5 Things to Have With You At All Times When You're Job Hunting

by Ellen Reeves · 2009-06-18 20:11:00 UTC
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Today, Fox News called. And I wasn't home. They were offering me a taping at noon or 3:00 and the message was that I'd need to be at the studio camera-ready.  I picked up the message at 2:00. It was pouring in NYC and, to be honest,  not the greatest hair day. I got over myself and prepared to rush over. TOO LATE.  Since they hadn't heard back right away, they moved on. 

I was teaching in the Columbia Publishing Course today, so I didn't log on or pick up my cell phone messages until then. Yes, it was right and polite of me to give my students 100% of my attention...but now I just feel like a sucker. Fox might reschedule, but they might not.

The moral of the story is this: I wasn't ready. And I should have been.  I'm not walking around prepared. Mistake. I am in the undefined space after the first wave of book publicity and interest, and now there's been a resurgence. I should have had my phone on. An extra copy of the book.  When you're job-hunting, you're in the same boat. You have to be prepared every day for every opportunity and you never know when or where it's going to come from. You might be asked for your resume or called for an interview at any minute.

So make sure you always have the following with you when you're job-hunting:

1) A business card

2) A few copies of your resume

3) A charged cell phone

4) A small pad and pens

5) Personal grooming items

and be presentable and ready for display at all times. I'm not saying you need to be in a tuxedo or anything, but as you leave the house, ask yourself....if you got called for an interview on the spot, could you improvise with what you have?

Be prepared...better safe than sorry!

 

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