| Myth No. 1: |
Fact: |
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Lower your salary demands. That makes you more attractive to employers in an uncertain economy. |
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Employers view people who ask for less as "undesirable property." If you're considered undesirable
-- or anything less than first-class -- you are not likely to be hired. |
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| Myth No. 2: |
Fact: |
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Try to get the highest paying
job available because job security no longer exists. |
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Job security still exists but
you create it with job performance. Opting strictly
for money is a mistake if you take the wrong job. |
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| Myth No. 3: |
Fact: |
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If there is nothing available in
your field, switch careers. |
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Switching
careers is one of the worst things you can do. You compete against
others with experience and will not approach your old salary level. |
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| Myth No. 4: |
Fact: |
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If you are over 50 and you've
just lost your job, it will
very hard to find another. |
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Workers over the age of 50 are winning new jobs in about the
same length of time as their be younger counterparts. Today's
employers place a premium on
experience. |
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| Myth No. 5: |
Fact: |
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Raise the subject of salary as
quickly as possible in the first interview. |
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Premature asking about salary is
one of the fastest ways to be removed from consideration for a
job. It tells employers that you are more concerned with
yourself than with your company or the job. |
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| Myth No. 6: |
Fact: |
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Entrepreneurship is a young
person's game. Don't try it if you are over 40. |
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The opposite is true. About one
in five discharged managers are starting their own businesses.
More than 70% of them are over 40. |
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| Myth No. 7: |
Fact: |
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Look only at the big companies. |
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Most of today's job growth
occurs in small to medium-sized companies. They are competing
for talent by offering salary packages comparable to those of
the large companies. |
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| Myth No. 8: |
Fact: |
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Avoid companies having layoffs. |
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Those can be
among the best places to look. Many continue to hire even while they
are laying off workers. |
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| Myth No. 9: |
Fact: |
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The
November-December holiday season is the worst time to look for a job.
Employers are unavailable or distracted. |
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The holidays
are among the best times to look for a job. Employers (except
retailers) available for job seekers. Holiday applicants have the
advantage of not facing as many competitors as they would in other
times of the year. |
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| Myth No. 10: |
Fact: |
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You can only get job interviews between the hours of 9:00 and 5:00 on weekdays. |
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Employers
are often available before and after regular hours. When
employers suggest that they are not available on a given date, ask for
an earlier or later interview. If you get it, you've got an employer's
undivided attention. |
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