Whether we like it or not, stereotypes often exist, including stereotypes of generational differences in the workplace. We hear about Generation Y and their tendencies to speak their mind, multitask rather than focus on a given job, and act seemingly entitled. But we also hear positive associations attributed to Gen Y, regarding their technological savvy and commitment to volunteerism. Regardless if these behaviors and actions are true of you currently or are notably associated with your generation, the following tasks are quickly becoming acceptable and proven methods in assisting your job search:

Volunteer your way to a job. The places to volunteer and possibilities when volunteering are endless! First and foremost, volunteering is a way to network. Do not underestimate the power to increase your circle of contacts. These networks can directly or indirectly find you a job—whether it’s recommending you on LinkedIn or employing you later on him or herself. Volunteering also provides you with much-needed transferable skills. Want project management experience? Join your condo’s board of directors or a committee. Want to supplement your liberal arts major? Volunteer at your religious institution or tutor at a local school. Looking for any meaningful way to serve your community? You can find opportunities here: http://www.serve.gov/.

If you’re not employed, you should be able to volunteer for at least 8 hours a week in something that interests you. Hiring managers often question resumes that have gaps in employment, and you can easily fix those gaps by including your volunteering work in the Experience section. Resume keywords that volunteering can provide you: Project Management, Finance, Collaborated, Supervised, Executed, Conceptualized, Spearheaded, etc.

Blog your way to a job. If you like to write, want a job in communications, or are an expert in a topic, there is no reason why you can’t start a blog. You don’t have to be employed to write a blog nor pay a fee to use a blog service; you can create a blog on sites like www.blogspot.com, www.bloggerminds.com, www.wordpress.com. You can then submit your blogs onto services like www.digg.com or www.stumbleupon.com. Post your blogs onto your Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter profiles. Make sure you proofread what you have written; and, keep in mind, if you attach your name to a blog, there will be often be search visibility of the blog attached to your name on Google. If there is anything that can be potentially embarrassing or would prevent you from getting the job you want, think twice before posting it. Resume keywords that blogging can provide you: Readership, Viewership, Subscribers, Composed, Created, Achieved, etc.

Twitter/Facebook/Linked In/“Insert Social Media Name Here” your way to a job. Gen Y is known as the Facebook Generation. A study from the Participatory Marketing Network reveals that 99% of 18 to 24-year-olds have at least one active profile on a social networking site. Use your ability and understanding of social media to your advantage! Facebook allows you to search for company names through the Search bar, and you are likely to then find a Fan Page of a company to interact with. LinkedIn has the Search Companies feature, which can help enable you to find the name of a hiring manager. Twitter is brimming with companies you can follow and create conversations with. Looking for other social networks to connect with? Dan Schawbel of www.mashable.com has created a list of the top 10 social networks for Generation Y. Some of the sites include those that bridge the power of social media and blogging, such as www.brazencareerist.com. With social media outlets, you can provide some visibility to your name to a company representative by providing some intelligent, insightful feedback or conversation. Or take it to the next level: volunteer your social media services to promote a company that you admire and/or aspire to work for. Even if the company doesn’t pay you, the company can pay you back with a glowing recommendation or eventual employment. You can learn more about how to use social media outlets in your job search here. Resume keywords that social media experience can provide you (many of them can be the same as blogging experience): Readership, Viewership, Created, Achieved, Garnered, Traffic, etc.

Many companies use phone conferences to initially screen qualified individuals who have applied for a particular job. Phone interviews can be just as if not more daunting than face-to-face interviews; it is important to remember that they are just as significant and must be equally prepared for. You may be thinking, “It’s just the phone interview, it doesn’t really matter.” But I’m here to tell you it does matter and if you don’t take it seriously, you could disqualify yourself from getting your foot in the door. Here are some key areas to focus on before and during your meeting:

Job Knowledge
During this time of economic crisis and unexpected layoffs, you may have applied for hundreds or thousands of jobs without fully understanding what the job is about.  You’ve done this with the hope that just one will click so you have enough money to pay your bills. While this is certainly understandable, you must keep in mind, things may actually “click” and you do get the interview. You want to go in with a clear view of the role and responsibilities of the position and how they relate to the experience you currently have. Having the ability to quickly make and relay the connection between what the company is looking for and what you have to offer is extremely crucial in making it to the next round of interviews.

Tone/Speed
It’s unfortunate but true that many people are silently judged by their looks when they first walk into a face-to-face interview.  With a phone interview, you don’t have the luxury of astounding the interviewer with your good looks. Your voice will be the first thing “seen”. The key is to just be you. Don’t focus so much on making sure you are articulate that you change the way you would normally talk. Just ensure your tone and speed are at levels that can be easily understood. 

Manners
Unlike a face-to-face, you can’t look at the interviewer and know whether or not he or she has finished a question or statement or if they are going to suddenly say something else. So, you have to listen for verbal cues. You don’t want to find yourself continually excusing yourself for interrupting while he/she speaks. So, count three seconds after he/she has stopped speaking, then speak. This way you don’t appear hasty or as one who is not a good listener.

External Environment
No distractions! Whether it is a dog, person or the television, you want absolutely no distractions. If possible, find a room with a lock so you can better control the commotion. If this is not feasible, use the mute button on your phone so you can silence the noise when the interviewer is speaking. 
You also want to be careful of rustling papers. It’s okay to have notes about the position in front of you, but try not to make it obvious.

In a world where Millennials are taught that “everyone’s a winner” and no one loses, instant gratification in information and entertainment is provided via the Internet, and students learn to work on homework while listening to their iPod and gossiping on Facebook Chat, it’s no wonder why Generation Y is facing strife in the workplace. It’s time to wake up and smell the Starbucks, Gen Y, because with the current jobless rate hovering around 10%, we need to change some of our attitudes or we might find ourselves throwing a pity pink slip party or not getting a job at all.

Even as I write this, the Gen Y in me is creeping up and saying, “I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings!” and I’m tempted to reassure myself and my Gen Y readers how awesome we still are. But we may have to let go some of the need for constant reassurance. In this blog, I will focus on what Gen Y can do to improve work performance while relying on our inherent traits and actions, but stepping outside of our comfort zones and adopting some other generation-approved behaviors.

In many job settings, Gen Y is working side-by-side with Gen X peers and Baby Boomers. We might encounter Gen Xers who prefer an independent work approach and Baby Boomers who value face-time. I will discuss some of the other ways we can adapt to our generational differences in the workplace in a later blog; but for now, realize that some of your workplace peers might view you as a stereotypical Millennial. Many workplace environments value your technological savvy, your teamwork skills, and your desire to be personally connected to your job, but some work peers might find you scattered, needy, and lacking loyalty. Balance your behavior to find success in the workplace.

So, what is the unemployment rate in the United States? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS – part of the US Department of Labor), the official unemployment rate is 9.5%. This is a very high number. In fact, the cumulative loss of jobs over the past 6 months has been worse than for any similar period going back to World War II, and the current recession is the longest since the Great Depression. However, the BLS calculation does not count millions of people, including those who have given up looking for a job.

• The government estimate of those employed assumes many people are at work who probably are not.
• Employees who take unpaid leave are not counted as unemployed.
• As many as 2 million people who were looking for work were not counted, because they didn’t look for work in the 4-week period proceeding the BLS survey of employment.

In addition, it should be noted that the unemployment rate generated by the BLS is not an actual number, but an estimate based on a survey of 60,000 households. Using information from various sources, others have estimated that the actual unemployment figure may be 15.6%, 16.8%, or even 18.7%. Whichever number is correct, all of these figures indicates a large number of people who are competing against each other looking for work.

Today’s job-hunter has to watch out for a new danger – on-line job scams that target vulnerable job-seekers. Although this is a growing problem, you can reduce your risks of being the victim of a job scam by following some simple rules:

1. Don’t assume all jobs posted on the Internet – even on well-known job sites – are legitimate. While these sites are monitored for fraud, the large volume of jobs posted means that some fake jobs may avoid detection, at least temporarily.
2. Never give out personal bank account, PayPal account, or credit card numbers to a potential employer. By creating a fake job ad, scammers can trick job hunters into sending private financial information. This approach is called phishing.
3. Always enter web site addresses manually into your browser – rather than clicking on links from e-mails – to avoid another scam, called pharming, which involves redirecting a user from a legitimate company’s web site to a fake web site that will steal personal information for criminal purposes.
4. Do not agree to have funds or paychecks deposited to any on your personal accounts. Also, do not forward, transfer, or wire money for an employer. Transferring money for an employer may actually make you a victim of a payment-forwarding scam run by organized crime groups.
5. Unless you are applying for a job with the federal or state government, never e-mail your Social Security number to a supposed “employer” until you have confirmed that they are a legitimate company. Make sure you can reach them during regular business hours.
6. Beware of any employer that asks for money upfront for a job.
7. Never mail or fax scans of your driver’s license. One common scam is for a fake employer to respond to an on-line résumé by asking for your Social Security number or driver’s license so they can “do a background check” on you before they hire you. However, a real company will generally want to meet you first before checking your background.

If you want to file a complaint about a fraudulent job posted on an on-line job search web site, you can call the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or file a complaint on their web site, which is www.ftc.gov. Just click on “File a Complaint Online”.

Remember, if an offer seems “too good to be true” – it probably is! Trust your instincts and always be vigilant.

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