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Why It’s Good to Find a Job That Really Excites You, with Arturo Rodriguez Flores

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Not every job will have us excited to get up in the morning. Sometimes, we have to take positions to pay the bills. But if you see an opening that excites you, Find Your Dream Job guest Arturo Rodriguez Flores says you should go all in on the opportunity. Arturo suggests using that excitement to fuel your cover letter writing and to research the company for the interview process. Excitement over a position will lead you to know where the company is, where they’re going, and how you can help them get there, says Arturo. 

About Our Guest:

Arturo Rodriguez Flores is a recruitment strategist at SEIU Local 503. It’s one of the largest labor unions in the state of Oregon. 

Resources in This Episode:

Transcript

Find Your Dream Job, Episode 441:

Why It’s Good to Find a Job That Really Excites You, with Arturo Rodriguez Flores

Airdate: March 13, 2024

Mac Prichard:

This is Find Your Dream Job, the podcast that helps you get hired, have the career you want, and make a difference in life.

I’m your host, Mac Prichard. I’m also the founder of Mac’s List. It’s a job board in the Pacific Northwest that helps you find a fulfilling career.

Every Wednesday, I talk to a different expert about the tools you need to get the work you want.

Find Your Dream Job is brought to you by TopResume. TopResume has helped more than 400,000 professionals land more interviews and get hired faster.

Get a free review of your resume today.

Go to macslist.org/topresume.

Thanks to the Internet, it’s never been easier to find job listings.

So why not apply to as many as possible?

But you’ll have more success, says today’s guest, if you focus on what you want, not what you could do.

Arturo Rodriguez Flores is here to talk about why it’s good to find a job that really excites you.

He’s a recruitment strategist at SEIU Local 503. It’s one of the largest labor unions in the state of Oregon.

Arturo joins us from Beaverton, Oregon.

Well, let’s jump right into it, Arturo. Why would someone apply for a job that doesn’t excite them?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

A lot of people are in different situations, and a lot of people are looking around, just kind of shopping around to see what they want, and a lot of people don’t know what they want out of their jobs. Maybe they’re unhappy with their current job. Maybe they are just looking to see what else is out there.

Mac Prichard:

Sometimes, Arturo, you gotta take what many people call “paycheck jobs” in order to pay our bills, and I’ve certainly done this, and I think many of our listeners have as well. When you’re in that position, how can you make the most of a job that doesn’t excite you?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

Getting experience is one of the biggest things and just knowing what works and what doesn’t work and a lot of people don’t know what they want out of a job. Having a couple of jobs where you realize you don’t like that, in the future, down the line, they will know what excites them.

In addition to that, I think also just the experience that they could get even going through interview processes, even the hands-on experience that they get at that job. It’s all valuable, and I will never say that having a job would be a waste of time or that you’re doing yourself a disservice by having a job that technically is just to pay the bills, and many people, I feel like, are in that situation, and you shouldn’t feel bad about doing that yourself.

It’s all about knowing what you like and what you want in the future. And like I said to start off with, a lot of people don’t know that when they’re even looking for a job or even just at their current job that they might not like.

Mac Prichard:

Well, I want to talk more about how to figure out what you like, but I also want to just touch on a point you made a moment ago: when you do take a position that doesn’t excite you, maybe you have to pay your bills. How should you approach your workday?

You said, for example, Arturo, that it’s good to get experience even though it might not be your dream job. What are other goals you might keep in mind if you’ve taken a paycheck job – it’s a position that doesn’t excite you – so you can get the most out of that experience?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

If you’re taking a paycheck job, and you want to get the most out of that experience, I think that’s the time to, like I kind of mentioned before, see the things that do work for you. Whether it’s you’re looking for a company with good work culture, and a lot of times when you’re at a job, and you realize you don’t like it, there’s reasons you don’t like it. Maybe it could be the pay. Maybe it could be the work culture. Maybe it could be just a whole other thing you don’t even realize you need and you would be looking at in the future.

Mac Prichard:

You’re a recruiter, Arturo. How do you feel about people who say yes to a job that may not excite them and then they keep looking? For example, they’ve started somewhere, and they’ve been there one or two months, and they’re still sending out resumes. What’s your reaction when you get applications from candidates like that?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

Yeah, that’s a great question. I feel like, as a recruiter, I see that as a red flag. In my own position, that’s not somebody that – I would prefer somebody that wants to be there that is applying to the job that’s gonna make them happy. When I see somebody that doesn’t really have that passion for the position that they’re applying for, I almost don’t want to move forward with them in the hiring process.

Just because it’s the same reason, they’re gonna end up leaving, and it just creates this cycle of having to backfill. Or it creates a cycle of you go through this whole training process with them, only for them to jump ship and go to a different position when they could’ve found that perfect position first.

And I know it sounds kind of negative from the recruitment standpoint. But I think it’s also important to look at the perspective of the job applicants, just because they could be using that time with more value looking for that position that they really are gonna stay in.

Mac Prichard:

Let’s talk about why you should apply for jobs that really excite you and, the benefits of doing that, and how to do it, and one of the benefits I know you’ve identified of applying for positions that excite you is that your excitement will shine through and make a good impression. Tell us more about this, Arturo.

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

Yeah, when I see somebody that’s excited about the position that they’re applying for, it’s like you said, it really does shine through them, from the whole process, even from the initial time that I’ve talked to them on the phone about the position, they’ve already read the job description. They know what the job is, and they’re excited for that first conversation with the point of contact with our organization.

They talk about how much they’ve wanted to do this position and what they would do with this position. Some of the best conversations I’ve had with this initial phone call with a job applicant, someone that resume’s just come in and I check them out, saw that they might be a good fit just from looking at their resume. Some of the best conversations I’ve had have been with job applicants that have gone above and beyond because they’re excited about the position.

They’ve checked out our website already. They’re excited about the work that we do. They’ve gone through the job description, almost envisioned themselves already in the job. A lot of times with some of the best candidates I’ve talked with, they’ve even had goals with what they would do in this position, and this isn’t even an official interview that they’re going through. They’re genuinely excited about this position.

And it could also just be the industry that I come from where it’s nonprofit work, where it’s work that’s like genuinely doing good for the community, and I think it’s really awesome to find somebody that has that passion, and I can see it in their conversation. And that’s just the first time I talk to them on the phone. That kind of energy also goes into the whole interview process. When they meet the team, they get asked interview questions. But you can see that excitement when they answer those questions.

And also when they ask the interviewer on our team questions. Usually, we end our interviews with, do you have any questions for us? And they ask us genuine questions about, okay, what are some of the things that you love about this position? What could I expect when I’m in this position? And, like I said, it’s just this energy of somebody that’s genuinely excited. They don’t have to tell you that they’re genuinely excited. You could almost see it and hear it in their voice.

Mac Prichard:

Terrific. Let’s take a break, Arturo, and when I come back, I want to talk more about that excitement and energy that you see in some applicants and what you and your colleagues think when that’s present.

So, stay with us.  When we return, Arturo Rodriguez Flores will continue to share his advice on why it’s good to find a job that really excites you.

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Now, let’s get back to the show.

We’re back in the Mac’s List studio. I’m talking with Arturo Rodriguez Flores.

He’s a recruitment strategist at SEIU Local 503. It’s one of the largest labor unions in the state of Oregon.

Arturo joins us from Beaverton, Oregon.

Now, Arturo, before the break, we were talking about why it’s good to find a job that really excites you, and you were talking at the end of the first segment about the excitement that some candidates show in interviews and how that excitement leads to them to ask questions and to research before they walk into the interview room.

I’m curious, can you tell before an interview when you’re looking at someone’s cover letter and resume as you sort through applications whether a candidate is truly excited about the job?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

Yeah, I think I can totally tell when someone’s excited, even before I contact them. Like you said, through the cover letter, through the resume. I think the cover letter is probably the most telling.

Sometimes, I see kind of generic cover letters that they just changed the name of the company and then sent it through, and the ones that stand out is the ones that they talk about how excited they are to potentially talk to someone at the organization to learn more about the position. They talk about all of the work that they’ve done in the past and how their experience could translate over well to this position, and they really tailor it to the position.

I think this goes back to just the excitement of applying to jobs that you’re actually passionate about. Because you’re gonna put in the extra work for this position to make a cover letter that is tweaked for this position, and it does take a little bit of more work. But it definitely pays off when a recruiter sees that and knows that you really are interested in this position specifically, not just any job in the organization.

The resume, too, can be tweaked for this position, as well. Talking about specific experiences for the position that you’re applying for. A lot of times, from what I see, too, because we hire for a lot of organizer positions, they will specifically put “organizer experience,” so that that catches your attention when you first open up that resume. Instead of going through what might be organizing experience, it’s laid out right in front of you.

It shows that this is what you do. This is what you’re passionate about. You want this position.

Mac Prichard:

So those candidates are doing two things. They’re telling you about their excitement, but they’re also showing you the experience and skills that they have that match the position.

How important is it to you as a recruiter when you’re reviewing applications for candidates to do both things? Not only say, “I’m excited,” but to show you how that excitement matches the jobs you offer.

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

I think it’s probably the most important thing when I see that. I instantly want to reach out to them and have a conversation about what they’re looking for, why they’re applying to the job, and coincidentally, those are the ones I have the best conversations with. So, yeah.

Mac Prichard:

Okay, so tell about your excitement, but also show. Another benefit I know you have pointed out about candidates who are excited about a position is that your interviews will be longer. And I think you touched on this in the first segment.

But why are the conversations that you and your colleagues on the interview panels do longer with candidates who are excited about a position versus someone who isn’t?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

I feel like when we talk to a candidate that is genuinely passionate about what they’re applying for and excited about it, I think that the interview almost becomes just a regular conversation where it’s not just interview question and answer. It becomes more natural, and they’re able to have a longer conversation.

They’re able to talk about things in more detail. They’re able to just go deeper than surface-level answers because they are genuinely interested in the position. They could talk about their own experiences before this and why they’re here at this moment interviewing. Why they see themselves thriving in this position?

They have more to talk about. They have more questions to ask the team. They’ve thought about themselves in the position and identified actual questions or even observations about the position that they could discuss in further detail.

Instead of, I feel like if you’re applying to a position or interviewing for a position that you really don’t know that much about, just because you’re not really genuinely interested in it, you wouldn’t almost envision yourself in that position, and you wouldn’t be able to identify things that you’re genuinely curious about or you could genuinely talk about.

Mac Prichard:

You mentioned doing research envisioning yourself in the job when you’re a candidate excited about that position. Are there other things that you see candidates do, either in the conversation in an interview room or before they come in, that we haven’t talked about when they’re excited about a job?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

I keep thinking back to some of the best candidates that I’ve talked to, and I think the research part is the part that’s the most surprising when I sit in on an interview and that surprises the interview panels, too. When they’ve gone through the website, I feel like that’s kind of a surface-level thing to do before an interview.

But even though the work we do is a lot of nonprofit work. We do a lot of work with the state. But when they go deeper in, and as they’ve reached out; sometimes I’ve had people that reach out to people within the organization and have already created a relationship with someone. And I know that’s kind of difficult to do. You can’t do that in all the positions.

But, just going above and beyond, and I feel like some of the best interviews, and I kind of mentioned this before. Some of the best interviews I’ve sat in on, they’ve almost even brought in ideas of what they could bring to the table. And things that they could work on when they’re already in the position and identified that and then talked about it in an interview. It’s kind of blown people away when that happens. I know that’s very difficult to do in most positions, but that’s just an example of going further into the research of the position.

Mac Prichard:

Why does it make a difference when you reflect back on when this happens that candidates reached out to someone inside your organization to either make a connection or build a relationship? Why has that mattered in the hiring process?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

When that happens, it was more of a, hey, I’m interested in this organization. Could you actually tell me more about what you do? And could you tell me about why this position is open? Or even what work is needed within this organization? Or what is the importance of this position? And how does it affect working alongside you? And why is this position important to that work?

If you have a relationship or you have a connection with someone, I think that it makes it easier to get those answers.

Mac Prichard:

Well, finally, another point I know you’ve made about what happens when you’re excited about a position is that that excitement shines throughout the entire process. Not just the application, the cover letter, the resume, and the interview. But elsewhere. Tell us more about that and what you have in mind.

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

So, I think the best feeling as a recruiter is being able to extend an offer to somebody and then the excitement that they get when they accept the offer or even just the excitement that they’re being moved along the hiring process. It also goes straight into their first day. It’s the best feeling to have somebody on your team that’s genuinely excited about this new position. The team is excited to have you on. You’re excited to be there. You definitely can feel that energy when somebody is happy to have this position.

So, it goes, not just from the interview process but even to the first day and on after that. And that’s the best feeling, and I know that I have found someone like as a recruiter, I’ve found someone that’s a great fit, and I know that that person is excited to be part of the team, and they’re happy with getting this job and working with us. I feel like that’s the best-case scenario that can happen.

Mac Prichard:

Well, it’s been a terrific conversation, Arturo. Now, tell us, what’s next for you?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

So SEIU Local 503 has actually been doing a lot of good work recently in the last couple of weeks. We had a historic win. So Avamere licensed practical nurses, so Healthy Ends have finally won their first contract. We’ve gotten people an average raise of nine-point-two percent pay increases which averages to around three dollars and forty-three cents per hour.

So, this is the first time that licensed practical nurses have been part of our union. It’s a huge win. Especially because a lot of the people in this position is a generally women dominant position, yeah, it’s a huge win for us. So, that’s some of the bigger wins that we’ve had in the last couple of weeks.

Mac Prichard:

Well, congratulations to you and your colleagues on that accomplishment. I know that listeners can learn more about you and the work of SEIU Local 503 by visiting the organization’s website, and we’ll be sure to include a link in the show notes, and that you also invite listeners to connect with you on LinkedIn, and when they do reach out to you I hope they’ll mention that they heard you on Find Your Dream Job.

Now, Arturo, given all of the great advice you’ve shared today, what’s the one thing you want a listener to remember about why it’s good to find a job that really excites you?

Arturo Rodriguez Flores:

Yeah, I would just say, be genuinely excited about the positions that you’re applying for. It’s the best for everyone to be excited about the future, to be excited about the position that you’re applying for, and really envision yourself in that position. I think that’s the best thing that you could possibly do for yourself.

Mac Prichard:

Next week, our guest will be Nicole Blevins.

She’s the HR training services manager at Xenium HR. Her company helps small and midsize employers with HR and payroll services.

There’s only so much time in a day, especially when you look for work.

ChatGPT can help you get more done in less time. But, like any tool, you need to know how to use it well.

Join us next Wednesday when Nicole Blevins and I talk about how to use ChatGPT in your job search.

Until next time, thanks for letting us help you find your dream job.

This show is produced by Mac’s List.

Susan Thornton-Hough schedules our guests and writes our newsletter. Lisa Kislingbury Anderson manages our social media.

Our sound engineer is Matt Fiorillo. Ryan Morrison at Podfly Productions edits the show. Dawn Mole creates our transcripts. And our music is by Freddy Trujillo.

This is Mac Prichard. See you next week.