I Went to Jail - Again

For the second time, I had the privilege of teaching job-seeking skills to a group of men incarcerated at the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center at Camp Minden. While the group was different than my first trip out there, their attentiveness was just as strong.

One of the keys to a successful life on the “outside” is finding meaningful employment. When I asked how many of these men believed they had a skill to earn a good living, nearly every hand was raised.

The reality is that an ex-convict faces an uphill battle to obtain employment. There are plenty of job seekers out there without a criminal record.

Knowing that, I shared the following steps (along with others) with these men. These are steps that any job seeker should put into action.

1. Do your homework. Just like a great salesperson researches and prepares for a client, a job seeker should research and prepare for an interview. That means learning all they know about the company, and its leadership.
   
   
   Also, a job seeker should have a resume ready — tailored to the company who has the job they seek. We have all seen too many resumes with “To obtain a position with a company that utilizes my skills.... blah blah blah.”
   
   
2. Dress for the part. Show up for the interview in the proper attire. You don't have to wear a suit to an interview to be a welder, but you better wear the best casual clothes you have. No holes, etc.
   
   
   Don't have much money? Places like Goodwill have plenty of great clothes. You can typically put together something interview worthy for less than $20.
   
   
3. Look the interviewer in the eye, OR The ear? When interviewing a potential employee, eye contact is a major indicator. Someone who fails to make eye contact brings integrity into question. 
   
   
   Some people just have a problem looking others in the eye. To combat this, a job seeker can look at the ear of the interviewer. It can solve the issue, and the interviewer doesn't know the difference.
   
   
4. Follow up with a Thank You. People in sales know the power of the “Thank you” note. It sets them apart from others in sales. The same is true in the job seeking market. If someone is interviewing ten people for one position, a thank you note may keep your resume in the “review” pile.

These steps are no guarantee of employment, but they definitely help. As one of my colleagues says, “We are all in sales. We are selling ourselves.” And in the job-seeking market, no truer words were ever spoken.

Question:

As a leader, what things do you look for in any potential hire? What are some “red flags” you see all too often?