Moving Your Career Forward in Tough Times – Part 2 of 2

Posted on April 30, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

 

What's the solution? When the job market is at its worst, you need to be MORE selective. You need to focus on EXACTLY the kind of work you would LOVE to do. You need to identify precisely the kind of company you want to join. You need to confidently “stick to your guns,” and not "settle." You need to be crystal clear on the ideal work situation for you — and go after it relentlessly. While you may need to make a few minor concessions in a down market, you shouldn't compromise your professional standards in any way.

Career success is still an “inside job”

No matter how bad external circumstances get, your real battle is INTERNAL. You need to pay close attention to how you're thinking! As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.” If you maintain a high level of focus and clarity, it will come through in every phase of your job search and career management efforts. Hiring managers will be able to sense this, and you'll stand out from the crowd.

Unlike your competition, YOU will exude confidence, focus, and “fit” — because you've laser-targeted the kind of job where you can do your best work and deliver maximum value. Conducting a job search and managing your career really is an “inside job” — and you have far more control over your results than you might have thought! So, it's critically important to shift your attention away from today's dire market conditions, and toward your own mindset. You can't control external circumstances, but you CAN control how you deal with them.

Take a good look at your own situation. How are YOU coping with current market pressures? If you're having difficulty staying focused and motivated — if you're feeling discouraged and defeated — you can always get career help. With the proper support and resources, you'll start producing much better results.

Remember that even in this challenging job market, plenty of people just like you are sticking with their career strategies. They're advancing in their careers and, yes, even landing great opportunities. There's no reason why YOU shouldn't be able to move your career forward and enjoy the same success!

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Moving Your Career Forward in Tough Times – Part 1 of 2

Posted on April 28, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

Work Harder and Smarter for Better Career Results

Let's face it: the job market is bad and the economy is worse. That's why this is the time to push harder than ever in conducting your job search and managing your career. In addition to working harder, you'll need to work smarter as well.

Are you upset that you didn't “ace” your last job interview? Are you feeling like a failure because the job you wanted went to another candidate? When times are tough and things look bleak, it's tempting to just “throw in the towel” and feel sorry for yourself, isn't it? Well, a lot of people are doing exactly that. They're “taking their foot off the gas” and coasting, or wallowing in self-pity and frustration. Many are exhausted, tapped-out and tired of all the rejection.

When your competition has decided to “sit out” the rest of the game, that's the worst time for YOU to quit — because now you can have every employer's attention! There's actually much less “noise” out there for your message to compete against. Push ahead now, and you'll be noticed. Leverage smart career strategies, and you'll quickly see the signs of success.

Stay focused on your goals and “stick to your guns”

When the economy is in bad shape and the job market is frozen, many well-qualified, hard working people start to lower their sights. For them, “any job” becomes preferable to no job. Getting another position (ANY position) as quickly as possible appears to make sense because, as they say, “you can always keep looking” and “it's easier to get a new job when you already have a job.”

But this is flawed thinking — and I've seen it backfire too many times NOT to warn you against it. If you take the first job that comes along, you'll get complacent. Inertia and fear will set in. In the short term, it will certainly feel good to have a job to go to each morning. However, as weeks turn into months and months turn into years, you could find yourself stuck in that job you took “just to pay the bills.” Pretty soon, you may lose your career bearings and with every passing day, the notion of initiating another job transition will become more unpleasant and scary.

 

To read the entire article, click here.

 

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

Posted on April 26, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

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

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

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

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

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

To read the entire article, click here.

 

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

Posted on April 17, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

 

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

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

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

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

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20 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers in a Down Market – Part 2 of 2

Posted on April 12, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

 

5. Differentiate yourself. Position yourself as an expert by writing articles, giving presentations, or teaching a class. Get involved in professional organizations, and assume leadership roles there. Do something noteworthy in your community that will garner special recognition and build your positive reputation. Focus on what makes you special, and build your brand within your industry.

6. Use your time off wisely. Pursue professional development by participating in classes, seminars, certifications, and industry conferences. Take advantage of free and low-cost programs to enhance your credentials. Explore more of your world to generate new ideas. Do the important things that you never had time to do when you were working full-time. Enjoy the feeling of still being productive and making a contribution.

7. Pursue a temporary, part-time, or contract position. Volunteer, provide pro bono work, take on a consulting contract, or complete an internship or apprenticeship. This tactic is especially useful for those who wish to pursue a career in a different industry. Keep yourself in the game, so you won’t lose traction in your career growth.

8. Act with speed and urgency. One way for you to get an edge over other candidates is to demonstrate that you’re more serious and more determined than the competition. Show up earlier. Arrive more prepared. Move quickly and efficiently. Make an impression by being more responsive and assertive than the others.

9. Take care of yourself. Eat well, exercise, get plenty of rest. You’ll need to be healthy and vital to maintain the pace of an active job search campaign. Stay in close touch with friends and family. Keep-up with your interests, hobbies, and activities. Follow your normal routines, even as you work hard on getting the job you want. Maintain balance in your life, and don’t let the job search become all-consuming.

10. Be flexible and adaptable. Consider shifting industries and/or being geographically mobile to open-up more career possibilities, even if you would not ordinarily choose these options. Rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity, offer your skills to other industries and lend your experience to different positions. Do whatever you need to do (within reason) to keep your career intact and earn a living. But NEVER lose sight of your career direction and long-term career goals!

11. Improve and enhance all of the documents in your career portfolio. Now is the time to expand your career portfolio far beyond just the resume. You’ll need a one-page professional biography, a collection of powerful accomplishment stories, a series of compelling cover letters, a page of professional references, a list of targeted employers, a 30-second commercial (elevator speech), and other items. Craft a unified package that consistently conveys a highly professional image of yourself.

12. Identify industries that will emerge stronger when the market improves. Research emerging opportunities and niches that will offer career growth, and position yourself to take advantage of these trends. (Healthcare, education, and security are some fields that are expected to continue expanding.) If your field has collapsed, be sure to communicate your transferable strengths and the tangible value you offer, rather than focusing on the trade skills from your old industry. Adapt to the realities of the changing work world, rather than holding onto your old career identity out of fear, resentment, or even nostalgia.

13. Practice interviewing and negotiation skills. In an ideal world, you would have been practicing your interviewing and negotiation skills while you were fully employed, rather than waiting for a career crisis to arise. But now that the employment market is in crisis, it’s that much more important to polish and perfect these skills. Solicit the help of a partner to role-play with you, and switch roles as needed with the questions and answers. Practice with an audio-recording device, and listen to yourself as you continually improve your performance.

14. Be patient, but persistent. When the job market is bad, employers will prolong the hiring process, and your search is bound to take longer than usual. There is not much a candidate can do to rush things, so you’ll need to be patient. However, this does not mean you should sit by the phone waiting for the employer to contact you. You’ll want to pursue two basic strategies: (1) Be persistent, but don’t be a pest, as you follow up consistently on every opportunity; and (2) Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Instead, keep moving forward as you explore every appropriate opening you can find. One benefit of pursuing multiple positions is that if you don’t get an offer, or if an employer never gets back to you, you won’t feel crushed.

15. Focus on tangible results and practical solutions. In a healthy job market, candidates can market themselves with their employment history, education, and related assets. But when no one’s hiring, there needs to be a relentless focus on tangible, positive results. The primary question in the employer’s mind will be, “What can you do for me – now?” This means that you should zero in and quickly identify the employer’s most pressing needs and challenges – and then explain exactly how your relevant accomplishments will allow you to successfully address those issues in the short term.

16. Work from a budget. Instead of going into a panic or worrying that you’ll lose everything you’ve worked for, conduct a detailed analysis of your financial situation and develop a family budget. You may discover that you’re in a better financial position than you had thought. While you’re in transition, cut back on expenses and live as frugally as you reasonably can. Examine and update this budget on a weekly basis. This sort of discipline will pay-off by stretching your dollars and providing some peace of mind.

17. Be kind to yourself. Your experience of being out of work or looking for a new job will be determined by how you look at it. You have a choice. You can beat yourself up, feel like a loser, and be riddled with guilt and shame. Or, you can look at your situation in a more positive way. Realize that you are not to blame for the economic meltdown or the high unemployment numbers. You didn’t do anything wrong, and you’re still a highly qualified professional. There is no longer the same stigma there used to be about being unemployed, as almost every family in America will be touched by layoffs and downsizings. Forgive yourself, forgive your ex-employer, and forgive the world. Move on toward a better career future.

18. Pay extra attention to your personal image. First impressions count. Make a deliberate, consistent effort to present yourself in the best light. Ask yourself, “How can I enhance my attributes in the following areas: hair, eyeglasses, makeup, hands, clothes, shoes, accessories, posture, smile?” Now is the ideal time to take stock of your appearance, and make whatever changes you feel could improve your job search results.

19. Watch your attitude. Job search is really an inside game, especially when no one’s hiring. That is, the outcome of your search will have much more to do with how you think about it than with the external circumstances of the job market. Avoid the gloom and doom messages disseminated by the media, and stay away from any negative people in your life who bring you down. Maintain a positive attitude, and never state anything negative or act desperate. Spend some time each day focusing in and recalibrating your internal attitude. Even if you’re out of a job, you probably have many other wonderful things in your life, so remember to be grateful.

20. Be philosophical. Think of the old saying, “Things happen for a reason.” It usually turns out to be true. Look at the big-picture view of your recent change in employment. If you’re like a lot of my clients, after a time you may come to see this transition as a blessing in disguise. Many candidates go on to find jobs that are better than the ones they had before. Others take the opportunity to explore other careers, rediscover their professional passions, and make important decisions. While you certainly didn’t ask to be forced into a job search by the economic crisis, try to find the life lessons and new perspectives in this transition. Commit to yourself that, somehow, you will make this a rewarding and productive experience.

Conducting a successful job search campaign takes energy, discipline, and career support. Despite the pressures you may face in today’s employment market, you must stay focused on your goals and search smart.

 

To read the entire article, click here.

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20 Habits of Highly Effective Job Seekers in a Down Market – Part 1 of 2

Posted on April 10, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

ven in a down market, job seekers and employees are not powerless or without recourse. In fact, you have more control over your career circumstances than you might think. I’ve developed 20 specific strategies and tactics that consistently generate powerful results for job seekers, even when it seems that “no one’s hiring.”

1. Network, network, network. Continually increase your level of networking and keep expanding your contact database. Reach out to reestablish and nourish business and personal relationships. Offer to help others, even if they’re not in a position to help you (because what goes around comes around). There is no substitute for connecting with people one-on-one. Stay connected and don’t isolate yourself. Being out of work does not mean you have to be out of touch, so be sure to build and maintain your networking momentum.

2. Seek help. Get career support from a professional. A qualified career coach can better prepare you to land your next position. If career coaching is unaffordable for you, take advantage of the support provided by government programs, nonprofit agencies, job search groups, college/alumni career centers, or faith-based missions for the unemployed and underemployed. If you’re thinking of changing industries, get some career testing. If you’re struggling emotionally, get help from a mental health service provider.

3. Read career books and attend career seminars. Take advantage of learning opportunities to improve your job search and career management skills. Keeping informed of business trends will help you gain greater knowledge of the industries and careers that are poised for future growth. Stay plugged into the market and your field to ensure that you’ll be current, and to maintain your intellectual capital. Apply what you learn, and generate stronger search results.

4. Leverage technology. Utilize web sites and online services to connect with your industry and to build greater visibility. Create a career web site, using tools like VisualCV (www.visualcv.com) and LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). Reach out through social networking sites, such as Facebook (www.facebook.com), MySpace (www.myspace.com), and Twitter (www.twitter.com). Keep in touch with colleagues consistently via e-mail. In addition to leveraging career portals and job boards, learn how to use online tools like blogs, wikis, and virtual job fairs. Focus on optimizing your online identity.

 

To read the entire article, click here.

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Seven Truths of Career Success – Part 2 of 2

Posted on April 3, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

4. An employer’s first offer is NEVER their best offer

When it comes to compensation, employers expect that you’ve done salary research, and they anticipate having dynamic negotiations with you. In fact, they’ll often be disappointed and question your candidacy if you DON'T negotiate. You might be tempted to think ANY job offer is great in a tough economy or that this is the WORST time to negotiate — but you’d be wrong.

Employers usually start with a low salary offer merely as a “trial balloon,” to see how you’ll react — and there’s almost always room to improve on the initial compensation offer, even in a tight job market. If you don’t negotiate further, I guarantee that you’ll be leaving money — and possibly a whole lot more — on the table.

5. Always research and be “plugged in” to the competition

Research and be aware of the competition — whether it be information about other companies or other professionals in your industry. Always know who they are and what they’re doing. Endeavor to “know the competition better than they know themselves.” This will greatly enhance your competitiveness when jobs are hard to come by, and it will allow you to jump on opportunities that others might not yet be aware of!

So “research your way to success.” Read industry publications, your daily newspaper’s business section, Business Week, Fortune, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and so on. Pay attention to other local, regional, and national sources of “business intelligence,” such as web sites, newsletters, blogs, and radio or TV shows.

Connect with people, companies, and groups that you read about. The more you know about the competition, the easier it will be to land the right position in a challenging job market.

6. Networking is not as important as you think it is

It’s far more important!! Put time aside every week for active networking to maintain established relationships and develop new ones — both inside and outside the company where you work.

You should always be positioned to leverage your professional and personal contacts when the need arises. So, adopt the discipline of blocking-out time on your calendar specifically for networking activities — every week, every month, and every year, for the duration of your career!

It’s important to keep networking in both good economic times and bad — and to continually expand your contact database. This vital resource becomes the “backbone” of every future job search, as well as your overall career development process.

7. If YOU’RE not managing your career, nobody is!

When I speak to audiences about career management strategies, I often start by asking, “Who is responsible for managing your career?” Is it Human Resources, your manager, a recruiter, your Career Coach, or none of these?

In the past, when the job market was much healthier, perhaps any combination of these would have been the correct answer. But in today’s economy, the answer is clearly “none of these.”

It doesn’t matter what your Human Resources department says about “succession planning” or “leadership development.” It doesn’t matter that you have great relationships with recruiting firms. It doesn’t matter if you’re working with the world’s best Career Coach. It doesn’t even matter if your boss loves everything you’re doing, has big plans for you, and has nothing but praise for you at every performance review.

The bottom line is that YOU, and only you, hold the keys to your career and professional future. Although there is no longer such a thing as “job security,” if you take 100% responsibility for managing your own career, you can still develop and maintain own brand of “employment security.”

To read the entire article, click here.

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Seven Truths of Career Success – Part 1 of 2

Posted on April 3, 2012 | Posted in Articles

 

1. The most qualified candidate does not necessarily get the job offer

Many times, candidates with lesser qualifications get job offers simply because they’ve prepared and presented themselves in a more compelling way. They “package” themselves better, with an outstanding portfolio of career documents and oral presentation skills. The winning candidate is the one who knows how to tie his or her achievements, strengths and assets directly to the employer’s needs, problems and challenges.

In a difficult employment landscape, strong qualifications and accomplishments are necessary, but not sufficient, to find a job you love and earn what you deserve. Don’t be fooled into believing that the work world is a meritocracy — it’s not. In the end, it’s the best self-marketer who gets the job.

2. The best time to work on your career is when your job is secure

Even if you’re very happily employed today, you never know what may happen tomorrow! To avoid a career crisis, you should incorporate the concept of “Perpetual Career Management” into your professional life. This means consistently pursuing activities that you THOUGHT were only for job seekers.

Vital tasks like keeping your success stories up to date, practicing interviewing and negotiation skills, or networking regularly with professionals in your industry, should be incorporated into your routine whether the economy is good or bad — and whether you feel you need to or not.

Instead of focusing only on doing your job, you should focus on managing your career — at all times, regardless of how the economy or job market is doing!

3. Graduating from school is the beginning of your education, not the end

In good economic times or bad, you should always look for ways to advance your industry knowledge and professional qualifications. Attending seminars, reading trade journals, pursuing certifications, etc. — these activities must be a part of your ongoing professional development process. It’s imperative that every professional remain current in his or her field. No company wants to hire a candidate whose intellectual capital is stale. NOT upgrading your knowledge and skills on a continual basis is a risk you can’t afford to take.

You should continually build your credentials, which will make you more attractive and marketable as a candidate — both inside your company and in “the outside world.”

Plus, in a down economy, the greatest assets you have to sell are your knowledge and intellectual resources. When business gets tough, the demand for people who can think strategically and deliver tangible results goes UP, not down!

 

To read the entire article, click here.

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