The Beatles once sang, "all you need is love." In life this is true and it certainly helps during a job search, but it is not all you need. However, tough love is a good start.
A job search is tough. Few candidates are prepared for what happens in a job search. Few have had any formal training. Some will get help with their resume. Some will reach out to friends and family for guidance, but there is a whole lot more to a job search than the tactics and mechanics of the resume, networking and interviewing.
There are two enemies in most job searches that rarely get discussed. One candidates have to deal with, and few are prepared to handle is, "TIME." Many enter unemployment totally unprepared for the length of time a job search takes and how slow and long the hiring process is. They have one time frame and the company has a completely different set of priorities and time frame.
The other biggest enemy is, "themselves." As time passes and frustration sets in they start questioning themselves and their abilities. The have also gone through all the contacts in their network, have been doing the same thing over and over again for months with little results, and they are burned out. Now what?
The best thing you can do for yourself at this point is get what we refer to as an accountability partner. Accountability is something as adults we hate. That is why most can't wait to become adults. We all want to get away from this word. We want to do what we want, when we want, how we want and without anyone holding us accountable. Fine for life, but not a good thing in a job search.
An accountability partner needs to be selected very carefully. They need to be someone you respect and trust. Someone blunt and direct, who will tell it like it is, especially when you don't want to hear it. They should not be a friend or family member.
This is where the tough love enters the picture.
A good accountability partner will help you. They are not here to become your friend or buddy. Get a dog if that is what you are seeking. Their job is to encourage you when you're down and motivate you when you just don't want to go to another networking meeting or send another resume. Their job is to kick you (figuratively not literally) in the appropriate place when encouragement and motivation don't work as well as hoped. A good accountability partner knows the right buttons to push and when to push them.
They must be a person you can open up with about your job search and what is happening to you on the inside and even in your personal life. They are someone who will empathize with you, console you, feel your pain, be understanding, compassionate, never hit you when you're down, but instead picks you up, dusts you off and when all of this is completed, kicks you in the appropriate place and gets you going again.
A good accountability partner will listen to you. They will know the differences between an excuse and a real obstacle. They may be able to provide some resources to help you out when you are stalled. They won't accept excuses. They will listen to them and then kick you in the appropriate place and get you back on track.
A good accountability partner is somewhat like a good drill sergeant in the military. You hate them while you are in boot camp, but you also know that they have your best interests in mind for the upcoming battle. They are successful if, at the end of the battle, you look back and say, "Thanks, you really helped me get through this." Oh, you may still hate them, but you surely respect them.
They may or may not end up being your friend. That isn't important. What is important is that you want to refer them to every person you meet in-transition.
Finding an accountability partner (even if you have to pay one) willing to give you "TOUGH LOVE" during your search may be the best thing you do for your job search, yourself and your family.
A growing number of jobseekers find themselves in the midst of a long-term job search. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. jobless rate soared to a four-year high of 5.7% in July 2008 and the average job search took more than four months to net results. However, some critics would put this number and the number of the unemployed much higher.
Helen Kooiman, author of Suddenly Unemployed asserts, "[S]uch statistics are inaccurate indicators. They do not include those whose unemployment benefits have run out or those who don't qualify for unemployment... Such statistics also do not count welfare recipients, temps (who cannot be counted as fully employed), or others who eke out a living on so-called self-employment." Neither do such reports include what the Bureau of Labor Statistics terms "discouraged workers" or those who "were not currently looking for work specifically because they believed no jobs were available for them." Their figures reached 461,000 in July.
A long-term job search can put a tremendous financial and emotional strain on a job hunter. "It's been a demoralizing experience and it's been very difficult budgetwise. I'm a single mother," Kay Marie King says, a former non-profit executive with a wealth of experience that is currently involved in an ongoing job search. So, what can you do when weeks of a fruitless job search quickly turns to months? Here are seven tips for jump starting a stalled job search:
Tip One: Don't be so quick to blame everything on the economy (your region, your industry, etc.)
These issues certainly play a role in the current job market. However, it is easy to fixate on such factors and completely discount factors which we personally control. The next six tips cover areas that long-term jobseekers do well to revisit to jump start a stalled job search. Why is this so important? I am reminded of a woman I once interviewed that looked great on paper, but during the interview she had an incredibly offensive body odor. She remarked that she'd been on several interviews but she was "overqualified" for every position. It was a classic case of the problem (or her perception of what the problem was) not really being the problem. While most jobseekers don't have such an obvious issue, each one would still do well to take a long look in the mirror.
Tip Two: Conduct a candid self-assessment.
Look at yourself from the perspective of the potential employer. Compare your experience and qualifications to those typically required of someone in your target position. How do your skills and experience match up? Think of creative ways to to fill skill gaps and gain experience.
Tip Three: Re-examine your target position or industry.
Are you searching for work in a waning industry or oversaturated field? Is your desired position readily available in your selected geographic area? Being open to relocation may improve your chances. Can you apply your knowledge and skills to an industry that is experiencing growth?
Tip Four: Rethink your current job search.
What job search strategies are you currently using? If you are concentrating your efforts on strategies that are typically the least effective (like online job boards and newspaper ads) your job search will take much longer to yield results. Consider incorporating job search strategies that yield higher results, like networking and direct targeted mailing campaigns.
Tip Five: Re-evaluate the way you are communicating your message verbally and in print.
Communicating your message to potential employers in a clear and compelling manner is critical to job search success. Re-examine your resume. Does it communicate your value to employers by addressing how your skills and experience will meet the employer's specific needs? Practice communicating your value in response to typical interview questions, including, "Tell me about yourself."
Tip Six: Maintain your intensity level and a positive outlook.
It is easy to become discouraged over the course of a lengthy job search. Keep a positive outlook and maintain a high-level of focus and intensity throughout your job search for quicker results. Taking a systematic approach to your job search will help you to stay organized and on track during your job search. Yet, it is important to pursue other interests during your job search. Enjoy spending time with friends and family. Renew your interest in a hobby. Tackle a project you wouldn't have time to if you were working. Spending time in other pursuits provides a much-needed reprieve from the stress of a job search. You'll be energized and ready for the next leg of your job search.
Tip Seven: Build a solid support system.
If a self-guided job search has netted limited results; consider working with a career or job search coach. Your coach will help you identify any problem areas and offer suggestions for improvement. Another option is to join a local or online job search club. If a coach or job search club isn't available try building your own support network. Enlist the help of family and friends or connect with other job hunters. Taking a team approach to your job search provides an opportunity for constructive feedback, a fresh perspective, ongoing encouragement, and added accountability.
Try applying the tips above to jump start a stalled job search. Learn more about conducting a Simply Successful Job Search by visiting Indeed Jobs
No matter how much time and energy you invest in job seeking, critical mistakes can derail your efforts. Consider the following job search scenario. Each of the mistakes described below can put your job search off track, but all are easy to avoid.
Mistake #1: Starting with a Handicap
Your job search is underway. Time to get out your resume, dust it off, and add your most recent experience… Right?
Wrong. A strong job search starts with strategizing, and a strong resume should be the vehicle to put your strategy into action. It isn't enough to dust off an old resume – you need a revised resume that is tailored to a specific position and a specific employer.
Ask yourself… What are the top needs and preferences of this employer? How can you address the employer’s needs with specific information about your experience, strengths, and accomplishments? And how can you structure your resume to convey this key information in a quick, 30-second scan?
To avoid mistake #1, assume that your resume is much more than a personal history that simply needs a little updating. Start with a strategy, and rewrite your resume so that it speaks directly to the interests and concerns of the employer who will read it.
Mistake #2: Sending Less-Than-Your-Best
Your resume is done, and you’ve written a cover letter to accompany it. Now you’re ready to drop both in the mail in response to a job ad that especially interests you… Right?
Wrong. Have you first made very sure that you’re not sending out less than your best? Many job seekers fail to realize that both the resume and the cover letter are seen as examples of the quality of their work.
This means that all aspects of overall quality are important – including spelling, grammar, visual layout, organization, and clarity of writing. Errors will stand out like a flashing red light, and anything that makes the resume and cover letter difficult to follow may cause them to be tossed aside.
To avoid mistake #2, follow this rule of thumb: Have at least two other people read both your resume and cover letter before you send them out. Tell them your job-search strategy so that they know what you want to communicate to the employer.
Mistake #3: Cyber-Regrets
The employer has called for an interview! In addition, he’s asked that you e-mail a copy of your resume to another person in the company. That's easy – a quick note with a Word attachment… Right?
Wrong. A casual approach to the computer world can lead to embarrassing mistakes. Regrettably, e-mails usually can't be called back after clicking on the "send" button.
As before, avoid mistake #3 by treating any letter as both an opportunity to convey your qualifications and a sample of your writing. Avoid common e-mail shorthand and short, terse paragraphs – the former can come across as "unprofessional" and the latter as impersonal.
Finally, to be on the safe side, print out your e-mail and attachment to make sure that all looks well in hard copy. Then send the e-mail to at least one other person, and ask them to review both its content and appearance.
Mistake #4: The Missed Opportunity
You’ve prepared for your interview and thought over all the answers you may have to supply. There's not much more you can do… Right?
Wrong. Chances are that at some point in the interview the employer will turn the tables and say: "Do you have any questions?" If you respond by saying "no" or by turning to practical details ("What is your benefits package?"), this will be a missed opportunity.
To avoid mistake #4, think of several questions beforehand – questions that speak directly to the responsibilities and challenges of the job itself. Employers want to know how you think and what you would be like to work with; your questions are an opportunity to show that you can take on the challenges of the job in a constructive way.
Mistake #5: Letting the Ball Drop
You had a strong interview, and you're waiting to hear whether you got the job. At least now you can take a breather while you wait… Right?
Wrong. Until you have a job offer, assume that it's up to you to keep the ball in the air. First and foremost, send a thank-you letter to each person who interviewed you, making reference to one or more things that were discussed.
Second, follow up at regular Intervals to indicate your continued interest and keep your prospects alive. It’s tempting to hang back so that you “won’t be a bother” – but the job seeker who lets the ball drop may lose out to the one who is politely and persistently enthusiastic.
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Tuesday, November 3, 2009
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Using a job acceptance letter when offered a position shows true professionalism. It is a way of saying “thank you” to the person who hired you, and giving them assurance that they made the right decision. You have presented yourself to them as a professional with your resume, cover letter, reference sheet, salary history, letters of recommendation, follow up note, and any other personal marketing materials you’ve used while job hunting. You went out of your way to make sure that the interview went well, and probably did your homework on the company before going in for that first interview. Now using a job acceptance letter will be a capstone on all your work, and perfect the positive professional image you’ve tried to convey throughout the job search and hiring process.
Of course, if you’ve never written one before you may have questions as to what it should contain and how it should look. Here are the basics: it should be on the same paper your resume and cover letter were on, preferably a light gray or ivory linen, laid, or parchment paper or one of the new sandstone papers. It should have a letterhead that matches the other personal marketing materials you’ve used. It should be personally addressed to the decision maker who hired you. The job acceptance letter should also be placed in either a matching business sized envelope, or a large white envelope to avoid folding, and should be personally addressed. If your own handwriting isn’t very legible, print the address, or have a friend with great handwriting address it for you.
It should also be short. Show that you respect the hiring manager’s time by being direct, while still polite. You can say everything you need to say in two or three paragraphs which are quick to read. When writing the job acceptance letter be straightforward and professional. Let the hiring manager know that you are looking forward to being a part of the team at your new company. Let him or her know that you appreciate the opportunity and will do your best. Let the decision maker know that you are aware of any special conditions of the job offer, and will adhere to them. That will avoid any misunderstandings down the road. Also make sure that the job acceptance letter states that you understand the starting date of your employment with this new organization, and assure the hiring manager that you will be there on the specified date, and time, ready to get busy. Sign it using blue ink in your pen so that they know it is not a photo copy, and hand deliver it to the decision maker’s administrative assistance. In this manner you will show yourself to be a true professional, and someone they will want to work with in the future.
4 Steps to Launching a $100K+ Executive Level Job Search Campaign That Gets You Hired in a Recession
Joy Andrews lost her position as a $100K+ executive about three months ago. Devastated, Joy took some time off to clear her head and get ready for her executive level job search campaign. But now, months later, she hasn't had many interviews and prospects are bleak. Her question to me was, "What can I do to get myself to get more interviews and get hired faster?"
In this article, I am going to give you four critical steps you must take if you want to find that $100K+ job and get hired during a recession.
Step #1 – Get organized
I am constantly amazed how executives who were driven and forceful in their jobs become lost in how to start their $100K+ executive job search. Getting organized includes these elements:
1. Treat your job search as a full time job. Totally dedicate your time to finding a job. Inform your family that your full-time job is to find a full-time job and nothing else!
2. Act as if your job search was a product or service launch. Plan your executive level job search campaign. Don't wing it. Organize your activities in a project plan and measure yourself against your milestones and sub-goals.
3. Start your day just like you would if you were employed. Did you start your day at 7:00am and end it at 6:00pm? Then do the same for your job search.
4. Create goals for every day and every event. Get a daily goal and meet it. Develop your networking goals for each event and stay until you achieve them.
Step #2 – Get help
For many, getting help is equivalent to going to the dentist. But getting help is the smartest thing to kick-start your executive level job search campaign. Getting help includes:
1. Ask for a review of your resume. There are many services available to review your resume for free. Better yet, pay an expert to write your resume.
2. Learn from the experts. There are many experts out there that write articles like this one. Many experts also have website tools that are available for free downloads. For example, I have a free eBook at: http://www.marketyourpotential.com/ebook.asp. Take advantage of these resources.
3. Get a career coach. For executives who earn more than $100K+, getting advice for your particular situation is a wise investment Make sure, however, that your coach teaches you how to fish, not just fishes for you.
4. Get a support group. When you launch a job search campaign when the headlines are awful, being upbeat and positive is extremely difficult. Get a small group of business associates and friends who can help you during this time.
Step #3 – Get real
Just a short while ago, executives could expect to find a new position in about 90 to 120 days. Now, realistically, it can take upwards of 8 to 10 months. Getting real includes:
1. Do what it takes to survive a 10-month search. Expecting your search to go faster and not preparing for the long haul is just nuts. Reduce your expenses to just what is necessary and cut back.
2. Invest in your career. Now is the time to invest in your career and not try to "do-it-yourself." Investments include coaching, books, tools, events, memberships, and travel to targeted cities.
3. Develop quantitative benchmarks and metrics. Analyze your job search results and measure them against standards. When you do this, you'll be able to improve along the way which guarantees results faster.
4. Design qualitative feedback loops. Behaviors are qualitative and you can "measure" reactions to your oral and written pitch. Their reaction is a qualitative feedback loop that you can automatically gauge.
Step #4 – Get Clear
Getting a message that is clear and succinct takes work. And trying to figure out what you want next is also hard. Getting clear includes:
1. Do extensive research on target companies and industries. The Internet has a wealth of information. My recommendation is to conduct research at least 1 hour per day – above and beyond job posting searches.
2. Test your messages within networking groups. Take someone out for coffee. Try out your verbal pitch, and get their feedback. I tell my clients that they should attend at least 2 different networking groups a week during their job search campaign.
3. Know what's happening around you. Know what's happening around the globe. Integrate current affairs into your oral and written pitch and show how you can address the issues of the day.
4. Stay focused and determined. Persistence is the key to finding a $100K+ executive level position during an economic downturn. Direction is the result and movement in your job search is guaranteed.
One of the primary roles of a workforce development provider is building strong relationships with employers. Fundamental to this role is language; you must be able to communicate with your employers using terminology they understand and appreciate.
Language does not just represent concepts and ideas; it represents an attitude and predisposition to doing things. Notice that when you shift to an accepted form of communication, meaning, as well as the general tone of a conversation, changes. In the same vein, non-profit and business language can be worlds apart in what they suggest and mean. To effectively work with employers, you must exert the effort to get into their mindset. You can do this by using widely accepted business language.
The following are tips to consider when using business language:
Stay Away From Non-Profit Jargon.
Providers from the non-profit sector often have a set of jargon specific to their field. Terms like ‘stakeholder relations’, ‘multi-systemic impact’ and ‘trickle-down effect’ are phrases that are commonplace. For an employer, however, these terms may be too technical and rather academic. If you use jargons when communicating with your employer, you might come across as elitist and exclusionary --- even if you don’t mean to.
As much as you can, use an easy conversational style that gets your point across. Employers are generally practical people; they don’t typically deal with theories and abstract principles as part of their daily grind. If you can speak in such a way that a lay person can picture what you mean, then go for that approach.
Remember, a term acceptable to you as a service provider may have a different meaning to an employer. For example, the phrase ‘mutually beneficial partnership’ has been found to be acceptable by those in the non-profit industry. However, for those in the business community, it implies unequal balance or having to give up too much to participate in the program. A better word to use is just ‘partnership.’ The term connotes good for both parties, and communicates a win-win situation.
If you must use jargons, why not learn some of the business world’s own? Maybe you can better get your points if you use terms your employers would appreciate. Terms like ‘return on investment’ and ‘customer relations’ can be used to package workforce development programs.
Avoid Acronyms
Almost every sector, whether profit or non-profit, use acronyms. But, once you’re in the habit of using acronyms, it’s easy to forget that outside of one’s group, these acronyms may not be understood. Worse, they may have a totally different meaning!
For example, CDC for non-profit organizations stands for Community Development Corporation. But, employers don’t know this. Likely the first thing they’d think about is the Center for Disease Control!
To be safe, just say the term in full and then state that henceforth, when you use such acronym, that term is what you’re referring to. It’s better to anticipate misunderstandings rather than have an entire conversation not realizing you’re not being understood!
Use Concrete Terms Rather Than the Abstract
Here is a major difference in how a non-profit and profit organization communicate. Non-profits tend to find non-measurable results as an acceptable goal for a project. For example, it’s not unusual for a non-profit program to have ‘increasing workforce diversity’ or ‘advocating social change’ as general goals. An employer would most likely find these terms too vague. Speak in concrete terms that focus on what you can do in the here and now. Stick to the measurable deliverables.
Practice, Practice, Practice
The good news is, the more that you practice communicating, the better you will become and the easier it will be for you. Communication is crucial when working to become effective in your role. This makes it imperative that you be at the top of your game at all times. Spend some time practicing with colleagues and work to establish a large volume of employer meetings to improve your communication skills over time.
About The Author
Lisa Jordan is a disability and workforce development expert. Lisa uses her keen ability to identify challenges and develop solutions so that workforce development professionals can increase their comfort level, productivity and effectiveness when working with a diverse clientele. Download Lisa’s Special Report on 5 Easy Disability Tips to Immediately Increase Agency Accessibility by visiting http://www.human-solutions.net
Some of the tasks that are hardest to get ourselves to do are the big, overwhelming ones like cleaning out a junk room or garage, doing a full-scale edit on a novel, or organizing papers or files. Often we think about these kinds of tasks as requiring one big push, a big chunk of time that we imagine will be available sooner or later.
That kind of approach to a task can work out badly in at least two ways. First, a task that we think of like that may never get done. Second, even if we do accomplish the task, before long we may find things quickly getting back to the same situation we were in originally. When these kinds of problems rear their ugly heads, it’s time to think about breaking the big tasks down, not only into smaller pieces, but into habits.
What I mean about breaking a task down into a habit is looking at what kind of regular behavior can make the problem go away permanently. For example, regardless of whether older papers are filed or not, if new papers keep piling up, there will always be something out of order, and more often than not it will be a big stack (or three, or twelve …). This kind of situation calls for adopting a new habit, possibly even a new rule, about how new paper is handled, regardless of the old stuff. The new habit can be based on an event (for example, every time a new paper comes into the office that isn’t actively in use, it gets recycled or filed) or on a schedule (for instance, all papers get filed every Thursday morning).
Notice that this new habit doesn’t require old problems to be taken care of before it comes into play. It’s easier to be motivated when no old problems are looming, but not letting a problem get worse is still a meaningful and relieving change from ever-renewing chaos.
New habits can even help take care of old problems. For instance, with filing the new habit might be to file each new thing as it comes in along with at least one old paper. In this way, the filing gets done slowly but also fairly painlessly, and it reinforces the value of the new habit. What’s more, doing a little bit of a task that used to seem huge and unmanageable can be very freeing and empowering, often supplying the necessary motivation to get a lot more of it done.
Alternatively, old problems can be handled in small chunks separately from new habits. For instance, you might tackle a junk room or a filing job just 15 minutes at a time whenever you have a free moment.
Regardless, clearing the old problem away can be enormously freeing in terms of the pressure it relieves. Strangely enough, under the right circumstances taking care of something you’ve been avoiding and perhaps even been a little fearful of can be powerfully enjoyable, if you can push past the initial jitters and focus on the progress you’re making and not the problems you may have had in the past.
About The Author
Luc Reid is a writer living in Vermont with his 12-year-old son. he has been reading, researching, and writing about cognitive psychology, positive psychology, strengths psychology, nonviolent communication, cooperative living, consensus decision-making, and other topics having to do with personal and community growth for about ten years now. His practical articles on the psychology of self-motivation and willpower appear three times a week at http://www.willpowerengine.com . (c) 2009 by Luc Reid. Willpower Engine articles are free to copy under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Career Transition: How to Get Back in the Game After Losing Your Job
Monday, October 26, 2009
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Losing one's job brings up feelings of grief, fear, and many times anger. You may feel like you lost your identity when you lost your title. Even if you did not enjoy your position, when someone else makes the decision that you are to leave, you cannot help but experience rejection. Realistically though, you do not have the luxury to remain feeling dejected and rejected because it will take confidence and feeling competent to get that next career opportunity.
The following are some ways of maintaining your self-confidence during transition and some helpful tips to remind you that you lost your job, not yourself:
Expect and accept negative feelings. When we experience negative emotions like sadness, frustration, and hopelessness we either try to put those feelings out of our mind, or let them take over so that we feel engulfed by them and powerless against them. These and other negative feelings are normal during job transition. Rather than waste energy fighting back negative feelings, let the feelings roll over you; but choose not to dwell in them. After all, they are feelings not facts. Of course you can feel sad about what was but you can also feel excitement for what is to be.
Form a Board of Advisors. Now, more than any other time, you need to take pride in your accomplishments and feel good about your strengths. Most of us are not used to listing our strengths and successes. We find it much easier to see our mistakes and failures. Your board of advisors can be friends or people you have worked with who appreciate you and your gifts. Call a meeting of your "board" and ask for their help in identifying your strengths and successes.
Change negative thoughts into positive affirmations. It is natural to question yourself during job transition. It is easy to blame yourself for not being important enough or vital enough to keep your job. That pink slip may have had your name on it but it said nothing about your value. Therefore, when your mind wanders to thinking that you were not good enough, smart enough, or valuable enough, reframe those negative cognitions to more positive thoughts.
A good way to do this is to take the strength words identified by your "board" and write each on a different index card preceded by the words, "I am." Do the same with the successes starting each card with the words, "I accomplished." Post the cards around your house so that you have a constant reminder that you are not that poor "loser" that does not have a job but a vibrant, successful, capable person that any employer would be lucky to get. Keep a duplicate set of cards in your handbag and take them to job interviews. Read each one out loud before getting out of your car.
Take advantage of your time off. Just like it is difficult to stay focused on one project for hours at a time, it will be difficult to focus on your job search all day, every day. Treat this time of transition as a gift. Establish the number of hours you can be effective each day in job search. Use the other hours in the day to do things you never had time to do when you were working full-time.
Volunteering for an agency or cause close to your heart is a good way to spend that time. It can be multi-purposed; you get to use your gifts to help out others, you have an "in your face" reminder of your competency, AND, you never can tell when you could be "discovered" by a fellow volunteer and receive a referral for a job that fits your talents.
Job transition can be a confusing, emotional, and challenging time. It is important that you take control of the things that you can and let go of those you cannot. It is also important to be aware that during challenging times, people often become depressed or use unhealthy behaviors to lessen their pain. If you feel that you are struggling more than you think is normal, consult with your family doctor, a member of the clergy, a therapist, or a trusted friend. You are not alone and do not have to do this by yourself.
Quick Tips for Maintaining Self-Confidence during Job Transition
Keep a regular schedule - get up as if you were going to work, shower, dress and be ready to start your day
Practice healthy routines - now is the time to pay attention to a healthy diet, regular aerobic exercise, and getting enough sleep
Use stress management tools daily - whether it is yoga, breathing, imagery, or positive self-talk, make sure you are managing your stress
Avoid isolation - stay in touch with friends and family even if you feel like hiding out at home
Stay in the moment - avoid the "what if's" of the past or the future by taking control of what is happening today
Connect with your spirituality - spiritual or religious beliefs help center us, even being outside in the natural environment puts things in perspective
Find ways to laugh every day - even if nothing seems funny you can "fake it until you make it" by watching funny movies, reading humorous books, or even viewing silly videos on the internet.
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Sunday, October 25, 2009
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Job rejection shock is a hard fact of life. It doesn't matter how good a candidate you are, one or more rejections are inevitable. Even in good times organizations usually have a number of candidates to choose from and in today's job market supply clearly exceeds demand.
What are your options now? What do you do when facing rejection? Take these simple steps and come away from the experience wiser and better equipped to manage your next job application and interview.
Contact the employer immediately
Phone or email and ask politely for constructive feedback. Ask questions like, "Where did I fall short of the requirements?", "Can you give me some advice that will help me with any future applications?" Avoid sounding defensive but rather focus on the future and suggest to the company that they can assist you by providing you with honest feedback. Listen carefully to their answers, thank them for their time and input and make good use of their advice.
Conduct an audit of your job interview keeping their feedback in mind. Ask yourself these questions:
Did I do my homework ?
Did you find out sufficient information beforehand about the organization and the job. Did you know all about the job you were interviewing for - the tasks, responsibilities, skills and abilities it involved?. How much detail did you have on the organization? Did you know your strengths, weaknesses, selling points, suitability? Was the position a good fit with your skills and abilities?
Did I make a good first impression?
First impressions are critically important in job interviews as they set the tone for the rest of the interview. Did you arrive on time? Were you appropriately dressed? When you saw how the company employees were dressed did you feel comfortable with what you were wearing? Did you greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and use the correct name?
Did I listen carefully and answer questions appropriately?
Were you clear about what the interviewer was asking you? Did you respond with the relevant information? Did the interviewer have to repeat the question to get the information he or she wanted? Were your responses fluent and well organized or did you stumble over your answers? Did you get the job interview questions you expected or were you taken by surprise?
Did I show my enthusiasm for the position?
Did you use positive words and project a positive message with your body language? Did you display confidence in your ability to do the job or were you nervous and unsure? Alternatively were you too pushy and dominated the discussion?
Did I have informed and relevant questions to ask the interviewer?
Did you prepare good and insightful questions to ask about the company, the job, the management and the industry? Were your questions based on solid information you had gathered during your interview preparation or did you quickly think up something to ask when the interviewer said, "Do you have any questions?"
Did I have the right documentation with me?
Did you have a portfolio with you that included references, work samples, extra copies of your resume? When the interviewer asked for a document were you able to produce it?
Did I close the interview and follow up appropriately?
Job interview rejection can be the result of the final minutes of the interview. Had you addressed all the interviewer's concerns before leaving? Did you restate your interest in the position and close with an expression of appreciation for the interview opportunity? Did you follow up with a thank you letter within 24 hours of the job interview?
Thinking through your job application and interview in a constructive and proactive way will allow you to work through your disappointment at job interview rejection and shift your focus to the next opportunity. Build on what you have learned and try to keep positive. Keep looking for the right opportunity and stay determined. Getting the right job requires dedication, a planned approach and a great deal of focused effort - it's a job in itself! Go through the pre interview checklist to make sure you are properly prepared to make the best impression in your job interview. Persistence, preparation and constant improvement will land you the right job.
How to boost your career with a powerful personal brand strategy
Friday, October 23, 2009
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Hurry! Offer ends at Midnight EST October 31, 2009. One (1) Winner will be announced and notified by November 2, 2009.
You're reading this because you want to get ahead. And you see job search success or a quality career change as your way to achieve that. Then, doesn't it make sense to do it the right way?
What if I told you that most folks in today's complex marketplace are doing it wrong? As a result they're taking months to accomplish what could be done successfully in a matter of days. To do right by your job search success you need to be guided by three golden rules. Master these and you virtually guarantee your job search success!
Golden Rule #1: No employer will be interested in you if he/she can't be convinced that you can make a real contribution to bottom line or that you can make the employer's job easier. If you fail to communicate that in your interviews, resume and written or spoken messages . . . you're OUT!
The burden is on you to prove you can make a difference. That means you have to research what the organizations goal are and specifically what the hiring decision-maker is looking for. And then be prepared to present specific contributions.
If you think that somehow an employer will figure out what you can do by reading between the lines of your resume or second-guessing your interview presentation . . . well, they don't have the time or interest to do that. Besides, if you can't show how you bring value, there's someone else right behind you who can.
Golden Rule #2: You are in charge of your job search success . . . and only you! If you leave your job search up to chance by using passive, uninvolved strategies you just LOST!
Hoping that posting an electronic resume to a half dozen job search services like Monster.com will get you the job you deserve is worse than wishful thinking. It's delusion! The same applies to answering endless ads or expecting recruiters or agencies to handle everything for you.
Golden Rule # 3: The most valuable assets you have that can guarantee you a speedy and lucrative job search are your CONTACTS. These are people you already know starting with relatives, friends, neighbors, religious leaders, business associates and customers, people you buy things from (like insurance, financial services, contractors, etc.).
However, you can't turn them off by asking them to find you a job. You DO want to ask them for advice by telling them about your career/job change plans and asking them to refer you someone with information about the organizations or individuals you've targeted.
The good news is that is a system that can walk you through the process step-by-step. Follow the system and you can be entertaining a job offer is as little as 14 days!
Remember the good old days when a job search meant answering some ads or posting a resume on some job sites or talking to an agency or two. And going on a couple interviews?
There was a time when resumes got answered. Phone calls and emails were returned. An agency or recruiter could be counted on to supply you with plenty of interviews.
Remember when you used to get a call back after an interview. Or there was someone to talk to check on your status. And employers would keep in touch to show they were still interested in you.
DREAM ON!
Those days are gone forever! Welcome to the 21st Century job search marketplace where everything's changed . . . especially since 9/11, Katrina and the roller-coaster economy.
Yet, in spite of everything you've heard, this is the most thrilling job search market we've ever seen! In fact, we've never seen anything like this!
Why? Because if you're in control . . . if you've planned in advance . . . if you've got all your ducks in a row then you're ready for some of the most incredible opportunities in a decade!
But if you're not ready . . . well, take a look at pitfalls that await you:
1. Employers' expectations have changed dramatically. They want someone who knows how to add to their bottom line with examples.
2. There are millions looking for jobs in the world marketplace. You have to stand out from the competition to get ahead.
3. Resumes don't get jobs. No one is going to hire you without meeting you face-to-face.
4. You gotta know how to ask for a job.
5. If you can't negotiate like a pro . . . you're out!
The good news is that there are advanced alternative and non-traditional strategies that can turn you into a winner in a matter of days instead of weeks and months!
There are usually two types of questions asked in job interviews. The first set of questions we'll be discussing generally requires objective answers relating to your qualifications and work experience, as well as those that require you to expound on your personality and attitude.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF
It's a very rare occasion that you meet an individual who has experienced going to numerous job interviews and has never been asked to describe themselves. This question is usually asked at the start of the interview and your answer is usually the sole basis for the first impression your interviewer will have of you.
For that very reason, it's important to keep your answer of moderate length - not too short, but not too long either. Just give them a sneak peek of who you are.
EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB
Naturally, this is the right time to state all the positive things about you that would make you the ideal candidate for the job. Remember not to go overboard however, as that would turn your prospective employer off rather than convince them to hire you.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE COMPANY AND WHY DO YOU WANT TO WORK FOR US?
The answers the interviewer would receive in response to this question will help them recognize which applicants are simply interested in the perquisites of the job (high pay, travel incentives, and so forth) and which ones sincerely desire to work for their company.
WHY DID YOU LEAVE YOUR OLD JOB?
While it's absolutely necessary that you do not lie about anything related to your previous employment; it's better, however, not to draw too much attention to anything which may make you look like an undesirable candidate for the job. If you're suddenly confronted with an unpleasant truth - showing that the interviewer has done a thorough research on your work background - just try to be as candid as you can whenever you reply to your interviewer's questions.
The second type of questions are mainly situational and let the interviewer know how you'd normally react under different circumstances. It lets the company know, for instance, how good you are at managing people, handling pressure, and interacting with clients.
DESCRIBE YOUR COPING TECHNIQUES WHEN ASKED TO DEAL WITH HIGHLY STRESSFUL SITUATIONS
The best way to answer this question is offering a specific situation where you were indeed able to cope successfully in spite of a stressful atmosphere. Explain about the factors that contributed to such an atmosphere then move on to the coping techniques you employed to keep your head clear and focused.
ARE YOU GOAL-ORIENTED?
Naturally, your answer must be YES. And to make your answer thorough and compelling, look back to your past once more and specify the most difficult goal that you were able to achieve and what you did to make that possible.
HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY DEAL WITH CONFLICTS?
People have different ways of dealing with conflicts. Whatever your answer is, it's imperative that you can show yet another past situation where your method was able to successfully diffuse tension and resolve differences.
GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF A SITUATION WHEN YOU FAILED TO ATTAIN YOUR OBJECTIVE
No matter what experience you have in this area, it's imperative that you stress how you got back on your feet and refused to let failure hamper you from trying again!
GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF A TIME YOU TOOK INITIATIVE AND ITS OUTCOME
This is a very important question especially if you're applying for a position of authority such as one at the managerial or executive level. Your answer must clearly emphasize your competency in leading.
This list offers some of the basic types of interview questions you will encounter. Be certain to prepare yourself, and don't go into an interview cold.
There are as many types of human characters as there are people and bosses are no exception. Below are some techniques and strategies to deal with them so that your employment is not in danger:
Dealing with Eccentric Bosses
While dealing with bosses it is better that you know that some of the eccentric traits may have brought him to where he is now.
1. The Shouting Boss: The psychology of shouting bosses is that they can get the things done only by shouting. They don't mind shouting at anyone, anywhere. Although shouting is a sign of impatience, it is also because they want to be recognized on the spot. Satisfying their ego by listening to them calms them down. Further, executing their instructions will get them your respect.
2. The Scheming Boss: He is the most dangerous of them all, always plotting to fire one person or the other. They are highly manipulative while being extremely intelligent, highly motivated and focused. His way to the top is through firing workers which he says is benefiting the company; in reality he is worried about protecting himself and his position. Being honest and acting with extreme care is the best policy when dealing with this type of boss.
3. The Just-A-Minute Boss: He is an impatient man but not rude. He wants everything to be done on the fly. He has many things in his head while talking to you and so may be unable to grasp anything you said. The next day he may surprise you with a 'you-didn't-tell-me-this'. These types hardly complete any tasks, so be prepared for big workloads at anytime. Keeping evidence of your communications (possibly through emails), or completing the communication/task on the spot is better.
4. The Bumbling Boss: This junk head is trying to hide his inadequacies behind big talk and other diversions. Although he is rather harmless, he is neither a good leader nor an inspiring one. Just because he has reached a higher position above you, he might also get a sense of false prestige. Occasionally showing his mistakes in disguise of guarding him and guiding him is your best bet.
5. The Fear Monger: The attrition rate of this boss is high because of the fear and psychosis he creates. No one wants to continue working with him; often he fires them himself before they can quit, because he thinks fear is the only way to motivate employees to work. Changing your job, and fast, is the way to deal with him.
These are just a few of the dominant personality traits that you may find during your career. You need to be aware of them in order to preserve both your job and your sanity!
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Job, Career or Calling?
How would you describe the way you earn a living? Research by Amy Wrzensniewski, Professor of Management and Organizational Behavior at New York University, shows that most people view their work either as a job, a career, or a calling.
I've drawn inspiration from her questionnaire to offer you a light-hearted version of the test below. Answer the questions and add up your scores to find out which category you belong to - and what that says about your satisfaction with life!
1.Your Lottery numbers finally come up - you win £20 million! What do you do?
a) Quit my job immediately, check into the Hilton and start spending
b) Keep working - I love what I do
c) Take a break but probably go back to something similar, preferably at a higher level or with a bigger organisation
2. When you're working, how often do you check the time?
a) Whenever I get bored or hungry
b) Never - I'm so engrossed in what I do
c) I've arranged my desk so the office clock is permanently in my line of vision
3. What would persuade you to attend a networking event?
a) Nothing, evenings are MINE!
b) The certain knowledge that it would help my prospects...and a couple of vouchers for a free glass of wine
c) Where is it? I'll be there - I love talking about what I do
4. Would you encourage your friends or children to enter your line of work?
a) Possibly, if they were interested
b) Definitely, even if they weren't interested
c) No, I'd probably discourage them
5. What do you enjoy most about your work?
a) Payday
b) That I'm able to express my talents and passions
c) Knowing I am advancing in my organisation or chosen field
6. How would you feel if you were doing the same work in 5 years' time?
a) Great - I never get bored with it
b) A bit disappointed - I'd have hoped for a promotion by then
c) Like I'd just won tickets to watch Olympic croquet
ANSWERS Add up your points according to the key below 1a) 1 1b) 3 1c) 2 2a) 2 2b) 3 2c) 1 3a) 1 3b) 2 3c) 3 4a) 2 4b) 3 4c) 1 5a) 1 5b) 3 5c) 2 6a) 3 6b) 2 6c) 1
YOUR SCORE 9 or less - JOB You work to earn enough money to support your life outside of your job: you live for weekends and vacations. You don't necessarily dislike what you do, but it doesn't define you - it's just a job.
10 to 15 - CAREER You usually enjoy what you do, accepting that no job is perfect. Often you're kept motivated by the prospect of a promotion and better pay. You tend to rate how you're doing by comparing yourself to your colleagues and wider peers.
16 and above - CALLING You love what you do. It's not utopia - some days are better than others - but there's nothing else you would rather be doing. You feel it's helping in some small way to make the world a better place.
So how did you do? Congratulations if you made it into the calling category - Wrzensniewski's research found that people who saw their job as a calling reported the highest life satisfaction. Interestingly, it's your perception of your work, not its intrinsic nature, which counts. (In a follow up study, hospital cleaners who viewed their job as a calling talked about the impact of their work - how it allowed the hospital to run more effectively, ultimately benefiting patients).
As someone who makes a living encouraging others to find work they really love, I'm generally an advocate of the vocational or calling approach. However I'd qualify this by recognising that different people organise their lives in different ways to make themselves happy. You can have a deeply satisfying career without it being your life's purpose. The trick I believe is to listen to what makes sense to you. If a 9 to 5 job is what works for you, great. But if you're a closet calling type in career clothing, perhaps it's time for a new wardrobe.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard people talk about “updating their resume” when thinking about making a career change. If you are one of those people out there putting the polish on your resume’ as you are about to launch a job search for a new career- STOP. Your resume’ is not the place where you start your work on a career change. If you are simply looking for the same or similar position in another company, go ahead. There is a big difference between looking for a job and making a career change. Sure, at some point the process is the same and you will need to have a spiffy resume’ but it’s not the place to get started in making a career shift.
When contemplating a career shift, you are in need of something that looks like a research project. You need to do the work to help point you in a different direction. Picking a career is as hard to do at 40 as it is at 18. The world is your oyster which is a great thing but how do you find the one with the pearl? The good news is: if you are older than 18 you have more work and life experience that will give you important insight into the process and decision making.
So, where do you start? There are multiple actions you can take initially and they primarily involve self examination. Among the first steps:
- Tests or assessments – These are good to give you more information about yourself. These assessments will give you insight on things like interests, strengths and work orientation. If you pursue these, you have to know up front that they alone will not give you the “One Big Answer” about your future career. In fact, they may in many ways tell you things you already know about yourself. So why take them? Because it will give you a starting place, it will help distill down information about you that you need to have as you embark on making a decision about a career. With any research project, you collect data from numerous sources to help create the conclusion. Among but not limited on assessments: Meyers-Briggs, Strength Finder, VISTA cards, Color Q and Holland. Many of these are in books and online.
- Self assessment – This is where you really self examine. What kinds of things do you like to do? Where do you currently excel? What do you gravitate to outside of your current job? What did you dream of doing when you were younger? Are there people you know who have fun sounding jobs? Are there causes you believe in?
- More self assessment – Start looking for feedback. When your performance has been assessed, what strengths and weakness to you exhibit? If you were to ask a circle of friends and relatives, what kind of work do they think you would be good at? You’d be surprised at how insightful this exercise can be. They aren’t encumbered with your history yet they know you and often have some great suggestions based on what they know about you.
- Job search – many libraries and websites have all kinds of job titles. Some titles will make almost no sense but most of them will. Start looking these over to see what might jump out at you as something interesting. You can also go to job search websites and get a vast quantity of job titles and job content to help in this step. What is it about the ones you selected that sound worthwhile?
- Compile and research – with your mounting list of insights you can now start synthesizing into some logical groupings. These groupings are becoming what will ultimately be your new career because the baseline is from things in your research that have attracted you in some way. Don’t worry about “real” titles, but put logical elements together. You want to avoid putting basketball and surgery together, it makes no sense. You could put problem solving, math skills and detail orientation together. An important action in this step is to eliminate things. If you naturally are interested in specific job titles or elements, then focus on those. Your goal in this step is to create groupings or jobs that will become your future career.
- Network and research – With your newly minted jobs (mind you that you may still not have official job titles), you now need to talk to people and do more research to finalize what you are looking for. In this last and final step before working on your resume’, you need to understand where this work is, titles it might be called, and any further qualifications you might need to land a job. You will know when this step is completed when you have a clear picture on what career you want to pursue. The other great thing about this step is it has just given you great input on where to start your job search, once you are ready to get started.
Hopefully, you’ll see that when making a career change, you need to do some heavy lifting to move you toward something meaningful. It is way more than simply updating your resume’. Many people don’t know what steps to take and muddle their way through life not happy with their career/job. The actions aren’t hard or difficult and the outcome is well worth the effort.
A career change can be an exciting and fun step to take. Most people have more than 2 or 3 careers in their lifetime. Since you spend so much time in your life workingFree Web Content, it’s worth the time and effort to find something you will love.
1.) Productivity isn’t everything. Even though it is important to be productive this is not what separates you from other people. One must be both productive and efficient. Make sure that you are precise in your work with few mistakes.
2.) Learn how to write. Many managers complain that employees don’t know how to write. Even though people are more educated than they were in the past they still can’t express themselves in clear and concise language.
3.) Express your opinions
. A sure way to get “sidelined” is to be a quit mouse in every meeting. It is necessary to speak your mind even though many people disagree with your logic. However, don’t speak to simply be heard or contradict someone.
4.) Don’t get involved in people’s personal affairs. One sure way to kill your career is to get involved in the problems of other coworkers. When they start arguing over trivial topics simply stay away and don’t comment.
5.) Be a team player. Being a team player means that you are willing to work with other people in both an efficient and collaborative manner. By working with others you begin to make the necessary business connections.
6.) Volunteer for special projects. Volunteering for special project is important. You don’t want to overload yourself with work but it is important not to shy from it either. Employees who avoid work are likely to be let go in times of financial adversity.
7.) Don’t be a suck-up. No one likes “yes” men. You will put yourself at odds with other workers and you will lower your credibility as the person who knows what he/she is talking about.
When I graduated from my MBA program I thought I was going to tackle the business world. Eventually I learned that my education was only half of what I needed. The other half lay in the psychological ways of thinking. Yes-I was smart, motivatedFind Article, and arrogant. Yet I didn’t progress in my career that way I wanted to. Every time a promotion came by I was “sidelined” for someone I though was less worthy. Now I know that the soft skills are as important as the hard skills.
Time and time again I hear the following from students in my career advancement workshops:
- “My work speaks for itself…I shouldn’t have to tell anyone about my skills.”
- “Why did they hire from the outside, I am already doing what’s required of that position?”
- “Why did they get the job, I have more skills and experience than they do?”
- “How come my name is never mentioned when promotions come up in conversation?”
Here are five secrets you can use to promote yourself for promotions:
1. Volunteer to Make a Difference
Volunteer for assignments that expose your skills. Look for especially challenging projects that other people have declined.
Also volunteer to mentor others within your organization. This will show and develop your leadership, management, and interpersonal skills. Keep management posted on your challenges and how you are working with the person you are mentoring to overcome these challenges.
Volunteer to write a department or organizational newsletter. This is another way to benefit a large group with your ideas while showcasing your skills and ideas.
2. Be a Solution Creator not a Problem Maker
Anybody can find problems within organizations. My experience is that you don’t need to find them…they will find you. Sometimes they have a special skill of finding problems and reporting them.
Develop the skill of looking at these problems as “opportunities for advancement,” step back and analyze the opportunity, and develop ideas for overcoming the problem. Make sure you communicate these solutions during meetings, e-mails, memos, and conversations with management. You will soon be looked upon by management as someone who can overcome obstacles and make things happen within the organization.
3. Handle the Next Level at This Level
If you are a manager and want to become a vice president then, start working like a vice president. Find a vice president that is open to mentoring you for the next level. Remember, that vice president will not be promoted to the next level unless the organization sees that the vice president has developed someone to take their spot. It might as well be you. Plus you can lighten their work load.
Explain to the vice president what you want to accomplish so that everyone has a clear understanding and that this is a win-win situation for all involved.
I hear, “I’m too busy already to do this.” Well, let me ask you, “How badly do you want the promotion?” We are all busy. It’s up to you to enhance your time management and delegation skills so that you can take on these tasks that will prepare you for the next level.
4. Announce That You Want It!
Many times employees miss out on promotions because the decision makers and career influencers do not know they are interested in being promoted.
Announce that you want to go to the next career level!
Take time to sit down with your supervisor, manager, director, etc. and let them know you are interested in going to the next level. Ask them for their honest assessment of your skills. Then ask what you need to do to be ready when the next career opportunity appears.
Also announce your career aspirations to influencers in the Human Resources Department. Remember the more people they can hire from the outside, the less work they need to do. Make it easy for them to hire you.
Announce it to any one who can influence the decision for your promotion.
5. Join Groups to Accelerate Promotions
Join committees within the organization. This shows management that you care enough to make a difference.
Also join professional groups and associations. Professional groups and associations are a perfect way to let influencers outside your organization about your skills. Don’t just join, participant in the association’s activities to show your creativity, teamwork, and other skills.
One of the most important groups that you could ever join…is Toastmasters. This is a worldwide organization with over 175,000 members dedicated to helping it’s improve their public speaking, evaluation, think-on-your-feet, and leadership skills. The main reasons you should join Toastmaster is the following:
- Toastmasters give you the confidence to approach any opportunity with confidence.
- Toastmaster gives you the speaking skills to stand up in front of group and present your point in a persuasive manner while others shy away from this opportunity.
- You develop your leadership skills by learning how to do effective, positive, and encouraging feedback and evaluations while learning how to empower the receiver to do better.
- You have the opportunity to develop your leadership skills by volunteering for positions at the club, area, state, regional, and international level. I always say if you can’t get the skills at your organization, you can get it at Toastmasters.
I challenge you to apply these techniques. You will see immediate results and go to the next level.
To achieve steps throughout your career - your first job, a promotion, a job or a career change – you must sell the primary product - YOU.
Just as a successful sales person must know their product, you must know your qualifications and be able to communicate them clearly to employers in a resume, in a cover letter, and in interviews.
To help ensure wise job and career choice, you need to clarify what values and work preferences are important to you.
Thoroughly inventory your qualifications, including your training, education skills, and work experiences. It is vital that you identify your intrinsic values and work preferences.
Your personal career inventory will be an important source of information when you develop your resumes, cover letters, job applications, and more.
Employers may want your inventory information when considering you for a job. Included in your personal inventory are basic personal data and information are – education and professional training , work experience skills and accomplishments as well as well as people that you can utilize as references.
The first step in compiling your personal career inventory is documenting your education and training. This information includes specific dates, places, career relevant courses and activities, skills and accomplishments. In addition you will also need to document your memberships and achievements in personal and other organizations related to job and career targets. This information will help you identify or confirm an appropriate career choice, develop resumes and cover letters and prepare for job interviews.
It is as if you need to put yourself under a microscope to look at every detail properly. Ask people who know you well to help you document your accomplishments.
You should consider scholarships, honors as well as awards that you have received. Don’t forget his competitions that you have participated in describing accomplishments try to be as specific as possible. For example list - Won first place in school writing competition or voted President of the senior class.
When identifying the skills and accomplishments you achieved throughout your education, training and organizational activities, consider two kinds of skills that employers are seeking: job specific skills and job transferable competencies.
Job specific skills are the technical abilities that relate specifically to a particular job. For example in accounting, preparing a balance sheet by using accounting software customized for a client job specific skill. Front end alignment on a vehicle is a job specific skill for an auto mechanic. Operating a CAT scan machine or other medical diagnostic equipment are other job specific skills.
On the other hand transferable competencies are abilities that can be applied to more than one work environment. For example, both accountants and auto mechanics are required to have such transferable as reading, writing doing mathematics and general computer proficiency skills. Other transferable competencies include working well with others, organizing work and materials, solving problems, making decisions and managing resources.
Remember to o achieve steps throughout your career you must sell yourself.
You must know your qualifications and be able to communicate them clearly to employers in a resume, in a cover letter, and in interviews.
This is essential
Here are the top 5 things to consider when thinking of changing your career path.
Fulfillment
No matter how much you are earning in your chosen career, fulfillment must never be undervalued. You need fulfillment in your job to really enjoy the benefits that come with it. A lot of people have changed jobs and careers because of lack of fulfillment and are having the time of their lives today. When you are thinking of a career change, fulfillment must be top on your list of considerations.
Your career is what takes up a lot of your time. You invest in your education and basically guide your life by it. You can't afford not to enjoy it because not enjoying your career is simply not enjoying your life. So when changing your career path you must make sure that what you are opting for gives you more fulfillment than what you presently have.
Required Skills
What are the required skills in the career you are thinking of changing to? It is very important you know you know these. You need to know what you need to get to get what you want. Do you have to go back to school? Will your present skills or education be useful in the new career? You need to really take your time to know whether you will be able to acquire the skills easily or not.
Strengths and Weaknesses
When thinking of changing careers, you must take a critical look at
yourself and consider your strengths and weaknesses. Choose a career that accommodates your strengths and weaknesses. One in which you can enjoy being yourself and make money doing it.
Money
While it is important to get fulfillment from your job and career, it is also important you review the financial implications of changing careers. You need to be realistic about your pending career change. Know how much you have to spend to get yourself ready for the change. Know how much money you will need to acquire the necessary skills and or education to enjoy the best of the new career.
Do you have the financial capability to change careers now? Will it be worth it financially, changing careers now? You really need to answer these questions to make the right decision.
Help
In making in a great decision in changing your career path, you may need help. Never hesitate to ask for it. There are specialists in the field, like career counselors, who can help you put everything in perspective and guide you in making the right decision. They also can help you in putting all the above factors to use.
Development Issues: Careers develop over time - and you will realize whether a particular career is valuable and acceptable to you. There will come a time when you will realize the true significance of a career. Generally, career specialists are of the same opinion - that careers are progressive and change over time - what you decide to do at 18, 25 and 30 will sometimes be markedly different.
There will be occasions where you will probably may have quite different views of every profession and still remain in a dilemma as to what career to pursue. Settling down in a particular career is a decision you can make only when you determine the areas you are good at and the activities that you enjoy doing.
Secret # 2 - Be Familiar with Yourself and What You Want
One of best ways to be unsuccessful in your search for the right career is to be unclear as to what you want. In Secret # 1, it was said that it is all right not to have a specific career track (at least in the beginning), since it is impractical to believe that you can flawlessly prepare a career path.
On the other hand, you should be very observant when you are hunting for a job. You should be able to determine that a career you are submitting an application for is heading in the right direction, even though you may be a bit unclear on your long-term objectives.
The Kind of Jobs that are Appropriate for Me: Evaluate your strong points, interests, principles, and character. Make use of career guides and personality tests. Try seeking guidance from a certified career coach or therapist.
No matter what techniques or tools you use, you will be accumulating a private assessment and outline that will direct you on a suitable career path.
Secret # 3 - Identify What You Have to Offer
There is no doubt that you must be able to highlight your skills, strengths and accomplishments when applying for a position. Prospective employers simply want to know what you have to offer. They will ask you the question "What can you achieve for us?" In order to be able to answer this, you must market your skills and expertise well, as well as your ability to adapt quickly to changing environments.
Carrying out an evaluation of yourself, as supported in Secret # 2, is one method to develop your self-marketing plan. Your interests, expertise, and principles form the foundation of your career. They also give prospective employers a good idea as to who you are and how you will be valuable to their business.
After a background check, however, the job offer was rescinded. The government letter that the Oxnard, Calif., man received indicated financial considerations made him a poor security risk.
The idea, Becraft said, was that his past financial troubles made it more likely I could be bribed . . . to disclose the secrets of this nation.
Becraft believes the denial was unfair -- particularly since federal law specifically prohibits an employer from using a bankruptcy as a reason not to hire, promote or keep a worker. Although employers can use other credit problems such as defaults or collection actions in their hiring decisions, Becraft insists his credit report was free of any negative marks until the bankruptcy.
I had excellent credit until then, he said.
Credit checks for job applicants
Government workers arent the only ones whose credit histories are being scrutinized. Anyone who has had trouble paying bills could find his or her finances endangered again as employers use credit information to help decide who to hire, fire or promote.
There are some indications such credit checks are on the rise. About 35% of the companies surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management pulled the credit reports of current or potential employees last year, up from 19% in 1996.
Other experts say employers are far more interested in other kinds of background checks, including identity verification and criminal histories. (For more information on background screening, see Secrets you can keep from your employer.)
Five years ago, nearly all employers who bothered to do background checks wanted a credit report pulled, said James Lee, chief marketing officer of ChoicePoint Inc., which does 6 million background checks annually. Today, far more employers are screening their workers, Lee said, but fewer than 30% of ChoicePoints customers want credit information.
Credit has not turned out to be a good predictor of workplace theft. This is what our customers are telling us, anyway, Lee said. A better predictor is a criminal history involving bounced checks.
Lie on the application, lose the job
Job applicants are much more likely to lose a job because they have a recent criminal history or they lied on an application about their identity, experience or education, said William Greenblatt, CEO of Sterling Testing Systems Inc., a New York City background checking firm.
Of the 10,000 adverse action letters we send out monthly, very few of them are credit related, Greenblatt said. Its less than 5%.
Employers are more likely to use credit reports as a way to verify employment history and Social Security numbers, Greenblatt said. Lenders often verify employment when you apply for a loan or credit card, so a credit report is seen as a good way to double check the employers listed on a job-seekers application.
The federal government still routinely requests credit checks for employees, Lee said, but typically denies jobs or promotions only when the employee would have direct access to cash on the job, or security clearances are involved.
Clean up or clear out
You dont have to work directly for the government to be affected by its credit checks, however. Gene worked for a consulting agency that was hired to do some work for the IRS in Philadelphia. Two months after he started the IRS job, a government investigator told him his poor credit was endangering his position.
I was advised to clean up my credit report if I wanted to remain a consultant, Gene said. They gave me a month. There's not a whole lot you can do to straighten up your credit in month.
Gene insisted his credit wasn't that bad to begin with . . . no defaulted student loans or bankruptcies or anything like that. But four months after he was hired, Gene said his employer told him not to report to work anymore.
Know your rights
In the private sector, the people most likely to have their credit reviewed are those who will deal with cash or valuables, or who are financial executives, said Greenblatt, a labor attorney with 26 years experience in employee testing and screening.
Bank tellers, CFOs (chief financial officers), controllers, people who work for brokerage institutions, financial institutions, he said. Jewelry manufacturers do credit checks . . . when you're dealing with diamonds, they're easily concealed (and stolen).
If you're concerned about your credit history affecting your job prospects, here's what you should know:
An employer needs your permission to run a credit check. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA) requires your written permission any time an employer hires a third party to conduct a background check, said human resources consultant and attorney Wendy Bliss. That includes running a credit report. Of course, you likely wont get the job or promotion if you don't agree. But failing to get your okay is an FCRA violation, said Bliss, author of Legal, Effective References: How to Give and Get Them."
While other black marks can be used against you, technically a bankruptcy cannot. Under Title 11 of the U.S. Code, employers are prohibited from discriminating against someone who has filed for bankruptcy. Since most people have trouble paying their bills before they file, this is often a moot point -- the employer can point to that history as the reason for the adverse action. If an employer makes the mistake of citing your bankruptcy as the reason you were fired, not hired or denied a promotion, though, you might want to consult a labor attorney about a lawsuit.
An employer is supposed to tell you if credit information is used against you. If an employer uses credit information to deny an applicant a job, fire a current employee, rescind a job offer or cancel a promotion, federal law requires the employer to do two things:
* Before the adverse action is actually taken, the employer is supposed to provide the worker with a copy of the report and an explanation of the workers FCRA rights.
* After the action is taken, the worker must be told which company provided the credit information, given contact information and told he or she has a right to dispute the reports accuracy.
Rather than go through all this, of course, many employers simply find a less complicated excuse to give you.
Your ability to dispute the information may be of limited use, as well. If your employers decision was based on erroneous data in your credit report, for example, it could take you months to get the problem corrected -- by which time someone else will have been hired for the position you wanted.
That's another reason why its important to check your credit reports at least a couple of times a year and challenge any serious errors you find.
All that said, a couple of late payments aren't going to kill your job prospects. Employers who care about credit histories typically look for serious negative marks, such as collection actions, repossessions, foreclosures and evictions. Some are wary of people carrying enormous debts or otherwise indicating they're living well beyond their means.
If your credit problems aren't serious and relatively recent, most employers aren't going to care, Greenblatt said.
All good employers are looking for good people, Greenblatt said. They're not looking for reasons to disqualify people. Reprinted from here
Click Here to Review Your Credit Report and Score Before Your Next Employer Does!
But before we get to those powerful metaphors, a bit of background and context. Most of us spend a huge chunk of our precious life-hours in activities directly or indirectly related to work. Yet few people plan, visualize, or craft their careers or career transitions with as much care, awareness, and dedication as buying a car, painting the house, or going on holiday.
Humans are natural creators. We all aspire to nurture our great ideas from their infancy, through the shaky days of toddler-hood and puberty, and to finally to see them living as independent and appreciated creations. Whatever else we are creating, whether in the artistic, scientific, technical, or other domains, we are also as a side-effect creating meaning within our own lives and in the world. This in turn adds to our sense of significance and our zest for life.
Our careers are themselves powerful sources of creative opportunity, and forces for creation. But most aspiring creators soon come up against internal and external obstacles which seriously limit the chances of their creations surviving or flourishing as significant entities in the world.
Why use metaphors? Metaphor is a powerful creative mind-tool. Perhaps it is the most powerful, as it forms the basis of many of our other creative tools such as picture, story, symbol, and creative thinking. A metaphor is simply a statement or reference relating one thing or situation to another seemingly unrelated thing or situation.
Metaphors form such a natural part of our language and thinking that we often do not notice them. But the metaphors we use have a profound effect on how we view ourselves, our lives, our careers, and our organizations. They also influence the outcomes of our ventures. For example, a CEO who sees herself as the general of an army is likely to have a very different leadership style to one who sees herself as the conductor of an orchestra. She is also likely to build a very different kind of organization with very different results.
Metaphors are useful for making information more palatable to our minds by allowing us to organize and structure separate bits of information into meaningful, coherent, and satisfying frameworks. The four metaphors I present in this article look at four possible relationship between career and creativity and conform to an overarching metaphorical theme of creating a piece of art such as a painting, a story, a sculpture, or a song.
THE FOUR METAPHORS
1. Career as Paintbrush:
The first metaphor refers to using the elements and resources of your career in a creative way to bring about value for your clients, employers, the target market, and other stakeholders. Here the elements and resources of your career are used as artistic tools and resources, and would correspond metaphorically to the painter's paints and brushes, the singers voice, the musician's instrument, or the writer's pen.
2. Career as Painting:
The second metaphor relates to applying your creativity to design, craft, and create your ideal career. Here your career itself becomes the art-form, similar to a painting or sculpture. It is the object or artifact to be created. One benefit of seeing your career as a work of art, is that a creative process can be used in its crafting.
3. Career as Artist's Patron:
The third situation is where your career serves as a patron of your artistic or creative endeavor. Here, the person's creative pursuits might not be directly related to her career, as in the case of an accountant who is also a weekend sculptor, or an engineer who writes poetry. So what exactly is the relationship of the patron (career) to the creative endeavor? I believe that in its most healthy and harmonious form it is a reciprocal relationship where the career, as patron, supports the creative endeavor financially and materially, and the creative process and products energize and inspire the career, giving it an added significance and meaning.
4. Career as Artist's Model:
The fourth and final metaphor refers to using artistic modes such as storytelling, collage, poetry, and art-journaling to reflect on and enhance your understanding, inspiration and engagement with your career. Here your career serves as the subject of your art, in the same way as a painter's model or landscape might serve as the subject for a painting, and a lyricist's personal experiences might serve as the subject matter for writing a song. This kind of creative engagement with career as artistic subject is a valuable reflective tool for enriching your inner map of your career and the broader career landscape. This, in turn, can help you stay on-track for all the other career-creative goals embodied in the three previous metaphors.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
In summary, the four metaphors are: career as paintbrush, career as painting, career as artist's patron, and career as artist's model. By internalizing these four metaphors for career-creative harmony, you can visualize and craft your career and creative endeavors in a powerful and complementary way to ensure yourself a life of career-creative harmony and zest.
