You know that interview question where they ask what you want to be doing 5 years from now? What do you say?

We hear a lot of “I don’t know.” That’s cool, we get it – you’re looking for your first “real” job now, and 5 years seems like a long time away. With no experience under your belt, and no definitive plan for how you are going to get your corner office, you don’t know how to answer that question.

Here’s what the employer is thinking when you say “I don’t know.”

• Are we just a stepping-stone for them?
• What’s going to motivate them to do well in this role?
• What makes them think they are going to like this job?
• They obviously don’t plan on staying with us long enough to work their way up. 

Doubt. That’s what that is. Do you want to go into an interview and have the interviewer doubt your abilities to do the job because you haven’t dedicated your life to laying out your career path? No, of course you don’t.

I’m not saying make it up, but have an answer based on what you like and don’t like now. If you are wrong and you decide 5 years from now that you don’t want to be Team Leader at McDonalds anymore, you want to do something more corporate… no one is going to hunt you down and say, “When I interviewed you 5 years ago to be a Cashier, that is not what you said you wanted to be doing.”

It is important to find a job that makes you happy. It helps if you are naturally aligned to be successful and on route to reaching a bigger goal. Having a goal doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind in a few years if you are off the mark when you set it. You can tinker with it if you were a little wrong, or overhaul if you were way off. Just have something bigger to work towards and challenge yourself!

Here’s the freaky part, that reaction is normal for my generation! So, how can Gen Y’s addiction to instant information benefit you?

1. Constant Learners
   We have spent our entire lives learning how to use new technologies and systems without consciously thinking about it. For example, I am confortable knowing that I can get music to my ears from a Walkman, Disman, MiniDisk, MP3 player, iPod classic, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, and iPhone, while on the go.This means, we will fly through your training program, pick up your computer system in no time, point out processes that could be updated to increase efficiency, and consequently, save your time and money.
2. Self Taught
   Ask us to do something and we’ll say, ‘Sure, no problem.’ Of course, we might not know how to do it just yet, but lucky for us, we know where we can find all the information we need to get it done. We have constant access to a wealth of information on the web, there is always a YouTube video, blog article, or forum post that will tell us how to get on top of what we have said wouldn’t be a problem. We save your valuable time by teaching ourselves. Take away our Google… we might be a bit stuck.
3. Increased Efficiency
   We aren’t lazy, we just know there is a better way, and we like to work smarter, not harder. We are naturally inclined to use technology to make things easier and more efficient. Our innovative streak makes us creative, keeping you on top of online trends and best practice. And, our passion for new technologies will save our time, and your money by increasing overall efficiency.

Think creatively about your transferable skills and how they might benefit an employer. Then, market yourself on your CV with these skills and be prepared to offer examples in an interview.

Here are some fun examples that will get you thinking creatively, but you’ll need more depth for the skills you actually present!

You are:

• A hands-on and fast learner
  If you get a new mobile and are over the ‘texting’s weird’ feeling and can check your voicemail by the end day
• Adaptable to change in a dynamic environment
  If you swap between PC and Mac and can figure out how to close the browser window on either
• Solutions focused with time management skills
  If you have helped a friend or a family member adjust the volume, change the screen brightness, or find a document on a computer you’ve never used before, in less than 5 minutes
• Up to date and comfortable learning new systems
  If you’ve been able to transition your Super Mario Kart skills from Super Nintendo, to N64, to GameCube, to Wii seamlessly
• Able to multitask and prioritise
  If you can watch TV, SMS your friends, Facebook stalk your ex, and eat a piece of pizza all at the same time

Obviously these examples are a bit tongue and cheek since they are everything older generations hate about Gen Y’s, but be creative and you’ll have adjectives for your CV in no time!

• Where are you going?
  How can you expect employees to focus their energy in the same direction, if they don’t know what that direction is? If you’ve got a vision or mission statement, awesome! Take some time to remind your employees what that vision is, and ensure that everyone is on board and aligned to make it happen. If not, consider including your team and build one collaboratively. Working together to create the vision is a great way to ensure everyone is bought in to make it happen.

• How are you going to get there?
  Do your employees know what is expected of them day to day outside of completing their work? What behaviours or individual actions will contribute, or detract, from your company culture? Are there guiding behaviours that will help your team achieve their overall purpose and contribute to the company culture you are trying to build?

• Who is going to make that happen?
  Don’t hire jerks; hire people that you naturally want to be around. Try mixing thinkers with doers, and ensure all new hires are aligned with the company’s vision or mission and guiding behaviours. You can train the skills, but you can’t train the attitude or fit.

Work life balance is more achievable if you enjoy what you are doing. It makes the line between the two a little blurry, saving you from counting down the minutes until you are free from your desk. If you join a company that has values and a direction that align with your own, creating this grey area is much easier.

Look for these things as signs that you’re on the right track to eternal happiness in the grey area between work and life:

1. Work somewhere with happy people.
   Not necessarily with painted on clown smiles (though that might be a bonus), but somewhere where people seem to be enjoying themselves while working. Look for genuine smiles around the office and little to no physical violence.
2. People are accountable and avoid the blame game.
   There are no mistakes, only learning opportunities. If mistakes are made and people are taking ownership and pulling out the learning, instead of pointing the finger, that’s awesome.
3. There are no power trippers.
   The managers and other employees are comfortable in their roles and aren’t trying to demand respect or force followers. The people are bought in to a common goal and the leader has earned their respect.
4. There’s no I in TEAM.
   People are quick to offer help and are sincere in doing so, not just trying to get credit. A bunch of people working collaboratively, not competitively, leads to an innovative and fun workplace.
5. Get’r done.
   To make sure the business will have longevity, things need to get done. If people are achieving their objectives and revenue is being generated… or will be soon, you’re on the right track.

What shouldn’t you say when they notice a significant gap in your employment history and ask what you have been doing?

1. “It’s a bad economy right now, no one is hiring.”
   Really? No one seems like a bit of a stretch. Look for an answer that shows you are able to take some accountability for your unemployment, not that you feel helpless and like a victim. For example, the combination of a slow economy and mistakes made while job searching, demonstrate your ownership of your situation and ability to learn from mistakes. As a Career Starter, finding employment is a great learning experience for you. Employers can appreciate that you might not get everything perfect your first try; it’s what you learn that counts.
2. “I used to be pretty good with an abacus.”
   If you have been out of the industry for a while, how will the interviewer know you aren’t going to be out of touch with the industry? Take some time to do the research to get up to speed with the changes, challenges, and current trends in the industry, to demonstrate your initiative. Freelance or volunteer work to stay involved is an even better demonstration of your effort to keep your skills up to date and in practice as well as continually improve. If you have been taking courses and growing your skillset in your time off, highlight this to demonstrate you are invested in yourself and your education and not complacent.

Here are some answers to watch for when asking a candidate about their break from employment:

1. “It’s a bad economy right now, no one was hiring.”
   Really? No one seems like a bit of a stretch. Look for an answer that shows the individual is able to take some accountability for their unemployment, not someone who feels helpless. For example, the combination of a slow economy and mistakes made while job searching, demonstrate ownership and ability to learn from mistakes.
2. “I used to be pretty good with an abacus.”
   If someone has been out of the industry for a while, how do you know they aren’t going to be out of touch? If they have taken the time to do the research to get up to speed with the changes, and challenges, and current trends in the industry, you’re seeing initiative. Freelance or volunteer work to stay involved is an even better demonstration of their effort to keep their skills up to date and in practice.
3. “I was backpacking around…”
   This is increasingly common with Gen Y’s perception of the world as borderless. With everything just a plane ticket away, taking a gap year is the thing to do. This is great because it demonstrates their ability to adapt to new cultures, and a desire to build global context and networks. An open mind and ability to function out of their comfort zone are good qualities for a new hire.

“So why did you leave your last role?” 

1. Don’t trash talk
   Nobody likes a whiner. Don’t pass the buck and try to shift focus off of yourself by speaking badly about others. The first thing the interviewer is going to think is that you are trouble and hard to work with. Not an ideal hire. You know your last boss was an a-hole and he fired you because his girlfriend totally had a crush on you, don’t tell anyone else that. By playing the “he said, she said” game, you just look like a catty teenage girl – not a good look on anyone.Take responsibility for what happened, and focus on what you have learned from the experience. People make mistakes, it’s your ability to bounce back and learn from them that makes you an investment.
2. Spin
   Be optimistic and take your job search as an opportunity. Let your interviewer see how passionate and enthusiastic you are taking your next career step, planned or otherwise. If you were “let go” from your last role, speak factually about it not emotionally, and use creative and positive diction wherever possible.You don’t need to jump into elaborate details and tell the whole story play by play, who pushed whom into the sandbox first. It sounds childish and you want to demonstrate that you are moving forward in life not backwards. Focus on the opportunity, the enthusiasm you will bring to the role, and how you have been using your time off work constructively to look for the next step, or enrolled in courses. Be an optimist.
3. Keep it real
   A direct question deserves a direct answer. If you lie or try to be evasive, the interviewer, like most human beings, will not appreciate their intelligence being insulted with you lying to their face. They might call you out… awkward. Or they might just say “Thanks but no thanks. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” If it was a personal conflict that got you canned, you can use your references to clear your good name.

Why is it so hard to find a job in December?

It’s not.

Well it’s not hard to find a job over the Holidays, there are countless retail and hospitality openings. So if you just need a little money in your pocket while you search for your dream job, you can tide yourself over with one of these temporary positions.

Budget.

For career type jobs, budgets might be exhausted until January. This isn’t always true though, some companies find surplus in December they can use to hire or operate on a different fiscal year. This means the Holidays don’t affect their hiring, be persistent!

Holiday effect.

People are in holiday mode with their feet up and a Santa hat on. Leading up to the Holidays, things are a bit more relaxed and many job seekers lay off until the New Year. This could be a great advantage if you are proactive, as you will have less competition.

There are perks to the season too!

1. Christmas Party = Networking opportunity
   Get in the holiday spirit, put on your favourite Christmas sweater and get mingling! You never know who has connections and can hook you up with the right person to land your dream job!
2. Christmas Cards + Business Cards
   Christmas Cards are a nice gesture and a great way to reach out to hiring managers. Why not add a business card in with your Christmas card?
3. Follow-up
   This is just standard and I can’t say it enough. Follow-up you application within one or two weeks. This shows you are keen and makes you stand out from the pile of resumes.