Accelerate Your Search™ Now

There are talented professionals who work on their resume and their marketing message.  They spend days and weeks getting it “perfect.”  Yet, for some reason, the results don’t follow.

What is the impact of this?  Disappointment, frustration and often rejection.

Are you doing all the “right stuff’?”  Do you network, engage your contacts and set interviews, yet never get an offer?  Or, worse, continue to hear, “You’re overqualified” or “We hired a better fit for our needs.”

It is very disheartening when you believe you are doing all the right things, yet results do not materialize.  It wears on your confidence and sends your stress level sky-high.

If you received an interview, someone reviewed your resume and spent time checking you out online.  By copying your resume directly into your LinkedIn profile, it feels like you are in alignment.  Yet if these tools are out of sync with who you are, no matter how much they align with one another, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

The continued emotional stress may have you contemplating giving up on securing your dream job.  But, before you give up, get real with yourself.  Take a HARD look at your profile, resume and search-related marketing.

From the outside it may appear your search is going well, after all, you are producing a lot of activity.  But, internally, it is just not happening.  It is time to ask yourself, “What is going on?  What am I doing wrong?”

Many issues arise from two things.  The first deals with WHO you are targeting.  Most likely, your target employer list needs to be narrowed down or altered and the level of the position you are seeking needs to be more commensurate with your experience, expertise and aligned with your overall goals.  The second thing getting in your way, deals with WHAT you are talking about.  You must work to make your marketing message more clear and compelling.

Most of the time, the second thing is MUCH more critical because it involves looking internally, at your thoughts and beliefs.  I believe you’ll find your thoughts are misaligned.  This is fouling up your results.  I have come to realize that if you are working hard (and smart) and the results are still not showing up, your thoughts and beliefs are out of sync with your marketing.

Maybe you believe you want to find a job, land the interview and love your life again, BUT you actually don’t think it is possible or true.   Guess what?  It is not possible if you don’t think it is possible.

Why?  Until your marketing, actions and behaviors are aligned with your thoughts, feelings and beliefs it is not possible to find the ideal job you say you want.

Here is an example: Peter is a senior process engineer with unique expertise in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.  His experience includes project management, process improvement and operations.  He is good at what he does and he wants continue to contribute his time and talent to the industry.  Peter is networking and doing everything else he “should be” doing.

As we looked at his marketing, Peter realized there were several pieces that were not in alignment with what he really wanted in his next position.  As he examined his beliefs and actions, he noticed the subtle self-sabotage that translated into lack of appropriate tasks, follow-up and other actions that made him look and feel busy, but didn’t garner any results.

One of my mentors calls this “driving with the brake on.”  You are burning fuel, tires, and moving, yet what you are doing is very destructive.   With just a few quick coaching calls, Peter was able to release the brake.  The subsequent actions he adopted were not nearly as hard or time consuming and lead him to land four interviews in three weeks.  After a second round of interviews, he had two offers.  He selected a position he is really excited about and it is congruent with his gifts, talents and family goals.

What are the thoughts and beliefs that are holding you back?  Is it time for you to align your thoughts and beliefs and take actions that net results?

Are you tired of just hoping to be successful?  Contact me, together we can achieve results.

So many are not . . .

Being Honest is the 4th “B of Interviewing.”

Just as it is easy for you to find out all kinds of things about the company through your research (or even while you are sitting in the waiting area!), so too can the company verify all the information you provide.  It is vital you speak openly about your accomplishments, just be sure the information is accurate.  This is especially important when you are asked to explain gaps in your employment, a termination or other blemishes on your resume or record.  I’m not saying you need to point them out, just that you must have a credible answer when asked.

Next on the list?

Be gracious.

Based on the company’s preferred method, follow up with a handwritten note, a letter or an email.  If it’s unclear, ask.  I would much rather have a candidate ask how, when, and with whom she should follow up than to have her guess and get it wrong.

Have you employed any of the “B’s of Interviewing” yet?  If so, let us know the results in the comment area below.

And, if you need a quick refresher (or have missed the previous posts), here are the “B’s” covered thus far:

• Be on Time
• Be Prepared
• Be Interested
• Be Honest
• Be Gracious

Check back next week when we wrap up the “B‘s of Interviewing.”

-Mark Key is a retail professional known for driving results in diverse and challenging retail segments.  Mark’s interviewing insights come from companies big and small — having worked with organizations with just a few employees to Fortune 100 companies.

The next “B” of interviewing is:  Be prepared.

Being prepared involves several things:  knowing the company, knowing your stuff and knowing how to present it.

I always ask candidates what they know about my company and am surprised by the number of times I hear, ” . . . not much . . .”, “. . . nothing, really . . .”, or, worst of all, “I really haven’t had time to research.”  Really?  When your cell phone has more computing power than the one used in the Manhattan Project, enough to stay connected to several hundred people simultaneously, the ability to shop or get a dinner reservation at a moment’s notice and you didn’t have time to research?  If you aren’t interested in the company, the employer won’t be interested in you.

What should you know to be prepared?  You should know:

• The history of the company and what the company does.
• Their competitors and their competitive advantage (and their weaknesses, for that matter).
• How your skills and experiences match the requirements.

Use company contacts, social media, internet research, stock market information and, even the library, as your sources.

Next — knowing your stuff.  An effective candidate speaks to his resume without looking.  You remember the details and can recite them.  You know the steps you took to drive sales to record highs in the Atlanta division in 2009.  You remember the names of your supervisors, the years you won awards and why you received them.   In my book, a candidate that gives me different information than what is reported on an application or resume has trouble in the integrity department.  Is it fair?  It doesn’t matter.  It is what it is.  Knowing your stuff keeps you out of trouble.

Last, you must not only know your stuff, but also know how to present it.  Great information and big opportunities have been lost in poor presentations. My advice?  Practice.  Even well paid, experienced speakers practice constantly.  Think about it.  Interviewing is something we rarely do.  It takes skill to speak to seldom used information in front of total strangers.

My advice on how to get better?  Go to the internet and find the 100 most common interview questions.  Put them in a word processing document and answer them.  Once you’ve answered them, find someone with which to practice.  It could be your spouse, significant other, neighbor or someone else with whom you’re comfortable and, most importantly, will give you honest feedback.  Have them ask the questions while you practice answering them until your presentation is smooth and natural.

Once you know the company, know your stuff and know how to present your stuff, you will be much more confident.  This confidence helps you relax.  When you are more relaxed, you are more yourself.  Your confidence will show!

Next week, we dive into Being Interested . . . are you?

-Mark Key is a retail professional known for driving results in diverse and challenging retail segments.  Mark’s interviewing insights come from companies big and small — having worked with organizations with just a few employees to Fortune 100 companies.

That is a great question.

Employment firms can be a solid resource for finding potential employers, especially if you are in a specialized field or niche industry.  The type of firm and how that  firm interacts in the  market varies, so do your homework and ask questions.

Here are some questions to help you determine if a particular employment firm might be a good strategic partner in your search:

• Does the firm handle some or all of the human resource functions for one of your target employers?
• What is the firm’s reputation?
• Where is the firm’s office located?
• What references does the firm offer?
• Can you talk to current and past customers (both candidates and employers)?
• How long has the employment firm been in business?
• Where does the employment firm advertise for the jobs you are targeting?
• Does the employment firm have expertise in placing people in your field?
• Does the employment firm have a relationship with the companies and employers you are targeting?
• Is the employment firm a local, regional or a national organization?
• What services does the firm provide to you as a candidate?
• What services does the firm provide to the employers and companies it serves?
• What are the terms of your agreement with the firm?
• What will the firm expect you to do?
• Does the employment firm focus only on hiring applicants to perform contract work on a temporary or project basis?
• Will you work for the employment firm if hired or for the company you are targeting?
• Are there opportunities for on-the-job training or other skill development from the employment firm?
• How long has the person you are working with been with the employment firm?

What other questions do you have?   Post them below.

Are you still on target with your intentions?  Why or why not?

I recently read there are two factors that impact your success of achieving a New Year’s resolution more than anything else:

1) Do you like and want the end result of the resolution and

2)  Do you believe the change is good for you?

Dictionary.com defines belief as “something believed; an opinion or conviction.”

Belief is a powerful factor.  How are your beliefs impacting your job search and/or your New Year’s resolution results?

Recently, a client shared he preferred the freedom of unemployment over receiving a weekly paycheck.  With this realization he created a new plan.  He would not seek a new job and instead was planning on selling his home and moving in with his elderly parents to serve as their caregiver.  This would allow him to continue to enjoy the freedom of his current lifestyle.

His conviction, as he shared it, was that his freedom was more important than receiving a paycheck and he decided finding a way to have the freedom was more important to him than finding a job.

What is important to you?  How is it impacting your career-related New Year’s resolution(s)?

I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts on the topic.   Post a comment or share your resolution and your progress.

Does your past or present behavior impact your job search?  Is the hurt, anger, frustration you feel hurting your search?

Yes, I believe these things will impact your search.  I see and work with people all the time that are holding on to something that is impacting their job search.  That something might be anger about losing a job, how the end occurred, or sadness about how they did or did not handle something.

For many we are at least somewhat defined by where we work and live, the work we do, and our jobs.  When a job ends for whatever reason, there are emotions tied to that ending.  If you are happily moving on you will have different emotions than if the end was not in your control.

Some call the behavior that impacts you and your life karma, some call it fate, or luck, whatever the name you use for this, you need to look at and understand your thoughts control your behavior, habits and actions.  So if your thoughts and behavior are not aligned with what you want and where you want to go, you create push pull and in your energetic vibration.  This will impact your search.

For some it keeps you for getting clear on what you want or need to do, for others it shows up in a way that makes other not trust you.  If an employer doesn’t trust that there is upside to hiring you, the bottom line is the employer will not hire you.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Joe and his blind spots.  Most of us know or have some awareness of our blind spots, our strengths, and our weaknesses, yet we often find it hard to sort this all out and move forward to do what we need to do.

Here is a tip to help you.  Set aside a day write down your feelings about your job lose and job search.  If you are mad write down why you are mad; if you are sad, why you are sad.  Write, write, and write.  At the end of the day think about what you where you are and what you want to do about where you are.  Think about where you are out of alignment or out of integrity with yourself.

Now decide what you want to do about these areas.  Decide what you want and create energetic alignment. If you want help, then offer help to others.  Letting go of the things you are holding on to that are impacting your search will change your behavior and the energy around your search and your transition.

Do you have a question about your search? Look to the right and sign up for next Q & A session, join the session and ask your question.

Post your suggestion to help others or your comments below.

This is an interesting question.  It came from someone who is really running a focused and productive search.  The question came as he prepares to travel to a family wedding followed by a family reunion.

Family events, holidays, etc. can be fun, uplifting and stressful all at once.  Or at least those with my family can be and that is really my only experience I have in this arena. Don’t get me wrong I love my family, but with five kids, spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren…you get the picture.

I suggest you set some boundaries, and focus on the event rather than your search.  You don’t want to ignore possible help or a great networking opportunity.  However the odds are you don’t need added stress, a drilling about being out of work, or loads of career advice.

Your family cares about you and they want to help.  So, be prepared to tell them specifically how they can help you.  It will help you avoid listening to extra advice, long sad stories and set a neat boundary around your job search.

Here is my suggestion.  Be well prepared to deliver a 30-second introduction, 100% focused on your ideal position, include your top three target companies and when you wrap up your 30-second comments explain how the person you are addressing or anyone else can help.

Imagine you are at the reunion, Uncle Ben walks up and begins to pick around the edges starting a conversation about your job search or point blank says “Grandma tells me you are still out of work, you could move back to town and work for your brother”.  How can you respond?

You can say,

“That’s a great suggestion however, my brother doesn’t have an opening or a need for <fill in the blank with your target job title & experience; then describe your ideal job in one sentence> and I am targeting <list your top companies>.  I am looking forward to joining one of these three organizations soon.  You could help me a great deal if you would share your contacts at <repeat your top three target companies>.  Would you do that for me?  (Add a brief pause, as you take a pen and paper out of your pocket)  Can I get the names of your contacts and their phone numbers at <repeat your top three target companies> now?   (Pause, look Uncle Ben in the eye and smile and add) Or feel free to call or email with your contact names and how to reach them by phone at a time that is best for you.  Thanks for your help.”

This technique allows you to set a respectful boundary around your job search.  You will have shared the critical information about your experience, the job you are seeking, and you will have provided a specific manner for someone to help you if they wish to do so.

The technique also allows for a graceful transition to another conversation in a manner that is good for you and honors your relationship.  It allows anyone wishing to help with contacts to do so in a specific way at that moment or when it is best for them without any pressure or requirement to do so.  You will have created a polite boundary and space for the conversation to flow to another topic.  And it takes less than a minute to do this!

You can modify this technique and use it in other situations too.  It is a powerful way to gather contacts and set boundaries.

Do you have a question about your search? Look to the right and sign up for next Q & A session, join the session and ask your question.

Post your suggestion to help others or your comments below.

Recruiters and those searching LinkedIn for candidates, tell me they are screening out more candidates than they contact.  Is this happening to you?

Did you upload or paste your résumé into your profile, then move on to create connections?

Have you been so busy joining groups and adding connections that you have neglected your profile?

If so it is time to take a look at your profile and discover if it is working for you.  Your LinkedIn profile is a 24-hour a day marketing site for your job search and beyond.  Here are key questions to ask yourself as you review your LinkedIn profile:

Is your profile optimized so you will be found in a search? Simple items such as your headline, your job titles, linking your profile to your past employer’s Company LinkedIn page (if they have one) will help your profile be found in a search.

Does your profile focus on benefits, not specifications?  You can use the skills and a specialties area to add keywords to your profile.  In your summary focus on the benefits you will deliver for your next employer and the problems you solve.

Does your profile focus on value, or the cost of your salary?  It is critical to focus on the value you offer.  If someone assumes by your profile you will command a high salary and that is not in the budget, your profile may be screen out.

Does your profile demonstrate your experience and value?  When you read your profile does it paint a picture of what you offer to someone seeking what you have to offer? If not, go to work to ensure it does.  To get an opportunity call via LinkedIn your profile needs to pop and paint a picture.

Does your profile have a personality, emotion and facts?  Humans are not just rational and logical in making decisions.  Humans select, contact and recommend the people represented by LinkedIn profiles based on emotions as well as facts.  Be sure your profile does not omit the emotions that play a part in a hiring decision.

Does your profile focus on your potential employer’s needs, in lieu of the ‘me’ factor?  Your future employer does not care about your goals, your career objectives, or your need for a job right now. The recruiter or hiring manager cares about his/her problem, not yours.   Read your profile, get honest feedback. Be sure your profile does not sound pushy or desperate neither messages are helpful in getting others to contact you and exploring doing business with you.

Make your marketing and your online profiles about the needs of your next employer.   Focus on your next employer’s needs to accelerate your search and improve your LinkedIn profile.

Do you have a question about your search?  Look to the right and sign up for next Q & A session, join the session and ask your question.

First if you got the interview you can bet someone saw value in you, your skills and your experience.  Often being told “no” encourages people to try harder or push on doing the same things.  Most people believe coming in second means they just need to try harder to be first.

In job searching that may or may not be the case.  Far too often I see people who don’t really fit in a job or an industry, yet they fail into it, got hired again and again into a similar position so they just keep pushing in that direction.   For some it is time to stop, to assess, plan and execute something new.

Joe (not his real name) had eight jobs in eleven years in the same position and industry.  After his last termination, 120 weeks of unemployment and nine interviews he decided to explore help for interviewing skills.  He assumed his interviewing skills were his problem and the reason he was not getting hired.

When we discussed why and how his past jobs ended his answer was the work ended, then he collected unemployment until he was hired in the same position again.  I ask if I could call his references and check with this last two employers and he agreed. 

 The discovery from his references and his employers was different than his point of view for each of his last positions.  All of his professional references painted a different picture than Joe did of his work and his work style.  His references spoke well of his skills, yet painted a different picture of his work style. 

One reference shared that often when he was called as a reference he asked if he enjoyed working with Joe he said no.  One reference disclosed that after working with Joe at two different businesses he would answer the call with an example about Joe’s work style and how is affected him and let the new possible employer draw whatever conclusion they would from the example.

The reference valued Joe and his skills, yet Joe had a few blind spots about his work style and this caused issues, problems and a diconnect in cultural fit within the industry.  After gathering the information and sharing it with Joe, he said that his references had told him all of the information I shared before and one had offered to help him change to another unit were the work culture was a better fit.  However Joe had declined the transfer or the assistance to adapt his behavior. 

Joe had choices to make.  He could change is occupation, or change his style or change the positions he was seeking to find a work culture where his work style fit the culture and the needs of the business.  Joe decided to seek other positions using his skills and where the work style and culture of the organization was more suited to his work style. 

He was hired after 3 interviews and returned to work within 2 months of his decision to seek work that was a better fit for his style. Recently I got a message from Joe, he has been on the job a year, enjoys it, got his 2^nd pay increase, things are well.  Additionally, he noted thanks for helping him see the impact of his blind spots and assisting him to find the first job he ever liked and the only job where he had worked for a over a year.

What are your blind spots?  Do you have the confidence to take a hard look at your search and see what might be holding you back in your career?  

Are you pushing in a direction that will not help you accelerate your search or accelerate the success you want.  You may need to dust yourself off, stop pushing and head in a new or different direction. 

Do you have a question about your search?  Look to the right and sign up for next Q & A session, join the session and ask your question.

Leveraging LinkedIn Continued …

Some common questions on expanding your network are “How do I build my connections?”, “Who should I invite or connect with on LinkedIn?”, or “How many connections do I need?”   There is not a magic number of connections, or a wrong or a right way to add connections, nor is there just one way to do so.  

I always recommend starting with your friends, and current business connections.  These people are your first-degree network now; add them to your online with an invitation. Then you can move forward to expand your network to all those people who you don’t yet know but would like to know and count among your connections in your network.

By starting with people who know you well and those with whom you currently do business your online network will grow steadily over time.   Years ago, Ken DuBose, a successful Financial Services Representative shared how he grew a book of business, the advice was, to start with the people you know, then ask those you know to introduce you to people they know.  His advice has been helpful to me for many years, and I use it and share it. 

Think about it this way, if you have a question, a problem, or you need information you usually ask someone you know first.  If you want to grow your business connections and expand your network “start with the people you know”.   It works.  I suggest you build your LinkedIn connections and your online network just as you build your offline network. 

Always personalize the standard LinkedIn invitation template to give those you invite some context.  It also shows you are interested in investing in the relationship.  Share how they know you, when you met, that you live down the street or whatever the connection might be.   I know few people who feel they get too little email, in fact most people feel that their inbox “runs over” and that 60% to 70% of the email received is unneeded, unwanted or unwelcome.  Yet we all like to hear from friends and people who care about us.  A personalized message says you care about them rather than you are just gathering contacts to build your list.

A word of caution, don’t assume people will be in a place or space to be overjoyed by your LinkedIn invitation and don’t assume other people have the same sense of urgency that you do.  Most will be glad to connect, if they know you and/or can quickly make the connection as to where you met, and will select the accept button. 

Be thoughtful and aware, if you look different, have moved, changed jobs, have a new name or have not been in touch for some time, don’t assume everyone will instantly know who you are or want connect with you right away just because you sent them the standard “I’d like to add you to my professional network…” without context. 

Also remember not everyone logs in to his/her LinkedIn account daily or forwards LinkedIn ‘InMail’ messages to a personal or business email address or phone to stay connected. I always cringe when I meet someone at a two-day conference on the first day, we exchanged business cards, then the second morning when I see them, they remark “I sent you a LinkedIn invitation, but you didn’t connect” usually I smile and admit LinkedIn was not on my priority list for the morning.  I will I connect, almost always, but rarely within hours.  Remember, we all have different styles, pace and priorities, and will use LinkedIn and its power as a tool in our own way.  Find your way to leverage LinkedIn to accelerate your search.

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