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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, FEbRuARY 27, 2019
GET
THE
JOB
RESEARCH
POTENTIAL
EMPLOYERS
One of the best ways to prepare
for an interview is to get to know
the company.
When you show interest in the
overall mission and are knowl-
edgeable about their accomplish-
ments, it shows an interviewer you
are serious about getting on board.
Ways to improve your
job search success
Where to find information
Today’s technology gives job
seekers awesome tools to research
a company. If they have a social
media presence, that’s a great
place to start. A simple search of
their name can reveal charitable
contributions, performance mile-
stones and additions to their team.
Be sure to mention things you
relate to, regarding the strides they
are taking to grow.
Former or current employees
will also give you an interesting
perspective in how the company
operates, internally. Reach out to
your peers who have or had a rela-
tionship with the group to find out
what they expect and what they
look for in prospective hires.
Prepare for the interview
Now that you know a lit-
tle more, you should know how
to share your research during the
interview. Blatantly spouting out
information can make you come
off cocky or bland. Instead, plan
how you will incorporate what
you learned into the conversation.
When a hiring manager asks if
you have any questions about the
company or position, it’s a great
time to incorporate some of your
research. You can ask them about
recent milestones they made and
what it took to achieve them. The
more prepared you are with how
you will present the research will
make both yourself and the inter-
viewer more comfortable during
your meeting.
Research clients and
services
Before you go into an inter-
view, it’s also helpful to know the
types of services you will be offer-
ing and a general idea of the cli-
entele you reach out to. Under-
standing the crucial components
of every operation, can help you
strategize an effective way to
stand out once you’re hired.
GET REFERENCES
The peers in your career can make or
break your chances of landing a job if a
new employer receives degrading infor-
mation. In fact, career experts at Monster
Worldwide Inc. report that hiring manag-
ers removed about 21 percent of candi-
dates from consideration after speaking
to their professional references.
make sure to choose people who you
know will give an honest review of
your qualifications. Who to include can
depend on what type of position you are
applying for. For instance, when enter-
ing upper management, ask for permis-
sion from previous managers. If you are
trying to land an entry-level job, include
both professional peers and supervisors.
The right mix of people can give you the
upper hand when negotiation for a new
career.
Why references matter
While you may impress a hiring
manager with a solid performance at
the interview and a resume that shows
you’re qualified for the job, a reference is
sometimes the determining factor to nar-
row down potential employment. Here
are a few common questions your new
employer may have for your list of refer-
ences, from OfficeTeam, a leading staff-
ing service:
• 36 percent inquire about past job
duties and experience.
Say thanks
• 31 percent want to know about an
applicant’s strengths and weaknesses.
• 11 percent will ask to confirm job
titles and dates of employment.
It’s important to be honest when fill-
ing out your resume, as managers will
likely eliminate you from consideration
if a reference cannot backup the informa-
tion you provided.
Who to ask
Most employers only require a hand-
ful of professional references when you
apply for a position. Because of this,
Networking is a big part of the job
search. Remember to say thanks to
your references who take time out of
their busy schedule to promote you to
a potential employer. You never know
when they may need a kind word. Let
them know you are willing to return the
favor.
Clatsop County Job Fair provides job seekers access to area employers
More than 80 employers
from throughout the region
will converge on the Lexing-
ton Campus of Clatsop Com-
munity College next week
at the Clatsop County Job
& Career Fair March 6th in
Patriot Hall.
Many employers are hir-
ing for positions, and job
seekers can pick up appli-
cations from selected busi-
nesses. The job fair is free
to the public, and provides
opportunities to learn about
the diverse job choices avail-
able in our area.
All area high schools will
attend the Job Fair in the
morning, as Astoria, Jew-
ell, Knappa, Seaside, Ilwaco,
Naselle and Warrenton high
schools will send juniors and
seniors to the event, with an
estimated 700 students in
Luke Whittaker
Luke Whitaker
Sgt. 1st Class Katy Pritchard, a career counselor and member
of the Oregon Army National Guard, spoke to students at the
2017 Clatsop County Job and Career Fair.
Pacific Power general foreman Doug Peterson gave students
an introduction to transformers at the 2017 Clatsop County
Job and Career Fair.
attendance between 10 a.m.
and 1 p.m..
From
1:15 p.m.
to
3:15 p.m. the general public
is invited to attend, including
nomic
Development
Resources) and WorkSource
Northwest Oregon office
co-sponsor the event with
the assistance of commu-
active job seekers, college
students and those who want
to learn more about career
options in Clatsop County.
CEDR (Clatsop Eco-
nity volunteers. The event
last year featured 73 partici-
pating companies, and more
than 650 students attended.
The theme of the career
and job fair is 60 percent
career and 40 percent jobs
focus. Attendees will be
given an overview of the
many industries and sectors
that make up our local econ-
omy. The target sectors are
Tourism & Hospitality; Busi-
ness, Banking, Finance &
Professional Services; Sea-
food Processing & Fishing;
Forest & Wood Products;
Health Care; Retail; Manu-
facturing; Law Enforcement;
Career Technical, Contract-
ing & Trades; Education &
Government, Public Sector
and Military Options.
The event website at clat-
sopjobfair.com
includes
a comprehensive list of
all employers attending,
with links to each employ-
er’s website or contact
information.