Accelerate Your Search™ Now

A few weeks ago, I was seated at one of 30 or more tables at a large event waiting for a conference session to begin.  A lovely woman selected the seat beside me, we began to chat and she asked what I did.  I explain I help talented professionals land the job they want fast and with less stress.  She looked at me with tears in her eyes and asked “Is it possible to recover from a bad interview?”  The emotion in her voice startled me, so I asked a few questions. 

What a story!  The job she wanted and had opened up over a weekend when the person in the job became ill.  She heard about it and decided she should update her résumé.  The following week she was traveling with the VP for two days, this was common so she did not think much about it.  At the end of the second day she realized the trip had also been a two day interview about the job, her business unit, her results and her future goals.  She was totally unprepared. 

She realized she told the VP during the trip she had doubts she could do the next level job, that it was not the right time to move from the current position and the she did not have the experience to be successful.  The questions she said she was asking herself every day were interesting too – why did this happen to her? – Why was her company so cagey with this interview? – why didn’t they just schedule an interview?  Finally, she told me how mad she was at herself for not knowing she could be faced with this type of interview.  The session started and we did not finish the conversation.

What happened here happens more than you think.  This lovely talented successful woman was afraid to be successful.  She allowed her ego and her mindset to keep her just where she was in the job she was doing.  She made excuses and allowed doubt, worry and fear to take control and keep her in her current job.  She was not aware and conscious of the opportunity until the end of the trip and she had not decided she wanted the promotion.

Your mind is very powerful.  Until you decide what you want and become committed nothing will change. Even if the opportunity is before you if you are not committed your mind will go to work to protect you and keep you safe and where you are.

I talk a great deal about the need for focus in your job search, to target what you want.  You must be commitment – this story is a great example.  I believe if this woman had been committed to landing the new position, and she had decided she wanted the new position, her experience would have been different.

She would have expected the interview.  She would have been grateful for the opportunity to travel and discuss her future and she would have taken action to have been prepared to talk about her future goals, her business unit, etc.

What decision and action do you need to take to be ready to land the job you want?

“You must do the things you think you cannot do.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Have a question? Sign up and join me on the next Q & A call, ask your question and get an answer.

Need specific ways to speed up your search?  Look to the right and request my gift to you – “162 Ways to Accelerate Your Job Search and Land the Job You Want”.

Have a comment or thought?  Post it below.

No doubt you have heard all the conversations about companies who screen out those who are currently unemployed. 

Some employers or hiring managers don’t call or interview people with a status of “unemployed”.  Yes, your résumé might be screened out in this way.  In fact New Jersey now has a law that will fine employers who do this and other states may soon do the same.

It is too bad that some employers may elect to use only your current employment status as a screening tool, but it is not new and may or may not end with new laws on the books.  

What is your best defense?  In my view your best defenses is your personal marketing, your personal marketing plan and the execution of your plan. 

Marketing is about overcoming the objections of the buyer.  An employer is the “buyer” of your services. The purchase is about the value you bring to an organization with your services.  That value is measured in the results you achieve or what someone believes you will achieve. 

If you believe your current employment status is an objection that an employer may have, you do need to address it!

Here is one suggestion from Sandra McCartt, an Executive Recruiter, based in Amarillo, Texas.  Sandra suggests thinking about being between successes and recently shared the notation below.

“September 2010 to Present:  Between Successes”

Change your thinking – you have heard me say it before – until you shift your thinking, others will not shift their view of your situation.

If you have been successful and want to be successful again, what is stopping you?

When you can, I always suggest having a focused conversation before you send your résumé.  Need a suggestion?  Here’s a conversation suggestion for those changing industries or directions within your industry:

“My current focus is bringing fresh foods to the c-store customer to improve customer satisfaction and profitably grow the category.  The challenge for many organizations today, is that food prices recently made the biggest jump in 36 years.  In 2010 when I focused on RTD tea for <insert prior company> I helped grow that category in percent of sales over prior year and helped grow sales in all major cold vault space.”

What do you think?  Should you be specific? 

It does open doors – if the potential employer isn’t focused on growing the fresh foods category, yet wants to grow the cold vault or another area, there is an opportunity to continue the conversation. 

Or you can stick with the process that is proven not to work fast – “I am unemployed, haven’t worked in 14 months, don’t have a clue what is going on in the industry, but need a job NOW, here’s my résumé.  When can I start?”

Have a comment, suggestion or thought?  Post it below.

The hundred days of summer is just around the corner.  It is the time of year, when interesting and focused conversations with VPs, regional managers, area managers, managers and front line associates are often about the detailed plans and prep for the ”100 Days of Summer”. 

The hundred days or so between Memorial Day to Labor Day for many is a critical business season. Profits and success during the “100 days of Summer” can make or break the success of a business unit not just for the season but for the year.  Having, knowing and executing your plan is not hard but does take good communication, energy and thought.

Last week speaking to an executive looking for his next career opportunity I ask him, “What is your personal career plan for the “100 Days of Summer”, he looked at me and smiled, then said “I don’t have a plan, but I think I need one.”  Then he asked for a few suggestions as to how to develop his plan and we agreed to talk in a couple of days to discuss his plan in detail.

Here are some of the key things I suggest you think about and pull together for your “100 day” plan.  Assess where you are now, think about your value in the marketplace, your reputation, your niche, the  opportunities you want to target, clarify your vision, your career goal, and then create a plan for the next 100 days.

Don’t wing your job search and don’t overlook the critical 100 days ahead.

If you need help creating a plan, get it.

Think about your plan.  Summarize your plan in one page – that’s right – a one-page executive summary.

Want more information about completing your own “100 Day Plan” to land the job you want by Labor Day? 

Sign up and join me on the next Q & A call, ask your question and get an answer. 

If you are interested in taking action and moving forward and yet you have a question about your career, career transition or search, you can set up a 20 minute chat with me to get your question answered.

My three top tips for negotiating the salary you want.  At least once a month, after a workshop or speaking engagement, I am asked for salary negotiation tips.

Usually the matter is urgent, “Tomorrow is my second interview, and do you have any tips on how best to negotiate my salary?”  To negotiate the salary you are worth you must establish your value early so be prepared.

Here are my top three tips:

Believe in your value.  Your perception and your belief in your value are critical. A job loss and a long job search can bring up feelings and old beliefs like you are not good enough, not smart enough, not experienced enough. If you have allowed your self esteem to be damaged, you belief this and you are afraid you are worthless now! You will communicate that during the interview process.

Know your market value.  Do your homework, understand the market conditions, understand the company, and understand who the decision maker is and how he/she views your value. Communicate your value at every touch point. Proclaim your value and confirm that the decision maker agrees you bring value to the table. Be poised and confident in your marketing materials, and all of your communications.

Read the book. Since 1998 I have recommended and shared Jack Chapman’s book – Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1000 a Minute. It was a must read and is the best book on the topic.  Enjoy it.

Body language or nonverbal communication is very important to your career, your job search and your success in life.  There has been more than one candidate who lost the second interview due to his/her nonverbal communication.  Like the guy who was leading the pack of candidates until, he pounded his fist on the table as he shared a story about his leadership style.

You body language during networking or interviewing can extend your job search or help you land the job.  Be sure you understand what you do, what you want to communicate and how your communication may be viewed by the people you engage and approach. 

As you prepare for your interview, you will also need to think about your influence strategy for getting the salary you deserve.  Will your goal be increasing the attractiveness of what you offer or will your goal be reducing the decision maker’s resistance to your salary request? 

How will you know the best approach?

Will matching your nonverbal behavior with your strategy impact the outcome? 

Dr. Noah J. Goldstein in Body Language and Persuasion: A Scientific Approach shares research results that show how important it can be to match your nonverbal behaviors with whichever strategy you select.

What are your thoughts on body language and nonverbal behaviors? 

Can you recall a time when someone’s nonverbal communication impacted your decision?  

Will your nonverbal communication increase or decrease your salary?

Do you have an insight to add?   If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts & questions.  You can add your comments below.

“How do I make my résumé stand out?” or “If everyone has a brand, how can I stand out?” Are you asking these questions too?

Everyone is unique.  The exciting thing in my business is that unlike products were there may not be anything different between two products except the color of the label.  Many products with different labels are produced to specs on the same line and at the end just get a different label. 

That is not the case with people.  Each executive, each person is different.  People are not mass produced.  Each person lives, grows, changes and evolves one day at a time.

There may be many people who work for competitors, run profitable businesses and have the same number of years in the industry that you do, but no one is just like you.  No one works like you do, nor has anyone done everything you have done. 

Your biggest difference is YOU.  You bring your own talent, gifts, education, experience and abilities to what you do.

Most of us spend so much time fitting in, doing what we think we should do that it is hard to stop and be honest about what makes us different, what makes us unique.  Be honest what are your unique talents, what do you do different. 

Why is it hard to “Stand Out”?  The answer is we are often afraid to say what makes us different.  We are afraid of the response or reaction from others.

There may be 10,000 people with your degree, who went to the same school, worked for the same companies, yet they aren’t you.  To stand out you first list all the things you have in common with professionals in your field. 

Then step back and list all the things that are unique to you.  List your unique talents, experiences, education, how you serve, how you lead, how you learn and the favorite part of your job.

I am a Texan who lives and works in New England.  I do things different.  It is not always easy to be different.  Why, because people don’t always like different. 

My unique gifts include: I am direct, and I ask direct questions.  I focus on results and on goals. Using those and my other gifts allow me to serve others and to live on purpose and help others identify their gifts and land the job they want.

It is not the custom to be direct in New England therefore if I feared what others thought or said about me it would be difficult for me to market.  One of my nieghbors says I am too out there, too much out in front and she does not like that.  I get it, her style is different those differences add value.  My gifts are what make me unique and of value to those who work with me.

Here is how to make your résumé stand out:  Start your list of your unique talents, put them all down. Make a decision to get very honest with yourself and about what are your unique gifts and what makes you different, not shy away form the things that others don’t like about you.  Write them down.  Your list will give you the key ingredients to make your résumé stand out.  Then incorporate the best items into your résumé.

What’s going on with your job search?  So often people find themselves in what I call a “flat spin” during career transition, especially if your job ending was unexpected.  

The “flat spin” is a combination of busy work, emotions, and not making the progress toward the job you want.  Are you doing what you think you should, what others tell you do and worrying about nothing, or everything?  Are there distractions that appear all around you?

If you are spending hours online, and you are riding an emotional roller coaster feeling great, happy and self assured, in the morning and by noon or the next day, you are concerned, worried, frustrated or feel ready to cry – heads up –  you may be in a “flat spin” or headed for one. 

A few weeks ago I attended an event for high school students who were exploring careers.  I love to attend these events and learn about the careers students are interested in and what there are thinking.  I learn so much from high school students. 

This event was different.  For the first time at one of these events I had several students share stories and concerns about their parents who were out of work.

The students that shared concerns about unemployed parents were bright and focused.  Each knew where they were going and what they wanted to do after high school.  They also knew why they were interested in the careers they were exploring that day. 

So why did they stop and talk to me?  They talked to me out of concern for someone they loved and were worried about and wanted to help.  The stories had a common theme.  Each student saw something was wrong, and knew their parent needed to do something different but did not know what to do or how to help.    Warning others often see your “flat spin” before you do.

If you are in a “flat spin” or just a little stuck, here are several questions to ask and things you may want to do different.

Where is your workspace?

Is it the kitchen table, living room in front of the TV?  Do you have a decent chair and work surface? Do you have space just for your job search?  If working at home is not for you go to a local café, sandwich shop, a local library or career center.  Many of these places have free or paid WiFi, and you can make calls from your car so you don’t bother others.

Do you have a budget?

A change in income can add stress and sometimes so much stress that you may find it hard to focus on the project at hand.  Update your budget.  If you have 35% or 50% less income reflect that in your budget.  Then talk to your family about the new budget.  You might be surprised just how much help your family can be and how much fat is in your budget that you can trim to lessen the stress.

Are you working on the right things?

Are you investing your time and energy in the job search activities that will deliver an “ROI” (Return on Investment)?  Do you spend all day surfing the web and applying to online postings? Are you emailing out a résumé that has misspellings or does not represent you in the best light?  If your search is in a “flat spin” you may need some help to get it on track.  Don’t pull away and continue to work alone.  Your family members want you to succeed will encourage you, but are rarely have the best advice.  Attend a workshop, tele-seminar, read a book.  Invest some time, energy and resources and work on the “right things”.  Doing a job search alone is much harder than it needs to be. Often just a little help gain focus, speed up your search and help you land the job your want fast and with less stress.

Do you have a question?   I can help.  Sign up and join us on the next Q & A call or post your question or what is working for you!

Has it been more than 90 days since you last updated your résumé?

If so that is a business quarter and you should update it. Why?  You always need a current résumé to help you leverage opportunities.  Take a look at your LinkedIn profile, too – does it need to be updated?

Your résumé and your LinkedIn profile are vehicles for your marketing message.  Your marketing message is your connection to the marketplace.  The marketing message you deliver needs to be clear and compelling, if it is not you will not get the results you want.

Read your résumé and your LinkedIn profile.  Then ask yourself these questions.

What does this person do and for who (the target audience)?

People read résumés that are targeted to them.  If they must stop and figure out, who you are talking to and what you can do, your résumé will be put aside.  Who is the summary speaking to?  Would the reader believe you are speaking or writing directly to her?  Does it clearly define your industry experience, what you can do and the level of work you perform?

What problems do you solve and what do you offer?

Managers hire people to solve their problems.  Be clear about the problems that you solve and be sure they are relevant to the reader of your résumé.  If you are a manager, think about the needs of the person who will hire you.  What do they need, want and what is important to them?

How do you solve the problem or meet the needs?

Do you explain or provide enough information to help someone believe you can meet the need?  Create interest and provide proof, without these elements you will not land a conversation.  What have you done and what where the results of your actions.

Why should someone read your résumé and call you?

If you are posting or sending out your résumé, it must appeal to those you will read it.  It must make them want to take action.  Most résumés don’t do this.  I suggest you never use your résumé as the first connection people have with you when you can avoid it.  When you must do this, at least add a cover letter with a call to action and your follow up action.

Your résumé is not to land you a job.  Its goal is to open a door, start a conversation or encourage someone to learn more about you and what you can do for the organization.

Is your résumé up to date and working for you?  If not, maybe it is time to take a hard look at it and update or redo your résumé.

Want less stress in your job search?  REALLY – focus your search!

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” ~ Tony Robbins

Once you discover the power of your brand and the secret of niche marketing you will wonder why you pushed back at this idea at all.  The truth is your value increases when you focus on a specific niche.

You have many skills and a wealth of experience, so you could do many jobs and do them well.  Instead of “being open” or looking at every job you could do examine your niche.

What is on brand for you? Where do your strengths fit and serve best?  What experience do you have that is in demand?  What interest or experience do you have that you want to use? What industry or company do you want to work in and why?

If  you are a comptroller or a manager you could work almost anywhere.  If you have experience in three different channels of trade or industries your possible market is very big and general.  Instead of marketing yourself to all three industries and all the companies within those industries who could use the services of a comptroller or manager – STOP. Ask the questions above.  These will help you narrow your niche.

Within an industry there are many companies, large, small, old new, socially active or not so much – get specific as you answer the questions.  Then ask again, “why do I want to work for this industry and company?”

Suppose your spouse is cardiac nurse and your father-in law in a cardiologist, you have experience in the medical device manufacturing industry. Your passions are software and gadgets.  You understand and relate to those who work in cardiac care, cardiac services and you have an interest in companies that provide products and services to cardiac patients, and those who serve those patients.

As you answered the questions you discover you want to work for a company that provides services to that are specific to providing products or services related to cardiac care or connected to that segment of the medical industry.  You have defined your niche – companies that serve or provide products or services connected to cardiac care.  That is still a large segment so you can narrow it more as needed.

When you niche to a specific segment of the population, business or industry you gain focus.  You can quickly learn more about the companies in that segment.  You can locate people in that segment to talk to and learn from.  You can find professional organizations to join.  You can focus the marketing of your skills and experience to the needs and wants of that segment.

Focus like this reduces stress, saves time and resources as you market yourself.

It has been said that in marketing you always want to enter the conversation that is already going on the prospects head.  In a job search you want to enter the conversation that is going on the hiring manager’s head.  To do that you must know who the possible hiring managers are, where to find them and how to connect and have a conversation.

The result of this type of focus is you are able to have conversations and to join the conversations that are going on about the business, the future, opportunities, and the needs.  It allows you opening to connect with hiring managers who say “this is the candidate for my next open spot”.

They buy you.   The tables turn and your role is not that of a candidate looking a job, but a professional with skills, interest, knowledge, experience  to help the hiring manager achieve the his/her goals and the goals of the organization.

Second benefit of focus, you are who you are and although you are marketing yourself to a specific segment, what you offer is the same.  When you find yourself  talking to a hiring manager in a different segment or industry, he will connect the dots, see your value, how you could solve his problems and how you could be successful in the role his has  “open”.  Do not be surprised when someone asks you if you would consider XYZ  company or changing industries.

Why focus?

Less work, less stress, and higher perceived value to the marketplace.

Let me know how focus works for you.

My prior post Will networking help your job search? covered understanding the power and generosity available within your network and how to tap into that energy.  Leveraging the reach of your network also helps you accelerate your search.

Have you stopped to think about the reach of your network?  What about the reach of one event?

If not, think about the numbers.  In a job search your number one focus is marketing.  To market effectively you must measure your marketing reach and marketing results.  You need to think about and look at the numbers.

According to Facebook, in February 2011, there were 500 million active Facebook users sharing 30 billion pieces of content.  The average Facebook user has 130 friends.  130 Friends!

What does that have to do with numbers and networking in person?

Here is the connection and the assumption.   If you are job searching and you go to a business networking event, you can assume that the professionals at the event have at least 50 solid business connections, most have many more.

Do the math.  At an event with 50 people, who have 50 contacts (50×50=2500) you have potential access to 2500 possible first degree connections, at one time, in one place.  That can be powerful.

Additionally, if you think about power and generosity of in-person connections and the potential for sparks and energy flow, if you are open, what an opportunity.  One event could connect you to the right person, who makes a phone call to a person who will hire you to do your ideal job or to the one person who changes your view of something for ever.

The catch is it rarely happens at the first event, or even the second event.  Why?  Usually, it has to do with your planning, your comfort and your openness to connect.

May I share how I know this?

Now, I love to network.  It allows me to connect, build relationships and help others achieve success on their terms.  But there was a time that I didn’t know how to network, I didn’t like to network, and I didn’t do it.  Frankly, at one time networking terrified me.

I remember when my heart raced for hours before and after networking events, sometimes I would drive to an event and never go in, I would just sit in the car and look at my plan.

Then I learned about making a specific plan with the number of people you wanted to connect with at an event and finding out what you could offer.  So one time I tried it.

I changed my plan and I purchased a $75.00 ticket to an event.  When I got there the only parking was valet parking, so I spent the two hours in the powder room, sitting in a chair, because I was terrified I was out of my league and I was worried about what the parking attendant would say if I asked for my car after he just parked it.  I was so nervous my heart was racing and didn’t know what else to do.  Near the end of that event, a woman stopped as she passed where I was sitting, she smiled at me and said, “You showed up, that’s today’s success”.  I was mortified.

Then I looked down at my plan, it read: “Buy ticket, go to event, be open, successfully connect with one person, and get specific information about networking and become successful”.  One spark of energy, one tip, and one connection, my changed plan with a specific number in it worked!  Not the way I thought it would, but it did work.

It still took me some time to “love networking”, to become comfortable and to learn to be open to the opportunities and the reach of networking.  At that one event, I did learn both about reach of networking and the power of changing my plan.  By being open to measure my success and look at the power of specific numbers what I achieved was success!

I like being successful, it is fun, and gives me a boost. So I tried it again and again until I got good at networking.

Here is the formula I used, it works.  Try it and let me know about your results.

Ask – What can you do for your network? Where will you network? How will you tell your network about what you do? What results do you want?  Create a plan to connect with your network using the answers to these questions.  Execute the plan with openness, next evaluate the results.  Celebrate your success and adjust the plan accordingly.

Looking back when I assessed the results I did have a WOW to celebrate.  By changing my plan, adding a number of connections to make and by being open and willing to receive what was offered I was successful and my view of networking changed forever.  At that point I was still terrified of networking and I would not call sitting in the powder room for two hours networking – yet I discovered the how to leverage the reach of one person and a few words at a networking event.

What would happen if you changed your plan?

Do you need help to leverage the reach your network offers for your job search?    Join the next Q & A call.