Should You Respond to Online Job Postings and “Help-Wanted” Ads? – Part 2 of 2

March 30th, 2012

 

See the list of strategies below for some good suggestions. Don’t answer ALL the help-wanted ads and job postings that are related to your background and qualifications. Instead, respond only to a select few. When you do reply to an opening, follow these guidelines:

  • Give yourself a limit of two hours per week (about 5% of your time) to read and respond to help-wanted ads and job postings, and select only the ones that ideally match your goals and qualifications.
  • Find someone through your network who works at (or used to work at) the company, or at least knows a lot about it.
  • Ask probing questions about the company, and determine if it would be a good fit for your background and preferences.
  • If it is a good fit, network yourself to the appropriate hiring manager (not Human Resources), and try to schedule an appointment.
  • In the meeting, focus on the company’s needs and challenges, and explain how your related accomplishments could be of direct help.

Of course, this approach requires that you have the right career tools, that you’ve practiced your interviewing skills, and that you can bring some “finesse” to the process. Although these strategies don’t work every time, when they do work, you can really win big! And it sure beats “sending a resume to Human Resources,” where it will probably wind-up buried in a pile of other resumes.

While it is tempting to sit at your computer all day hitting the “send” button, this is really the laziest way to search for a new opportunity. Try to view the online job postings and “want-ads” merely as indicators or “hints” of where the opportunities are – and then concentrate on actively leveraging your network to get you inside for a meeting with the hiring managers!

 

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Should You Respond to Online Job Postings and “Help-Wanted” Ads? – Part 1 of 2

March 29th, 2012

Let’s assume that you’ve just spent a lot of time preparing, strategizing and tooling-up for a job search. Now, you’re finally ready to get into action. What’s the first thing you’re likely to do? Of course! Go online (or open a newspaper or trade publication), to start scanning the job postings and help-wanted ads. You need to send out as many resumes as you can, as quickly as possible, right? WRONG!!!

Most job seekers focus far too much time and energy on Internet job postings and help-wanted ads. When the job market is tight and no one’s hiring, these are the WORST places to look for a job – your probability of success is close to zero. Our experience shows that only one job in ten is ever advertised, and only one in ten of those is any good! That leaves about 1% of help-wanted ads and job postings that are worthwhile. Newspaper ads represent the bottom of the job-seeking barrel: entry-level opportunities, high-turnover jobs, and straight-commission sales positions. This means that only 1% of “good jobs” are ever advertised – jobs for which 100% of your competition is also applying.

With the advent of the Internet, of course the whole want-ad world changed forever. “Job board” web sites now number in the thousands, with more popping-up every day. While these web services have improved the convenience and efficiency of finding job postings, unfortunately the quality of the listings, and the results you can expect from them, are usually very poor.

And yet, every job seeker seems to spend hours and hours sending resumes into this “online black hole,” hoping that maybe one, just one, of their resumes will land on the right person’s desk and generate the interview they’ve been dreaming of. (Sound familiar?)

If responding to advertised job postings is clearly the least effective job-seeking method, what’s a job seeker to do? When you learn of a specific job opportunity at one of your Target Companies (in this case, through a job posting or want-ad), spend the bulk of your time on the other, more productive job search methods!

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Your Resume’s Building Blocks – Part 2 of 2

March 15th, 2012

 

Education – List the schools, academic degrees, and years in which you earned them. (Note: you might choose not to include the dates if you graduated a long, long time ago.) Include degree, major, and any honors or special achievements. Generally speaking, the longer you’ve been out of school, the less important this information is to an employer.

Affiliations, Professional Development, or Related Experience – Include work-related professional development activities, memberships in associations, trade groups, and professional societies, leadership positions in industry-recognized organizations, and any additional certifications, accreditations, or designations you’ve earned since leaving college or graduate school. If you don’t have a college degree, the professional development programs you’ve participated in will take-on special importance here.

Many clients have asked about including their “Objective” at the top of the resume. I advise them not to use an objective, for two reasons. First, unless you clearly state otherwise, the reader will automatically assume that you are seeking an opportunity at the next level of the field or niche you’re already in. Second, the objective is much better addressed on your cover letter, wherein you can really tailor your comments to the specific company or position.

Here are five quick “rules of thumb” to keep in mind as you develop your resume:

  1. Be brief (less is more)
  2. Be specific
  3. Be active (at the beginning of every sentence, use strong action verbs)
  4. Be selective (focus on information that is truly relevant to your career goal, and edit out the rest)
  5. Be honest (never ever lie on a resume). If you lie, you will always lose in the long run.

Use the guidelines above to create your own “effective selling” resume, in order to get people interested in interviewing you. If you find that your resume isn’t getting the results you want, change it!

Remember, your resume is a “living document” that will be edited and updated throughout the course of your job search – and your entire career!

 

 

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Your Resume’s Building Blocks – Part 1 of 2

March 13th, 2012

Regardless of format, every resume will be composed of some standard sections. Below is a quick guide to the main elements that should be included in every resume.

Personal Information – Always include your full name, street address, phone numbers (home and cell), and e-mail address. If you have your own web site, include the link here too. All this information is placed at the top of page 1 of your resume, in the “header.”

Summary – A brief statement of who you are, where you’re “coming from,” and what skills and expertise you have to contribute to an organization. Five or six lines maximum. This will target and focus the reader on where you might fit into the big picture of their organization. Targeted and specific is better than general and vague. The content of your Summary must be oriented toward the benefits and contributions you offer as a professional. (You can think of the Summary as the “headline” in an article. If the reader is captivated by the “headline,” they’ll go on to read the body of the “article”).

Professional Experience – Your past jobs, roles and responsibilities, and accomplishments. This is the “body of the article,” and where most employers and recruiters will focus 90% of their attention. The information you present here, and how you present it, can decide the fate of your candidacy within about 10 seconds of scanning time! Use good journalism habits and put the most important or impressive facts first within each job. Make your Professional Experience section easily “scannable” by using bold headings and bullet points. Be specific and results-focused. Quantify results whenever possible, by using percentages, dollars, and other hard numbers. Highlight increases in good things (like retention, sales, profit, performance, effectiveness); as well as decreases in bad things (like turnover, losses, costs, inefficiencies, wasted time). This is no place to be shy. Don’t lie or exaggerate, but don’t undervalue or overlook your past successes, either!

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Creating Your Career Transition Binder – Part 2 of 2

March 7th, 2012

People who create and use their Career Transition Binder find themselves taking it everywhere they go – to the library, to coffee shops, to networking meetings. Sometimes, they even take it on interviews.

It’s wise to set-up this system early – before you need it. Before you’re drowning in handwritten scraps of paper, notes to yourself on the backs of envelopes, loose business cards of people you’ve met, and stray Post-It® Notes.

Go to your favorite office supply store and get a few 2-inch, heavy-duty, “D-ring” professional binders. Buy a 3-hole punch, and multiple sets of divider tabs. The following list provides the suggested sections for organizing your Career Transition Binder. Adapt it as you see fit:

  • Accomplishment Stories
  • Positioning/Departure Statements
  • Professional Biography
  • Target Companies
  • Contact List
  • Networking Contacts
  • Professional Reference List
  • Letters of Reference
  • Resume
  • Self Assessments
  • Networking Agenda/Script
  • Networking Records and Notes
  • Follow-up Tracking System
  • Copies of Written and E-mail Correspondence
  • Master List of All Jobs You’re Actively Pursuing
  • Interview Notes
  • Articles and Research
  • Job Postings
  • Recruiters
  • Ideas/Notes
  • Inactive Section (Don’t throw anything away!)

Once you’ve built your Career Transition Binder, keep re-organizing and re-prioritizing the documents as you make progress and as new opportunities arise. This will serve as your portable, 3-dimensional “database” and job search pipeline, so you’ll always know where you stand and what’s next with any prospective opportunity.

In the job search, it seems that half the battle is getting – and staying – “super organized.” Your Career Transition Binder is still the best, most effective tool for doing this!

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Creating Your Career Transition Binder – Part 1 of 2

March 5th, 2012

If you’re in job search mode, you should create a binder – your very own Career Transition Binder. I’ve found that there are two types of job seekers: those who create a binder to keep track of all their networking, interviewing, career documents, lists, and contacts in one place – and those who don’t.

Guess which group tends to make more progress, get more interviews, land great jobs more quickly, and negotiate better deals? Yup – the binder people!

Think you can track and manage all this information “electronically” – on your Smart Phone, PDA or Netbook? Think again! I’ve had plenty of technology-savvy clients try to do this, but it never works. They ALWAYS wind-up using a paper-based organization system, in the form of their own Career Transition Binder.

Your Career Transition Binder will help keep you organized and allow you to know where everything is. Think of it as “Command Central” for your entire career transition campaign. After all, you need to take your career transition as seriously as any REAL job you’re ever going to have. Treat it like a work project!

 

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The “Bridge Job” Strategy Making Money While You’re in Career Transition – Part 2 of 2

March 1st, 2012

 

Work for family or friends (retail stores, services, small manufacturing operations, and every other type of business). Do you have relatives or friends who own or run businesses? Would you be comfortable working with them? In tough times, it is important to put your pride aside and ask for help. But in this case, the help would be mutual. Your friend or relative would be the lucky recipient of your services, and you would be gainfully employed, working for someone you already know and like. Contact every friend, relative, or acquaintance who owns or runs a business, and ask about their needs and challenges.

Home-based work (administrative, sales, computer work, creative assignments, bookkeeping, personal services, etc.). With the advent of the Internet and computer technology, it is easier than ever to do real work from home. Some of this work can be enjoyable and lucrative. There is no longer a stigma about working from home, and in fact, you may find that the flexible, independent lifestyle suits you. From copywriting to doing proposals to preparing tax returns, there’s no limit to the options. Ask yourself what skills you have, and offer your services to appropriate companies and families in your area. Contact everyone in your network to offer your services, and ask for referrals after your work has been satisfactorily completed.

Odd jobs (handyman, construction, painting, sewing, moving and hauling, yard work, plowing, etc.). Are you handy around the house? Do you own special equipment or tools? Do you have trade skills that you could offer to other people in your town? There is always a need for reliable, professional help in these disciplines. If you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty, you can earn good money providing these much-needed services to organizations and individuals.

One of my senior executive clients worked in a retail store for many months after he was laid-off. The money wasn’t great, but it was enough to help pay his family’s bills. Having this part-time job also gave my client a sense of pride, because he was doing what he could to provide for his family, and he was making a contribution in the world of work. He also enjoyed meeting new people and even doing a bit of networking with customers.

The retail job gave my client the flexibility he needed to continue searching for the job he really wanted. A key point to understand is that my client never confused the means with the ends. He kept his focus on finding the “real job,” and he eventually secured an excellent opportunity with more responsibility and higher compensation than he’d had at his last professional job.

In this case, my client’s positive attitude allowed him to reach his goal through a two-step plan. By taking a part-time, flexible job, he did what he needed to do to ultimately get the position he really wanted.

This fellow didn’t feel ashamed or embarrassed working in a position that was “beneath him.” He saw the “Bridge Job Strategy” as a practical necessity, and it worked very well for him. In fact, when he reflects back on his temporary job at the store, he smiles and describes it as a great learning experience!

 

 

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The “Bridge Job” Strategy Making Money While You’re in Career Transition – Part 1 of 2

February 28th, 2012

If you’re out of work now, what part-time or flexible work can you do to fill the gap until you land the job you want? If you’re fully-employed but concerned about losing your job, what sort of opportunities could you pursue to earn additional income, should the need arise? The “Bridge Job Strategy” is a pragmatic approach to carry you through a difficult employment or financial period. Here are some interim options, where you can find work and earn money while continuing to search for the job you really want:

Part-time or temporary job (retail stores, restaurants, business services, administrative, etc.). Try to find a position in a field you genuinely like. If you enjoy shopping or love the products of a particular store, consider working in retail. If you have a passion for cooking or are knowledgeable about food, you might want to be a prep chef at a favorite restaurant. If you have connections at business service organizations and can add value to their operations, try working at a company where your managerial contributions would be valued. Contact several temp agencies, or go visit businesses in which you have an interest.

Teaching or substitute teaching (public or private schools, colleges and universities, technical or vocational programs, etc.).  The education that helped get you started in your career is still valuable. If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, you’ve no doubt gained skills to enhance your credibility. These qualifications are often valued by schools and colleges. Experienced professionals are sought after to teach classes and bring a real-world perspective to their students. Contact the administration office of your local school system or the employment office of universities and vocational programs in your area.

Consulting or contract assignments (business operations, computer/technology, creative/advertising, etc). Even before the economy and job market went sour, the work world had changed.  A growing percentage of the workforce had already moved into flexible assignments as consultants or contractors. If you have a background in one of the fields that naturally lend themselves to this work style, try to get consulting or contract work. It can be interesting, challenging work, and it can also be lucrative. In some cases, these consulting or contract assignments turn into full-time job offers, after the company gets to know you. Contact outsourcing and contract employment firms in the fields that interest you.

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Funny Job-Search and Work Stories – Part 2 of 2

February 23rd, 2012

 

  • When I was working at a global career services firm in a senior consulting role, I was charged with the responsibility of recruiting and hiring a new career consultant for our team. I interviewed several candidates, and invited two finalists back for follow-up interviews. As part of the hiring process, the Regional VP asked to see both candidates do a business presentation. This was a reasonable request, since a large part of this job was to serve as a Trainer and Seminar Leader. The senior staff gathered in the conference room to observe the two candidates. The first presentation went fairly well, but the candidate was not as engaging or dynamic as we had hoped. The second candidate, who was actually my “favorite,” did an outstanding job! His presentation was highly professional, polished, and exciting. There was just one problem. About ¾ of the way through his talk, he suddenly got a severe case of the hiccoughs. He was hiccoughing loudly and constantly, and he simply could not stop. At first, this was extremely embarrassing for him and uncomfortable for the rest of us. But then, we all started laughing hysterically! By the way – yes, he did get the job (even though he never completed his presentation)!
  • When I was in charge of business development for a training and consulting company, I invited an out-of-town prospect to visit our facility and meet the management team. Our offices were extremely impressive, so this had always been an effective means of closing new business for my firm. I sent my assistant to pick-up this gentleman at the airport. Naturally, I provided her with the prospect’s name and physical description. She arrived on time and waited at the gate to greet our prospect. When she saw a man who fit the description, she called-out his first name: Richard. He turned, smiled, and walked toward her to shake her hand. The two of them gathered his luggage, and headed to the garage. My assistant later told me that they’d had a lovely conversation all the way back to the office – until the man mentioned that he was “looking forward to upgrading our company’s software systems today.” At first, she thought he was just being funny. But when he started going into great detail about the “installation and software programming,” she realized that something wasn’t right. As the car approached our office building, my assistant asked, “Your name is Richard, right?” He responded, “Yes, of course.” She continued, “Richard Evans – here to consider buying our training and consulting services, right?” He responded, “No, Richard Harrison, here to install a complete software system!” Needless to say, it was a long drive back to the airport.

 

 

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Funny Job-Search and Work Stories – Part 1 of 2

February 21st, 2012

Winter was long and cold across much of the country, and for many people it was an extremely challenging period with regard to work, careers and job search. The news about the economy and job market continued to be negative and cynical throughout the season. But now, it’s April. Spring has finally arrived, and many aspects of our world seems to be lightening-up.

With this in mind, I’ve decided to offer something quite different in this issue of Your Career Advocate – a bit of levity! I hope you’ll enjoy the work-related stories below (true stories which are drawn from my own career experience), and that they’ll put a smile on your face. If you keep smiling, I’m sure you’ll produce better job search and career management results!

  • I had a mid-level management client who was just starting to interview for new opportunities. She learned about a great job and was excited to get her first interview, which was with a large, prestigious pharmaceutical company. She arrived on time, and was fully prepared. The office was beautiful, and the nice receptionist led her into the office of the executive who was going to interview her. The man wasn’t at his desk, so she waited. Within a few minutes, the interviewer arrived and began the dialogue. He was pleasant and professional in every way but one. He wasn’t wearing any shoes or socks! To make matters worse, the executive put his feet up on his desk, right in my client’s line of vision. She was obviously mortified, and didn’t know what to do or say under the circumstances. While this experience was quite upsetting at the time, she and I shared a big laugh at our next career coaching session!
  • I worked with another client who was in the marketing communications field. After several months of working together, and navigating through many unsuccessful interviews, my client landed a wonderful job for a global marketing consulting firm. He was very excited, and even said that “This was the best job he ever had.” In fact, he is still with that company and doing fine! The funny part, however, is that after he had already been working at this company for about three weeks, he received a phone call from the Human Resources department. They asked him “who he was and what he was doing there!” Naturally, he thought it was a joke – but quickly realized that it was NO joke. The fact was that, somehow, the company’s Human Resources department had no record of my client being interviewed or hired, and they also had no idea what he was doing there or what his job was supposed to be! It took a few days to work everything out, but the issue was eventually resolved.

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