We spend a lot of time here talking about the skills needed to land a good salaried position, but finding a well-paying hourly (often called nonexempt) position takes skills as well. I do get asked if finding these jobs is just a matter of going door-to-door, filling out applications and waiting for a call from a potential employer, and that is a common conception. The fact is, your chances of finding the best-paying nonexempt positions, positions that may have growth potential, increase when you use some of the same job-search tools as those looking for salaried positions.
Door-to-door job searching means turning in applications and hoping to get a response. In the past, that often was how you found a job. Today, hourly and salaried job seekers need to have a grasp of what they can offer an employer.
Although nonexempt job candidates may be hired on the spot without a resume, just think about the impression you would make on an employer if you brought a resume when you came to fill out an application.
It’s not unheard of for an employer to consider job candidates for a position other than than the one they applied for, so a resume might put you in the running for a better job — one you don’t even know exists. In addition, the way you present your skills to an employer can indicate how serious you are about getting a job and making the most of a position.
Those who throw together a work history without thinking about what they have to offer blend in with other applicants, so take the time to distinguish yourself from other people by highlighting skills and past experience that relate to the job in question.
Don’t underestimate the earning potential of a nonexempt position, either. Depending on the field or trade, a nonexempt employee can make more than an exempt employee.
Whether you’re looking for exempt and nonexempt jobs, you also need to be prepared to express verbally what you can offer an employer.
