Top Ten Non-Profit Job Search Things To Do - And Not Do!

Okay, there are more than ten, but we all know that what can be easily counted on two hands gets better exposure in search engines!

Here are reminders of what to do and what not to do when interviewing, negotiating salary and using LinkedIn:

Interviewing

1. Don’t leave your phone on during the interview.

2. Do make eye contact.

3. Do wait to be invited to sit down.

4. Don’t answer the “tell me about yourself” question by including why you left your last job.

5. Do answer that question by focusing on your appropriate skills, experience and abilities.

6. Don’t answer questions with just a ‘yes’ and ‘no’ without providing any additional clarity.

7. Do answer questions with a focus on the needs of the interviewer.

8. Do ask questions that allow you to gain greater insight into the job.

9. Don’t allow the interview to end without asking “what are the next steps in the process?”

10. Do ask what you can expect to happen from this point forward and when you can expect to hear.

11. Do get a business card from everyone who interviewed you.

12. Don’t reveal too much about the personal you as opposed to the professional you.

13. Don’t assume that someone who agrees to give you a reference will provide a good one.

14. Do confirm that references will be positive.

15. Don’t provide references of people that won’t have the time to return calls or respond to requests.

16. Do confirm that all contact information is up to date for your references including phone number, email, mailing address and current employer.

17. Don’t assume your reference will keep you up-to-date if they hear from the company.

18. Do ask your reference to keep you updated if they hear anything.

19. Don’t assume your professional references have to be your direct supervisor.

20. Don’t give your reference information when initially submitting your resume.

21. Do spend the time picking the best references possible.

22. Do have three to five references ready at any time.

23. Don’t neglect to thank your references. Salary

24. Don’t think that you should negotiate salary based on what you need.

25. Do negotiate based on receiving the highest salary that the employer is willing to pay for the position.

26. Don’t base your negotiations on your last salary.

27. Do have a sense of your ‘value’ in the current market place.

28. Don’t undervalue or overvalue yourself.

29. Don’t enter negotiations without a sense of what the company might be willing to pay.

30. Do gather as much market information as possible to create a well-executed salary negotiation plan.

31. Don’t ask about the salary before the interview