Well I’ve done it. I’ve neglected to keep on top of my blog site and in turn have done what I specifically warn my clients not to do. Maintaining consistency in anything you do is essential to getting the results you strive for. And in particular your job search including networking, marketing and follow up are the essential keys to your success.   So believe me when I say that any time you fail to follow through you are jeopardizing any momentum that you have built and will find the up hill climb a struggle.

With that, let me say that there are no good excuses, however in this case I have actually been doing some good things that I’d like to mention here tonight. Let’s call it time spent away doing some important work that has helped me develop more information, techniques and more perspective on this very difficult time in our nations employment picture. Specifically I have been on assignment working with some great people who are being downsized (so what else is new) and I have found the experience to be very helpful for my own knowledge and approach to the process of job search.

These people I mentioned are really having a tough time. Many have been employed for 15, 20 and even 30+ years. Now what? Well that’s what I asked myself as I began doing programs aimed at assisting them in their transitions. Through it all I found that the most important thing I could tell them was to make sure, once they determined the direction they wanted to pursue, that they stay focused, work hard at the process and maintain consistency in their approaches. In other words work hard to create activity and momentum. With that momentum you will get results. If you stop, get tired and frustrated with non results than your search will ultimately fall apart.

It’s a lesson for all of us not to let up in our efforts to reach our goals. Specific to job search, the steps you take on your way to efficient and effective job search require you to stay on top of the process. And remember that it’s what you don’t do that will get you in trouble.

More to come.

...and where are you in all of this?

You see I’m really getting tired of seeing and hearing those Monster and Career Builder ads that claim to be the answer to your employment needs. Ok I’m going to say it, “YES the Internet is a great source for job search,” but only if you use it proactively. Posting your resume alone is not going to do the job for you. That would be passive job search and that’s not going to work for anyone today. And all of the advertising, about employers waiting for your resume and how they will find you, can be misleading. Now I understand I might be a little hard on these sites so just so you know, I welcome your views. I want you to tell me I’m wrong and that you have some wonderful experiences to share. I will also be the first one to applaud if you have gotten success by posting your resume on any of the major sites. This is how we all learn so I encourage you to write. And In fact I would really like to know your secret as to what has made you stand out so we can benefit by your success.

And let’s talk about “standing out.” The fact is that when it comes to using the Internet it really all depends on visibility. And job search today, during these most trying economic times, necessitates the use of some of the most aggressive, creative and relentless job search techniques we’ve ever known. I fashion it like a new business owner who is trying to realize a profit too early. Instead he needs patience, perseverance, the drive to work hard at the process and most importantly he must give it time.

Here’s the deal. Monster and others are in the business of creating databases. Of course they post jobs, however their success is really based on providing companies, for a price, access to their vast databases in which they search for qualified people. These databases are populated by you and yes that means companies from all over the world have the opportunity to see your resume. But, considering the numbers of candidates who’ve posted, well that creates some pretty startling competition and very low odds that you will be found. Sure, people do get jobs via this process but who has the time to sit around and wait for the call. Instead, be smart, post your resume on any site you’d like, and while you are waiting be proactive and aggressive about your search. You can even do this on those sites by creating a search agent. These agents send you jobs that might fit your requirements and then it is up to you to respond. You should also be using these sites for research purposes and to find companies that you might want to work for. Several things are definite about these sites, first these companies do exist and second they provide enormous amounts of free information. Use this information wisely.

So I believe the answer is yes, the Internet is a fantastic tool for job search. The resources are endless and the possibilities are exciting. However the real issue centers around the instructions that didn’t come with the Internet when we got it. There are way too many people out there who don’t really understand how to use it to its fullest potential. And though I’ve laid out a few ideas here my suggestion is that you consult a career coach. Someone who can help you utilize all of the tools we have today to make your job searches more efficient and effective. And these days we all need as much support as we can get.

For more information about Career Coaching and the benefits it provides in a down job market contact Jan Mark at careergrapevine.com

Keep searching.

Get a degree and get the job of your dreams, right?  Sure, promises, promises. Well I’ve got to tell you that I’m worried about the promises colleges make to attract students. And while I’m not referring to all colleges and universities I am specifically concerned about the growing number of private for profit colleges that want you to believe that they will successfully help you attain your first career job. With more than 30 years in the field of staffing and career management I have real difficulty with this kind of promise. Quite honestly folks, I know better. My experience tells me over and over again that, even in the best of times, no one, not even a college, can make a promise of employment. And this is especially critical information for a parent or independent student who is in the process of making a decision as important as purchasing a college education. In short you need to carefully examine the school and listen carefully to what their admission people are telling you.

You see, most often private for profit colleges aggressively reach out for students without any specific requirements other than the ability to pay or to qualify for financing. And, along with a few minor high school grade requirements that show one has college potential, just about anyone can attend. So as a result be aware there are those sales types that will lead you on with promises about you or your child’s post college future. And let me be very clear that those who enter college with little or no specific career goals, another way of saying I don’t know what I want to do with my life, leave themselves open to even greater promises made by those sales people. The very existence of these types of institutions is to offer alternatives and hope to those who aren’t really sure of what the future holds for them. Of course it would be unfair not to mention that there are those who have graduated from these schools and gone on to great jobs but it is equally important to know that there are others who wallow in the disappointment of the reality they’ve found after graduation.

Let’s look at that reality though and remember that our economy today, as well as the resulting job market, is in dire straits. And though there is always a need for the specialty careers; doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, the facts are that a large majority of graduates are pooled together in a more general category called business, one that is dismal at best. That’s where the types of colleges I’m describing play a role in making you believe that they  have the answer to your future. “We’ll find you your career job,” they say with a convincing tone that has you wanting to start class immediately.

Ah, if only it were true. If only those who were talking to you and/or your parents, about your life’s plans, were the right ones. That’s correct, I’m saying that these schools have you talking with the wrong people. What you really want is to talk with a representative from the school’s career services department. One who deals with the job market on a daily basis and who can provide you with answers to your career questions. Someone who can even help you decide on a major. A career counselor can tell you, from experience, what his or her clients are looking for and can provide up to date job market information. And of course there wouldn’t be any misunderstanding or confusion when, nearing the end of your years at school, you and your career counselor worked together to help you reach your career goals. Expectations would be clearly defined as you worked toward your degree with confidence and your career with excitement. But alas it’s not possible. Instead of talking to those who really know and who can provide you with a more realistic look at the job market, you most often end up talking to an admission representative bent on selling you a seat in your first class.

Still in light of what I’ve said I believe private for profit colleges are among the best institutions for learning and career preparation. They provide some of the best instructors who, with real world experiences, impart life lesson learning and industry expertise in a more user friendly, personal environment. So my suggestion is to evaluate these institutions, not with their promises of job placement, but with the quality of the education you’ll receive and your potential to build a future as a result. And whatever your choice for a major make it one that you’ll enjoy, one that you know will benefit your knowledge base and not one that promises you the kind of job placement that only vocational training can offer. There is a difference.

So my friends think twice before you sign up with any college that promises you more than they can deliver. No one has the right to offer you information that deceives you about the end result. And of course that’s where we started didn’t we, the promise of a career job?

Here’s something to remember:

Potential shows itself as a result of what you have learned.

And that’s why you go to school, to learn.

And when you get your first job you will continue to learn and eventually be productive.

When that happens you can proudly say your career has taken off.

Then you continue to learn.

]]> http://careergrapevine.com/?feed=rss2&p=441 http://careergrapevine.com/?p=79 http://careergrapevine.com/?p=79#comments Wed, 25 Feb 2009 23:10:16 +0000 Jan Mark http://careergrapevine.com/?p=79

You’ve probably heard about all sorts of tests that you can take to help you figure out what you should be when you grow up. Some of these tests are called preference tests and in some cases they can actually…

Get Busy Now or.....

If you are a college senior who is expecting to graduate this coming May but you haven’t done the following, then consider yourself way behind the eight ball.

1. You should have completed a resume
2. You should have begun researching the industries/jobs you are interested in
3. You should have already created a career plan and begun to put that plan into place

So, if you haven’t done any of this than let me ask you, “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?” Please don’t tell me you’re one of those people who really believes you have plenty of time. If you do then you’ve either been vacationing on the moon or you’ve been asleep for the last year. By the way I hope you’re not considering graduate school as the alternative to a bad job market. This is not the answer. Staying out of the job market and getting your Masters is not a good move for two reasons. If the job market is bad and you do stay out for another 1 to 2 years, it won’t make it better just because you’ve gotten the Masters. And if you don’t have a clue as to what you want to do, the Masters could be a wasted effort in a direction you have no interest in. Please talk to me if you still aren’t convinced.

Ok, now that I’ve gotten this of my chest let me try to explain what is going on and what your best course of action needs to be. Going to college is a very important part of your life and your career. It hasn’t changed and in fact has become more important to your future than ever. The job market is not as much the problem for beginners as is the search itself. With that being said you need to get yourself ready now. This is best done by deciding on a few viable directions, followed by research and the creation of a marketing plan. Then you can start the process as though you are finished with school and ready to get into the game. If you are not totally sure of the career you want to pursue, than it’s even more important to submerse yourself into a job and at least find out what you don’t want to do. Any experience is still better than none.

So get going, do it now and continue on until you have activity. Believe me when I say the more you work at this now the happier you will be as you near graduation. You may not have secured a job by then but you will feel in control of your destiny as you make inroads to your future. Classes, parties, friendships and all the things that make college a great experience won’t get in the way. However if you don’t act now you’ll be sorry you didn’t do all of the legwork while you had the chance.

For more information on how you can get started on the right path contact Jan at janmark@careergrapevine.com

Sorry for the gap in blogs but I’ve just returned from a trip visiting my family and I wasn’t able to write. However I did come across something very  interesting in my travels that led me to this very brief but important blog this evening.

It came one day when I happened to visit an old friend at his office. He told me, like everyone else, that business was slow and that he was concerned about keeping the organization going in these tough times. We got to talk about what the organization is doing to turn things around in an economy that doesn’t offer a lot of that “wiggle room” we all seem to need. Instead the turn around experts all say it’s happening with very little resources (since layoffs are rampant) and an obvious decrease in operating capital that usually keeps companies afloat. However he was still very optimistic and felt he was going to make it. Of course a guy in my position always wants to know how he’s going to do that, so I asked.

What I heard from him, and I truly believe it reflects most small to midsized organizations, is that it’s important to stay focused and reach out to customers and do everything possible to keep the business going. Networking, creativity, relentlessness and most importantly the strength to do it all is what it takes.

What I learned is that the company and the job seeker have a great deal in common. And though the view from the hiring side is certainly a much more advantageous position to be in (the infamous “buyers market”) both sides suffer from many of the same problems. And with that I understood what I needed to convey to you now. That is that everyone, both employer and employee, needs to create large networks, must think out of the box and has to persevere in the process.

So when you think about the tough job you have ahead of you in getting your career started or getting back to work, just remember you aren’t alone. Some potential employer you’ll meet up with is going through the same struggle on their end.

I know I’ve mentioned the value of having a great imagination in one of my past blogs (November 4, 2008) but I’ve got to tell you how successful this concept can be if you really do make it part of your job search. So you may ask how can you apply this personality trait to your own job search especially if you don’t necessarily have a good imagination.  Here’s an example that may help you draw strength from your inner imagination.

Tom was a client of mine who was all set to go on an interview when days before his meeting the company called to say they had filled the job. They said they were appreciative of his interest and that they would hold on to his application for future consideration. Well Tom was beside himself and feeling totally let down since he was days away from interviewing for a job he felt he had a good chance of landing.  He had a great phone interview with the manager days earlier and both were looking forward to the meeting. Unfortunately the manager didn’t realize an offer had been made to someone else by his co-manager.

When Tom and I spoke he was devastated. As I thought about his job search and what he could do to create some energy, especially in light of this let down, I came up with an idea that I felt was worth a shot. I instructed Tom to send a note to the manager to say thank you for his time and interest and that he appreciated the “almost interview” and his consideration. He also added that if anything changed to please keep him in mind. Imagine that, a thank you note for an interview that never took place. Well, the note itself became a link that prompted the manager to call Tom nearly four weeks later. He told Tom that the job was open again (the hire didn’t work out) and that he’d like to see him for an interview. Tom was later hired for that position. In the end the manager admitted that his letter was a spark that led to his interest in Tom. In fact he said it made Tom stand out because of, what he called, “your unique use of a common etiquette, the thank you letter.” Imagine Tom’s jubilation. He felt on top of the world and his confidence was elevated making him even more energized about the opportunity.

Remember imagination is a key element to the success of everything we do in life. If we don’t think out of the box we don’t really grow. We stay trapped in the confines of the box and how we do things stay pretty much the same. Take risks and let your imagination work for you. As my father used to say, “as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone and it isn’t illegal than just go ahead and do it!” Sounds funny but obviously we want to do things right and stay within both our own and society’s Moral codes. So I say start thinking more creatively and do something different that may stir things up a bit. In these tough economic times finding a job is so competitive that you must create an image that separates you from all the rest.

"just not an option"

If you didn’t get a chance to read the article on MSN last week titled, “Under 30? Looking for a job? You’re not alone,” you should check it out at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28663645 . It really hits on some important  points that even the recent or soon to be graduate needs to be aware of.  Bottom line, it ain’t so good out there!

I have to tell you for a guy whom really works hard to provide information, programming, advice and counseling I am really discouraged. It’s all because of articles like this, blogs and all the other information that I devour each day in order to keep up with what’s going on. And I must say that I’m disappointed because of every one’s bleak outlook.  With comments like, “looks like we’re headed for the great depression part deux” and “I don’t understand what happened, our parents said if we go to school and get a degree, we’ll get the job we want” I see too much sarcasm and defeatist attitudes. Seems like some have resigned themselves to the fact that they won’t get what they want…or should I say what they were promised?

Well it’s time to change that. Enough already with talk of recession and depression, and Congress said this and the Senate that, the government bail out is on and then it’s off. The fact is our economy is in bad shape and we are suffering in a lousy job market. However much of that job market and its lousy reputation are due to factors that we can’t control. It all comes down to what you can do for yourself. So here’s the deal, everyone has to go out there and do what is necessary to help his or her own recovery. That means you may have to take less of a job than you had before and/or less money. And for you beginners, well, that means lower your current expectations to fit the current reality and get over the promises of the past. We will return to prosperity and this will happen because things in this life are cyclical. Your hard work, experience and time in will not go unrewarded.

So in light of the article’s mention of those who are not willing to compromise, I’m encouraging you, who fit that description, to think about the advantages you’ll reap by working and learning now, versus sitting around waiting for your dream job and the money you thought would come with it. Instead get with the moment and realize that everyone is in the same boat. It’s called survival so grab a life preserver and hold on your time will come.

I’ve been seeing articles on the Internet suggesting that it’s a really good idea to prepare intensely for your interview. They make many suggestions from researching the company to practicing your interviewing in front of a mirror. No question I agree that preparation is important but sometimes too much of it can be a bad thing. Coming up in some of my future blogs I will talk about what’s important and try to put some perspective on the type and amount of preparation that’s really necessary. However for now I would like to address one part of the interview that really concerns me.

How many of you would admit that you are nervous about the prospect of interviewing? Well you aren’t alone since most people admit to this sometimes-debilitating pre-interview affliction. And what do you think is the most common reason? Most often it’s the fear of answering a question wrong, specifically as it relates to the job they are interviewing for. It gets more interesting since in my research I’ve found that it’s often the entry-level college graduate who is concerned the most. I find this interesting since it’s this group of job seekers who are the least likely to have answers to questions specific to the functions of a new job. Why do you think they call them entry-level trainees?

So with this in mind I’d like to help those of you who suffer with this fear of interviewing while at the same time empower you with the confidence you need to get the job. Just remember that all of the research, studying, practicing, role playing and preparation will not wipe away the fact that we get nervous when we interview. And if you understand what’s causing this you will have a better chance at conquering a very common condition.

There are two types of nervousness that take over our bodies when we engage in the process of interviewing. The first fear you’ll have to deal with is what I call “Fear Of Firsts.” Simply put this is the anticipation we feel when we are about to experience something new. And though it can make you nervous, some more than others, it’s not really fear but the uneasy feeling we get as we anticipate how it will unfold. So be ready because after you have interviewed you’ll have to deal with being hired, and with that will come the fear of the first day, fear of your first meeting, and fear of meeting the boss and all of your new co-workers. As a career coach there’s not much I can do to help allay this fear, but I firmly believe that if you are aware of some of its root causes it may help you to handle the situation better. You just have to try to relax.

Now on to the fear I believe you can control, this I call “Fear Of The Unreasonable.” In this case you may be afraid that you will be asked a question that you have no answer for. The real answer is that it’s unreasonable to believe that any interviewer will ask you a question in which you have no experience to base your answer. This is more often a concern that the interviewee has and is usually due to a misconception of what he believes the employer is really looking for in them as a potential employee. The fact is that when you interview for an entry-level position your knowledge of their business, from a technical point of view, is not on their agenda. The best way to explain this is for your to consider the difference between vocational training and the kind of training most College liberal arts programs prepare you for. For a skilled job, like auto mechanic, the employer would expect a candidate to come to them with training and knowledge of their industry and product. The interview might literally involve a demonstration of what the candidate can do with his tools. Likewise this could be a similar result for an accounting major. The head of the firm may ask some very technical questions that only someone with an accounting degree would know.  This is not the case with a general business opportunity like sales, customer service or management trainee. The interviews for positions like these would be geared more toward an evaluation of the candidate’s potential to learn, how long it will take that person to become productive and the potential they might have to grow within the organization.

If you can remember that you are a beginner, with no real vocational training, and understand that an employer’s interest is in your ability to learn their business and the job then you will not only lose the nervousness but you can gain confidence knowing that you can now focus on your attributes and the potential that you bring to them as the best candidate. Remember the new experience itself; you in a new suit, smiling and answering a lot of easier questions, may still make you nervous, but at least you’ll know what is really expected of you and where to focus your energy.

I was working on a resume with a client last week when she began to voice her frustration with the whole resume process. Seems she has used a lot of different services over the years and has spent a good amount of money doing so. So here I was another resume guy heading straight into the lions den feeling like I was about to get torn apart. Well I went for it and found out that her latest experience was with one of those inexpensive automated on line resume providers. It was a do it yourself where you choose from a variety of templates, input your data, and bingo you have a brand new resume. Good system if you are looking to create party invitations. But for a resume it’s simply not the way to go. There’s just too much involved in the search process these days and the resume is too important to that process. In her case she was an intelligent professional who was reaching out for help in an area outside her expertise. She had tried professional resume services before but found their results to be unsuccessful. As a result of her frustration she thought it time to go it alone.

As I do with all of my clients we first began by assessing her background, expertise and experience, interests and what she wanted in her next job.  I then explained the importance of the information we gathered and how I’ve always believed that this was the best, most efficient way to create a strong marketable resume.  It is important because resumes need to be written for the job you are applying to. And if it isn’t for a particular job it should follow a theme specific to the search you are undertaking. Either way it’s essential that you know all you need to know about the person you are writing a resume for. And this is where the problem exists in the resume writing business. Not all resume writer’s work this way nor do they have a background in this field to qualify them as experts. In fact I went to Google and the results for resume writing services, 20,900,000 results to be exact, absolutely blew me away. Of course that might have changed since I’m sure another 1000 or more have been accredited since I wrote this blog.

Of course I’ve always known about the accreditation process. It means that they are affiliated with a membership organization, one they pay to be a member of, that gives them standards to follow, tests them, offers continuous education in order that they may be associated with an approving organization. I have no problem with this however I do think that 20 million is a lot of so called professional resume writers. What I do worry about is that this accreditation doesn’t require that a person have experience in our field. I have 30 years in Career Management, written and read thousands of resumes and have hired and fired. I have built the expertise to qualify as a professional.  So my concern is that associations like National Resume Writers Association (NRWA) or National Certified Resume Writers (NCRW) do not certify that you have the career management experience to write an effective resume. In fact there are many sites I’ve seen and emails I have received that advertise home based careers available with little or no experience. Resume writing is one of them.  So would you want your resume written by someone who was previously a real estate agent or a chef? Someone who decided that this was his or her chance to be the writer they always wanted to be? Or wouldn’t it make more sense that this kind of important service come from someone who has worked in staffing, hired people, written and read resumes, someone who understands what the resume should do for each client they meet.

So here’s some advice to help you make the right choice. First understand what the resume must accomplish for you. The resume is your link to the decision maker, in this case it’s the one who decides who will interview. Your goal is to be invited in for an interview. Next, working slightly backwards, think about the expert you’ve chosen. If we know the end result we are working towards, then the first most important thing this individual must do is get to know you, really understand your background, understand what it is you are looking for and most importantly what you don’t want. You’ll want to ask your resume writer just how involved they will get in understanding the marketing plan in relation to all the other information. Most of the reports I’ve gotten from unhappy resume customers said that the service they chose provided a finished product without ever having discussed the information I have laid out. There never was a connection to the next step, the job search. It’s one of my own biggest selling points. I tell my customers that I am going to be involved in both aspects of this project. I create a resume that must meet the needs of your marketing efforts, otherwise the resume won’t be right for you. This is when you’ll know that a true professional is working with you when he/she is not afraid to take responsibility for the product they produce. Remember to keep this in mind while you are confronted with all those services that claim to create the resume that “gets the job.” That’s obviously untrue since the resume doesn’t get you the job. It helps you get the interview then it’s up to you to get the job. And watch out for those who claim they have the resume that really works, as if to say it’s a switch that you can turn on and off at will.

What have we learned here? The claims that these services make can’t be taken lightly. You must be careful of claims that promise you the “best resume ever, results guaranteed or we’ll do the resume again.” Instead please compare your options to my own personal method and understand that a Career Resume is based on more than 30 years of career management, executive recruiting, staffing and marketing.  I tell my clients that we will work together to create the tools that you need. And we will keep on doing that until you are successful. I try to assure them that the resume I prepare is created as a result of understanding all aspects of their background as it relates to their search. Use this as a measure and don’t be fooled by so called professionals who promise a pretty, artsy, creative resume on the color and type of paper they are confident will get you the job you want.  Remember the true effectiveness of a resume is measured by what you do with it.