Category Archives: Career Direction

Holiday Job Search Tips

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snowmanMany people ask if they can actually find a job during the holidays.  My answer is always Y-E-S!  I always think any time and any situation is good for job searching…but especially during the holidays.  One of the main reasons why job searching during the holidays is effective is because it tends to be a more “social” time.  There are holiday parties, get-togethers, family events and dinners, as well as gift giving.  All those are social events that allow for unique types of engagements.  Those engagements are technically networking events.

Holiday Job Search Tip #1:  Accept invitations to all parties.  No matter if you like the people or not, a party is a great time to meet new people.  Job leads are found many times from casual acquaintances.  Meeting new people at parties is a great way to get to know new people.  If you are uncomfortable introducing yourself at parties, find the person/people who are trying not to talk to anyone and say hi…talk about the weather and get a conversation going.  They are probably more nervous than you are.

Holiday Job Search Tip #2:  Invite others to your house…have your own parties.  Don’t wait for people to invite you.  Invite them.  And don’t try to match your friends together for the perfect night.  Invite a whole range of people over and encourage them to invite someone else.  Have someone help you out at the party so you are not hiding behind all you have to do but enjoying meeting everyone.

Holiday Job Search Tip #3:  Realize companies need to fill open positions for the new year.  Many companies are thinking about the new year during the holidays.  Hiring managers are wondering if or when they will receive approval to make a hire on their team.  Sometimes they get the approval just before the new year.  The holidays might slow down the communications around a new hire but the need is still there.  Be patient with the process but don’t count yourself out of any opportunity.

These are just a few holiday job search tips to keep in mind during this season.  Get out there and meet more new people.  There are also plenty of ways you can volunteer and meet new people.  Getting out there means helping others and them helping you.

Let’s Get Started!

Job Layoff and 5 What To Do Next Tips

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Well I have been out of commission for a little while and haven’t posted much lately.  My summer hiatus is over now and back to connecting with you all once again.  Today’s topic is centered around what are the first things you should do after you are laid off from your job.  I am not going to suggest you not panic or going to tell you “maybe it is for the better” or some catch phrase like that.  Instead I am going to share with you the realities of what to do first and why.

Here are five things you should focus your efforts on:

1. Start learning how to conduct an online job search.  I don’t advocate this approach as your only approach to finding a new job BUT it should be the place you start to explore the “low hanging fruit” opportunities.  This is where many (not all) employers go to start their own search for new employees.  This is also where many recruiters go to start looking for potential candidates in tough markets.

Learning how to conduct an online job search is a bit different and for another post.  But start adding this activity to your daily to-do list when the hint of job layoffs are in the air.

2. Get your resume up-to-date.  Don’t wait too long on this one.  Find someone who can help you craft a new resume.  Always keep in mind a new resume needs to have flexibility built into it so you can tailor it to meet the needs of online job postings you find or connections you make in the near future.  Tweaking resume content for EVERY job opportunity is very important…so start thinking that way about your resume.

3. Commit to an amount of time each day you will be job searching.  I personally don’t think you should search eight or 10 hours a day.  That is an easy way to get burned out.  Searching for three to five hours, five to six days a week is plenty.  You will be searching when you meet people in other activities so don’t worry, you will get a lot of time in.

4. Find a new hobby or activity.  After a job layoff it is important to make sure you are accomplishing things along the way.  Volunteering once or twice a week in virtually any capacity will help you stay “connected” to the world in general.  Don’t worry if it doesn’t help you find a job.  Instead think of it as your investment time into other people.  You will benefit from it every time you do it.

5. Start thinking about your financial future.  This is a great time for you and your spouse (if you have one) to start prioritizing your bills and how you are going to try to pay them all.  You might come to realize you need to find a part time job to bring in some income while you are searching.  That is also why I don’t think job searching should be done all day, every day.  You can find time to make some additional money along the way.  Your finances will help dictate how much and for how long.  Having those talks along the way will help keep the “monkey on your back” in check.

There are a lot of thing to consider when your job is eliminated by a layoff.  These top five will help you focus some of your efforts in the right direction.  A new job can be found with consistency…do a little each day and it will pay off for you eventually.  These things to keep in mine will help you stay in the job search game for the long haul if it goes that way.  There is a pretty good chance it will turn into a marathon job search.  You can do it.  You just need to be consistent.

Let’s Get Started!

Jeff

 

5 Job Searching Tips

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The following 5 job searching tips are not your traditional tips.  They are intended to shake your core a little and get you moving.  If offensive, I apologize ahead of time.  But (there is always a but isn’t there?) remember sometimes the toughest thing to hear is what makes you change and succeed.

Job Searching Tip #1:  You are LAZY…stop being lazy.  Most job seekers I meet are really not that hungry for a new job.  They are searching online four, five and even six hours a day.  They say things like: “I sent out 500 resumes and haven’t heard a thing….no responses.  There are no jobs out there.  The economy sucks and …”  When you hear yourself say this or others, get mad and call yourself or them L-A-Z-Y because you are.  You are lazy because you spend so much time doing things that don’t get results and then you blame “outside forces” beyond your control so you don’t have to look at why you are not succeeding.  Get off your butt and get out there.  Your new job is searching for another one and you can’t do that by being lazy and making excuses.

Job Searching Tip #2:  You must put in overtime on this, your new job.  When it gets down to it, a job search can take anywhere from 150 to 500+ hours to complete.  When I had my consulting business, I actually job searched for individuals.  They paid me a fee to do the work for them because they were too busy (or just scared).  Why I could not make a lot of money at it was because of the time required to find leads, connect with the hiring manager and get an interview.  This took a lot of focused energy.  I calculated it took between 150 and 500+ hours to find what was needed to get interviews.  If you are not willing to put in 10 to 12 hour a day on your job search, it will take months and months to complete.  So you have to plan ahead of time to work 50 to 60 hours a week if you want to really find something fast.  It is not just putting in the time.  Instead it is taking the time to hit walls and figure out ways to get over them, put your own feelings on the back burner and do the right activities to find the right opportunities.  It is focused time in the right directions that produces results.

Job Searching Tip #3:  It is NOT a “numbers game”.  Those of you who think if I just send out enough resumes eventually one will work.  I am here to tell you that you should not look at job searching that way.  It really is not a numbers game with resumes.  Yes you might eventually find a job this way so it has a little merit.  However, a numbers game is what should be termed “a gamble”.  Do you really want to gamble with your job searching activities?  I am here to tell you shouldn’t.  It won’t get the job done and you are just fooling yourself.  Gambling is for those who have time and money on their side, not the beginners.

Job Searching Tip #4:  You are an immature baby, scared of your own shadow.  You really are.  You ignore good teaching on how to find a job because you won’t let your brain be open to ideas and things that make you nervous.  Just admit it, you are scared.  Yes you are…you are scared.  Don’t shy away from it.  Instead recognize you are scared and find ways to help smooth out your fears.  Most of us get nervous in interviews, in tense situations when everything is on the line and some people are just plain nervous in social situations.  Ok, I get that…now you need to get it too.  Know thyself first and find tools and techniques for you to get past Y-O-U.  So you are scared, big freakin’ deal.  Stop being a baby and running away from your fears.  We all have them.  Embrace, develop technique to minimize your nervousness and move forward.

Job Searching Tip #5 (my personal favorite) – STOP telling yourself you are not going to find a new job and other stupid things you say to yourself in the shower, dark of night, when you are driving, etc.  You are your own enemy when it comes to keeping your head in this job searching game.  You struggle between good thoughts and bad thoughts with the bad ones winning out most of the time.  They start in small ways but then they seep deeper and deeper into your head like a constant dripping.  Turn the faucet off.  You have very important skills, experience, drive, passion and heart.  You do…your really do.  Everyone has something to give in this world even you.  Stop bringing yourself down with your constant dripping of negative words and thoughts.  Changing this requires you to mechanically remind yourself of what you offer.  Putting motivating quotes up in the bathroom, listening to motivational audio products, watching motivating video products, and others activities like it are all ways to mechanically change your thinking.

These job searching tips are so crucial to being successful in your job search.  Stop whining and start working.

Let’s Get Started!

Jeff

Who Needs A Job?

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Raise your hand if you are one of those people who needs a job?  Do you just need a new job or you don’t have one and need one as soon as possible?

I ask who needs a job because I want to better understand who is visiting my blog these days.  Are most of your employed or not? So leave me a comment below so I can better understand….please?

The “who needs a job” statement make me wonder if you are desperate.  If you are, always remember desperation can encourage you to make bad decisions.  Now the desperation won’t do it but your feelings of desperation can cloud your judgement.  So the point I want to make with this post is to remind you that if you are feeling desperate in your job search, you might be inclined to listen to wrong advice or make spontaneous decisions.

This is why you really need to plan out your job search a little before you get going.  You don’t need a rigid plan in place that you don’t adjust along the way.  What you do need is a list of basic goals for what you are trying to find in the way of a new job.  Something like:

- How much time will you work on your search each day?

- What type of job are you most qualified for?

- What type of job can you make the most money AND is this what you really want to do?

- Do you require an interim job until you find the right one for the long term?

- What is your long term job desire?

- Do you need a flexible job so you can go back to school or get some additional training for your long term goal?

All these type of questions should be answered ahead of time.  Then when you get in the middle of your search, you can go back and review what your goals are.  This review process will give you a foundation to review every opportunity along the way.

Another important thing putting a plan on paper does is helps you get out of your head the things that are swirling around causing you confusion or second guessing your decisions.  The more stuff you keep in your head the greater the chances are that you will be swayed by emotional ups and downs during your job search.  Finding ways to keep yourself grounded is so important.

So if you are one who raised your hand for the question “Who needs a job” then keep the above things in mind.  Try not to let desperation seep into your head during your job search.  You will search better and faster if you don’t.

Let’s Get Started!

Jeff

Top 10 Tips On How To Find A Job 2012

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Ok…here is my best shot at the most important tips on how to find a job in 2012:

1. Know Thyself – understand what you are looking for in your next job BEFORE you start searching.  You don’t have to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life.  Pick one direction, plan it out and stick with it.

2. Don’t get bogged down by social media stuff – I hear a lot of buzz around should I use Twitter or Facebook to find a job?  What is LinkedIn and how can I find a job with it?  If you don’t understand these tools don’t waste your time on them until you do.  Don’t let them be a distraction to your job search thinking they are the “magic bullet”.  They can help but they are not for everyone.  A successful job search means you connect with hiring managers and they want you.  Social media tools can help these interactions get started but I have also seen people spend so much time trying to make it work for them they miss great opportunities.  Don’t go down this “rabbit hole” if you get easily distracted.

3. Be genuine.  Be yourself – whether you are meeting someone to help you with your job search or a potential employer, don’t oversell yourself and your accomplishments.  You are who you are.  We like you as you are.  Don’t be someone or something you are not.  You have gifts and talents just like everyone else and you deserve what you are looking for.  Focus your efforts on who you are not who you want others to think you are.

4. Be a dream seeker - it is ok to be looking for the dream job or the right situation for your next job.  Dreaming and seeing those dreams become reality is such a wonderful experience, everyone should be striving for it.  I am a big proponent of you trying to find an opportunity that is over your head or out of your comfort zone.  ”Stretch jobs” can be one of the most exciting times in your working life.  There are so many companies and so many types of hiring manager.  Look for the ones who believe in your and willing to give you a shot at your dream.  They are out there.  You just need to find one.

5. Your attitude is everything – I can’t tell you how important your attitude is.  Be happy, optimistic and positive no matter what is going on around you.  It will seep into your conversations and make your presentations most fruitful.  A bad attitude will do the same but sour your chances.

6. Don’t be too proud – being too proud is actually a form of fear.  Pride forces you to not let others into your life.  Pride puts up walls that might not be able to be seen by the other person but are felt at a deeper level.  Try “humbleness” on for size and see how it feels.  It is actually very comfortable and opens more doors.

7. Don’t give “canned” ANYTHING – no canned responses, no canned resumes, no canned cover letters, and no canned tuna (jk on the tuna).  If you look or act or sound like everyone else you are going to be perceived to be like everyone else…B-O-R-I-N-G.  Don’t be boring.  Instead be bold in order to stand out in someone’s mind.  Don’t be cocky but be bold and look for ways to make an impression.

8. The details will kill you – if you have never heard the old saying about the “devil in the details” you might want to think about this one.  Spending your time on making sure your resume doesn’t have errors or your “elevator pitch” sounds comfortable or whatever you are doing is done well, is very important.  Employers don’t want people who can churn out calls or data, they want people who take pride in their work (and maybe churn out the calls and data).  Make sure you are taking the necessary time to proof your work.

9. Slow down – if you are always feeling like you are rushing to get that resume to that lady or hurry up and push out that blog post or trying to hurry through coffee with a friend because your “schedule” is waiting, then slow down.  Slowing down allows you to focus on one project at a time and pour your whole self into it.  That means being a little flexible with your schedule and not putting so many deadlines on your time.  Have a plan but give it room to breath and take shape.

10. Have fun – now this one can be taken the wrong way if I am not careful.  I don’t want you to think of your job search as a party, necessarily.  I do want you to be excited about what direction your next job is going to take you in.  Thinking about the excitement for what is next in your working life can really get you pumped up.  Finding a job is no easy task most of the time, you might as well try to find ways to make it fun.  Adding a little fun to the work can make the work not seem so difficult.

I love the 10 tips here and hope you do too.

Let’s Get Started!

Jeff

What Do You Need?

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It is a new year for you and me.  I have been writing this blog for over four years now.  I just realized one very important thing.  I have never asked you what you need.  I have never asked you to let me know what interests you right now, where you are.

So this is not really a post but more of a question to find out what is the one thing you need right now in your job search?  Now maybe your first answer is:  “A job” which is a good one.  I think that one is obvious…hopefully.  Dig just a little deeper and tell me what you need right now in your job or your job search.  If you need help with your search, what specific help do you need?  If you need support in your search, what specific type of support do you need?  What one thing is dragging you down where you can’t figure out what to do next?

Think about it and let me know.  All job seekers are welcome.  You can comment here or send an email to me at:  jeffonjobs at gmail dot com.  I will respond (or not if you prefer) to each message I receive.  I want to hear from you.

Let’s Get Started!

New Year…New Job?

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How do you know when it is time to look for another job?  This can be a daunting question to answer without knowing all the facts.  Many of us at the beginning of the year start to think about a fresh start in a new job, a new department or a new company.  We picture what it would look like, how much we would get paid and what our life would be like.  Are you looking at a new opportunity through rose-colored glasses?

Rose colored glasses are fun to wear and use to dream a little when you need some time.  But when you always look through them to analyze your situation you can make a poor decision and get stuck in something you didn’t mean to happen.  This dog looks funny with them on and so do you when you wear them.  Take them off and start looking at your working life with the right perspective.

Instead, it is so very important to really look at what is going on with you and your job.  Sometimes you don’t need to change companies.  Instead what you might need is a change of pace.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when analyzing your current career situation:

1. If you have a personal conflict with someone, try to work it out.  You might need to change a little and so might they.  If it cannot be worked out, have a discussion with your manager and see if you might fit into a new role in a new department.  Find a place where you can explore other areas of your experience.

2. Never make a decision when you are too high (excited) or too low (frustrated/depressed).  Decision making must be made with a clear head.  If you don’t you risk making the wrong decision.

3. There are times when we have to do what we are doing for other reasons.  If you have gotten yourself in debt or have a family, you know what it is like to have to work hard for a period of time until your situation changes.  That is normal and should be a reminder to not let yourself get in a tough situation again.

4. You can only fix yourself; you cannot fix others.  Try working on your own attitude or your own internal struggles with your job first.  Give the benefit of the doubt to others and try to fix yourself.  Swallowing some pride pie can really go a long way to any conflict situation.

5. Life is NEVER fair.  You should have learned this back when you were 10 years old.  Life has a way of not being fair sometimes.  You get overlooked because you are too old or too young, too heavy or too skinny, too ugly or too good-looking and others.  Life isn’t fair and sometimes you need to accept that the cards you were dealt are not all aces.  Get over it and focus on what you can control and take advantage of.

When considering what you are going to do in 2012, keep yourself grounded.  If you are ready to take a chance and get yourself out in the job search market then stop waiting.  If you gut is saying something is not right.  Look inside to fix the outside.  You will be glad you did.

Let’s Get Started!

Jeff

 

I Don’t Feel Like Job Searching

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How many times do you find something else to do other than job search?  Do you tweak your resume one more time or check your email or Facebook account?  This type of p-r-o-c-r-a-s-t-i-n-a-t-i-o-n hits everyone at one time or another.  You just don’t feel like doing what you know you should be doing no matter how much it can help you.

Many times I don’t feel like doing things either.  Like now…right now.  I don’t really feel like writing this post.  I just had a small surgical procedure done yesterday and I have sit still to stop any swelling.  My computer is in my lap and I am feeling some pain.  I don’t feel like writing…I don’t feel like doing much of anything.  But I know my obligation is to you all and myself to keep writing posts so you can find a job…a great job. We don’t always feel like doing but it is important to make sure we keep doing what we know we are supposed to do.

I have learned three thing when the  “not feeling like it” seeps in.  If you don’t feel like job searching right now, see if any of these can help you get the pep back in your step:

1. Feelings come and go like the wind.  Because feelings are on the emotional level, they can feel really strong for a period of time.  The key is they are only there for a period of time.  When my mom died a few years ago, the feelings of loss and sadness stayed for many weeks.  Now it has been a few years and those feelings are still there but not quite so strongly.  Even strong feelings from a loss can come and go.

Because feelings come and go that means you can sort of manipulate them.  I don’t mean for your own sneaky needs but you can and should push through those type of feelings by doing.  Going ahead and doing something else can help you get your mind off the feeling and many times they quickly subside.  Those strong feelings go away pretty quickly when you get engrossed in what you are doing.  So do the actions first and the feelings will follow.

2. Feelings should always be a clue to you that something is going on.  When you are choosing to do that which you don’t want to do, then many times there is an underlying issue you have not dealt with.  Dealing with an “issue” when you spot it can be the most important thing you can do.  Issues have a way of cropping up in your life when you least want them AND they continue to pop their ugly heads up again and again until you deal with them.

For example, I hated public speaking about 14 years ago.  I hated, hated and hated it so bad I would hide when I had to do it.  I hated it in high school.  I hated it in college.  I hated it in my first job outside of college.  It was weird because it would pop up again and again in my life.  I knew I had to get a handle on myself or I would never deal with it and it would rule my life.  Eventually I stated doing small presentations to get myself comfortable with it.  Now, after all these year, I can honestly say I love public speaking.  It is a far cry from the guy who for years could not do it.  If I didn’t deal with that fear it would never have let me live in peace.

3. You feelings should be respected.  If you have a funny or bad feeling about a person or situation, you should trust that feeling.  Some people call it “instinct”.  I think of it more like a gut feeling that is created by your experience.  Respect that feeling and make sure you understand what you might be getting yourself into.

Now if you are just scared to do a certain job search technique, I don’t think you should respect it.  But if you are in a situation you know something is not right then you need to make the tough decision to get out.

Feelings can be both good and others can be destructive.  Learning to recognize them more clearly will really help you in your life on many different levels.  During a job search you will have a number of different feeling come and go from loss to frustration to even depression.  Recognizing what is going on in your head will help you uncover who you are and where you fit into this world.

Let’s Get Started!

5 More Job Search Myths

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Myth 1:  Job search is difficult.  Ok bear with me for a second on this one.  Yes job searching is difficult I agree but I do think you might make it that way because of your fears.  Having a plan on who you are, what you are excited about doing (work you would love to do) where you are going in your career and who can best help you is the tough part.  But once you have that info figured out and straight in your head, you should be excited to get out and job search.  It should be exciting and easy because you know where you want to go.  So if you think the job search is difficult, you may want to spend some more time trying to figure out what excites you and then go search it out.  It might surprise you how fast you find something when you are excited about it.

Myth 2:  Your job search will take a long time.  Many people think their job search will take a long time because they are not sure what the future holds.  Actually, a job search can be something that doesn’t take long at all.  If you are let go from your current job, don’t take time off to find yourself or go on a mini vacation.  Get right in your chair and start looking immediately.  Any delay can derail your long term efforts.  Make your new passion finding your new job and then go on your mini vacation as a celebration once you have a starting date.  Plan to work six to eight hours a day for four full days a week.  Take one day off for other things and to keep yourself motivated but keep up a very healthy pace.

Myth 3:  Just finding a job with a paycheck or health insurance is a good stop gap.  I think this is a mistake.  I think you have to be careful you don’t get stuck in something you hate doing because at the end of the day you are affecting your future and your overall health when you are doing something that is unsatisfying.  If you truly are working hard and smart to find a new job in a great field, settling is taking your backup plan.  I am ok with backup plans but be very careful with this one.

Myth 4:  You think if you can just get into the interview you will get the job.  This is a tough one because the job market is so competitive right now.  Just getting the interview is not going to cut it like it used to.  Yes you might be better in face-to-face situations but you are still going to have to show value to the hiring manager on why they should hire you over someone else.  Long gone are the days when you can charm your way in.  It takes a lot more effort, planning and “selling” than every before.  Be prepared especially in the interviews.

Myth 5:  Since the economy is tough, I may have to take a pay cut.  This is a fearful cop-out.  You can find the same pay you were making and probably even more if you take a more planned approach to your job search.  It might require you to finish some course work or do a great job selling what you bring to a company but you can make more money in a new job EVEN if you were let go.  Pay is about perception and economics.  If they think you are the right person for the job and you have demonstrated they need you, your income can rise.

Let’s Get Started!

Jeff

How To Change Career – 7 Steps

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Changing your career is no easy feat especially if you have been doing the same thing for more than three or four years.  Now there are varying degrees of “change” we can discuss.  Which bucket do you fall into?

A. Want to change to a new company doing about the same thing.

B. Want to switch industries but still do the same type of job function.

C. Want to go in a different direction but you can use your current experience to bridge the new career goal.

D. Want to go in a completely new direction where virtually none of your experience will transfer to the new career.

Each of the above buckets present their individual challenges which increase in degree as you go down the list.  A and B can be done more quickly than C and D and without much change in income or situation.  When you can demonstrate what you can do for a new employer based on your past experience, then your transition is not as difficult.

For C and D the challenge is much more complicated.  More complicated in the sense as it might require more time and effort.  The time might be obtaining a new degree or perfecting your “art”.  More effort means you might be only able to find more entry-level positions until you can prove yourself.  I do think you should go after a career change no matter how difficult it might be.

Here are 7 Steps on How To Change Careers:

1. Determine which bucket you fall into from the above list.  This will help you determine what is the best course of action to take first.  If you are in the A group then looking for similar companies to what you are currently doing is most logical.  If you are in the D group then you might start looking for a more entry-level position to test our your new direction.

2. You may want to start out slow and learn about the new career before making a full commitment to it.  This is “moonlighting” in which you do your new career on a part-time basis to see if it is a good fit for you.  In addition, this will allow you to start making new connections and network in this new industry.  Networking can be very important to your longevity.

3. Sketch out a plan.  You can be as detailed or as simple as you want.  Some people need a very detailed plan and then will follow it very closely.  Others only need a sketch of one that they can look at periodically to keep them on the right track.  Everyone needs a plan so don’t skip this step.  Post the plan in a new place every week so you can keep yourself on track.

4. Start asking others about what they would do if they were in your shoes.  This is a great way to start opening up discussions with your friends, family, neighbors, etc on two areas:  how they see you and if they might know someone you can talk to.  Knowing someone who does what you are interested in can really open up your networking activities.

5. Schedule information interviews/coffee with people you don’t know.  This is the essence of networking.  I hate the word “interview” but it is the best way to describe the activity.  You want to ask questions of someone doing what career you want to change to.  You need their help and asking questions is the best way to uncover the who, what, when, where and hows to going about changing careers.

6. At the beginning of every week plan for the week ahead.  Select three goals for the week and center your free time around those goals.  If you plan ahead for the week, you will see progress.  You will see results.  You will figure out how to change your career much quicker than others.  Keeping yourself focused on the goal you have might be your biggest challenge.

7. Don’t be scared of the change.  Fear has a way of creeping into our heads anytime we are heading off to make a change.  Change requires sacrifice and dedication.  If you struggle with fear find help.  A club, friends, family, counselor, etc are all good places to help you express your fears and get them out in the open so you can fight them head on.  Keeping fear inside is how fear wins.  Don’t let fear win in your life.

Go change your career today.  Don’t wait.  Don’t put it off.  Even if you don’t feel like it, who care.  Act first and your feelings will come along for the ride later.

Let’s Get Started!

Jeff