Ask the Hiring Manager

Question:

Hi Brian --

I graduated in May from Penn State University with a B.S. degree in Management Science & Information Systems. I acheived a 3.24 cumulative (not honor-worthy, but not shabby) and I graduated armed with a job offer with a company in Arlington, Virginia.

I moved here in July, and from day one I knew something was wrong. The company I was working for, basically a consulting company, had assigned me to a job and the manager never quite knew what to do with me. She explained that the task I was performing was normally performed by more senior people. So, instead of trying me out, I was fielded tasks that were not much above gruntwork. Let me be clear -- I made it known that I was willing and able to take on more responsibility, it just never came. Then, as this project ended (it was a short-term job), no further assignments would come my way. I would talk to my direct managers and they would tell me not to worry about it. In the meantime, I was left to twiddle my thumbs. In my stunning mistake, I pointed out my situation to other members of management in this small (180 person) company.

In September they let me go. First, they were up front and said that they had no work for me to do. Then, they tried to tell me that I needed my hand held, basically. That was their interpretation of "I am not on a project, nobody has told me anything or given me even the slightest clue of a direction" -- so at any rate, I am unemployed now after a whopping 2 months of experience.

I have tried to employ the services of my alma mater's career services, but it has been difficult. It is especially hard, since going back to Penn State is a 4 hour drive from here. I am sort of at a loss for where to go. As you can do the math, I've now been out of the job for a month and I am getting frustrated -- an attitude that I know isn't helping my job search, but I can't seem to help considering I've had 1 interview in the stretch of this one-month period.

Do you have any tips or advice on what to do to start afresh? I am beginning to feel like a pariah considering my quick exit from my former employer, even though the only reason we parted company was a general mis-match.

From: Dave Hudson, Recent Grad, Penn State University

ANSWER FROM BRIAN KRUEGER:

Hi Dave -

First of all, you need understand that these are very tough economic times. Don't be too hard on yourself--or on your former employer. They were likely making decisions based on the old set of rules, which had already changed by the time you started. They simply reacted slowly (albeit poorly).

This is a unique time. What has happened to you may be unique from a general sense, but it's far from unique given the wringer the job market (and business in general) has been through in the last 2 years. I know--I work for a consulting firm in my day job.

Before you can be effective in your job search, you need to fully get over your bad experience with your first employer. It may take a day, a week, a month or a year. How long is up to you. But you need to first get over it fully. Then you need to rediscover the passion for doing your work that employers will be looking for from you in your job search.

If you haven't read the book, On Death and Dying by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, get it and read it. It can easily be read in a day and it will be a very valuable day for your short-term job search and your long-term well being. It will help you to understand what you're going through (and have gone through) in the loss of your job. Although the book was originally written for the loss of a loved one (or for someone personally facing death), the principles apply to job loss as well. Until you reach acceptance, you cannot be effective in your job search.

Even when reaching acceptance, you will still face a very difficult job market. You graduated from a world-class university. Go back there and spend a day or two on campus at the career center--it's not enough to try to work that relationship from afar. Then hit the streets with the passion and energy to drive you through the certain rejection you will face. You'll likely get the door slammed in your face 50 times for every one that opens for you. It's not easy and I'm not saying it will be. But you need to keep the bloody knuckles approach going--keep banging on doors until one opens for you.

Use the techniques and tactics here at the site to increase your hit rate. And never, ever give up. Vince Lombardi once said, "It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get back up."

I wish you the best. Let me know if there is any specific stage of your job search I can help you with further.