San Francisco Views

I hear, I forget – I write, I remember -I do, I understand

Posts Tagged ‘Networking’

Job Search 101

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Job Search 101

How to effectively manage your job search…. job seeking  strategies from Randy Hain,  a recruiter from an executive search firm in Atlanta.

As you can imagine in these tough economic times, there is a very large population of good people affected by corporate layoffs.  Randy has observed common threads which link the vast majority of these candidates together.  He notes that you should always feel comfortable experimenting and thinking creatively when developing your own strategy for finding a new career.

Common notions of newly unemployed:

  • Their personal networks have been neglected while they pursued their career and are often starting job searches without a sizable or accessible source of friends and business colleagues to ask for help
  • They don’t have resumes or what they have is not presentable
  • They are inexperienced at interviewing
  • They are inexperienced at negotiating a compensation package
  • They have not kept up with current hiring trends or growth industries
  • Social networking web sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook are unfamiliar
  • Networking is awkward and difficult
  • Asking for job search assistance is often uncomfortable
  • They believe that search firms help candidates find jobs when in fact, most search firms are hired by companies to fill open positions
  • There is a strong sense of urgency to find a new job quickly for financial reasons

Although outplacement assistance is available to help some candidates, it is not a perk that all enjoy.  Some times the outplacement assistance received by downsized employees is of questionable value and results in little more than an upgraded resume. Many candidates seek out professional coaches or pay companies to market their resumes in order to find them jobs. There are a few good career coaches around, but they are not always accessible or affordable for many candidates.

Randy says to be leery of firms who promise to market your resume for a fee—he has never heard of anyone getting a new job this way.  These firms charge high fees and he is very skeptical of the value provided for such a high cost. He thinks we can agree that being out of work means you have finite financial resources, so spend your money wisely .

So, where does that leave a candidate in need of a job?  Quite simply, you need a game plan.


P H A S E   I :   L O S I N G   Y O U R   J O B   &   S T A R T I N G   Y O U R   S E A R C H

Okay, you recently lost your job (or you know you are going to lose it) and need to get moving on your search. Don’t panic! Also, don’t take two months off to consider your next move. You need to get started right away, the competition is tough and the economy is challenging. In Phase 1 of the search, here are the most effective Best Practices for beginning your job search:

  • Remain positive!
  • Make sure you collect the contact information of co-workers, clients, friends and anyone else who can help you with your search. Record all this information in a usable spreadsheet for future use.
  • Ask for letters of recommendation from key leaders and co-workers in your company as soon as possible after you hear the news. You may get a refusal because of company policy, but we have observed that most of the time you can obtain these with little trouble. These letters can be helpful later during interviews.
  • Reach out to your network with a clear, positive e-mail message about your departure. Be sure to nclude your new contact information.
  • Inquire about any contract or consulting work you can do for the company. Companies often lay off people, but still need their skills and expertise. Offering to work on special projects in a contractor/ consultant role during your transition is appealing because it saves the company money (no benefits and reduced salary are likely) and it allows you to show continuous employment on your resume. As the question before you leave!
  • Consider becoming a consultant on your own if there is legitimate work for you in the marketplace— it bridges the potential gaps in your resume.
  • Have you applied for other jobs within the company? There may be roles for which you are well suited. Don’t ignore this option.
  • Develop a resume as soon as you hear the news. There are companies charging $200 up to $1,000 for this service and some of them are good, but many are not. You can research resume samples on Google and develop a good resume by yourself. If you are still not pleased with it, seek out a reputable firm. I suggest only working with resume experts who meet you in person and have a quantifiable track record of success.
  • Leave on the very best of terms. You will need future references, referrals and other assistance from your former company. Don’t burn a bridge!
  • Develop a marketing plan which will target industries and specific companies that fit your background.
  • The information you need is readily available through Google, LinkedIn, public libraries, online business magazines, Zoom Info and Dun and Bradstreet (there is a cost to buy certain reports from Zoom Info and D&B). This marketing strategy will be necessary to not waste time as you launch the networking phase of your search.
  • Be realistic about the length of your search—it will likely take months, not weeks.
  • Have professional business cards made. They’re inexpensive and very important when networking.

P H A S E   I I :    B U I L D I N G   A   N E T W O R K

You have exited your former company on excellent terms and you are ready to join a new company …fast! It is very important to recognize that traditional methods of searching for a new job rarely work any more.

Typically, you will find most jobs you apply for online fail to get a response, most positions you are interested in are rarely made public and I assure you it is highly unusual for someone to call you out of the blue with a great opportunity. There has been a significant paradigm shift in job search that favors skilled networkers and relationship developers. Here are the Best Practices for networking from our experience and the feedback from our candidates:

  • Be intentional! You should be networking with people who can give you valuable job search assistance. Don’t waste time.
  • Thank everyone and remember every kindness!  Be professional and follow up every meeting with a handwritten note or at least a “thank you” e-mail.
  • Find an accountability partner to push you. Ask a friend, your spouse or someone else you trust to hold you accountable in your search. Check in with them frequently and ask them for candid feedback on how you are doing. This process is difficult to do by yourself.
  • Remember the importance of metrics. A very effective way to measure the effectiveness of your search is through meetings. I suggest having at least four meetings a week with people who can provide assistance with your job search. This is more effective than email blasts and mailing your resume.
  • Contact the Alumni Office of the schools you attended and ask for access to the alumni directory.  This is often found online and can be a fantastic resource.
  • Join LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com), build your profile and pay for the upgrade to have full access  to the tools and features on the site.

The key is to use LinkedIn to connect directly and efficiently with hiring managers and useful contacts. There is some benefit to MySpace and Facebook depending on your generation (age!), but LinkedIn is specifically designed for business use and is the most widely used by professionals.

  • Ask the senior executives of your former company(s) for referrals and active introductions to potential hiring managers in their network.
  • Give your network a very clear request when asking for help: “I would be grateful for an active introduction to senior executives in your network.

Would you please introduce me via email and send them my resume?” This is so much more effective than the more common: “Keep me in mind if you hear of anything.” This is the wrong thing to say and will not yield good results.

NEVER begin a conversation with a new networking contact like this: “I am in a job search. Can you help me?”

ALWAYS offer assistance first! Make it about them and their needs, not just what you want. You can say, “I would like to explore ways we can help each other.” Or “I would be glad to make my rolodex available to you and would be grateful for any networking help you can provide me.” Starting with, “I am in a job search…” initiates defensive behaviors and up goes the proverbial wall.

  • Become more active in the community. Aside from being the right thing to do, volunteering your time to non-profits and charities will gain you important exposure to other like-minded business people.
  • Be sincere and remember the importance of giving back to others. Real stewardship can’t be faked!
  • Consider joining networking groups, but be selective. There are useful groups, but unfortunately many are a waste of time. Make sure the ones you select are relevant for you, have interesting speakers and utilize a plan for effectively sharing job leads.
  • Get connected to reputable search firms. Remember, search firms work for client companies to find candidates for their open positions. There is a common misconception that search firms find people jobs. It is always good to be referred to key players in a firm, which enhances your profile and credibility. Do your homework on the Internet and ask around … you will quickly see which firms are ethical and relationship focused. Key point: search firms want to help you, but outside of job search coaching they are often limited in the help they can provide by the types of searches they are working on.
  • Develop an “elevator pitch” about your background and what you are seeking. You should be able to share in less than 60 seconds your measurable accomplishments and what you are looking for in a new opportunity.
  • Attend seminars, workshops or conferences relevant to your industry to stay current and visible.
  • Connect through content. Share relevant, informative articles with your network and potential hiring managers to demonstrate an interest in their business. It shows you are staying current. Even better, consider making a gift to a potential hiring manager of a book that has made an impact on you and accompany that with a handwritten note.

P H A S E   I I I :    I N T E R V I E W I N G

You have worked hard, followed the tips above and you are getting invited to interviews. Great job, but don’t put your feet up yet! You made it through the mine fields to have an opportunity to interview, but the competition is fierce and you must stay focused.

Best Practices for interviewing:

  • Do your homework. Carefully research the company and the hiring manager(s) on the Internet. LinkedIn and Google are excellent resources for obtaining background information on people. Also, have questions ready for the person interviewing you. Never go to an interview unprepared.
  • Be nice to the Receptionist. This person is the company’s emissary to the world and is quick to size people up. Be courteous, professional and friendly … much can be learned from a warm conversation.
  • Expect their impressions of you to be conveyed to the hiring manager or HR department.
  • Dress professionally, bring copies of your resume on quality paper, don’t wear distracting cologne or perfume, don’t chew gum (you wouldn’t believe how many people do this!), arrive 15 minutes early, give quantifiable answers to questions, do not ramble, follow up with a thank-you note by dropping it off the next day if possible.
  • Make a personal connection. You are looking to win an advocate for your candidacy as well as eventually get the job. Every person you meet in the interview process should tell the others involved:  “Great candidate and good culture fit. I really like him/her.”
  • Remember that asking questions, commenting on pictures and diplomas in the office and highlighting shared interests changes an interview from hiring authority and candidate into two people having a friendly conversation . This is desirable and will serve you well throughout the process.
  • Ask questions about culture in the interview. What are the values and vision of the company?
  • Research will tell you much, but I suggest that hearing the answers directly from an employer will be more revealing. Make sure you share not only your skills and background in the interview, but how you would fit the culture. Many candidates forget to do this.
  • Be clear and concise about why you are the right fit for the job. If you have done your homework, you will be able to relate specific parts of your background to the open position, emphasizing why you are the right person. Also, do NOT forget to express your interest in the job! I frequently hear from clients about their concern that a candidate didn’t seem excited enough or interested in the position.
  • Excitement is good, but be careful to not appear desperate!
  • It is a good idea to offer references in the interview. If you followed the tips in Phase I, you will have gathered letters of recommendation and secured good references. Telling a hiring manager that you strongly suggest they “speak to someone who can describe my leadership of the sales team” will gain you an advantage and make you look more credible.
  • Stay calm! Nervousness leads to over-talking which will negatively affect your chances.


P H A S E    I V :   N E G O T I A T I N G   A N   O F F E R   &   L A N D I N G   A   J O B

The interview or interviews have gone well and you have a realistic shot at landing a new job. You are in the last portion of your search journey and in many ways, it is the most crucial. Negotiating the right offer can be difficult, but these Best Practices will help:

  • Negotiating an offer can be a tricky thing if you are not prepared. You will always be asked, usually early in the process, what you are earning. Share your past compensation openly and candidly. This will be on the application anyway, so don’t hide it.
  • The REALLY difficult question is, “What sort of compensation package are you seeking?” It throws many people off!  Answer this way: “I am very interested in this opportunity and have thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. I would like to move forward in the process and learn more about your organization and the team. I will commit to you that I am open to a fair and compelling offer.”  If pushed further, perhaps say “You know what I was earning before. I am open to the way the total package is
    structured, but certainly would prefer to avoid taking a step backward.”
  • It can be uncomfortable for many, but remember this: when you give a firm number, you’re tied to that number. You may be underselling or eliminating yourself from further consideration by sharing firm numbers.
  • Always address benefits early. An HR representative or the company web site will likely be the source of this information. Don’t bring this up in your first meeting with a Hiring Manager, but try to determine if the healthcare and vacation coverage are adequate for your needs. Also, remember that benefits can be part of the bargaining process as well.
  • Always get an offer in writing. Verbal offers are okay, but it must be followed by a written offer.  There is often a strong desire from some employers to have an immediate answer, but you should always ask for some time to consider the offer … even 24 hours is helpful. Evaluate it very carefully and consider the overall offer, your negotiable points and where you will not be able to budge.
  • If you think there is an opportunity to negotiate, explore the subject carefully and professionally with the decision maker. For example, “I am very excited about the offer and look forward to a great career in your company. We are very close on the terms, but was wondering if you could consider increasing the base in order to keep me whole from my last position and also add a week of vacation, again to match what I had before. Your health benefits kick in after 90 days, which means I will be on COBRA during that time. Can you pick up that cost or help me offset it in some way? Everything else looks fantastic and I am hoping we can come to terms soon on these other points as I am eager to start.”
  • When you are ready to accept, do it both verbally and in writing. You will most likely sign an offer letter as well.
  • Immediately let your network know that you have landed and share your new contact information.
  • Absolutely take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kindness and willingness to help you.

Remember, you will need this network again one day, so don’t ignore or neglect what you have carefully built. Stay connected, pay it forward by helping others and continue meeting with key connectors after you start your new job.

Avoid a common mistake: don’t assume your network is unnecessary after you find a new job!


Conculsion:

This is a comprehensive look at a solid and proven job search strategy. My firm gives this advice every day based on our experience and feedback we get from candidates and we are confident it will make you more effective. I view this list as ever evolving and you should always experiment and see what works best for you.  But, if you are stuck in your job search or see a friend struggling with theirs, follow the plan I have outlined here. I wish you the best of luck and hope my firm will be able to work with you in the future.

There is no guarantee that a new job will result from these suggestions, but he has a unique perspective of interviewing thousands of candidates and interacting with hundreds of clients to gain insight into best practices and “what works.”

Source: Randy Hain, Managing Partner of Bell Oaks, executive search firm in Atlanta

____________________________________________________

Bonus Link

How To Job Search in 2009
by Career Builder

Job seekers need to make sure that they have powerful cover letters and résumés, are prepared for the interview, and know as much as they can about their potential employer and the people to whom they’ll be talking.

It’s necessary to look beyond textbook examples to see what practical advice is working for candidates right now.

  • Start your own blog
  • Work with your network
  • Make yourself stand out

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Branding, Jobsearch | 2 Comments »

The Information Interview

Monday, April 27th, 2009

7 Secrets to Successful Informational Interviews

First off, a definition of the informational interview:   It is a meeting in which a job seeker asks for advice rather than employment. The job seeker uses the interview to gather information on the field, find employment leads and expand their professional network. This differs from a job  interview because the job seeker asks the questions. There may or may not be employment opportunities available.   The term was coined by Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the best-selling career handbook, What Color Is Your Parachute?

Informational interviews are initiated by the job seeker and there are many avenues the job seeker may pursue to obtain the informational interview. Career and social networking, newspaper want ads, job boards, placement services, company websites, human resource contacts, job search engines, and professional recruiters.

Essentially, the objective of the Information Interview is to:

  • Learn more about a company or job function
  • Inquire about job leads
  • Network

While the job seeker initiates the interview, he/she must follow the basic guidelines for interview etiquette. He/she must arrive promptly, dress appropriately, prepare informational questions, and make a good first impression.

For job seekers, informational interviews can secure meetings with managers, shape positive first impressions, and
develop relationships that may pay off in the future.

Managers are open to informational interviews because:

1. They do not require a big time investment. Informational interviews can be done during lunch or during an afternoon coffee break.

2. They can give managers an opportunity to identify new talent, either for now or in the future, without a formal recruiting process.

3. Informational interviews allow managers to give advice. Who doesn’t like to have their ego stroked?

Now for the 7 Secrets:

1.  How to ask for an informational interview. After you’ve identified who you want to meet, ask friends, family, ex-coworkers, & fellow alums if they have contacts at a certain company or a particular line of work. Utilize social
networking tools, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, to find contacts. In the introduction e-mail, keep it short and simple. Provide some background information on yourself and explain why you want to meet.

2.  Clearly define what you want to get out of the meeting.   If you don’t know what you want, the person on the other side of the table will have a hard time helping you. I’d recommend going for easy wins such as learning more about a company or a job function. So prepare questions such as: “What do you like working for company X?” or “When you think about successful folks in position Y, what made them successful?”

3.  Getting a job should not be your immediate goal. Job seekers often ask for a job at the beginning. Resist that temptation. If the manager does have a job, asking for it at the beginning is premature, especially if you haven’t proven yourself. If he or she does not have a job, you and the manager have to overcome the early letdown. Instead, focus on asking good questions and creating a good impression. Then, at the end, do ask if the manager is hiring, but don’t push it.

4.  Go with the flow. Some managers use the informational interview as an informal job interview. If the manager wants to deviate from your prepared list of questions and ask you more formal job questions, let him or her do so. Who knows? You might get a job offer at the end of the interview.

5.  Prepare, prepare, prepare. Informational interview can range from an informal career chat to a structured interview. Prepare for any scenario. Have those general career questions ready, and at the same time, don’t be surprised if the interviewer asks tough questions like “What’s your biggest weakness?” Remember the saying, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

6.  Dress for success. It’s always worth reminding: dress professionally.

7.  Don’t forget to follow-up and send the thank you letter.   Don’t forget to send a thank-you e-mail or letter after the informational interview. In addition, send updates every couple of weeks. The manager invested time into your career; he or she will be interested in your progress. And who knows, that manager may not have had openings a while ago, but he or she may be hiring now.

Source: Lewis Lin, interview coach at Seattle Interview Coach

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Jobsearch | Comments Off

The Cover Letter

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Always include a Cover Letter with your job application

The Cover Letter is an accompanying letter that introduces you and your résumé to a potential employer – you are advised to send a cover letter with  each résumé you send out.

Your cover letter may make the difference between obtaining a job interview and having your resume ignored, it is essential that you devote the necessary time and effort to writing effective cover letters.

This is your way to introduce yourself to recruiters / prospective employers and to indicate your interest in the opening.   The Cover Letter is  your opportunity to differentiate yourself from other job seekers.

Employers may look for individualized and thoughtfully written cover letters to screen applicants who are not sufficiently interested in their position or who lack the required writing skills.

Key Points:

  • You should send a cover letter with every resume you submit.
  • A cover letter should not be longer than one page in length and contain 2 to 3 short paragraphs.
  • A cover letter demonstrates your writing and professional communication skills;  it shows that you have done research about the field and the employer; it summarizes your skills and training relative to the job and it communicates your enthusiasm for the job and the employer.
  • A cover letter is a chance to make the prospective employer want to review your resume and to interview you.

Elements of a cover letter:

  • Contact information
  • Today’s date
  • Inside address ad subject line
  • Salutation
  • Body
  • Close
  • Signature

Three types of cover letters:

  • application letter which responds to a known job opening
  • prospecting letter which inquires about possible positions
  • networking letter which requests information and assistance in your job search

Writing a cover letter often seems like a challenge … here is where you can get help; check this site for sample cover letters and other valuable information about cover letters:  http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverletters/a/aa030401a.htm

________________________________________________________

5 Simple Steps to a Successful Cover Letter

Most job seekers concentrate on a carefully worded, customized resume that conveys their talents and

breadth of experience. Remember to include a cover letter with your application:  If your resume  gets you in the door, your cover letter is what prompts employers to answer that door in the first place.   Read an easy-to-follow, five-step formula for cover letter success.

1. Cut to the chase…
Applicants should clearly identify why they’re reaching out to a company. “Start by completing the statement, ‘I am writing to you today because….’” Cover all pertinent facts, such as the position’s title and location. Also, “Where did you see the ad for the position, or who recommended you? Include that information up front.”

2. What I like about you…
Flattery will get you everywhere. “Next, complete the statement ‘I like your company because….’ Compliment the organization on what they have done right and what you admire about them. This will show that you’ve taken the time to get to know the company in detail.

3. What you’ll like about me…
List your most vital qualifications up front. ‘Here are relevant examples of work that I’ve done that match what you’re looking for.’” Briefly discuss the items you want to showcase so a hiring manager can spot them easily. “Bullet points work well in making your accomplishments easy to read.”

4. What else you’ll like about me…
Succinctly, personalize your letter. “Describe who you are and what makes you stand out from other applicants. Discuss your soft skills and strengths and what you’re passionate about professionally,” Research the company’s mission statement to see if your values match up and use similar language. “This is your last chance to say, ‘Here’s why I am a good candidate.’”

5. And in conclusion…
In your closing paragraph, express your enthusiasm for a position and an interview and to include a plan of action. “Make note of your contact information and state what the next steps will be. If you will wait for their reply, tell them that. If you will be following up, tell them when they can expect to hear from you,”  Don’t drop the ball on your first promise to a potential employer. “Whatever you put down, make sure you do what you say you will do.

Source: Deborah Brown­Volkman, Job-search expert
http://www.surpassyourdreams.com/

_________________________________________________________

5 Recruiters from the The Recruiter Roundtable answer the question:  How important are cover letters in your decision to interview a candidate?

Use It Strategically
My belief is that as long as a candidate meets the obvious basic criteria for a specific position, a well-articulated
cover letter will only enhance their chances. A cover letter can also be useful to tackle an obvious weakness relative
to an advertised role, usually a credential that is “required” (e.g., CPA or MBA) by pointing to equivalent training or
experience. Overall I am a supporter.
– Anu Datta, executive recruiter, Korn/Ferry, San Francisco

Channel the Effort Elsewhere
Unless the job seeker is making a significant career change (i.e. different field) or is a fresh college graduate, I rarely
look at a cover letter. It may be necessary to explain your position and bridge your experience to the position of
which you are applying. Resumes are typically scanned and cover letters skipped over completely in evaluating
potential candidates for first-round interviews, so it is advisable to either say what you must in the body of the email
with a resume attached, or customize your resume toward each and every position you seek.
– Lindsay Olson, partner, Paradigm Staffing

Say Something New
If  like someone’s resume for a specific position, then I read the cover letter. Mistakes or typos in a cover letter have
an impact on my impression of the candidate; I recommend getting a second set of eyes to review any cover letter.
Cover letters tend to be fairly similar, so take up the challenge of making yours stand out. Tell me something about
your professional history that I would never know from your resume — HOW you lead a team to success on a
project, for example.
– Ross Pasquale, owner, Monday Ventures

It’s All About the Resume
About 75 percent of the job seekers that have applied online for positions I manage do not attach a cover letter.
What does that mean for me? I make most of my decisions to schedule an interview based strictly on resumes. When
a job seeker includes a cover letter, I reward their effort by contacting them to thank them for their interest whether
or not it leads to an interview. Who knows where that interaction might lead?
– Cheryl Blackman,  Wells Fargo recruiter

Yes, They Make a Difference
A good cover letter — one that captures my attention because it is targeted to the position and highlights specific
areas of expertise that the hiring manager is looking for — can make the difference between whether or not I call
someone for an interview or leave them in the “maybe” file. A great cover letter will persuade me to call you for an
interview even if you may be lacking in some ofthe qualifications needed for the position. A poorly written cover
letter tells me everything I need to know about you; you won’t be called for an interview.
– Cheryl Ferguson, recruiter, The Recruiter’s Studio
_________________________________________________________

A Cover Letter Is Not Expendable

Cover letters are still necessary, and in a competitive market they can give you a serious edge if they are written and presented effectively.

Cover letters are a graceful way to introduce yourself, to convey your personality and to impress a hiring manager with your experience and your writing skills, said Katy Piotrowski, an author of career books and a career counselor based in Fort Collins, Colo. You can also tailor them to a specific company in ways that you cannot with a résumé.

Q. How should your cover letter be organized, how long should it be, and what should it say?

A. First, do your best to find the decision maker’s name, and use it in the salutation. If you are applying to a blind ad, say “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To the Hiring Manager.” Ms. Piotrowski said she received cover letters that had no salutation at all or began with “Hey there” — not a strong start. If you want to be on the safe side, use a colon after the salutation, although some people now feel it is permissible to use a comma in an e-mail message.

Your cover letter should be short — generally no longer than three or four paragraphs, said Debra Wheatman, a career expert at Vault, a jobs Web site.

In your first paragraph, explain why you are writing — it may be that you are answering an ad, that you were referred to the company through networking, or that you learned that the company is expanding, said Wendy S. Enelow, author of “Cover Letter Magic” and a professional résumé writer in Virginia.

In the middle paragraphs, explain why you are a good candidate, and show that you are knowledgeable about the company. Then convey a clear story about your career, and highlight specific past achievements. This can either be done as a narrative or in bullet points, Ms. Enelow said.

You can also highlight qualities you possess that may not fit the confines of a résumé, Ms. Wheatman said.
She once worked in human resources at Martha Stewart Living, and recalls reviewing applications for a chef in a test kitchen. One woman had a career in manufacturing, but her cover letter described how she had grown up in a family that was passionate about cooking and where she had frequently made meals from scratch. The woman got the job despite her peripheral work experience.

Finish your letter by indicating that you will follow up in the near future (and make good on that promise). Sign off with a “Sincerely,” “Cordially,” “Thank you for your consideration” or similar closer, followed by your name and, if you like, your e-mail address.

Q. Where should your cover letter appear, in an e-mail or in an attachment?

A. You can include your letter in the actual text of your e-mail message or place it above your résumé in an attachment. If you put it in a separate attachment from your résumé, you run the risk that a harried hiring manager will not click on it at all. If you place it in the text of your e-mail message, it should generally be shorter than if you use an attachment, Ms. Enelow said.

Then, if you really want to make an impression, make a hard copy of your cover letter and résumé and send it to the hiring manager by regular mail. Attach a handwritten note that says, “Second submission; I’m very interested,” Ms. Piotrowski said. “I’ve had clients double their rate of interviews simply from doing that,” she said.

Ms. Enelow calls this “double-hitting,” and says she has seen it work remarkably well. She said a senior-level client of hers got an interview and was hired because the hard copy of his cover letter and résumé reached the company president, whereas his electronic application was rejected by someone in human resources because it did not meet certain rigid criteria.

Q. What are some common mistakes in cover letters?

A. A cover letter with typos, misspellings and poor sentence structure may take you out of the running for a job. If you cannot afford to pay someone to review your cover letter and résumé, enlist a friend or a family member with good language skills to do it instead.

Another misguided thing people do is to make the cover letter all about them: “I did this, I’m looking for, I want to … I, I, I.” Structure your letter so that it stresses the company and what you can do to help it reach its goals, Ms. Piotrowski and others said.

Another danger is including too much information — for example, very specific salary or geographic requirements, Ms. Enelow said. It is also unwise to point out that you do not meet all the criteria in the job description, she said. You can deal with that later, if you get an interview.

Hiring managers are looking for ways to exclude you as they narrow down their applications, she said. Do not give them that ammunition.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Jobsearch | Comments Off

Web Links for Job Seekers

Monday, April 20th, 2009

These web links are for all job seekers:

www.WorkforceHRJobs.com – HR Jobs

www.6FigureJobs.com – Executive level–$100K+ jobs

www.bostonworks.com – General jobs, not just the Boston area

www.brassring.com – Resumes, career counseling–talent management

www.careerbuilder.com – General jobs

www.monster.com – General jobs

www.chronicle.com – Jobs in higher education

www.craigslist.com – Classified ads for jobs and other local resources

www.dol.com – U.S. Department of Labor

www.Ekornferry.co

www.Execunet.com – Executive level–$100K+ jobs

www.FastCompany.com – Information on fast growing companies

www.federaljobsearch.com – Federal job kit/security clearance/software

www.futurestep.com – Middle management jobs

www.higheredjobs.com – Higher education job board

www.hoovers.com – Research company information

www.hotjobs.com – General jobs, but good for HR

www.idealist.org – Non-profit sector postings

www.indeed.com – Aggregate HR jobs

www.Imdiversity.com – Diversity Village–jobs, career management information

www.jobboardinfo.com – Link to every type of job board

www.job-hunt.org – Association jobs

www.jobs4hr.com – HR jobs

www.Kennedyinfo.com – Kennedy directory

www.latpro.com – Hispanic & bilingual jobs

www.Leadersonline.com – Heidrick Struggles executive search

www.lhh.com – Lee Hecht Harrison—career management firm

www.lifeatwork.com – Work-life balance

www.Linkedin.com – Aggregates, social networking, jobs

www.net-temps.com – All job types

www.Saludos.com – Hispanic & bilingual jobs

www.shrm.org – HR jobs

www.USAJobs.gov – All government jobs

www.Vault.com – Research on companies

www.Vistaprint.com – Free business cards

www.yellowpages.com – Research

www.dcjobs.com – HR jobs

www.washingtonpostjobs.com – DC metro-area jobs through The Washington Post

www.mkt10.com – HR jobs/others

www.ladders.com – Social networking

www.staffingadvisors.com – HR Recruitment broker and job listing board

www.cluffassociates.com – HR job resources

www.projectsame.com – HR networking group—Maryland

www.projectsave.com – HR networking group—Virginia

www.poac.com – Professional outplacement assistance center Maryland state employment (free service)

www.rightassociates.com – Career management

www.willmottassociates.com – HR jobs

www.devnetjobs.org – International development jobs

www.positionsinc.com – HR jobs and others

www.fdncenter.org/ – Development and foundation jobs

www.asaecenter.org – Association executive jobs

www.nonprofitjobs.org – Non-profit sector postings

www.washingtonbusinessjournal.com – Weekly Business Newspaper

www.donnadavis.com – HR jobs nationwide

www.hirestrategy.com – Hire strategy

www.towerconsultants.com – HR jobs nationwide

www.dcastd.org – Metro DC Chapter of ASTD

www.themcmillangroup.com – Diversity recruiting & retention consulting

www.chopracareers.com – Salary negotiations

www.morrisdc.com – Career management

www.odnetwork.com – Organizational development jobs

www.foreignpolicy.org – Foreign policy jobs

www.womenforhire.com – Jobs for women

www.yahoojobs.com – All jobs

www.wetfeet.com – Jobs by city

www.careerfairs.com – Career Fairs by city

www.careerxroads.com – Career X roads jobs and advice

www.mbrownassociates.com – Coaching and leadership

www.JobZoneOnline.com – Jobs and career fairs

www.JSmyth@.SmythFivenson.  – Temp to perm HR jobs

www.jimditt@comcastr.net – Scheduled career fairs/open houses/web sites

www.stg.com – Strategic Technology Group

www.careershomedepot.com – Home Depot

www.acs.com – Affiliated Computer Services

www.directemployer.com – Jobs, recruitment, employment

www TheWomensCenter.org – The Women’s Center/ VA & DC

www.truecareers.com – Federal Government jobs

www.resumeplace.com – Federal jobs/resume preparation

www.apihire.com – Applicant testing questionnaire

www.cpodn.com – Chesapeake OD network

www.nonprofithr.com – Temp to perm

www.raffa.com – HR outsourcing

www.thehrsource.com – Temp to perm

www.donnadavis.com – HR jobs nationwide

www.mccormickgroup.com – HR jobs

www.premierpers.com – HR jobs

www.friendsandcompany.com – Temp to Perm


Best Sites for Workers Over 50

www.aarp.org – Best employers for workers over 50

www.retiredbrains.com – Full-part time jobs; links to other sites

www.seniors4hire.com – Multiple jobs/career advice

www.seniorjobbank.com – Multiple jobs and links, nonprofit job board

www.retireandconsult.com – Part time consulting jobs for retired people and senior citizens

Tags: , ,
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off

Behavioral Interviewing – “STAR” Method

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Introduction

Behavioral interviewing is a technique employed by interviewers to evaluate your past behavior in order to predict your future behavior in a particular situation.  Answering behavioral questions is not an easy task, but proper preparation will assist you in answering them successfully.

Utilizing the S.T.A.R. model will help you construct an organized, specific, thoughtful, and concise answer.

Situation – Think of a situation in which you were involved that had a positive outcome.

Task – Describe the tasks involved in the situation.

Action – Specify what actions you took in the situation to complete the tasks and achieve your results.

Results – What results followed due to your actions?

Use the following guidelines to enable this effective strategy:

  • Analyze the position for which you are being interviewed and determine what skills are required.
  • Evaluate and reflect upon your background to identify your skills and experiences related to the position. Think about your experiences and skills gained in class, internships, leadership positions, and activities and relate them to the skill sets required by the position for which you are interviewing.
  • Identify three to five top selling points—attributes that set you apart from other candidates—and be sure to take the opportunity to point them out during the interview using “STAR Stories.”
  • Create brief “STAR Stories” prior to the interview that demonstrates your teamwork abilities, initiative, planning, leadership, commitment, and problem solving skills. Try to be as relevant as possible to the position.
  • Be prepared to provide examples of occasions when results were different than expected.
  • Practice your stories, but be careful not to memorize as you may forget nuances of your story when in a pressure situation.
  • Reviewing them before your interview will give you confidence in knowing you are prepared and will eliminate fumbling for words and awkward silences in the interview.
  • Be specific in your stories. Giving generalizations will not help the employer understand and evaluate your behavior and skills.
  • Employers want to know what you did rather than what you would do in a given situation.
  • Quantify wherever possible. It is evidence of your achievements, accomplishments, and efforts.
  • Be honest! Omitting or embellishing parts of your story could lead to disaster if the interviewer discovers that the foundation of your story is weak.

In using this strategy, you will be able to showcase your accomplishments, skills, and knowledge and show the employer what a STAR you are!

Example:

The following example shows how you might use the S.T.A.R. Model to answer this behavioral interview question.

Interviewer States: “You indicated on your resume that leadership is one of your strengths. Please describe an experience in which you used your leadership abilities to manage a recent challenge.”

You Respond:

Situation:
During my third year of college, I was elected Vice President for Professional Programs for my student association. The duties of the position included
securing speakers for our meetings, advertising the programs to the campus community, introducing speakers and evaluating each program.

Task:
Previous attendance at meetings had decreased substantially due to a decrease in the overall student population. The goal was to implement programs to address the professional development of our association and increase attendance by 25% compared to the prior year’s figures.

Action:
I assembled a team to help with the program design and speaker selection. I developed a survey to determine the members’ professional interests and
ideas for possible speakers and topics. My team and I had each member complete the survey. Then we randomly selected members for a focus group
interview. I had learned about this research technique in my marketing class and thought it would help us identify why attendance had dropped.

Result:
Because of the information we gathered from the surveys and interviews, we selected speakers for the entire year, produced a brochure describing each
program and the featured speaker. Under my leadership, attendance increased 150% over the previous year.

Tags: ,
Posted in Jobsearch | Comments Off

How to Get Your Next Job

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

Wonder how your will EVER get your next job?

Fortune Magazine and FLYP worked together to create this rich media version of the April13, 2009 feature story:  How to Get A Job …

This link is HIGHLY recommended for all job seekers…
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/storysupplement/flyp/index.htm

____________________________________________________________________

7 Tips for a Job Using Social Media

Dan Schawbel wrote this web article  http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/job-search-secrets/ and states that a new type of job search is required of job seekers – It boils down to the fact that there are fewer jobs available, more competition for those jobs and more touch points for recruiters and seekers to interact.

Article contents:

  • Conduct a people search instead of a job search
  • Use attraction-based marketing to get job offersBe proactive on Twitter
  • Capitalize on LinkedIn
  • Advertise your brand using AdWords and Facebook Social Ads
  • Construct a video resume and upload it to YouTube
  • Subscribe to blogs that have job listings

Dan concludes that a new approach to the job search is now needed – to integrate the traditional and social media approach; the most successful job searches come from those who have already built up strong networks, both online and off. You need to integrate this new-age approach with the traditional approach.

________________________________________________________________________________________

VIDEO LINK: ABC News video http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7177515 - aired onThursday, March 26, 2009 -

Topic:   Social Networking Your Way to a Job –

Interviewee:   Tory Johnson explains the benefits of Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin

Tags: , ,
Posted in Jobsearch | Comments Off

Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) for Job Searching

Saturday, April 11th, 2009

The Pareto Principle

Ccommonly referred to as the 80/20 rule,  the Pareto Principle states that 80% of any result will be accomplished with 20% of the effort.

Popular culture has simplified this into what is commonly known as the “80:20 Law” which proposes that 80% of the time expended on a task produces 20% of the results, and 20% of the time expended produces 80% of the results. 20% of a study population accounts for 80 percent of the measure under consideration.

Most job seekers are following the wrong part of the Pareto Principle – 80% of their time is spent on  lower-impact activities — “web surfing” and responding to job board opportunities, posting their resume on line and connecting with executive search professionals; and only 20% of their time on high impact activities — networking and reaching out directly to leads and potential employers.

You will be more effective at getting results if you – the Job Seeker -  will use the 80/20 rule to your advantage:  to spend 80% (or more) of their time on the high-impact, “human interaction” oriented activities, including:

  • Talking to and meeting with their network contacts
  • Attending and participating in networking functions
  • Aggressively utilizing social media applications for network communication purposes (LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, among others)
  • Identifying target companies and aggressively contacting those companies directly or through a referral from their network
  • Scheduling daily phone calls, daily meetings and getting out and “shaking hands”

Are you achieving the level of results you desire in your job search campaign?

If you are not seeing results then you are either: NOT spending sufficient time and/or are NOT focusing the time required for the highest impact. The job search process simply CANNOT be “Short-Cut” in the current market environment — neither short-cut in terms of time spent nor short-cut in terms of focus on the right things (and usually the “tougher” and more “involved” things).

Time Commitment. An effective job search campaign should be considered “a full time job.”  If you are currently unemployed, then the 40 hours or so you’d normally spend working should be devoted to your job search.  At a minimum, you should follow an “80/20″ approach to your time commitment — with 80% of your available time during the week devoted directly to your job search, and 20% focused on other important activities — personal time, community activities, training, education, professional development, etc.  Rest assured that your top competition in the job market is taking this approach — without question.

Source:  Andy Robinson; Exectuive Coach, Career Transition Coach
http://twitter.com/AndyInNaples

More on Pareto:

Continue Reading…

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Entrepreneur | Comments Off

Volunteerism

Friday, April 10th, 2009

Volunteerism

Defined as the willingness of people to work on behalf of others without being motivated by financial or material gain.  Voluntary employment is unpaid employment – it may be done for altruistic reasons, for example.  Also it can be charity, as a hobby, community service or vocation, or for the purpose of gaining experience.

The benefits of volunteerism are numerous:
•    Self satisfaction
•    Altruism
•    Potential learning or acquisition of new skills
•    Specific benefits for the receivers of volunteer efforts
•    Relaxation
•    Socialization
•    Status or reward
•    Career opportunities
•    Community improvement

Volunteer experience is becoming the key factor that tells hiring managers that you are willing to go the extra mile.

Volunteering and working for free are great ways to expand your skill set.

Volunteering involves passion, commitment and selflessness…all qualities employers look for.

Start with this site: http://www.smartvolunteer.com/UI/NonMembers/default.aspx

Smart Volunteer is a community of talented professionals committed to using their skills in socially beneficial ways… Their Motto:  You got skills?   We have opportunities!

*** Volunteering will differentiate you from all the thousands of other job seekers ***

_________________________________________________________________

Taprootfoundation.org

Join a team of highly skilled professionals who are doing pro bono work to help a local nonprofit increase its impact.

Volunteer Your Skills – do it pro bono.

Hundreds of nonprofit organizations in your community need your help! Join thousands of top professionals who are maximizing their impact by volunteering their skills and expertise in the community.

Why Do Pro Bono?

  • Create positive change – Make a tangible contribution to a nonprofit in your area.
  • Use your time effectively – Volunteer on structured projects; we provide all the resources and support you need.
  • Grow your skills – Tackle challenges in a new environment.
  • Meet other people in your industry ? Work with other professionals from companies like Time Warner, Kraft, Deloitte, Gap, Leo Burnett, Microsoft, and many more.

How It Works

  • Donate 3-5 hours per week on a 6-month pro bono project; most work is done virtually
  • Participate in a 30-minute weekly conference call with your team
  • Attend one in-person meeting per month with your nonprofit client

Stage 1: Select Nonprofit Client
We carefully screen hundreds of requests each year to select nonprofit clients who we think can make the biggest impact. We look for:

1. Working in our strategic areas:

  • Arts
  • Education
  • Social Services
  • Environment
  • Health

2. Effective programs
3. Strong management and governance
4. Healthy and stable finances
5. Clear and compelling need for assistance

Stage 2: Prepare for the Project
We assign a volunteer team leader (Account Director) to the project, who meets with the nonprofit client to:

  • Confirm the scope of the project
  • Define the decision-making process
  • Determine if they?re ready to start

Then, the Account Director:

  • Assembles a team of qualified volunteers based on the scope of the project.

Stage 3: Project Kick-off & Discovery
The volunteer team meets with the nonprofit client to:

  • Confirm the project plan
  • Define desired outcomes
  • Begin understanding the needs and stakeholders for the project

Then, works virtually to:

  • Interview stakeholders
  • Analyze existing materials and practices
  • Compile findings into a brief

Stage 4: Development & Delivery
Working virtually, the volunteer team:

  • Develops a draft direction
  • Gets feedback from the client
  • Makes 1-2 sets of revisions on each deliverable

Then:

  • Presents the final deliverables to the nonprofit client for approval
  • Trains the nonprofit client, if necessary
  • Celebrates completion of the project

Stage 5: Evaluation
We evaluate all projects to measure impact and identify areas for improvement. This includes:

  • Collecting post-project surveys from the volunteer team and nonprofit
  • Following up with the nonprofit to collect quantitative measurements on the project?s long-term impact

_________________________________________________________________

Laid-Off Folks Can Do Well …. Doing Good!!

Volunteer jobs are catching on among laid-off workers, giving them valuable career experience and aiding nonprofits.  Check this site:  http://alturl.com/wes

The article offers these pointers:

  • Volunteering is the best way break into a nonprofit
  • Volunteers can catch the eye of board members — who are often corporate executives or senior managers — looking for employees
  • Volunteering has offered a sense of purpose and connection, while brightening the jobseeker’s outlook
  • Volunteering means you are supporting causes you care about, plus you can bolster skills that will help you find a new position

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Branding | Comments Off

Job Seeker Mistakes

Friday, April 10th, 2009

6 Key Job Seeker mistakes

1. Sticking to a job search routine that isn’t working.

Often, job seekers will spend all of their time looking at job boards for listings and e-mailing resumes in response. Then, when they don’t find anything, they give up. This strategy typically doesn’t bring positives results by itself. While it’s important to search all the top job boards, you also should be spending your time networking and staying up to date on your industry trends. Just remember, if your current strategy isn’t working, it’s probably time to retool your approach.

If you’re in a highly competitive field, for example, you may be one of hundreds of applicants for a job that’s posted on a prominent site. You can reduce the competition by posting your resume on niche job boards and searching business journals for companies that are expanding and contacting them directly.

Or perhaps you can sign up with a recruiting firm to learn about jobs that aren’t necessarily advertised.

It may be that you need to look for a different type of job, or in a different industry or city, as well.   Don’t pigeonhole yourself in your search. Be as open-minded as possible.

2. Appearing defeated or desperate during the interview (Hurray – you got an Interview!!).

Sometimes there can be a fine line between someone who is aggressive in their job search, and someone who is desperate.   It’s smart to be somewhat aggressive and go a bit out on a limb. That could mean following up with potential employers after you’ve sent a resume, asking  your contacts for help (politely, of course) or even offering to work for someone on a trial or temporary basis while you both evaluate whether it’s a fit.

Desperation consists more of attitude than actions. Try to maintain a sense of self-confidence and remind yourself of your self-worth. An extended job-hunt can take a toll on your self-esteem, but you want to project a positive image during an interview. Try not to be too hard on yourself and keep as positive of an attitude as you can.

3. Being inflexible in your job search targets.

Creativity is essential in a job search, and often that entails being able to envision yourself in new roles. This might include targeting jobs in other cities where your industry is more active, looking for project work, or considering jobs that aren’t ideal but you think you would be good at.

4. Not following up with potential employers.

While you don’t want to be a pest, it’s often wise to follow up with employers who you don’t hear from after submitting a resume.  Whether communicating in writing or over the telephone, job seekers should demonstrate their knowledge of the company while reinforcing their qualifications and sincere interest in the position. This extra step can give professionals a significant advantage over less-proactive candidates

5. Having an unflattering digital footprint.

Think your friends are the only people who viewed those less-than-professional vacation photos you posted online? Think again. With a few mouse clicks, potential employers can dig up information about you on blogs, personal websites and networking site profiles. Make sure you do a thorough self-search and take any necessary corrective action.

6. Being caught without networking business cards and an updated resume.

Make it a point to never leave your office or home without business cards and an updated resume. It doesn’t matter whether you will be in a business or personal setting. You never know who you will meet and when you will need to give your business card and resume to someone.

Source: Daryl Piga, Career Consultant with Robert Half International

Tags: ,
Posted in Jobsearch | Comments Off

Are you an Entrepreneur?

Friday, April 3rd, 2009

Have you thought about going into business for yourself … as an Entrepreneur?

This topic came up at a recent Meet Up with fellow job seekers.  Going into business for yourself during these chaotic economic times.  An entrepreneur is a person who has possession of an enterprise, or venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome.

The definition of Entrepreneur: an ambitious leader who combines land, labour, and capital to create and market new goods or services. The word is French and was first defined by the Irish economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to the type of personality who is willing to take upon herself or himself a new venture or enterprise and accepts full responsibility for the outcome.

Entrepreneurship is often difficult and tricky, resulting in many new ventures failing. The word entrepreneur applies to someone who creates value by offering a product or service, by carving out a niche in the market that may not exist currently. Entrepreneurs tend to identify a market opportunity and exploit it by organizing their resources effectively to accomplish an outcome that changes existing interactions within a given sector.

Here are 10 Reasons to Start a Business in a Recession from Brad Sugars (he is columnist and the writer of 14 business books including The Business Coach, Instant Cashflow, Successful Franchising and Billionaire in Training)

Brad says there is no better time to start than the present, especially if people around you are more comfortable with their own list of reasons why they shouldn’t start pursuing their own business dreams right now. It only means you’ll be facing a lot less competition.

1. Everything is cheaper.
Let’s face it: There is great value right now in this and in world markets. This is the right time for fantastic deals in virtually every category, from land and equipment to commercial office space, personnel and labor. As asset prices have been knocked down, there is no better time to get into the real estate or financial markets, or even heavy equipment and construction. Some people have waited years to find value in these markets–and now that time has come.

2. You can hire more and better-qualified people.
In an era when even Microsoft is laying off, you can find great resources at affordable rates. Thinking about getting your high-tech startup off the ground? There are plenty of engineers waiting to be hired. Thinking about forming a professional services firm? There are many accountants and attorneys looking for their next opportunity.

3. People are looking to change suppliers.
From a cost perspective, everything is on the table for most companies. Even if your prices are higher, if you can come in with greater value, you have a good chance at winning new business. You also have the advantage of being the new kid on the block when it comes to pitching your products and services. Many companies are desperate to find new partnerships with new companies that have a different, better or more innovative way of delivering those products and services.

4. Ownership equals tax incentives.
Business ownership offers a variety of tax benefits that aren’t available to employees. While taxes should never be the sole reason to go into business for yourself, it should be one reason to add to you “benefits of business ownership” list.

5. Family and friends don’t want to (or can’t) invest more money into the stock or real estate markets.
That means they may be willing to finance a portion of your new venture, or the expansion of an enterprise that has proven itself over time. The main benefit is that they know you and have a relationship with you–and if you have a solid business plan that delivers real numbers, your chances of raising the capital you need increase exponentially.

6. Suppliers are giving better credit.
Because the credit markets have virtually shut down, the B2B credit flows are keeping money circulating out of sheer necessity. That means a bullish outlook for companies looking for good terms on stock and/or inventories. The main advantage is that all parties have more incentive than ever for finding true win-win situations that allow for cash and stock flow. When everyone is looking to survive, great deals can be had.

7. You can get good PR by showing you are going against the trend.
The media loves aberrations, and if you are optimistic by expanding or getting into business now, you would be in that category. That means you can generate some great PR by demonstrating your “alternative” view of the market.

8. You can buy everything you need at auction.
In addition to everything being less expensive, you can find great deals at auctions, especially in terms of any large equipment and office furnishings. Auctions are also a great place to find hardly used or “gently” used restaurant and bar supplies at great prices. These days, you may even be able to get deals on fleets of vehicles and trucks for a delivery service or hauling or construction company.

9. You can find great “low money” or “no money” down deals.
This is simply being aware of good opportunities others have buggered up, and finding deals where you could get an entire business simply by taking over a lease (along with all the equipment). Many business owners want out at any cost, meaning you can negotiate great win-win deals that allow the current owners an escape while giving you an opportunity to turn around what could be, if run right, a very viable business.

10. You’ve lost your job, and you have to do something.
Sometimes, the best business decision is the one you are forced into, and the incentive (as well as need) for income is often enough to push those previously “on the fence” to strike out on their own. There’s nothing wrong with being in this position; it simply means there is greater urgency to do something that will start to generate income as quickly as possible.
______________________________________________

Bonus Tip #1: Listen to this 52 minute audio  http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R904020900 from PBS reporter Scott Shafer on a program entitled “forced entrepreneurship”

Scott’s guests are experts on the topic:

  • Gary Jones, founder of Superstar Tech Support.com
  • Laura Forst, currently developing a business plan for her specialty packaged nuts company, Laura’s Nuts
  • Mali Dyck, business manager for Garden Fare, planning and installing ‘edible landscapes,’ gardens made completely of edible plants
  • Mark Cannice, associate professor of entrepreneurship, founder and executive director of the Entrepreneurship Program in the University of San Francisco’s School of Business and Management
  • Marty Nemko, contributing editor, careers for U.S. News and World Report and author of “Cool Careers for Dummies”

Click the link, open up a new browser window, and then listen while you go about your online job searching!

______________________________________________

Bonus Tip #2: Check Ideas4Rent Marketing …. for marketing and advertising news, tips and ideas to help you grow your business.  Go to this Twitter name:    ideas4rent or go to their website:   http://www.ideas4rent.com/

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Entrepreneur | Comments Off

Hidden Job Market

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Hidden Job Market Tips

Tips for job hunters, according to David Perry, a longtime headhunter:

He says you’re wasting your time if you’re looking for job postings online. And he should know: he’s often the guy on the other side helping companies lure new talent. Perry, who’s based in Ottawa, says that in the last 22 years he has accomplished 996 searches totaling $172 million in salary. And the bottom line in today’s economy, he says, is you have to tap the “hidden job market.” Perry’s also the co-author of “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters” and he recently spoke with Fortune.

What’s the “hidden job market”?
When companies say, ‘We have a hiring freeze,’ that doesn’t mean they’re not hiring. It just means they’re not adding headcount. Every year there’s 20-25% turn over. So in a 1,000-person company, 200 or 250 people are going to turn over, either through attrition, or someone moves. Those companies are still hiring but they don’t want to tell you.

So how do you find these jobs?
What you have to do in a recession is map your skills to employers to where you know they have a problem you can solve. My advice to job hunters is pick 10 to 20 companies, no more, and pick companies you’re interested in, and that you think you can add value to. That requires researching companies, and so that list may take you two weeks. If you’re trying to crack the hidden job market and you know the job position you want reports to vice president, find that vice president on LinkedIn and look at his profile to see who else he’s connected to and go ask them, ‘What’s this guy like to work for?’ Do the research before you even pick up the phone.

How can you get someone’s attention?
We can go into billboards, sandwiches – that stuff only works once. It’s only for one person who figures it out once, once in a city. If you’re looking for fun stuff, we have this thing called the coffee cup caper, 30% of the time it will result in an interview. You send an employer a coffee cup with a little $5 swipe card with a little note that says, I’d like to get together and talk with you over coffee. I’ll be calling soon. And you send it by U.S. post two day delivery, and that gets registered. So when they’ve signed for it, you wait about 20 minutes and then you call them. And then you go, Hi, I know you just got my package.’ You’re proving you’re imaginative and creative.

What is something people should avoid during a job interview?
This drives me insane: I’ve seen people mentally deciding in the interview whether they want the job. That’s the last place to decide. You go into an interview, and you sell like your life depends on it. You’ve got to get the job first. I’ve seen it thousands of times. There’s this point in the interview, where people go ‘Hmm, do I really want this? You can see their body change. The employer picks it up and it’s gone. If the employer is telling you, ‘I love you,’ and you’re not saying ‘I love you too,’ it’s over with.

How about following up afterwards?
If you really like the opportunity, don’t go home and write thank you very much. Go back and write a letter that says, upon further reflection of what we were talking about, here’s what I bring to the table, here’s how I see myself fitting into the organization, including a 30-60-90 day plan.

How can someone attract a recruiter’s attention?
You have to go to ZoomInfo and LinkedIn and create a profile. All corporate recruiters and probably 20% of the headhunters in America have ZoomInfo accounts. When we start a search, companies aren’t going to advertise. The headhunter goes to ZoomInfo, types in requirements that we need, like skillset, degree, city, functional title, and up will come anywhere from a hundred to several thousand people who fit that criteria. Then we go to LinkedIn and run the same search. If you’re in ZoomInfo with a picture, we’re going to call you first. Just reverse engineer what recruiters are doing so you get found.

How can you really impress a potential employer?
It hasn’t worked in years just to bring in your resume, except only in the most junior positions. I concentrate on directors to CEOs, and the last interview for us regardless is always a Power Point presentation of what you’ve learned, pain points, and how you intend to fix that. Everyone talks about being a great leader and great communicator, so prove it. Don’t go into an interview and treat it like it’s just another business meeting. Your career is your biggest asset now – because it’s certainly not your house.

As reported by Jia Lynn Yang in a recentl CNN Money article entitled How to Get a Job When No One’s Hiring Copyrighted, Fortune. All rights reserved.

____________________________________________________

How to Tap into the Hidden Job Market Using Social Media

What is the “hidden job market”?
The hidden job market is a term coined in the 1970s by Richard Bolles, author of “What color is your parachute?” The hidden job market refers to the large number of the jobs filled through unadvertised sources.

Example 1: Two executives Bill and Don play a round of golf on a Saturday afternoon. Bill asks Don if he knows any good people for his marketing department. A name and phone number is exchanged and within a day or two, an offer is made and accepted. There is no advertised position.

Example 2:   John works in an IT department. He is encountering a particularly frustrating technical problem he cannot solve. He makes a few phone calls and locates Steve who is a specialist in this area. After a quick meeting, an offer is made to Steve. He is hired either as an employee or independent contractor. There is no advertised opening and, aside from the key players, no one knows this has occurred.

Current estimates are that over 50% of all jobs filled each year fall into this category. The media and placement agencies are usually kept in the dark about this for “political reasons”. The key for the job seeker is to learn and apply a new set of skills for the new economy.

How exactly do you find or create opportunities in this hidden job market?
The first thing to understand is that a job is a need or a problem that has been formalized. This creates a gap between the people in the company grappling with the problems every day and those in HR who do the interviewing. They live in different universes.

To tap into the hidden job market, you need to speak to the people struggling with the problems and show them that you can eliminate their pain and solve their problem. Trouble is, most job seekers have no clue what problems they can solve because they are task focused, not result focused. Just like consumers, companies don’t buy tasks or skills, they buy results and solutions. This is especially true in the current economic conditions.

To succeed today, you must determine the problems you’re good at solving. Then you need to determine both the individuals and companies who have these problems. In order to do this, you need a combination of social media skills and relationship skills. One without the other won’t cut it.

By using social media tools you can locate the key people in your niche. You will then need to create relationships with them and become their solution. This requires a change in mindset from the Employee Mentality to the Entrepreneurial Attitude. Once this happens the resume, interviews and HR departments become mostly irrelevant.

How can the average job seeker adapt this new mindset, learn these skills, become proactive, successful?
It is a matter of training and coaching. People need to change how they see themselves, personal identity, and the role they play. With proper coaching and support, they can make this critical shift and learn to become proactive in their marketing efforts. Within a supportive environment, they can gain greater mastery in their ability to combine internet savvy with relationship, communication skills.

Instead of going back to school to take more classes or get advanced degrees that do not really increase your marketability in today’s economy, job seekers need to invest time and money on how to make themselves marketable in today’s world. They need to think like an entrepreneur, not an employee.

So does it essentially boil down to having good communication skills, the willingness to take risks, get known, respected, and build a network online?
Yes, you need to get out in a big way, get known but most importantly sort for people and companies that are struggling with the problems you know how to solve. Your resume needs to be the document demonstrating your abilities in this area rather than a list of positions you’ve held. Past experience does not readily translate into satisfying the company’s need. Ask questions that allow you to quickly zero in on your target market.

This is a very significant paradigm shift for most people who have worked for a company over many years. The key principle here is: You’re always working for yourself. It takes time and coaching to make the internal and external shifts that are needed to adapt to the new economy and marketplace.

Let’s talk specifics about social media networks and how they fit into this puzzle.
How can LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter be effective tools for the job seeker today?
All the social media networks allow you to build relationships quickly and zero in on the people you need to know and need to know you. Getting to know key people and having them know and respect you is the goal. Job seekers often have difficulty seeing value in this approach because their thinking is still one dimensional, i.e. job, inteview, etc.

Twitter is the easiest and fastest social media tool. You create an account and start following people. You use the search site, http://search.twitter.com to locate individuals who are in your target market or industry. Follow them and most will follow you back.

Next, engage in conversation using replies and Direct Messaging (DMs) to build rapport and familiarity. Learn about people’s challenges and where appropriate, move the conversation to email, phone to discuss how you might work together. Focus on partnership and collaboration, win win, instead of jobs, hiring, salary, interviews and resumes. These terms pigeon-hole you into the job seeker role. Be more interested in learning about others than convincing. Share knowledge and value in your Tweets.

You can suggest in a generic way that you have “resources” or ideas of how to solve their problems. Instead of a resume which is very “job focused” develop and use a letter of introduction which is a powerful document describing your areas of specialization. You can then place this letter on facebook or Linked in profile and link people to it when the time is right.

LinkedIn is very professional and corporate. Twitter is very social, light and carefree. You do not want to speak directly about jobs and business on Twitter but you can do that on LinkedIn. Join discussion groups on LinkedIn that match your interests and abilities and get involved with discussions. Share your views and demonstrate your skills and talents. People will notice and they will email you and conversations will happen. This is the goal…. to generate meaningful conversations with key people. Everything flows from that point.

What happens if you find a company that wants your talents but they are in another part of the country from where you live?
This can happen. This is why I recommend that everyone develop skills and services that can be delivered in a virtual world which are not location dependent.

A good example is a virtual assistant. This is a type of work many people have gotten into in recent years who used to work in an office. Now it can be done anywhere. Sales can be done anywhere. Design and marketing can be done from anyway. Same for coaching, consulting, teaching, writing.

If your existing skill set is physical and demands you to be present, consider creative solutions. For example, you could fly in to a city, handle the physical work over a week or two and then go home and provide follow up support remotely.

Relocating is always an option if the company wants you badly and is willing to cover relocation costs. However, most jobs today are becoming virtual

One of my clients does computer maintenance contracts. I showed him how to…. outsource the physical component of the work and provide the rest remotely so he could work with clients all around the US.

What about Social Media Courses? Are they worthwhile?
Most Social Media courses concentrate on the “how tos” of the technology but do not help you adapt it to your personal needs. It is important to take a course that will teach you how to develop key alliances and connections for your career or business. You need to learn how to establish joint venture and referral relationships and generate prospects for your business.

Additionally, make sure there is some coaching built in that helps you stay focused, result oriented so you can achieve your desired goals in your targeted timeframe.

Source: Howard Sambol, founder and director of Breakthrough Coaching

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Branding | Comments Off

Your Elevator Speech

Friday, March 27th, 2009

Elevator Speech …. the Swiss Army Knife of Job-Search Tools

It is essential to have an elevator pitch – you need to communicate your main message quickly, clearly, and distinctly to a stranger – quickly and under pressure.  The name “Elevator Speech” reflects the fact that an elevator pitch can be delivered in the time span of an elevator ride (for example, thirty seconds and 100-150 words).

The idea of an “elevator speech” is to have a prepared presentation that grabs attention and says a lot about YOU in a few words…   What are you going to be saying?  …  By telling your core message, you will be marketing yourself and/or your business, but in a way that rather than putting people off will make them want to know more about you and your business.

It is imperative to work on this two to three minute presentation until it is perfectly crafted. This is the one kind of speech that should be memorized.  Make it such a part of you that if someone woke you up from a sound sleep in the middle of the night, and asked you what you do, you would smoothly and without hesitation tell them your “elevator speech.”  This speech will serve as your introduction to others, so it has to be good!

Read more how an Elevator Speech - a clear, concise bit of communication that can be delivered in the time it takes folks to ride from the top to the bottom of a building in an elevator - can be put together with this article by Katherine Hansen:   http://www.quintcareers.com/job-search_elevator_speech.html

Here are Katherine’s  Do’s and Don’ts of Elevator Speeches. Follow these simple rules and you should achieve success with this important tool of job-hunting:

  • Do make your Elevator Speech sound effortless, conversational, and natural.
  • Do make it memorable and sincere. Open a window to your personality.
  • Do write and rewrite your speech, sharpening its focus and eliminating unnecessary words and awkward constructions.
  • Do avoid an Elevator Speech that will leave the listener mentally asking “So what?”
  • Do consider including a compelling “hook,” an intriguing aspect that will engage the listener, prompt him or her to ask questions, and keep the conversation going.
  • Don’t let your speech sound canned or stilted.
  • Do practice your speech. Experts disagree about whether you should memorize it, but you should know your speech well enough so you express your key points without sounding as though the speech was memorized. Let it become an organic part of you. Many experts suggest practicing in front of mirrors and role-playing with friends.
  • Don’t ramble. Familiarizing yourself as much as possible with your speech will help keep you from getting off track.
  • Do be warm, friendly, confident, and enthusiastic. A smile is often the best way to show friendliness and enthusiasm, while a strong, firm voice the best way to express confidence.
  • Do take it slowly. Don’t rush through the speech, and do pause briefly between sentences. Breathe.
  • Do project your passion for what you do.
  • Do maintain eye contact with your listener.
  • Don’t get bogged down with industry jargon or acronyms that your listener may not comprehend.
  • Do be prepared to wrap up earlier than you were planning if you see the listener’s eyes glazing over or interest waning.
  • Don’t hesitate to develop different versions of your Elevator Speech for different situations and audiences. When developing an Elevator Speech for a specific employer you’ve targeted, do research the organization and incorporate that knowledge into your speech.
  • If you’re cold-calling a hiring manager and get his or her voicemail don’t be afraid to leave your Elevator Speech as a voice message. You may be even more successful getting action from the speech than if you had talked to the manager personally.
  • Do incorporate examples and stories to help support your points. Provide examples of successful outcomes of deploying your skills. Stories make your speech memorable.
  • Don’t focus just on yourself, an approach that will almost assure a “so what?” reaction.
  • Do focus on how you can benefit employers and help them solve their problems. Remember as you deliver your Elevator Speech that the listener may be mentally asking, “What’s in it for me (or my company)?”
  • Do use concrete, listener-friendly language, but at the same time, don’t be afraid to paint vivid word pictures.
  • Don’t forget to include your competitive advantage — also known as your Unique Selling Proposition (USP); in other words. how you can perform better than anyone else.
  • Do end with an action request, such as asking for a business card or interview appointment.
  • Don’t forget to update your speech as your situation changes.
  • If you are uncomfortable with the kind of speaking that the Elevator Speech entails, do consider joining a group such as Toastmasters to boost your confidence.

_____________________________________________________________________

Elevator Speech  Builder from Harvard Business School:

http://www.alumni.hbs.edu/careers/pitch/

I am sure you will benefit by using this easy-to-use tool for setting up your Elevator Speech.  Here is what I have established for myself:

Hello, my name is Ron Proctor.  I am a Human Resources systems professional specializing in Software as a Service implementations – most recently I was with SuccessFactors – a SaaS vendor – for 2 1/2 years.  Here is my card…

I have over 15 years experience in the Human Resources field and hold an MBA in HR from Golden Gate University. My specialty is to transfer my knowledge to my clients through best practices consulting.

I have a proven background as an effective consultant who can manage multiple projects at one time, have strong business process knowledge and excel at providing excellent customer service.

I am looking for a position either as a Consultant / Project Manager or a SaaS implementator.

May I have your card and call you next week?

Note: This word count is 125,  the estimated seconds is 32 and I have repeated 18 words.  According to the Harvard Business School site, an average Pitch is a word count of 230; an average length is 56 seconds with only 4 repeated words.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Branding | Comments Off

JobAngels

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

What is JobAngels

JobAngels is a “grassroots” non-profit organization whose mission is to connect talented career professionals with those searching for work“. Unlike other job hunting sites, volunteers have been the key to the quick success of JobAngels.

It was founded on January 29, 2009 by JobAngel’s president and head angel, Mark Stelzner.  His story is that one morning, while eating breakfast and thinking about the economy,  he realized that Twitter would be a tool to help job seekers and since he had accumulated about 700 followers, a large percentage of whom are experts and professionals in the HR sector,  he imagined that if each of these followers helped just one person find a job – then the effort can actually make a difference.

Here is Mark’s original Tweet:  “I was thinking that if each of us helped just one person find a job, we could start making a dent in unemployment. You game?”

Read a recent LA Times about JobAngels.   http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2009/02/with-jobangels.html

Summary of article contents:  JobAngles was set up by founder of Mark Stelzner as a grass-roots movement to help people find work.  The JobAngels Mission: “This movement is all about making a single connection”  AND “Just one person can make a difference“.

What started just at the end of January 2009 – is quickly gaining traction. There are hundreds of participants who are onboard with this movement – and its available free – not only on Twitter – but on Linkedin – http://www.linkedin.com/ as well.  Search for the Linkedin group for JobAngels

The concept of JobAngels is to develop one-on-one relationships which help facilitate more rapid placement for the unemployed.

Job Seekers:
By virtue of a JobAngel’s participation in this group, you have a tremendous pool of potential resources to aid you in your search for employment.  Go through the membership (over 500 members !) and seek those who match your desired industry, geography, market segment or position.  Be polite in your initial inquiry and let your Angel determine their level of comfort in providing assistance, advice, guidance and/or introductions.

JobAngels:
If you are willing to help someone in need, simply look at the discussions and comments and pick a person who might work in a similar industry, geography, market segment or position. Connect with them via LinkedIn and offer to review their resume, discuss their search and/or facilitate introductions (to the extent you are comfortable doing so).

As a JobAngel, your “mission” is to help just one person at a time.

Again, as the JobAngels founder Mark Stelzner says: “This movement is all about making a single connection”  AND “Just one person can make a difference“.

____________________________________________

JobAngels to the Rescue!

Job seekers! Help is on the way!  Job seekers, meet JobAngels

JobAngels is a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to help the job seeker find his/her next opportunity. All of JobAngels’ services are provided by volunteers, so there is no cost to the job seeker. The main goal is for each member to help just one job seeker find employment, it’s that simple.

Interview with Charee Klimek, Job Angels’ Chief Marketing Officer:

Q)   How did JobAngels get started?

A)   obangels got started through a random and thoughtful act of kindness by Mark Stelzner, Founder of JobAngels. Mark is an HR consultant in Washington DC and big Twitter user. It was the week of January 26, 2009, which was particularly rough with a record number of layoffs, when Mark sent out a tweet (message on Twitter) about how wonderful it would be if we could assist someone in getting a job today. On January 29, 2009, Mark sent his tweet to his network asking how we can help someone in our sphere of influence land a job. From there, JobAngels was born!

Q) From your website, www.jobangels.org,  I see you are on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  What drove JobAngels to these social networks?

A) JobAngels got started on Twitter. Even before we put up our website (community coming soon!), we used Twitter’s search feature and created the #jobangels tag so people can post jobs, resources, job seekers and other information in a readable thread. This went completely viral!

We are on Facebook and LinkedIn since these social networking sites are the most heavily utilized. It’s all about getting the word out. The JobAngels’ network has expanded so vastly in just 45 days. We have 3800 followers on Twitter, 1100 friends on Facebook, more than 1200 connections on LinkedIn.

Q) How has using social networking helped JobAngels?

A) The community has truly been the driver for our rapid growth. This has evolved purely by word of mouth and people wanting to hep other people. Social networking has been the method in which we interact real time with our networks, job seekers and our volunteer JobAngels.

In fact, the JobAngels’ website is about to change dramatically. Right now, it is a static page, but we are launching our own community very soon. It will be like a cross between LinkedIn and Match.com. There will be a profile registration feature for the job seeker and our JobAngels (volunteers). Paired with smart matching functionality, people can be matched inside or outside of their designated vertical.

Q) What advise to you give job seekers in this treacherous job market?

A) The apply, apply, apply model no longer works. Companies are still hiring, but may not be advertising these posting heavily since layoffs are still happening. So networking is absolutely critical to the job search and JobAngels can help you to expand it.

Companies are also getting overwhelmed by resumes, so getting lost in the shuffle is common. Using social networking can help build your network. Of course, it is wise to build your network before you need it too!

Q) What direction do you give jobseekers about using social networking for job hunting strategies?

A) Networking is the most critical step job seeker can take, especially in this job market. Social networking plays a big a part of that. We are finding many who are new to Twitter and often provide mini coaching 1:1 to get them comfortable or need some technical assistance. We also recommend job seekers join the JobAngel networks on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Q) How can the Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter communities help JobAngels?

A) We have already had such an amazing response from people who have been so instrumental to JobAngels’ success. Many professionals including resume writers and career coaches have donated their time to assist the job seekers. And all operations are voluntary. We are also in the process of being established as a non-profit organization so staying true to our job seekers at a no cost model is very important to us.

So there you go! Pay it forward! Continue getting the word out about JobAngels and help us help those who need jobs. Use #jobangels tag on Twitter. Volunteers, partnerships and sponsorships would be a huge help to us.

____________________________________________

Another reference to JobAngels in a recent Wall Street Journal

Strangers Lend a Hand to Job Seekers

Read about it here:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123783938878417223.html

In the article  career experts state that the majority of the best jobs are found on the basis of networking or a relationship:  “The power of a referral is tremendous!”

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Social Media | Comments Off

Polish Your Resume

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

Polish Your Resume

The Kiplinger publication had a relevant article about resumes – http://www.kiplinger.com/features/archives/2005/01/resume.html – although somewhat dated, it contains pertinent information.

An overview:  Its time to give your résumé a major makeover – necessary to be prepared if you’re suddenly laid off, a headhunter contacts you or you see an ad for the job of your dreams. And if you have just completed a performance review and your accomplishments are fresh in your mind, the timing couldn’t be better.

Summary of the article:

  • Create an e-mail résumé
  • Include critical words
  • Skip the objective
  • Let your past promote you
  • Weed out old jobs.
  • Create a new résumé for each job
  • Get personal

Other Thoughts about the Resume

The resumé is the first impression you will make with your future employer; so make it as professional as possible.  You resumé, either formatted as chronological, functional, targeted or executive summary, is important and here is why:

•  A professional resumé, one that will get you past the first cut, will look simple, neat and straightforward. Caveat: It just takes a lot of work to get there.
•  Put yourself in the position of the hiring manager, the recruiter… look at your resumé and ask, “Would I hire this person?“  Be painfully honest with yourself.
•  At the top of the first page your name, address and contact information are important. Make sure your telephone number is on all correspondence. Graphics and your picture are not.
•  Use the job title as shown on the job advertisement – as well as the classification or reference number. This ensures, but never guarantees, that your resumé will put in the correct “In” box.
•  Use the same language in your resumé as the company used in their announcement. Whether scanned by a real person or by computer, these key words will open the door and get you past the first cut.
•  Use bright white paper; 103+ brightness in a 20- or 24-lb stock is perfect. Do not use grays, tans, pastels or anything else. Never use pink. Stay away from “fancy” and “cute.”
•  Use the font of Times New Roman or Arial with a point of 10- or 12-point, and be consistent throughout your resumé and correspondence.
•  Do not put falsehoods on the resume – it will be checked, so do not do it.
•  Follow the KISS axiom – Keep It Short and Simple.  Resumés should be no more than one page. Use one-inch margins
•  Your career objective must be company orientated. As a potential employer, would you rather read “I am looking for a position that…” or “I bring to your organization proven professional experience…”? Employers only care if you can do the job.
•  Go back only 10 or 15 years in listing your experience; anything older is outdated. Your college education, professional designations and awards are all important. (without dates)
•  Include hard facts and action verbs, not fluff. Do not elaborate on what was expected of you but, rather, include your successes and achievements. Be positive and assertive.
•  Proofread! to find misspellings and poor grammar (and a negative tone). If you can, have someone else proof your work.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Jobsearch | Comments Off

Social media resume process

Tuesday, March 24th, 2009

The social media resume process

Dan Schawbel wrote this article  http://mashable.com/2009/01/13/social-media-resume/ and states that with a social media resume, you can present a different portrait of yourself for hiring managers and customize the resume to reflect your personal brand.   Social media allows for the resume to become a  “billboard” that can be shared, distributed to hiring managers, searched and more.

Article contents:

  • Start with a website
  • Your URL is key
  • Decide on the format and design
  • Enhance your resume with multimedia
  • Integrate your social network profiles
  • Make your resume shareable

Dan says that this is a way to showcase your talents and what you’re looking for in a job.  Merely include various multimedia elements, sharing options, integrated social networking feeds and the same elements you’d find in a traditional resume and you will be better equipped for success.

He concludes that if you do your social media resume right, you’ll never have to apply for another job again!

___________________________________________________________________________

Check this short video from Commoncraft: “Social Media in Plain English”:

Tags: , ,
Posted in Branding, Social Media | Comments Off

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »