Archive for January, 2010

Companies are beginning to hire, and that means they will actually be at the Job Fairs this year.  If you want to get the most our of your time at a job fair, some helpful tips are in order.  Here are my top 7 “DO’s and DON’Ts”:

1. DON’T go to a Job Fair expecting to get a job.  Very few people actually get a job from a Job Fair.  If you are putting all your eggs into this basket, you will be very disappointed.
2. DO go to a Job Fair expecting to gain information about several companies – one of them MAY become your next employer.  Ask lots of questions related to the company, industry, and how a person with your background might fit in.
3. If you attend a Job Fair with others, DON’T “cluster.”  Spread out.  Meet new people (employers AND Job Seekers). Make sure that you do not spend all of your time talking to people you already know, that defeats one of the most important reasons for attending a Job Fair – to meet new people and grow your network.
4. DO be clear about the kind of position you are seeking.  Have a career objective in mind, and stick with it.  This will help you and the recruiters find a better “fit” for you and the company.
5. DO keep your eyes open for opportunities to help connect others in your network.  If you can connect a potential employee with a potential employer, you will build credibility with both parties!  (Of course, this “DO” assumes that you have a network to share information with.  If not, build one NOW!)
6. DO have plenty of business cards and resumes to hand out.  Distribute the business cards liberally, and give a copy of your resume directly to a potential employer.  (In other words, don’t just set it on a pile, or it will probably go directly into a recycling bin!)
7. DO plan to meet 2 or 3 new people, get their business card, and ask if you can follow up with them for a cup of coffee within the next week . . . then DO follow up!  Remember, “the money is in the follow up!”

Have fun at these fairs.  They can be a great place to meet new people and learn about a company or two that you may have some interest in.  Just don’t expect to come away with a job, or you may be very disappointed.

People are pursuing jobs today like fisherman going after fish at a popular lake with a local reputation for lots of big fish. The trouble is that the fishing today at this lake isn’t what it used to be. In the past everyone was confident of getting plenty of strikes and landing at least one or two decent keepers. Those days are gone, yet fisherman keep hoping it will get better again.

Today the lake shore is crowded with fisherman (job seekers) desperately waiting for a bite. They are flailing the water with different lures and baits trying to find a tactic that will produce fish — a job, any job.

The problem is that most of the fish are gone and the few that are still in the lake are small. So what are the fisherman doing? They try harder and long. They change tactics. They move around to different spots on the lake hoping to get a hit. Just changing up your resume or improving your interviewing techniques isn’t going to make much difference in the outcome. Those methods will only work if there are fish to be caught.

Some job seekers are even demanding that the government should do something to create new jobs. That is like saying the fisheries department should stock more hatchery raised fish in the lake. Think about it, stocked fish are usually minimum catchable size, translate that into “low paying jobs.” There is a limited quantity dumped into the lake, people rush to catch them and they are soon fished out. Are more government created jobs what we are really fishing for?

It’s time to rethink your strategy. What is it that you are after? Is it a job or is it rewarding work? There is a shortage of jobs today but there is not a shortage of work. To find work you need to change your strategy and stop wasting time where the jobs and the crowds of fisherman are. It’s time to stop chasing after small number of minimum size jobs that are being pursued by the crowds.

Finding meaningful work in today’s climate will take a new strategy. It means turning away from the overfished lake and seeking out the less accessible but better populated ponds and streams. A new strategy means risking and trying a whole new approach that focuses on targeting rewarding work and not a job. There is meaningful work out there, it looks different than a job but it will take a new strategy to find it and catch it.

Next Tuesday I will go into more detail about the difference between a “job” and “meaningful work” and will focus on the strategy to use for landing the latter.

Gary Prehn is a career management professional living and working in Southern California.  His specialty is in helping people over 50 find meaningful work.  He writes this column every Tuesday.

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A while back I attended an event at which three recruiters from large companies told us what they look for in job candidates. It was interesting to get “the inside scoop” on the hiring process. VERY interesting! Here are some of the things I learned [peppered with my own HINTS]:

1) When a company posts an opening they usually get 500 or more applications. The ONLY way they can sort through that kind of volume is to use a piece of software to do it for them. Guess what means to you.  If your resume doesn’t exactly fit the key words for the specific job posting it probably won’t make it through the initial screening. [HINT: If you are going to apply for an online posting, be sure your resume fits as closely as possible with the job description in the posting -- and NEVER lie about your experience!]

2) Recruiters KNOW that this process screens out dozens of candidates who are more qualified than the ones they are actually interviewing, but they simply have no choice. [HINT: Get to the recruiter BEFORE they put the posting online -- we have some helpful ways to do that!]

3) Recruiters would rather view their job as a strategic effort of the organization, than simply a “position filling” service. In that regard, the BEST recruiters are looking to fill positions down the line as well as the one in front of them. [HINT: Upsell yourself by helping the recruiter see your potential to get promoted through the ranks of their organization. That way you will help them fill both the current job for which they are interviewing AND the one they will need to fill in a year or two.]

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when working with recruiters is that less than 15% of people find their job this way.  You can increase your odds by treating the recruiter as a networking partner.  Follow the rules of networking, and recruiters can become a helpful tool for helping you find a job.

Happy Hunting!

Related Posts

• How To Work With A Recruiter In Your Job Search
• Are You Ready To Get Hired?
• Are You Sick And Tired of Being Sick and Tired?
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“How much did they pay you to give up on your dreams?”

That’s a direct quote from George Clooney in the movie Up In The Air. My wife and I saw it yesterday, and it really made an impact on me.  One, because this is some of the work I have been doing for the last 16 months – not the firing part, but the part about helping people move past the job loss on to a new opportunity.  Two, because it deals with an issue that more that 20% of us have had to face in the last 12-18 months — losing a job and its affect on our career, family, psyche and life.

I won’t spoil the movie for you. You should really go see it.

Now read this next part carefully, because if you don’t you may think I’m saying that working isn’t important.  I’m not saying that at all.  Our jobs allow us to exchange time for money.  Money allows us to purchase the things we want and need — i.e. food, clothing shelter, and cool stuff like iPhones and computers.  The problem is that too many of us take a job to pay the bills then end up settling for something less than we really want.  We work our jobs and they consume us.  We get tired and worn out.  Something has to give, so we settle.  We HAVE to have a job, so we give up on the one thing that really matters to us . . . our dreams.

If you have lost your job recently you have been forced into something that you didn’t want and which doesn’t feel very comfortable.  The good news is that the time you have been given may just be the ticket you need to re-focus on what really matters to you. I hope you will take the time to do that, even though it may be uncomfortable (or even a bit painful).

When our clients are evaluating their next career position we coach them to look at 4 things:

1. Job Satisfaction
2. Growth Opportunities
3. Proper Environment
4. Compensation ($$$)

When you evaluate your next position you should look for a balance of these 4 things.  If you don’t, you will probably have an opportunity to do it again within 18 months.  That’s because studies show that more than 50% of all employees are dissatisfied with their current job.  Nearly half of them state that they are looking for a new position. I assure you, that will be YOU if you don’t try to balance job satisfaction, growth opportunities, proper environment and compensation within your next position.

You don’t have to settle.  You don’t have to take a position that will suck the life out of you. You don’t have to give up on your dreams…and I hope you don’t, because life is just too short!

Happy Hunting!

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The week before Christmas we held a workshop on developing your Elevator Pitch to promote your personal brand. We taped participants before and after the workshop, and here are a couple of those examples.

Mike before:

Mike after:

Kim before:

Kim after:

You can read the four steps these two used to develop their pitch at: http://careeradvice4u.com/4-step-process-writing-elevator-pitch/.

Now, we know these are as polished as they need to be.  Both Mike and Kim came a long way, and here’s why:

1. They focused on their most pertinent strengths
2. They let go of everything they do not want to bring to their next career
3. They state their claims in terms that focus on the audience rather than on themselves
4. They are looking forward, rather than backwards.

Try it and let us know how this work for you.  In fact, why don’t you create your own video and post it on YouTube with a link here. It would be a great way to promote your personal brand!

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Your network let you down?  Really?

If you feel like your network has let you down, then you really don’t understand what a network is, how to develop it, or how to use it to help you in the job search.  Listen up, kids.  There WILL BE a test at the end of this post, and if you fail you will add several months (not weeks . . . MONTHS) to your job search.

What you must understand first and foremost is that networking is NOT about you. Ever.  It’s about connecting people to help them get what they want or need. Anything that comes your way out of networking is a bi-product of you connecting other people. Many job seekers don’t understand this, and thus, are frustrated when their network doesn’t produce the results they think it should.  Many job seekers think the network is there to serve them, to pass along job leads, or to help them get a foot in the door. That is NOT what a network is for.  YOU exist to serve the network. The network is not there to serve you.

Here’s the tricky part. It is a proven fact that most people find their job because of a network connection.  They know somebody who knows somebody who needs what that particular job seeker has to offer. Your name gets passed along as a potential fit, and before you know it you are sitting in an interview.  Somehow that confusingly gets turned into, “my network is there to help me find a job.”  Look closer, because that’s not what is happening at all.  That scenario is not about YOU, it’s about the person or company that has a need for something.  Your name gets passed along because you have built up trust and respect within your network.  You are the connection that helps the other person fulfill their need.  Don’t ever get this confused, because that’s when people feel that their network has let them down. In fact the opposite is true — YOU have let down YOUR NETWORK.  You haven’t shown yourself to be trustworthy, so nobody passed along your name as a potential solution to the other person’s problem. Bitter medicine, perhaps, but that’s the way it works!

In their book, Trust Agents, Chris Brogan and Julien Smith offer a mathematic formula for trust.  (It’s not theirs originally, but that’s where I saw it, so they get the credit.) The formula goes like this:

(C x R x I) / S = T

That is, CREDIBILITY times RELIABILITY times INTIMACY, divided by SELF-ORIENTATION equals TRUST.  The key here, as I see it, is to understand that as SELF-ORIENTATION (or self-interest) increases, your TRUST factor decreases.  The more you are in it for yourself, the less trust you obtain. Networks are driven by trust.

So, the next time you feel like your network has let you down check your heart and clarify your motives.  Others can tell if you are there for yourself or for them, and they won’t tolerate it.

What’s your TRUST factor?

I got a Borders gift card for Christmas and wanted to spend it as fast as I could, so last Monday I went to see what was out there. Armed with Mashable’s list of “10 Must-Read eBooks For Social Media Lovers” (http://mashable.com/2009/12/21/must-read-ebooks/), I picked up three that looked especially promising for my purposes — Crush It!: Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk , Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition by Guy Kawasaki, and Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trustby Chris Brogan and Julien Smith . I vowed to give 20 minutes to each book, at the end of which time I would make a decision and cash-out. I’ll spare you the suspense. . . I chose Brogan and Smith.

I’ll explain why in a minute, but first a brief sidebar. As I started the process I sent a tweet asking my followers for their recommendation. Interestingly enough, @GuyKawasaki (or someone tweeting for him) shot back a reply, “all three!” As I said, I chose Brogan and Smith, so “sorry Guy” — but I have good reason, and the fact that you responded to my tweet puts you on top of the list for when I spend the Barnes and Noble card I got!

I am a Career Coach, Small Business Coach, and professional speaker. When I look for something to read I usually try to find something that will give me double mileage for my time, because, like you, I’m busy! I am currently doing a lot of work helping job seekers and small businesses integrate social media into their marketing strategy. My specialty is helping old people like me (I’ll be 50 this year) understand the value of Social Media basics like Twitter and Facebook. You see, my generation grew up without all of this fancy technology. My family had a black and white tv until I was in High School – ONE TV! There were 4 channels and we had to fight to watch our favorite shows. (Luckily, my favorite was everyone else’s favorite as well. Let’s just say we never missed a “Gilligan’s Island” re-run.)

Anyway, my generation wasn’t raised with computers. We didn’t have cell phones. My generation is skeptical, but we know that we need to learn how and why to use Social Media, if for no other reason than to keep up with our kids! Much of what I do in this space is to help my generation understand the strategic value and opportunities involved in Social Media for business and finding job opportunities. That’s why I chose Brogan and Smith. I’ve devoured Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies“ by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff. I’ve drunk from the cup of professional bloggers such as Brian Clark, Darren Rowse, and Yaro Starak — I’m even a member of the “Teaching Sells” community. I have accounts at Digg.com, Technorati, and Delicious (although, admittedly. I don’t use them enough). I attend our local Wordcamp, Beer and Blog, and an ocassional SEMPdx event. I’m good friends with Joshua Waldman (affiliate link), Eric Mann (my publisher) and Pete Wright (my personal videographer) — three guys I consider to be SoMe Gurus. I’m pretty hooked on social media, but to the rest of my generation I’m a bit of an enigma. Most of us “old folks”*** are skeptical of these newfangled contraptions! I have heard on many occasions a statement that was recently made by my friend Elaine.  She said, “I don’t want everyone knowing my business.”

Well I have news for you Elaine, everyone already knows your business! Your life is an open book for all to see, all they need to do is Google your name and they can find your picture, your phone number, your home address, even the fact that you remodeled your basement to the tune of $7,500 in 2008 and took out a permit that cost you $75.00.

“Everyone already knows your business, Elaine.”

That’s the point I’m trying to make in this post. Part of my current mission is to help people raised on rotary phones and Gilligan’s Island re-runs learn the value of using social media to grow their business or find their perfect career position or simply to enhance their life. I picked up the three books mentioned above and chose the one I felt will best help me with that mission.  Vaynerchuk’s book is a great option for helping people find and live their passion.  I intend to use it in my coaching practice with job seekers, however, it didn’t quit hit the spot with my need to help my generation understand and use social media.  Kawasaki’s book (IMHO) felt like it is more aimed at the corporate enterprise than the individual. It’s got some gems, but is a little more corporate than I needed this time.  I will buy those books later, for a different purpose, just not now.  Right now, I need something that will give me the philosophical framework and language tools I need to help my generation embrace Web 2.0 and social media.  Brogan and Smith’s book does exactly that.  I think what really sold me was the little section titled: A Final Lesson: Don’t Be “That Guy” (p. 110 & following). Here’s the specific quote:

“A trust agent’s job is . . to make people feel comfortable, all the way, building deep relationships before ever asking something of others.  You should be there for THEM.”

Yep.  That’s what I need.  My generation is the generation of love, peace (and drugs).  We can understand a social media philosophy that encourages us to “be there for them.” This book is just what I need right now.

Thanks @Chrisbrogan and @julien. And sorry @guykawasaki.  Maybe next time. . .

*** [A old fella was telling his neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art. It's perfect.'   'Really,' answered the neighbor. 'What kind is it?'   ' Twelve thirty.']

Related Posts:

• The ABCs of Career Management
• A Day In The Life Of A Successful Job Seeker
• How To COnduct An Informational Interview

Today’s post is a way for me to organize what happened in the 30 days of blogging challenge.  Hey, it’s New Year’s Day, so not many people are reading anyhow. . . They are all watching the Ducks!

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