By Lauryn Franzoni

It's Back to School time for kids and Back to Job Searching time for at least some of you safety professionals out there. If you're among the job seekers, here's some advice: Beware of making assumptions.

Job seekers often make assumptions - false ones - about companies, positions and their potential for landing a position. They also make decisions without knowing all the facts. Safety professionals who engage in these practices limit their horizons and prospects for success.

Common Assumptions & Prejudgments

How many of you have made statements like these?

• "They can't afford me."
• "I'd love a job without travel but with my background, the only jobs open to me will require travel."
• "I won't send my resume out of state - no relocating for me!"
• "The company has a reputation for being stodgy and slow - boring."
• "The requirements don't exactly match my expertise."
• "I'm not right for the job."

Informational Interviews

You shouldn't make such statements unless and until you've checked the facts. One way to do this is to conduct an "informational interview." Generally, you want to get the information you need without appearing to be too aggressive, disrespectful or forceful. Let's discuss some of the basic rules:

• Beginning the Meeting: Remind the person who you are - brief remarks (have a resume with you) and why you requested the meeting. Be specific in your description.
• Asking the Person to Intervene on Your Behalf: It is not good form to ask the person to personally intervene on your behalf. However, if the person says that they are willing to make a personal introduction, how can you make sure this happens without applying undue pressure? Ask if you can touch base before contacting the referral to make sure that the introduction has been done or the resumes sent. Always ask when would be a good time to follow-up.
• Getting Back to Your Agenda: Sometimes the person you are meeting with will take control over the direction of the interview and assume that all you want is some contact names. After taking down the information, refocus the meeting on your informational interviewing agenda.
• Giving Your Resume: If possible, send your resume some time before the meeting date. When setting an appointment, ask if they would like to review your resume before meeting with you so as to familiarize themselves with your background and experience. If the answer is no, bring a copy with you, and at the end of the meeting ask if you can leave a copy.
• Knowing When to End the Meeting: When you have covered your agenda items, take the initiative and bring the meeting to a close. Do not overstay your welcome or the goodwill of your contact. Conclude by saying that the information was useful and that you would like to keep them informed about your progress.
• Following-up: E-mail a brief thank you, summarizing what actions you plan to take as a result of the information and advice given. Once more, state that you will keep the person posted about the outcomes and any further progress in your career decision-making process.

Some Final Do's & Don'ts

Here are some parting words of wisdom on informational interviews:

• DON'T try to pressure the person into giving you information or referrals they are not prepared to make.
• DO keep the meeting within the agreed-upon length, even if all your questions have not been answered.
• DO keep in mind that the information, opinions and/or advice given by various persons also contains biases and personal reference points based on their individual experiences and background.

Above all, remember that professional, sincere behavior and respect for other people's time and commitments are the means for achieving your informational interviewing goals.

Wishing you career success,

Lauryn Franzoni
Execunet
www.execunet.com

OCCUPATIONAL GLAMOUR

Why do people choose to work in a certain profession? For many, it's about the money. But for others it's all about prestige. But while the size of paychecks is easy to judge, the prestige associated with a profession is often in the eyes of the beholder. Harris Interactive recently polled 1,217 beholders to get their views of which professions carry the most prestige. Here's the ranking of professions described as having "very great prestige":

THE TOP 5

1. Tie: Fireman and Scientist (56 percent each)
2. Doctor (54 percent)
3. Nurse (50 percent)
4. Military officer (49 percent)

THE BOTTOM 5

1. Stockbroker (8 percent)
2. Real estate agent/broker (9 percent)
3. Accountant (13 percent)
4. Journalist (14 percent)
5. Union leader (15 percent)

Too bad safety director wasn't one of the professions listed on the survey. It would have been interesting to see if they were up with the scientists or down with the stockbrokers.

Source: Harris Poll, Sept. 8, 2005

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