Have you ever found yourself reading a job description and asking who in the world is capable of honing so many skills? With the rise of technology and demand for well-rounded employees, Millennials often feel discouraged just by reading job descriptions. According to the Harvard Business Review, nearly 50 percent of men and women choose not to apply to certain jobs because they feel they do not fulfill all the qualifications.

Entry-level applicants face the worst of these unrealistic qualifications. Many job postings listed as “entry-level” require applicants to have a couple years of experience in addition to their college degrees. Doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of the label?

Quartz debunks the usual perception of job postings. Companies often list many skills that would earn applicants brownie points in interviews. In addition to listing the things they need, hiring managers list skills they could use in the future or assets they are considering implementing. But once hiring managers start listing those bonuses, they often get carried away and the list grows longer and longer. When applicants see a long list of skills labeled “required,” they often feel discouraged and move on to the next application.

Fear not applicants! Hiring managers are looking for humans, not robots. If you have the core skills for your profession and you are capable of presenting those skills properly, you’re golden. Companies would rather hire people who have several relevant skills, confidence, and a good attitude. So unless you’re a robot who can learn HTML code in 24 hours or become fluent in a language overnight, don’t sweat the small stuff.

When reading job descriptions, it can be truly difficult to pick apart what is required and what is fluff. Scott Purcell, a technology recruiter, gave Quartz a few tips for deciphering job descriptions.

…a good rule of thumb is that the further you get from the core of the job’s actual function, the further down a list of skills something is, and the newer the technology or the skills term is, the more likely it’s what he calls a “nice to have” rather than a true requirement.

Keep in mind, companies still like to check off as many boxes as possible when it comes to applicants’ skill sets. When Jimmy and Johnny are competing for the same position and Jimmy racks up more checks, he’s got the position over Johnny.

Yes, job descriptions can be intimidating.  Rejection can be scary, even embarrassing, but what’s the harm in trying? So, when you are considering a job description but you’re not sure if you’re really the right fit because you don’t meet every single qualification, chill. If you can, reach out to someone who works in the industry or at the company and ask how realistic the description is. Find out more information and if it’s a position you’re really interested in then it just might be worth the time and effort to apply. Don’t let job descriptions intimidate or discourage you. Take the chance and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Natasha Paulmeno

Natasha Paulmeno is an aspiring PR professional studying at the University of Maryland. She is learning to speak Spanish fluently through travel, music, and school. In her spare time she enjoys Bachata music, playing with her dog, and exploring social media trends. Contact Natasha at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Millennials: Don’t Let Job Descriptions Discourage You appeared first on Law Street.

No one likes a liar. So why do people put their careers and professional reputations in jeopardy just to enhance their resumes? According to Forbes, about 60 percent of hiring managers catch lies on resumes, and the number of applicants who lie on their applications increased since the recession. But why do applicants still lie if they get caught? Aside from looking bad, his or her reputation is tarnished and any future work opportunities with the company are shot.

Moral of the story is don’t do it, but we can take a look at some of the most ridiculous resume lies.

1. Do your research. According to Forbes, one guy wrote on his resume that he was the assistant to the prime minister. The catch? The country he claimed to work for doesn’t even have one. Oops.
   What we learned: When you are truthfully associating yourself with any organization or group, you should do your background research on it. Know who you want to work for. This way you know who and what you represent and ensure you hold the same ideals.
2. Don’t act a fool. One 32-year-old applicant claimed to have 25 years of work experience. She must have matured rapidly as a  seven year old.
   What we learned: Putting ridiculous claims on your resume doesn’t fool anyone, it actually makes you look like a fool. Be as truthful as possible and learn the difference between embellishing your resume to make it shine and lying to get ahead.
3. Be truthful about your history. When applying to the same position at a company on two separate occasions, one applicant provided different work history for each application. That did wonders for the applicant’s reputation.
   What we learned: Employers can and will find out about your history, so be honest. It’s better to be up front than have to confess to a lie you previously told in an interview.
4. List references who will benefit your reputation. An applicant who listed three jobs in several years was definitely disappointed when he didn’t receive a call back. When the interviewer contacted the employers, she found out the applicant held one job for two days, another job for one day, and never worked at the third job. Yikes.
   What we learned: Use references to your advantage. They should make you look and sound great and vouch for your professional skills. Also, listing references who will uncover lies you told on a resume or application will definitely make you look bad.
5. Don’t burn bridges. After an applicant was fired from a company, he promptly applied to a different position at the same company. The company was listed under previous employment on his resume, but according to the applicant, he quit his previous job. The company’s records revealed the truth.
   What we learned: In every industry, people have connections all over the country, even the world. With our highly interconnected society, word of mouth spreads like wildfire. It would be wise to make graceful exits and maintain positive relationships in your professional career.

Though these are just a few examples of ridiculous lies applicants have told, many more have been caught. Embellishing resumes is a common problem – applicants who exaggerate their capabilities with coding and design skills, for example, are often embarrassed when tasked with those duties but they’re unable to perform.

Resume fluff just isn’t worth it. Be truthful, be honest and use colorful verbs to enhance your actual experience.

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Natasha Paulmeno (@NatashaPaulmeno) is an aspiring PR professional studying at the University of Maryland. She is learning to speak Spanish fluently through travel, music, and school. In her spare time she enjoys Bachata music, playing with her dog, and exploring social media trends.

Natasha Paulmeno

Natasha Paulmeno is an aspiring PR professional studying at the University of Maryland. She is learning to speak Spanish fluently through travel, music, and school. In her spare time she enjoys Bachata music, playing with her dog, and exploring social media trends. Contact Natasha at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Resume Lies Really Are the Worst Decision Ever appeared first on Law Street.

Faking it. We’ve all been there.

No, not there. Come on, guys. Mind out of the gutter, back on the sidewalk ok?

We’ve all seen a job posting that is SO perfect. You’re scrolling down the page getting more and more excited. You practically have your interview outfit picked out.

And then…

Ugh. “Must be BLANK.” “Applicants with BLANK experience strongly preferred.”

Ugh ugh ugh. You’re pissed. You would have been perfect. It would have been perfect. Life would have been perfect.

But wait…should you give up on your career dreams because of one lousy prerequisite? Should you still apply?

Short answer: yes. Unless you’re WAY off (like it says “requires a medical degree” or “prior brain surgeon experience a plus”) it doesn’t hurt to still throw the application their way. You could also always take some time to actually learn that particular skill so you can say that you’re making the effort when and if you’re called in to interview. Chances are, if one job is hoping for applicants to have, say, Photoshop experience, then another one will as well.

Don’t shy away just because you might not fit 100 percent. There’s still time to brush up on your skills before you start.

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Alexandra Saville (@CapitalistaBlog) is a PR & Media Outreach Manager. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college.

Alexandra Saville

Alexandra Saville is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

The post Faking It appeared first on Law Street.

LinkedIn is basically a prerequisite when job hunting now. Countless companies require that you apply with your profile and the site has one of the biggest job boards out there. Despite its prevalence, many job seekers still are not entirely sure how to navigate the social media platform. We (OK, most of us — not this compassionate professional, of course) know it’s important for networking and career hunting, but how do we use it to our greatest advantage?

Forbes recently posted “22 LinkedIn Secrets LinkedIn Won’t Tell You” and I found it extremely helpful. Here are my top five tips from the list:

Be opportunistic. Join groups that will let you connect with people who are in your target audience but are not contacts. Being part of the group gives you permission to reach out to them and invite them to join your network. You don’t need to upgrade to Premium to do so.

Be redundant. Know the top five strengths for which you want to be recognized and use them in your profile – repeatedly. If your top skill is project management, describe your project management proficiency in your summary as well as in multiple experience descriptions. This will help the right audience find you.

Be ungrateful. Ask your contacts to endorse you for only your top skills. Having the highest number of endorsements for your signature strengths will influence those who are looking at your profile. Have the courage to delete or reject the endorsements that aren’t central to how you want to be known.

Be promiscuous. Ignore LinkedIn’s advice to only accept connection requests from people you know. That helps sell Premium, but it doesn’t help you get found. LinkedIn’s search algorithm favors those who are in your network. That means when people are looking for what you have to offer, the results of their searches are displayed with 1st level connections first, then 2nd level connections and so on.

Be personal.  Your profile is not a resume or CV. Write as if you are having a conversation with someone. Inject your personality. Let people know your values and passions. In your summary, discuss what you do outside of work. You want people to want to know you.

Great tips! Thanks, Forbes!

PS – Thanks for the post idea, Ashley Powell!

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Alexandra Saville (@CapitalistaBlog) is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

Alexandra Saville

Alexandra Saville is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

The post How to Link In appeared first on Law Street.

“Your invite to connect is inappropriate, beneficial only to you, and tacky. Wow, I cannot wait to let every 26-year-old jobseeker mine my top-tier marketing connections to help them land a job. I love the sense of entitlement in your generation. You’re welcome for your humility lesson for the year. Don’t ever reach out to senior practitioners again and assume their carefully curated list of connections is available to you, just because you want to build your network.”

Yikes. Are you blushing with empathetic embarrassment after reading that? Because I am. Twenty-six-year-old Diana Mekota sent the LinkedIn request heard ’round the world to Kelly Blazek, Cleveland’s “Communicator of the Year.” Blazek responded to the request by berating Mekota with the above along with the fact that she felt  Mekota’s request for connection was self-serving and only for networking. But guess what? That is what LinkedIn is for. What makes it even worse is that Blazek actually prides herself on being a source for young job seekers. This is exactly how young people network.

Blazek was on the receiving end of terrible public backlash when the message went viral and she has since apologized. But what do we learn from this? Besides the fact that some people are bullies. Our generations need to find some commonality, some mutual understanding of our differences.

Entitlement of millennials — business people in older generations actually conduct conferences on how to deal with it (us). Millennials are cutthroat, fiercely motivated, tech savvy, and kind of annoying. We are entrepreneurial and start up new ventures much more frequently than those before us. We don’t have the same boundaries as the generations before us because we were born into the social media world of instant communication and technological gratification. We email instead of call, and text instead of email. Some of us don’t know how to say “thank you” or how to follow up on a job interview appropriately. We were raised to think that the world can be ours, that it is owned instead of earned, and that it should be easily achieved.

The thing is though, the economy hasn’t done so well for us. The job search is harder than ever. Technology has its downsides — it takes forever for an automated system to sift through resumes. Competition is tougher than ever because we’re all fighting against other millennials who have similar qualifications. It’s rough out there.

But is it all our fault? Are we the only ones who need to adjust and accommodate? Yes, millennials are entitled, but we’re also the future. We also have the drive, gumption, and creativity to drive business and to really be an asset to a company if given the chance. The net-net is: don’t judge on either side. We can learn from each other. Because, if businesses are going to succeed, we’re going to have to.

If you’re thinking about starting a business or launching into any entrepreneurial venture, it is of utmost importance that you bridge the gap. If you’re older and starting a business, you’ll most likely hire a millennial at some point. If you’re younger, you’ll probably have someone as a client who would prefer an email to a text. Try to see from the other side, use your instincts, and avoid judging someone who might not have come of age in the same professional climate that you did.

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Alexandra Saville (@CapitalistaBlog) is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

Alexandra Saville

Alexandra Saville is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

The post Entitled Millennials or Entrepreneurial Generation Set on Success? appeared first on Law Street.

So, you’ve applied to a job. Actually, you’ve applied to everything slightly relevant that LinkedIn has to offer. You’ve taken the big leap. You’ve perfected your resume, reworked your cover letter…now what? Now, my friend, is the hell that is the waiting game.

Job hunting has become a lot like online dating. There’s no personal contact to it. You send off your resume into the great unknown. Don’t get me wrong, online jobs boards are great. They provide an ease to the search and a way to quickly scan your choices and filter your options.

But doesn’t it kinda feel like you were stood up for a date and you’re just waiting by the phone now?

You’re annoyed. You start to wonder if these people actually want to hire anyone. They seem to be taking their sweet time with responding. As soon as you click “submit” the process is out of your hands. Or is it?

Following up is a much debated topic among job seekers. Of course, we all know it’s polite to follow up with a ‘thank you’ after being invited in to interview. But what if you just submitted a resume? Is there a proper way to check in?

Apparently, there is. Here are a few tips on how to successfully navigate the follow up:

1. Don’t do it right away. I know that you probably feel anxious immediately after sending your resume, but wait it out a few weeks. Let’s say, at least two. Applying for a job is time consuming, but so is selecting a candidate. The person you applied to might have more on his/her plate than just looking through applications. You don’t want to come off like you’re rushing the person. No one wants to work with an annoying eager beaver.

2. Don’t call unless the number is given. Worse than looking like an eager beaver is looking like an eager beaver who is a bit creepy. No one will hire a stalker. Don’t seek out a number unless it is expressly given. Calling comes across as invasive. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

3. Inquire as to the status with a short email. There are many employers and recruiters who recommend a follow up as a way to stand out among the competition. It’s a good opportunity to reintroduce yourself apart from just your application. Keep it short and to the point.

4. Try to set up an interview or further communication. In your email, you can ask if there is a time that you could sit down to discuss the position in person, or if it would be OK to reach out to them again.

5. Don’t overkill. If they say no to any of the above, or if they don’t reply to your follow up, don’t keep at it. There is a time and a place to throw in the towel and this is it. But don’t worry. There are plenty of other fish in the sea.

Happy hunting!

xo The Capitalista

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Alexandra Saville (@CapitalistaBlog) is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

Alexandra Saville

Alexandra Saville is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

The post The Follow Up appeared first on Law Street.

Happy New Year, everyone! We’re a week in…so how are those resolutions coming? One of the most popular proclamations around this time of year (behind getting to the gym more/at all, of course) is the goal of furthering your career. Below are a few examples of career oriented resolutions that will help anyone – for the hunting and for the settled.

1. Grin but don’t bear it. It’s a new year. I’m just as guilty of breaking resolutions by February 1st, but there is one that I think we all need to try our best to keep all year: positivity. A little of it never hurt anyone. Sometimes we have jobs that suck. Sometimes our boss isn’t the best. Making yourself a Debbie Downer won’t help, but job hunting might. So slap a smile on your face and do it up.

No one wants to share a cube with this chick.

2. Plan ahead. You know that rushed feeling you get close to deadlines? That panic? The sweaty palms? The overwhelming desire to hide under your desk when you don’t feel prepared? Well, guess what! You don’t have to feel that way! You’re in control of 90 percent (rough estimate) of your procrastination anxiety. Yes, there are some stressors and deadlines that you can’t help. But chances are, if you do little things (like – gasp – managing your time) most of this can be alleviated. You might even get to snooze a little the morning of that big meeting.

3. Be a good coworker. That person at work who is a constant annoyance? Try not to care so much. Bitching about him/her doesn’t help and just adds to the stress of your day. Let’s all take a collective deep breath and try to make 2014 as enjoyable as we can.

Ready! Set! Go!

Happy Hunting!

xo The Capitalista

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Alexandra Saville (@CapitalistaBlog) is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalistaand Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

Alexandra Saville

Alexandra Saville is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

The post New Career Resolutions appeared first on Law Street.

Happy New Year!

I need to be honest with you guys.  A lot has changed in my life since the clock struck 12 on January 1: I won the lottery, got married, started working at my dream job, and got to babysit Blue Ivy.  It’s been an awesome year already!

Okay, so none of that is true (yet), but I have decided to be positive and upbeat this year. That doesn’t mean I won’t be snarky or sarcastic; just that every time I write or think something negative, I’ll try and counter it with something positive.

Courtesy of _Dilexa via Flickr.

The Bad

So far, what makes 2014 a great year is waking up to the obligatory “Happy new year!”/ “Hapye newx yeark!” texts (Lay off the booze, friends). I have yet to respond to any of these messages because I’m lazy, but I appreciate them!  As far as “Happy New Year!” drunk dials and voicemails? Let’s leave those in the past, OK?

Speaking of things I’d like to leave in the past, have you guys heard of shitlawjobs.com? In the spirit of positivity, we’ll just call it…hilariously realistic. I find this site funny because it aggregates all of the terrible job postings that many people on the job hunt view multiple times a day. It’s shocking, really.

Shocking that some of these salaries are below the poverty line for a family of 4.

Shocking that unemployed law school graduates could make more money being an uberX driver than a lawyer.

Shocking that I made more money as a barista at Starbucks in high school than some of these hourly postings.

I could go on, but you catch my drift. Pretty hurts, and so does being a law school grad who doesn’t work for a top law firm.

The Good

During these first few hours of 2014, I needed something to remove the foul taste that shitlawjobs.com left in my mouth. Luckily, Amazon suggested that I read Beyond L.A. Law: Break the Traditional “Lawyer” Mold.

This book contains more than forty essays written by professionals in various fields who happen to have law degrees. I have not read the entire book, but I did peruse a couple of the essays. Many of the writers went on to legal jobs that they love, which is cool, but not really up my alley. Some of the essayists have awesome non-legal jobs: one is an author and publisher, while others used their entrepreneurial instincts to develop or lead companies. It’s inspiring to see people use the skills law school teaches them and then transform those lessons to fit their lives.

The Takeaway

That, my friends, is what 2014 is going to be all about. Figuring out how to make sense of this degree in some sort of meaningful way.

To the ones who have it all figured out: you are awesome. In 2013 I would have been jealous, but this year I’m just happy for you. To the ones who are going to sprint over to ShitLawJobs.com and apply to every single post because a shit job is better than no job, you are better than me. I mean, I will likely apply to some of these jobs too but…ugh. I guess I was right, beggars can’t be choosers.

2014 is the year where we’ll begin to be choosey though, I know it.

Deuces, 2013! And take “twerking” and “turning up” with you. Thaaaaanks.

P.S. This is my first post using a swear word and I feel like a rebel. Watch out 2014!

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Peter Davidson is a recent graduate of law school who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Tweet him @PeterDavidsonII.

Featured image courtesy of [George via Flickr]

Peter Davidson II

Peter Davidson is a recent law school graduate who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Contact Peter at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post It’s 2014 and Everything Changed! appeared first on Law Street.