Informational Interviews.

by Barb Kennedy, PHR

During these tough economic times I see more people who are looking to change career fields and aren’t sure where to begin, how to format their resumes or how to sell their transferrable skills. One of the things I usually recommend to these folks is to conduct some informational interviews with people in their chosen fields. For the employer it’s a great way to promote the business. During this slow time it’s to your benefit to invest your time in recruiting for the future and laying some groundwork for finding great employees when business takes off again!

The savvy interviewer will not only be asking about the business where the interview is being conducted but will also be asking how the entire industry is doing and what the employment outlook is in the field. They’ll be expecting leads to other similar businesses or industry contacts so it’s also a way to show how businesses partner and collaborate. Of course they’ll want to know about salary ranges, travel, hours of work, flexibility and all the obvious pros and cons of the business.

They may also be asking for advice on what particular skills and abilities contribute to success in this field, suggested reading, and what professional organizations are related to the industry. The savvy business person will have most of this information at his/her fingertips. These interviews can be a wealth of valuable information for job seekers. It’s a proactive way to find out where some of the less visible jobs may be and to discover businesses that typically maintain a low profile.

In his article, “4 Mindsets of a Successful Leader,” Keith Ferrazzi lists generosity as the first mindset. He goes on to say, “This is the commitment to mutual support that begins with the willingness to show up and creatively share our deepest insights and ideas with the world. It’s the promise to help others succeed by whatever means you can muster.” The relationships formed in these interviews may go on to spark innovation and create global team cohesion leading to more success for everyone.

Thrive or Survive

What does it mean to thrive in the downturn? As a recent University graduate with a Liberal Arts bachelor’s degree (economics) with some quantitative touches (math and statistics minor) this question is foremost in my mind. I’ll be looking for a way to earn income by the first of July and I fear the prospects aren’t very good. I have strong ties to Missoula and am not willing to relocate. In this highly educated city finding work was challenging before the recession. According to the 2000 census 32.8% of Missoula county residents had earned Bachelor’s degrees or better. I personally know many people with master’s and doctoral degrees who were working in construction because the wages were pretty good and they could continue living the outdoor lifestyle many of us in Western Montana value. I suspect that some of these people have fallen back on their education with the slump in the housing industry.
Even with a 3% unemployment rate in 2007, high paying jobs with benefits were scarce. In Missoula county, 61% of jobs, based on the Wage and Benefit metric , a measure of job quality conducted in 2007, rated three stars. These ratings are based on qualitative measures of jobs such as full-time, health benefits, wages compared to median wages for the region and more.

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry estimates April’s unemployment rate in Missoula at 5.8%, (April is the most recent month available on their website). While this is still much lower than the national unemployment rate, 8.9%, it is twice the rate of two years ago.

I’m looking at job listings and there’s not very much out there for me to apply to. In my economics graduation ceremony our department head, Doug Dalenberg pointed out that it may take months for us to find jobs and that we all need to be patient and persevere.
Many of us are considering weathering the economic storm for the next few years in graduate school. Among my class mates, lots of us were looking at going directly into graduate programs. But, by the basic laws of supply and demand, graduate admissions and financial support are more competitive.
The good news is there are many resources out there to help us all out. Job Services provide help for both prospective employees and employers. The University of Montana’s Career Services continues to be available to recent graduates. They offer help with resume prep and list jobs.
All in all, the theme of today’s economy is uncertainty. Niches exist and some businesses are thriving in the downturn. The real final exam for today’s grads is whether we can discover one of these niches for ourselves.