The Graduate Baruchian

Written By, Aliaksandra Vilchynskaya

You frequently hear people talk about how hard it is to find a good job, how it is impossible to get hired, and how tough it is to get a promotion. So what is the big deal with hiring? Jannie Pilgrim, a Baruch alum, has answers for you.

Throughout her career as an HR business partner, a recruiter, a career coach, and a director of talent acquisition for such companies as Standard & Poor’s, CBRE, and New York Life, she encountered many people who have asked those very questions. “The Deal —a talk radio show and consulting service where Jannie Pilgrim is both the host and proprietor, helps people figure out the missing pieces and propels people into their careers.

On December 5, 2012 Zicklin Women in Business and the GCMC had the honor of hosting a remarkable and highly-interactive workshop with Jannie at Baruch College. Every attendee received great advice and answers to those burning questions on how to get a job.

Here is an overview of the workshop with Jannie’s useful tips :

It is crucial to develop a personal brand. There are four things that can get a person where he/she wants to be. Jannie called them the “Four Pillars of Capital”:

• Personal capital – Your skills
• Intellectual capital – What You Know
• Social capital – Your Relationships
• Financial capital –Who knows that you know what you know

In terms of presenting personal capital, a great 30 second elevator pitch is important. Jannie’s advice was to make your pitch relevant to a recruiter or professional you are talking to. She underscored the importance of having a targeted approach, one that shows you have done some research and expresses why you have an interest in the company. Just pick a few companies that are of the most interest to you, then do your research and have your “game plan” ready.

So who is in charge of your capital? You and only you. You need to build your brand equity.

One of the most challenging areas is building social capital. We cannot underestimate the importance of networking. “70% of a successful job search comes through networking”, and most people find their jobs developing relationships.

Making It Less Intimidating

Jannie says “First you have to realize that you are not ‘just’ a student”. You are a person with skills and experiences. Learn how to demonstrate your skills, if you do not have a lot of professional experience. Expand your school experience by club participation and community volunteering opportunities. In other words, “if you don’t have a story, build one”. Simply take an inventory of all your experiences and highlight the most relevant ones.”

On Career Changers

What can career changers do to be more successful in networking?  Jannie said, “know your skills and capabilities, and make sure you highlight your transferrable skills.  In your networking efforts, you need to differentiate between your current network and emerging network. The question to ask yourself: Is your current network working for you? An emerging network consists of new people you are looking to connect with such as – professionals from companies and organizations you are looking to join. “Reach Out!” It creates an opportunity to build your network and highlight your talents.

Never forget to follow up. Make it personal and keep the relationship going. You can share some interesting information like news or relevant articles with your contact.

During this highly-interactive workshop our speaker, Jannie Pilgrim, answered various questions from the audience. Get additional advice from Jannie during her “The Deal” Talk Radio Show.  You can find it through Zicklin’s CareerLink website (look under calendar) or follow this link

www.blogtalkradio.com/thedealfm

The show is aired every Tuesday night at 7pm or on demand.
About ZWIB: ZWIB is a professional organization that provides career, networking and mentoring opportunities for women and men at Baruch’s Zicklin School of Business.  Our goal is to create a rewarding long term network for our community.  We actively connect our 400+ members with distinguished alumni and professionals.  We host discussions on important topics such as successful negotiation techniques, the use of emotional intelligence, and the breaking of the corporate glass ceiling.