Rip Van Winkle Would Be Shocked
October 28th, 2011 @ 09:10pm
Today, I spoke with a woman who was referred to me, who has not held a corporate position since 1999. She was raising her daughters, then taking care of her aging parents. Now she wants to -- and needs to -- return to a salaried position.
Her career, until she left it, clustered into two areas.
Certainly re-entry is doable. Even with the 12-year gap, networking is key to her landing. But she has much work to do first.
So as I spoke with her, I found myself saying things like:
"Sure, you could return to either of your former fields, but as you may know, salaries have contracted...you may not get near the pay you once had." (Her answer: "Really?" Then silence.)
And --
"Technologies have changed a lot since 1999." (She knows only parts of Microsoft Office.)
And --
"Are you familiar with the current issues in your field(s)? The trends, what people are talking about?" (Her answer: no.)
I was afraid to go on, out of fear that my answers would discourage her from even trying to get a job.
I recommended several activities for her, including a variety of sites where she could learn about salary levels today. But I asked her to also talk with at least 8 people currently in her former fields. "Ask them about the field, the industry, what's happened over the last 12 years, what is the technology they use today, what are the salaries, and so on."
She needed to do this to get somewhat caught up, and to get an orientation to 2011, and 2012. So she agreed.
Today, even two or three years away from your career is huge. The speed of change keeps accelerating.
But 10 or 12 years away? I wondered if she felt like Rip Van Winkle, waking up to overwhelming change.
No books or even web sites can update you. People who've been in the field a while can. If you're aiming for a re-entry, they're the people to talk with first. Check local professional associations, for example, for local members you can have coffee with. Keep them as part of your network and when you're ready with your resume and other job search marketing, connect with them again.
If you can show them you've done some homework, they'll be willing to help.
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Have gaps? Want to re-enter the W-2 world? Contact Joanne.
Posted by Joanne Meehl | in career change, Career coaching, career shift, Change, | No Comments »
Be Proactive Pete, Not Last-Minute Lucy
November 25th, 2011 @ 11:11am
A handful of times in the last couple of weeks, I've heard from people who have interviews they need to prepare for. Their interviews are in days, and the people asking for help are panicked. They say, "I haven't interviewed for 5 years", or 15 years, or "ever".
First, let me say it's great that candidates are getting more interviews. Maybe the slow-hiring logjam is shifting a bit more.
But back to those calls. Are these candidates thinking, "I'll get prepared only when I have to"? That just does not make sense. Or, "When I get an interview on my schedule, then I'll begin to think about it"? Again, I don't get it.
In one case, the deadline was so short I simply didn't have available time for the candidate.
These calls make me want to say, People! If you need to practice your interview skills, I'm happy to help -- but do it WAY BEFORE you really need it.
Why?
Whatever the reason for their delay, these anxious candidates are now up against a deadline. So they do not have time to get really ready by talking with people who work there, or connecting with those who know a lot about the company, or learning about the culture. They just don't have enough time to do this really important stuff before the interview. Which compounds their panic.
Instead, they are going to be rushing to learn or review the basics that they should have taken care of a long time ago, and then which would be easy to "brush up on" days before an interview.
So don't cheat yourself: do a prep session with someone now, before you "have to", and you'll be so much more competitive. And much more likely to get a second interview.
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*My one-on-one Intensive Interview Prep is 1-1/2 to 2 hours, either in my office or via Skype. You'll be taped as you answer typical tough questions. We then play back the video and discuss it, and repeat parts as necessary. We also talk about interview dynamics, interview psychology and employer expectations, so that you know the finer points of the interview. Almost everyone who does "interview prep" with me tells me later that my practice session is way harder than the actual interview, so they felt more confident and came across as prepared. Contact me for fees and available times. I book at least one week out.
Posted by Joanne Meehl | in career change, career shift, interviews, Job Search, job search strategy, Networking, Your time, | No Comments »
Five Truths About Job Search
February 11th, 2012 @ 11:02am
Valentine's Day prompted the founding of my business nine years ago, when the software company I worked for was bought by another and our division was shut down. More about that another time, because here I want to focus on what I've observed over the years about job search. There are just certain truths, and here are a few.
1. About 85% of the time when there's a problem, it's candidates themselves who hinder their own job searches. You must get out of your own way. Must.
How do they mess things up? They become untrue to themselves. They start out with goals that fit and are real for them, and which their successes support. Then in mere weeks they relent: They talk themselves into a job at that company where no one ever gets promoted, or the company where they always have layoffs, or they apply for the job that demands they use skills they don't like using - in every case, because "it's a job".
This happens over and over and they wonder why they're not happy in this track record they've created for themselves, and how is it that others seem a lot more satisfied in their careers. So give your goals a fighting chance - don't get in their way.
2. Job search (i.e., career) success comes from trying things that are scary because they're out of your comfort zone. So, for example, I tell candidates, "Throw your hat in the ring just to SEE if it's what you want." Meaning, too often job descriptions are poorly written and it's not until the candidate is actually talking with the employer that they get the real picture of the job - and they might like it and want it far more than they did by just what the job description said in the posting. I've seen this happen more times than I can count.
3. "No one method or idea in job search is always right, no one method or idea is always wrong." So says Richard Nelson Bolles of What Color is Your Parachute? fame. It's true.
4. Sometimes in job search, it's a certain, concrete, predictable step that's next. But often job search is "You'll make it up as you go along". In other words, sometimes it's a science, and even more of the time, it's an art.
Putting it another way: Sometimes you can see the job search "road" clearly ahead for miles. But as E.L. Doctorow said about writing, job search is "like driving at night in the fog - you can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way".
5. The search is something you have to do for yourself - a coach or recruiter or marketing company or parent can't do it for you, regardless of whether you are Gen X, Y, Z, or boomer. Like driving or managing your finances, it's a skill you need to develop because you'll be using it again. And while parts of it will remain the same, parts will change.
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Thoughts? What "truths" have YOU experienced in your search? Please comment!
Posted by Joanne Meehl | in career change, Career coaching, career shift, Change, Don't settle, Job Search, job search strategy, | 4 Comments »