Landing a Dream Job 101

Baruch seminar focuses on better ways to find a job When Arlene Newman, founder of Career Bound Success, was hiring director at The Leading Hotels of the World, a Baruch College student sent her a résumé for a summer internship. While the student had a stellar background, Newman dismissed her after catching a few spelling and grammatical errors on her CV. But the girl's professor called Newman, told her the applicant spoke English as a second language and convinced her to give the college junior another chance. Newman later hired the hard-working student for a full-time position and now uses the story as an example of how presentation is vital to snagging one's dream job-and not getting glossed over by hiring managers swamped by other candidates. "The cover letter and résumé should be error-free," said Newman, who will be imparting more of her seasoned knowledge to job seekers in her "Fundamentals of a Successful Job Search" course on Friday, May 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Held at Baruch College, the course is open to the public and costs $99 to enroll. Through personal anecdotes and hands-on exercises, Newman will cover everything from online networking skills to the importance of attitude in the job search. "The job search is all about networking, whether online or personally," said Newman, pointing out that employers will trust the recommendations of other employers far more than job search engines such as Monster.com. Yet, having an up-to-date LinkedIn profile-especially one outfitted with keywords about skills and descriptive job information-can also catch the eye of recruiters. "It's all about distinguishing yourself-determining your strengths and what sets you apart," she said. Newman said presentation during the interview itself-whether over the phone or in person-is also important. For example, applicants should have a firm handshake with eye contact, sit up straight and smile when talking, she said. Newman will also talk about honing personal image and projecting a positive attitude-which some applicants inadvertently lose as they become frustrated by the job search, she said. One of Newman's clients was stuck in a job search limbo for nine months, she said, before landing a job. "I helped her hone her 'elevator pitch' to be more succinct and to the point," said Newman, who will be helping every student in her class craft their own spiel to present to employers. She will also include advice about the post-interview process, such as sending a hand-written thank-you note rather than just an email. "It differentiates you from every job seeker," said Newman, who has hired applicants who took the extra effort to give a personal touch. Newman worked as director of human resources at places such as the Food Network, Leading Hotels of the World and Jaeger Sportswear before founding Career Bound Success in 2010. Located on the Upper East Side, the company specializes in equipping college students, alumni and professionals with the skills they need to land their dream job-advice she carries to her career seminar at Baruch. "A lot of people will get out of the seminar a sense of confidence," said Newman.