So, how did I find my newest job, working as a news editor for a Website and magazine? By being nice to, and by selling myself to, an HR person, basically.

I had answered an ad for a research editor at this publisher. As I mentioned in another post, I had started applying for jobs that had research in their titles, thinking my work at a research firm would help get me interviews.

I didn’t really relish working on research projects any longer, something that must have come out in another interview for a research position at a different publisher which didn’t hire me.

At my now current employer, the HR person who interviewed me also didn’t see me filling the research editor spot, but she was intrigued by my long career and asked me more questions about what I felt best equipped to do, where my strengths were, etc.

A job hunting solution: use every interview as a chance to sell yourself.

I gladly filled her in and, before our conversation was over, she mentioned she was about to start looking for someone to fill an as yet unposted job opening.

She suggested I apply for that one, which I did and I quickly got the job. My first interview with my new boss was the day before Thanksgiving and on Dec. 17, about three weeks later, I had a job offer to return to journalism with a small raise!

The lesson here — rather than be discouraged if an interview isn’t working out, always use it as an opportunity to sell yourself. A sharp human resources person keeps a candidate file to turn to for future openings too, you want to be in that file. Like my book says, Always Be Job Hunting!
John N. Frank