Editor’s note: Each year, by request, we publish a series of articles intended to help people get – and keep – a job. This is the first in the four-part series. Next is ‘How to write a resume.’

By Charles Winslow Story published July 1, 2022 / v09e13pB6

My father once told me that no one owed me anything and if I wanted something I had to go work for it. Go out and get a job, he said. Well, actually, he used a little more colorful language than that. My Pop was rather direct, so there was no question about what he actually meant. He was full of wisdom and good advice, although at the time I certainly didn’t appreciate it.

So here is some wisdom and advice that some of you won’t appreciate: Get a job!

Despite the chaos brought about by the pandemic, there are a lot of positions available out there and employers are hiring, if you bother to look. And if you are one of those foolish to think the gravy train of cash handouts is going to continue, you really should have paid more attention is school – our country is running huge budget deficits, prices are rising and that gravy train is heading for an inevitable wreck.

Now is the time to prepare and the one thing you can do is start taking care of yourself and plan for your own future. Clear enough, as my father used to ask me.

Get a job. It could be your first or maybe you are re-entering the workforce after taking some time off. Not sure what to do? Yes, it’s easier to get a job when you already have one but, don’t panic, hunting a job really isn’t that difficult. Ask anyone who runs a business, there are probably as many openings available in the region as deer standing in a field the day before hunting season opens.

Here is some advice from me, the guy who has reviewed job applications for my business. Consider me your hunting guide. Follow my advice and you will likely bag a job. You may not like my advice, by the way. Too bad. You should make an effort to understand what I am saying if you want to be successful.

Many businesses are hiring. Some are small and locally owned. Decisions are made quickly and you would be dealing directly, or indirectly, with the owners. Other companies are large and have a hiring process that takes time because the HR (Human Resources) department is hundreds of miles away from a job site and will sift through thousands of applications. It doesn’t really matter, because locally owned or a big corporation, the rules are generally the same.

No matter for what job you apply, or which company you want to work with, there is one thing you better understand: You are not entitled to a job.

That’s right, Sparky. The deer won’t come up to you when you go hunting and an employer isn’t likely to appreciate the entitled snowflake attitude some of you seem to have. I once had a young man show up, hand me an application and demand to know when he was going to start. It doesn’t work that way. Deal with it.

You have to convince an employer to take a chance on you and that the investment they will make in bringing you onboard will not be wasted.

It costs money and time training an employee to do a job and it doesn’t matter if the company needs an entry-level burger flipper or a career track professional. Everyone needs training and that training costs money. Often, a lot of money.

OK, I talked about hunting, let’s talk about baseball. Business is a lot like baseball. Think about how your favorite MLB team works. No one is hired off the street to be the starting pitcher. If a kid looks promising the franchise may sign him then work with him so he can meet his potential. The more he works, the more he learns and the more the team will invest in him.

Let’s say you were, hypothetically, a Cleveland Indians fan when you were a kid and your dream was to play for them. If you had some talent, maybe a scout would recruit you to play. Are you immediately going to suit up in Cleveland? Probably not. You would likely be started at their single A affiliate, the Lake County Captains. If you show some promise, you may be advanced to double A and sent to the Akron Rubber Ducks.

Discovering that thousands of quacking fans are really annoying (the team once ran a promo called ‘Zombies! The Day of the Quacking Dead!’), you work hard to get promoted and now it’s off to Columbus and the Indians’ AAA affiliate.

Like a baseball team, a business will generally be willing to invest in the future of a worker who shows a willingness to do the job and learn. Most of us don’t start at the top, we start at the bottom, “pay our dues” and work our way up.

The first step in getting a job is getting and filling out an employment application. In recent years this has become a more web-based exercise, although some businesses still prefer the in-person approach. From an employer’s perspective more people, especially younger ones, will apply online and an employer can verify information provided a lot easier and cross reference with other databases, such as the DMV and look for criminal histories.

Some employers still prefer a chance to look at an applicant and will have you come in and fill out an application in person. If this happens, always assume that the minute you step in the door you are being evaluated. A manager can tell a lot about you by noting how you are dressed and act. Dress the part and wear what you would expect to if you were showing up for your first day at work. Coming in with the same jeans you wore mudding and T-shirts with political or offensive messages ain’t going to impress.

If you are male, make sure you don’t come in looking like a bum. Women are reminded that anything sexually suggestive is unacceptable, unless you are applying to be an exotic dancer. You see sexy, we see someone who doesn’t understand proper personal boundaries or, at worst, a potential harassment lawsuit.

If you are applying in person for a position that will require you to deal with the public, make sure your tattoos are covered. Ink may be a personal statement, but not everyone will appreciate it.
 
Regardless of whether you are applying online or in person, read the directions on the application and follow them! Most applicants don’t understand that employers use the act of filling out an application properly to judge your ability to complete an assigned task. If the application instructs you to fill out fields on the website AND attach your resume, then do it. Follow the directions, it actually matters.

Double-check your application before you turn it in or hit that send button. Is it complete? Did you include all the information requested? Incomplete applications will be viewed as either an attempt to hide something or, worse, the applicant doesn’t care enough or can’t focus.

Your application represents who you are, show that you are smart enough to do it right.

And yes, spelling counts. Have someone proofread your application before turning it in. If you are giving a physical application poor penmanship isn’t necessarily a deal breaker but presenting yourself as illiterate or lazy certainly is.

DON’T LIE ON YOUR APPLICATION. You will likely get caught and that is bad. As an employer I would rather be told upfront you had problems at your previous employer than discover you left off your last job. We will usually understand that people have had problems at jobs, we will not accept being told lies.

If you have a criminal history, explain what it is in the space provided. If you write that you will tell us at an interview, don’t even bother. You won’t get a call back. No one wants to wait to hear some Bravo Sierra story at an interview.

If you are required to provide your driver’s license on an online form, assume it will be cross-referenced with the state’s database. Will a criminal background or a license suspension keep you from getting a job? Not necessarily. It will depend on the company, the job and the nature of the crime and suspension.

Believe me when I say we all make mistakes. Better to admit to them – especially in an area where everyone knows your business and we can, and will, Google your name and can easily verify your information.

How to answer employment history questions:
We have all had a first job. Lacking experience will not necessarily prevent you from being hired. But showing you can’t keep a job certainly will.

Everyone, me included, has had jobs we couldn’t stand. We have all had bosses and co-workers we strongly disliked and days when we left the job thinking about Johnny Paycheck’s song “Take This Job and Shove It.” Most of us simply get up the next day and go back to work. The only thing a potential employer will care about is you are the type of person who will come back. Your employment history represents who you are.

When you put down a bunch of jobs you managed to hold for only a couple of months it tells a potential employer you are unreliable and they won’t care what your reasons are for quitting all the time.

Trust me when I tell you that unreliable employees are a curse and devastating to a business.

Remember the part about a company investing in you? Everyone requires a substantial amount of training. It doesn’t matter if the job requires you to make widgets, drop fries into oil or stare at a computer screen. Training someone who just quits is a waste of money and time.

Fixing a bad employment history can be solved only one way. When someone takes a chance on you, then work to keep the job. It is really that simple. Having a history of being undependable will limit you as long as you continue that behavior. It’s on you alone – not an employer.

References: Read the instructions. If the application says not to list anyone related to you, then don’t list a family member. Provide the information requested. If you fail to provide complete contact information, then we will assume you have a history of burning bridges and are making up names.

Another useful and common sense hint: Avoid using references who have left the business where you are applying under less-than-favorable circumstances. Also, whenever possible, don’t use people as personal references who are featured in the crime and court stories in the local media: that whole birds of a feather thing.

One last nugget, set up a new email account to use if your existing address is something that will make a potential employer wince or laugh.

And now, stop being a burden on society and get a job.

Next: How to write a resume