The ideal job is Possible

Carol Kleiman, Tribune Career Editor

"THE PROBLEM in this country is not unemployment. It's that potential employers look at candidates' previous records, rather than at the skills they bring - and, unfortunately, employees look at themselves in terms of labels."

That's the opinion of Mel Schnapper, 56, management development and training consultant, 2411 W. Fitch Ave. He's so positive that people can do anything they want to do, that despite unernployment statistics, he insists you can have the job of your dreams.

The secrets of success are something everyone can learn," says Schnapper, who worked in private industry as a human resource development director before opening his own firm three years ago. He is so convinced he is right, that he gives workshops on how to get your dream job.

"IT'S CONCEPTUALLY simple," Schnapper says. "It only requires a lot of work." The process he teaches in his day-long sessions includes discovering who you are, what has brought you satisfaction in the past, what skills you've used, and what results you've produced for yourself or your organization.

"That amount of data will help you, define the ideal role," he says. "Going after a dream job involves being in touch

with who you are and what you have to offer. It means being able to say no to offers of good money that don't utilize

your unique qualities. It means knowing in advance what kind of boss it is you will need to actualize your dream.

"It also means you have a clear understanding. of your qualifications, and while you might take other jobs in the interim, the jobs are stepping stones to the dream job."

Technically, Schnapper says getting a dream job also includes knowing how to develop a good sales letter, identify special and exclusive markets, and develop a comprehensive resume. "The Process of self-inventory is even more important than the piece of paper," he says of the resume.

SCHNAPPER HAS HIS own. way of looking at a job interview. "You must be a sophisticated interviewee," he stresses,

using every question to make a sales point about yourself." As an example, when asked by a potential employer what their bad work habits might. be, his clients might respond: "I become very impatient when people hand in their work late."

Once the dream job is identified, Schnapper advises assertiveness. "It takes a lot of energy and work to find that job, so you have to be unusually assertive when you follow up, calling people back for the l0th time, learning ,techniques of getting past secretaries whose job it is to head you off, and writing follow-up letters and making follow-up phone calls."

Another facet of the dream job, he says, is a vision of the dream life. "If you're not clear about your own values,

While working at Quaker Oats and G.D. Searle, he ran many internal outplacement workshops and worked with individual managers and executives to get their job hunting campaigns organized. Over the years, besides running public and specialized workshops on job hunting skills, he has worked with individual executives from General Electric, Entemann's, Kroger, Apollo, universities and government

what you want out of life, you won't see a dream job when it stares you in the face. Job hunting is more than getting the next paycheck. It's getting clarity about your life."

There's another critical skill: Negotiating for what you want besides salary. "Before accepting the offer," Schnapper says, "ask for additional time off, three weeks vacation instead of two. Ask for educational opportunities. I believe you can bargain, because when you are a sophisticated job hunter, it's not a tough job market."

HE INSISTS THERE are as many dream jobs around as there-are people who know how to define them. "I came to Chicago in 1975 from Western Samoa in the South Pacific," he says. "I knew no one. I started with the yellow pages of the phone book, developed my own techniques, and had an ideal job in a short time with a major firm. Having a consulting firm is my dream job."

Schnapper strongly believes professional skills are not enough to get a job. It takes much ~ more know-how. "I know I could parachute out of a plane today into any city and have a job within two or three weeks," he says with confidence. "And not just any job. My dream job."

Schnapper's next dream job seminar will be Sunday, Feb.7, at De Paul University. The workshop, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., costs t6o for pre-registration and $70 at the door. For more information, call 773-973-0791

For over 10 years, Mel Schnapper, Ph.D. has been advising people in the job market how to find the right job as the next logical step on their career path or as the best transition from a previous career path. He has counseled people earning between $20,000 and $100,000.