job search – Work: Getting It & Keeping It

Any time? Never!

How do you respond when invited to interview? Promptly and professionally are two winning ideas, of course. How would you respond to this question?

“When are you available to come in for an interview?“

Be smart. Don’t say, “Any time!”

I recently had a conversation with a hiring manager. We discussed this response to the scheduling question, and the answer above created concern. Here’s why.

This person who is currently employed sent a clear message: I will call out from my current job to come meet with you. How else should the hiring manager take this?

There is a lesson here. Take a more professional approach. Be a bit less available, even if you are not working. Try the following approach instead.

“I don’t want to leave my current employer short-handed, so can we do something on Wednesday, my day off, or a late afternoon when I can get out early without causing problems?”

The point is simple. This is an early opportunity to show professionalism. Don’t mess it up by acting careless about your responsibilities.

What if you are not working and you have an open schedule? Consider how this will appear. Even in this situation, be less available. Try a variation of the following.

“I have a busy schedule as I am active in my search. I can meet Tuesday morning, Thursday afternoon, or Friday morning. Are any of these times good?”

The point might seem minor, but it’s not. It was a true concern for this hiring manager, so avoid making the same mistake. Be professional in every interaction, both in what you say and do directly and what you might be allowing others to infer about your reliability and commitment.

Job Search? Know Your Numbers.

The new year brings to many thoughts of a new job. “Collect the bonus, fire the boss, and move on to something better” is the plan. If this describes you, and you are reading this blog, you certainly know you need a good resume. Once you submit it, though, you need to be ready for the call that might come from a potential employer. This means knowing your salary numbers, those that will help you decide to move or not.

More and more clients report to me that they are being asked about salary requirements during the first conversation, so it is wise to be ready. Think about your salary goals ahead of time in anticipation of the inevitable question. Here are the big numbers to have memorized.

Your current salary with bonuses, if any. Employers will ask, so be prepared to speak about it.

Your targeted salary. Employers know almost every candidate is seeking a pay increase as part of the job search. In today’s market, where talent is in short supply and there is competition for the best people, you have negotiating strength. Know your goal without being greedy. You don’t want to knock yourself out of consideration early in the process.

Your minimum salary expectation. It’s your walk-away number. If the company will not meet this requirement, you should be prepared to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.” End the conversation to save everyone’s time.

There are many variables that will affect your numbers, especially the minimum. If you are currently employed and doing well, you can command more. If you are unemployed or older, you might want to be more flexible. If you have been out of work for more than a few months, you might need to consider a number at the low end of your range. Be flexible.

Base your numbers on research. While it is not always easy to target salary expectations precisely, there is information available to help. Check Glassdoor.com to find shared salary information from people who have worked for the company. Use LinkedIn to find people who do the same or similar work. Job groups on LinkedIn to ask questions from people who might know.

Don’t forget to monitor targeted company names in the news. You might be able to glean information from media coverage that will help. A story about the company struggling to find people is one example. This information gives you negotiating confidence.

There is much to consider, but the work will be worth it. With good research and an understanding of the market, you can boost your salary with confidence by completing a successful job hunt. All the best for a successful 2019.

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Bill Florin is president of Resu-mazing Services Company. He has written thousands of resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles for clients since 2009.

Be True to You

When do you stop doing what you do because you feel you have? When will you start doing what fulfills you and uses your talents? When will you stop chasing the paycheck and start pursuing your dreams?

We are getting into the final days of the year, a natural time to reflect on the past and plan for success. If you are feeling the tension, the dissonance of not spending your days doing what you are best at, what are you going to do differently next year?

Are you living for the weekend, or doing what you love?

This is an important question. So many people are slogging through daily drudgery, living for the weekend. We come alive Friday afternoon and spend Sunday anticipating Monday with dread.

There are many reasons why people do not like their jobs. A bad boss, low pay, limited advancement opportunities, and lack of recognition all contribute. For many, though, the stress, often rising to despair, comes from being in the wrong kind of job. Our work does not align with our interests, skills and values. In an article concerning the drivers of job satisfaction, SHRM reports that the opportunity to do work maximizing our skills and interests is a top consideration for both women and men.

If you are going to make a change, consider satisfaction, purpose and fulfillment before making the move. Here are some ideas on how to start.

Interests: What do you like to do? Do you work well with your hands? Do you like spending time with people? Do you enjoy managing projects? Take time, ideally over days or weeks, to think about this. Jot down ideas as they come. Maybe you will think of additional interests as you go through your current work. The idea is simple; you want to generate a list of interests that can give you insight for your next step.

Skills: For many people, this is easier. We know from experience, performance feedback received, our reputation, and other input what we do well. Many of us also know what we don’t do so well. Note these too. Be aware of what to avoid when you are considering options.

Values: Values can include many things. Your faith might inform you. Your politics could be important. How you are perceived by friends, family and community members could be important to you. These ideas could steer you toward or away from options. Industries or companies could be added to or removed from your search list. Ask yourself this question: “I can bring my skills almost anywhere, so why would I want to bring them there?”

Assessment: You can probably generate a long list of interests and skills on your own, but there is help online. For a free assessment, visit mynextmove.org. Answer a series of questions to generate possible career options.

If a new job is part of your plan for the new year, do the hard work of considering all this. The effort will be worth it, and could keep you from jumping from a job you dislike into a job you hate.

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Do you need help considering your next career move? Contact Bill Florin at Resu-mazing Services Company for comprehensive career coaching and development services.

A Tale of Two Searches

Learn from the experiences of two of my clients who accepted job offers from Fortune 50 companies this week. The stories are remarkably similar and offer the job seeker in today’s economy a few lessons.

My first client has invested his entire career into business analysis, helping companies understand what’s happening and how they can use systems to optimize business processes and results. Based on the stories he told me of saving money, improving productivity, enhancing customer service, and continually finding new ways to work smarter, he has been a great employee. Certainly, he has earned more than his paycheck in the contributions he made over the years.

The second client has a technology focus, making devices communicate with each other in complex environments and helping clients get the most from their IT investments. Again, his career has been focused on this work, he is good at what he does, and he has the awards and performance reviews to prove it.

Though their career paths are different, their experiences were similar. Whatever you do in your life’s work, you can probably expect to face the same. Here are the key points I took from both.

Be Patient. These two clients interviewed with household-name companies, and both faced multiple rounds of interviews: one four, the other five. Not only was patience important due to the number of interviews, it was important because it took time. “You’ve done well, and I want to have you meet with the director. He’s out of town next week, so we’ll see what we can do to get you back in about two weeks.” Two, three or four delays like this makes for a long hiring process. The seeker is anxious to move along in the process; the employer is rarely so eager.

There Will be a Test. Maybe more than one. Both companies used online assessments to aid in the hiring decision. These personality and work style assessments are becoming more common, so take a little time to understand their purpose and what you can expect. They can measure emotional factors, your ability to work well under stress and with others, technical aptitude, and any number of other criteria the employer views as relevant. The cost of a bad hire is high, so the effort and expense are worth it to them. For you, it means more work and the potential for elimination.

Keep Your Search Active. While both clients felt early on that they were doing well, neither was willing to assume the hiring process would end in their favor. It can be tempting to slow down when a potential job looks likely. Don’t do it. I have seen people go three, four or five rounds only to be told, “We are holding off on filling this position,” or, “We went with an internal candidate.” It happens. A lot.

Blocking and Tackling. Or, more appropriately, follow up and thank you notes are important. Most people do a pretty good job interviewing, at least if they are qualified for the position. Many, though, fall short when it comes to post-interview communication. Be sure to keep employer contacts warm and active with solid, timely, error-free notes, emails or cards. When appropriate, try to add value at each touch point. Show you want the job. You might refer to an article you read or an idea you’ve had. Both did this and felt better about being active at keeping the conversation going.

The difficult truth is that job searching is a challenging, thankless task until you get the job. Realize you aren’t alone, though. If you need to connect with others, find a networking group or job search work team. Check with your state’s employment services office for ideas. Having a friend who is facing the same challenges can make a big difference in a months-long search campaign.

As for our two clients, both have offers in hand. They both start their new positions around New Year’s and are looking forward to getting back to work. Keep at your search, and you will soon be doing the same.

Differentiate Your Way to the Interview

Cans of bubbly, brown sugar water. Big stores where they sell hammers, plywood and toilet seats. Men’s black dress socks.

What is the difference? Coke or Pepsi? Home Depot or Lowes? Gold Toe or, uh…

The difference is all about the message the marketing teams of these companies create and blast out to the world. They tell us, through their marketing channels, ads, promotions and sponsorships, what they want us to know so we can make a distinction and a purchase decision. This is exactly what everyone searching for a new job must accomplish, too.

As I write this, we are in the final week of June. All those fresh, young college graduates have hit the market, ready to share their stories of internships, advanced PowerPoint skills, and, you can bet, excellent written and verbal communication skills. They all present themselves so similarly that a random selection from the electronic resume pile is probably as effective a way to select candidates as any other. The dart throw might beat the stock (uh, employee) picking.

So how do you differentiate yourself so you don’t seem like everyone else? Use current, marketable, valued skills and examples of times you have used them. This has not changed, but many people do not understand this vital, core deliverable of the effective resume.

Let me put it simply. You must tell recruiters what makes you special and different, not the same as everyone else. Answer this question: Why you? If you can make the case, you have successfully differentiated your way in the recruiter’s (read: buyer’s) mind. That can lead to the interview, a series of successful conversation, and a job offer.

If you want to be the human equivalent of a black-and-white generic can of “Cola,” just list your responsibilities and call it a day. If you want to stand out with a distinctive message and value proposition, if you want to be something an employer wants to buy, sell yourself with accomplishments and results. If you can do it, the interviews will come.

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Bill Florin is president of Resu-mazing Services Company. He has written more than 500 resume packages for clients since 2009.

Your Resume Does 2 Things Well & 1 Not At All

There are limits on what your resume does in a job search. A resume can do at least two things very well, but one of them is not get you a job. This is an important distinction that should help job seekers decide where and how to invest their time and energy in the job search process.

Before we move any further, understand what a resume is. It is a marketing document. No different than advertising in other areas of life – the slick brochures at the car dealer, the glossy mutual fund promotional materials your broker gives you, and the constant bombardment of digital marketing – it is created with the purpose of getting a potential employer interested in a job seeker.

Here are the two things a well-written resume does very well:

First, it gets a potential employer to contact you. The employer has a need, an open position with a sets of skills, experience, and qualifications defining potentially successful candidates. Your resume, if it is targeted and fine-tuned to match the employer’s need, can get a recruiter to call you. That is exactly what you want it to do. From that point forward, your resume becomes much less important as you sell yourself based on your interviews, interactions, and follow up.

This brings us to the second benefit of your resume: a terrific interview. If written well, if it presents a compelling blend of stories to support the skills you claim to have, it will help influence the interviews you will face before getting an offer. This requires thought about the content of your resume, of course, in that you should share stories that will stimulate interest and conversation.

Don’t say, “I can build Excel spreadsheets.” Rather, say, “Built a macro-enabled Excel spreadsheet to automate routine auditing processes, saving approximately two hours of work daily.”

In the former example, you haven’t said much. In the latter, you explained how you used a skill to make a tangible difference that made work more efficient, people more productive, and maybe saved some money. If the potential employer wants someone with Excel skills, you might be asked to explain the project in more detail. This is where you get to shine!

The second benefit of a great resume is arguably more valuable than the first. While many people get calls, many fail to land an offer because they do not interview well. A strong interview filled with engaged conversation by both parties, rather than something resembling interrogation, is more likely to lead to a happy outcome.

So, what is it that a resume does not do? It will not get you the job. It will get you the chance to discuss the job, but it will not get you to the offer. Nobody ever or anywhere has said, “Wow! This is such a great resume. Let’s just make an offer without interviewing the candidate.”

Knowing this, it stands to reason that networking, interviewing, follow-up, and salary negotiating skills are as important in the successful search. Do not discount the value of a strong resume, but don’t be over-reliant on what it does for you, either. Preparation and persistence in all areas of the job hunt are well worth the effort.

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Bill Florin is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Certified Employment Interview Professional, and founder of Resu-mazing Services Company in Monroe, Connecticut. Contact Bill at contact@resu-mazing.com for a free job search strategy consultation.

LinkedIn Jobs App Launches

LinkedIn has taken the next natural step in its business by allowing job seekers to apply for positions from their mobile devices. Search jobs and apply with a tap, sending potential employers your expression of interest and an invitation to check your profile. It sounds easy, doesn’t it?

This is, to be sure, a blade that cuts both ways. If you have a strong LinkedIn profile, one that is filled with relevant skills and results, one that is well-written and error-free, this could accelerate your job search. If, on the other hand, you have a lackluster profile, one that does not help you differentiate yourself, it will make no difference. Employers will ignore mediocrity where they find it.

Also, this app can have you destroy opportunities at record speed if your profile contains errors or factually incorrect experiences and skills. Search, tap, apply, and get rejected, all at Internet speed.

The early reviews are good, and if you are in job seeking mode now, it is worth a look. The tool is adaptive and will show you more relevant and interesting positions as you use it.

The takeaway is this: You have a cool new way to be considered for positions, but the same old rules apply. Your LinkedIn profile must be results-driven and error free. That has not changed.

The LinkedIn Job Search app is free and available for iOS and Android platforms.

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Bill Florin is a pro resume writer and coach. Connect on LinkedIn or at www.Resu-mazing.com.

The Critical Skills-Example Link

Employers look for people with specific skills. If you can write code, manage a project, or sell, you have a specific marketable skill. That’s obvious. What isn’t as obvious is the need to make the link in your résumé between the claimed skill and a clear example of using that skill. Here is how it is done. The story supports the claim.

If your résumé includes a skills summary section, it probably lists a dozen or so things that you know how to do. This gives recruiters a quick summary of what you have to offer, and most résumés should have this section. Your challenge is to tell a brief story further down in the experience section to explain how you have used the skill. The following are three examples.

Skill: Advanced MS Excel

Example: Created complex Excel workbook using macros and pivot tables to capture and calculate inventory values for over 2,500 unique items.

Skill: Project Management

Example: Served as project manager for $1.5 million, six-month safety improvement effort that included installation of new equipment and life-protection systems.

Skill: Writing

Example: Authored more than 100 individual articles over 18 months and generated over 1,000 visits daily to company blog site.

Use these examples to tell your own stories. Remember, if you cannot give examples of skills used, you probably aren’t very good at them (at least that’s what the recruiters will think). Specific stories of skills used add credibility. Review your résumé, read every skill claim, and ensure that you have at least one story for each to make your document more powerful and believable.

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Looking for more résumé writing tips? Search “resume” with this blog’s search bar for much more.

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Your Résumé Must Have These 8 Things: More great information for building a great résumé.

Self-Coaching Through the Search

An extended job search can be exasperating, frustrating and crushing. There is too much rejection, too little honest feedback, and the tide of desperation that rises as time goes on. It doesn’t mean that this is a hopeless effort, though. The job market is getting stronger and people are finding jobs. The bigger issue is that people quit too soon and don’t work hard or smart enough, and that’s where some self-coaching can come in.

There are statistics that indicate that unemployed people spend less than one hour a day on their searches. This is a huge issue, because a successful search requires, if nothing else, action. Even some action and time spent on less effective activities is better than nothing, and 41 minutes daily is nothing (let’s be honest!).

Instead of allowing yourself to sink into the quicksand of despondency, try these coaching strategies on yourself. They will make a difference.

ENVISION THE FUTURE

What will your new job look like? Where will it be? What will your office or workspace look like? What will you be doing? With whom will you be working? What will your schedule look like? Write down some words and phrases that clarify this.

An important first step in coaching is understanding the gap between today’s reality and tomorrow’s desired situation. Envision and articulate that future.

IDENTIFY POSSIBLE ACTIONS

First, write down the things you are doing now. These might be searching the Web for jobs, networking on LinkedIn, or other activities. Next, brainstorm and write down the entire universe of possible activities that could get you closer to your next job. Don’t qualify or criticize at this point. Just write them down as you think of and discover them.

ADD AN ACTION OR TWO AND COMMIT

You already are doing something (right?), so the next step is to either do more of what you are already doing, or to add something new. If you are not putting in enough time (less than six hours a day is a good waterline), you could do both. Look at your brainstorm list and pick some new things to do.

Once you have two or three new actions, make a goal for how often you will do them and when. Use SMART goals to help.

SPECIFIC – MEASURABLE – ACTIONABLE – REALISTIC – TIME-BOUND

Stretch yourself to do more than you have been, but don’t try to conquer the world in a single week. Why? If your goals are unrealistic, you will fail and get discouraged. You want to be in a position to celebrate success, not lament additional failure.

Here is an example that meets the requirements: “In the next two weeks, I will cold-call 10 employers on my target list to discover any needs and to ask for contact information for hiring-managers.”

This goal of one a day, assuming a five-day work week, meets all of the SMART steps. You are going to do something and you have a deadline.

DO IT & DEBRIEF

This is where the real coaching starts. Record your activities. Review them, including the number of specific activities, when you did them, and the outcomes. Compare your results to your plan. Did you fulfill your commitment to yourself? Celebrate!

Did you fail? Did you procrastinate? Ask yourself, “Why?” Were your goals too aggressive (unrealistic)? Did you get lazy? Did you get nervous and hesitate? Did you get wrapped up in low-value busyness rather than high-value (and maybe less comfortable) genuine search work?

Adjust. If you fail, adjust your goals to reflect what you truly, realistically know you can achieve.

Repeat the process.

GET HELP IF YOU NEED IT

Sometimes, we need someone to help us. If you are struggling to get yourself going, reach out to networking groups and services that can help you focus and give you the help and motivation your need. If you have the resources, consider hiring a coach. They are there to help you find the power within yourself to succeed (I can help you with that!).

RING THE BELL!

I know someone who rings a bell when he makes a sale. You are selling yourself. Ring the bell and celebrate your achievement when that offer comes. If you stay focused and put in a solid effort every day, it will.

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Bill Florin is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, Certified Employment Interview Professional and Coach.

Your Weekly Job Search Calendar

Some unemployed people spend less than four hours a week on their job search. Some work at it even less. How does 41 minutes a day sound (see the Princeton study with that statistic)? Will a job seeker be successful with so little activity? Probably not.

Recognize this for what it is. Finding work is often harder than being employed. The skills that you need to be successful in a job search (e.g., self-marketing, interviewing, active networking) are often not the skills you use in your profession. Remember, though, that this will not be forever. Soon you will be back doing what you do best, if you work your search diligently and consistently.

To keep this from falling into the 41-minute trap (what do these people do after, say, 9:30 AM?), here are some job search foundations that you should implement today. This will keep you moving and motivated in an environment where negativity and rejection are real and ever-present.

Create a weekly plan. Plot out your activities for the week. Plan for shorter bursts of focused activity, limiting the time to no more than 90 minutes per task. People cannot maintain strong focus longer than this, so plan your work in blocks. Factor in short breaks, exercise, family obligations, meals and all of the other distractions (Facebook, anyone?) and priorities. Remember to invest at least 30 hours a week in yourself with an intense job search.

Rotate through your activities, matching the task to the best times. I am an early riser, often on social media at around 6AM. This would be fine in a job search because you want to have a social media/online presence, and it is less time dependent than other priorities. Your people-centered activities – phone calls, informational interviews, cold canvassing – need to be done during business hours. Don’t be hanging out on LinkedIn when you should be meeting and talking with people.

Click Here For 21 Use-Them-Now LinkedIn Tips

Get dressed and out of the house. You will not find a job with online activities alone. Get going at the same time every day, get a shower, get dressed and be ready for the business of your search. If you are targeting a job or function where you can drop in and apply in person, do that. Join networking groups. Check for services, job search teams, workshops and seminars at your state’s employment office, public library or faith communities (many see this as a vital and viable ministry).

Track your results. They say if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. In this case, you have to manage yourself. Hold yourself accountable to your plan. Don’t accept your own excuses. If you didn’t make your calls today, add them into tomorrow. There is no boss hovering over your head to force a deadline. Instead, you need to be accountable to yourself and those who depend on you.

Celebrate and rest. When you get to the end of your week, review your results. How much time did you spend on your search? How many people did you contact who could help you find a job? If you are pleased with your effort and results, celebrate! Give yourself a high-five. Take the weekend off, rest, recharge, and do something else to restore yourself. Get ready to do it again on Monday.

The job search does not offer much positive reinforcement. There is a lot of rejection. It really is no fun. But when the good things happen, they make all of the difference. Unlike so many other areas of life where there are degrees of success, the job search is more binary, more black/white, job/no job. Recognize it, face it head on and work hard. Good things will happen for you.

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Are you using social media to find a job? Here are some pointers on using it more effectively to manage your career.

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Bill Florin CEIP CPRW is President of Resu-mazing Services Company.