Ask Mike Palumbo about Your Career!

Little Victories = Big Success!

2012-05-18T10:46:00.000-05:00

The little victories throughout your life will bring you the success you’re seeking. You must have these little victories to get where you want to go. Many of you think you can skip this step and start right at success. It doesn’t work that way.

As a professional recruiter I review a lot of resumes, CV’s, and biographical data on candidates. If there is one thing that sticks out with successful people it’s the little victories or successful track record they have throughout their careers.

The little victories, wins, promotions, and success you have throughout your life matters. Sometimes at the time these little victories might seem insignificant, but nothing can be further than the truth. These little victories shape you and give you confidence in your ability to be successful in the future. It’s part of your journey to a successful life and career.

These little victories give you a taste of winning and being successful. It doesn’t matter how small, little, or insignificant it might seem, it’s huge in the big picture of your life. You must learn how to be successful and that is exactly what these little victories do for you.

Your little victories can be in sports, arts, music, business, card games, school, or any other extra curricular activity where there is competition. Do you know another thing that sticks out on the resumes, CV’s and biographical data on successful candidates? They never quit or give up. NEVER! Even if they lose, they don’t give up. They keep plugging away until they reach some type of victory. They understand it matters.

You have to have these little victories to get to the big victories. You cannot quit! You cannot give up! If you start something (anything) stick to it and never quit. Finish what you start. Stay focused. Understand that the little victories in your life, even as small as they may seem, are very important. You must compete. Learn to win. Learn how to be successful. You have to learn these things because there really is a road to success, you cannot start at success. It doesn’t work that way. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Get Organized! Keep Records!

2012-05-17T09:14:00.000-05:00

It is critical to keep records during your job search. You must organize everything. It’s important to understand what is working and what is not working for you. It matters!

If you keep records you will start to see a pattern of what works! If you’re not keeping records it will cost you big time! Start a file immediately, computer file or hard file, it really doesn’t matter how you keep records. Use whatever systems you’re comfortable with just make sure you’re logging everything.

Organize your files with companies, contacts, resumes sent, interviews and results of those interviews, and anything else that might be important to you or your specific industry. Believe me, you will start to see a pattern develop with your job search. Some of the things you might be doing are helping you and some things you’re doing might be hurting you.

You can also test different approaches to see how they work. Keep records of these activities and adjust your approach accordingly. Each company may respond to different approaches. Maybe if you call a company first, before you send them your resume it gets you an interview, but if you email a resume without contacting them first it doesn’t. Try different things. Keep good records of what is working for you.

You shouldn’t be using one approach to your job search, especially if that approach isn’t getting you interviews or job offers. When you’re organized and keeping records on everything you will also start to see a pattern with companies. Some companies will run ads for a position, take it down, and then run it again in a few months. When you see patterns like that with companies it typically means they are having a hard time filling a particular position or at the very least keeping people in that position.

By keeping records you can follow-up with companies again. You can follow-up with the interviews you’ve had. There is a lot of turnover within companies so maybe there is a new person you need to contact this time. And, maybe this person will view your information differently than the last person did? Who knows? Don’t wing it and rely on your memory. I want you to keep records of everything. Test different approaches. When you’re organized and keeping good records it will pay off for you big time! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Failure Isn’t An Option!

2012-05-16T11:50:00.000-05:00

In all of your dealings in life, whether it’s looking for your first job, changing careers, interviewing for your dream job, or even going through something in your personal life, you have to believe that failure isn’t an option!

When believing failure isn’t an option something starts to happen to you, almost immediately. You start to make things happen. You think differently. You don’t want to fail and failure isn’t an excuse for you to use anymore. You’re a winner now!

I know you might be laughing at this, but let me tell you about my own experiences and how this type of thinking has benefited me throughout my life. Like a lot of people, I didn’t come from a wealthy family. I didn’t have anything to fall back on if I didn’t “make it” in life. If I didn’t make it happen, it wasn’t going to happen. Period. I know I am not special in this department. A lot of you come from life situations that are less than desirable. The question is, regardless of the situation, how are you going to handle it?

You have to have a winning attitude instead of a losing attitude. Believe you can win, but more specifically learn what it is to win. Learn what you need to do to win. Look at successful people and find out what they’re doing. Can you do what they’re doing? Learn from them. You have more control over your life and career than you will ever realize, so take control!

Don’t look at successful people and think they’re “lucky” or “special” they’re not. They work hard and stay extremely focused on their goals. They don’t think losing thoughts. They think winning thoughts. Failure isn’t an option to them. Believing in yourself is what I want you to start doing. Forget about failure. Not trying is failure. Are you going to stop trying? Are you a loser? Do you want to be a loser?

Most professional athletes understand this type of positive thinking. Can you imagine a professional athlete or Olympian thinking losing thoughts? Now they don’t always win, and you won’t ALWAYS win either but you have to condition yourself to think positive and tell yourself failure isn’t an option! If you don’t think this works try it and see what happens to you. You will be pleasantly surprised. It works!

It is truly amazing what we can do if we put are minds to it. Quit thinking you can’t do something. You can do it, but first you have to start changing the way you think. You have to want to make it happen. You have to say to yourself failure isn’t an option! Now go get it! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Shorten Your Path To Success!

2012-05-15T10:33:00.000-05:00

Is there a way to shorten your path to success? I’m not talking about a short cut, but is there a way to shorten your path? Yes, it’s called an advisor or mentor.

Being successful is hard work. It takes a lot of hard work and persistence, that’s why so many people give up too soon. Please don’t give up! You must find a mentor, tutor, advisor, whatever you want to call it, but you have to find someone to help shorten the learning curve for you.

It doesn’t matter what you want to do. If you want to a successful barber, welder, mortgage banker, pilot, horse trainer, recruiter, engineer, concrete finisher, teacher, stone mason, broadcaster, musician, reporter and on and on. Whatever it is you want to do with your life, find someone that can help you. Learn from their mistakes.

When I first got in the recruiting business I had an excellent mentor. My mentor was an older gentleman with a lot of knowledge. I learned from his years of experience. He helped me avoid mistakes. He held my hand and walked me through some very difficult decisions. And by having this knowledgeable person at my side it shorten my learning curve. It shortened my path to success!

Learn as much as you can about your subject and read valuable web sites (like this one!) for ideas and information. These are great resources for you, but having someone to meet with on a regular basis or at least call is invaluable. I cannot stress this enough.

Are there any short cuts to success? No! But having a mentor, tutor, or advisor can help shorten your path to success. Does that mean it won’t take a lot of hard work on your part? No! Does this mean you won’t have to be as persistent? No! Nothing changes about that stuff. What changes is time. The time it will take you to get where you want will be shortened. Another thing, when you’re looking for this advisor, obviously you want to find someone successful. Learn from my experiences. This worked for me and it will work for you. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

How To Overcome Your Lack Of Experience

2012-05-14T10:37:00.000-05:00

Do you think your experience will hold you back? It most likely will, but the truth is most of us are only qualified for a small percentage of the positions out there. So don’t sweat it!

How can you get experience if companies won’t hire you because you don’t have any experience? Having this issue is normal for most new graduates and career changers. Are you frustrated because you can’t get a company to hire you because of your lack of experience? Again, it’s impossible for you to have experience in every position in the world. So keep things in perspective.

So what’s the answer? How can you overcome this never-ending problem? The truth is you’re not the first person that has had to deal with this issue. All of us have. It’s how you prepare for this issue (which you know is coming) that makes the difference. The best way to prepare for this lack of experience is to get into an internship program as soon as possible. Don’t wait until you graduate or soon to be. That’s too late!

As soon as you know your major, start looking for an internship! That’s how early I want you to get into an internship program. If you’re working in your industry for a year or two, albeit in an internship program, you will gain that all-important experience companies are looking for. Plus you will gain contacts in your industry, references from your industry when you’ve complete your internship, and the strong possibility of getting a job offer from the company you’re doing your internship with. What’s to lose? Nothing!

And internships aren’t just for students. If you’re looking to change careers I would strongly recommend you get into an internship for your specific industry. Believe me, a large majority of you will get job offers from these companies. The company will know you. They trained you. It’s less risky for this company to hire you then it is to hire an unknown candidate they didn’t train. I cannot stress the importance of internships enough. It’s the best way to get a jump on your competition.

If it is too late for you, because you didn’t plan accordingly, you will have to convince a company to take a chance on you. Invest in you. Take you on as a project. I can tell you without hesitation, a lot of companies won’t take this risk. They will tell you to apply once you have gained more experience. Yikes!

I wouldn’t have gotten into my first career position without my internships (Yes, I had more than one internship). When I graduated college I had almost two years of industry experience before I ever applied for my first position. Do you think I had an advantage over my competition? Absolutely! I had offers from my internships and other firms in my industry. By gaining that all-important industry experience, I took the risk out of it for the companies that wanted to hire me. I had experience.

So get into an internship, apprenticeship, On-the-job-training, or whatever it’s called in your industry. I know these situations don’t pay very well, but it doesn’t matter right now you need experience. Did I say this was going to be easy? No! And you’re not the first person that has dealt with this issue and you won’t be the last. I am telling you from my own personal experience how to overcome your lack of industry experience and what you need to do to be successful. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

The Games of Interviewing…

2012-05-11T08:34:00.000-05:00

What are the games of interviewing? Some of the games being played are unintentional and some are a part of a company's interviewing process. Either way, you have to win the games to get the job!

When I just graduated college I learned first hand about these interviewing games. I was in an interview with a company and the interviewer asked me, “Can you tell me a funny story?” What? Can you picture this? Here I am, a young guy just graduated college and I was ready and prepared for questions about my schooling, internships, and overall experience in the industry and this is the question I get? Yikes!

There are companies that will ask you silly questions in an interview. I have been told that companies do this to see if you can think fast on your feet. Whatever. I am still a believer in evaluating a candidate’s track record and accomplishments, but that’s just me. Some companies will have psychological testing or some type of personality test to see if you “fit in” to their organization.

I had a client many years ago that administered these psychological tests and I couldn’t get any candidates to pass the stupid thing. I finally ask the client if they ever took the same test there were giving these candidates. And do you know what this person said? He said, “Yes, I took the test but I didn’t pass it” Can you believe this? THIS IS A TRUE STORY! Obviously I couldn’t recruit for this company.

There are a lot of games that you will experience during your interviews. Some of these games are just a part of interviewing. Maybe the company takes you out to eat to see what kind of manners you have, and maybe they want you to drive to the restaurant so they can see what kind of car you drive? Maybe the company gives you a goofy test to take or asks silly questions like, “Tell me a funny story” or maybe even asks inappropriate questions. Maybe the interviewer is jealous of you and doesn’t want the competition? In the recruiting business we call this “competitive jealously” and this is huge within companies. Is this a game? Well, maybe not, but a lot of good qualified people do not get hired because of competitive jealously.

So, what’s the truth about these games when you're interviewing? You have to pass these tests (games) to get the job. Period. I don’t care what you are being told. If you don’t pass them you will not get hired. So, what’s the answer? Just be yourself and you should be fine. Believe me, some of these companies you wouldn’t want to work for anyway. Oh, in case you’re wondering how I answered the question, “Can you tell me a funny story?” I told the interviewer that I didn’t have a funny story and guess what? I didn’t get the job! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Don’t Be A Wimp!

2012-05-10T10:38:00.001-05:00

Is there anything worse than a wimpy guy? You women know what I’m talking about, right? If you’re being a wimp - stop it!

If you think you’re the first person that has to commute, travel, relocate, work the night shift or do work that’s beneath you, you’re wrong. Most successful people have done all of this, or maybe still do, in their careers.

When I’m speaking with some of you about your careers and job prospects, some of you are not being realistic. You can’t start at the top. You can’t cheat the system. You cannot go from A to Z skipping all the other steps in between. You have to go from A, B, C, D, E, etc., all the way to Z. Some of you want to start at Z! The top! It doesn’t work that way.

Don’t be a wimp! You might have to do some of the most meaningless jobs in the world to get where you want to go in life. In my life, I have been a dishwasher, busboy, waiter, and janitor among other things. I have worked the 2^nd shift, 3^rd shift and I have worked overseas in hardship areas. I have lived off popcorn and coffee for weeks at a time. Was all of this fun? No! It wasn’t always fun, but the interesting thing is some of the lessons I learned from those experiences I use today. And I think about them often. In fact, I was the best dishwasher in the city of Denver and possibly the entire state of Colorado! I still take pride in this.

What was so bad or harmful about doing that stuff? Nothing! I wasn’t a wimp! I remember what my mother used to tell me, she would say, “Whatever you do in life make sure you’re the best!” and “It doesn’t matter what you’re doing as long as you’re the best!” and that’s the attitude I still have today. Even if what you’re doing right now seems mindless, it’s not. You have to be the best at that mindless job! How do you think you will move-up and out of what you’re currently doing? By being the best, that’s how!

Don’t be a wimp! Sometimes you have to do ”what you have to do” to get where you want to go. Sometimes you have to suck it up and do things that are (you think) beneath you. I can tell you this without hesitation. All of the jobs you will ever have in your life you will learn from. And all of those jobs are important for you to get where you want to go. These jobs early in your career development are important to form your ideas about work and cement your work ethic. In other words, it’s good for you! Don’t be a wimp! Do what you have to do! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Not Getting Hired? Who’s Fault Is It?

2012-05-09T16:34:00.000-05:00

It might be your fault you’re not getting hired, but maybe it’s not? Could you be doing everything right and still not getting hired? Yes!

In my business I deal with companies and candidates during the interviewing process, and guess what? It’s not always the candidate’s fault they didn’t get hired. In fact, you might be surprised how many times it’s the company’s fault. It happens more than you think.

Typically the reason why companies are at fault is they don’t know how to interview and hire correctly. They are great at the business their involved in, whether it’s a product or service, but hiring people? Not so much. And I have found that it really doesn’t matter if the company has an HR Department or not. I know this sounds crazy, but some companies just have no idea how to hire people. Basically, they don't know what they're doing. It’s true.

Some companies play games. I have dealt with a company that put help wanted advertisements in trade magazines, newspapers, and Internet job boards with absolutely no intention on hiring anyone. What? I had a company hired us to recruit for them, but they had no intention to hire anyone. Again, what? Both of these companies were just padding their data banks with candidates for the future. Can you believe this?

One of the things companies do, all the time, is to look for the “perfect” candidate. Most of the time that “perfect” candidate doesn’t exist so they never hire anyone. We get calls from these companies and they will tell us they have been looking for over a year and they can't find the right candidate. After doing an evaluation on a company like this, it’s typically their fault. Their salary range is too low for what they are looking for or they don’t have any benefits, etc., and the list goes on. I will usually find something wrong.

There are a lot of games being played out there, so you shouldn’t beat up on yourself if you’re not getting hired. If you’re doing your research and approaching the right companies, you will find something. And remember, the fact that you’re not getting hired isn’t always your fault. So stay positive and keep plowing. Sometimes it’s the company’s fault! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

You Can Make Your Fortune In Anything!

2012-05-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of get-rich-quick and work-at-home opportunities out there, but do you know what? There is no substitute for hard work and sticking to something. Anything!

When I first got into the recruiting business I was introduced to some of the most bizarre occupations and some of these bizarre occupations paid very well. I learned a valuable lesson about the different occupations and careers in this world. You know what? There are a lot of career fields and occupations out there that are under the radar, not very glamorous, but pay extremely well.

Some people might include my career as an Executive Search Consultant in that bizarre occupation and career field category. I guess it is. There aren’t a lot of people that know what an Executive Search Consultant does, and we tend to fly under the radar, so I guess I would be considered in that category. And there are many other career fields that fall into this category.

In my career I have recruited emulsion asphalt mix designers. A what? And a caisson drilling project superintendent. Huh? How about a tieback and anchor bolt shoring designer? What? See what I mean? And I could list careers fields for days and not run out of pages on this web site. These career fields and occupations might be foreign to us, but to the people that do these jobs all day long? It’s normal stuff. It’s what they do.

So, what’s my point?

My point is you can make your fortune in ANYTHING! Some people have made their fortunes in the trash business! Hauling business! Car wash business! Medical delivery business! Bridge painting business! And the Port-A-Potty business! Don’t always look for those career fields that are obvious or well known. There might be a really nice career waiting for you in something that you don’t even know exists today. Before I became an Executive Search Consultant I didn’t know what it was, or even heard of it, and now I’ve been one for almost 20 years!

Stay away from the get-rich-quick ideas. Get into something and stick with it. Know your business, whatever it is, like no one else. Become an expert in your field. Become in demand. The key to success is to find something, ANYTHING, and stick with it. You will be more successful in the long run. And then maybe one day you will be telling your story about how you made your fortune in ________! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

It’s Not All About Your Qualifications!

2012-05-07T09:25:00.000-05:00

Your qualifications are part of it, but not the biggest part, when you’re interviewing for a new position.

I wish companies hired just on qualifications, it would make my job a lot easier, but they don’t. It’s true. Do you know why? We’re not robots and companies aren’t robots. We are all human beings and the interaction between you and the people within the company during the interview process plays a huge part. The biggest part!

I have written tips on this subject many times. Companies don’t hire people – people do! And people hire people they like! It’s really that simple. I deal with this issue all day long in my business. I see it play out in interview after interview. It’s always the same thing. Companies will pass on you in an interview for some of the littlest things. I mean sometimes ridiculous and petty stuff.

It could be as little as the person you’re interviewing with doesn’t want the competition. In other words, you’re too good! This happens. In the recruiting business we call this “competitive jealously” and this happens more than you think. You’re just too good and they don’t want you around. Sounds petty and ridiculous, doesn’t it?

Along with “competitive jealously” you can find a number of issues that can keep you from getting the job, and they have absolutely nothing to do with your qualifications. It can be that you were late to the interview, your appearance, you didn’t shake hands firmly, you didn’t make eye contact when you were speaking, your posture, your voice, your smile, your manners, you smelled like smoke, your breath, you were chewing gum, you were wearing too much cologne, you smelled like alcohol, you were rude, you were flirty, you weren’t flirty, and the list goes on and on.

So what’s the answer? The answer is, and you might not like it, BE YOURSELF! You have to be yourself in interviews. That is where you’re going to be the most comfortable and genuine. Of course you have to mind your manners and be your best, but you shouldn’t change your personality. Incorporate good manners and good sense into your own personality. You want to join a company that wants you the way you are, and besides, who really wants to join a company that wants you to be a robot? I don’t.

Your qualifications will get you in the door for the interview, true, but YOU will be the one that gets the job. Don’t beat up on yourself if a company passes on you for a position. It happens. Not every company is right for you and you won’t fit into every company. That’s okay. It’s all about the chemistry between you and the interviewer. If there is commonality and chemistry between the two of you most likely you will get the position. If not, you won’t. Other than minding your manners and doing the right things during your interview THIS IS TOTALLY OUT OF YOUR CONTROL so don’t worry about it. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Never Sell Yourself Short!

2012-05-04T09:57:00.000-05:00

Successful people are not super human. You are much better than you think you are. It’s true!

What is the difference between a successful person and an unsuccessful person? The difference is the way they think. Really. There isn’t anything mysterious about success. Success isn’t based on luck. Successful people are ordinary people that just believe in themselves. They think differently.

Never sell yourself short. You can do it! The people that are successful in their careers, maybe in a career field you want to get in, are just people. Nothing special. They made the decision to pursue their dreams. They set goals for themselves and stuck to those goals. And, most importantly, believed they could do it. They had an “I can do it” attitude and stuck to their plan.

I am not saying this is easy. It’s not. Being successful requires a lot of work, that’s why so many people fall short. It’s hard. You can make it a lot harder if you have losing thoughts. Believe me, how you think and view yourself will have a huge impact on your success. Some people just think losing thoughts and not winning thoughts. Are you doing this? Do you think you’re inferior? Are you selling yourself short?

Don’t put successful people on pedestals. They are just people! Not unlike you, just a little different in the way they think. You have to think successful thoughts, not failure. You have to think big, not small. The size of your success will determine the size of your belief. Think little and you will get little. Think success and you will get success. You have to change the way you think. It matters.

Never sell yourself short. You are much better than you think you are. You have more control over your life and career than you will ever realize. A lot of your success will be determined by the way you view yourself and especially the way you think. Winning thoughts and “I can do it” attitude will produce success for you. Successful people are just like you, they just think differently, so never sell yourself short and start changing the way you think! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Something In Your Background?

2012-05-03T09:10:00.000-05:00

Are you worried about something in your background that could keep you from getting a job? Maybe even your dream job?

Some of you have excellent work references, so that’s not a problem, but maybe you did something in the past that could surface when a company does a background check on you. Maybe even something that could keep you from getting hired? Now what?

Throughout my career I’ve had to deal with every imaginable situation that can surface during a background check with a candidate. As you can imagine, each one of these background check issues has to be handled differently and on a case-by-case basis but I use the same philosophy and principles in every case, and that is to be open and honest with every company.

You should be open and honest with companies BEFORE the background check is performed on you. If there is something in your background that should be addressed with the company, bring this up after the company has met you, but before the background check is performed.

Why do I say after the company has met you and before the background check? There is absolutely no reason to discuss something in your past in a first interview. You should wait until you meet with the company and you’re both interested in proceeding. Do not discuss this issue in your past too early in the process. What if you don’t want to work there? What if the company doesn’t feel you’re right for the position? This can happen, right? So don’t discuss any issues too early in the interview process.

Once you have interviewed with this company several times and they indicate they will be extending you an offer of employment, pending reference checks and a background check - BINGO! Now is the time to address this issue in your past. Now in a very positive tone you can explain to the company when they conduct a background check on you there is a certain issue that could come up.

Now this is where you have to be open and honest and explain the situation to the company. Depending on your issue, explain that you’ve learned your lesson and it’s made you a better person. Explain that you made a mistake and paid the price for it, but you learned a lot from it and it’s something that you would never do again, etc., etc., you get the point. The company will appreciate your honesty in dealing with this issue.

It will be better if you tell the company rather than them finding out through the background check. Plus, it gives you a chance to explain it to them in detail. You kind of know each other at this point. They have made a decision on you for the position within their company. They like you! It’s a lot easier for a company to overlook any issue you might have in your past once they know you. It makes a difference.

My point is, I have had candidates with a DUI, Bankruptcy, Prison, Petty Crimes, Drugs, Alcoholism, Foreclosures, Repossessions and you name it in their backgrounds, but they had excellent work references. These types of issues in your background can, and will, stop you from receiving an offer from a company, but if you explain what happened before they find out through a background check it will enhance your chances of receiving an offer. Nothing is 100%, but it will certainly help. And remember, never discuss these issues too early, wait until they like you! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Exploring Job Opportunities?

2012-05-02T10:45:00.000-05:00

Always explore job opportunities to the fullest! Don’t assume anything and don’t make any decisions until you go through the entire interview process.

If you’re making decisions too early in the interviewing process you’re making a mistake. Don’t make a decision until you have a decision to make. When will you have a decision to make? When the company extends you an offer. Until the company extends you an offer there isn’t a decision to make. Got it?

Too many of you are making assumptions about job opportunities. You make assumptions on the company, but you’ve never worked there. You make assumptions on the location of the company, but you’ve never lived there. You make assumptions on the industry, but you’ve never worked in their industry. And the list goes on.

The best advice I can give you when you’re faced with any job opportunities is to go through the entire interviewing process before you make your decision. Explore the opportunity to the fullest. Get all of your questions answered. Meet the people within the company. See their operation and do your fact-finding and due diligence. Then gather all of the information and evaluate the opportunity – included the offer – before you make your decision.

In my business as a professional recruiter, I see a lot of candidates back out of interviews before they ever receive an offer. Why? I don’t want you to do this. What decision do you have to make before you receive an offer? Do you have all of the facts to make a decision? No! It’s impossible to make a decision on a job opportunity until you have an offer in your hand. Impossible!

A lot of things can happen during the interviewing process. At first you can be interviewing for one position and then the role changes and the positions gets better. Maybe it turns into a higher position with more pay. You will never be aware of these types of situations if you back out too soon.

I see things like this all the time in the recruiting business. Don’t assume anything when you’re interviewing with a company. And, make sure you do yourself a favor and explore all of your job opportunities to the fullest! Believe me you will be glad you did. Plus, you never know where these things can end up. I have seen candidates interview for one position and be offered something much greater in the end. This stuff happens all the time. Don’t assume anything! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Worried? Stay Busy!

2012-05-01T09:41:00.000-05:00

If you’re currently worried about your future get busy! When you’re busy you won’t have time to worry. Does it really matter what you’re doing to stay busy? No!

Don’t say you can’t afford it. Give me a break! It doesn’t take any money to stay busy, does it? Volunteering? Walking? Running? Hiking? Reading? Working in the yard? Do these things cost money? I didn’t think so. If you’re currently out-of-work, or bored with life, get busy! It helps.

I know people that are out-of-work, extremely depressed, and feeling helpless. Why? The down time is not your friend. In fact, it’s killing you. Get busy! Turn the television off and get moving. Do something. Don’t just wait for an opportunity go and find one! Make one! Do you think someone is going to ring your doorbell and ask if you’re available? No! You have to go get it! And staying busy is one of the best ways to do it.

I am covering this today because I’ve been there. I have had things go wrong in my life. I have had situations in my life and business that worried me. Do you know what always helped me? Staying busy! It works for me and I know it will work for you. The funny thing about staying busy is you get more things done. Can you believe that? It’s true. The busier I am the more I get done. Period.

When you have all day to do something, you will take all day to do it. If you only have a few hours to do that same task, you will do it in a few hours. When you’re busy you will get more done. Staying busy keeps your mind active. It keeps your mind off all of the negative things you might be dealing with in your life.

Staying busy will help you crystallize your thinking about your future, your career and your life. Everything. If you stay busy you’re living! You’re participating in life! You’re a productive member of society! And here is the beauty of it all. You will see more opportunities come your way. You will be “out there” and aware of the opportunities in your community. Good things will start to happen to you and the depression will subside. So if you’re going through this right now, get busy! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Plenty Of Room At The Top!

2012-04-30T10:09:00.000-05:00

The old saying is true, “There’s plenty of room at the top” but do you know why? If you think there are a ton of reasons why you’re wrong!

As a professional recruiter I deal with these issues all day, so it’s not surprising to me there isn’t enough qualified individuals for key positions. This isn’t a guess to me it’s a fact. So the question is, why? Why isn’t there enough experts or qualified people for key positions in companies?

There are tons of “almost” qualified or “nearly” qualified, but these individuals are missing something. Do you know what they are missing? The one key ingredient they’re missing is the ability to get things done. That’s it. The nearly qualified and the almost qualified aren’t people of action. They don’t get things done. They usually talk a good game, but that’s it. They’re pretenders.

As a recruiter I can spot these individuals by their track records. They typically can’t stay anywhere very long, so they will have a two or three year stay with a company and then move on to the next company. And because they held a prominent position in the past they can command a new prominent position - until that company figures them out. And then the process starts over and repeats itself.

If you want to get to the top you have to be a person of action! You have to be able to make decisions! Good ideas are not enough you have to be able act upon those ideas. A mediocre idea acted upon is better than a fantastic idea that never sees the light of day. Think about it, everything that has ever been invented started out as an idea. Just an idea someone acted upon. Action is the key. Making decisions is paramount.

When I am dealing with companies they always tell me the same thing. The number one problem with their upper management and executive staff is their ability to act upon ideas and make decisions. If you’re too passive and unable to act or make decisions you need to work on this because this is your key to the top! Your ability to act and make decisions will directly impact your ability to get to the top of your profession.

The people that can’t make decisions typically wait for everything to be perfect. The problem in business is that everything is moving at a very fast pace and if you delay and wait for everything to be right, you will miss out on an opportunity. Don’t make this mistake. You have to act. You have to make decisions. The ability to get things done – in any industry – is the key to your success. I don’t care what business you’re in if you want to get to the lonely top of your profession, where there’s plenty of room, you have to become a person of ACTION! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Scheduled For A Dinner Interview?

2012-04-27T08:35:00.001-05:00

If you’re scheduled for an interview over a meal, and you’ve never done this before, there are a couple of things you should consider before the meeting.

One of the most important things you have to do when interviewing over dinner, lunch or even a breakfast, is to be decisive when you are ordering. Don’t hesitate. Keep it simple and don’t order difficult food to eat. Some foods are very messy to eat where you have to use your hands and a lot of napkins. Stay away from ordering these types of foods. You should order something light and easy to chew.

Although you’re meeting over dinner, it’s still an interview and that is the purpose of the meeting so eating is secondary. You will be watched, so be decisive and mind your manners. If you’re interviewing in a different Country you might want to check the different customs of that Country. In some Countries you will have to be aware of their culture. This stuff matters.

Stay away from drinking alcohol and smoking during this interview. Today companies have negative views of these habits, so don’t even risk it. I have had clients pass on candidates because they smoked. That’s a little extreme, but it happens. I am not telling you to quit these habits, just stay away from it while you’re interviewing.

It is very easy to let your guard down during these types of interviews, don’t do it. Again, this is still an interview and it’s very important for you. Take it seriously, regardless of the type of restaurant or setting. Believe me, you are being watched.

Finally, you shouldn’t have to pay for your meal, but I’ve seen stranger things in my career. Make sure you have money just in case you have to pay for your meal, parking, etc. Frankly I would be concerned about joining a company that makes you pay for anything, but you need to be prepared just in case. Enjoy yourself and have fun! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

What Does This Company Want?

2012-04-26T09:02:00.001-05:00

There is a lot of employment terminology used in help wanted advertisements that might be keeping you from pursuing excellent opportunities, don’t let this happen to you. Proceed!

One of the biggest employment terminology issues you will come across during your job search is the help wanted advertisements. Companies will say in their ads, “Strongly Prefer” “Must have” “At least 10 years experience” “Must know” or other similar phrases that might be keeping you from answering the advertisement.

These are “wish list” terms used by companies and they are not cast-in-stone. If you feel you’re qualified for the position you should apply to the position. You will also see these “wish list” terms in the education section of the help wanted ads, something you might think is “required” but again if you’re qualified for the position, answer the ad!

In my business as a professional recruiter, I don’t even pay attention to those ads. My job is to find the best possible candidate for my client. Sometimes the best candidate doesn’t have the exact degree the company is looking for or the right “requirements” they want. I bend the rules all the time with companies. Do you know why? I understand these help wanted advertisements are “wish lists” and that’s all.

Now, having said all that, if you have absolutely NO experience in what the company is looking for and you do not meet ANY of the requirements don’t apply to the position! That’s not what I am talking about. What I am saying is the employment industry has a certain terminology about it, not unlike other industries, and you should be aware of these terms when they are being used.

Most of the time these terms are being used for screening purposes, not to keep good qualified candidates away. Unfortunately, that’s what some companies are doing. Sometimes they try to be too cute in these ads and it keeps good qualified candidates from answering their help wanted advertisement. Not good.

Don’t let this inside employment terminology keep you from applying to positions. If you’re qualified, answer the advertisement. Don’t screen yourself out! Apply. Another thing to remember is, rules are broken all the time in businesses and nothing is 100%. Now go get it! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Ask For The Job!

2012-04-25T09:48:00.000-05:00

There are some hiring managers that won’t extend an offer to you unless you indicate interest. So if you want the job, ask for it!

Believe me, the recruiting and hiring business has a lot of games to it. I could write books about the games that go on within companies and never run out of material. It’s true! We can debate why there are so many games, but the fact of the matter is, they exist and you will have to deal with it.

Some hiring mangers don’t like to be rejected, so they won’t extend you an offer if they think you will reject it. Crazy? Yes, but this happens. Hiring managers like to meet with candidates that are enthusiastic about joining their company. They don’t want to feel like they are the second, third, or even forth choice.

I have seen candidates get an offer because they showed interest in the company and they asked for the job! That’s it! I cannot stress this enough, if you like the position and the company, don’t play games. Don’t play hard to get! By asking for the position you’re not ruining your negotiation power, you’re just telling the truth!

In my business as a professional recruiter, I truly wish there wasn’t so many games being played by the companies AND the candidates. These games make it very difficult to do my job.

If you’re interested in the job, let the hiring manager know you’re interested. If you’re uncomfortable saying “I want this job” then say something like this “I’m interested in proceeding to the next step” when you say something like that it will separate you from the game players. The hiring manager will like that you’re showing interest in their company. So be aware, if you’re playing too hard to get you might be playing with fire! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Asking And Answering – Your Own Questions?

2012-04-24T11:06:00.001-05:00

Are you the type of person that asks and answers your own questions? If you are this type of person you need to make some adjustments to your style when interviewing.

I’ve discussed many times how important it is to ask questions when you’re interviewing. Some of you are good at this and some of you are not. Anytime you’re asking a question it’s important to be silent once you have asked the question. Don’t continue to talk, or answer your own question! Be silent and let the interviewer answer your question.

I bet some of you don’t even know you’re doing this, right? I’ve been with candidates that answer their own questions, finish my sentences, talk very fast or non-stop, ramble, and the list goes on. If you are one of these types of people try and slow down. Pause. Breath. Ask your question and then listen for your answer. Don’t let the silence bother you. It's your friend.

In case you don’t understand what I am talking about, here are some examples “What kind of health insurance plan do you have, is it Blue Cross Blue Shield?” or “What are your working hours, are they 9 to 5?” or “What is your dress code in the office, is it business casual?” or “What is your relocation policy, do you reimburse the expenses?” and there are a ton more, as you can imagine. Just ask the question and let the interviewer answer it.

Silence goes a long way in business and especially when you’re interviewing. It gives people a chance to think. Let the interviewer think and digest what you just asked. Some interviewers are just as nervous as you are! Let them gather their thoughts and answer your question. Silence is good. Learn it. Love it.

There are so many things to consider when you’re interviewing, isn't there? As petty as this seems, this stuff can make the difference to your interview. It can mean success or failure. So, remember, silence is your friend. Don’t feel you have to fill in the quiet time with useless chatter. Besides, you might end up saying something you really shouldn’t. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Give It A Break!

2012-04-23T09:22:00.001-05:00

If you’re getting burned out with your job search, or even your current job, take a break. Sit back and relax, clear-your-head, reorganize, and then go back at it fully recharged! It helps.

Sometimes in your job search you can start pushing too hard. You might be doing this in your current job as well. When you start pushing too hard it can start to have diminishing returns. In other words, you’re doing more damage than good. It might seem like this goes against logic, but it’s true.

Getting burned out is normal. Trying too hard and not getting any results can be frustrating for anybody. If this is happening in your job search it’s time to give it a break. If this is happening in your current job it’s also time to give it a break. I’m not saying for years or months at a time, but maybe a week or few days? Or, maybe even just for a few hours? I personally do this all the time. It helps.

I regularly walk the beach for a few hours and just reflect on my business and life. I think about new ways to do things. It helps me focus on what I need to do. I come up with new ideas. I dream. This helps me and it will help you. If you’re getting burned out it’s time to give it a break and come back to your project fresh.

Some of you like playing golf to relax. Golf? That’s not very relaxing, in fact, that can be very frustrating! I want you to do something relaxing. Try doing absolutely nothing for a while. Find a nice quite place and think about your future. Visualize being successful.

Some of you might be laughing at this technique, that’s fine, but I wanted to pass along what helps me. When I put my work down and get away for a few hours it helps me recharge. When I get back to the office I feel refreshed and ready to go! I told you what I do, but you have to find something you can do to relax and give it a break. I really believe it should be something in isolation. You can go to the park, walk the beach, find a quite spot where you can sit and relax. Whatever works for you?

Burning yourself out can cause depression and eventually even make you sick. If this is happening to you, step back away from what you’re doing and take a look at your business and your life. Relax. Think. Dream. And when you return you will be more productive and successful. Give it a break! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Avoid Interview Distractions!

2012-04-20T08:57:00.000-05:00

You have enough to worry about when you’re interviewing don’t bring additional distractions to it.

I have had candidates bring their spouse, children, parents, dogs, and the list goes on, to an interview. Don’t bring anything to an interview that is going to be a distraction for you. I know this sounds obvious, but don't bring anyone with you to an interview.

If you need a ride, or some type of special help, have that person help you and then leave. You can call them to pick you up when you’re done with the interview. Whatever you do, even if the interviewer says it’s okay to have this person stay for the interview, don’t agree to it. You won’t be yourself and it will be very distracting.

I had a situation many years ago where a candidate brought his wife with him to an interview. Guess what happened? My clients called me and said, “The interview went pretty well, but he brought his wife and she asked most of the questions” Oops. Not good. Don’t bring your spouse to an interview.

Do I have to say anything about children? I don’t care how cute they are don’t bring your children or any family members for that matter to an interview. If you’re a single parent you must find someone to watch your children while you’re interviewing. You need to be on your game when you’re interviewing, dealing with a child during this time is just a distraction. And these distractions could cost you a job!

When do you bring family members to an interview? When you are invited to do so. It is very common in a second or third interview for the company to ask to meet your spouse. Typically it’s a dinner meeting. This can still be distracting, because you might be worried about what your spouse will say or how they will act. If you are scheduled for this type of dinner meeting make sure you “coach” your spouse. Make sure they understand, although it’s a dinner meeting, the company is still interviewing you and they shouldn’t contradict or disrupt you.

Most of these distractions are self-induced, so please don’t bring any of these distractions to your interviews. It’s too important. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Health and Your Interview

2012-04-19T09:08:00.001-05:00

If you’re not feeling 100%, don’t go on an interview. How can you possibly be your best if you’re not feeling well?

There are a lot of things that can doom an interview. Some of these things are within your control and some are not. It’s within your control whether you attend an interview or not, so if you’re not feeling 100% at the time of your interview reschedule it for another day.

Whatever you do, even if tempted, don’t attend an interview when you’re not feeling well. And health issues can mean a lot of different things to people. We’re all different, so “feeling well” can mean one thing to you and something else to another person.

If something is bothering you, not necessarily a health issue but some type of personal issue or family issue and you think you won’t be able to perform well in an interview, reschedule it. It can be car trouble (I had this the other day) or a family member’s troubles that are making it hard for you to stay focused. These are all reasons to reschedule an interview.

You want to be at your very best when you’re interviewing. Nothing less than 100%! Again, there are a lot of things during an interview that are totally out-of-your-hands, but showing up when you’re not feeling well is totally within your control. When you’re not feeling well it shows. You look different. The things that are bothering you will show up in your body language. The company won’t think any less of you because you have to reschedule the interview. You can meet this company later when you're feeling 100% and at your very best! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Maintain Eye Contact!

2012-04-18T09:05:00.000-05:00

When you’re interviewing make sure you maintain eye contact with the interviewer. It is very uncomfortable to interview a candidate and they cannot maintain eye contact.

This interviewing stuff has a lot of parts to it, doesn’t it? First a company has to invite you for an interview, then you have to worry about your experience, what to say, how to act, what to wear, and now I’m telling you to maintain eye contact! How can you keep this all straight?

You have to become an actor, to some degree, not a phony but you have to learn your lines. You’re going to be on stage with this company, so you have to perform and be your best! Nothing else will stand! So, how do actors get ready for Broadway? Practice and rehearse. And that's what you’re going to start doing. Don’t wing it!

Practice your lines (interview answers) in front of your family. Let them critique you and make suggestions. You might have all the right answers but your body language is horrible. You might be fidgeting around and not maintaining eye contact with them. They will tell you what you’re doing wrong. It will help believe me.

When I first started my radio show I had my wife ask me questions, like a caller calling into a radio show. It worked. As a matter fact, I was over prepared! And that's what you will find. When you practice and rehearse your lines (interview answers) you will be over prepared! Which would you rather be? Over prepared or not prepared at all? I was so over prepared for my radio show that there wasn’t a caller’s question that I couldn’t handle. That’s how I want you to be in your interview.

Maintaining eye contact is very important. I’ve seen very qualified candidates not get hired, just because they didn’t look into the eyes of their interviewer. It matters. When you rehearse and practice your interview make sure this is one area your family focuses on. Eye contact. You can also practice in the mirror. Interviewing can be intimidating, just like being on stage, so learn and practice your lines (interview answers) just like actors do! If you rehearse you will be a big hit in your interview and when you're a big hit in my business that means a job offer! I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Dealing With A Bad Reference?

2012-04-17T09:47:00.000-05:00

Is a bad reference with a past employer keeping you from getting a job offer? It could be, depending on the situation, but there is a way to deal with a possible bad reference. Be honest!

When you’re asked to supply references to a company give them at least three “good” references. Now here is where you want to make sure you speak to your references and explain to the individuals that they could get a call from someone at XYZ Company about a reference on you. Ask them what they would say about you. In my experience people like to be informed of such a call, they don’t like to be caught off guard.

Make sure all of your references are on-board and okay with being a reference for you, before you supply them to a company. Once you’ve determined that this person will be a good reference then I would include them in your references. If a past employer has an issue with being a reference for you, then there could be a possible problem. I would just tell this person that it’s okay if they would rather not be a reference for you. Thank them for their time and move on to your next possible reference on your list. The key is you need to find references that will say something good about you.

Okay, now let’s deal with that bad reference. For whatever reason, maybe a past employer and you didn’t see eye-to-eye, or you didn’t like working there, the people, location, hours, money, whatever, and you didn’t leave on the best of terms. DO NOT PUT THIS COMPANY DOWN AS A REFERENCE! It seems so obvious, doesn’t it? But you would be surprised how many references I have personally done and the company didn’t say anything good about the candidate. Can you believe this? It happens.

Do not supply a bad reference to a company, got it? Where this can cause complications is when the company you’re trying to join asks for a specific reference from one of your past employers. And that particular employer is one you don’t want to include, for whatever reason. You can get this in smaller towns where everybody knows everybody. The company you’re trying to join might even pick-up the phone and call one of your past employers because they may know each other. This happens, again especially in smaller towns. If you didn’t include this particular company in your references they might ask you why. This is where you have to be honest about the situation and tell the truth.

Make sure you stay positive about the situation. Say something like this “I didn’t put that company on my reference list because I didn’t leave on the best of terms. I really enjoyed working there it just wasn’t the right situation for me” I would stay as positive as possible. You can invite them to call that company, but tell them you have no idea what kind of reference they would give on you. In other words, tell the truth.

Do you want to know the reality of references? Most companies won’t do reference checks on you if they like you for the position. It’s true. Companies also know that people leave employers for all kinds of reasons, in fact, they deal with these issues all the time. They also know that some companies are extremely hard to work for and they don’t always have the most ideal working conditions. This is normal stuff.

If you’re concerned about a possible bad reference from a past employer, just tell the truth. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to these things. Your future employer will appreciate it. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!

Interviews = Job Offers

2012-04-16T17:16:00.001-05:00

In order for you to get job offers you need interviews. You must do whatever is necessary to get an interview! You must get creative.

There are really three types of interviews.

1) Interviews for specific job openings

2) Casual need interview (No specific openings)

3) Courtesy interview

It might take you all three of these interviews, or some combination of these three, to get a job offer. All three are useful, but some of you won’t go on the second or third type of interview and you should. Let’s cover each one of these so you know the difference.

Interviews for a specific job opening

This is a typical job opening and where you spend the majority of your time. This is where a company is looking to fill a specific position within their company. These are really good places for you to look, but in some cases you will find a tremendous amount of competition. Everybody answers these advertisements.

Casual need interview (No specific openings)

This will take some work on your part, but it’s worth the effort. This is where a company is willing to meet with you but they really don’t have any specific needs (openings). This is a good interview to have because it will give you a chance to shine and sell yourself to a decision maker. If you shine in a casual interview the company might make room for you! This happens all the time. Very few people do casual interviews, because they think it will waste their time. Nothing can be further from the truth. You need to include this type of interview in your job search.

Courtesy interview

This is where a family member or friend sets-up a courtesy meeting with a company that doesn't have any specific openings or casual openings, but someone is willing to meet with you and discuss the industry. This person can assist you in your job search and possibly even refer you to someone in the industry they feel may have an opening. This is basically networking. When you meet with someone under these circumstances and really shine they might know someone within the industry that has an opening. They might even make the phone call for you. Can you imagine a phone call on your behalf like this, “Hi, Charlie, I just met with a very sharp person today and I think you should meet with them” wouldn’t that be fantastic! You have to include this type of interview in your job search.

If you want to be successful in your job search, you really need to include all three of these interviews. Hey, nobody said this would be easy, right? The more interviews the better. Remember, you have to have interviews to get job offers. And not just job interviews where there is a specific job opening, sometimes these other interviews will turn out to be better for you. Give them a try. I hope this helps.

Good luck to you!