Find Your Way in the Career Alley with Joey Trebif
Looking for a job is not a walk in the park. There are challenges and rough patches, with long periods of waiting. In 2010, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that a job seeker spent an average of 10 weeks unemployed before landing another job.
And that was 2010.
If you feel like you’ve lost your way in the maze of job search, check out Career Alley by Joey Trebif. It’s loaded with career and job search advice that can give you an edge in your search for a job.
Joey Trebif worked in the financial services industry before becoming a full-time career coach. He started Career Alley in 2008 and over the past eight years has helped many job seekers with his practical tips and advice.
Federal Resume Writer interviewed Joey Trebif on job search basics. Here are Joey’s top tips for landing a job and finding career success.
Effort vs. Results
Many come to Joey complaining that they’re getting few or no job interview—despite sending our application after application. Some studies suggest that this may be the norm in a job search. According to one study, the average job has an average of 118 applicants—and only 20% of applicants end up getting an callback.
Besides the stiff competition, Joey identified some of the other reasons for not getting results:
- Sending resumes to stale dated opportunities (jobs posted more than 30 days ago)
- Applying for jobs that are not a good fit for their skill set and experience
Joey has a solution to efficiently using effort to get results.
“Don’t apply for opportunities that are not a really good fit. Doing so is a waste of time. Job seekers should only respond to opportunities that clearly match their skills.”
He also advises job hunters to take advantage of the internet and do their research before sending applications.
“So much information is readily available via the web (Is the company financially sound? Do they have any workplace violations?). Some information is subjective and may not be in print, but if you ask around you will get the answers you need to make a sound decision. ”
The Job Search Plan
If you want to be successful in your job search, you need to be focused and plan ahead. Joey says a job search plan should include:
- Your resume
- Cover letters
- Thank You notes
- A list of your strengths and weaknesses
- Jobs for which you are qualified
- Your “dream” job
- Research companies where you would like to work (including those that are in your industry)
- Your Network (friends, family, current and former co-workers)
- Recruiters for your industry/field
- Job search boards
- References
Your resume is one of the most important components of your job search kit, and Joey says every job seeker needs to be meticulous about writing it. He cites misspellings and grammatical errors as the most typical errors that cause resumes to be “discarded more quickly.” He adds:
“ Another common resume issue is not being specific about what you’ve done, (your accomplishments), and the specific, quantifiable outcome, (such as savings, improved sales, reduced errors, etc.).”
Joey also reminds people to get a second opinion on their resumes before submitting them. He suggests running your resume by close friends and family to get critique and insight on how an outsider will view your resume.
Modern Job Search
Most job searches start online, where a myriad of resources for job seekers—and even employers and recruiters looking for hires—is a click away. But not all sites are equal: Social Meep recently reported that 89% of recruiters say they’ve hired someone through LinkedIn.
Joey agrees, adding:
“LinkedIn is still the best resource for job search networking. It is the number one site for recruiters and corporate hiring managers. Another great resource (besides CareerAlley) is http://www.rileyguide.com.”
To cover more ground, Joey also tells job seekers to “split time across recruiters, friends, family, networking groups, and company career sites.”
When researching the jobs online, Joey believes it is better to take everything in with a grain of salt.
“Just remember that any opinion is just that: an opinion. Your vantage point has a lot to do with your view and the effort you’ve put into researching companies where you would like to work.”
Finding a job may be hard, but time and effort, when wisely used, always pay off. Joey says:
“Ensure you dedicate time to your search. If you are out of work, searching for a new position should be your full-time job. If you are looking while employed, try to contact at least one recruiter or person in your network each day.”
There’s a lot a job seeker can learn from a career coach like Joey Trebif. Thanks Joey for granting us an interview!
