Posts
Posted by Christine Scivicque
This post was inspired by Charlie Gilkey’s recent (genius!) post 20 Inconvenient Business Truths. I read it and realized that, in career coaching, I share inconvenient truths with my clients on a regular basis. I know it’s sometimes hard to hear these things but, in the end, they make you stronger.
1. Almost everyone starts at the bottom. Regardless of what you think you deserve, you probably will to.
2. There are no “right” answers for finding career fulfillment. Every path is different; every destination unique.
3. It’s not enough to be good at what you do. Talent and skill will only take you so far.
4. Work is not separate from the rest of your life. Compartmentalization is a myth.
5. Professional growth requires discomfort.
6. If you’re unhappy with your career, it’s up to you to change it. No one else controls your situation.
7. Almost every job has a tradeoff. You’ll probably never get everything you want in one place.
8. Achieving long-term career goals requires sustained effort and deliberate action. It’s no accident or coincidence.
9. Your career is about YOU.
10. A successful job search should take anywhere from three to six months. It’s not something that happens overnight.
Truths 11 - 20 and original Forbes post
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Snag A New Job This December While Your Competition Is Slacking Off
We hear the same complaint every year:
“I can’t get candidates on the phone. I can’t get candidates in for interviews. I can’t even get a response.”
We hear it from Fortune 1000 recruiters, HR departments, executive search firms, and agencies. We even hear it from our own recruiters at TheLadders!
And I suppose it’s a very good explanation that, of course, at the end of the year, with all the holiday parties, end-of-the-year budgeting exercises, and vacation planning going on, professionals can find themselves with too much to do and not enough time on their hands to be responsive to the companies looking to hire them.
But my advice is…
Don’t let this happen to you.
Candidates, i.e., your competition, get very distracted during the holidays with all the family and friends and festivities to enjoy.
Turn this to your advantage.
Rather than allowing your holiday schedule to get in the way of your search, double down and make an extra effort to be proactive this December.
You see, for every candidate who misses a phone call, an interview, a job opportunity, there’s a frustrated recruiter on the other side. And if you can be that golden ticket — the responsive candidate who makes life easier for the recruiter or HR department — you’ll be that much more likely to land a gig before the end of the year.
Companies’ needs for professionals don’t slow down during the holidays. Recruiting budgets don’t shrink in December — if anything, there’s actually a push to get headcount in before the annual budget expires. And HR people and recruiters are still coming to work full-time every day and need to keep performing for their clients and hiring managers.
Make their lives easy and they’ll make your job search come to an end more quickly. Return their call the same day. Work hard to juggle your schedule to make it convenient for them to interview you. Follow up with your thank you notes the same day.
If your competition is half as responsive, and you’re doubly as active as normal, you’ll be four times more likely to get the interview, get the offer, get the job!
I know it’s a challenge during the holiday season, but the best gift you can give yourself and your family is a new position that sees you happy, productive, and content in the New Year.
Good luck with your search this December, Readers! I’ll be doubling my rooting for you!
This post originally appeared at Marc Cenedella's blog
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/snag-a-new-job-this-december-while-your-competition-is-slacking-off-2010-11#ixzz16gzy1jde
Marc Cenedella is the Founder of TheLadders.com, the #1 source for $100k+ jobs in the world.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/snag-a-new-job-this-december-while-your-competition-is-slacking-off-2010-11#ixzz16h02dhP5
“I can’t get candidates on the phone. I can’t get candidates in for interviews. I can’t even get a response.”
We hear it from Fortune 1000 recruiters, HR departments, executive search firms, and agencies. We even hear it from our own recruiters at TheLadders!
And I suppose it’s a very good explanation that, of course, at the end of the year, with all the holiday parties, end-of-the-year budgeting exercises, and vacation planning going on, professionals can find themselves with too much to do and not enough time on their hands to be responsive to the companies looking to hire them.
But my advice is…
Don’t let this happen to you.
Candidates, i.e., your competition, get very distracted during the holidays with all the family and friends and festivities to enjoy.
Turn this to your advantage.
Rather than allowing your holiday schedule to get in the way of your search, double down and make an extra effort to be proactive this December.
You see, for every candidate who misses a phone call, an interview, a job opportunity, there’s a frustrated recruiter on the other side. And if you can be that golden ticket — the responsive candidate who makes life easier for the recruiter or HR department — you’ll be that much more likely to land a gig before the end of the year.
Companies’ needs for professionals don’t slow down during the holidays. Recruiting budgets don’t shrink in December — if anything, there’s actually a push to get headcount in before the annual budget expires. And HR people and recruiters are still coming to work full-time every day and need to keep performing for their clients and hiring managers.
Make their lives easy and they’ll make your job search come to an end more quickly. Return their call the same day. Work hard to juggle your schedule to make it convenient for them to interview you. Follow up with your thank you notes the same day.
If your competition is half as responsive, and you’re doubly as active as normal, you’ll be four times more likely to get the interview, get the offer, get the job!
I know it’s a challenge during the holiday season, but the best gift you can give yourself and your family is a new position that sees you happy, productive, and content in the New Year.
Good luck with your search this December, Readers! I’ll be doubling my rooting for you!
This post originally appeared at Marc Cenedella's blog
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/snag-a-new-job-this-december-while-your-competition-is-slacking-off-2010-11#ixzz16gzy1jde
Marc Cenedella is the Founder of TheLadders.com, the #1 source for $100k+ jobs in the world.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/snag-a-new-job-this-december-while-your-competition-is-slacking-off-2010-11#ixzz16h02dhP5
Friday, November 19, 2010
10 LinkedIn Tips For Job Seekers And Career Shifters
1. Stop focussing on the numbers
Networking is not a numbers game, but a relationships game.
It's not about ‘how many’ LinkedIn connections you have. But instead, the quality of the relationships and the level of interaction you have with people in your LinkedIn network that counts.
Plus, of course, the size and relevance of the network that those people are in turn connected to. Which means that someone with 50 highly relevant contacts (who they interact with frequently), will often be much more successful whilst using LinkedIn than someone with 500+ connections to people they hardly know or ever interact with.
2. Remember the 5 second rule
When most people visit your LinkedIn profile for the first time, on average, they’ll scan it for 5 seconds before choosing to take a closer read or simply click away.
So your profile needs to be clear, succinct and unique so as to make the right impression and make visitors read the profile.
Take a quick glance at your own profile – do you pass the 5 second rule?
3. Be careful about the headline title
Your headline title on LinkedIn is one of the most important parts of your profile.
The headline title must convey 3 things:
- What you do
- What you want
- What you want to be known for
I appreciate that if you're currently employed and passively looking for work, not all of these are possible.
But if you are not working then your headline title should make it clear that you're in the market for new opportunities ("Financial Controller seeking fresh opportunities in XYZ")
4. Avoid having a half empty LinkedIn profile
When people Google your name to “check you out” and come across a half completed LinkedIn profile – you’ve just missed a golden opportunity to give them a good first impression of you.
So regardless of whether you’re working, job searching or taking a career break – update that profile now!
5. Be different
"Passionate, innovative, hard working etc ....”
Many profiles start with this type of generic , cliché packed sentence without any kind of back up.
It sounds good at first – but when everyone is saying similar things, you’re unlikely to stand out.
So ask yourself: - What unique skills or experience do I have? What results do I have a track record of delivering? What is my value proposition? Who or what am I targeting right now?
Now incorporate some of your answers into your profile so as to make you a little different from the standard profiles which most people use.
Tips 6 -10 and Complete Article
Networking is not a numbers game, but a relationships game.
It's not about ‘how many’ LinkedIn connections you have. But instead, the quality of the relationships and the level of interaction you have with people in your LinkedIn network that counts.
Plus, of course, the size and relevance of the network that those people are in turn connected to. Which means that someone with 50 highly relevant contacts (who they interact with frequently), will often be much more successful whilst using LinkedIn than someone with 500+ connections to people they hardly know or ever interact with.
2. Remember the 5 second rule
When most people visit your LinkedIn profile for the first time, on average, they’ll scan it for 5 seconds before choosing to take a closer read or simply click away.
So your profile needs to be clear, succinct and unique so as to make the right impression and make visitors read the profile.
Take a quick glance at your own profile – do you pass the 5 second rule?
3. Be careful about the headline title
Your headline title on LinkedIn is one of the most important parts of your profile.
The headline title must convey 3 things:
- What you do
- What you want
- What you want to be known for
I appreciate that if you're currently employed and passively looking for work, not all of these are possible.
But if you are not working then your headline title should make it clear that you're in the market for new opportunities ("Financial Controller seeking fresh opportunities in XYZ")
4. Avoid having a half empty LinkedIn profile
When people Google your name to “check you out” and come across a half completed LinkedIn profile – you’ve just missed a golden opportunity to give them a good first impression of you.
So regardless of whether you’re working, job searching or taking a career break – update that profile now!
5. Be different
"Passionate, innovative, hard working etc ....”
Many profiles start with this type of generic , cliché packed sentence without any kind of back up.
It sounds good at first – but when everyone is saying similar things, you’re unlikely to stand out.
So ask yourself: - What unique skills or experience do I have? What results do I have a track record of delivering? What is my value proposition? Who or what am I targeting right now?
Now incorporate some of your answers into your profile so as to make you a little different from the standard profiles which most people use.
Tips 6 -10 and Complete Article
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Twitter Personal Branding Checklist
by Pete Kistler
You have a Twitter profile that strengthens your personal brand. And your bio and background image exude your core values and align with your career goals. You’re growing your Twitter network – but how do you turn followers into evangelists for your personal brand?
One of the documents we pass around the office is our Twitter Engagement Checklist. It’s a set of actions that ensures our management team and interns are effectively engaging with relevant people on Twitter, growing their personal networks and building brand awareness. You may benefit from the streamlined process we’ve come to rely on. I’d like to share it with you.
Why a checklist?
Twitter is a global networking party, and you should approach it like one – with a goal and a strategy. Your overarching strategy should be to give before you even think about receiving. People are not interested in what you ate for lunch. They are interested in tweets that yield a positive impact on their day. Here’s how we do it at @brandyourself.
Twice a day…
Tweet a blog post relevant to your field. Our followers want to know about the latest trends, controversies and ideas in our space. We keep them in the loop so they know what’s going on. If you aren’t following blogs in your field, find them by searching for industry keywords on top tier blog directories like Technorati and Alltop. Tweet posts that catch your eye to establish yourself as a source of knowledge for your followers.
Once a day…
Tweet a news article about your field. We do a Google News and New York Times search for keywords in our industry. Scan headlines of online industry publications and tweet out news relevant to your followers to become a trusted source of news and updates.
Tweet a tip based on your experience in your field. We tweet personal branding, online reputation management, career development and job search tips based on real experiences we’ve had hiring, finding jobs and building our own brands. What can you tweet about based on personal experience? For example, if you’re in graphic design, tweet a daily Photoshop tip. You’ll soon build your credibility in your field.
Tweet an inspirational quote. We love bite-sized sayings that impact how we think about life and work. Head over to a directory of quotes like BrainyQuote and tweet a quote that might resonate with your followers to become a source of happiness.
Tweet something personal. We try to keep things as human (read: non-spammy) as possible. Tweet stuff related to your life: let people know that you’re planning on going to a big concert next week. Since strictly following a checklist may decrease your tweeting creativity (I recommend a mix of checklist plus your own strategy), I require a certain number of “personal” tweets from my team. Do this on a regular basis to connect on a deeper level with your followers.
Answer a question related to your field. Use Twitter search or a Twitter management app like TweetDeckor Hootsuite to search for people asking questions about your area of expertise. Type a keyword followed by a question mark to filter results, such as “graphic design?” or “civil engineer?” Answers questions and lead people back to your blog (you have one, right?) if your posts have more detailed answers. This is a great way to attract more followers, and establish yourself as an authority in your line of work.
Once a week…
Read the rest of the Brand-Yourself Article
You have a Twitter profile that strengthens your personal brand. And your bio and background image exude your core values and align with your career goals. You’re growing your Twitter network – but how do you turn followers into evangelists for your personal brand?
One of the documents we pass around the office is our Twitter Engagement Checklist. It’s a set of actions that ensures our management team and interns are effectively engaging with relevant people on Twitter, growing their personal networks and building brand awareness. You may benefit from the streamlined process we’ve come to rely on. I’d like to share it with you.
Why a checklist?
Twitter is a global networking party, and you should approach it like one – with a goal and a strategy. Your overarching strategy should be to give before you even think about receiving. People are not interested in what you ate for lunch. They are interested in tweets that yield a positive impact on their day. Here’s how we do it at @brandyourself.
Twice a day…
Tweet a blog post relevant to your field. Our followers want to know about the latest trends, controversies and ideas in our space. We keep them in the loop so they know what’s going on. If you aren’t following blogs in your field, find them by searching for industry keywords on top tier blog directories like Technorati and Alltop. Tweet posts that catch your eye to establish yourself as a source of knowledge for your followers.
Once a day…
Tweet a news article about your field. We do a Google News and New York Times search for keywords in our industry. Scan headlines of online industry publications and tweet out news relevant to your followers to become a trusted source of news and updates.
Tweet a tip based on your experience in your field. We tweet personal branding, online reputation management, career development and job search tips based on real experiences we’ve had hiring, finding jobs and building our own brands. What can you tweet about based on personal experience? For example, if you’re in graphic design, tweet a daily Photoshop tip. You’ll soon build your credibility in your field.
Tweet an inspirational quote. We love bite-sized sayings that impact how we think about life and work. Head over to a directory of quotes like BrainyQuote and tweet a quote that might resonate with your followers to become a source of happiness.
Tweet something personal. We try to keep things as human (read: non-spammy) as possible. Tweet stuff related to your life: let people know that you’re planning on going to a big concert next week. Since strictly following a checklist may decrease your tweeting creativity (I recommend a mix of checklist plus your own strategy), I require a certain number of “personal” tweets from my team. Do this on a regular basis to connect on a deeper level with your followers.
Answer a question related to your field. Use Twitter search or a Twitter management app like TweetDeckor Hootsuite to search for people asking questions about your area of expertise. Type a keyword followed by a question mark to filter results, such as “graphic design?” or “civil engineer?” Answers questions and lead people back to your blog (you have one, right?) if your posts have more detailed answers. This is a great way to attract more followers, and establish yourself as an authority in your line of work.
Once a week…
Read the rest of the Brand-Yourself Article
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Top 10 Career Moves Even The Happily Employed Should Make
Posted by Caroline Ceniza-Levine
People who seek out career advice are probably dissatisfied with some area of their current job. But even if you’re content with your job, not interested in a promotion, totally satisfied with your pay and 100% secure nothing will change, here are 10 career moves you should make anyway to maintain your blissful situation:
Set aside your lunch hours. Take your 2011 calendar and block out one lunch hour per week. At the very least, you build in a reserve of time for emergencies. Ideally, you use these to catch up with people you normally don’t – think old friends, former colleagues, people outside your immediate department.
Return recruiter phone calls. You’re not looking for a job so these calls don’t seem important. It’s always good to hear what’s on the market – you confirm your value, and you may be able to help a friend who is looking. Recruiters love candidates who aren’t looking but return calls anyway.
Find a mentee. You must be doing the right things to be in your situation. Sharing what you know is a great way to reinforce all these good habits.
Find a mentor. There is always more to learn. While you may not feel the urgency for a formal class, you can learn on your next break. Seek out people you admire (not just for professional reasons, but maybe it’s the colleague with an amazing sense of humor). Hang out with them even occasionally. You take on the habits of people around you, so surround yourself with successful people.
Review your company perks. I worked at a company that was part of a program to get free or dramatically reduced admission to almost all of the museums and cultural venues in the area. A separate program gave over 50% off movie tickets and free popcorn. These benefits may not be life-changing, but they certainly are quality-of-life changing, and they might mean dollars saved.
Review your org chart. If your company has an internal phone directory, how many people do you know? If you work for a very large company, it might be a small fraction but you should at least know people in the departments that impact your job. Roles turn over frequently, and if you don’t pay attention there could be more and more people you should know but don’t. Get to know your coworkers. At the very least, you may find new lunch partners.
Review your resume. No, you don’t need to send your resume anywhere – you’re not looking for a job. But your resume is a great audit tool for your career. Do you have anything to add from the last six months? If not, this could be a sign of stagnation. At the very least, you’d rather update your resume every few months when you’re relaxed and happy, rather than have to cram several years of job memories when the need to job search is urgent.
Review your online brand. Same reasons as above, except that your online profile is separate from your resume. Your online profile is even more important for the content employee than for the active jobseeker because it is your gateway to passive opportunities.
Get some exercise. Career bliss doesn’t last forever. There will be crunch times ahead – it doesn’t have to be a major restructuring but it could be a project with a tight deadline or a difficult client. Being fit gives you the energy to power through these difficult times. While you’re in a stable career phase, build in good exercise and self-care habits now.
Go public. Get quoted in the press about your expertise. Contribute to your local newspaper or your industry trade journal. Speak at a conference or even your alma mater. Media mentions and public speaking are helpful with any career. While you’re feeling good and confident about your career, step out and get noticed.
Full Forbes Blog
People who seek out career advice are probably dissatisfied with some area of their current job. But even if you’re content with your job, not interested in a promotion, totally satisfied with your pay and 100% secure nothing will change, here are 10 career moves you should make anyway to maintain your blissful situation:
Set aside your lunch hours. Take your 2011 calendar and block out one lunch hour per week. At the very least, you build in a reserve of time for emergencies. Ideally, you use these to catch up with people you normally don’t – think old friends, former colleagues, people outside your immediate department.
Return recruiter phone calls. You’re not looking for a job so these calls don’t seem important. It’s always good to hear what’s on the market – you confirm your value, and you may be able to help a friend who is looking. Recruiters love candidates who aren’t looking but return calls anyway.
Find a mentee. You must be doing the right things to be in your situation. Sharing what you know is a great way to reinforce all these good habits.
Find a mentor. There is always more to learn. While you may not feel the urgency for a formal class, you can learn on your next break. Seek out people you admire (not just for professional reasons, but maybe it’s the colleague with an amazing sense of humor). Hang out with them even occasionally. You take on the habits of people around you, so surround yourself with successful people.
Review your company perks. I worked at a company that was part of a program to get free or dramatically reduced admission to almost all of the museums and cultural venues in the area. A separate program gave over 50% off movie tickets and free popcorn. These benefits may not be life-changing, but they certainly are quality-of-life changing, and they might mean dollars saved.
Review your org chart. If your company has an internal phone directory, how many people do you know? If you work for a very large company, it might be a small fraction but you should at least know people in the departments that impact your job. Roles turn over frequently, and if you don’t pay attention there could be more and more people you should know but don’t. Get to know your coworkers. At the very least, you may find new lunch partners.
Review your resume. No, you don’t need to send your resume anywhere – you’re not looking for a job. But your resume is a great audit tool for your career. Do you have anything to add from the last six months? If not, this could be a sign of stagnation. At the very least, you’d rather update your resume every few months when you’re relaxed and happy, rather than have to cram several years of job memories when the need to job search is urgent.
Review your online brand. Same reasons as above, except that your online profile is separate from your resume. Your online profile is even more important for the content employee than for the active jobseeker because it is your gateway to passive opportunities.
Get some exercise. Career bliss doesn’t last forever. There will be crunch times ahead – it doesn’t have to be a major restructuring but it could be a project with a tight deadline or a difficult client. Being fit gives you the energy to power through these difficult times. While you’re in a stable career phase, build in good exercise and self-care habits now.
Go public. Get quoted in the press about your expertise. Contribute to your local newspaper or your industry trade journal. Speak at a conference or even your alma mater. Media mentions and public speaking are helpful with any career. While you’re feeling good and confident about your career, step out and get noticed.
Full Forbes Blog
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
How To Job Search Over The Holidays
Jean Baur, 11.15.10, 03:00 PM EST
People in career transition frequently throw in the towel once Thanksgiving hits. Why?
I didn't do very well in algebra, so I am the last person to write convincingly about equations. However, as a career counselor who has partnered with thousands of job seekers over the past 16 years, when I'm asked, "What will happen to my job search over the holidays?" I'm tempted to say: That depends upon what you put into it.
Here's the challenge: Intelligent, highly motivated people in career transition, frequently throw in the towel once Thanksgiving hits. Why? I have asked many of my clients if they went into hibernation while they were still working between late November and the New Year. Their answers were always no.
Nevertheless, the myth persists that it's difficult to get interviews or job offers during the holidays. My advice is to turn that myth to your advantage. What can you do if you're in transition and want to take advantage of the holiday season?
Network. Recognize that this is one of the best networking times of the year, as the holidays can make people more relaxed, open and generous. For those who are working, the holidays may be a somewhat slower period, which translates into more time they have to help you.
Be visible. Take advantage of holiday parties and other gatherings to be visible. Your message is a positive one: You've got great skills and abilities and are excited to be looking for a new opportunity to use them. And if you're not excited, say you are anyway as it motivates others to help you.
Send cards. Use e-cards as an easy way to connect or reconnect with your network. In addition to wishing your friends a good holiday, you can update them that your job search is going well, but that you're still looking for a position that uses your talents.
Be proactive. Invite neighbors over for coffee and dessert or create an event that will be fun for your children. Parents have a strong network that they often ignore--the parents of the children their child knows.
Get into the spirit. Get into the holiday spirit and do something nice for someone else. This could mean baking cookies for an elderly neighbor or volunteering at the local soup kitchen.
Page 2 of Forbes Article
People in career transition frequently throw in the towel once Thanksgiving hits. Why?
I didn't do very well in algebra, so I am the last person to write convincingly about equations. However, as a career counselor who has partnered with thousands of job seekers over the past 16 years, when I'm asked, "What will happen to my job search over the holidays?" I'm tempted to say: That depends upon what you put into it.
Here's the challenge: Intelligent, highly motivated people in career transition, frequently throw in the towel once Thanksgiving hits. Why? I have asked many of my clients if they went into hibernation while they were still working between late November and the New Year. Their answers were always no.
Nevertheless, the myth persists that it's difficult to get interviews or job offers during the holidays. My advice is to turn that myth to your advantage. What can you do if you're in transition and want to take advantage of the holiday season?
Network. Recognize that this is one of the best networking times of the year, as the holidays can make people more relaxed, open and generous. For those who are working, the holidays may be a somewhat slower period, which translates into more time they have to help you.
Be visible. Take advantage of holiday parties and other gatherings to be visible. Your message is a positive one: You've got great skills and abilities and are excited to be looking for a new opportunity to use them. And if you're not excited, say you are anyway as it motivates others to help you.
Send cards. Use e-cards as an easy way to connect or reconnect with your network. In addition to wishing your friends a good holiday, you can update them that your job search is going well, but that you're still looking for a position that uses your talents.
Be proactive. Invite neighbors over for coffee and dessert or create an event that will be fun for your children. Parents have a strong network that they often ignore--the parents of the children their child knows.
Get into the spirit. Get into the holiday spirit and do something nice for someone else. This could mean baking cookies for an elderly neighbor or volunteering at the local soup kitchen.
Page 2 of Forbes Article
Monday, November 15, 2010
Don’t Make this Mistake when Working with a Recruiter!
I’m a recruiter. Unfortunately, I’m not a mind reader. Sometimes, I wish I could read minds because it would help candidates avoid the one big mistake they make when partnering with recruiters. Always be completely honest and upfront with your recruiter.
How Holding Back Information Can Hurt Your Job Search
Let me give you two examples of how holding back can hurt your job search. First, job seekers sometimes fail to tell their recruiter when their company, position, or compensation preferences change. Second, job seekers hurt themselves by not telling recruiters about personal obligations and other things that might interfere with their job search. Let’s talk about these issues so you don’t cost yourself a job by making the same mistakes.
Changed Preferences Mean a Changed Job Search
Recruiters try to match the right candidates with the right job. I’m not going to waste your time by talking to you about positions that don’t fit your personality, skills, and compensation preferences. When you tell me that making a certain salary is important to you, I’m not going to send you jobs below that compensation level. For example, I spoke with one of my job candidates the other day about his job search. We reviewed his preferences, and he informed me that he decided about month ago that he could take a lot less in compensation. The result? A month worth of job opportunities had passed him by. When things change, tell your recruiter first. Why? If you don’t tell me first, you might miss out on opportunities that fit your new preferences. The same lesson is true about your personal obligations.
Read The Rest Of The CareerRocketeer Article
Katy Keogh is a Principal of Winter Wyman’s New York Financial Contracts division. Katy blogs to provide strategic job search advice for candidates as they make their next career move. To Learn more about Katy and the contract finance and accounting jobs she is working on visit www.winterwyman.com. Winter Wyman is one of the largest and most recognized staffing firms in the Northeast, currently serving clients in the New England and metropolitan New York job markets.
How Holding Back Information Can Hurt Your Job Search
Let me give you two examples of how holding back can hurt your job search. First, job seekers sometimes fail to tell their recruiter when their company, position, or compensation preferences change. Second, job seekers hurt themselves by not telling recruiters about personal obligations and other things that might interfere with their job search. Let’s talk about these issues so you don’t cost yourself a job by making the same mistakes.
Changed Preferences Mean a Changed Job Search
Recruiters try to match the right candidates with the right job. I’m not going to waste your time by talking to you about positions that don’t fit your personality, skills, and compensation preferences. When you tell me that making a certain salary is important to you, I’m not going to send you jobs below that compensation level. For example, I spoke with one of my job candidates the other day about his job search. We reviewed his preferences, and he informed me that he decided about month ago that he could take a lot less in compensation. The result? A month worth of job opportunities had passed him by. When things change, tell your recruiter first. Why? If you don’t tell me first, you might miss out on opportunities that fit your new preferences. The same lesson is true about your personal obligations.
Read The Rest Of The CareerRocketeer Article
Katy Keogh is a Principal of Winter Wyman’s New York Financial Contracts division. Katy blogs to provide strategic job search advice for candidates as they make their next career move. To Learn more about Katy and the contract finance and accounting jobs she is working on visit www.winterwyman.com. Winter Wyman is one of the largest and most recognized staffing firms in the Northeast, currently serving clients in the New England and metropolitan New York job markets.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Don’t Be a LinkedIn “Collector” or “User”
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Dawn Rasmussen
One of the most valuable career assets any of us can possess is a high quality business and professional network composed of people we’ve worked/collaborated with (or connected to) at some point in our careers.
By taking this approach, there’s something at stake with this LinkedIn approach: the people we choose to connect with have integrity and quality, we know them and they know us, and we feel comfortable helping them out if they ask for assistance.
Let’s take this one level deeper: these people are also the ones with whom we have meaningful relationships and a general level of mutual respect from personal knowledge/connection.
One of my biggest personal pet peeves includes receiving a request from a random person I don’t know…and especially when this person doesn’t even bother to take a moment to let me know why they would like to connect.
You know the types…they cruise LinkedIn looking for people to add. Frequent criteria for these folks include looking for potential connections who have a lot of contacts in their network…or are a mover and shaker with whom they would like to be associated. So the LinkedIn cruiser sends a request to connect…with nary a courtesy introduction as to why they would like to do so in hopes that the recipient just simply clicks “accept invitation.”
Bingo! “Another connection added,” thinks the LinkedIn cruiser. Then they move on to the next contact target.
I call these people “collectors” – it seems their request is all about the number count and getting another notch on their belt to boost their network size.
But what they are actually doing is creating a pretty flimsily-assembled group of people with whom they have no real meaningful connection.
Fortunately, most of us don’t operate that way. And we don’t like being someone else’s statistic, either, if you know what I mean.
Most business people are probably actually quite open to connecting to new contacts, but if a unknown person wants to be a part of your network, having a basis for which to establish a relationship is critical to establishing a meaningful connection.
And when someone doesn’t even take the time to write a short introductory note, then this kind of request screams: “Collector!”
And the sad part is anytime someone sends a request, they are actually missing a true opportunity. A short note explaining how they found you or the reason why they would like to connect is a genuine basis to start a conversation and business relationship. The personalized note acts to authenticate the connection request.
And these days, it’s not so much about the quantity as much as it is totally about quality.
But even after that point, some people simply don’t get it.
An example just from today: I received an e-mail from a stranger without any mutual connections that was nothing more than the basic:
“I would like to connect with you on LinkedIn.”
Sigh.
So, I emailed back:
“Thanks for your request to connect- I only accept invitations with people I know…can you help me by providing some information on where we might have met before? Thanks for understanding!”
This person then e-mailed back and told me to go visit their company website which should be a compelling enough reason for us to connect. Additionally, they mentioned their company has had a ‘surge in clients worldwide’…yet at the same time they told me they had ‘decided to use LinkedIn as a means to find and connect with potential associates around the world who might be able to help me service their requirements.’
Yeah, right.
How motivated would I be to help this person? I basically got hit up with first an anonymous request, then a follow-up one asking me to help someone I don’t know find people to help them with their marketing efforts…and the kicker was this person was too lazy to even make a compelling reason in the personal message to me why I should help them…they simply told me to go to their website!
Ouch. Way off the mark, and totally ineffective.
We all gain something from cultivating strong relationships with our colleagues, co-workers, and professional contacts. Maintaining a quality and personal connection to each one of these people is critical to our mutual success and builds the synergy that composes the give-and-take cycles of healthy relationships.
But when it comes to adding meaningless connections just to ‘get numbers,’ strangers can’t simply just show up to take, and even more so when they offer to give nothing in return. This isn’t an effective use of one’s time nor effort, and ends up missing the critical benefit of LinkedIn.
Simply put: We do business with people we know and trust.
There is no ‘easy’ button in establishing relationships, but an effort needs to be made to personalize a request. It takes time and social skill to define and develop those relationships, and by being a collector or user, you are cutting yourself out of working with a beneficial tool that could make the difference in your career advancement through people motivated to help you by virtual of personal association and knowledge of who you are.
Choose your connections carefully- and when they connect, that means that they have chosen you, and there is weight in their trust of your integrity and personal relationship…and that they have voted ’yes’ by connecting to you.
Original Careerealism Article
One of the most valuable career assets any of us can possess is a high quality business and professional network composed of people we’ve worked/collaborated with (or connected to) at some point in our careers.
By taking this approach, there’s something at stake with this LinkedIn approach: the people we choose to connect with have integrity and quality, we know them and they know us, and we feel comfortable helping them out if they ask for assistance.
Let’s take this one level deeper: these people are also the ones with whom we have meaningful relationships and a general level of mutual respect from personal knowledge/connection.
One of my biggest personal pet peeves includes receiving a request from a random person I don’t know…and especially when this person doesn’t even bother to take a moment to let me know why they would like to connect.
You know the types…they cruise LinkedIn looking for people to add. Frequent criteria for these folks include looking for potential connections who have a lot of contacts in their network…or are a mover and shaker with whom they would like to be associated. So the LinkedIn cruiser sends a request to connect…with nary a courtesy introduction as to why they would like to do so in hopes that the recipient just simply clicks “accept invitation.”
Bingo! “Another connection added,” thinks the LinkedIn cruiser. Then they move on to the next contact target.
I call these people “collectors” – it seems their request is all about the number count and getting another notch on their belt to boost their network size.
But what they are actually doing is creating a pretty flimsily-assembled group of people with whom they have no real meaningful connection.
Fortunately, most of us don’t operate that way. And we don’t like being someone else’s statistic, either, if you know what I mean.
Most business people are probably actually quite open to connecting to new contacts, but if a unknown person wants to be a part of your network, having a basis for which to establish a relationship is critical to establishing a meaningful connection.
And when someone doesn’t even take the time to write a short introductory note, then this kind of request screams: “Collector!”
And the sad part is anytime someone sends a request, they are actually missing a true opportunity. A short note explaining how they found you or the reason why they would like to connect is a genuine basis to start a conversation and business relationship. The personalized note acts to authenticate the connection request.
And these days, it’s not so much about the quantity as much as it is totally about quality.
But even after that point, some people simply don’t get it.
An example just from today: I received an e-mail from a stranger without any mutual connections that was nothing more than the basic:
“I would like to connect with you on LinkedIn.”
Sigh.
So, I emailed back:
“Thanks for your request to connect- I only accept invitations with people I know…can you help me by providing some information on where we might have met before? Thanks for understanding!”
This person then e-mailed back and told me to go visit their company website which should be a compelling enough reason for us to connect. Additionally, they mentioned their company has had a ‘surge in clients worldwide’…yet at the same time they told me they had ‘decided to use LinkedIn as a means to find and connect with potential associates around the world who might be able to help me service their requirements.’
Yeah, right.
How motivated would I be to help this person? I basically got hit up with first an anonymous request, then a follow-up one asking me to help someone I don’t know find people to help them with their marketing efforts…and the kicker was this person was too lazy to even make a compelling reason in the personal message to me why I should help them…they simply told me to go to their website!
Ouch. Way off the mark, and totally ineffective.
We all gain something from cultivating strong relationships with our colleagues, co-workers, and professional contacts. Maintaining a quality and personal connection to each one of these people is critical to our mutual success and builds the synergy that composes the give-and-take cycles of healthy relationships.
But when it comes to adding meaningless connections just to ‘get numbers,’ strangers can’t simply just show up to take, and even more so when they offer to give nothing in return. This isn’t an effective use of one’s time nor effort, and ends up missing the critical benefit of LinkedIn.
Simply put: We do business with people we know and trust.
There is no ‘easy’ button in establishing relationships, but an effort needs to be made to personalize a request. It takes time and social skill to define and develop those relationships, and by being a collector or user, you are cutting yourself out of working with a beneficial tool that could make the difference in your career advancement through people motivated to help you by virtual of personal association and knowledge of who you are.
Choose your connections carefully- and when they connect, that means that they have chosen you, and there is weight in their trust of your integrity and personal relationship…and that they have voted ’yes’ by connecting to you.
Original Careerealism Article
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
5 Job Interview Questions We Love To Hate
Inevitably in any job search you will be asked many questions. Some are better than others and some are despised more than others. If you have prepared yourself properly for your interview you will better navigate some of the tougher questions you will face. Below is a list of five of the most hated job interview questions.
�
5. Are you a team player?
What I think:
Not particularly. I tend to bully and isolate anyone who doesn’t agree with me. I like to be feared rather than be respected, it lasts longer.
�
What you should probably say:
The interviewer is looking for an answer that shows how well you work with your coworkers. You should use an example of how you have performed well completing tasks as a member of a team project at work, team leader, or how you helped solve some issue that you were not directly assigned to complete. No employer wants to hire an employee with TNMJ (That’s Not My Job) syndrome.
4. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or superior? How did you handle it?
What I think:
Yes, I have. I called in sick to come to this interview.
What you should probably say:
This one is a little tricky but you can still navigate this mine field. If you answer no, the interviewer will automatically assume that your not being truthful. If you answer yes, depending on the circumstances you may be viewed as a problem employee. What you should illustrate here is some minor disagreement (such as working late)between yourself and your boss and what solution (coming in early) you came up with. I would probably stay away from any incidents that involved formal HR complaints or lawsuits.
3. Do you work well under pressure?
What I think:
Yes, I’m actually guaranteed up to 200psi.
What you should probably say:
Here the interviewer wants to hear what you consider being under pressure at work and what steps you took to still deliver results. Do you often work under short notice time sensitive deadlines? Are you calm and focused? Or do you stress out and hinder positive results? Most employers who ask this in the interview do so because they usually work under tight deadlines and need employees who will not crack under pressure.
�
2. If I were to ask your friends or former co-workers to describe you, what
would they say?
What I think:
They would say please hire me so I can stop asking them for loans I can’t repay.
�
What you should probably say:
Another tricky one. Under no circumstances do I want my friends having any input on my career advancement potential. Most of my friends I met when I was in college and trust me I would have been pickier if I knew my career was riding on those choices. So you should focus on your coworkers and the ways you have helped them out of a jam in the past. Your answer should display your willingness to go the extra mile and put in effort that is not outlined in your job description.
1. What is your greatest weakness?
What I think:
Weakness? Oh yeah. Raspberry filled Krispy Kreme doughnuts are like kryptonite to me.
�
What you should probably say:
Under no circumstances should you make the all too common error of framing a strength as a weakness (i.e. I’m a workaholic or stickler for details to a fault.). There are enough self absorbed narcissists in the world and employers are not trying to add another to their payrolls. What the employer wants with this question is to hear a real work related weakness. It shows that you are not another ‘flawless’ egomaniac. So you state a real weakness such as time management but also provide the steps you take to keep that from affecting your performance like keeping a detailed scheduled on your smartphone.
�
Although I would love to see how an interviewer would respond to how I think the questions should be answered, it is probably better if you prepare the more appropriate suggestions for your interview. The job market is too competitive to just casually show up for an interview and think you will get the job offer. Remember that if an employer calls you in for an interview it is because they are interested in hiring you. The purpose of the interview is to screen out candidates that are not a good fit for the company. If you put in the proper preparation you will be evaluating job offers and not wondering why you are not getting called back.
About the Author Leslie Drew has over five years experience interviewing job applicants, reviewing and evaluating thousands of resumes and job applications. Leslie provides free job interview tips to people searching for a job in this tough economy. Visit www.unemployedhelp.net for more information.
Original Article
�
5. Are you a team player?
What I think:
Not particularly. I tend to bully and isolate anyone who doesn’t agree with me. I like to be feared rather than be respected, it lasts longer.
�
What you should probably say:
The interviewer is looking for an answer that shows how well you work with your coworkers. You should use an example of how you have performed well completing tasks as a member of a team project at work, team leader, or how you helped solve some issue that you were not directly assigned to complete. No employer wants to hire an employee with TNMJ (That’s Not My Job) syndrome.
4. Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or superior? How did you handle it?
What I think:
Yes, I have. I called in sick to come to this interview.
What you should probably say:
This one is a little tricky but you can still navigate this mine field. If you answer no, the interviewer will automatically assume that your not being truthful. If you answer yes, depending on the circumstances you may be viewed as a problem employee. What you should illustrate here is some minor disagreement (such as working late)between yourself and your boss and what solution (coming in early) you came up with. I would probably stay away from any incidents that involved formal HR complaints or lawsuits.
3. Do you work well under pressure?
What I think:
Yes, I’m actually guaranteed up to 200psi.
What you should probably say:
Here the interviewer wants to hear what you consider being under pressure at work and what steps you took to still deliver results. Do you often work under short notice time sensitive deadlines? Are you calm and focused? Or do you stress out and hinder positive results? Most employers who ask this in the interview do so because they usually work under tight deadlines and need employees who will not crack under pressure.
�
2. If I were to ask your friends or former co-workers to describe you, what
would they say?
What I think:
They would say please hire me so I can stop asking them for loans I can’t repay.
�
What you should probably say:
Another tricky one. Under no circumstances do I want my friends having any input on my career advancement potential. Most of my friends I met when I was in college and trust me I would have been pickier if I knew my career was riding on those choices. So you should focus on your coworkers and the ways you have helped them out of a jam in the past. Your answer should display your willingness to go the extra mile and put in effort that is not outlined in your job description.
1. What is your greatest weakness?
What I think:
Weakness? Oh yeah. Raspberry filled Krispy Kreme doughnuts are like kryptonite to me.
�
What you should probably say:
Under no circumstances should you make the all too common error of framing a strength as a weakness (i.e. I’m a workaholic or stickler for details to a fault.). There are enough self absorbed narcissists in the world and employers are not trying to add another to their payrolls. What the employer wants with this question is to hear a real work related weakness. It shows that you are not another ‘flawless’ egomaniac. So you state a real weakness such as time management but also provide the steps you take to keep that from affecting your performance like keeping a detailed scheduled on your smartphone.
�
Although I would love to see how an interviewer would respond to how I think the questions should be answered, it is probably better if you prepare the more appropriate suggestions for your interview. The job market is too competitive to just casually show up for an interview and think you will get the job offer. Remember that if an employer calls you in for an interview it is because they are interested in hiring you. The purpose of the interview is to screen out candidates that are not a good fit for the company. If you put in the proper preparation you will be evaluating job offers and not wondering why you are not getting called back.
About the Author Leslie Drew has over five years experience interviewing job applicants, reviewing and evaluating thousands of resumes and job applications. Leslie provides free job interview tips to people searching for a job in this tough economy. Visit www.unemployedhelp.net for more information.
Original Article
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
The true cost of being your own boss
By Amelia Ross, producer
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Millions of Americans are out of work despite a long, dedicated job search. And some of those job hunters are choosing to go freelance -- essentially becoming their own bosses. About one in nine American workers are self-employed, according to Bureau of Labor statistics from 2009 and the trend is rising.
In taking that first step to go out on their own, many choose to start their businesses in their own home. But "free office space," has costs -- often hidden -- and it's important to understand these costs before you decide to start out on your own.
Some of the obvious costs of working from home include:
* Longer hours. If your home is your office, you never really leave work.
* No paid vacation days.
* No paid sick days.
* Paying for your own health insurance.
* Funding your retirement plan.
* Paying the half of the Social Security tax that your employer paid for.
* Paying for office equipment, perhaps upgrading your computer, printer and smartphone.
* Buying office supplies.
* Membership in industry organizations.
"The biggest costs are personal. It's very difficult to separate your life especially if you are working from home. Every minute you are not working you could be," said Carmen Wong Ulrich, author of "The Real Cost of Living," to be published in December. "You need to make 20% more, if not more than that, to have the same comfort level you had when on a salary."
And you will have marketing expenses beyond the cost of printing business cards and setting up your website.
One of hardest choices is determining where to put your energy.
"Learn how to price yourself. Know that you have to both do the work and develop the work. Honor your energy stream but never rest on your laurels," said David Holloway, career development coach. "Over time, costs steady and drop a bit. You learn what you need to do. You may not need to belong to all the organizations you need to. But education expenses are ongoing. A freelancer by definition is an expert and you need to maintain your expertise."
You won't have an infrastructure of support personnel and you just might need someone else to fix broken technology. You will need to do your own bill collection, which can be difficult. Your utility bills might increase; certainly look into calling plans. If you are selling goods, and not services, you will need to build inventory.
"Do a constant analysis of where you're at in the short term and keeping cash flow up. Use your contacts to find out what are the new markets, demographics, segments, products," said Tim Haft, president of Punk Rope.
And once you've landed the assignment, don't take a breather. "Go to three to four coffees or lunches a week. If you aren't, you are not creating a pipeline," said Beth Temple, digital business consultant freelancer since 1998. If you don't know who you should be asking to meet you for coffee, ask your existing contacts 'who I should talk to get to know me.'
"If you make it through the first two years, you can make it full time," Temple added.
Tips on starting your own business:
* The best way to develop your own business is to do it while you still have a job.
* Build up as much as you can in cash savings.
* Live below your means -- you will have good months and bad months.
* Always get deals in writing -- contracts are better. Include a payment schedule and try to get an upfront payment to start the project.
* Remember, to maintain the same lifestyle as you had with your last salary you will need to earn 33% more.
* Get medical coverage ASAP. The national option doesn't go into effect until 2013.
* Don't go longer than six months without starting your retirement benefits.
* Hire a lawyer to look into a LLC, S-Corp or a sole proprietorship to protect your personal assets.
* Hire an accountant.
* Keep track of your customer contact with a spreadsheet.
* Use LinkedIn actively for marketing. Get past testimonials on your LinkedIn profile.
Original Money CNN article
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Millions of Americans are out of work despite a long, dedicated job search. And some of those job hunters are choosing to go freelance -- essentially becoming their own bosses. About one in nine American workers are self-employed, according to Bureau of Labor statistics from 2009 and the trend is rising.
In taking that first step to go out on their own, many choose to start their businesses in their own home. But "free office space," has costs -- often hidden -- and it's important to understand these costs before you decide to start out on your own.
Some of the obvious costs of working from home include:
* Longer hours. If your home is your office, you never really leave work.
* No paid vacation days.
* No paid sick days.
* Paying for your own health insurance.
* Funding your retirement plan.
* Paying the half of the Social Security tax that your employer paid for.
* Paying for office equipment, perhaps upgrading your computer, printer and smartphone.
* Buying office supplies.
* Membership in industry organizations.
"The biggest costs are personal. It's very difficult to separate your life especially if you are working from home. Every minute you are not working you could be," said Carmen Wong Ulrich, author of "The Real Cost of Living," to be published in December. "You need to make 20% more, if not more than that, to have the same comfort level you had when on a salary."
And you will have marketing expenses beyond the cost of printing business cards and setting up your website.
One of hardest choices is determining where to put your energy.
"Learn how to price yourself. Know that you have to both do the work and develop the work. Honor your energy stream but never rest on your laurels," said David Holloway, career development coach. "Over time, costs steady and drop a bit. You learn what you need to do. You may not need to belong to all the organizations you need to. But education expenses are ongoing. A freelancer by definition is an expert and you need to maintain your expertise."
You won't have an infrastructure of support personnel and you just might need someone else to fix broken technology. You will need to do your own bill collection, which can be difficult. Your utility bills might increase; certainly look into calling plans. If you are selling goods, and not services, you will need to build inventory.
"Do a constant analysis of where you're at in the short term and keeping cash flow up. Use your contacts to find out what are the new markets, demographics, segments, products," said Tim Haft, president of Punk Rope.
And once you've landed the assignment, don't take a breather. "Go to three to four coffees or lunches a week. If you aren't, you are not creating a pipeline," said Beth Temple, digital business consultant freelancer since 1998. If you don't know who you should be asking to meet you for coffee, ask your existing contacts 'who I should talk to get to know me.'
"If you make it through the first two years, you can make it full time," Temple added.
Tips on starting your own business:
* The best way to develop your own business is to do it while you still have a job.
* Build up as much as you can in cash savings.
* Live below your means -- you will have good months and bad months.
* Always get deals in writing -- contracts are better. Include a payment schedule and try to get an upfront payment to start the project.
* Remember, to maintain the same lifestyle as you had with your last salary you will need to earn 33% more.
* Get medical coverage ASAP. The national option doesn't go into effect until 2013.
* Don't go longer than six months without starting your retirement benefits.
* Hire a lawyer to look into a LLC, S-Corp or a sole proprietorship to protect your personal assets.
* Hire an accountant.
* Keep track of your customer contact with a spreadsheet.
* Use LinkedIn actively for marketing. Get past testimonials on your LinkedIn profile.
Original Money CNN article
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