• Home
• The Heart of the Matter, a job search blog

Lessons From the Election Campaign

October 3rd, 2008 @ 10:10am

In last night's VP debate, moderator Gwen Ifill asked both candidates, "What is your Achilles heel?"

Essentially, what Ifill was asking was, "What's your weakness as it relates to your work?" She was the only questioner during what really was a nationally-broadcast job interview for Vice President. It was interesting to see how each job candidate handled it (don't worry, I won't get partisan here!). Senator Biden first joked "only one?", then answered fairly straightforwardly. Governor Palin answered by talking about stances she and her presidential candidate take on a couple of issues.

First, why do interviewers ask this seemingly dumb question? I mean, who wants to admit what their weaknesses are? Except, "they" do ask it. They ask it for a few reasons. They want to know how well you know yourself. And they want to know, frankly, what you will say and how you handle it. At times, interviewees answer as if they are in confession, giving a list of things they just aren't good at. Or they bring up something that is so central to the job that they suddenly destroy their chances for the job. And a snarky "Oh, I am a workaholic!" just doesn't answer it and is viewed as so much BS.

Second: So how do you answer it? You do need to be prepared, and your answer can't be about your tennis game but about your work. So think about those things that you're really not strong at. We each have a list; no one is above being human. Now choose one weakness that is NOT central to the main functions of your job. For example, a Project Manager would not choose "time management" -- and if you're a PM with this problem, uh oh -- instead, you could choose "public speaking to huge groups". THEN, talk about how you have that problem under control or are working on it, if you are: "But I'm getting more experience at that and am getting more and more comfortable as time goes on." Anyone serious about their career is always sharpening their saw.

If you blank, or need more time to think before you answer, you can start your answer by talking about something else, but you must bring it back to an answer to that question. Otherwise, you risk being seen as evasive. While politicians might be able to get away with an answer that doesn't really answer the question, and it's a method that political leaders of all stripes use, it's tough to get away with it in a normal, real-life interview.

On November 4th, it will be interesting to see who the American people decide to hire.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, | No Comments »

Being yourself...and a little bit more

November 22nd, 2008 @ 12:11pm

During a phone meeting with a client I'll call Mike, I was urging him to energize his job search, not only in casting his net a bit wider but in his comments about himself. Mike has more talent than he believes he has, and listened to me patiently as I enthused about this with him.

On the day of his appointed check-in a couple of weeks later, Mike emailed me to say not much had been going on with his search. He did what he'd committed to do, and apologized that he hadn't done more networking. Then his email said something that shook me: "I think you want me to be something other than what I am... but I'm just not the kind of person who finds it easy to do this. So I hope I'm not disappointing you."

First, I felt terrible that I had somehow made him think that he needed to be something other than who he really is. That is the last thing I want a client to think. I truly believe each person has his or her gifts, and limitations. My role is to help them work with that, work with who they are, so that they communicate their successes to a potential employer and get hired. And this is really what works. Anything else is dishonest, and I don't "do" dishonest, not only because it's intrinsically wrong, but because it's not the way people land jobs they are happy with in the long run.

And that he felt he'd disappointed me -- the person he's hired to help him get his next job -- made me feel terrible. Not for me, but for him, for his feeling that he had to live up to a standard I've set. When it's really me working for him. I give clients assignments and we agree on goals, and as I do so, I remind them this is for them, and that these tasks are what makes the difference and what will help them get interviews and offers. And it works.

So here's this decent, hardworking guy apologizing to me when he shouldn't have been.

But. Yes, but. We do live in a tough job market, and my awareness of what employers are doing or not doing, as well as the trends and areas of growth and decline, create an ongoing pressure on the searches my clients are doing. So I do push them, I do get enthusiastic for my clients. So many have so much to offer. And too many don't see it. I usually succeed in helping them see it, and they are grateful. Things they take for granted -- a great attitude, a strong work ethic, approachability by those who report to them, agility with newness and change -- I point out, are things that are sought after by employers. And they are surprised, because they figure everyone else has these qualities, don't they? No, they don't. So while they find it difficult to speak well of themselves, I teach them, and they grow in that way too. It's uncomfortable at first, but it's the edge you need today.

So with Mike, I thanked him for his frank comments and apologized for making him feel like he had to be something other than himself. And clarified that in no way do I want him to be "something else". But that he has to continue to try new things.

In today's volatile market and ever-rising layoff numbers, people need to stretch by setting up one more networking meeting, and to continue to believe in themselves even when it seems they're making little progress. It's because it's competitive out there, and a potential employer hears that energy in their voice -- your voice -- when they call to do a screening interview on the phone. And they hear the lack of it, too.

As I always say, my clients are my best teachers. This time, Mike taught me that I can push, but that I can't push too hard. Given the market conditions, it's a delicate balance. And tough to achieve.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, The job search roller coaster, | No Comments »

The Sandwich Maker

January 25th, 2009 @ 04:01pm

Too often I see people in job search, upon hitting a snag in their search, suddenly develop thoughts about another career. Sometimes this is sparked by a jaunty ad on TV about courses beginning at a nearby school, with programs that promise instant employment. The job seeker thinks, "Maybe if I do that job, I'll get back to work sooner and with less pain." So they stall their search to explore The Alternative Career, getting lost in the requirements for various positions, doing salary research, and checking out job postings. They imagine their lives simpler, more rewarding. They see themselves having happier days on the job and more placid evenings.

Perhaps looking at postings for a job they picture for themselves gives solace to them because the postings they've been applying for haven't borne fruit.

Whatever it's called, it is a symptom of "the grass is greener" syndrome. It's an escape from reality break.

Once, about 25 years ago, I had a new sales job that was extremely pressured, and every day I faced training in methods and technologies that were foreign to me. There was constant studying and paperwork. It seemed I would never learn everything, and that I would never be competent enough to succeed. I was miserable. One day for lunch, I went with some of my colleagues to a sandwich shop where, after placing my order, I watched with envy as the young woman deftly made my sandwich. She wrapped it up, marked it with the price code, handed it to me, wiped her hands, and went on to the next sandwich. Total competence. Simple success. And a complete contrast to my agonizing, groping job existence.

In that moment, I totally envied her. Her job was so simple! She had the satisfaction of making her customers happy, she succeeded in every step of the job, and she had no paperwork or goals to account for. She went home at the end of the day with not a care in the world. Sure, I made two or three times what she did, but right then, I was willing to give that up for what looked like career nirvana.

Fortunately, I finally began to "get" my new job, and the pieces began to fit. My hard work was paying off. While I still went to the sandwich shop, and still had admiration for this sandwich maker, I realized that my envy of her rose and fell depending on how I was doing at work that day. It became a barometer for me, and even when I left that job for another, I've often thought of that sandwich maker as an example of an escape from career reality that I badly needed at the time.

Of course, I would have quickly become bored making sandwiches. But the thought provided me with enough of an escape that it was healing in a way. So I understand when the Operations Manager begins to think about nursing, or the Corporate Trainer goes online to sign up for a course in engineering.

To those who are enjoying some escapism, I'd say: It's OK. It's normal. But don't leave a career that still has promise for a possibility that may not be much more than an escape from reality. To test out the new idea, you should do some real research of that alternative career before jumping ship: talk with lots of people who already do the job, to learn about it from the inside. Otherwise you could be leaving behind a worthy career that you've built so well over the years -- for grass that won't stay green.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, The job search roller coaster, | No Comments »

The Age Thing, Or the 50+ year-old in job search

April 11th, 2009 @ 10:04pm

I was listening to Public Radio one day this week while driving in my car. The call-in show was about older job hunters and how they're not landing jobs. One caller after another, almost every one formerly a professional with an office, each gave their tale of how they have been looking for a job for years or took a survival job at Home Depot, or how even Home Depot wouldn't hire them. "I don't see others like me in some of these places", said a few.

Fast forward to a couple of days later. I was talking with someone who'd called about my services, and these were his comments: "I'm 60 and no one will hire me. None of my friends of the same age are getting hired. I've done everything imaginable to land a job, with no offers." Yet when I probed about which networking groups this person was attending, he said "None." Networking? "A little". Was he using LinkedIn to see what jobs are posted, and so that he gets found by a prospective employer? "I'm on it, but I don't use it much."

To the radio show, I found myself yelling at the radio: Ask them what they've been doing in their search! I told the reporter, who was accepting what was being said, without question. Ask them if they've done something new each week! It felt good, but it didn't do anything, except convince me to write this blog entry.

To the caller I was talking to who kept insisting on his age being the issue, I had to interrupt him to disagree with him and tell him he was NOT doing everything imaginable to get a job. Silence.

In short: older workers don't know how to look for a job today. And: many resent that job search methods changed while they were gainfully employed -- surprise!, you were sheltered from reality for a long time. And: because so many I talk to don't want to change their job search methods, it's my opinion that many don't WANT to know how to look for a job today, that some actually want only pity or sympathy and want to complain.

There, I said it.

And I'll say this: during the search, older job seekers often pooh-pooh things like texting or Facebook or Twitter to anyone who will listen, or complain that the interviewer had tattoos, or that the person who would be their boss doesn't speak great English, or want a job just down the street and no further, or refuse to entertain any salary offer that isn't 15% higher than what they used to make. Without realizing it, these candidates are telegraphing their "I don't like the way things are" attitudes. To the interviewer's ears, that sounds like "I don't really fit in and want everything the way I want it." Result: they're not considered further. And they have no idea they have subtly sabotaged their own searches.

It's sad to have to say this, but bias is a way of life. Of course there's age discrimination in the job market against older people. There's also discrimination based on race, youth, weight, status of the college one attended or lack thereof, previous jobs, makeup, hair styles or baldness, cologne, jeans, looks (you look like the interviewer's ex), attractiveness (too much, too little). All kinds of dumb things color the decisions of hiring managers. Hiring managers are human. And humans do illogical things. It's not right, it's short-sighted, it's small-minded. But it happens.

Which is easier to change: that bias? Or your attitude about your search?

It's the candidate's job to 1) get around these hurdles, usually through networking, and 2) have so much activity going on in their search that the loss of an opportunity here or there doesn't stall it altogether.

Author Barbara Ehrenrich, in her book Bait and Switch, decries career coaches who blame the victim, as she puts it. Well, this is one career change and job search coach who says "the victim can spend less time BEING a victim from the start". The 50+ year old whose litany includes statements like "I've done all I can" or "I apply for all the jobs I can but never hear back" or "It's not like it used to be" and then gives up, has only just begun their search. Come on: it's a new age. Get with it. Or you'll be left out. Do you want a job, or what?

Why does this coach challenge her older clients' excuses? Because once the older job hunter sees that they have more control than they think they do, through things like networking and doing more, they will be energized, and will do more to land a job the way they need to work at it today. Doing things the way they need to be done today will get them a good position.

And that's the whole idea.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Change, Job Search, | No Comments »

It's Just a Conversation -- with Purpose

September 14th, 2009 @ 04:09pm

Interviewing is probably when job hunters get the most nervous about their search, and some can get very worked up, as if the interviewer is going to judge them as human beings. Many people either buy books about every conceivable interview question, then attempt to memorize them, making them more nervous than before.

Or, worse, they go into the interview like a good boy or girl, and wait for questions before speaking. That's the part I want to write about here: the good little boy and girl mode.

Unless you are under the age of, say, 12, you are no longer a boy or girl. I don't care where you live and in what culture you were raised, being the reactive person in today's interview -- meaning the one who waits for the other (the interviewer) to do something -- puts you at a distinct disadvantage. Even the hiring manager or recruiter or HR person raised in the same culture will view you as someone who looks good on paper, but who on the job will probably sit and wait to be told what to do next.

So how do you become more outspoken/more proactive for an interview? You don't wait for the interview. You start being more that way in normal, everyday life. You may not want to hear that, but to make it in today's for-profit and even non-profit business world, you'll have to come out of your shell more. Keeping your successes and excellent reviews a secret will not land you the next interview, or the job, today.

Note the operative word there: TODAY. On your last job, where you may have been for 5, 10, even 20 years, you were sheltered and protected from the new winds buffeting the business world. What worked then, and "got you there" then, won't work now. At least the quiet, "don't notice me" part.

So when you go into an interview today, be thinking "I am a peer to this person who's interviewing me...I have something they need...I can solve their problems...that's why they're calling me in to talk. So I'm going to help THEM by telling them what I can do well." That means having a "conversation with purpose"...not just a meandering isn't-this-nice-that-we-have-so-much-in-common, but one that starts off with you telling the interviewer why you're a good match for the job, illustrating why you are a fit with your success stories. And it moves to a back-and-forth exchange of information. And it ends with you asking about next steps.

So they'll be asking you questions, and sometimes you'll be asking the question. It's not a two-way inquisition. It's a conversation, with the end goal being, on both sides of "let's take this further".

With that approach in mind, going into an interview loses most of the stress, and your confidence is higher. Now isn't that the way to do a job search?

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Change, Job Search, | No Comments »

Job Search Myth #342

September 20th, 2009 @ 06:09pm

The number 342 is purely random: I just happened to pick it out of the air, because there are enough job search myths that I'm sure the numbers do go that high. OK, here it is: "My job search networking groups are all I need."

Oh, really? All those people know how to help you, and are going to take time out of their job searches for YOU? Wow!

Now you know I am a huge supporter of networking in job search, with your between-the-jobs brethren, employed folks, and others. Yes, you'll make great contacts and get good feedback. But since when are fellow job seekers experts in your job search, especially when they are consumed with their own searches and their own agendas, and rightfully so?

Anyone who follows the discussion and banter on email list serves for job search networking groups is familiar with the characters who populate them, both helpful types as well as killing time types. There's the bitter know-all-about-job-search guy who's been looking for two years, and blames his inability to land on his age. Could it really be that his attitude seeps through whenever he is interviewed or makes a networking contact? Related to him is the sarcastic list serve member who thinks she should get free job search help from consultants (would she expect free treatment from a doctor before he helps her find the cure?), or who thinks he deserves a higher salary next time around "just because". There's the I-want-to-help-everyone person who leaves too little time for herself. There's the person who's landed a job so he writes emails to the group for hours each day to share his wisdom...but when, pray tell, is he working? And there is the great number of lurkers who are hoping to learn some hidden secret about search that will land them their next job.

None of those folks intends to be harmful to their fellow job hunters. But they simply cannot give the same level of attention that a counselor at a career center, or a consultant like me, gives. It's our job to help you. We live for your success. We don't go away like fellow job seekers do, when they land, and which is totally understandable. And whatever you spend on such services, you will get back by landing sooner, or by being able to negotiate for a higher salary.

So go to job search networking groups, of course. But don't stop there.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Career coaching, Job Search, Networking, | No Comments »

The Uncertainty of the Job Search

October 23rd, 2009 @ 08:10am

Recently I spoke with the spouse of a prospective client, something I welcome because I can answer questions from their perspective. Given that I use a certain process, during which things tend to happen at certain points, she was asking "So when would he have a resume?" and "When would he be interviewing?" Behind the questions, certainly, was some amount of anxiety, given the economy and, I'm sure, family finances.

One thing I always remember is that when I work with individuals, I'm really working with the whole family, because it's the family that's hurting from the loss of income, and it the family who benefits when the person lands the new job. What she wanted was guarantees. I would love it if I could give those. But there are just too many variables to honestly be able to do that: what's going to happen this week in the stock market, what will the candidate really do with his or her weekly goals, and so on.

One thing I can guarantee is that using a job search process that has been refined and constantly tested by many others, the chances are high that a candidate's search will probably be shorter and less painful. I can guarantee that sometimes how a hiring manager thinks can be unpredictable, that aspects of the search will make no sense at times, that using today's technology will help a candidate, and that trying to find a good job without networking is extremely difficult.

In other words, I can guarantee frustration and hard work until the candidate hears the wonderful words, "We'd like to make you a job offer."

So like the cat who eventually comes down from the tree, her husband will land. But the part of the search that's in his hands is how good a job he gets, not just any job, by doing the good work necessary for landing it. That's the only thing that guarantees a candidate gets as close as they can to their goal.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, The job search roller coaster, | No Comments »

The Power of the Story

December 11th, 2009 @ 08:12am

When job hunters strive to make their resumes fit a "proper" format, and thus sound flat and colorless, I cringe. When job interviewees turn quiet and obedient in an interview practice, I wince. Somehow, someone, somewhere must have told everyone there was/is only one way to do a resume, do an interview, and the lesson stuck.

And now a paragraph that seems to have nothing to do with the previous one: Human beings love stories. From the dawn of time, we've sat around the fire, listening to stories. Today, it's sitting around the dining room table on a December holiday, or on the commuter bus with a Kindle, and yes, next to the fireplace curled up with a book -- each taking in a story. Family treasures include stories of how great-great-great grandma came to this country, or how grandpa moved everyone west for more farmland, or how Mom went back to get her GED. It must be in our DNA.

So why do we stop telling stories when it comes to job search? It should be the opposite. Employers have pretty much the same DNA as other humans, and need to hear your stories. I don't mean the one about Grandpa, I mean illustrations of how you have been successful. As I like to say to my clients, "Don't tell me, show me. Show the employer."

So the candidate who says "I am a good manager" is telling me. It's flat, blank. But the candidate who says "Let me give you an illustration of how I manage. When I came to the team, three of our best people were about to quit. I sat down with each of them, then the rest of the team. I listened a lot, talked about what I could change and not change, and negotiated with them to stay at least three more months to see if they could live with my proposed changes. They agreed and we made those changes -- I didn't want to lose my top producers. One thing I did was increase the bonuses for 'biggest increases for the month'. Not only did those three stay, they increased their performance AND the rest of the team moved up, too. It was fun to hand out those bonuses, which cost only 10% of the increase the team gave us! Now it's the most desired team to be on, in the whole company. I believe I can bring that same kind of management style to you here."

Wow!

As that candidate tells that story, the interviewer is picturing him sitting down with his people, talking with his people, and then is eager to here where the story goes. The story's payoff is the success (increase in performance/$). THIS is what makes the candidate the one who gets the second interview and third and the offer.

It's the same with resumes: job hunters have to get away from making their resumes sound "proper" or legalish or tepid. Spice it up with successes and before-and-after info. Put in a juicy quote from your manager or a client. Use numbers as numerals, not spelled out -- a "rule" I love breaking. Then go crazy on your LinkedIn profile by repeating your key words over and over again. Do what gets results -- calls for interviews --- and do interviews that are alive with stories -- not what's "proper".

So what's your story?

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in interviews, Job Search, resumes, | No Comments »

No Such Thing as a "Permanent" Job

December 28th, 2009 @ 12:12am

The other day I was reading posts on a job hunters' email list serve, and saw an "I've landed!" email from one member. It's always great to see such good news, so I opened the mail. The person announced his new job, thanking everyone who'd helped him during his search to "land this permanent position after doing several temping gigs".

"Permanent"? Ouch. When it comes to work, there is no such thing, unless you're gainfully self-employed, and even then your business waxes and wanes with the demands of the market.

Author Clifford Hakim was prescient when he wrote We Are All Self-Employed in 1994. He maintained then, and he was so right, that a new social contract now exists: gone was the idea of lifelong employment with one employer. Parts of the country have seen this reality for almost two decades, others are just awakening to it. Which means in regions where layoffs had been rare until this recession, people are still reeling from what they'd imagined was impossible: that they'd actually been let go from a company where they thought they'd be forever.

In short, they were operating as if nothing had changed from decades before. It's tough to be hit with the reality that those days truly are gone.

A client of mine who landed a few years ago at a company doing a lot of defense research told me about the culture there, once he'd been there a while and saw the "self employed" model in action. There, when your project was winding down, you were not assigned to another project. Instead, YOU had to FIND another project within the company which would take you on. So you had to be able to articulate your value to Project Managers. And as a direct result of the culture there, everyone was very interested in everyone else's project: How was the project going? What were the goals? What's the funding? If you found no project to which you could contribute, you were out the door.

Will other companies take on the same kind of approach? Only time will tell. But many are no longer managing their employees' careers. That's up to the employee now.

In that way, Hakim's book's subtitle, How to Take Control of Your Career, is absolutely right. By shaping your attitude -- and your job search-- around the fact that you have to find your market and focus your message, then find your customer (employer), you are taking initiative. Continuing to think of work in this new way will get you as close to "permanent" as you can ever be.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Change, Job Search, | No Comments »

It's Official: The Death of the Resume Objective

January 22nd, 2010 @ 04:01pm

Let the proclamation go forth: the resume "Objective" is dead!

It's another casualty of this economy.

I haven't used one on clients' resumes in over twelve years. First, they're usually highly predictable, thus they are boring. Second, they are too selfish. Third, they use very valuable real estate that could be used for much better information. And a possible fourth: because of the first three, they make the user seem way out of date.

On the point of them being predictable thus boring, here's one that I've seen over the last 20+ years that never seems to change: "Seeking a challenging position with a growing company where I can use my many ______ skills". Yes, employers want to know what you want: they don't want to hire someone who's only lukewarm about their work or the company.

But your goal is better expressed in a Summary near the top of page 1 that uses phrases like "Thrives on teams that generate new ideas." It's better to use those words than to use longer, Latinate, multi-syllabic words that sound like a lawyer wrote them, as in "Succeeds in positive environments where innovation is a priority" -- too passive, no pictures, no "spark" to the language. Don't be afraid to be unique and different if it better describes how you'd jump right in and produce results right away. Those who read resumes are looking for the person who can clearly tell them why they should hire them -- and hire them now.

On the "selfishness" of an Objective, they are all about you, aren't they? "I want, I want, I want..." That's the key thing that makes them terrible to use. Today, every communication you make during a job search should be all about the employer and their pain and how you can eliminate it. Do I need to emphasize how important that is in this economy? Let me say this again: Do I need to tell you that you MUST do this today?

Obviously, what you say about yourself needs to be true of you. If it is true, and it's good stuff, then that's what should come across, not only in your Summary, but in your bulleted items. Still, so many people show me their resumes with an Objective because people out there who purport to be career counselors or coaches are still teaching them and using them. That's an outdated practice that I've written about elsewhere (scroll down for "Wrong, Wrong, Wrong, a rant", from July 2009), where well-intentioned people are giving out very old information.

And on the third point, and especially today, an employer wants to read your resume quickly, wants to know right away if you are a possible interview candidate. If you take up valuable space at the top of page 1 telling them what you want, in boring language, you are then NOT taking that space to say "Here's what I can do for YOU." So use that precious real estate to get to the point. Don't give history ("21 years as a Sales leader..."). Instead, give results ("Sales Professional who generates new revenue").

Resume "Objective": R.I.P. -- but we're glad you're gone.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, resumes, | No Comments »

Ten Things You Don't Want to Hear About Job Search - But Need To

February 12th, 2010 @ 12:02am

These are 10 things that need to be said about job search that people just don't want to hear. But unless you hear them and understand they come with the territory, you won't fully be prepared for a productive and effective job search.

1. Right now, it will take you longer to land that new job than it would in an "ordinary" economy. Like 1-6 months longer.

2. If all you do is update your ten year-old resume and send it out to job postings online -- which are only about 20-40% of all available openings -- you will double your job search time, if not triple it. Do you have enough savings? Or a trust fund?

3. What some will see -- and see everywhere -- as age discrimination, is really salary discrimination. You will not be able to lean on age discrimination to explain why you are not getting job offers. Forget that right now, or you will hide behind that for the rest of your career. Be honest: are you wearing glasses from 1995? Are you truly up to date on what's going on in your field? Do you know what your college's curriculum for your major is TODAY? Are you reading journals in your field? Are you flexible about salary or the exact job or title?

4. Bias does exist. Yes, age discrimination exists. So does bias based on color, weight, hair, no hair, beauty/plainness, taste in music...you name it. Accept it. Keep your activity level high so that you have so much going on that one loser hiring manager in your campaign doesn't really matter.

5. This will affect your family. Don't think you are "sparing them" by not talking about what you're doing. Every week or so, review with your spouse and kids what you're doing. Not every phone call or thought, but the variety of meetings you're doing, the contacts you are making or want to make. Without knowing this stuff, you are creating unnecessary mystery. And you're leaving them out and isolating yourself.

6. Waiting is dumb. Waiting to see what happens with your current interview cycle with Employer A, before applying to Employer B or C or D, is dumb. Treat your search like dating: see as many employers and as many contacts as humanly possible. Say yes to everything, until you really want to say No. Just don't wait, as that won't get you anywhere fast.

7. Expect to NOT hear from employers, even if they tell you "You would be great here" or "You will be one of our finalists!" Expect to suddenly not hear from them. Expect anonymous email rejections. Expect inconsistency between what they say they're going to do, and what they really do, no matter how "great" you may have clicked with them. Is all of this rude? Yes. Unprofessional? Yes.

Tough to endure? Yes. But it's reality. So keep moving, keep going on and don't look back.

8a. This is a biggie: If you are not overwhelmed with job search activity -- with numerous networking meetings, searching for and meeting contacts, attending seminars in your field for both the knowledge and the connections you'll make, using a spreadsheet or system to keep track of it all -- then you are not doing enough. Do you want to land? Then being overwhelmed with activity is what you have to do. Period. 8b: Yes, I said networking. All this means is talking with people you don't already know, and listening to them. Especially people in your field. Find out what they need, and speak to that by citing your successes. Connect, connect, connect.

9. Turn off the (negative) news. Ignore the toxic talk by that person in your networking group. Screen out the stuff that brings you down. You'll be tempted to let it in, because it can serve as an excuse for why it's taking you so long to find a job. Don't kid yourself. Instead, see #1- #8 above.

10. Don't go it alone. Sure, work with a buddy group or job search partner. But hire help if you are lost or can't stay on track or are stalled. You see an accountant for your taxes, you see a dentist for your teeth, a doctor for that pain. So hire a search coach. If you could see the relief on the faces of my clients, because they are making great progress each week, each day, you'd know what I mean. Why be in pain?

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, | 1 Comment »

Job Search Networking Groups and Gray Hair

March 6th, 2010 @ 07:03pm

The profile of job search networking groups around the country is the same: people over 40. Largely white, more male than female, almost all with at least a bachelor's degree. "Look around the room", some there say with some anger in their voices. "Notice all the gray hair? What does that tell you?"

Why IS it that most people at many job search networking groups ARE older? The immediate answer from some, especially the ones asking us to look around the room, seems to be "age discrimination". Meaning, employers hire all the young people first, so those under 40 don't need networking groups.

Not so fast. I say, don't give up so easily and yield to excuses. Yes, excuses.

Here are some observations from this, well, 50+ year old career coach:

1) Younger people have what I call "natural networks" -- they usually don't yet have families, houses, etc., so they hang out with friends. They go to parties. They take courses, they do business after hours meetings, professional meetings, they hang out with employed people, etc. Look in a bar at 5:30 near any urban office park or downtown, and the under-40 set is mostly who you'll see. So if they're networking that way, and via social media, they don't think about "official" job search networking groups. They're already doing it. You over 45 or 50 don't do those things nearly as much. So you go to networking groups.

And those who have started families will network with other younger parents. Sure, they'll network with their own parents and their parents' friends. But they'll choose the stands at the baseball diamond for making new contacts over going to networking groups.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Change, Job Search, Networking, | No Comments »

Seven Tips on Choosing A Resume Professional

March 21st, 2010 @ 11:03pm

"Seven Tips on Choosing A Resume Professional" -- I almost wrote "resume writer" in this title. But today, being a resume "writer" isn't enough. I know because in the last six months, three people have asked me to re-do the resume they paid to have written for them. Why? Because it did not result in the phone calls it is supposed to generate. That's its job.

Certainly, writing and command of the language is vital. The wording should be easy to read, marketing-oriented, honest and real for the client, current, and it should communicate energy. But other knowledge comes into play:

1. Make sure they know careers and the workplace. Not only career fields and job categories -- yours in particular -- but job titles, how people move up and around various types of organizations, product vs service environments, and so forth. Experience in business in a variety of roles helps. And evidence of their knowledge through articles that they've written, for example, is a strong indicator they truly understand their job.

2. Make sure they know that a resume is part of a job search marketing plan. That it's not just a document that needs to get done and out of the way. And it's not the whole marketing approach. In fact, I discourage my clients from using them unless they absolutely have to, because I coach clients to do a networking-based job search, not an ads-based one. I'd rather have the resume be used as a proof source AFTER a client is in the door, than as a door-opener because it seldom works that way.

3. Make sure they spend much more than a total of 15-20 minutes with you on the phone to learn about your background. It's impossible to spend that little amount of time with most job search candidates to learn enough about them to even begin a new resume. I walk people through their background and work history from college (or sometimes earlier) through to today, and that takes at least an hour. And I learn so much, and love hearing each person's story. How else can you hear what each person's gifts are?

4. Make sure they understand how the resume screening technology works. How it looks at the resume, what it looks for, how to best present the candidate's background so that the resume makes it through the system to human eyes. This knowledge includes key words, which, whether screening technology is used or not, are vital.

5. Make sure they know how to share resume material with the candidate's LinkedIn profile, that they know how LinkedIn works and how employers/recruiters use it to find candidates, and LinkedIn's role in the job search. And how other social media play a role in today's job search. This grows more important by the day. In fact, I see the partnership between the resume and LinkedIn as so strong, that I won't do a resume without also coaching a client in how to best do -- and continually update -- their LinkedIn profile.

6. Need I say it: be sure they write resumes that focus on your VALUE to an employer, not on your history. So dispense with "responsible for" and instead make sure they point out achievements and accomplishments. Constantly.

7. Last, make sure they show you how to update and tweak the resume as you use it. After all, it's your resume and you need it to be flexible enough for you to customize for all kinds of companies or organizations. You don't want to have to call the writer to do it.

You may be wondering why I don't mention "make sure they're certified". I'm a certified coach, and there are many fine people in the field who are certified, especially around resumes. But there are students and then there are people who can truly use well in real life what they've learned. So make sure the professional has the most important certification of all: the endorsement of clients who began to land interviews once they had their new resume. AND those clients' referrals of friends and family to the writer. In other words, business built by word-of-mouth and networking, not by saturation of ads.

When you find someone who fits this profile, grab 'em. They're good. Really good.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, resumes, | No Comments »

How to Use Twitter to Stay "Career-Fresh"

April 3rd, 2010 @ 01:04pm

Whether you are IN a good job or are between jobs, Twitter can challenge you to stay up with what's going on in your field. I call it staying "career-fresh".

What does this mean? In order to post quality tweets, you obviously have to say something tweet-worthy. Meaning, something that's worth reading by others in your field. Original thinking and observations are best; nothing is gained by posting a "me too" comment.

So, you'll need to observe what's going on in your career field and tell readers about it, especially if others have not addressed the topic in quite the same way. Keep up with your professional colleagues/network, with journals, with printed and online articles, with interviews of leaders, and with issues in your field, so that you can tweet reactions to those.

All of this real-time consciousness about your field challenges you to keep yourself fresh. And today, employers WANT people who are committed to their work. Using Twitter is one way of showing this commitment AND this fresh knowledge.

Then be consistent with your tweets, posting at least once per week. This is advice I give my clients, especially those in job search, and those clients add their Twitter ID to their business cards. All of this gives you brand status: you become known as a reliable source of knowledge in your field. Posting just once every month is not enough and looks feeble. But posting too often can work against you: If you're in a job, posting every 5 minutes means you are using way too much of your employer's time for this, and if you're in job search, it comes across as not doing anything else.

Don't forget to use LinkedIn's partnership with Twitter and thus its ability to show your tweets. Cross-posting further enhances your brand.

Whether or not you're in a job right now, being "out there" with your knowledge keeps you up with what's going on, it strengthens your brand, and it solidifies your reputation within your field. Stay career-fresh: use Twitter.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Career coaching, Job Search, Networking, Uncategorized, Your time, | 1 Comment »

Three Tips on Final Prep for the Interview

April 9th, 2010 @ 10:04am

Few things give this job search coach more pain than when candidates get themselves all tied up in knots over an interview. Too often, good candidates prep for interviews by buying books with titles like 10,001 Interview Questions and How to Answer Them, then try to memorize the answers. Then, because they can't possibly hold all that stuff in their heads, they get nervous and that makes them feel like a fraud when they KNOW they can do the job. So they can't sleep the night before, they find themselves talking like a chipmunk on speed instead of speaking in their real voice, and in this state they become vulnerable so they view the interview as A Complete Judgment of Who They Are As A Human Being.

Whew.

Painful. And unnecessary.

Naturally, interview practice with a coach, especially if it's videotaped, is critical to feeling normal in an interview. That can be a career coach, or it could be another professional in your network who is NOT a good friend or family member, who just will not be as frank with you about what you can change.

But here are the "Three 'R' " tips for you as you are about to go into the interview, so that you get a great shot of confidence. You're in your car now in the company's parking lot, or on the commuter line about to get off and walk into the building, and here's what you do:

1. Re-read the job description. You matched it when you first saw it, you match it now -- otherwise, you would not be having this interview. But look at it one more time. Recall what made you excited to answer the ad or respond to the networking tip about the opening. Be sure to bring that up again in the interview: "I was so excited to see this position because I can bring my expertise here and achieve additional successes...specifically, being a product manager for your iWidget Division would mean that I'd review your current processes to see how we can shorten the cycle...." Showing that "spark of excitement" reveals your love for what you do. Since companies and organizations don't hire resumes -- they hire people, real human beings -- this joy will come through. That's who they want in the job: someone who's excited to be there.

2. Review your resume. Meaning, look at every phrase, every bullet, and remember the success stories behind them. This is why you are there. And this is where the answers to interview questions will come from: YOU. Not a book. Not a coach who tells you what to say, word for word.

Important: Think about three stories you definitely want to tell. You may be asked for more examples than that, but be sure to have three really good ones to tell, even if they DON'T ask for examples or say "Tell me about a time when you...". If you don't bring these up on your own behalf, thinking they're not necessary, don't kid yourself: your competition will find a way to give their stories.

Now you may get a question like "Why are manhole covers round?", questions that Microsoft and Google interviews have made famous. These get more to "How does this person solve problems?" Because you've prepared correctly for the interview, your mind is not cluttered with memorized phrases so you are more likely to handle these kinds of questions more calmly and with more thought.

3. Reframe the interview. Do NOT see it as A Judgment of Who You Are As A Human Being. Why can I asy that? Because hiring managers and HR people I talk with all say the same thing: they HOPE and even pray that you are THE ONE. Do you think hiring managers enjoy interviewing? Enjoy taking themselves away from their work, taking their people away from their work? Of course not. Do you think HR managers enjoy being hassled by hiring managers who are eager to have a new person tackle the growing pile of problems on their desks? Of course not. So here's the Big Secret about the interview: As they are shaking your hand and welcoming you in, they are thinking "God, I hope this is the one. We have so much work for this person to do. We want to choose the right person, of course -- we just hope YOU are IT!"

By doing your rereading, reviewing, and reframing, you'll feel more confident. And believe it or not, you will actually enjoy your interviews. And that's the way it should be.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in interviews, Job Search, | No Comments »

Answering "Why have you been out of work for so long?"

May 31st, 2010 @ 04:05pm

As the unemployment rate -- official or otherwise -- begins to drop, those many professionals "still" in job hunt are beginning to feel left out of the party. Their one-year layoff anniversary date is upon them, or has just passed, and they are seeing people around them finally landing jobs. One of their fears is that employers will think they are the discards of the work force.

So the question, "Why have you been out of work for so long?" strikes particular fear in the hearts of most job hunting professionals. To them it sounds like "Is something wrong with you that a) you were laid off, that b) no one else yet has hired you, and/or c) that you're still looking?"

Even if you dismiss the minority of people in HR or hiring manager positions who have somehow missed the news that our country has been and still is -- job-creation-wise -- in a deep recession, as more and more people are hired, most decent decision makers will, indeed, wonder about those still looking.

Here are a way to answer. But first: I never believe that people are really in job search for as long as they say they are. People are in shock and denial for some time, even if, on autopilot, they immediately start sending out resumes. They dig up that old resume, make some additions, and start with checking out the online ads. They begin to attend networking groups but aren't really sure what to do. When, after a few months, those things don't generate much if any response, or they get trounced in an interview, they realize they have to change something.

So it's then that job hunters say, "I really need some help with this." They get that help in various forms. For those people who come to me, I tell them "You're really only just now starting your search. Until now, you've been just casting about for more clarity." The client, hearing this, actually feels relief to know they haven't been doing things they way they need to in order to land a good job, because now they know "it's not them", it's how they've been going about it. And they can fix that.

When the interviewer asks you this question, he or she is truly are plumbing about to learn "How does she handle things when they don't go her way?" Show them you're fine with it and will work hard to get into a better situation.

So. Now your search has taken 6 months, 8 months, a year. And they're asking you what you've been doing, and why hasn't someone else scooped you up?

Here's a real statement, unvarnished, from a real client: "I had a year's severance, so I took time off with my family during that time. I helped my daughter through a several projects at the junior high, and I did a lot of things around the house. Then I went to get my certification in xyz, and began applying for jobs. I did OK, even got a few interviews, but I knew I blew every one because I was so nervous and blanked a lot, and they never had me back for a second one. That scared me, so I took another few months off. Soon my health insurance is going to come to an end and I am in full gear to get a new job."

How she's going to tell the doubting interviewer that same information: "I'm sure you're well aware that many good people are available and looking for their next position, and the job search isn't what it used to be. I wasn't aware of that at first and jumped into it without doing my homework. That meant I spun my wheels a lot at for the first month or so. But, being a person who quickly changes what's not working in a project, I then did research to learn what I needed to fix. I sought out the Subject Matter Experts and learned how to better focus in on, and communicate better, what I do well. I can bring that same tenacity to you here at ABC Company."

In other words, it's OK to say that you weren't so smart about the early part of your search. As long as you show that you BECAME smart about it, quickly, and went on from there. That will reduce the time, in their minds, of you being between jobs. And the positive attitude revealed in that answer shows them you've left your old job behind and are ready for new challenges.

Other points:

Don'ts: Don't talk about painting the house (even if you've done it). Don't say "I've been looking for a job" (even if you think that's what you've been doing). Don't be defensive.

Do's: Certainly, you should talk about classes or seminars you've taken, certifications you've earned, internships, relevant volunteer experiences. Do emphasize that you've picked up new skills and methods that you can't wait to use on your next job. Do mention your pent-up energy, which you can direct within their company to get problems off their desks. Turn your long job search into a positive.

Those are the things that hold value to an employer, and the reasons why an employer WOULD, indeed, hire you, out of work a long time, or not.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, Networking, resumes, | No Comments »

Five Ways to Avoid Self-Sabotage in Your Job Search

June 28th, 2010 @ 08:06pm

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Career coaching, Change, Job Search, Networking, resumes, The job search roller coaster, Your time, | No Comments »

Be Careful What You Ask For...You May Get Exactly the Opposite

June 29th, 2010 @ 11:06pm

There's an old saying in philanthropy that says "If you ask for money, you get advice. If you ask for advice, you get money."

I think it's similar when you're networking during your job hunt: "If you ask for a job as you network, you get advice. If you ask for advice as you network, you get a job."

Old suggestions say "Do 'informational interviews' and bring your resume, and be sure to talk about JOBS and POSITIONS with the contact." I've seen people do that and they don't get good jobs, they get advice and a well-intentioned "I'll keep you in mind". Which ends things with that contact.

What I recommend to job hunters, if they truly want to find a good job, is instead to leave the resume at home and make connections who can give you advice. Meet with them -- don't just talk on the phone --and make it a conversation about the field, the work, and how you love doing that work. Ask your contact about them and what they enjoy about the field. Focus on them, and they'll show more interest in you. In short, they'll get to know what you have to offer. Result: they'll feel confident sending you on to others in their network. Those "others" have the jobs.

Stay tuned for a networking seminar in August that focuses on this principle. We'll put the word out as the date gets closer.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, Networking, resumes, | No Comments »

Is Job Search Networking A Luxury?

July 2nd, 2010 @ 03:07pm

A member of our Face2Face Job Search Networking Group for Professionals emailed me to say she couldn't attend the next meeting, and probably could not attend any others, "because I don't have the luxury of time to do networking...I have to get a job, something, anything."

That is among the most painful things this job search coach can hear. Because it's exactly networking that WILL result in a job, a good job. Responding to postings, in this kind of economy and when everyone else is answering ads, results in huge numbers working against you. When you respond to a posting, they don't know you from Adam and your resume has to fit exactly, so your chances for an interview drop significantly. But when you are introduced by an employee at a target company to the hiring manager as someone s/he needs to talk to, you are now stamped "pre-approved" and you get the interview, like magic. Sure, you now have to do well in the interview...but at least you are in the running instead of lost in a database.

Sure, I urge job hunters to not only network but also to approach hiring managers directly, to answer ads, to work with recruiters. All of those things work at some point with some people. They each have their own timeline so it's best to have a mix; networking can take time. I'll encourage any legal and ethical activity that results in a good hire for both sides.

But when I look at my clients who've landed good, new jobs, and those in the networking group who have landed good jobs, and I do the statistics, over the last two years only ONE of my dozens of clients who have landed has done it by answering an ad then interviewing and getting an offer. And only a half-dozen of the 500+ person networking group (about 75 at each meeting) have landed the postings-response-then-interview way. All others either 1) "networked their way in" to their target companies, or 2) responded to a posting AND networked their way to the hiring manager. ALL others. And I see the same thing in other parts of the country, from what my colleagues report and what those in other networking groups are saying.

Most likely, this networking group member has not done much networking to date in her search, part of the reason she might be at the end of her rope -- and her unemployment money. Another truism about networking: the more networking one does the earlier in their search as possible, the shorter the search.

So this group member, instead, will use her precious job search time to shop her resume door to door, to a lot of rejection and little encouragement...she will call her network contacts again and beg that they remember her "if you hear of anything"...she will hold her nose as she applies for jobs way beneath her. Except the result is likely to be nothing in the way of a new, real job, and instead only the erosion of her dignity, and the fracturing of any remaining confidence. And all the while she'll think something is wrong with her, that she is cursed with "bad luck" or is singled out to pay some kind of penance. All of this is so wrong.

And that's why job search networking is not a luxury: It is the very air that keeps a search, especially in these trying times, alive. And thriving.

Note: We are planning an in-person seminar for August which gets to the "hows" and "what to say" of networking, especially for the senior professional. Check our web site (www.thejobsearchqueen.com) over the next few weeks for location, date and time.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, Networking, Your time, | No Comments »

"Seven Career Changes" A Myth

September 12th, 2010 @ 12:09pm

Over the years, my colleagues and I have heard "people change careers seven times over their lifetimes", and looked at each other quizzically. Really - SEVEN times?! I've never known anyone who's done this, save for the very rare career experimenter who can afford to start over and over again at a beginner's salary -- usually at the cost of his or her (I've seen both) relationships.

Sure, I've known people who've changed once or maybe even twice. But even those who come to me to determine if they should change careers almost always decide to do a career shift rather than a careerchange: someone in pharmaceutical sales, for example, shifts to medical device sales. Or a hospital CTO becomes the CIO of a large medical practice.

A career change: A college career counselor (yours truly) becomes a sales rep for a computer division of Xerox -- a real change yet the similarities in needs assessment and then applying solutions were so close that they landed me the job and got me started in 10+ years in sales.

A career change means that not only does the work itself change, but the customer/client changes, the organizational culture changes, and so forth. A career shift is as explained above: you step sideways but you're still in a very similar culture and dealing with very similar customers. And a job is one piece of the flow we call a career. The word "career" as a noun means "direction" or "course" (as in direction).

I can say that in the 20 or so years I've been doing this work, after working with literally thousands of people while in outplacement, at career centers for dislocated workers, and at colleges with older students, that I have seen perhaps 1-2 people change careers more than 2-3 times. I suspect that using one's life to experiment with careers, rather than working with someone who can help you determine a valid direction, represents a deeper problem, such as Peter Pan Syndrome ("I don't want to grow up..."). But I'll leave that to the psychologists to determine. In short, it just doesn't happen with 99.9% of real people.

So where did this "7 career changes" story get started? No one seems to know. Evidently it's just been repeated so much that people assume it's true. The statistic has been attributed to the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Now The Wall Street Journal's Carl Bialik (9-11-10) says the BLS does not track the numbers of career changes, but they keep track of the numbers of jobs in a lifetime, not the same statistic at all. So he, a statistics lover, asks the question "Where does this 7-change number come from?", and ends up saying a few different things, including that people who do what I do keep the myth alive so that we can get more customers! (You can't hear this: the sound of me suppressing a loud laugh). More on that in a moment. But thank you, Mr. Bialik, for finally questioning this statistic.

I do think that the terms "jobs" and "careers" often get confused by researchers or those interpreting researchers' numbers. Bialik also says, "No one knows for sure the true average numbers of careers". That's how I see it, too.

Over the years, when I've done workshops or have sat with an individual client and get asked about it, I've said "That's what 'they' say but I've never seen it".

Just re-reading my first two paragraphs would tell you that I've never believed in the "7 career changes" myth myself, so needless to say, I'm not promulgating the myth, yet it hasn't affected my business.

Do I tell clients that they need to be ever ready for changes and shifts? You bet. Do I tell those laid off that chances are they will get laid off again, so don't stop networking and don't stop planning their next step? You bet. Do I emphasize that whatever career they choose, they think of it not as a job but as a long-term commitment that they need to enjoy AND invest in? Absolutely.

Those aren't myths at all.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Career coaching, Change, interviews, Job Search, Uncategorized, Your time, | No Comments »

What Your College Career Office Isn't Telling You

December 26th, 2010 @ 01:12pm

They mean well, the counselors in your college career center. They do a good job of getting some recruiters in, and they maintain a wonderful database of previous graduates, they have alumni in to speak.

But where many fall down -- and I know this because I was guilty of this myself when I was in their role years ago -- is the lack of repeated direct contact with hiring managers, corporate recruiters, and HR, so that they keep up with how new grads should market themselves. They have a lot on their plate but they need to make the time for this direct-contact activity. Because this is something I do a lot of, I shape my comments around what those experts -- the ones with the jobs -- tell me that YOU, the candidate, need to know.

When I see some of the resumes that otherwise fine universities are creating for their college seniors, I cringe. In short, most of the resumes are about promoting the college, not the student. And they are static chronologies of internships and unrelated jobs, not marketing tools. New grads simply don't get their money's worth.

Even worse is when a graduate from earlier years goes back for help. I am working with a 2008 grad I'll call Sean who, in late 2010, went back to his GRADUATE school career office, and a senior counselor there kept Sean's education at the top of his resume, as if he were a brand-new grad. Unacceptable! The young man had had a professional job by now and THAT is what needs to be the focus of the reader's attention, not his education, which needs to be in its new home, at the end of the resume.

That senior counselor also made no effort to show any pattern in the Sean's budding career. He simply pasted in the jobs with no consideration of Sean's direction and focus. Worse, he left in Sean's college and summer jobs, which no longer had any direct bearing on his developing career and were taking up valuable space. So the resume was a hodgepodge. And in today's competitive market, that's exactly what Sean does not need.

The result for Sean: his old resume, over several months, landed him zero interviews. The new one he and I are now working on: it WILL land him interviews. And interviews lead to offers.

If only that counselor had, over the months and years in his job, taken "before" and "after" resumes and shown them to hiring managers and recruiters, he would have learned what works better. Or at least spent time talking with such folks at length.

What makes a resume "work"? It's when it communicates, by the middle half of page 1, what the person can do, and can do NOW. Sean's doesn't to that. Too many new grads' resumes don't do that. And that is such a shame. Companies and organizations out there are looking for great talent. But great talent still needs to market itself to the "buyer". This is where too many college career offices don't deliver.

Today's college career advisors need to show employers, students, and parents (the ones usually paying the huge tuition bills!) that they can take this new or recent grad and show them how to go out into the world and land their first great job. In order for college career counselors to do so, THEY have to know the way themselves. Any less than that, they're not doing their job or earning the salary -- for which you've already paid through your tuition.

So use them and expect a lot from them. They owe it to you.

______________________

See also my article about how college seniors can start NOW to do the work that will enable you to walk into a job upon graduation: http://exm.nr/collegeSrjobsearch, and my book for college seniors and recent grads, Yes, You Can Get That Job!

For a FREE booklet that maps recommended job search activity from January of your senior year through to June, send an email with the subject line "college booklet" to Joanne@TheJobSearchQueen.com.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in College students, Job Search, resumes, | No Comments »

An Example of Successful Job Search Networking: Rita

December 29th, 2010 @ 09:12am

This is long but think of it as a real-world guide to using networking in your search.

A client is having wonderful success networking, and you should know about it because you can have such success, too. It will take the mystery out of this thing we call networking. And it shows why, when done right, we career coaches want our clients to do it, regardless of age, career goal, or the economy.

Background

Rita is in her early 30s with about 10 years' experience in marketing. She is determined to apply her marketing successes within a non-profit, not an easy thing to do when non-profits are having a tough time raising scarce funds.

Better Ways to Network

Here's where I need to say that I do not endorse the usual "informational interview", where candidates pretend to not really be looking for a job while the contact pretends that the candidate is not really looking for a job and just wants "information". And the candidate sometime during the meeting pushes a resume on the contact. The usual response is a polite "I'll keep you in mind if I hear of anything". After all, who doesn't want to help? But like everyone else, they're overbusy, and often forget. And the candidate burns through his/her network, and wonders what's all this fuss about networking.

Rita is following the Referral Networking method in which I coach my clients. It involves establishing credibility and rapport, and asking about who you can help. No resume, no "job" talk, until a later time. I coached Rita in the best ways she could use this method for her unique situation. Each person's search is different.

How Rita Did Her Networking

So in October, Rita first began by contacting people she knew who'd readily see her -- her references, her LinkedIn recommenders, friends, family, neighbors. She felt a bit awkward trying out some new approaches with people she knows well, but it helped her work out the kinks.

Then Rita was reaching her next level of contacts -- others in job search, people she vaguely knew from former jobs, other women in her businesswomen's networking group, LinkedIn contacts, other networking contacts. Rita had to push herself -- she's a "quiet extrovert", so this activity was not easy for her. She questioned where she was going with it, so we talked about her keeping at it, and on faith she did although she was still somewhat skeptical.

All along, Rita has been answering the occasional job posting, and attending job search networking groups.

Getting Results

Then she was starting to get occasional calls from some of the people she'd been networking with, calls that started with "I remembered you when I ran into this friend of mine who works at this non-profit...you should call her. Here's her number..." Rita was surprised and a little overwhelmed, and asked me how she should keep track of all these new contacts. There are many ways of doing this, but she devised her own good system. And she keeps everyone on this list posted on her progress; they appreciate knowing what's happening with this person they helped, and she's not letting them forget her.

Her circles of contacts continued to grow. After just a few weeks, her network of people who know in some depth what she can do for an employer was rapidly approaching 50 or so. This networking is her primary activity; all other search activity comes second, as it should. I coach all my Project clients in this approach, and they use it to one degree or another, but Rita is doing it consistently and relentlessly, the only way to do it.

To those who say, "But this takes such time!", I respond: Job searches today are taking longer anyway, so why not do what gets results? You can still apply for postings online like everyone else. But what Rita is doing is not something everyone else is doing.

During Thanksgiving week, Rita met or ran into about 30 people, at various meetings and events. She knew how to talk with each of them so that they'd remember her. The calls were increasing. It was/is as if she had/has 50+ sales people out there working for her. She was giddy, and brimming with confidence. "I never thought I'd have so much FUN in my job search...I'm meeting such great people...this is really something." And, "Once I land a job, I'm not going to stop this...this is vital to my career."

I met with Rita just before Christmas for an update. She'd been using this two-step approach steadily for about two months now. The result: Her job search network now has a life of its own, with Rita getting calls on a regular basis, getting her more and more connections and meetings with people, further connecting her with others at non-profits.

Circling Closer

Two new openings at her top choice non-profit were a great fit so she applied and let one of her new contacts at the organization know so that the insider could help. One of her new contacts alerted her that one of her other target non-profits was about to hire as well. "I just KNOW something for me is going to come out of this networking, I know it!" Rita no longer says "IF I land a job...", it's now "WHEN I land a job..." Her confidence is contagious and visible. Exuding confidence is not what many job hunters need to do more of, so Rita is ahead of her competition there as well.

Add to this that on January 3rd, Rita will start as a member of my Productivity Team, the weekly meeting for top Project clients whose searches are in full swing. Here, clients set goals and it's all about numbers.

I don't expect Rita to be a member for long.

Stay tuned.

_____________

Update, January 10th: Rita received TWO job offers today. She chose the one at her target non-profit. I saw her on January 20th when she told me she loves her new job and expects it to go from 32 hours to 40 in months. Congratulations, Rita!

_____________

What About You?

In a job and have "no time" to network? Burned through your network and don't know what to do now? Introverted and want to know how to network to your advantage? Contact Joanne at Joanne@TheJobSearchQueen.com.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, Networking, | No Comments »

How to Neutralize a Bad Reference

January 23rd, 2011 @ 01:01pm

Your interviews are going well at Your #1 Targeted Company, and the prospective employer has told you that they'll be talking to your references AND will be calling your former company. A routine practice.

You gulp: Former company...that means former boss, who was, well, a jerk. You and he never got along. He's certainly not one of your official references, but you just know they will be able to find him and talk with him. And he won't say good things about you.

How do you head this off? How do you neutralize the situation so that his words don't kill your candidacy there?

Here are some ways:

1. Get other managers at the company who worked with you to say good things. They don't need to step up to be an official reference for you, but if you talk with them, whether they're still at the company with Former Boss or have moved on, you can coach them in what you'd like them to say about how well you did. Better to be prepared with this than have to scramble to prep these folks, so be proactive and do it now.

2. Coach your "official" three or four references - and if they are aware that Former Boss is not a good guy, they can mention that in passing to the potential employer as they're talking about you and your successes at your former company/companies.

3. On linked in, DON'T do "recommendation swapping". This is where you write a good recommendation for a colleague if they write one for you. This immediately reduces the credibility of your recommendation. Hiring managers, HR, and recruiters notice this.

4. Have a reference contact the employer on your behalf before they themselves are contacted by the employer! Now this means this person has to be a very strong fan of yours. But a phone call from the Very Strong Fan/Reference to the Hiring Manager, peer-to-peer, is always an undeniably impressive way to boost you in that Hiring Manager's eyes. At the same time, it dilutes any negative words from others.

5. Work with the Inside Employee at your #1 Targeted Company, with whom you've networked. They may not have worked with you at your former company, but they now know you and can give their positive impressions to the Hiring Manager. (One client of mine is doing this anyway and is constantly landing interviews.)

6. Best of all, have clients/customers be your references. These can be external OR internal. Their comments tell the Hiring Manager and HR how you really are in your job. Their perspective is the one a prospective employer will respect the most. Since they are not usually bound by any corporate reference-giving policy, they can speak freely about how great you are.

Some thinking ahead, and related action on your part, will help you make this worry one that will go away.

___________________

Have tough questions about unusual situations like this in your search? Contact Joanne.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Career coaching, interviews, Job Search, LinkedIn, Networking, References, Social media, | No Comments »

Job Search Mistake to Avoid: Doing a Serial Job Search

January 28th, 2011 @ 02:01pm

A serial job search is one in which a candidate we'll call Kim goes after one opening or one company at a time. She finds an opening online that she fits, she pursues it, is interviewed for it, and then (so far) is not made an offer and the job goes to someone else. Because she has nothing else going on, she then crashes. And it takes her 1-2 weeks to "get over it", regroup, and start going after another company, another opening. Meanwhile, another month has gone by. She begins to think "It must be me...I must not be good at what I do...".

And that is so not it.

This kind of serial, one-after-the-other approach leads to only one thing: A painfully long search. "Painful" and "long" are two things I help my clients avoid. If they follow their plan, they learn it doesn't have to be this way, even in this stumbling economy.

For contrast, let's look at Trevor. Sure, he's answering ads, but he's in one-to-one networking meetings so much that it takes up about 25 hours a week. (For those of you between jobs, if you're not that busy in your search, you're not doing enough.) He's focused on his target companies, using varying methods all at once. His approach is multiple, and it's constant, week in, week out.

Because he's generating so much activity, leads, and interviews, here's how Trevor reacts to "Sorry, you're not our top candidate": he says to himself, "Oh well, on to the next thing, I have so much going on, I just know that something else will pop up." He does not miss a beat. His search generates results constantly, and it's going to happen that he WILL land -- at a company of his choice.

Note those words: "...I have so much going on, I just know something else will pop up." He's right.

The point here is you can go one way or another: The serial search, painful and long. Or the multiple and constant approach that expands your network AND gets you the job your after, sooner.

Your choice.

_______________________

Joanne Meehl helps professionals in job hunt do an intelligent search by setting an individualized strategy. Contact her for her ideas for you.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in interviews, Job Search, job search strategy, Networking, Your time, | No Comments »

Two New Steps to A Painless Resume

March 6th, 2011 @ 03:03pm

A client I'll call Jake called me about updating his resume. He still liked his job, but a networking contact called about an opening that Jake would be perfect for. Seeing the full job description, Jake decided to send his resume.

He said "My first thought was 'Oh no, now I have to update my resume, what a pain'." He added, "Then I opened it and found I had very little to do except to update it with my latest position, update the key words, and highlight key words for this new opening!" Then he said "When you worked with me on my resume three years ago, I had no idea that it would be so painless to update. Wow!"

Why could Jake say that? Because when he and I redid his resume three years ago, we added two sections not always found on resumes, sections that tell the reader about Jake and what he offers. Those are all classic things about him. Sure, his jobs will change, but he will pretty much be the professional he is now.

Who is that person? Someone who gives companies value by being a technology leader, by testing and then adopting new technologies. New technologies that save a company a ton of money and time (which is money). The technologies may change, but Jake is always there to learn about them AND use them before anyone else. That won't change about him.

When I say two "sections", what I do mean? The first, at the top of his resume, is a professional Summary. I do not use "Objectives", and all the reasons why are in this blog entry of January 2010. Also, a Professional Summary is NOT a listing of your skills. Instead, it's short, punchy phrases about you. In Jake's case, here are a couple: Early adopter of useful new technologies. And Enterprise-wide consultant who quickly gets users on board. Wherever Jake is, he will always be doing those two things, and more. Like Jake, taking this step on your resume will make it so much easier to update yours as you use it.

Note that those are not empty phrases like "Goals-driven sales rep" -- if you're in sales I sure HOPE you're goals-driven! Don't waste that expensive resume real estate by stating the obvious. Or in puffery like "Seeking challenging position in a growing company blah blah blah", which no one reads any more.

Rather, do what Jake does. Tell the reader that which is classically true about you, from job to job, changing over the years to who you are -- and what you have to offer today.

The second "section", or step to having a resume that's painless to update, is the Strengths section. I don't mean StrengthsFinder strengths, which when plopped onto a resume look silly to me (my preference: weave those words into your narrative, if they're that telling about you). By "Strengths" I also don't mean "Skills". Instead, I mean skills that you have used AND with which you have generated successes. By "successes", we mean making or saving money for your organization. These are more specific than what you have in your Professional Summary, and they should include key words of your field.

So Jake's strengths include "Current versions of x, y and z programming languages". And "Tapped to be speaker at leading conferences". Both help him do his job and make his company look good.

For Tanika, who is the VP of Marketing at a resort, her strengths include "Highly connected with wedding planners", and "Cited as expert by all leading society magazines".

For Jason, a budding New Media guru, his include "Social Media addict" and "Seeks out newest marketing technologies".

What are you saying about you?

Your resume will certainly change over time. But focus on what's classic for you, what makes you successful over and over again, and when you need to update it, you won't be in pain.

_____________________

Is your resume landing you interviews? Make it happen: contact Joanne at Joanne@TheJobSearchQueen.com.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, resumes, Your time, | 1 Comment »

The End of "Generalism"

April 18th, 2011 @ 02:04am

So often, candidates try to hedge their bets by writing their resumes in a way that aims for jobs in two, three, or four areas, figuring they'll get a bite in one of them.

Or they think they're showing flexibility by listing various options.

Or they hope that if not this job, then the next one at this employer will fit them and their resume will be remembered and dug up for the new job.

Sorry - wrong.

Wrong. And wrong.

To talent sourcers -- that is, recruiters, HR, and hiring managers -- this array only comes across as confused and lacking focus. Recruiters say, "This is a 'menu resume', and this person wants ME to pick one to make up their mind?! No way. Don't they know the one thing they want? Next resume, please."

The fallacy is that being a "generalist" will have appeal. Not today. Sure, a company will appreciate that you can do other things in addition to your main internal driving force. But two, three, or more things all at the same level? It's impossible to be effective doing so, given the structure of today's jobs which are more and more laser-focused themselves.

In addition, good marketers will tell you that unless you focus on the benefits of the one "product" you are offering, your message will get lost. You must focus to get noticed, focus to do what you say you're going to do, and focus to grow to the next level.

A colleague of mine in the D.C. area does only interviewing prep for candidates. Not only that, she does interviewing prep only for certain government jobs. And she's doing very, very well. Why? She has spent her time becoming an expert in that one thing, so she's good at that one thing and has become known for it. So everyone goes to her for it.

Unless you focus, you are not considered an expert in any one area.

Put another way: Focus means you have expertise.

Employers today want experts.

So choose among your strengths the one that shows your value to a future employer and stick with this one. Do your resume around it, your LinkedIn profile updates, put it on Facebook, tweet about it, network with others about it, blog about it.

"Generalism" is gone. Being specific will change things for you.

___________________________

Is your message unfocused? Is the market ignoring you? Contact Joanne Meehl at 612/807-0258 to change that.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, job search strategy, Social media in job search, | No Comments »

Secret Job Requirement: Your Coachability Score

May 31st, 2011 @ 08:05am

Employers look for something that they don't list as a requirement in job descriptions.

Job descriptions are notoriously bad: For one, they often don't tell the reader what the person will really be doing, nor what the company's real needs and expectations are. Too often they go unexamined and unrevised year after year. But this is a topic for another time.

The point is, there's an unwritten requirement.

What is this major thing that you need to have, that sometimes even those doing the hiring can't articulate? Coachability.

"Can we bring this person along?", they ask. Even someone moving into executive ranks for the first time has to be someone to whom the CEO can impart the finer points of management at that level, at that company.

New grads and younger job candidates come loaded with malleability, mold-ability, shape-ability, teachability, coachability.They are new to everything. They are open to everything. They try things, they follow trends and styles -- it shows an awareness of what's around them.

Those candidates over 50, or even over 40, aren't so easily impressed. They have been seasoned by life and their careers so far. But they, too, have to show that they're coachable.

What are indications of coachability in older candidates? Some are: Trying something new, taking cues from more senior managers, taking cues from junior managers, coming up with a new idea, exploring an idea that you didn't come up with but someone else did (and giving them credit), looking up to date, taking a risk, not being stuck in the past, not being a know-it-all, being aware of what's going on around them even if it doesn't have anything to do with them directly.

So be sure to emphasize those aspects of your workstyle, in an interview or while networking. It's either that, or the perception of alow coachability quotient, which can sabotage an otherwise promising future.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, | No Comments »

Are You A Job Search Dabbler?

June 3rd, 2011 @ 04:06pm

The caller wanted to know about my next networking group meeting. It draws about 50 people each meeting. He said, "I heard about it and think I should go. I have been looking for a job since I was laid off a year ago. My unemployment will run out in two weeks, so I figured I should step it up a little."

"Step it up a little"?!

Out of work for a year and about to run out of unemployment and NOW he thinks, "I'd better step it up a little"?

This is not someone who has been shielded in some way from the reality of the job market. Yet he says something like this. I quickly directed him to the group's web site for more information because I really wanted to say, "WHERE have you been?!"

This is the kind of person who will end up being interviewed by a news show reporting on long job searches. He will say "I"ve tried everything, I even applied at Home Depot, and nothing. It's really tough out there."

Yes it's tough out there. But there are people who are making it tougher for themselves with dabbler behavior like this. They hear from everyone how you have to network, but they ignore the advice. For a year. They hear about free job search workshops and webinars, but they ignore them, thinking that sitting at their computer is what works or having "recruiters work for me" will work. Maybe denial has kept them from hearing and doing what they really need to do.

The more effective job search activity you do -- and the earlier you do this effective activity in your search -- the shorter the search. That is a truism I've consistently seen for more than 20 years, and especially true since the end of 2008, when the bottom fell out of everything.

In fact, your activity level should be so intense that 1) you need to keep a database of all your contacts because you are making new ones every day, 2) you need a calendar that lets you detail your back-to-back activities, and 3) it will feel like a vacation when you start your new job!

Anything less is dabbling in a job search. Dabbling means a few intense days this week, a couple next week, none the week after, several the week after that. On, off, yes, no. Sometimes this candidate is "busy" with worthwhile activities not related to search, but still thinks he's in job search. He will be looking for months and months longer, complaining that no one wants him, or that they all think he's too old, and so on.

Contrast that with the candidate who does 8-10 networking meetings a week making the connections that reveal the so-called hidden market to her. She unearths opportunities not found on any job board, opportunities that are much closer to her own career goals. She's doing an effective 25 or more hours a week of search. And when she lands, it's not due to luck. It's due to her making her luck.

So don't be a job search dabbler if you want your search to end quickly. Ask yourself each day: What can I do today that will get me closer to my new job?

Then do it.

____________________________________

Having trouble organizing your job search activity and making yours an effective search? Contact Joanne for help.

 

 

 

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, job search strategy, Networking, | No Comments »

Cheating the Heartless Job Search

June 16th, 2011 @ 04:06pm

I have fantastic helpers at Face2Face, my Minneapolis-based job search networking group for the public. These helpers do a majority of the setup, the take-down, and even keep their ears open for feedback I don't hear, not to mention offering some great ideas that we've put into place. And the helpers are in job search themselves.

One of these is Kathy, who earlier this week lost her golden retriever to cancer. This, on top of the fact that Kathy's mother is ill and Kathy traveled to take time out of her job search to care for her. And between Kathy's gigs doing contract work, she is in job search. Today I could see that she was preoccupied and trying her best to be the usually cheerful greeter that she always is. I could tell it was tough.

The networking cluster part of our program began so I took over at the registration table so that Kathy could participate. It was then that a client and member of the group, Carol, came in, late from another meeting. She looked harried. "I guess I'm preoccupied with the news that we just learned that our golden retriever has cancer and has only 2-3 months to live. We are devastated." I was stunned by the similarity to Kathy's situation so I told her about it. "You may want to talk with one another", I offered, and she said she would, gladly.

Job search is an unforgiving time and it seems that only bad things happen. Another group member had his bank account hacked and had to notify every vendor and every account of his new account number, etc. Some payments then bounced, causing more aggravation. This took him about three days, full-time, to straighten out, time that would be far better spent on his job search.

Then there are the new tires you have to get, or the house A/C system quits, or a storm takes off your roof and your insurance deductible is so big that a repair decimates your savings. It always seems to happen only during your job search, adding insult to injury.

But if the job search were a person, s/he would say, "So? You want me to put life on hold for you? I don't think so."

You can't put everything on hold, so you forge on, taking all the interviews you can, despite your heart aching about your dog and will you be there if she dies today, or wondering how you're going to pay for those tires, and is your child's fever getting so high that you'll need to take her to the doctor. Smile, shake hands, make it happen.

The job search is heartless that way. It's very "me first". It is a demanding master: Let up for a week on your networking, and you'll have two to three weeks of other numbers lower than they need to be. Become preoccupied with your sick mother or dying dog, and your interviews suffer. So you force yourself to buck up. Because unless you take care of your search, you'll have an even longer one.

I told Kathy about Carol and the two met, hugging instead of shaking hands. For the next several minutes, they were inseparable, helping each other get through a tough time.

Later, Carol told me "I have to believe I was meant to have this time off to be with my sweet dog...".

So sometimes you can cheat the heartless job search out of its cruelty. Meaning, it can bring together people in positive ways you don't count on, helping one another in ways you never expected. It's like the storm that wrecks part of a city, but which prompts the outpouring of volunteers: You see how the goodness of people can overcome anything.

Even a cruel job search.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, Networking, The job search roller coaster, | No Comments »

Do Hours = Effectiveness?

June 17th, 2011 @ 09:06pm

This week I saw a job hunt group email discussion about the best amount of time to spend on a search each week.

One person wrote this:

"I might spend 2 hours on a busy day. Most of that checking job boards/emails. I haven't had much traction with informal interviews or researching target companies."

He was joking, right? Unfortunately, no. His search will last a long, long time because in this still-volatile job market, it's ineffective. Here, ineffective means too one-dimensional, too brief, too PC-dependent.

Another person responded that she uses 50 hours a week to search, and listed a wide variety of activities, much better than the one-dimensional search of the first respondent. She listed networking groups for those between jobs and many online activities, and "some" networking. That's getting there, but those are way too many hours and can lead to burnout. If she shifts many of the online hours to in-person networking with employed people in his field, she'll be exposed to far more possibilities than she is now.

My answer is to do 25 effective hours a week. "Effective" means having a variety of approaches that are more heavily weighted toward being with live people than on the computer.

Why? Because it's what's working. Since 2009, when hiring began again after a devastating 2008, right through to this week, the people I'm seeing landing great, new jobs, are doing it by connecting with other people, live.

What does your search look like?

_____________________________________________________

Need to know better how to connect with those who can help you in your search? Then go here.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, job search strategy, Networking, resumes, The job search roller coaster, | No Comments »

A Resume DON'T: Don't Do White on White Keywords

July 24th, 2011 @ 03:07pm

Last week I was doing a presentation for over 50 professionals in job search about keywords. Keywords in a resume, LinkedIn profile, during networking meetings, and so forth. These nouns, adjectives, and phrases are growing more and more important in this technological age when so many resumes and LinkedIn profiles are being checked for them.

The old "white on white" text trick came up. This was something that began around the dawn of the Internet job search, back in the mid-90s: Create paragraphs of keywords, then put that paragraph in a blank area of your resume, then turn them white. They become invisible.

Not any more. Today, those are highly visible. And they'll get you in trouble for hiding them.

Someone in the room was in a seminar last month where the "expert speaker" TOLD people to do this in their resumes. What that speaker did not know is something that's pretty well documented for at least a year, in publications like the Wall Street Journal and technical blogs: that these "white" words CAN be seen by today's screening software programs. And they say if you do this, your resume (meaning, you) will be thrown out as dishonest and lazy.

That's not what you want, is it?

And given how important they are, why HIDE them? They should be visible to the human eye as well as to the digital one, and they should be woven into your bulleted items and summaries, not just plunked in with no thought.

Now that I've heard this yet again, it launches me on a personal mission to inform those who are telling you in job search to do this "trick", that they are spreading damaging advice. This advice is dangerous, so those teaching it have to learn they should stop.

So please send the link to this article to that person, as a favor to them and to those they speak to each week. You'll prevent a lot of damage to unsuspecting job search candidates.

Or alert me (either reply here or use the Contact form on my site) to those career counselors or others who have told you this, along with a way of contacting them. I will gently contact them and tell them what I've written above.

Thanks!

______________________________________

Not sure what keywords are best for you? Or where to put them or how to use them? Contact Joanne for help.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, job search strategy, resumes, Uncategorized, | No Comments »

Don't Wait for the Job Postings Tidal Wave -- or You'll Miss Getting a Job

July 29th, 2011 @ 07:07pm

From time to time hiring warms up and candidates get hopeful that finally, things are "back to normal". People around them are landing, and they see more jobs posted. Finally, the tidal wave of openings is coming back! Or is it?

All indications are that just as 2008 changed the economy for the last 2-3 years, it will have changed it *permanently*.

And that means that job seekers will not see any big wave of openings like there used to be. Yes, there are rare exceptions in certain locations and certain markets. But generally speaking, there will be no big rising tide that will lift all job search boats automatically.

Think about why: Today, companies are much more savvy about finding candidates in other ways, mostly by depending on current employees to find them. They are also attracting future employees through social media and inbound marketing. Their own screening systems are getting more and more sophisticated.

Yes, this month I've seen more job postings AND more job landings in my contact world than since the end of 2008. But 95% of those who've landed -- yes, a full 95% of them -- have come through networking, not by answering job postings and waiting for a response.

And just this week, Delta Airlines announced a workforce reduction of 2,000...and Boston Scientific announced cuts of 1,400 jobs. Despite there being some more postings lately, the cuts continue, unfortunately. One step forward, one back.

Lesson? Those who are looking must network: It's how people are landing jobs. If they continue to wait instead at their computer for the mythical wave of openings, they'll likely miss getting a job anytime soon. I've seen executives make this mistake as much as individual contributors.

So there's good news: With networking, you have more control over your search than you've ever had before.

So take control. Don't wait for waves that aren't coming.

____________________________________

Stuck in your search and not sure how to break free? Contact Joanne Meehl.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, job search strategy, Networking, resumes, The job search roller coaster, Your time, | No Comments »

THE Biggest Mistake You Can Make on LinkedIn

September 6th, 2011 @ 09:09am

So often people ask me to "Take a look at my LinkedIn profile", and then request feedback.

I've done this so much now I can almost predict what I'll see, because so many people do the same thing:

- Their headline -- that line right after their name -- will have either their exact current title and company name, or it will say something like "in transition". (It should be your title. You may have been laid off, but they didn't take away your profession.)

- Their Summary will be a paltry 4-5 lines. (You have up to 2,000 characters, so use 'em. Just keep each section very short.)

- The Specialties section will have some keywords but will need more. (It's all about keywords. Content, not "pretty".)

- They will not use any of the apps LinkedIn offers, like your reading list courtesy of Amazon, or WordPress, or Twitter. (LinkedIn loves it when you use an app or two or more, and rewards you by finding you more readily in searches.)

- And jobs back to the 1980s will be listed, with lots of detail but too few accomplishments or keywords. (Just focus on the last 10 years. Too much has changed with your older jobs. Recruiters want to know what you've done lately.)

- The Interests section will be all personal. (Minimize the personal, accent work interests, so that you repeat keywords.)

- There will be a handful of groups, most of them "job search"-related. (Choose a majority of professional groups, with only a few job-search groups. This shows career orientation, not "I'm in job search.")

- And they'll have no recommendations and maybe 50 connections. (Shoot for at least 5 recommendations: That's what people want to read about you. Add connections: your network grows geometrically instead of "just" by, say, 10 or 25.)

In other words, too many are making the biggest mistake you can make on LinkedIn: not using it to its capacity.

And therefore, they are not being "seen" online.

Every day now, clients are landing interviews because they've been "found" on LinkedIn.

Make the changes suggested above, and you'll be on your way to getting noticed -- and interviewed -- as well.

LinkedIn is a great tool. Now use it to its maximum potential!

________________________________________

Having trouble doing your LinkedIn profile, especially the Summary? Not getting any hits on LinkedIn? Contact Joanne for help.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, LinkedIn, LinkedIn for job search, Networking, Social media in job search, | 1 Comment »

Conquer those Monday morning job search blues

September 25th, 2011 @ 10:09pm

Whether you're IN a job or between jobs, Monday mornings during job search can be tough.

You're in a job and can't wait to find a new one. So Monday mornings are a reminder you're still stuck where you are.

You could be a new grad who's overwhelmed and doesn't know where to start, and each Monday means you're wondering where to begin.

Or you're between jobs and Monday mornings remind you that there is no office to go to. Especially if you're a manager or executive, your energy has nowhere to land for the day. The sense of loss is profound and can be powerfully dispiriting.

This is Monday Morning Syndrome. Or the Monday Morning Job Search Blues.

How to beat the blues? Here are a few ideas.

- Get out of the house! Getting out of your house or apartment, and being at the library or local cafe, will reset your energy. Bring your laptop or tablet and make a list of target contacts for the next week or two, or do research on companies, for example.

- Schedule networking meetings for that time slot. Make good use of Monday morning; don't use it to start planning your week, something you should have done last week. You'll have that to look forward to instead of an empty, lonely morning.

- Meet with a job search "buddy" at a coffee shop, each with your own set of goals set from the week before. See how you each did with your own goals, and how you rewarded yourselves for meeting your goals.

- On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, send invitations to contacts to do networking meetings this week. As a client of mine, Jim, says, "The replies will come in on Monday, making your email that morning full of replies, and many will be 'yes'. It's great!"

- For those IN jobs who are always struggling with inadequate time for their search, working with a job search coach can keep you on track will give you a sense of "I'm doing something for myself and my search", instead of you having yet another week slip by.

What about YOUR ideas?

_______________________________

Shake the blues: talk with Joanne about how you can manage your search so that YOU are in charge, not your emotions. Contact her today at www.TheJobSearchQueen.com.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Career coaching, Change, Job Search, job search strategy, Networking, The job search roller coaster, Your time, | 2 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.

___________________

*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 »

Beware of the Word "Experience"

January 2nd, 2012 @ 09:01am

The word "experience" can hurt you during job search. I say this to candidates of all ages.

How so?

1. The word "experience" can get in the way of other, clearer words that are more specific to your successes.

2. People just don't "see" it any more. It's lost its punch, its meaning.

Saying "I have all this experience" means nothing to the listener, especially if that listener is a networking contact or an interviewer. You'll get polite nods, but little more. They'll be thinking, "So... what does she mean?" But they probably won't ask. You must be more specific from the start -- including on your resume.

So use other words that are more precise, and "sparkier", as I like to say. For example:

Before - "I have 14 years of experience in surface mount technology."

After - "Over several years, I've enjoyed solving surface mount technology project problems."

Before - "I have experience using social media."

After - "At my company, I established the use of Twitter which has led to a 140% increase in our webinar enrollment."

Before - "I have several years' experience in cost accounting."

After - "Within cost accounting practices at my current company, I've become known as someone who streamlines processes without losing accuracy."

Replacing the word "experience" is especially true for the older worker, who is apt to complain to others, "With all my experience, it's taking me a long time to land a new job". But what do you really mean by "experience"? Is it vital stuff or did you do the same thing over and over for all those years? It's painful to see people put the word "experience" out there like it's gold when it's not -- until you say HOW that impacted your organization. Do you now see -- through the examples above -- that changing "that word" to the REAL things you've done will help you break through that barrier? Give it a try.

The word "experience" by itself is just not enough today. Be more specific, and tie the successes you've had to the potential employer's job. That way, you'll be able to apply your actual experience to their problems -- in a new job there.

____________________________________

Want to "spark up" your wording? Joanne is a published wordsmith as well as a career choice and job search coach. Contact her here.

Posted by Joanne Meehl | in Job Search, job search strategy, resumes, Social media, | 2 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.

____________________________________________________________

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 »