Aviation for Women is the flagship member publication of Women in Aviation International. Articles feature women who have made aviation history, professional development ideas, and current-topic articles.
Issue link: https://afwdigital.epubxp.com/i/619020
44 Aviation forWomen J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6 L ooking for your frst job? Looking for your next job? Whether your job search is active or passive, there's no better place to net- work than the International Women in Aviation Conference. Many members arrive at the conference with the express purpose of taking part in interviews and screenings, while others simply have their eyes open for their next opportunity, or sometimes even fnd themselves unexpectedly in an interview situation. With the conference on the horizon, make like a Girl Scout and "be prepared." Lots of talk these days involves employers checking out so- cial media for a preliminary background check on prospective employees. A friend of mine, about to conduct a job interview, checked out his prospect's Twitter feed and found a re- cent tweet from his candidate that gave him pause: "Nothing like the feeling of quitting a job." Oh really? Google yourself and see the impres- sion you may make. I spoke with Bill Fish, president of Reputation Manage- ment, a frm that helps both companies and individuals man- age their online reputations. The frst thing he said surprised me: "The biggest thing employers look for is hate speech— anything with racial overtones. Without a doubt, that's the biggest red fag out there." Then there's illicit drug use, all the more magnifed if you're looking for a job in the aviation in- dustry. He added, "This may seem trivial, but employers and recruiters look to see if you have misspellings and are lazy in your writing." You don't have to be pure as the driven snow, however, in your social media profle. Bill said, "Employers recognize that social media is about your personal life. It's Okay to show a photo of you and a bunch of friends at a party with a can of beer in your hand. Showing a photo of you passed out on the foor surrounded by empty beer cans isn't. Employers can't look past that." If necessary, clean up your social media act. Next, make a small investment in some personal business cards. Get some cards printed that have your name, e-mail ad- dress, and telephone number. You can buy them online for un- der $20. Go with a conservative card and resist the temptation to show off your individuality and creativity. Skip the cartoon characters, emojis, and inspirational sayings. A hairdresser once gave me her card that was black type on a black back- ground. The only way you could read her phone number was to use the card as if it were a signaling device and get just the right light refected on it. She insisted it was creative. Uh-huh. Besides the effciency of being able to present a professional looking card with your contact information on it, having cards will save you the embarrassment of rifing through your purse and being forced to write your phone number for a profession- al contact on the back of an ATM receipt. I love practical advice, and Jennifer Lee Magas, an English professor at Con- necticut's Fairfeld University, gave me some. Each semester, Jennifer brings in a representative from the university's ca- reer center and devotes one class to pre- paring her students for job interviews. She advises them: "Bring a nicely or- ganized binder or folder, no big bags or backpacks! You will have a lot of paperwork in front of you and you will be collecting a lot of paperwork as well, including small business cards. It may refect poorly on your organiza- tional skills if you fdget for 10 minutes in your bag while try- ing to fnd your résumé." She recommends a good, preferably leather-bound, folder. In fact, I have one of those—a gift from Honeywell many, many years ago. This portfolio has served me well on countless ap- pointments. I can organize it prior to the appointment and when I unzip it during the appointment, everything I need is neatly arranged. Jennifer has another practical tip that pilots will appreciate: redundant pens. She said, "Bring two pens! It is seemingly in- evitable that if you are talking to the recruiter at your dream company, when it is time to take down their name in order to follow up with them, the one pen you brought will not work. If you bring two, the chances that both pens fail are pretty slim. Prepare for the worst, especially since you have such a limited time to showcase your skills and stand out as a candidate in situations like these." Back in the day, it was easy to know how to dress appropri- ately for an interview. My sister, who worked in commercial banking in Boston at the time, called them her "little man out- fts." Yes, it was a navy blue (or black, or dark gray) skirt suit, white shirt, and a dopey bow tie. Thank goodness those days have passed, but the interview dress code still calls for conser- P E R S O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T P A T R I C I A L U E B K E A WINNING FIRST IMPRESSION Remember you are not dressing for yourself, but for the interview.