Some people are writers. Others are talkers. When it comes down to the job search, everyone has to be able to do both… and well. You can buy a book or hire a résumé writer to get the written part of the application complete. But how do you get over the interview jitters and really come across as the polished professional that you are on the job?
For those people who are naturally inclined in sales, the interview isn’t something to be feared. Everyone else hates the stress interviews cause, and are constantly worrying, “Will I say the right thing?”
Getting to the point in a highly stressful situation is actually more of a critical job skill than you realize. Practicing speaking can build your competency in this core area. As a frequent speaker myself, people are stunned to hear that not only was I a stutterer when I was a kid, but also that I am an extremely shy person. You wouldn’t know it if you met me! Fortunately, thanks to the dedication of a family member, I was quickly entered into the world of speech and debate throughout my high school and college years.
Then I was off into my professional career, and I remember quite distinctly being at a conference listening to a riveting keynote speaker, who had no notes and was fully engaging the audience. Wow, I thought, wouldn’t it be great to be able to carry something off like that!
Fast forward twenty years, and through progressively responsible experience in my employment lifetime, I have had to step up and provide sessions and leadership at conferences and workshops. This thrust my own public speaking into a suddenly new role. The pivotal moment was when I was on stage addressing 500 people at an awards banquet, and I realized that this was just about the same as a workshop. You have a message, and everyone is there to hear it.
The interview is the same thing. You have a message about yourself, and the prospective employer is interested enough in you that they called you in for an interview to hear it.
A great resource for finding the supportive proving ground in speaking is Toastmasters. I am not a member, but I know countless people who have joined, and reaped the benefits as a result. They’ve been able to focus on what they are saying, how they are saying it, and sense how the audience is receiving their message. Learning what kinds of words or phrases could provide subtle clues as to your state of mind in an interview can be very enlightening. Use of “ums” and “ahs” are hedgers, and can communicate that you are not confident about what you are talking about, or let the interviewer know that you are very nervous and not focused.
Toastmasters or other clubs that encourage members to develop their speaking skills are definitely a wise investment into your skill set. You never know when you might have to give an executive-level presentation, or need to pump yourself up in an interview. If you are relaxed and comfortable with the act of speaking in a highly scrutinized setting, you’ll perform a lot better by staying locked in on the content that you are delivering.
For more information on Toastmasters, please visit their website at toastmasters.org – and gain a whole new skill set!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Making Yourself Stand Out From The Crowd… It’s Not Just about The Résumé
CNN.com recently spotlighted a woman who set up a website (myhusbandneedsajob.com) as a graphic illustration of how tight and desperate the job marketplace is right now. The CNN article also quoted Paul Forster, co-founder and CEO of the job search site Indeed.com, who gave advice to job seekers that they need to find ways to make themselves stand out from the crowd, instead of blasting employers with résumés. The online article mentioned that as a result, the woman's husband has received quite a bit of interest from several companies.
So what are you doing to kick up your job search a notch? Obviously, you have to get your ducks in a row by having a polished résumé, targeted job search and solid networking plan. But in this hyper-saturated job marketplace, these three approaches will only get you so far. The key is finding a way to attract attention to yourself... in a positive way.
A simple way to garner attention is to simply drop off your résumé and cover letter in person, instead of hitting ‘send’ from home. Several clients have used this approach, and gained an on-the-spot interview as a result. Employers are going to be much more likely to remember to someone they’ve met rather than just another entry in their email ‘inbox.’ Be careful, however, that your sudden appearance in the lobby with your résumé isn't misunderstood as an immediate demand for an interview. An important thing to also remember is if you are going to stop by the employer, you should always be dressed up as if you might be interviewed. Most people don't realize that the receptionist is often instructed to make notes about the appearance and demeanor of the applicant when they come into the office to either pick up or drop off application materials.
Some other creative approaches include creating a thematic approach to your submission process.
Here’s a specific example:
A client slipped his résumé and cover letter into a large manila envelope and hand-addressed it to the specific hiring manager to personalize it. On the outside of the envelope, he wrote “Confidential” - most of us would tear into something that looks that important, right? You can imagine that this immediately got the hiring manager’s attention.
It gets better. In the cover letter, his first paragraph after the contact information started out as follows:
“I’ve got a secret to confess.
For 15 years, I have had a passion for (name of industry that the company is in), and when I read about your position opening, I realized that my dream had come true.”
Catchy, huh? He effectively tied in the envelope gimmick with his enclosed career materials by mentioning “secret” to loop back to the “confidential” statement made on the outside of the envelope.
Right now, capturing employer interest in this buyer’s market requires thinking outside of the box. You’ll need to evaluate what kinds of innovative tactics you can employ (in a tasteful fashion) to attract positive attention to your application.
A good way to gain the right perspective is to gain as much insight into the company and hiring manager as possible, and then develop essentially a marketing campaign strategy targeting that audience. You could do something as simple as sending a cookie bouquet with your résumé and say that you offer a sweet opportunity to build the company revenue base.
Being creative and knowing your audience can elevate your market position with employers. Remember, your job right now is to market yourself, and by thinking strategically to boost your profile and visibility, you’ll have a decided advantage over other applicants.
So what are you doing to kick up your job search a notch? Obviously, you have to get your ducks in a row by having a polished résumé, targeted job search and solid networking plan. But in this hyper-saturated job marketplace, these three approaches will only get you so far. The key is finding a way to attract attention to yourself... in a positive way.
A simple way to garner attention is to simply drop off your résumé and cover letter in person, instead of hitting ‘send’ from home. Several clients have used this approach, and gained an on-the-spot interview as a result. Employers are going to be much more likely to remember to someone they’ve met rather than just another entry in their email ‘inbox.’ Be careful, however, that your sudden appearance in the lobby with your résumé isn't misunderstood as an immediate demand for an interview. An important thing to also remember is if you are going to stop by the employer, you should always be dressed up as if you might be interviewed. Most people don't realize that the receptionist is often instructed to make notes about the appearance and demeanor of the applicant when they come into the office to either pick up or drop off application materials.
Some other creative approaches include creating a thematic approach to your submission process.
Here’s a specific example:
A client slipped his résumé and cover letter into a large manila envelope and hand-addressed it to the specific hiring manager to personalize it. On the outside of the envelope, he wrote “Confidential” - most of us would tear into something that looks that important, right? You can imagine that this immediately got the hiring manager’s attention.
It gets better. In the cover letter, his first paragraph after the contact information started out as follows:
“I’ve got a secret to confess.
For 15 years, I have had a passion for (name of industry that the company is in), and when I read about your position opening, I realized that my dream had come true.”
Catchy, huh? He effectively tied in the envelope gimmick with his enclosed career materials by mentioning “secret” to loop back to the “confidential” statement made on the outside of the envelope.
Right now, capturing employer interest in this buyer’s market requires thinking outside of the box. You’ll need to evaluate what kinds of innovative tactics you can employ (in a tasteful fashion) to attract positive attention to your application.
A good way to gain the right perspective is to gain as much insight into the company and hiring manager as possible, and then develop essentially a marketing campaign strategy targeting that audience. You could do something as simple as sending a cookie bouquet with your résumé and say that you offer a sweet opportunity to build the company revenue base.
Being creative and knowing your audience can elevate your market position with employers. Remember, your job right now is to market yourself, and by thinking strategically to boost your profile and visibility, you’ll have a decided advantage over other applicants.
Friday, March 6, 2009
The Power of Networking in Job Searches
Somewhere in the job-search universe, the various numbers being thrown out there tend to agree that 70% of all jobs are found through networking and from people within your sphere of influence. Simply put, humans like to do business with who we know. And if you are unemployed right now or facing employment, it is only reasonable to assume that to advance your job search efforts, these statistics means you have to get out of the house to network… a lot! For the shrinking violets or very shy people, this can be something akin to a nightmare scenario… actually having to go out and TALK to NEW people! Yikes!
The good news is that you can tackle this task with a positive attitude, and realize that you can learn something while developing your interaction skills at the same time. Sure, it is easy to sit back and ride the emotional unemployment rollercoaster passively – you get laid off, you sit at home watching CNN, launch a few job applications here and there, get an interview once in a while, and feel good temporarily… but pretty soon, you’ll start to feel pretty isolated, depressed and completely unemployable. Why isn’t anyone calling you? This is not a happy place to be emotionally.
So take charge of your destiny in the best way you can, and get yourself out there. A good way to think about it is that the ocean is full of sharks (job seekers) right now, circling their job target prey (available jobs), and your goal is to become a bigger shark. The sharks are the ones who are fully engaged in networking and leveraging the power of their Rolodexes and business network contacts to their fullest abilities. Your job is to market yourself right now… so you need to be RELENTLESS AND FEARLESS. The others are doing exactly that, so here’s how you can jump into the sea and compete with the other sharks:
1) Don’t be shy. As much as you may hate meeting new people and don’t feel that you have much to talk about when meeting others, you are going to have to push these feelings aside and stick out your hand to introduce yourself. If you can train yourself to do this, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to engage others. An old networking trick is to ask someone a question about themselves- “What do you do?” – Most people love to talk about themselves, so by asking one simple question, you’ve broken the ice and begun the networking process. Eventually, the conversation will turn back to you and that’s your opening to introduce yourself.
2) Develop your ‘elevator speech’. How are you going to communicate what it is that you do and what you are looking for? But more importantly, what value do you offer a prospective employer? Let’s say that you meet the hiring manager of your dream job at a networking event. What are you going to say to them that builds a compelling case as to why they should hire you? Have a concise, clear articulation of your value proposition ready to go.
3) Become educated. Read business articles online, newspapers, business journals, and make yourself as educated in your field as possible. Then, when you do enter into a networking conversation, you’ll have a veritable library of facts and knowledge to pull from and talk about!
4) Get networking. Here are some suggestions of where to network, gain information and knowledge and to build your contact base:
a. Business groups
b. Trade association meetings
c. Volunteering at industry events or functions
d. Classes (in your field)
e. Job fairs
f. Informational interviews
g. Job support groups
h. Toastmasters
i. Mentors
j. Friends
k. Industry colleagues
l. Alma mater (alumni network)
m. LinkedIn.com and other online business networking groups
Your goal in becoming a ‘shark’ is to meet as many people, introduce yourself, find out ‘nuggets’ of information, acknowledge and thank those that do help you, and create your own web of contacts. That way, when something does come along, you are not only well-regarded as a known quantity, but also immediately identified as an excellent candidate for that position.
Remember, this is what everyone else is doing out there- so you have to make yourself as competitive a candidate as possible too! Be RELENTLESS AND FEARLESS!
The good news is that you can tackle this task with a positive attitude, and realize that you can learn something while developing your interaction skills at the same time. Sure, it is easy to sit back and ride the emotional unemployment rollercoaster passively – you get laid off, you sit at home watching CNN, launch a few job applications here and there, get an interview once in a while, and feel good temporarily… but pretty soon, you’ll start to feel pretty isolated, depressed and completely unemployable. Why isn’t anyone calling you? This is not a happy place to be emotionally.
So take charge of your destiny in the best way you can, and get yourself out there. A good way to think about it is that the ocean is full of sharks (job seekers) right now, circling their job target prey (available jobs), and your goal is to become a bigger shark. The sharks are the ones who are fully engaged in networking and leveraging the power of their Rolodexes and business network contacts to their fullest abilities. Your job is to market yourself right now… so you need to be RELENTLESS AND FEARLESS. The others are doing exactly that, so here’s how you can jump into the sea and compete with the other sharks:
1) Don’t be shy. As much as you may hate meeting new people and don’t feel that you have much to talk about when meeting others, you are going to have to push these feelings aside and stick out your hand to introduce yourself. If you can train yourself to do this, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to engage others. An old networking trick is to ask someone a question about themselves- “What do you do?” – Most people love to talk about themselves, so by asking one simple question, you’ve broken the ice and begun the networking process. Eventually, the conversation will turn back to you and that’s your opening to introduce yourself.
2) Develop your ‘elevator speech’. How are you going to communicate what it is that you do and what you are looking for? But more importantly, what value do you offer a prospective employer? Let’s say that you meet the hiring manager of your dream job at a networking event. What are you going to say to them that builds a compelling case as to why they should hire you? Have a concise, clear articulation of your value proposition ready to go.
3) Become educated. Read business articles online, newspapers, business journals, and make yourself as educated in your field as possible. Then, when you do enter into a networking conversation, you’ll have a veritable library of facts and knowledge to pull from and talk about!
4) Get networking. Here are some suggestions of where to network, gain information and knowledge and to build your contact base:
a. Business groups
b. Trade association meetings
c. Volunteering at industry events or functions
d. Classes (in your field)
e. Job fairs
f. Informational interviews
g. Job support groups
h. Toastmasters
i. Mentors
j. Friends
k. Industry colleagues
l. Alma mater (alumni network)
m. LinkedIn.com and other online business networking groups
Your goal in becoming a ‘shark’ is to meet as many people, introduce yourself, find out ‘nuggets’ of information, acknowledge and thank those that do help you, and create your own web of contacts. That way, when something does come along, you are not only well-regarded as a known quantity, but also immediately identified as an excellent candidate for that position.
Remember, this is what everyone else is doing out there- so you have to make yourself as competitive a candidate as possible too! Be RELENTLESS AND FEARLESS!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
What is the Real Function of a Job Fair?
At a recent networking event I attended as an advisor, a conversation point came up discussing the purpose of a job fair. Many people scoffed at the concept as a waste of time, saying that most employers represented weren’t really hiring, and found that many representatives in the booths referred applicants to their corporate website rather than conducting interviews on-site. Short of walking out of the fair with a job in hand, some of the group felt that attending the fair was a fruitless endeavor.
While the likelihood of having a bona fide interview for a specific position might be low, attending career fairs can be important information-gathering occasions. Think of it as business intelligence or reconnaissance on companies and their personnel.
The key to leveraging the list of companies at a job fair is to target those who are a fit for your background. Spend a little time researching exhibiting companies, and find out what types of positions are available or are a part of that organization so you arrive on-site armed with information and a purpose.
By coming into such an event with a laser-precise approach and a focused polished résumé to suit, you can engage hiring managers on site with aplomb and finesse. If the position that they are hiring for isn’t a match for your skills, redirect by citing a specific example of the type of position that you are looking for (that exists within the organization), and ask if you could get the name of the person in that department or position. The purpose is to get a name - possibly a future networking contact or informational interview. It’s important to be respectful without being threatening (like you want that person’s job), so take a friendly approach- informed, non-barracuda-ish, but knowledgeable and engaged in the company as a whole. That can help make a good impression with hiring managers at the fair and increase your chances of getting that person's name. These days, having connections are even more important in getting a job, so building your network through informational interviews is vital to your search plan.
There's an added benefit to these events: Many times, interacting with job fair employers can provide a great opportunity to practice interviewing. Any interaction that you have with booth representatives should be considered an interview of some sort- you are there to convey your value proposition to the employer; the employer is there to sift through the hundreds if not thousands of attendees to find viable candidates. Being nimble and on your feet conversationally with employers in a busy setting such as a job fair is excellent 'boot camp' in learning how to be clear, to the point and most importantly, concise.
Additionally, being elbow-to-elbow with other applicants is a dramatic but realistic picture of what the job market place is actually like. Most of the time, we don't see the other applicants or job seekers when we are sitting at home sending out applications from our computer; job fairs make your competition a reality. This could be a sobering 'gut check' to re-evaluate your résumé's effectiveness- are you clearly communicating your value and achievements in this document to make yourself stand out over the other applicants standing in line behind you?
This is all food for thought... job fairs might not actually result in a job, but they can yield a great deal of information quickly to help you hone your interviewing skills and give you a perspective of what you need to do to stand out from the crowd.
Pathfinder Writing and Career Services will be providing free résumé reviews at the National Career Fairs Portland event on Tuesday, March 3 from 11am-2pm at the Red Lion Columbia River. To find out details of the event, please click here.
While the likelihood of having a bona fide interview for a specific position might be low, attending career fairs can be important information-gathering occasions. Think of it as business intelligence or reconnaissance on companies and their personnel.
The key to leveraging the list of companies at a job fair is to target those who are a fit for your background. Spend a little time researching exhibiting companies, and find out what types of positions are available or are a part of that organization so you arrive on-site armed with information and a purpose.
By coming into such an event with a laser-precise approach and a focused polished résumé to suit, you can engage hiring managers on site with aplomb and finesse. If the position that they are hiring for isn’t a match for your skills, redirect by citing a specific example of the type of position that you are looking for (that exists within the organization), and ask if you could get the name of the person in that department or position. The purpose is to get a name - possibly a future networking contact or informational interview. It’s important to be respectful without being threatening (like you want that person’s job), so take a friendly approach- informed, non-barracuda-ish, but knowledgeable and engaged in the company as a whole. That can help make a good impression with hiring managers at the fair and increase your chances of getting that person's name. These days, having connections are even more important in getting a job, so building your network through informational interviews is vital to your search plan.
There's an added benefit to these events: Many times, interacting with job fair employers can provide a great opportunity to practice interviewing. Any interaction that you have with booth representatives should be considered an interview of some sort- you are there to convey your value proposition to the employer; the employer is there to sift through the hundreds if not thousands of attendees to find viable candidates. Being nimble and on your feet conversationally with employers in a busy setting such as a job fair is excellent 'boot camp' in learning how to be clear, to the point and most importantly, concise.
Additionally, being elbow-to-elbow with other applicants is a dramatic but realistic picture of what the job market place is actually like. Most of the time, we don't see the other applicants or job seekers when we are sitting at home sending out applications from our computer; job fairs make your competition a reality. This could be a sobering 'gut check' to re-evaluate your résumé's effectiveness- are you clearly communicating your value and achievements in this document to make yourself stand out over the other applicants standing in line behind you?
This is all food for thought... job fairs might not actually result in a job, but they can yield a great deal of information quickly to help you hone your interviewing skills and give you a perspective of what you need to do to stand out from the crowd.
Pathfinder Writing and Career Services will be providing free résumé reviews at the National Career Fairs Portland event on Tuesday, March 3 from 11am-2pm at the Red Lion Columbia River. To find out details of the event, please click here.
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