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Tips for times of transition: Part 2 – Career marketing strategies for job seekers

31 March 2011, 7:33 am

Bridget Haymond and I collaborated on this series to provide job seeking members of her church some basic job search information. She graciously allowed me to share what we created together here. If you missed part one, no worries. It’s right here.

Career marketing strategies for job seekers

6. Set up a LinkedIn account. Fill out the profile completely including a professional picture of you. A friend or family member can take the picture, but be sure you look like you’re ready for business. LinkedIn is not Facebook. Approach each venue appropriately. When you invite someone, customize the invitation. And if invited, take a moment to send back a quick note to your connection. Very few do that so it’s a great way to differential yourself immediately. I’m on LinkedIn: Now What? is a great resource to garner the full power of this site.

7. Once you’ve set up your LinkedIn account, join groups – LinkedIn allows up to 50. The more groups you join, the greater your reach. (This is part of the all-important networking.) Participate in the discussions (no arguments, please.)   Offer your expertise. Be helpful and answer questions. If a group is set to “open”, that means your responses are searchable on the web – further building your online presence.

8. Volunteer. This expands your network, exposes you to people you might not have met and you’re giving back – all positives. Volunteer to head committees, organize events or help with fundraising. Tie the skills needed to do the volunteer position back to the skills needed to support or enhance your profession. This keeps your skills sharp. You might learn something new and it’s all information that can go on a resume. A skill is a skill whether you got paid while learning it or not.

9. Treat every day like a workday. If you are in transition, your job becomes landing your next job. Maintain a clean appearance. Wear business casual while out and about; you just never know whom you’ll meet. Remember, marketing isn’t just for businesses. You must become your own best sales representative. Uncomfortable? Yes, but do it enough and you’ll overcome the shyness. Employers need helpful, resourceful people. Getting your name, face and voice out there is the best way to get hired.

10. Invest in the things that help advance your career. Unsure about direction?  Have someone administer and explain a Career Success Insights DISC assessment. This test gives valuable insight into some of the career choices fitting your personality profile. Greater insight allows you to explore diverse opportunities to market your services. Pursue additional training and certifications in your area of specialty to enhance your marketability. Be sure your computer skills are up to speed too. Financial assistance is often available so pursue all your options. If you need a coach, find one, paid or volunteer. No one has to go it alone.

Next week we’ll look at practical things job seekers can do to stay motivated during the search.

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Tips for times of transition: Part 1 – Career marketing strategies for job seekers

28 March 2011, 9:19 am

Recently, Twitter friend Bridget Haymond, of Truth for Life Coaching, approached me to collaborate on putting together handouts for job seeking members of the congregation at her church — Grace Covenant Church, in Charlotte, NC. I happily obliged.

With Bridget’s permission, I’ll also share the information we created together with my blog readers. Here’s the first in a series of four posts addressing: Tips for times of transition.

Career marketing strategies for job seekers:

1. First and foremost, understand the job search is “all about them”, the potential employer. The beginning of the search is yours – you decide when you start the search (sometimes with a bit of outside influence). The end of the search is yours – you decide which offer to accept. However, in between, every correspondence, every interaction, with everyone from the custodian to the CEO, must be done from a “this is what I can do for you and your organization” perspective. It is all about them.

2. Target, focus and differentiation are key in this market. “I’ll do anything” is not a job search strategy. It is the candidate’s job to focus on what the industry or hiring company values, target their presentation to demonstrate how they can solve the companies problems and differentiate themselves from the others (sometimes hundreds) applying for the same position. If you’re unsure how to do that, use the power of Google to learn or work with a professional.

3. Network. Network. Network. EIGHTY PER CENT (80%) of jobs are filled through effective networking. Someone knows someone knows someone who can help. Networking is NOT asking someone to find a job for you. That quickly wears thin. Networking is giving more than you take and requires long-term nurturing and cultivation. If you’re unsure what to do or how to do it, career professions write about networking frequently; Google it and start reading. If you don’t have a network; get started. If you’re uncomfortable networking; get over it.

4. Use the power of Social Media (Twitter especially) to your advantage. Search by topic for jobs in your industry. Follow leaders and like-minded people in your industry. ALWAYS behave professionally – if you wouldn’t want to see it on a billboard, in front of your parent’s house, it doesn’t belong on the Internet. Make sure all comments and photos are appropriate. Let prospective employers see you as someone who is knowledgeable and helpful. The Twitter Job Search Guide is a great resource. Remember social media posts frequently appear when someone searches Google for you (and if you’re in a job search, you will be Googled.)

5. Google yourself. You need to know what information will turn up in a search of your name. If you cannot be found on Google or if you have a common name, start commenting on blogs (in your industry) and participate in social media to move your name to the first page of a Google search. HINT: Read books in your industry or profession and write an Amazon.com book review. You can borrow it from the library. Amazon has tremendous Google power so a book review usually gets to the first page of a Google search quickly.

More to come …

As a side note and to reinforce the importance of networking, I met Bridget on Twitter through resume writing colleague and friend, Julie Walraven. Julie saw we both lived in NC (albeit opposite sides of the state) and thought we should “meet.” This casual introduction, months ago, netted Bridget help for her church’s seminar and I extended my reach to job seekers in Charlotte, NC. Chances of our ever meeting without our mutual network connection? Probably slim to none. See how powerful a deep and broad network can be? Two “strangers” mutually benefiting each other through the strength of a network. Win-win. Imagine what you can do for your network AND what your network can do for you. Cultivate it!

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Spring clean your mind clutter first

9 March 2011, 3:56 pm

Career Collective post: Once a month, a group of career professionals blog on a subject topical and timely for a job seeker. We’ll post our thoughts on our own blog and link to the post of our colleagues on the same topic.

This month’s topic: Re-Tooling/Re-Focusing/Organizing Your Job Search (spring clean your job search)

Responses from others contributors linked at the end. Follow the hashtag #CareerCollective on Twitter.

Photo by PuuikiBeach via Flickr

With the wild popularity of shows like Clean House and Hoarders and websites like Fly Lady, it is evident clutter is a problem for many of us. It’s true. Living amongst clutter and disorganization can befuddle even the most stoic individual. But what about the mental clutter we carry around during a job search? It’s time to spring clean cob-webby, pigeon-holed thinking too.

I recently worked with a talented woman wanting to transition from physical trainer into teaching health sciences at a community college. She had the credentials, the degrees and knowledge to support this type of transition. As I do with all my clients, I had her forward a few posting illustrating the targeted position. This ensured we addressed the skill set academia sought. During our conversation, I listened with “academic, teaching ears” – in essence, pulling the teaching, training, motivation and inspiration part of her career through to present her in a new light. Academia “doesn’t care” if she can do sit-ups; they care if she can teach the physiology and kinetics behind them. And perhaps, motivate a group (or individuals) to do them.

When I wrote the document, I was sure to speak the needs of the potential employer. I wove words like teach, educate, individual education plans, tutoring, one-on-one and group support … throughout the document. I pulled her teaching and training skills though the document and drove home the point that while she may not be in classroom, she was teaching her clients every single day. Her job title may have read “personal trainer”, but her skill set presentation screamed teacher.

She and her good friends, who have known her for many years, “edited” the document. They provided feedback on my carefully strategized, well-thought out academic presentation. When I opened the feedback file, I was welcomed by a sea of blue track changes. Whoa! I had my work cut out for me.

We went through, line-by-line, the changes she and her friends made. We discovered during the process she AND her friends were dragging along the clutter of her personal trainer title. She (and they) went through and undid every attempt I’d made to paint an academic picture.

Her friends added another layer of clutter when they indicated the presentation was “too professional.” They brought boxes and boxes of long-term love, friendship and personal knowledge along for the job search ride. They knew she was a talented professional, so they “assumed” the rest of the world possessed the same knowledge. She didn’t have to come across “so professional” on paper. (News flash: If you don’t tell a potential employer; they don’t know. If you don’t appear professional; they’ll assume you’re not. They have no knowledge outside the document before them.)

I patiently explained the strategy behind the presentation and why I used the verbiage I’d used. The longer we talked, the clearer it became. I had no personal trainer clutter in my head about her. She told me she wanted to be a community college instructor, so I saw her through those eyes. I had no preconceived thoughts about her training position, so I left that title behind and focused on the skills the employer sought. I looked to her future; not back to her past.

Photo by Evelyn Giggles via Fllickr

On the other hand, she and her friends were bogged down with a semi-truck load of everything related to her training profession and personal friendship. She thought of herself as a trainer hoping to “somehow” become an educator. Her friends saw the joyful, convivial individual they’d known and loved for years. They were a bit uncomfortable with the professional, credentialed, talented individual presented on the document I created. None of them made, or even knew how to make, the transition from trainer to educator. In essence, their edits presented her strengths as a trainer and eliminated the educational focus I’d so carefully woven through the document. Their edits were GREAT if she wanted a job as a trainer. They were ineffective, almost diminishing, in helping her make the transition to academia.

As we wrapped up our edit session, she saw how she and her friends were stuck in the cob webs and clutter of training. They all carried boxes and boxes of the past with them and hoped a potential employer would take the time to sort through that clutter and pick out things they needed from her wonderful training past. (Another news flash: They won’t.)

By the time we’d finished, for this search, she understood the need to dump the trainer vernacular and presentation goo if she wanted a brand new career. She was seeing herself through different eyes. She understood if she didn’t see herself as an educator; no one else would.

If you’re in job search, take some time to examine the clutter of job titles and past perceptions you carry with you. It might be time to vacuum the pigeon-hole and knock down the cob webs so you’re ready to show the new and freshly-polished you.

Now, in the words of Niecy Nash, “Git to Gittin.'”

Career Collective

Here’s what my colleagues have to say:

Personal Branding to Fire Up Your Job Search, @DebraWheatman

Succeeding in a “Final Jeopardy!” World, @WalterAkana

5 Steps to Retool & Jumpstart Your Job Search, @erinkennedycprw

Your Job Search: Let’s Just Start Again Shall We? @GayleHoward

Checklist for Spring Cleaning Your Job Search, @careersherpa

5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman

Ten Surefire Ways to Organize Your Job Search, @KatCareerGal

Put Spring Into Your Job Search, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland

Toes in the Water, @ValueIntoWords

How to Revitalize a Stale Job Search, @KCCareerCoach

How to re-think your job search, @Keppie_Careers

Wake Up and Smell the Flowers: Spring Cleaning Your Resume, @barbarasafani

Spring Cleaning and Your Personal Brand, @resumeservice

Spring clean your mind clutter first, @DawnBugni

Managing Your Career 2.0: On Giving Something Up To Get It Right, @Chandlee

Clean up, Chin, up, Shape up, @LaurieBerenson

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Answers to career questions – Part two

3 March 2011, 7:00 am

Female Military Health System Leaders by militaryhealth via flickr

On Tuesday, I posted the first two of four career questions I’d answered for a virtual interview somewhere along the way. These are the final two questions and answers in the interview.

#3.    Is there a particular leadership style which is great for bagging a career promotion?

Great leaders establish clear, measurable goals, put the right people in place to accomplish those goals and then get out of the way. They do not control the process; they offer the support and the tools needed to accomplish it. They let their employees know they will stand behind them, but they will also hold them implicitly accountable for their actions. They praise in public, frequently and offer brutally honest feedback in private, equally as often.

Great leaders embrace innovation and yes, even failures and errors. They understand the only people not failing or not making mistakes are those not doing anything. As long as lessons are learned and improvements made, there is nothing wrong with a slight misstep in the forward progression toward a goal. They work well as part of a team, but don’t forget their personal contribution toward the success of the team. They aren’t shy about reminding others of those contributions, when appropriate. Those demonstrating confidence, leadership and a whatever-it-takes approach head most promotions lists.

#4.    Being made redundant can really affect job seekers self esteem. What’s the best advice you can give them?

Photo by insertinanename via flickr

At the risk of sounding terribly cliché, “Fake it ’til you make it.” It’s all about maintaining a positive attitude. And sometimes, you have to fake that positive perspective until you have a genuinely positive point of view. Internal sentences, “self-talk”, is so important during difficult times. “You weren’t laid off. Your position was impacted because of a business decision.” “You’re not looking for a job. You’re a solution, waiting to connect with the employer who has a need you can satisfy.” See the difference.

Maintaining a positive attitude is far and away the most difficult part of the search. I’m not here to diminish the intense and deep emotion attached to redundancy, but I will be forthright in saying carrying a dark cloud into the search will do nothing to advance it or shorten the time it takes to land a new position. No one wants to bring “Mr. Doom and Gloom” or “Ms. Whiner” on board. You may feel like that on the inside (and rightfully so, it is a frightening, stressful time), but as the old saying goes, “Never let them see you sweat.” Confidence, enthusiasm, a positive attitude, a smile, gratitude, all combine to support a successful search. If you can’t muster if from deep inside, then plaster it on the outside, eventually, it will come from within.

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Interview responses to career questions – Part one

1 March 2011, 7:00 am

Photo by bpsusf via flickr

I’ve been organizing virtual files lately and came across a list of four questions I’d answered back in November 2009. I responded to a request for a virtual interview. I’m not sure what the recipient ever did with the information. Sometimes responses are gathered but never used. Since I can’t the find the information I provided elsewhere on the Web, I’ll share the questions and answers here.

#1.     Changing careers can be daunting – what advice can you give those who feel like a change?

Do your homework. If you’re looking for a career change, know what skills the new career path requires. After you know what the hiring authority seeks, either identify the skills that naturally segue in your own work history or acquire the skills needed to facilitate the change. Be creative in your thinking and don’t discount anything in your work history. What’s expected and nothing special in one position can be a treasured skill in another. Demonstrate a willingness to stretch and learn, and above all exude enthusiasm for a new challenge. Career changes can be the most challenging of all types of job searches, but with proper preparation, they are not impossible.

#2.    What are the biggest CV (resume) sins you find jobseekers keep repeating?

Underselling their skills, expecting readers to extrapolate information from vague lists of job duties and approaching a job search from an “all about me” perspective. An employer does not care what you seek (all about me); they care about what you can do for them. If a job seeker is not boldly and proudly telling the hiring authority what they can do for the company, the hiring authority will not take the time to figure it out for him/herself. Quantifiable, qualifiable, accomplishment-driven statements outlining challenges, actions, results and the benefit to the employer are integral to successfully conveying value. I’ve seen too many career autobiographies and not enough compelling sales and marketing documents. The employer does not care about what you have done until you can put what you have done into the context of what you can do for them.

The other two questions will post Thursday.
#3.    Is there a particular leadership style which is great for bagging a career promotion?
#4.    Being made redundant can really affect job seekers self esteem. What’s the best advice you can give them?

See you then.

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Ready. Set. Launch!

25 February 2011, 6:21 am

Photo by Rennett Stowe via Flickr

Tuesday, I shared things college sophomores could do to start gathering information and preparing for their after-graduation career launch. Today, I’ll share information about what college juniors and seniors can do to sharpen career tools as they prepare to graduate and venture into their chosen professions.

For college juniors and seniors:

As you advance in your studies and gain focus, you’ll be able to take all the data gathered while volunteering, completing class projects or even working a part-time job and build a solid presentation of skills for a potential employer. Research what they seek and demonstrate how you can deliver. You’re not “just a student”. You’re someone who has __________ (fill in the blank with all the accomplishments you’ve been documenting) while attending classes full- or part-time. Don’t discount what you’ve done.

If you think flipping burgers at the local gathering spot is no big deal; think again. Didn’t you learn teamwork, how to provide stellar customer service, follow procedures, resolve difficulties and get to work on time? Mundane and inconsequential is in the eye of the beholder. Sell what you did boldly and proudly. A potential employer will not take time to extrapolate what you’ve done and figure out how it fits into their organization. Know what skills pique an employer’s interest and present them in a way that demonstrates how you can benefit the organization. A job search is “all about them”, not you. Prepare career documents with that in mind.

Take advantage of internship opportunities – paid or unpaid. Regardless the compensation, don’t just phone it in. Take them seriously. It’s part of your education and you get out of it what you put into it. I read recently, an internship is like a long interview. “They” are watching you. Go the extra mile and you may end up employed at the company when you graduate or impress someone enough to gain a referral to a friend of a friend. You never know.

Showing up five minutes late and skipping out early because your perception is, “I’m not getting paid. What does it matter?” is wrong-headed. That approach closes more doors than an intern opportunity will ever open. Add to your growing professional network and seek out individuals willing to mentor you during the assignment and beyond. And don’t pick only like-minded individuals. Sometimes a difference in opinions stretches you in ways you never thought possible. You may never completely agree with someone, but disagreements help solidify your own passions and beliefs. Embrace it all.

As you start to sell your skills to potential employers, think about your overall presentation. Target determines focus. Focus determines design, content and presentation. Sometimes your degree carries more weight than your skill set with a potential employer; put it first. Sometimes skills outweigh your degree; then put them first. Knowing what sells in a particular industry enables you to highlight what they seek.

Don’t let anyone tell you “this is the only way to do it”. Study advertising; there are a million ways to sell things. Effective advertising knows it’s demographic and does what it needs to do to appeal to that demographic. The same approach doesn’t work for every audience any more than the same resume format works for every industry or every company. Get to know your “buyer”, target your resume to what they’re “buying” and the effort will reward greatly.

While you’re selling skills to your audience pay attention to details. An email address of “qtpie” or “partyanimal” may be fine for personal correspondence, but not when trying to brand yourself as an up and coming professional. Same with emails addresses that end in “.edu” – you’re advertising student while trying to convince professional. Get a .gmail account or buy a domain with your own name and use it. Sounds trite, but it all pertains to your overall image and demonstrates your ability to pay attention to detail more than a fluff resume entry like “detail-oriented” ever will.

And one more thing as you develop your skills and build your network: don’t forget to say thank you. Taking a moment to follow up with thank you not only proves “mama reared a polite child”; it’s a great marketing tool. It helps someone remember you and differentiates you from the rest of the non-thanking crowd. It also demonstrates, in a very powerful way, your ability to see a project through to end. Standout professionals get the opportunities. Invest the time and energy in standing out and you’ll be in charge of your career path from day one; not hoping and dreaming something comes along.

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It never too early start …

22 February 2011, 7:12 am

Photo by raw301usa (via Flickr)

A few years ago I responded to two questions about how to help college students start developing information for their resume. I “re-discovered” what I wrote the other day so thought I’d share the information here. The first question asked:  “What advice would you give college sophomores as they start to think about developing their career documents.” I’ll post the other question and response later this week.

For college sophomores:

Find your passion. It sounds counterintuitive, but before you start developing any career tools, you need to know what you want to do. It’s important to know your target audience so your resume, cover letter, VisualCV, bio, portfolio, everything, focuses on what the potential employer seeks. Your skill set has to resonate with your audience. A potential employer does not care about what you’ve done until you put it in the context of what you can do for them.

This doesn’t mean you’re making a decision about what you’re going to do for the rest of your natural life, could be, but don’t put that much pressure on yourself. Find what excites you now. It may or may not change, however if you don’t take charge in some way, life and your career will happen to you, instead of you making it happen.

For some, knowing what they want to do is easy. You know the type. They’ve known they wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, stockbroker, business owner … almost since they were born. They can skip the “find your passion” part of the process. They’ve already got focus. For everyone else, talk to people, try different things. Information interviewing is a great way to figure out what you want to do. Don’t dismiss opportunities on preconceived notions. Every job has its good points and bad points. Until you take time to investigate and ask questions, you won’t know about the good or the bad. Remember, they call it work for a reason. It’s not all fun.

Another way to investigate your passion is through volunteering – for extra class projects or community service organizations or both. You’re not only discovering a career path, building a network and accumulating skills, you’re learning more about yourself. As you get more involved, be sure to write down the things you did in qualifiable, quantifiable, accomplishment-driven terms. “Volunteered for sorority fundraiser” is nice, but isn’t selling what you did. Document, document, document the details: make note of how many people attended, money raised, how donations were solicited, number of sponsors and donors that participated, prep work required, number of booths and vendors, where did the money go, how did the recipients benefit … well you get the idea.

The same goes for class projects and assignments, write down how many people worked on the project, required steps for completion and the result. You think you’ll remember the details. You won’t. You think it’s not important. It might be. More is better when starting to gather information for career documents. You can select what pertains and edit details as you develop documents. Remember, skills are skills whether you were paid or not while learning them. Those skills are the building blocks for your career documents. You can’t sell what you can do for a potential employer if you don’t remember the details. (This is a good idea to carry through your entire career.)

As you’re building your professional portfolio, don’t overlook social media. This is a powerful tool to start building a brand, differentiating yourself and supporting your career goals. Use it wisely. This means keeping questionable pictures and controversial statements off the Internet. If you don’t want to see it on a billboard in front of your parent’s house, then it doesn’t belong on the Internet. You, at 23, starting your career and trying to impress a potential employer will see things quite differently than you did at 19 or 20. Have fun with social media, but think before you post or comment on a blog. Once it’s out there, it’s out there for good, regardless the delete button you just pushed.

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Focus doesn’t mean you can’t be multifaceted

11 February 2011, 5:06 pm

A resume client recently asked for some guidance in making a decision. He had several career paths he could travel. As with many job seekers I meet, he wanted to carry all his “luggage” down each path; placing equal weight on his entire skills set for each opportunity. I explained how an “I can do anything and everything” approach would not work in this market.

I told him his message had to be tailored to speak to a potential employer’s specific needs and his resume needed to tell the employer what they wanted to know about him; not what he wanted to tell them. This is the basic premise of sales and marketing. Find the buyer’s pain and offer solutions to suit their needs. He expressed concern that too much focus would mean he would be limiting his opportunities. Quite the contrary. I used the following example from my own life to help him understand:

“Focus doesn’t mean you can only have one direction. It means you have to have an understanding of the audience’s needs. For example, for more than seven years, I ran both a pet sitting and resume service. (Five of those years were spent also working 30-40 hrs/wk as an office manager in a veterinary hospital too.) I didn’t open a conversation regarding resume services extolling my pet sitting expertise (and vice versa). I told my audience what they wanted to know so they could make an informed decision based on the facts they sought. As the relationship grew I would share the other things I did. During my dual-business years, I wrote resumes for several pet sit clients. When they called about pet sitting, their focus was planning a trip out of town and reliable care for their animals. My focus had to match theirs to “sell” my skill set to them. When they called about my resume writing services, we might mention the fur-children, but quickly moved to the task at hand – their careers. That’s what I mean by focus.”

You can be as multifaceted as you want to be in your career and your life. But remember, telling everyone everything all at once overwhelms. Focus your message and watch understanding (and results) soar.

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Shades of Gray

1 February 2011, 1:44 pm

Career Collective post: Once a month, a group of career professionals blog on a subject topical and timely for a job seeker. We’ll post our thoughts on our own blog and link to the post of our colleagues on the same topic.

This month’s topic: Job-hunting “Rules” to Break/ Outdated Job-Search Beliefs

Responses from others contributors linked at the end. Follow the hashtag #CareerCollective on Twitter.

Back “in the day” I used to don my clamp-on roller skates and do laps in the basement. One of my favorite skating songs was by the Monkees “Shades of Gray.” Funny. Now, YEARS later, the message from that song is the core of the most frequent response I give job seekers when asked a question about conducting a job search:

IT DEPENDS.

How do I contact this company?
How do I find out the interviewers name?
Should I drop off a resume?
Should I call? Should I email?
Is faxing OK?
My friend said this __________ (fill-in-the-blank) worked for them. Will it work for me?
What do I say in an interview?
What do I wear?
What does HR think about ____ ?

IT DEPENDS.

Too often I find job seekers thinking there’s only one right way to conduct a search. They scour the Internet looking for the “THE” answer – a black or white, yes or no, definitive method to use when managing their careers. They’re convinced there’s a magic bullet. They’re sure, once found, that one technique will end the search and land their dream job with little effort. They glom on to what worked for their friend or acquaintance. They read an article about how sandwich boards worked for one job seeker. They find another article about how mailing an empty coffee cup or one shoe with a promise to fill the cup or deliver the other shoe at interview worked for another. They talk to Great-Aunt Tilly, their neighbor, the stranger in line at the grocery store. They try anything and everything. They ask questions about what HR thinks as if HR is some huge entity in the sky with a single mind.

They do all this without any thought to the specific position or industry, their own personal comfort level or even the individual preferences of the hiring authority behind the desk. Too often, I find job seekers willing to do whatever they’re told, until they’re told to sit down, think about the specific situation and formulate a strategy that not only fits the industry, the position and the players, but also fits them.

The best thing you can do for your job search is stop looking for ONE answer. Cookie cutter approaches don’t work in job search. What excites one hiring authority could offend another. What works in one industry may have you ostracized in another. What worked for your friend may not be the right fit for you.

As Davy Jones and Peter Tork sing in “Shades of Gray”:
“Today there is no day or night. Today there is no dark or light Today there is no black or white … only shades of gray.”

Dump the myth of a one-size-fits-all job search. (It’s not true in clothing and it’s not true in job search either.)  Customize your search to fit the specific needs of your audience. Differentiate yourself. Make the reader feel special. Speak to their pain; their needs. Apply an “It depends/Shades of Gray” approach to your search and start gaining traction. Who wants cookie cutter, when you can have hand-dropped?

(And yes. I still have my “Headquarters” album.)

Career Collective

Here’s what my colleagues have to say:

Juice Up Your Job Search, @debrawheatman

It’s not your age, it’s old thinking, @GayleHoward

Want a Job? Ignore these outdated job search beliefs @erinkennedycprw

Job Search Then and Now, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Break the Rules or Change the Game? @WalterAkana

The New: From The Employer’s-Eye View, @ResumeService

Job Search: Breakable Rules and Outdated Beliefs, @KatCareerGal

Job Hunting Rules to Break (Or Why and How to Crowd Your Shadow), @chandlee @StartWire,

Shades of Gray, @DawnBugni

3 Rules That Are Worth Your Push-Back, @WorkWithIllness

Your Photo on LinkedIn – Breaking a Cardinal Job Search Rule? @KCCareerCoach

How to find a job: stop competing and start excelling, @Keppie_Careers

Be You-Nique: Resume Writing Rules to Break, @ValueIntoWords

Modernizing Your Job Search, @LaurieBerenson

Don’t Get Caught With an Old School Resume, @barbarasafani

How Breaking the Rules Will Help You in Your Job Search, @expatcoachmegan

Beat the Job-Search-Is-a-Numbers-Game Myth, @JobHuntOrg

25 Habits to break if you want a job, @CareerSherpa

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When all else fails …

31 January 2011, 1:30 pm

I’ve written about this topic before here and here. However, lately, it seems I need to stress the importance of following instructions, yet again.

I ask clients, usually twice in one email, to confirm time zones when acknowledging appointment times.

~ I frequently have to send follow-up emails to get time zone information needed to make sure appointments go off without a hitch.

I ask clients to email two to three specific appointment day/times to fit their schedule.

~ I receive back a vague “Whatever works for you …” response. This forces a volley of emails back and forth to narrow down what could have been taken care of in one request and one confirmation email.

I ask clients to provided job posting examples of targeted positions, copied and pasted into a Word document. (Putting the information Word documents ensures the information will be available when we’re ready to speak and eliminates the hassle of broken links and password-protected, inaccessible information, on my end.)

~ I receive emails with links to their targets. (BTW: I’m VERY clear in explaining the reasoning behind the copy and paste request when I make it.)

I say, send no more than two or three target examples.

~I receive five or six.

I spend time (lots of time) on the phone when booking clients explaining the importance of focus when creating a resume. I ask clients to narrow their job search goals so we can be laser-focused on company or industry needs and do a solid presentation speaking to those needs.

~I get information about two or three potential targets ranging from retail store manager to brain surgeon (well, OK, maybe not brain surgeon, but you get the idea.)

I ask clients to verify phone numbers on old documents are current so I’m sure to call the correct number at the appointed time.

~I frequently have to send a follow-up emails to confirm contact information.

I could go on … Lest you think I’m a picky, crabby, old curmudgeon, please know, I always go back, multiple times if necessary, to clients. I’m committed to client success and will do what it takes to ensure we have a smooth appointment and I get the information I know I need to craft interview-landing career documents.

Now, if I was a hiring authority, I’ll be honest, it would be a different story. I wouldn’t bother following up with people who can’t follow instructions. Think about it. Would YOU hire someone who did it their own way, when you’ve taken time to spell out what’s needed for successful application? You would probably dismiss the person who’s demonstrated the potential to be a problem from “hello” and move your focus to the people who respect your process and help you help them from the very beginning.

True. Application processes are difficult to navigate. Each company seems to have different procedures and nuances. It’s almost enough to push a job seeker over the edge. But you know what? Frequently, the application process is difficult to help weed out those unable to follow directions from the very beginning. Companies hire solutions to their problems; not more problems. You can work to change things once you’re employed there. Until then, read and FOLLOW the directions. The interview process begins when you hit “send”.

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