance to check out an organization without having to commit to it. It also gave me a chance to build a great relationship with the staff so when a position opened up...VOILA! I already had one foot in the door.

Here's a list of additional Courtney Temping Tips:

#2 - Always show up on time. If the company already knows you have a problem getting to work on time, why would they hire you?
#3 - Be super friendly to everyone.
#4 - Dress appropriately. In fact, dress a little nicer than everyone there. Otherwise, you really will just look like the temp.
#5 - Try to drop the hint (subtly) that you're a student, looking for a job after graduation.
#6 - Offer to help out with anything. No matter how trivial of a job it is.
#7 - Go the extra mile. Stay late if they need help getting a project done (but remind them that you are on overtime, if that is your agency's policy).
#8 - Do all of the above, even if the job sucks. The best part is, it's only temporary. You can get through anything knowing there's an end in sight.

I'll keep adding to this list as I think of more helpful ideas.

Passing the Blog Baton

Since Sharon has officially left the ranks of the unemployed (congrats to her!), I decided to pick up where she left off. Sharon's blog has been incredibly helpful as I navigate through my own job search and I wanted to pass on the knowledge to others.

I am currently in between my first and second years of business school at USF. After a handful of summer job/internship opportunities fell through, I found myself halfway through June with no internship prospects (I spent the first half of the summer taking classes to get a few units out of the way). I ran into Sharon at a classmate's going-away party and she told me about her arduous job search and the blog she created to document the process. Her advice was just what I needed to kick-start my summer job search. After all, it's very easy to get discouraged in this economy.

I hope this blog helps others as much as it has helped me. Thanks Sharon!

Temp Agencies and Placement Companies

After many trials, I believe the job search requires different approaches. For starters, think of a dream company. Imagine if a project comes up and they use an agency to do the leg work for them and hire contractors. This is one way to get into companies. It's like getting in through the back door. This contract could lead into an employee position if you're a fit. This is how I interviewed for SalesForce the other week.

So who are these agencies? Well, some can do temp assignments (which are cool too), direct hires, temp to perm etc. So use my name if you contact these people. Also, remember they have leads at top companies, but they won't give you their best foot forward unless you're clear on what you want (bring a list of companies to target)

Step 1: visit their website
Step 2: fill in an online profile
Step 3: try to set up an in person meeting so they can personalize your services
Step 4: stay on top of mind and email/call weekly.

Search Wright ****** best to start
Kelli Thompson or Lauren Green
kthompson@searchwright.com
LGreen@searchwright.com
415-538-1500

The Job Shop - just $12/hr temp assignments
Michelle Mamerto
michelle@jobshopsf.com
415-227-8612

Aquent - places people at Clorox for contract positions
Gretchen Stanford
gstanford@aquent.com
952.851.3176

TSS
Hayley Chan no longer works here, but don't know who to refer you to
415-543-4545

Premier Staffing
Bridgette Loyd Corridan
bridgettel@pstaffing.com
415-362-2211 X 3505

Greggory Lawson - financial positions (USF alum undergrad)
glawson@innovpsi.com

The MBA has gotten HIRED!!!

After job searching since October, I've applied to over 500 job positions all across the nation. I took networking to a literal level and did every little thing that I could do to reach out to my networks.

This was a long scary process and I think the key successes were:

• Staying in contact with everyone and anyone.
• Letting people know that I'm looking and could use help.
• Being specific on what type of job or industry that I'm looking for.
• Follow up Follow up Follow up!
• Attend conferences, attend events, and ask for business cards.
• Send my resume to people to forward along.
• Ask for opening at companies that are new - to beat the massive competition.
• Accept part time jobs to keep busy and money coming in.
• STAY POSITIVE and not get caught up in the frustration, it's much easier to stay positive then negative.
• Try different jobs that you wouldn't normally entertain. You might surprise yourself.

So the secret to my most recent job offer. A friend from my former beverage industry got me interviews at her company in February. Didn't work out but she kept me in mind for when she heard of an opening at her friend's company. So Jenn referred me to Sarah who is also a member of a common association (DELTA SIGMA PI). She forwarded along my resume for the position. 1 week later I received notice that my resume was referred by Sarah an internal employee. The next day I received a request to set up a phone interview. The phone interview went well. It turned out that one of my very dear friend's cousin works for the company and had prepped me and filled me in on the company. So props to Monica as well. I owe you tons of babysitting.

Then there was a phone interview with the hiring manager, the marketing manager later that week. Since that went well, I was excited for the next step. Much much later I had the all the interview. 9 people within 6 hours, plus a computer test. I rocked it!

A week and a half afterward a background check and reference check was completed and verbal offer was made over the phone.

Some things that helped me during the interview:

• Sample of recent and relevant writing - brought in an abstract of Health Information Technology - Remote Monitoring Devices
  
• Not only had my resume, but a comprehensive resume that elaborated on my classwork projects and all my part time jobs. So if it came up, I could offer the comprehensive resume with the details
• I had a list of good questions to ask the interviewers like:

1. What makes an unique employee
2. What brought you to the company and why do you stay?
3. What are the challenges of the position?
4. What training and mentoring is available?
5. In 5-10 years from now what is your legacy that you will leave behind here?
   

• I sent thank you cards to the women and some of the more senior men and thank you emails to the other men
• I also spoke of a 30-60-90 day plan that I would create once I got started. This is to demonstrate that I can plug and play and don't need my hand held.
  

So thank you for reading my trials and tribulations and best of luck to you!

What an OFFICE can tell you about a Company

I have walked through the doors of several companies in the past several months and have made many mental notes on what I saw.

1. One place had a shabby building with an elevator that didn't arrive at the floor and stairs were required to reach the office. Then the moment I walked in I wanted to head for the hills and make a run for it. It looked like a REALLY BAD bachelor's pad with dark blue poorly painted walls. Black leather chairs in the reception along with a flat screen tv playing some cheesy stoner movie. This was a bad sign and unfortunately I waited too long to actually find out. This reception area was a clear sign and reflection of the poor company. This was a lesson that this place isn't a fit nor offers quality. This place was in Emeryville and is a pyramid scheme. The red flags were obvious here.

2. Another place that I had went to for an interview was located in the heart of the Financial District. When I walked into this nice high rise, I recall it for having a very nice roof top seating area. I thought BONUS! But as I walked into the suite, there was no one to greet me but a mere ding ding bell on the receptionist desk. Once it was dinged, some disheveled person came out and I was waiting for nearly 20 minutes for the person who I was supposed to see me. I was sweating bullet on my parking meter as I only put in enough for 1 hour. Oh but no need to worry, his interview was brief. But oddly passed me off to his co-workers to drill me on an employer of mine as they are current investors. This has nothing to do with my interest in the position nor was relevant. And by the way, he forgot to mention on the phone that this was a NON PAID marketing internship at a Hedge Fund.

But back to the intention of this blog, they had no one to greet me which was a sign that they are too busy to care and possibly wouldn't welcome me with open arms for their FREE LABOR. Also the decorum was very nautical and masculine. I felt that I was in a yacht. I interpreted this as a sign that this was fast paced environment that demands a lot and maybe I'll go unappreciated.

3. Not to knock the lovely state of California, BUT I didn't like their bathrooms and sort of judged that the same way as I would judge a busy bar's bathroom. Dirty bathroom, dirty work environment. Not for me. I went to a beautifully kept private school, I don't want to face the unkeptness of public buildings.

4. Oh and when a company has offices in the same city but the hiring manager who flies in decides to meet you at a hotel is sketchy and weird not cool protocol. I feel that the hiring manager should offer to meet at the HQ offices not the hotel lobby.

Sweet Aromas

I must start off this blog with the sweet beginnings of my work day downtown. Anyone who knows Specialty's knows that their sweet fresh baked aroma awakens the senses from a distance away. I love that smell and feel better when headed out of the subway station because of the convenient location of the Montgomery one. Thank you for doing what you do Specialty's. Maybe one of these days I'll buy one and try out the other sense and see how good the cookies taste.

But really, this blog is to serve the purpose for the readers that are job searching right now. This morning the unemployment rate has risen from 8.9 to 9.4%, YIKES! This is scary times for many people out there. Everyone has tips, but I would like to share mine.

Step 1:
Determine if you are looking for a job to pay some bills or you're looking for a career. These are 2 different search strategies. Personally, I realized soon after my career search that I had to also do a generic job search.

Step 2:
In the career search, it's important to look at what you want to do etc, but also to stretch how you normally think. The reason why is, because nothing is how it normally is.

Expansion on Step 2:
> Attend Events. What kind you ask?
Associations, Alumni Events, Friends' Get-Togethers, Conferences (volunteer at a conference), Luncheons with successful people
> Email Campaign - informing people that you're happily searching and could use help on leads and ATTACH YOUR RESUME and be specific on what you're looking for.
> Accept all part time work you can get, because A.) you need the money and B.) it might transpire into a full time gig before your eyes and of course C.) new skills to add to the bag.

Step 3:
Be a Sleuth! Look for jobs that haven't been posted yet. So ask your friends for openings and be the first to knock on HR's door. Get referred by an employee. This might be the only way to really compete with the massive competition out there for jobs. Also don't look for the jobs at companies that are well known because everyone is looking there too. Look for the unknown companies and be the one that gets interviews.
I can't remind you enough to be flexible and to let go of only striving for Top Fortune 500 companies. I had to let go of this dream and have been very productive ever since.

However, if you not willing to let this go. I understand. Apply for contract work with these companies and seek out their temp agencies that they work through. This has proven to be successful for others that I know of.

Step 4:
Link with everyone you can with Facebook and Linked In etc. But solely using that won't quite cut it. It must be a culmination of being active that will get you on the right path.

Enjoy these ideas. Best of luck and if you refuse work in hopes of a full time position, you have to weight out the risks for yourself and do what is best.

All the Best,
MBA Marketing Guru

Survival of the 6-hr Interview!!

In my few years of interviewing, I've experienced an array of interviews. One company had me interview with a panel of 9 members (some who were jet lagged from flying in from HQ in Texas), for a new position that was way out of my league that was needless to say good practice for me when I was in my mid-20's.
Then when I was interviewing for another position with a very small company I must have returned upon their request for 5 additional interviews! They required me to meet with everyone in the department and the seniors in the company. I even attended their company wide reception event at Horizons in Sausalito. When people asked my role with the company, I responded with, "I'm interviewing for the marketing coordinator position." This was a company that rescind their offer because I countered and maybe I was better off. This was the time in my life that I realized putting off grad school was a bad idea and that I should go FULL FORCE with getting my MBA.
So that brings me to yesterday's 6-hr interview that I survived by 9 different people. To my advantage I had the endurance and stamina to meet with all 9 people and entertain their engaging and thought provoking questions. Whew! At the end of it all, I was examined on the quintessential of Office software applications like Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word.

Time to gear up for the next interview this Friday afternoon.

The FIFO of Office Life

So now that I'm back to the grind and have been fortunate enough to have been placed with temporary work with an awesome office furniture and project management firm downtown. I found made an interesting observation. I should also mention that after running into an old classmate of mine from undergrad and racing through the busy sidewalks, this idea came to me.

In some office positions, it's important not to be the Last In and the First Out. So business majors, think back to your Financial Accounting days. Remember inventory systems of LIFO and FIFO? Well the idea of being the First In and Last Out is the initial strategy that employees use to make themselves "look good". In all honesty, putting in the hours should not really make someone look good, but apparently it does. I feel that using time wisely during the day and being productive is how we as employees should position our strengths. So why do people bother showing up early just to have long lunch breaks, taking longer than their share of 15 minute breaks? Facebook all day and gossip around the water cooler. After this temp position I would like to keep to the hours of the company but not get caught up with the looking good facade.

BTW, I have 2 interviews next week and hope to keep more coming in the pipeline until the golden offer is presented to me.

Just in case you wonder why I haven't blogged, I had graduation celebrations for memorial day weekend and other personal matters.

Am Much Better Than 1 Month Ago...

As my finals wrap up and my two year academic endeavor comes to an end, I feel proud for all the sweat that I have been through for my MBA.

I just heard back from Pacific Natural Foods about their Associate Brand Manager position and after a few months they have closed the position. That position is located in Oregon. Phew!

I also heard back from the Fairmont hotel about an unpaid summer internship and their eagerness to interview me. Err, I haven't sought after an unpaid internship in ten years. I would be honored to work for such an amazing hotelier, but unable to work pro bono at this time.

Currently I'm keeping up with several part time temporary jobs for the meantime. We'll see how well my pipeline opportunities keep me busy in the next few weeks.

Happy Tuesday

I can't wait to try out my new job searching strategy that was thought up this past weekend with Dr. Fraser. He recognized that my competency to perform a Budget Analyst function at research hospitals like UCSF, VA Hospital, and SF General. He gave me some contacts for leads.

So the reason why I haven't been able to try out this approach as of yet, is that I am still an MBA student and have end of the semester project to finish up. Although, finding a job sets precedence, it's also duly important to finish my degree with honor and integrity. I just finished writing up a research paper on Remote Monitoring Devices in the healthcare space. Actually, it was extremely fascinating that I didn't solicit any group members to join me on this project. It was great to work with groups in grad school, but my final project was a testament to the new skills that I learned.

The latest on the job front....
I just booked a temp job for a few weeks in June.
I also booked to manage a marketing promotion on a weekend in June (possibly the same weekend as Union St Fair)
I haven't booked the actual dates, but will also be promoting the tasty Liquer from Skyy all summer long.
And, my market research project is taking me to a new realm this week as well.

Beginning to Compile the Company List

Beginning to compile this list. Well, lets see, just yesterday I applied to over 10 positions at Booz Allen Hamilton. I had received a referral from someone that I know in San Diego. I was actually really interested in a position at Spawars from a career fair that I attended back in November. After several online submissions, we were still in touch but my application never hit her desk. She said she were forward me along to BAH. And a few months later, so she did.
I have also applied for a fantastic position at Denny's HQ in South Carolina. I had met Mr. Mark Chmiel, CMO for Denny's at the Economist Marketing Forum in SF back in March. I sat next to him all morning. I watched him blackberry all morning as well! Busy guy. It was really neat because his assistant must have set up his travel packet, because he had a roster printed out with him. So after a few emails, he said to follow up directly with the VP of Mktg Mr. John Dillon, but unfortunately, my email has once again gotten lost within the inbox of a very busy person.
Additionally, this past Saturday I went to Genentech to a NSH- MBA networking event/career fair. I had the pleasure of speaking with recruiters from Safeway, Del Monte, as well as Genentech. We'll see how well my follow ups go this week.
Although I don't have my fulltime offer, my 2 golden nuggets for the day are: my temp agency booked me for 3 wks in June (=rent is now paid for June) and my market research firm rebooked me for another project. Do I dare tell you what kind of market research I'm conducting this week? Well let's just say, I'm interviewing OB-GYNs.

Opening Blog

I've been thinking about this and talking about doing this for some time now, guess what folks? The time has come. I'm blogging about my job search. The point is not for me to vent to an interface but to track this process for those that really don't believe that I have applied to over 500 positions by May 2009.
When asked the question, what do you want to do?
I ponder and think Brand Management for a CPG company, so naturally in San Francisco that includes Clorox (yes I know the chemical company- but they also own food and Burt's Bees) and also Del Monte. Well, how far have I come along with either company? Well at both companies I have had internal champions forward my resume along. Well at least at Clorox I received an email at the time stating that they don't do business with my MBA school for internships. So how do I can a job if I can't even get an internship? Del Monte has never materialized into anything. Thank you to my brother from Delta Sigma Pi for all of her efforts thus far. But I have to navigate in a different way to get some results.

By the way, one of these days I will aggregate the companies that have received my resume and you'll see the positions quickly add up to 500!