The Search for Talent: Where Recruiters and Hiring Managers Go to Recruit - December 2013

Did you know… 

• That 92% of employers/hiring managers are already using or plan to use social networks as part of their recruiting strategy? (Survey by Jobvite, a company that provides applicant tracking software) 
• That 97% of recruiters  have relied on LinkedIn to find job candidates that match their needs? Of those, 67 percent rely solely on LinkedIn for their recruiting efforts. (Survey by Bullhorn survey) 

These Stats Make Sense! 

If you were searching for talent to fill an open position at your company, wouldn’t you go where the people are?

Based on the LinkedIn Global Stats 2013, last released January 2013, LinkedIn has grown steadily since 2008.

• LinkedIn has 200 million users worldwide….growing at 10-15 million users each quarter…now at 259 million users as of 10/13
• In January 2013 LinkedIn was getting 50 million unique user visits per week!

Furthermore, there’s more and more evidence that LinkedIn is not the only place you should have a polished online presence. Recruiters also look at Facebook (66% in 2012), Google+ (ranked 3rd in one of the articles)  and Twitter (54%). Recruiters seek out your profiles even if you aren’t sending them links to your social media profiles. 

It’s NOT Enough to Craft a Perfect Profile

Please note…this is not your cue to dash off to craft a “perfect” profile in hopes of being seen by a hiring manager or recruiter. I know it’s tempting to think that you can turn your job search over to a recruiter to have them do it for you, but that’s really not the full story.

Yes, it’s essential to have a well-crafted LinkedIn profile when you are search for a job or want to upgrade your career! AND it’s just as important, or perhaps even more so, to make sure your profile attracts meaningful connections with your colleagues, new contacts, and people in the companies you are targeting.
 

It’s your full network of connections that will ultimately help you land the opportunities you are searching for.

Hiring managers and recruiters don’t just rely on your version of who you say you are! They are also likely to:

• Read the recommendations on your LinkedIn Profile
• Reach out to people in their own network who know you to get their impression of you
• See who you are connected to through your groups, your network, and your activities

Let’s face it. People’s attention spans are short these days! If your profile or your network fails to impress them, the recruiter, the hiring manager, and your networking contacts will be off to the next profile before you even know they were there! 
 

If you’ve been avoiding the professional side of social media, 
putting off doing the updates you know you need to make, and are 
ready to upgrade your professional online presence…

Watch your inbox for our special New Year’s Email Series...

Holiday Job Search - November 2013

Holiday Job Search!

Before you get depressed that you are in Job Search and the holidays are coming up, I want to dispel a myth. I am betting you have heard the following:

• “No one is hiring” especially during the holidays!
• Everyone is out on vacation during the holidays!
• Budgets are spent; there is no MONEY!
• Don’t even bother!

In an earlier era, many businesses slowed down (or shut down) during the holidays. For the most part, those days are long gone. In today’s 24/7 world, companies do not slow down just because there are a group of holidays in a 6-week period at the end of the year. In fact, just the opposite is true!

Hiring decisions are being made in the last six weeks of the year. And  the good news is not everyone knows this truth about holiday hiring.

That means there’s  less competition for positions!

Hiring managers are taking time to find top prospects for their open positions, so they can start the New Year with a full staff.

Given that between 45% and 92% of all hires are made through contacts and referrals, this is a great  time to make new contacts and reconnect with friends and colleagues.

If you would like more information on how to leverage your job search this holiday season,  please join us on December 4th from 5:30 to 7:00 pm (Pacific) for our annual Holiday Webinar. I promise you lots of ideas and suggestions for how to make the holidays the best job search time of all!

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a successful Job Search Season!

7 Keys to Making New Habits Work! (...continued) - October 2013

7 Keys to Making New Habits Work! (...continued)

5. Say it OUT LOUD and say it a LOT!

Our minds are always busy with conversation; and a lot of it is negative. Your mind does not know you can lie to it; it doesn’t understand that concept. It believes what you say/think because why would you lie to yourself?

So instead of saying “I can’t”, “I’m not good enough”, “I’m too old”, try some of these:

• “I am strong enough to do this, and do it right.”
• “Just take the next step, the rest will come.”
• “I deserve this, I will not give up.”
• “Who will win today?” (me or old habits and doubts)
• “I’m not going to try, I will DO this!”

6. Reward yourself and do it often!

• Don’t skip this one. Rewards keep you motivated! We all need motivation to keep up the discipline. Find key intervals in your search process and put ‘Rewards’ on your calendar and don’t skip them!

• Maybe even reward yourself every day if that’s what it takes. If you scheduled a full week of job-search activities and you did them all today, what do you get? Put your feet up and read a good book for an hour, buy a bunch of flowers, or go pick them from your garden and enjoy your time there. Call a friend, take a hike, take time out for those you love. You deserve it, so make time for something that really makes you happy, gives you a break and keeps you motivated!

7. Practice Gratitude…

Again some of you are thinking you can skip this one, but please don’t. It really makes a difference. Focus on the good that is resulting from your new actions and habits.

• Keep a list and add to it daily. “I’m sleeping better, I’m more confident, I feel directed, I know what my next step is, I know I am not fooling myself and I am doing what I need to.”

• Make a note of every way you are becoming more confident and progressing, and keep going -- you will get there!

7 Keys to Making New Habits Work! - September 2013

7 Keys to Making New Habits Work!

So let’s consider Sept 22nd (if you are going by the start of autumn) as a new year, and the time for a fresh start!

If you have not been as successful in your job search as you would like, below are some key actions you can put into place that will help you be more successful.

Just like any other change/resolution, in order to make it work we need to figure out what needs to be different. Doing it the same-old way obviously didn't work, or you wouldn't be here. How about a new approach – with built-in ways to ensure your success?

Get ready to change:

1. Be ready (really, really ready) to make a change.

• Oh yes, the early work does require some soul searching. How serious are you about doing what it takes to get a job? Can you see yourself utilizing a new way of doing your job search? Can you envision the new results? Visualize yourself making the changes required to get the job you want and deserve. If this new path is not appealing to you, you aren't ready, and I suggest you don’t start now. You need to get ready to be ready.

• If you are ready, focus on the positive. It is much easier to be and stay motivated when you are moving towards something positive instead of away from something negative. Visualize yourself breathing more easily, being more confident and being received more positively by others. See yourself accepting the job you want! Visualization is the often practiced by athletes; this is not hocus-pocus. It works!

With that vision in mind:

2. Plan-Plan-Plan!!!!

Get out your keyboard, or paper and pencil. When you start out on a road trip, you prepare for that adventure with a destination, planning, and a road map. With this new way of navigating your job search, you need to consider the same type of planning. This is where people fail, more than anywhere else. Either they do not have a clear direction (type of position), or they do not have a strategy for getting there.

• In your career, you wouldn't work on a project without first creating a strategy; yet somehow, you may think you can do your job search without one. Without a strategy, your job search will be harder and take longer, just like any other project.

• Break your goals into small steps that are SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable/Realistic and Time Dependent -- so that you have a way to measure how you are doing. You can be accountable! Research tells us it is much more effective to make your goal a specific “positive” v/s a ‘negative’. Again, focus on what you are going towards v/s away from. “I will introduce myself to at least 3 people at each networking event” v/s “I won’t just go sit in the corner.” Better yet put these on the calendar and honor your commitment to yourself as you would any other appointment or commitment.

Getting a job, is your job right now. When you are at work you plan like this, so you deserve this planning for yourself and your future.

3. Set yourself up for success:

We need a bit of ingenuity here. You need a place to work in order to support your new goals. If you are working in bed, in front of the TV or where the kids are, your chances of achieving your goal are not so good.

• Get a job-search buddy, a coach or join (or create) a group that you can be accountable to. Exchange ideas and encourage each other. Now you have a structure that supports your goal. It is not just a plan, but a reality.

• Reflect on your history with change and think about how you work best. What is likely to get in your way? Where do you tend to fall off the wagon? Make a list and make plans for each situation, so it will not surprise you or cause you to undo all the good you have accomplished.

• If you think you will be too tired to go to a networking meeting tonight, take a break and go to the gym, or take a nap. If you hate doing company research, do it first thing in the morning. Work on it for just 30 minutes and then take the next 30 minutes to do something you enjoy as a small reward. Take a walk or call a friend.

4. Utilize what we know:

• Psychological studies have shown that making a full-on commitment to do something for 30-days will turn it into a habit. Continuing to do the new activity for three to four weeks tends to make it automatic. It also helps you psychologically to commit to a specific block of time, as opposed to thinking this has to be forever (even if it should be, like keeping up your network). Think of it as "just a month for now." One step at a time.

It also helps to be consistent by doing your activity at the same time, in the same place. For instance, do your research on companies or industries first thing in the morning for 1-2 hrs. Connect with people on Linked-In before lunch for 1 hour. Reserve Monday, Wednesday and Friday for networking lunches.

Why Do They Need to Hire YOU? - August 2013

Why Do They Need to Hire YOU?

Does the world know what you have to contribute?

Do they know what problems you can solve for them?

You don’t get hired because you need a job. You get hired because you can solve a problem that someone else needs help with.

Most of us keep ourselves a secret. We expect the world to know what we can do without us having to tell them.  After all haven’t we been doing a great job all along?

But who really knows what you can do? 

• Do the hiring managers in your target companies know?
• Do their teams know so they can tell their manager about you?
• Do your contacts who are in a position to refer you know?

Maybe they know you are a great person, but that’s not enough! They need to know what your area of expertise is, what you are best known for, and what you do that can make a difference in the companies you want to work for. (You might want to check the May Newsletter for help on this.)

Broadcast Your Expertise!

We get hired when people understand what we have done well in the past!

• What is the problem or set of problems you have a reputation for being able to solve?
• Does this stand out in your resume?
• Is it just as clear in your Verbal Business Card or “elevator speech”?
• Do you let people know what you are recognized for so they can see where you fit into their organization?

Where else can you show this expertise so the world knows you for it?

• Linked In is a great site where you can share relevant links or write short articles. Become known for what you know.
• How about volunteering to be a speaker at a local industry meeting? Volunteer your services to not-for-profits or industry associations -- the world is waiting! The other gold in this strategy is that you can do something you can put on your resume.

You may be feeling a bit uncomfortable with this. It might feel like you are bragging. I can say as a former hiring manager and recruiter:

If you don’t tell me why I should hire you
and how you can solve my problems,
I will hire the person who does tell me. 

If you want a new job, you need to tell me
what I need to know to hire you! 

This Is How It Works! 

The ideas I shared in the above article represent the kind of search strategies I share with my clients every day. With insights like these, my clients tell me they are much more successful in their search.

An Investment in Your Future - July 2013

An Investment in Your Future

You know you really could use help with your job search.

From where you sit right now, you don’t feel you have the funds to get the help you need to reach your goal.

Believe me. I do understand the situation you are in. As a small business owner, it’s up to me to fend for myself too.

Although it is my policy to always have at least one pro bono client, I can’t work for free... Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to, but right now, I have my own bills to pay. As much as I’d like to offer to work with you for free that is not a viable option.

Flipping the Question – Can Your Really Afford NOT to Hire Me?

I also know that you can’t afford not to hire me, or someone like me, if you are stuck and not getting hired or landing interviews.

If you are not getting the results you need to transition to a new job or career this is precisely the time when you need help. Not next month when you have a job (if you have a job), but right now!

So What Is the Answer?

The answer is to look for creative ways to obtain the support you want and need.

I hope this does not sound self-serving. Yes, I would like your business, but I do this work because I’m motivated to help capable people, like you who are feeling very stuck, depressed, frustrated and scared. It frustrates me that they can’t see options beyond “I can’t afford help.” So consider this is my way to get the economy back on track by getting you back on track with your search!

Here are some great solutions that have worked for other clients I’ve worked with!

• What is it costing you not to hire me? Not to work? Take what you usually earn and multiply the number of days, weeks, months that you’ve been out of work…or think you may be out of work. Ouch…need I say more?
• Many of my clients realize that even if they get a job one day sooner by using my services, the cost will be paid off often in their very first day of work.
• Clients have gone to family members and/or friends to ask for early birthday or holiday presents to be dedicated to the career services they need now.
• Often these same family members, when given the chance to help, offer to a loan the person the necessary funds until he/she is back at work.
• We are willing to be creative and flexible, if you are willing to step up and say, “I need to make this work, how can we do that?”

Career Services Are an Investment

Rather than thinking about your career support as an expense, like going out to dinner or going on vacation, think of the money you put toward your career as an investment that will give you a return on investment. There is nothing frivolous about spending this money on your future.

Getting the help you need now, allows you to feel more confident, be more competitive, and get back to work sooner.

All of these outcomes put money in your pocket sooner than if you continue to struggle along by yourself. As they say, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”

Creating Your Verbal Business Card - June 2013

Creating Your Verbal Business Card

It’s likely you hear these phrases frequently in your professional life—whether you are at a meeting, a networking gathering, or even an interview:

“What do you do?”
“Tell me about yourself.”
“What are you looking for?”

Do you have a clear, concise, and compelling way to respond to these questions?

Your goal with your Verbal Business Card is not to have people say "Thanks" and walk away.

You want people to feel interested and compelled to ask you questions about who you are and what you do.  You want to spark a conversation, build a relationship, and exchange information.

The biggest mistake people make with their introduction is trying to say too much! The purpose of your Verbal Business Card is NOT to tell your life story or even your career history. You don’t want to answer all of their questions with your introduction. You want to finish your introduction in a way that leaves an opening, an invitation, for further conversation. This is the element of your introduction that inspires people to talk with you or reach out to you after the meeting.

You can use this same information and philosophy wherever you introduce yourself.

• The summary of your resume.
• Your LinkedIn bio or other online profiles such as Twitter, About.me, Google, or your professional association’s site.
• This is also the answer to “Tell me about yourself” in an interview.

In fact, it is very important that the information you are sharing in all these places is consistent. Think of this as your brand--it communicates who you are and what you want to be known for.

Although the form of your Verbal Business Card will be different when it is said verbally or in writing,  it should be a consistent message that’s clear, concise and compelling. That is what makes you competitive and sets you apart from the pack.

The best way I’ve found to help people develop a powerful Verbal Business Card is to help them identify their own “Claim to Fame.” Here are a few questions to get you started in uncovering your Claim to Fame.

• What are you known for or what do you want to be known for?
• What is it that an employer needs to know about you in order to want to talk to you about job opportunities?
• What does someone need to know about your accomplishments that would make them comfortable referring you on to someone in their company or to another colleague?

Your Claim to Fame should allow people to see ‘why you’ are the right person for the job rather than another person. It should highlight what sets you apart and makes you unique in your field. 

As you can see, having an effective Verbal Business Card is very important. And yet, most of us just wing it when it comes to introducing ourselves in meetings and online.

Now What?

Whenever I finish a presentation I like to ask “Now What” or “What are you going to do with this information?” So I ask you the same question.

Most people dread working on their Verbal Business Card. As a result they never take the time to identify their claim to fame or craft a powerful introduction. Instead, they carry on being uncomfortable every time they introduce themselves!  Therefore, they do not get the message out that they need to in order to move their job search forward.

I encourage you to set aside some time on your calendar, right now, to work on this so your next introduction will be Clear, Concise and Compelling (and Comfortable)!

Can’t wait to hear and see these introductions!

Inviting People to Connect on LinkedIn - Best Practices - May 2013

It's up to you to determine how to balance quantity and quality.

Inviting People to Connect on LinkedIn - Best Practices

LinkedIn has several ways you can find contacts to connect with.

• The People You May Know section is a great resource. Click on the Connect button.
• Click on any person’s name in a group, in the news stream, or company employee list. These names will be in blue text, which makes them easy to see. This will take you to the person’s profile page.
• You can also search for the person's profile page and then click on the Connect button.

When you get to the “Invite _____ to connect on LinkedIn” screen, you have some choices to make to tell Linked In how you know this person.

Begin by deleting the default invitation message and then write a personalized note to your connection.

• If you know the person, make a quick comment to remind them of your connection. If you haven't spoken in a while ask them how they are, what they are doing these days, or make a comment about something you can see on their public profile.
• If you know the person from afar - you've seen them give a talk, you've read their book, you've heard them on the radio, you read their blog, you know them by reputation - introduce yourself. Spell out how you connected with the person or their work in the past. Offer a sentence or two about why you want to connect. Help the person connect the dots so they see value in connecting with you!

A Bit of Personal Perspective

As an author, speaker, site owner with a media presence, I'm thrilled to connect with people who are drawn to my work.

At the same time, keep in mind that while you may know me, I may not know you! My work reaches far more people than I know personally.

It's likely I won't recognize you from your photo (if you have one), your name, or your profile...Even if I have autographed a book for you, spoken with you after a talk, or you are a newsletter subscriber.

Show me you care about our connection by introducing yourself. You only have a couple of sentences to tell me something that brings you, your interests, and your goals to life for me. I'll be far more likely to hit Accept if I feel there’s a connection between us--a shared interests, a shared connection, a shared event, a shared group, a shared goal.

I'm sure I'm not alone in this. If you are reaching out to others you know from afar, they will also appreciate knowing more about you than the standard default invitation provides.
Carol McClelland, PhD, author of the award-winning book, Green Careers For Dummies, is one of the nation’s leading sustainability career experts. Throughout her career, Carol has helped thousands of people discover careers that match their values and interests. As the Founder and Executive Director of Green Career Central, Carol's current focus is to work with passionate professionals who want to use their expertise to create, or contribute to, sustainable, restorative, and regenerative solutions that build a better world --where the land, people, wildlife, and economy thrive.

As a further introduction to the work that has been born from our partnership, we invite you to download our recently released Free Guidebook. We would love your feedback!

"Two Ways You May Be Unwittingly
Derailing Your Transition to a
Greener, More Sustainable Career

and What You Can Do Right Now to Get Back on Track"

• Discover two ways you may be taking unnecessary detours lengthening your quest to find a meaningful career
• Learn why you may never gain traction with your current career transition tactics
• Uncover how your life changes when you have a clear career vision
• Find out three actions you can take to get your career transition back on track
• Identify your best path forward

P.S. This is a very good read even if you are 
not looking for a green, sustainable career.

So take a look at your LinkedIn and make sure it is professional, including a professional head shot, your name, and a catchy title or introduction, a ‘Tag Line’ if possible. I encourage you to be active on LinkedIn at least once a week. Especially if you are in an active job search or thinking about launching one. That is what makes it work!

We’ll talk about that Bio or Profile next! Happy May and let me know how I can support you.

8 Steps to a Good First Impression - April 2013

8 Steps to a Good First Impression

So how comfortable are you with introducing yourself in front of a room full of people, or telling your story in a casual conversation? Your goal in having conversations with people is to give them ideas about what you are looking for, so they in turn, can pass on relevant information, contacts, and ideas to and about you. Your goal is to get them into a conversation and to ask questions. This could be at a cocktail party, job interview, kids baseball game, at the gym, talking over the fence or even while you're traveling.

How are you doing in this endeavor?

Let’s get you more comfortable with presenting your message, so that the seeds you plant today will bear more fruit tomorrow!

Your initial introduction is often called an elevator speech, a 30 second commercial, or as I like to call it, your verbal business card. Your goal with this introduction is to get someone’s attention long enough so that you can let them know what problems you can solve, allow them to engage with you, and to help connect you to the people who need those problems solved. When this happens you have lots of wonderful conversations with lots of people who truly understand your value and are happy to make connections for you! WOW!

To achieve these results, your introduction needs to be Clear, Concise, and Compelling. If these words sound familiar, it’s because we talked about these concepts in regards to your resume last month.

With your introduction, we are going to add one more ‘C’ to the equation. In order for your introduction to be Compelling, you must feel Comfortable with the way you talk about your value and your goals. If you don’t feel comfortable, your introduction will feel “canned” and boring.

You do need a formula: it just has to be one you are comfortable with for it to work.

1. Clarify your job focus. As with all other parts of job search, if you are not clear about your job focus you will go in circles like a boat without a rudder. What is the type of position you want and what industry do you want to work in? If you can’t clearly verbalize this, no one can help you find it or hire you to do it.
2. Write it out. Clarity often comes from writing things down. Write down everything you want a prospective employer to know about your accomplishments or skills and what you can do for them. Next grab a Sharpie and get rid of everything that isn't critical to your pitch. Edit until you are down to 3-4 key bullets points not sentences. Remember your goal is to grab their interest and leave them wanting to ask you questions; it is not to tell your whole career story, leave something for the conversation. Give them just your Core message. Also the written word is much different when it is spoken. You don’t want to memorize sentences; instead memorize your bullet points and elaborate from them. This will keep you from sounding ‘canned’.
3. Format: A good Verbal Business Card should answer 3 questions: Who you are. What you do well. What you are looking for.
4. It can be as simple as this: "Hi, I’m Lindsey, Lindsey Martinez. I am an attorney known for my deep and broad experience in media and technology. I’m looking for a corporate position in NY." That pitch is about 15 seconds. Now Lindsey would add another 15 seconds to describe unique details about herself, talk about a selling proposition, and list special skills or value she brings to an employer.
5. This is about them, not you: Tailor your introduction to the people listening to your pitch as they will be listening to the WIFM (What’s in It for ME?) Focus. For example, “I’m a recruiter with 15 years of technology background” V/S “I’m a recruiting professional recognized for my ability to identify and secure top-level IT talent.” Using benefit-focused terminology helps point out the problem you can solve for a prospective employer.
6. Eliminate company or industry jargon: It may make you feel smart but using acronyms and tech-speak that others may not understand is irritating. The last thing you want to do is confuse someone who may be trying to help you.
7. Practice, practice, and then practice some more and ask for feedback. I suggest you start practicing your Verbal Business Card in the shower, in front of a mirror, or while driving. Then with pets and small kids, and graduate to supportive people who will give you solid, honest feedback. Ask them to comment on your key points and what it is that you do particularly well. Ask how compelling you were and how natural you seemed. If their feedback does not match your objectives, you need to keep tweaking.
8. Variations: Because you are always keeping your audience in mind and WIFT you need to vary your presentations. You should have one for someone who is in your industry, one for someone in your field, one for an interview and one for someone who isn't in your field or industry but may be able to help if they understand what you are looking for. You may get 10 seconds or you may get a minute or two. This is the same information you give when someone asks you this question in an interview, “Tell me about yourself”. You usually have about 2 minutes to answer. It is also the same information that goes in your Bio or profile, and the summary of your resume. This is called branding; it always needs to have the same basic message delivered in a slightly different way. Master your Key Talking Points and then you will be able to customize them for all situations. For the record, this would be about 75 words or 30 seconds.
9. Confidence: This has to be your presentation and it has to be conveyed comfortably or it will sink like a lead balloon. Practice and make sure you are comfortable with what you are saying and eventually it will roll off your tongue like butter.

The Rules or Additional Tips:

• Know your Audience.
• Keep in mind this is about THEM not YOU.
• Don’t forget James Bond’s introduction. “I’m Bond….James…Bond.” The pauses give punch and clarity.
• Why are you the one who can make a difference for them?
• What do you have to offer them?
• What is your Claim to Fame? This is what you are known for professionally.
• Use humor (not a joke) “I’m in the drug business…I’m a chemist” to be remembered.
• Worried you sound like you are bragging? Let others blow your horn for you. “I’ve been told”, “I have a reputation for”, “I’m known as”.
• End again with your name. “Once again, my name is Rebecca…Rebecca…Kieler.

No one said this is easy, but it will get more comfortable and once it gets more comfortable it will be easier, and you will be much more successful. Remember, this pitch is not just for job search, you should always be able to give this type of introduction because you never know what opportunities are out there waiting to find the right person!

4 Keys to a Resume that Gets You an Interview - March 2013

This month we are looking for leprechauns, a pot of gold at the end of the April rainbows and 4 leaf clovers!

4 Keys to a Resume that Gets You an Interview 

What would happen if you had a resume that compels a hiring team to request an interview?

• You could stop cursing your resume
• You would be proud and confident of your resume
• You would stop feeling reluctant about presenting your resume
• You could talk more confidently about the position you want
• Your clear message would make it easier for others to see where you would fit in organizations
• It would be easier for others to refer you
• It would be easier for you to speak to your resume in an interview

What Would You Give to Have that Resume?

Lucky you, here are the 4 Keys and how to get them into your resume!First of all your resume needs to be:

1. Clear 
2. Concise 
3. Compelling 
4. Competitive

If your resume does not pass these four tests it needs to be revised and strengthened.

Clear: Is it obvious as soon as someone picks up your resume what job you are shooting for? Can people identify the  position you want and are qualified for?

Your job title should be at the top of your resume in large letters. As you build out the rest of your resume include your experiences that reflect the company’s needs. You may also add experiences the job description doesn't ask for specifically, but that you feel could be relevant and of value to the company.

Concise: Use bullets and make them as concise as possible.

You will lose the reader if you  go on and on and add filler to your resume. Bullets do not need to be written in complete sentence form; just make sure each bullet is a complete thought that others will understand. Remember you do not want to tell the whole story; you want them to have questions. That is what the interview is for!

Compelling:  To get an interview, your resume must be compelling.  What is unique about your particular skill set and experience that will set you apart from your competition?

One of the easiest ways to create a compelling resume is  to have a Results or Accomplishment oriented resume. In my opinion this is the most powerful secret to a Compelling resume. Hiring managers don’t want to see a laundry list of job responsibilities and experiences; they want to see Accomplishments. What have you done, what impact have you had in previous positions? What you’ve accomplished in other jobs tells a new employer what problems you can solve for the company. If they clearly see that you have the experience to solve the problem they need fixed, you are much more likely to get an interview and likely to get hired!.

Competitive: If you have a Clear, Concise and Compelling resume, you will have a Competitive resume! There is your leprechauns, pot of gold and 4 leaf clover all rolled into one resume!

If you are struggling with these concepts, I have an easy and inexpensive way to learn more. Please go to this link to listen to a Free pre-recorded live teleclass on this resume writing model. You’ll learn more about how to create your very own Clear, Concise, Compelling, and Competitive resume.

May the luck of the resume be with you!

Three Things Employers Need from New Employees - February 2013

First of all Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope Cupid is good to you all month long. I wonder if we could find a Career Cupid?

Three Things Employers Need from New Employees

Last month I gave you a check list of the 7 steps necessary to be well prepared for a job search or career transition. Many of you wanted more in-depth information on some of the steps, so today we are going more in-depth on a very important subject.

Employers want 3 things from a new employee:

1. Someone who can DO the job (Today we will assume you have this covered.)
2. Someone who WANTS to do the job
3. Someone who they WANT to work with

What Would Happen…

If I could give you one way to accomplish all three of these things at once, how would your career search change?

• You’d stop spinning and bouncing
• You’d feel and sound more confident and directed
• You’d have a clear and concise message that does not get you tangled up
• This clarity would make it easier for you to talk about what you want/ are looking for
• Your clarity would make it easier for others to refer you
• Your clarity would give others the confidence to help or refer you
• With a clear direction you would begin getting traction in your career search
• You would be a much more appealing candidate to an employer
• You would show that you WANT to do the job

Where Many People Get Stuck

When I talk to clients and acquaintances about transitioning to a new career, they tend to be stuck in one of two ways.

1. If you don’t have a clear career direction, you may feel as though you are spinning without a focus. You may be having a hard time deciding which way to go,  as if you are a boat without a rudder. You most likely feel like you're going in circles, bouncing from one idea or direction to the next without gaining any traction.  Does this feel familiar to you?  Looking at the boat metaphor, you need a stable rudder and a direction, a map or plan to move forward. It is nice to wander around a lake aimlessly on a beautiful day, but this is not what you want to do if you are trying to find a new career opportunity. If you want ‘that' job, to get ‘that’ job you have to be focused in ‘that’ direction.
2. Then there are those people who tell me “I am open; I just want to keep my options open in several directions.” On the surface this strategy seems to make sense. After all even though the job market continues to improve, it is still an employer’s market and you don’t want any opportunity to fall through the cracks.

So why, you ask, don’t I (and other career strategists) recommend this strategy?  

Let me give you a few scenarios to illustrate this point.What would you be looking for if you were trying to hire a baby sitter or nanny? My guess is that you’d want to hire someone who likes children and really wants to care for them. To assess their interest in taking care of your children, you ask each person what they like to do most. Suppose one of your applicants said their favorite activity is to garden. When you ask about caring for children they reply “Oh, I could do that too.” Would you be inclined to hire them? Or would you move on to the next applicant?Now suppose you receive a call from a former colleague. In the conversation you learn that your colleague was looking for a teaching position in the local school district. You offer to keep an ear open for possible opportunities. Then… later you hear from another friend that the person you are helping look for a teaching position was looking for a position in banking. What!? Confusing isn’t it! Makes you wonder about the person’s focus.  Would you feel very confident referring this person to either position?

Hiring managers are just like you. They want to hire someone who is good at what they do and shows a passion for it too.  If a candidate does not possess these two things they may be able to do the work for a while, but their heart really isn’t in it. Most likely they won’t to a great job. They’ll likely leave and move onto something better when the opportunity presents itself. If they don’t move on, they are likely to be miserable and mediocre. Do you see how this isn’t a winning scenario for the hiring manager?

Here’s the bottom line:
Employers hire people who are focused!

• What is the job you want most?
• Are you qualified for it?
• Does the market need it?

If you answered yes to the last two questions, FOCUS on ‘that’ position, and only that position. Go for it. Commit to your focus, invest your energy in your search, and you will get traction.

If you’ve realized that you are not focused, please sign up for a strategy call with me so we can talk about what your next step should be.

This is your Cupid’s arrow for career search, use it well and let me know your results!

Are You READY? - January 2013

Happy New Year!  I hope you are ready for 2013!

READY?  Really, what does that look like?  Yes, I know what you mean, how do we get READY?

For those of you in job search or any kind of career transition, this newsletter is an easy check list to make sure you are ready to get off on the right foot this year.

Career Transitions, just like any other transitions often leave us feeling overwhelmed and discouraged.  I am here to help you overcome those feelings. Being focused and organized is a good start.

The checklist below will help you figure out which foot to put forward.  With this information you will likely feel more organized and less discouraged!  

7 Steps to a Successful Job Search Strategy!

Landing a job is like any other project. There are a series of actions you need to take to achieve your goal.  By understanding what actions you need to take to get yourself ready for your jobs search, you are building a clear job search strategy you can follow, step-by-step.  This is a proven way to help get over the overwhelm that is a common complaint of job seekers.

1. Are you focused, clear, and specific about what you are going after? “If you don’t know what it is you are looking for it is really hard to find it.”  This is the #1 problem I see job seekers having. They are under the false impression that if they stay wide open they will do better and nothing could be further from the truth.  Hiring managers hire people who are focused.
2. Is your resume clear, concise, compelling and competitive?  If your resume does not pass this test you need help. Hiring managers want to see accomplishments, not a laundry list of your job responsibilities. Bottom line: What have you done, what impact have you had, in previous positions that you can now do for a new employer?
3. Can you clearly, concisely and compellingly tell someone what you are looking for?  This means in 30 seconds or less can you explain what you are looking for in a way that anyone can understand you? You’ll also get more attention if your statement is interesting and exciting enough that they want to help you!
4. Do you have a stellar LinkedIn profile?  Now that you have a clear and concise resume and a compelling introduction, is your focus reflected in your LinkedIn profile? Think of your LinkedIn profile as a strong generic profile that leaves the reader wanting more. The only way they are going to learn more is to engage you in a conversation.
5. Do you have a professional voice mail message and email address?  How you handle incoming phone calls is of utmost importance during your job search. What can you do to ensure that your contacts and hiring managers get a positive first impression of you when they reach out to you? Know how your phone works. Reply to voice messages promptly. Don’t pick up the phone if you are in a noisy area or distracted by other events. If someone is answering your phone, make sure you can rely on them to make a good impression and take an accurate message.
6. Do you have personal business cards?  If you are out of work get an inexpensive business card to pass out everywhere you go. What is it about you that is uniquely what they need? Craft a short phrase that describes what you do. Include your phone number and email, but no home address.
7. Does the world know what you have to contribute?  Get out there! Do not keep yourself a secret! Help people understand what you do, what problem you can solve and for whom. You will get hired because you can solve a problem they need solved. Someone who knows the value they bring and can talk about it with energy and confidence and is someone people will stop, listen to, and ask questions of to learn more! As you educate yourself and get be known as the one who can solve a particular problem and do so with commitment and enthusiasm the opportunities will start to come out of the woodwork!

I hope this checklist gives you a sense of where to focus your attention. Take one piece at a time and you’ll start moving forward.  If you find you are not making the progress you want to make, I’m here to help you get focused and take strategic actions to get the results you are seeking!