I recently put together a composite, highly-subjective list of some of my favorite posts across all my blogs. It’s still interesting to see what you’ve enjoyed reading as well. Based on Google Analytics data, here are the top 10 Get That Job! posts from this year:
10. National Podcast Post Month series: job interview questions answered
9. How to prepare for your first job fair
8. Workshops, HARO, and Lowball Job Offers
7. Pursuing your passion
6. It’s time to move on
5. Overcoming rejection
4. Using social media for a job search | Rachel Levy – Boston marketing pro (social networking, Twitter)
3. How to find freelance and consulting jobs
2. I have a document like this and so should you
1. Promise Me Something

Hat-tip goes to Chris and John from Marketing Over Coffee for the idea.

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Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’ve released a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I practiced answering a typical interviewing question.  Were my answers perfect? Probably not.  This experiment had the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the last installment of the series, as Day 30 of 30:

NaPodPoMo Day 30: Series Wrap-up

Feedback

Dawn from Cincinnati sent in a great critique of how I did with the videos, mentioning that the idea was great and shared some suggestions for how I could get better. Chris Meyer from Las Vegas sent in some audio feedback that this series came out at a time that he was interviewing for a job, and the interviewers commented that he was well-prepared. This series helped him be prepared for the interviewing questions.

Lessons Learned

• Seeing the return on my time investment. Producing video content to go out every single day was rather strenuous. If I didn’t see the benefit of me getting practice answering job interview questions, I probably wouldn’t have done it this way.
• Producing in bulk, scheduling to be published later. Many of these videos were recorded and produced in bulk, and then scheduled to be published on the days they went out.  Creating content, whether video or blog posts, in bulk while in a creative frame of mind, was very helpful.  Being able to schedule the blog posts ahead of time was also very helpful.
• Learning to produce and edit video. I feel much more comfortable recording, editing, publishing, tagging, and in general producing video now. The tools I used were
  • Lenovo Easy Capture for the webcam recording, built-in laptop mic
  • Windows Movie Maker to edit, add titles, and publish
  • Free Video Converter utility to convert WMV files to MP4
  • iTunes to add ID3 tags
• Promoting through social networking. Promoting the videos on Facebook and LinkedIn, and occasionally on Twitter, helped drive traffic.
• Would I do this again? I don’t know if I’d commit to producing video every day like this. We’ll see. NaPodPoMo 2010 is a ways off.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 8:27, 16.4 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• Free Video Editing Tools: Guide To The Best Software And Web-Based Services (masternewmedia.org)
• National Podcast Post Month (NaPodPoMo) (danieljohnsonjr.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 29 of 30:

Tell me about a recent situation in which you had to deal with a very upset customer or co-worker.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:30, 10.6 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Persuade me that you have strong analytical skills. – NaPodPoMo Day 17 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 28 of 30:

Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:52, 9.4 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Persuade me that you have strong analytical skills. – NaPodPoMo Day 17 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 27 of 30:

Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:52, 9.4 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 26 of 30:

Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 6:10, 12 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• Tell me about your ability to work under pressure – NaPodPoMo Day 09 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 25 of 30:

Describe a time on any job that you held in which you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:55, 11.5 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Today, I’m answering a question constructed from a statement in a good example of a job description for a social media job. This comes from Amber Naslund’s blog post entited “Hiring for Social Media: Good Moves“.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 24 of 30:

Tell me about your ability to engage online audiences, both reactively and proactively, ultimately empowering others to talk about the brand.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

I also talked about Movember, a movement for Prostate Cancer Awareness that has led me to grow a moustache this month.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 6:26, 12.4 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Today, I’m answering a question constructed from a statement in a good example of a job description for a social media job. This comes from Amber Naslund’s blog post entited “Hiring for Social Media: Good Moves“.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 23 of 30:

How have you been able to take larger strategy and insights and translate into ideas and executable plans in the social media space?

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:09, 10 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Today, I’m answering a question constructed from a statement in a good example of a job description for a social media job. This comes from Amber Naslund’s blog post entited “Hiring for Social Media: Good Moves“.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 22 of 30:

Tell me about your willingness to experiment and innovate.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:15, 8.3 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• How have you demonstrated effective written communication skills? – NaPodPoMo Day 19 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Behavioral Interview Questions

For Week 3 of NaPodPoMo, I’m trying out some behavioral interview questions.  These questions are asked to infer future performance based on previous behavior.  Because of that, the answers are going to be very specific for each person who responds.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 21 of 30:

Give me an example of an important goal which you had set in the past and tell me about your success in reaching it.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 6:11, 12 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• How I Got My Job as a Network Technician – Brent Bradley (howigotmyjob.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years? – NaPodPoMo Day 10 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Behavioral Interview Questions

For Week 3 of NaPodPoMo, I’m trying out some behavioral interview questions.  These questions are asked to infer future performance based on previous behavior.  Because of that, the answers are going to be very specific for each person who responds.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 20 of 30:

By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and environments.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:15, 10.1 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• How I Got My Job as an Administrative Assistant – Bill Green (howigotmyjob.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)
• Tell me about your ability to work under pressure – NaPodPoMo Day 09 (getthatjobonline.com)

Have you been enjoying the daily video update series over here at Get That Job! so far this month? It’s been quite an experience for me, and I’ll be talking about that more as we wrap up the series on Day 30, November 30, 2009 as soon as my laptop comes back from the shop – probably Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

To that end, I plan on sharing your feedback during that last video update, and if you’d like to get in touch to share how, if at all, this series has helped you, please get in touch. Keep in mind that I have less than 10 minutes of time in order for the video to make it onto YouTube, so hopefully keep it brief. I may actually excerpt comments during the update but post them in the actual post here on the website.

As I’ve mentioned during the series, it’s been highly experimental, and I’m learning a lot. Hopefully you are as well.

Looking forward to your feedback!

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Behavioral Interviewing Questions

For Week 3 of NaPodPoMo, I’m trying out some behavioral interview questions.  These questions are asked to infer future performance based on previous behavior.  Because of that, the answers are going to be very specific for each person who responds.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 19 of 30:

Tell me about a time in which you had to use your written communication skills in order to get an important point across.

I will be reading your feedback on Day 30 of this series, so please send in your comments. Has this series been helpful to you? Was I truly crazy to do this project? etc.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:12, 8.0 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• How I Got My Job as a Manager of Technology and Talent Acquisition – T. Murray (howigotmyjob.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Behavioral Interview Questions

For Week 3 of NaPodPoMo, I’m trying out some behavioral interview questions.  These questions are asked to infer future performance based on previous behavior.  Because of that, the answers are going to be very specific for each person who responds.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 18 of 30:

Describe for me a time when you had to serve as the leader in order to accomplish a goal.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:08, 7.9 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• How I Got My Job as a Network Technician – Brent Bradley (howigotmyjob.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years? – NaPodPoMo Day 10 (getthatjobonline.com)
• What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Behavioral Interview Questions

For Week 3 of NaPodPoMo, I’m trying out some behavioral interview questions.  These questions are asked to infer future performance based on previous behavior.  Because of that, the answers are going to be very specific for each person who responds.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 17 of 30:

By providing examples, persuade me that you have strong analytical skills.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:15, 8.16 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• How I Got My Job as a Chief Technical Officer – John Buehler (howigotmyjob.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)
• Show me how you’ve used your teamwork skills. – NaPodPoMo Day 16 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Behavioral interview questions

For Week 3 of NaPodPoMo, I’m trying out some behavioral interview questions.  These questions are asked to infer future performance based on previous behavior.  Because of that, the answers are going to be very specific for each person who responds.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 16 of 30:

Tell me about a specific project where you had to use your teamwork skills.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 3:59, 7.7 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)
• What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)

Background

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Behavioral Interview Questions

For Week 3 of NaPodPoMo, I’m trying out some behavioral interview questions.  These questions are asked to infer future performance based on previous behavior.  Because of that, the answers are going to be very specific for each person who responds.

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 15 of 30:

Describe the most significant or creative presentation which you have had to complete.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:54, 11.3 MB)

Recent Media Appearance and Speaking Gig

Special thanks to NaPodPoMo founder Jennifer Navarrete for interviewing me for her NaPodPoMo project. I’ll update this post with the link to the specific interview as it becomes available.

A HUGE shout-out to the folks at the IHOM Job Search Ministry in the Cincinnati area for having me speak to them this past Thursday on the “Emotional Side of Job Search”. A heartfelt welcome to those of you checking this series from that group. Glad we got to share some chocolate together!

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• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• How I Got My Job as a Talent Acquisition Manager – Amybeth Hale (howigotmyjob.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)
• Why will I be glad that I hired you one week from your start date? – NaPodPoMo Day 13 (getthatjobonline.com)
• Are you overqualified for this job? – NaPodPoMo Day 14 (getthatjobonline.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 14 of 30:

Are you overqualified for this job?

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:10, 10.0 MB)

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• How I Got My Job as a Desk-side Support Technician – Rob Bennett (howigotmyjob.com)
• Job Interview Answer: Are You Overqualified for This Job? (about.com)
• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)
• Why will I be glad that I hired you one week from your start date? – NaPodPoMo Day 13 (getthatjobonline.com)

Ron Harper, good friend of mine, who recently shared how he got his job as a Radio Support Tech, passed along this article he saw in the Dayton Business Journal. The journal reports on a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management:

Save the clichés during job interviews, especially the overused “This is my dream job,” according to a survey of HR professionals released Thursday by the Society for Human Resource Management.

Sixty-nine percent of those surveyed said that’s the phrase they least like to hear.

Read the rest of the article here.

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• How to prepare for your first job fair (getthatjobonline.com)
• September Job Trends – Simply Hired Blog (blog.simplyhired.com)
• Even as layoffs persist, some good jobs go begging (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• How I Got My Job as a Manager of Technology and Talent Acquistition – T. Murray (howigotmyjob.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 13 of 30:

Why will I be glad that I hired you one week from your start date?

Special thanks to Rainie for suggesting this question via Twitter.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 3:02, 5.85 MB)

Related articles by Daniel Johnson Jr and Zemanta

• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 12 of 30:

Why should we hire you?

Special thanks to Barbara (@BarbaraKB) for suggesting the related question on Twitter: “What do you uniquely offer our company?”

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 3:25, 6.55 MB)

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As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 11 of 30:

What did you dislike about your last job?

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 3:58, 7.6 MB)

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• Mastering the Behavioral-Based Interview (timesunion.com)
• How To Use Interview Generator (slideshare.net)
• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 10 of 30:

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Special thanks to Jacqui (@redshoegirl) for suggesting this question via Twitter.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:17, 8.16 MB)

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• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)

Ever feel like someone’s trying to tell you something?

1. Early this afternoon I did an in-person interview for How I Got My Job with a good friend of mine, Marc Hopkins, about how he got his recent job as an adjunct professor at a local university. During that interview he talked about YourOneDegree.com. From their website: “Your One Degree is the specific focus and direction you were put on planet earth to pursue and accomplish.”
2. Later this afternoon, while browsing the aggregate feed for this year’s National Podcast Post Month (NaPodPoMo) website, I found this post from Will Brown entitled Pursuing Your Passion. I was intrigued so much that I had to take a second listen.
3. My good friend and Cincinnati-area colleague Cliff Ravenscraft from GSPN.tv has a blog and podcast entitled Pursuing a Balanced Life. You may have seen some updates on Twitter with the #PABL hashtag; Cliff and this community are behind that. He left a high-paying job selling insurance to pursue a passion in podcasting and has been able to make a living doing that. I’ve heard him share his story a number of times, and I continue to be inspired.

Maybe it’s that being in transition removes a lot of the other constraints I felt like I was under when I was working full-time, but I’m at least seeing a lot more varied opportunities come my way to try new things.

What about you?

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As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 9 of 30:

Tell me about your ability to work under pressure.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 3:09, 6.0 MB)

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• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)
• Why did you leave your last job? – NaPodPoMo Day 07 (getthatjobonline.com)
• What would your previous coworkers say about you? – NaPodPoMo Day 05 (getthatjobonline.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 8 of 30:

Would you rather be liked or feared?

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 2:46, 5.35 MB)

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• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 7 of 30:

Why did you leave your last job?

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 3:51, 7.4 MB)

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• Show confidence without being arrogant (getthatjobonline.com)
• Why Some People Get Hired (punkrockhr.com)
• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 6 of 30:

What would your previous supervisor say your strongest point is?

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:24, 10.3 MB)

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• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 5 of 30:

What would your previous coworkers say about you?

Links mentioned:

• I have a document like this and so should you
• Daniel Johnson Jr on LinkedIn

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 5:28, 10.5 MB)

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• 15 Ways to Annoy Your Job Interviewer (usnews.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 4 of 30:

GTJTV: Job Interviewing Questions, NaPodPoMo Day 04: What is one of your weaknesses?

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:16, 8.30 MB)

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• Job Interviewing Questions GTJTV NaPodPoMo Series, Day 01: Intro (getthatjobonline.com)
• Tell Me About Yourself – NaPodPoMo Day 02 (getthatjobonline.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 3 of 30:

GTJTV: Job Interviewing Questions, NaPodPoMo Day 03: What are your strengths?

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 6:03, 11.6 MB)

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• Job Interviewing Questions GTJTV NaPodPoMo Series, Day 01: Intro (getthatjobonline.com)
• Tell Me About Yourself – NaPodPoMo Day 02 (getthatjobonline.com)

As part of NaPodPoMo, I’m releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment every day in November 2009, where I’m practicing answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the next installment of the series, as Day 2 of 30:

GTJTV: Job Interviewing Questions, NaPodPoMo Day 02: Tell me about yourself.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 3:49, 7.29 MB)

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As part of NaPodPoMo, I will be releasing a video (preferred) or audio (if needed) segment here, where I’ll practice answering a typical interviewing question.  Will my answers be perfect? Probably not.  This experiment has the following objectives:

• Practice answering typical interviewing questions
• Produce content for the internet on a consistent basis
• Develop some rudimentary skill in video production

Here, then, for your enjoyment, is the introduction to the series, as Day 1 of 30:

GTJTV: Job Interviewing Questions, NaPodPoMo Day 01: Intro.

The background music for this series is called “Dodging Buses” by Derek K. Miller. Check out his Penmachine Podcast.

If you would like to download this file directly, you can do that as well. Direct link (mp4, 4:32, 8.62 MB)

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Are you applying for jobs you have no business applying for? Are you trying to pass off someone other than YOU as you work toward getting your next job?  Well, STOP IT!

Seriously, watch this short video my friend Kevin Dugan did with keynote speaker Artie Isaac, at SummitUp, a recent social media confab many of us attended in Dayton, Ohio. I happened to stumble upon it while browsing other videos on YouTube.

Know Yourself, Be yourself for better pitches with Artie Isaac.

Authenticity is by far one of the most important qualities you’ll need to get to your next job.  Nearly everyone I’ve interviewed for How I Got My Job has mentioned this trait in some way, shape, or form.  Know who you are and how you fit with the company and position you’re applying for.

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Last night I attended a networking group for job seekers at a local Barnes & Noble. The organizer is an employee there, and each week he plans a discussion around topics that are relevant to other job seekers, with some books he’s found.

Coping with Rejection

The topic for last night was “Coping with Rejection”. Monte, the organizer, described it this way:

Rejection can impede your job search in a number of ways. Some are subtle and some not so subtle. We will look at a number of different authors, books and web sites is seeing what defenses and strategies we can employ in overcoming this major stumbling stone. We’d love to have you join us but we won’t take it personally if you don’t.

To wallow or not to wallow: that is the question

Interestingly, he found that there have not been books written exclusively about how to deal with rejection; most books contain a chapter or a paragraph or two. I wonder if that’s because not many people are interested in buying books on rejection.  We can choose to wallow in the rejection, or we can rise above it.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t take time to figure out what happened and what we can learn from it. And I’m not saying there shouldn’t be time to be sad or down. But I think there needs to be a time when we pick ourselves back up and press on.

Different playing field – different ballgame

Many of us job seekers are finding that this time of searching is a completely different playing field. I imagine hiring managers are feeling the same way. Job seekers wondering why they haven’t even received a rejection letter; hiring managers too busy or overwhelmed with applicants to have time to send them out.

The great supply of labor has some employers on a bargain hunt. If we as job seekers are not willing to come in at a number they offer, they can probably find someone else who will. This is a different kind of rejection, isn’t it? We begin to wonder whether you’re worth what you used to make. If we opt for the lowball offer, that might pigeonhole us at a lower pay range. When the market improves, who’s to say that we won’t jump ship? Chances are that we won’t rise above it at that job.

Know yourself

This is where having a great personal brand, both online and in-person, is key.  We need to know ourselves, communicate who we are and what we’re about, in such a way that shows that we fit with an organization and position.  Doing this means getting out from behind the computer, taking that shower, and getting in front of other people. Learn about yourself and what your marketable skills are. Uncover leads for new opportunities, not only from searching online but also from asking others you know.

The power of a phone call

The phone is still one of the best social networking tools around. One person at the group last night told a story about having an interview one morning about 25 miles from his home. He awoke in a bad mood and wasn’t looking forward to driving in the sleet on the roads that he was sure would be a mess. The phone rang, and he let the answering machine pick it up. He hoped it was the hiring manager, calling to cancel or reschedule the interview because of the weather.  Instead it was someone he’d met from a networking event who knew about his interview. She called, saying she was reminded that he had his big interview that morning and wanted to wish him the best. His mood changed.

This story reminds me that I both need the encouragement and I need to offer it generously.

Another person, who has a background in sales, described his approach in calling on potential customers. He said before he had an intimidating call to make, he’d make a call to his best client.  He said this advice could work for us job seekers. If we have an intimidating call to a potential employer to make, we could first call someone from the group or another friend we know who’ll offer us the emotional support we need.

Prime the pump

Sometime during the evening, I brought up Zig Ziglar’s story about the water pump.  Since I couldn’t remember all the details, Monte, the group’s organizer, told the group the compact, “Reader’s Digest” version. Through the magic of the internet (*wink*), I’m able to share it with you here:

Zig Ziglar – Prime the Pump.

I’m glad I went to this group and was sad that I had to leave early. Hopefully some of the things I’ve shared here have been valuable to you as well.

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Last week I asked the following question on LinkedIn:

What advice would you give to someone who will be attending their very first job fair?

Many unemployed workers are finding themselves in the job market for the first time in many years. Some have never been in the job market before. What advice would you give to such a job seeker? I’m looking for help in setting expectations, etc. This is also going to be for a blog post at http://getthatjobonline.com and will immediately go out to some local folks who will attend a job fair in the coming weeks. Thanks for your help!

I am glad that I received so many responses, and you should definitely check out what others have said, since the advice is too numerous to include in this post.  One of the many noteworthy responses came from Doug Field, who is a training manager, course developer, and instructor in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina area:

Rent a copy of Hello, Dolly! starring Barbra Streisand as Dolly Levi; watch the first 10 minutes several times and pay particular attention to how Dolly treats everyone she meets as a potential employer or source of work.

I did some research on YouTube and Wikipedia to see if I could find a short video clip to illustrate what Doug was talking about, and this is the closest thing I found. I’m not sure whether this is what he’s talking about or not. The song is “Call on Dolly” from the musical “Hello, Dolly“:

Anything more to add? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.

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I just set up a Share the Show page at How I Got My Job.  Here’s one of the badges you can add to your site:

Posted using ShareThis

Negotiation Happens – at the Right Time – The Job Doc Blog – Boston.com.

Very good advice. We all look forward soon to being able to face negotiation.

I saw that Jennifer McClure had shared this link on the Job Search Focus Group of Hyde Park (Cincinnati) LinkedIn group.  Great stuff you need to see:

7 Must Read SlideShare Presentations For Job Seekers | Applicant – Job Tips And Advice.

I have some questions about a targeted job search that I’d like your opinions on. I understand a targeted job search having a focus on finding a job at one particular company.

Please share your thoughts in the comments, along with links and so forth.

1. What is the value of a targeted job search?
2. How do you determine companies to target?
3. What is an effective mix of targeted vs. general job searching?
4. What are some effective ways to spend time on your targeted job search?
5. What online tools are helpful to you in your targeted job search?

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I feel very privileged to be a job seeker in Cincinnati right now. I first found out about Cincinnati’s Job Search Focus Group last December from Steve Platt, a friend I first met at a LinkedCincinnati event last August.

The Job Search Focus Group is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that supports individuals searching for new employment opportunities. They meet Monday mornings at the Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church.  Since 1992, over 10,000 job seekers have graduated from their program.  This faith-based organization has been featured in the Wall Street Journal as well.

Do you have a job search focus group in your area? If so, please leave the details in the comments.

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Key Dates

• September 1994 – First day of full-time work after graduating from college
• September 1997 – Last day of work at first job
• November 1997 – First day of work at consulting company
• June 1998 – Last day of work at consulting company
• August 1998 – First day of work at second consulting company
• June 2002 – Last day of work at second consulting company
• January 2005 – First day of work at a Professional Employer Organization (PEO)
• August 2006 – Last day of work at PEO
• January 2007 – First day after being rehired at PEO
• June 2009 – Last day of work at PEO

I don’t know what exactly made me want to present the dates in this way, except maybe to show that job transition isn’t uncommon and announce that I, too, am back in the job search.

I started this blog back in July 2002 as a way to document and share resources I’d found online in my job search. If it might be useful for me, it might be useful for you, too.  This was before social bookmarking sites like Delicious were around, so some of those earlier posts just contain links.

I expect that blogging here at Get That Job! will increase over the coming months, and I’m going to look for other ways I can provide value to you who read this.  As you might already know, I’ve been producing an internet radio series called How I Got My Job, where I share job hunting success stories from other people.  The initial motivation was to help listeners keep a positive attitude while in transition.  I need that myself now more than ever.

If you haven’t reached out yet, please do.  Find me online at my About page.  What successful job search strategies have you found?

Thanks again for accompanying me on this journey.

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“Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except for what you’re going to do right now and do it. — William Durant”

via QuotesBlog

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I mentioned recently that in April I gave a talk about The Emotional Side of Job Search to some job seekers in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.  Below are the slides I used in my presentation:

If you haven’t seen some of the pictures from the workshop during my talk, you can find them here: Photos from Maximizing Your Job Search Workshops in Cincinnati, Ohio

And if you haven’t yet, please Promise Me Something.

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It’s so great to be amazingly busy, and if you follow me on Twitter, you probably already know what I’m up to.  Still, I know you like to have some good stuff to read from time to time.  With that in mind, here are some things I’ve been looking forward to sharing with you.

Maximizing Your Job Search Workshop, Crossroads Community Church, Cincinnati, Ohio

In February I gave a talk in front of about 150 job seekers about the How I Got My Job project, entitled “Real People. Real Job-hunting Success Stories.”  Last night I gave another talk to about 50 job seekers entitled “The Emotional Side of the Job Search” (links to slides coming soon). In addition to the photo on this page, there are some more photos from Maximizing Your Job Search Workshops held in Cincinnati, Ohio on Flickr.

Job-hunting success stories wanted

I recently submitted a request to Peter Shankman’s Help a Reporter for individuals to interview for How I Got My Job.  So far the response has been great. A lot of real people have genuinely interesting stories to share.  If you would like to share one of your job-hunting success stories, please get in touch to set up a phone interview: successstories AT howigotmyjob DOT com. Please keep in mind that it can be any job that you’ve landed; I have collected stories from over 15 years ago!

Evaluating job offers

One of the questions I ask during the How I Got My Job interviews is how people have evaluated job offers.  I believe advice on how to do this effectively is sorely needed, especially in the current job market.  Check out this working guide for evaluating lowball salary offers from Liz Ryan.

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I know you’re hurting.

When I was unemployed and underemployed in 2003-2004, those were very dark times for me.  The stress of not being able to provide for my family overwhelmed me to the point where I became seriously depressed.  Seriously depressed. The pain I felt was nearly unbearable.  I found a psychiatrist and therapist and took some medicine and talked with other people. I was involved in a church community.

Depression clouds everything

Still, there were times I thought about ending it all. Yes, there were rare times of what they call “suicidal ideation“.  I was open about those thoughts and feelings.  I made myself accountable to others who would ask me:

• “Are you taking your medicine?”
• “Are you going to your appointments?”
• “How are you really doing today?”

Depression clouds everything, especially in a job search.  When you’re depressed you don’t feel like you have anything to offer anyone.  Maybe this hits us guys more than the ladies because we get so much of our identity from what we do for a living.  When that is taken away from us, we feel like part of our soul has been ripped out.

There are days you don’t even want to wake up.  You want the pain to go away.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Stay in the battle

Promise me something.  No matter how bad it gets – don’t give up.  Stay in the battle.  Look at yourself in the mirror – no, STARE DOWN the person in the mirror – and repeat these two statements of fact:

1. You are better than you think you are.
2. You can do more than you think you can.

The biggest reason I created the How I Got My Job project is for times like this. Surround yourself with success.  Just hearing that someone else got a job can give you hope.  Listen to these stories over and over again.  Let them sink into your consciousness as you begin to believe in yourself again.

Read this excellent article from Christopher S. Penn about How Your iPod Can Protect Your Mind.

Get help

Finally, get help. No man is an island.  We were made to be social creatures, and we need to get and stay connected with others.  We live in an age now where connecting online is so easy.  Even more importantly, though, get connected to people in-person.  You need to find people to meet up and network with.  Find people who will inspire and encourage you, people who are not afraid to tell it like it is.  Heck, feel free to get in touch with me. I try to make myself as approachable as possible.  Get some therapy if needed.

To share this post on Twitter, please copy and paste the following text:

RT @danieljohnsonjr: (via Get That Job!) Promise Me Something: http://bit.ly/promise-me

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via ClarkHoward.com:

Feb 16, 2009 — New websites to find freelancing and consulting jobs

Clark is making it part of his new mission to be a resource for the unemployed and the underemployed during this tough economic cycle.

The conventional wisdom about education and employment — as your level of education rises, the less likely you are to be impacted by lay-offs — has been completely flipped on its head this time around. This recession knows no boundaries in terms of education, skill level, training or years on the job.

If you have skills of a certain nature, try picking up some consulting work (aka freelancing) on a per-job basis. The Internet offers a variety of sites that hook freelancers up with employers. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Tom Abate has compiled a list of such websites, including the following ones:

• eLance.com
• oDesk.com
• Guru.com
• crowdSPRING.com

These sites are being called “virtual hiring halls” because they’re a modern adaptation of the union hall idea where workers would go to await job orders.

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I initially started this blog as a resource for myself.  As I read and consume content that I think would be worthwhile sharing, I often consider it in that frame of reference.

Such is the case with this jewle  jewel from Rachel Levy:

Using social media for a job search | Rachel Levy – Boston marketing pro (social networking, Twitter).

A coworker just commended me on something through an instant message (IM):

“Thanks, you saved me today with your help.”

It reminded me that I have a document for comments like this, so I added it to the “Quotes about my Performance” document I have.  You should have one, too.

Why you should have this

A document like this is important for several reasons. I’ll include some ones I have, and I encourage you to add to the list in the comments:

• Credibility of your accomplishments. It serves as a record of your accomplishments in someone else’s words.
• Recommendations. Comments like these can be used in promotional material for yourself.
• Cover letters. Specifically, reinforce a point made in a cover letter with a quote from a coworker or client about what you’ve done.
• Encouragement. When you feel down or discouraged, you can refer to this list and remember that you have done something others have found valuable
• References. Chances are if people have praised your work before, they might serve as references. Feel free to remind them what they’ve said if they have forgotten.

Where to find them

I’ve identified some places where you find quotes from others about you.  Feel free to add to the list in the comments:

• E-mail. If you have worked where you send and receive e-mail, you probably have some messages with morsels of praise within.  Find those messages. I have often forwarded work messages with content like this to my personal account for this very purpose.
• Performance Reviews. Chances are, if your company does performance reviews, your boss or manager has said something nice about what you’ve done, and you have a copy of it somewhere.
• LinkedIn Recommendations. If you’re on LinkedIn (and you should be if you’re reading this blog- we should even be connected!), you can ask your connections for recommendations. Not only are they useful on your profile over there, but you can include them in this list.
• Blog/Twitter trackbacks. If someone whose opinion you value highly has commended you in a blog post, on Twitter, or through some other form of “new media,” you can use Google Alerts and Twitter Search to find those comments.
• Audio. I may be reaching a bit, but, let’s say you listen to a podcast or interview, or have been interviewed by someone else.  Chances are you’re being interviewed because someone finds what you have to say important.

Start creating one

There are a few ways you can start creating a list like this:

• Handwritten. Get yourself a notebook and start recording these comments in it.  I used to have a page in a Franklin Planner many years ago for this. This might get time consuming, though, and you’ll have to be careful not to misplace your notebook.
• Word. Create a document in Microsoft Word or other word-processing software and start adding to the list. But you’ll need to save this document somewhere and hope you’re able to keep track of it.
• Online. I use Google Docs for this purpose, since I’m able to carry my Google account with me wherever I go, even if I leave an employer and have to give the computer back.
• UPDATE: Jason mentions that the JibberJobber Job Journal is a great way to do this, and it’s now available in the free level.

Feel free to share this on Twitter with the following text:

RT @danieljohnsonjr: (via Get That Job!) I have a document like this and so should you: http://tinyurl.com/gtj-doc

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