Business & Tech
Free Job Finding Tips, Courtesy of Mission Viejo Library
Check out some of the advice from Gretchen Thompson, former senior HR manager at Toyota USA and the RAND corporation.
Need work? Mission Viejo wants to help.
On Tuesday, a job search consultant doled out free advice for college students, college grads and those just about to graduate to help them find employment in this economy.
“You’ll find a job,” said Gretchen Thompson, who led the workshop at the Mission Viejo library. “Yes, it’s a tough labor market, no question. But you will find a job.”
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Thompson formerly held a position as a senior human resources manager for the RAND corporation and Toyota USA.
She was also career counselor at the Illinois State Employment Development Department and UCLA, where she worked with undergraduate, graduate students and alumni.
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Currently retired, Thompson now lives in Laguna Beach.
Here are some of her tips for finding work:
- Know what you want to do before you start looking for a job.
You’ll save time and interview less if you have a clear picture.
Even something as simple as “I want to work with children” can help narrow your search. - Make sure your résumé is polished and error-free.
- In your résumé, don’t forget to mention your non-college or non-work experiences.
Employers are interested in your hobbies and your volunteer work.
Knowing a second language or how to play an instrument is also plus. - Send a thank-you note after an interview. Some interviewers disqualify you if you don’t.
- You don’t have to say “References available on request” on a résumé. However — whether you mention it or not — make sure you have three professional references at least (people such as former employers or clergy.)
- During a job interview, on a scale of zero to 10 — with zero being “comatose” and 10 being overly energetic — Thompson says you should be about a seven.
- Also, during a job interview, don’t insult your former employers, even if they are the competitors of the company you’re applying for.
At the meeting, reference librarian Jeff Price highlighted a program available through the library called Career Transitions, which helps patrons build résumés and cover letters, as well as help them learn more about their job options.
The program is free for those who have a library card, and library cards are also free. Here’s the link.
Mission Viejo resident Scott Bush, who graduated from Humboldt State University in May with a degree in accounting, said the class was “really informative.”
“I definitely liked the dos and don’ts portion and the cover letter (section),” Bush said.
He said he felt it was easy to find templates for résumés online, but not so easy to find good cover letter examples.
Here are some of Thompson’s job interview dos and don’ts:
Do
- Act natural and appear relaxed
- Show enthusiasm
- Listen to the interviewer
- Ask them to clarify ambiguous questions
- Give specific examples to support your statements
- Ask relevant questions
Don’t
- Be late
- Become emotional
- Talk too much
- Talk too little
- Try to be funny
- Emphasize salary and benefits.
The workshop was one of a series at the library funded by a California State Library "Library Services and Technology Act" Grant and the Friends of the Mission Viejo Library.
The next scheduled workshop is June 27 at 6 p.m. in the Mission Viejo Library in Friends Community room at 100 Civic Center.
For more information on the upcoming workshops, e-mail the library at or call (949) 830-7100, Ext. 5105.
Here are some other online resources suggested by the Mission Viejo Library:
