25 JOB HUNTING TIPS FOR INTROVERTS

PERSONAL CAREER PLANNING CLASS

MR. ENDICOTT

1. GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO RECHARGE BETWEEN MEETINGS

OR INTERVIEWS

• Leave enough time between meetings to recharge in

the car or on public transportation, and make sure

they don’t feel rushed or unprepared for each

interview.

• Too much of this kind of high-pressure interaction can

wear you out, so take time to reflect, rest, and collect

your thoughts.

2. PLAN QUESTIONS AND CONVERSATION STARTERS

M

aking small talk or initiating a conversation is a challenge,

which can make networking or interviewing difficult

P

lan out conversation starters to use at networking events

http://www.wikihow.com/Come-Up-with-Good-Conversation-T

opics

P

lan questions for interviewers ahead of time

B

y doing this-no stress to come up with something on the spot

3. SET A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME TO SPEND AT NETWORKING EVENTS

F

or introverts networking events can be a challenge to attend or stay at for

more than an hour.

Y

et the more time you spend, the more doors you may open up.

C

ompromise by deciding how much time you’ll spend at the event before you

go.

Y

ou won’t feel stressed to stay the entire time, but will stick around long

enough to meet some new people.

4. HAVE A LARGEGROUP STRATEGY

I

ntroverts by nature often shy away from large crowds, but in

the hunt for a job, this may not always be possible.

E

veryone’s strategy will differ but can include:• being able to define your role as a professional• having a bank of conversation starters and questions • establishing goals for going up and talking to new

people.

I

t can be nerve wracking to call to

follow up on an interview or a

resume submission

A

lso, it can be smart to follow up

with new connections.

J

ust remind yourself that

conversations only need to take a

few minutes, so the terror will be

blissfully short-lived.

5. DON’T SHY AWAY FROM CALLING TO

FOLLOW-UP

F

or introverts, certain jobs can be

mentally draining.

Job hunting will be much more

successful for introverts if they

tailor their search to work that’s

more introvert-friendly.

N

ot only will these jobs be healthier

for introverts, they’ll also be easier

to get with the intrinsic skill set

many introverts have.

6. TAILOR YOUR CAREER

SEARCH TO JOBS THAT WILL ENERGIZE, NOT DRAIN YOU

7. RESEARCH COMPANIES AND INTERVIEWERS ON THE WEB

T

o take a little bit of the anxiety out of applying or

interviewing, do research online before meeting up

with potential employers. Introverted or not, this is just

a smart move, as it’ll give you something to talk about,

help you learn if a company is a good fit, and make

you look incredibly prepared for an

interview.

M

ost of the time, our biggest fears

about interactions are that we won’t

be prepared for what happens.

S

o prepare

G

o through possible scenarios and

questions ahead of time —script

them if you need to— and pay special

attention to issues that you’re most

afraid of addressing.

8. REHEARSE CONVERSATIONS AHEAD

OF TIME

B

eing honest about how intimidating

you find talking to new people can

help you make connections.

A

t a networking event, break the ice by

admitting it took all of your courage to

go up and talk to that person.

T

hey’ll appreciate the effort and you’ll

have something to immediately talk

about.

9. BE HONEST ABOUT BEING AN INTROVERT

WHEN NETWORKING

10. DEVELOP A CAREER PORTFOLIO

W

hile a resume can be a great asset in an interview, a career portfolio can

take things one step further in the right direction. Plus, it takes some

of the pressure off of you to remember all of your career highlights.

P

ut together a binder or portfolio that outlines your accomplishments and

showcases your best work from your previous jobs or college courses.

I

t’s a great solution for introverts who need solid talking points and

who also aren’t keen on bragging about themselves to employers.

I

ntroverts also have strengths

that can be significant assets

to businesses of all kinds.

D

on’t be afraid to highlight

some of the introverted traits

you have that can make you a

great employee.

11. EMPHASIZE YOUR STRENGTHS AS AN

INTROVERT

T

o hear no is not the end of the

world

W

hile introverts may know this in

their heads, it’s still not easy to

take risks.

I

ntroverts need to psych

themselves up, make a call,

send an email, or just get in

touch with anyone who can help

them.

12. DON’T FEAR HEARING NO

NO!

13. CONSIDER WORKING WITH A RECRUITER

I

ntroverts who aren’t great at talking themselves up or reaching out to

employers may want to work with a recruiter who can take care of

some of these tasks for them.

W

hile this kind of approach may not work for every type of job, for some

it could really make a difference, and help introverts get a foot in the

door without feeling stressed about networking and cold calling.

 

Y

ou are allowed and even

encouraged to participate in a

two-way conversation with

whoever is interviewing

Y

ou have to evaluate whether or

not a company is a good fit for

you.

D

on’t be afraid to speak up with

questions or concerns.

14. REMEMBER THAT INTERVIEWS ARE CONVERSATIONS, NOT

INTERROGATIONS

T

hose who can’t quite nail

down a career path could

really benefit from talking

with a mentor.

G

ives you confidence and

information that can be a

big asset in looking for any

kind of a job.

15. FIND A MENTOR

D

uring the job search,

complete the most dreaded

things right away.

I

t might not be easy to do

them, but usually the

experience isn’t nearly as bad

as we think it will be, and

once they’re done, we can

relax and focus on other

less onerous tasks.

16. DO WHAT YOU’RE DREADING FIRST

D

on’t go too far outside of your

comfort zone.

T

rying to be a person you’re not

or pretending to have traits you

don’t might help to get a job,

but you probably won’t like

it.

Just embrace being the best

version of you.

17. DON’T PRETEND TO BE SOMEONE

YOU’RE NOT

18. READ UP OR TAKE CLASSES

T

here are hundreds of books out there that teach

communication, networking, marketing and other

essential extroverted skills.

J

ust as many classes on the subject are taught at

community colleges, business centers, or online.

W

ith so many resources, an introvert would be remiss not

to take advantage.

W

hen you’re trying to get a job,

highlighting your successes

at work isn’t bragging: it’s

just smart.

M

any introverts don’t like to

talk about themselves, but in

an interview, it’s essential.

S

o, let go of the modesty and talk

yourself up!

19. DON’T BE EMBARRASSED TO HIGHLIGHT YOUR

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Y

ou don’t always have to make

new connections to find a job.

M

any introverts can capitalize

on existing connections.

T

hat can be a much less

stressful way to network for

those who aren’t fond of

career fairs and other

networking events.

20. CAPITALIZE ON YOUR EXISTING NETWORK

21. CULTIVATE A STRONG WEB PRESENCE

I

f you’re shy in person, at least with people you don’t know, then make the most

of opportunities to highlight your potential as an employee on the web,

where you have plenty of time to think of what you want to say and aren’t

on the spot.

M

ake a website, create a portfolio, and hone your resume in a situation that

makes you more comfortable before bringing it out to the larger working world.

 

W

hether you pull together a

collection of great job search

sites, put in a good word with

a friend, or pass along a

resume, a friend you help

can be an asset later on

when you’re looking for a

job yourself.

22. HELP OTHERS

T

he role of web media in the job

search is a godsend for many

introverts who avoid

interpersonal interaction.

S

tart with Social Media:• Twitter • Facebook• LinkedIn or any other social

sites

H

ere you can show off your resume,

expertise, and portfolio.

23. USE SOCIAL MEDIA

24. WRITE A “THANK YOU” INCLUDING ANY POINTS YOU WANT TO CLARIFY

I

f you’re the type who tends to get a bit flustered in an

interview, don’t sweat it. When you write a “thank you”

note to your interviewer, you can simply revisit issues

you might not have been clear about in the interview,

giving you a second shot at making a good impression.

Thank

You

Gre

atl

y A

ppre

ciate

d

Just wanted to mention…

25. WORK ON SKILLS YOU THINK YOU LACK

I

f you feel like you’re lacking in certain skills that are key to your job,

then work on them. There’s no rule that introverts can’t be great

conversationalists, salespeople, or public speakers.

M

any introverts excel at these things, even if they don’t love

doing them. Work on your skills on your own or take a class.

Y

ou can even put any classes you take on your resume so your

potential employers know you’re aiming to improve.