Jump-Starting Your Job Search

An all-too familiar scenario: After months of applying for jobs and endlessly sending in résumé after résumé for open positions without hearing anything, you are worn down, discouraged, and just plain tired of being unemployed.

This sucks, you think to yourself.

"Why bother? Why bang my head against the wall?"

If your job search has slowed down to a snail’s pace, all the advice in the world about how to revamp your job search won't matter.

You need to recharge.

There’s an old adage that “Looking for a job is a full-time job” is entirely accurate.  It IS a full-time job, requiring a tremendous amount of energy, focus, and attention.

But you can’t expect to do a full-time job without a break somewhere and sometime.  And it is completely okay to give yourself permission to take a vacation from looking for work.

This doesn’t mean you get to book that all-inclusive trip to Hawaii (unless you can afford it), but it is just as important to schedule mental break time from the grind of looking for work.  Let’s face it: Looking for work IS wearing, and it does become difficult not to take rejection personally.

This is precisely when you need a break.

Take time to re-energize by doing something that you do enjoy.  Reminding yourself that there are things that bring joy to your life is critical to fortifying yourself and gaining resilience to weather the rigors of job searching.

Pencil in vacation time and be very specific about start and end dates.  You'll have something to anticipate and savor.  Once that break time is done, then you will be able to re-direct your attention to resuming the search after you charge up your batteries.
 
It is amazing how taking a few days off can jump-start your job search much more than just trying a new tactic or gimmick.  You'll be sharper, more focused, and energized to jump right back in and keep up a positive attitude.

And that can make all the difference.

Reputation Management: You Are Known By The Company You Keep

Today, I was sent a blast email from another industry professional... someone that I've never met nor communicated with prior to this generalized message which landed in my in-box.  In the person's note, they even apologized for the fact that they were sending a bulk email to everyone within a commonly associated group.

I did a quick scan of the message and read that this person was introducing a money-making partnership and was requesting my particiation... along with everyone else whose email was listed in the email (instead of blind-copied as per social netiquette).

Like most people, I get a lot of these generic messages in my box, so I quickly replied, saying, "REMOVE," then sent it off and didn't give it another thought. 

Surprise! I got an email back from this person who said that they hoped that they had not offended me with their 'offer.'

But what transpired next was like watching a slow-motion train wreck happen in a series of back-and-forth emails. 

I tried to explain to this individual that in today’s era of relationship-building, getting a blast email is a complete turn-off.  Simply put: I didn’t know them and wasn't going to partner with someone I don't know solely based on my benefitting from a certain amount of money that would be the result of the proposed partnership. 

Why would I put my reputation on the line for someone I don't even know?

Reputation management is a life-long process and is the result of careful cultivation of personal and professional relationships based on mutual respect and affinity. We choose our friends and are known by the company that we keep.

The reply back from this person was defensive.

They totally didn't get it.

The real train-wreck from this entire experience was that this person missed a true opportunity had they taken the time to personalize their approach.  I would have been much more willing and open to partnering had they taken the time to get to know me first before asking me to do something for them.

Today, relationships come first... not money. If you cultivate the relationships the right way, the money will follow... not the other way around.

With this individual, we had never interacted before this moment, and then they sent me a generalized email.  As a recipient, that tells me that they haven’t taken the time to find out about me, my business model, or general approach before asking something of me.   By taking the time to do some quick research on a target audience and either sending a individual email or making a phone call for a personal touch-point, this would open a door for opportunity, rather than a total shut-down.

When I coach clients on job search techniques, I advise them to build their LinkedIn networks carefully and be selective with who you let in. The previous blog post I wrote talked about being wary of LinkedIn collectors who just want to add another connection like a notch on a belt.  Reputation by association is something to take very seriously.

The next time someone unknown to you asks something of you without establishing any kind of personal rapport, you might want to question their motives. 

Is it YOU that they want... or instead, is it the MONEY you can bring to them? 

And base your decision from there.

What’s NOT Wrong With Your Life?

At an event earlier today, the program speaker, who was from ComedySportz, asked the audience to pair up with someone else at their table and then ask the partner: “What’s NOT wrong in your life?” Once the partner responded, the questioner was told to repeat the question over and over after each answer was given. This went on for about 30 seconds, and then we reversed roles.

Nervous tittering trickled across the room. It was an unusual question aimed at provoking thought.

Personally, I found this exercise incredibly difficult… my brain struggled to provide a new answer, and the funny thing is, I consider myself a positive person, and try not to dwell on the negatives. I have lots of things to be happy about.

But why was this question so tough???

Most of us could probably tick off (without batting an eye) a list of things that you wished that you could fix… Need to clean house more often, lose weight, take that class that you never have time for, or find that right person to date.

But why is so easy to rattle off the bad things but when it comes to quickly pinpointing the positives, we are reluctant to mention them?

Credit our parents. “Be modest” was drilled into our heads. “Don’t boast” is another social rule that we’ve been taught. These are all admirable etiquette tips to follow, but have we also lost something else along the way?

Are we afraid to be centered and happy about our accomplishments?

One of the biggest concerns that I hear from clients is that they are wary about claiming any kind of positive contribution at their employer when detailing their accomplishments on their résumé. There IS a fine line between being a braggart (ME! ME! ME!) and someone who has positively contributed to society, community, or business. Oftentimes during résumé consultations, someone will tell me that, “I haven’t really done anything” – which tells me that they haven’t been able to embrace the value that they have contributed to an organization.

Wrong.

EVERYONE contributes something. Case in point: Who is the most important PAID person in any company? (HINT: It’s not the CEO) Give up? It’s ANYONE who has the first point of contact with a customer. Without customers, the company is dead in the water. So while the CEO may get paid more, the person on the front line is actually holding the future of the company in the palm of their hand by how they interact with the customer. THAT’S a positive contribution.

An important career management tip for everyone (myself included) is to take a deep breath, do an inventory on your positive contributions, and accept being centered on those things without being ashamed. 

You aren't boasting. You're simply balancing the negatives with positives.

Similarly, you need to be in the moment to celebrate the things that AREN’T wrong with your life. Remembering and cherishing those positive things will help you get through the bad times and give you sustenance to make it out to the other side. Be connected and celebrate the things that are going right… it’s okay, and it will help make your life more fulfilling.

And believe me, I am thinking a lot about today’s experience so I can also be in the moment with the things that NOT wrong in my life!!!

Don’t Be A LinkedIn “Collector” or “User”

One of the most valuable career assets any of us can possess is a high quality business and professional network composed of people we’ve worked / collaborated with (or connected to) at some point in our careers.

By taking this approach, there’s something at stake with this LinkedIn approach: the people that we choose to connect with have integrity and quality, we know them and they know us, and we feel comfortable helping them out if they ask for assistance.

Let’s take this one level deeper: these people are also the ones with whom we have meaningful relationships and a general level of mutual respect from personal knowledge / connection.

One of my biggest personal pet peeves includes receiving a request from a random person that I don’t know… and especially when this person doesn’t even bother to take a moment to let me know why they would like to connect.

You know the types… they cruise LinkedIn looking for people to add. Frequent criteria for these folks include looking for potential connections who have a lot of contacts in their network… or are a mover and shaker with whom they would like to be associated. So the LinkedIn cruiser sends a request to connect… with nary a courtesy introduction as to why they would like to do so in hopes that the recipient just simply clicks "accept invitation."

Bingo! "Another connection added," thinks the LinkedIn cruiser. Then they move on to the next contact target.

I call these people “collectors” – it seems that their request is all about the number count and getting another notch on their belt to boost their network size.

But what they are actually doing is creating a pretty flimsily-assembled group of people with whom they have no real meaningful connection.

Fortunately, most of us don’t operate that way. And we don’t like being someone else's statistic, either, if you know what I mean.

Most business people are probably actually quite open to connecting to new contacts, but if a unknown person wants to be a part of your network, having a basis for which to establish a relationship is critical to establishing a meaningful connection.

And when someone doesn’t even take the time to write a short introductory note, then this kind of request screams: “Collector!”

And the sad part is that anytime someone sends a request, they are actually missing a true opportunity. A short note explaining how they found you or the reason why they would like to connect is a genuine basis to start a conversation and business relationship. The personalized note acts to authenticate the connection request.

And these days, it’s not so much about the quantity as much as it is totally about quality.

But even after that point, some people simply don’t get it.

An example just from today: I received an email from a stranger without any mutual connections that was nothing more than the basic:

“I would like to connect with you on LinkedIn.”

Sigh.

So, I emailed back:

“Thanks for your request to connect- I only accept invitations with people that I know...can you help me by providing some information on where we might have met before? Thanks for understanding!”

This person then emailed back and told me to go visit their company website which should be a compelling enough reason for us to connect. Additionally, they mentioned that their company has had a ‘surge in clients worldwide’ … yet at the same time they told me that they had ‘decided to use LinkedIn as a means to find and connect with potential associates around the world who might be able to help me service their requirements.’

Yeah, right.

How motivated would I be to help this person? I basically got hit up with first an anonymous request, then a follow-up one asking me to help someone I don’t know find people to help them with their marketing efforts...and the kicker was that this person was too lazy to even make a compelling reason in the personal message to me why I should help them.... they simply told me to go to their website!

Ouch.  Way off the mark, and totally ineffective.

We all gain something from cultivating strong relationships with our colleagues, co-workers, and professional contacts.  Maintaining a quality and personal connection to each one of these people is critical to our mutual success and builds the synergy that composes the give-and-take cycles of healthy relationships.

But when it comes to adding meaningless connections just to ‘get numbers,’ strangers can't simply just show up to take, and even more so when they offer to give nothing in return. This isn’t an effective use of one’s time nor effort, and ends up missing the critical benefit of LinkedIn.  

Simply put: We do business with people we know and trust.

There is no ‘easy’ button in estabishing relationships, but an effort needs to be made to personalize a request.  It takes time and social skill to define and develop those relationships, and by being a collector or user, you are cutting yourself out of working with a beneficial tool that could make the difference in your career advancement through people motivated to help you by virtual of personal association and knowledge of who you are.

Choose your connections carefully- and when they connect, that means that they have chosen you, and there is weight in their trust of your integrity and personal relationship... and that they have voted 'yes' by connecting to you.

The Dangerous Minefield of Modifying Previous Job Titles

True confession time: Did you ever ‘tweak’ a job title on your résumé because the title you worked under didn’t quite fit the work that you were doing? The truth is (and I’ve seen this a lot with clients as a résumé writer), many people have done at least some ‘creative job title engineering’ at some point… the fear of being caught diminishes simply as time has worn on, and as that particular job record slides further back into history, and the inhibitions to keep to the facts sometimes wear off as job seekers try to provide a more accurate snapshot of the work that they did.

But did you know that when you change your actual job title of record to something different on your résumé, it is seen as lying by human resource personnel?

Let’s put it this way: If a prospective employer is ready to make an offer and calls one of your former workplace human resource offices, the job title that you have on the résumé absolutely better match what is on your personnel record... Don’t fall into the lazy assumption that “Well, everyone at that company knew I did so much more than that job title – I was the glue that held it all together. They’ll roll with it and understand.”

Wrong!

The person at the end of the line is not going to be as understanding about any job title modifications. And, depending on how long ago your employment was at that company, consider this: Staff may have turned over to the point that anyone currently in that position or department might not have ever met you before to even know what you did at a personal level.

Changing official job titles a dangerous road to go down and is littered with potential landmines. Resist the urge to take any creative license on your work history.

Why?

Anything different than what is officially on record is a huge red flag and could lose you a job offer as a result. Your earnestness to convey the actual level of your work can also be misunderstood by a prospective employer as a deliberate attempt to deceive.

All is not lost, however.

There is a way to get across the FUNCTION of what you did when the job title doesn’t do it justice… and without misrepresenting yourself. A simple solution to this common problem is to provide the information as follows:

Actual Job Title of Record (Title equivalent), Month/Year – Month/Year
Example: Business Development Director (Vice President equivalent), 6/2003–7/2009

This way, you are stating the official title that you held while conveying the scope and level as an equivalency, but not claiming it.

However, there are some exceptions. Sometimes, business owners decide that they want to go work for someone else, and decide to throw their hat into the ring.  While keeping to the facts and being honest, it would be a fair thing to say that the business owner of a small company has worn many hats in a definitive role- they've been the 'chief cook, bottlewasher, and server.' These business owners run all operations, finance, marketing, human resources, sales, executive, and customer service roles.  By conveying their specific job title towards their target job, they can position their experience towards that themed area. A good way to position experience in this situation is as follows:

ABC Company
Marketing Director / Owner, 6/2003–7/2009

By positioning the most desireable and relevant attribute of their business ownership towards the position for which they are applying, but also indicating ownership, they have covered the bases and satisfied role clarifications sought by human resource managers.

Another problem that I see is that some clients will enjoy a steady progression of internal promotions in a company, but when it comes to listing the duration of their career at that particular employer, some people will take their most recent position and include all of the years encompassing their previous positions… under that one job.

The fact remains that they were not doing that higher level job for the entirety of their career at that company, and stating all those years at that company under a single job is considered lying as well. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve started to delve into client work histories during consultations, only to be interrupted with the client stating that they had several positions at that employer (which were not stated/listed on the résumé). When I press for more details, it turns out that there are multiple positions that break down their work history into separate jobs.

Claiming one long stint under one job title is an equally dangerous landmine in the road to a successful job search – some human resource managers see it as an attempt to extend the longevity and put more weight / attention onto that higher level position.

However, the ironic part is that most human resource personnel agree that demonstrating career progression by listing those successive promotions is actually more helpful to them by demonstrating your value to the previous employer.

Remember, being honest in developing your résumé means you have nothing to explain or defend in an interview. And with the amount of effort that it takes to actually land the attention of an employer these days, why would you want to jeopardize a potential job offer with a mistake (either intentional or unintentional due to laziness or assumptions) way back at the beginning of the job application cycle? Pay attention now, be honest, and never assume anything that people will ‘understand.’

What Happens When You Do Everything Right In An Interview… And The Hiring Manager Is Nuts?

Have you ever had this happen to you?

“Emily,” a client and a friend of mine, recently had a rattling experience. She applied for a job for which she was eminently qualified, and executed everything flawlessly throughout the entire job application and interview process… including doing her research on the company, preparing interview questions of her own, writing thank you notes, and then politely checking in on the status of her application to show just the right level of interest and enthusiasm for the position.

But when she made it to the second round (after having charmed the first-round interview panel), she found herself sitting in front of a company vice president who the final decision-maker…and someone who also was clearly off of her rocker.

From inappropriate personal items on display in the VP’s office to mention of being under the influence of a painkiller, to a rambling tirade that lasted 45 minutes of the 55-minute long interview, Emily found it difficult to get a word in edgewise to connect her background to the position opening. The conversation with the VP bounced all over the place, and it was clear that the VP had some serious personal mental issues. The whole ‘interview’ ended up being a monologue from the VP, and at that point, Emily realized that it was best to resign herself to letting the VP take the conversation where she wanted to take it… which was apparently all over the map.

This whole situation was incredibly discouraging for Emily. She was fired up, had great ideas to take the organization to the next level, had gotten the buy-in from the staff from the first-round, and was ready to hit the ground running. Everything was electrified with the “YES, I can do it” vibe.

Yet it was clear that there was one problem that the department was not able to deal with…

The VP was nuts.

And sure enough, in a follow up call to HR a week later, Emily was told that the VP had said that she was going to get back to Emily personally (but did not)…. and the HR person sympathetically told Emily that the VP had selected two other candidates for a third round, and suddenly, had gone in an entirely different direction in terms of candidate requirements (at this point, the HR person had a tinge of irritation in her voice).

Crushed, Emily hung up, trying to figure out what to make of the entire experience.

So what do you do, when everything is game, set, and match: and then the loose cannon arrives on the scene and blows everything to bits… and there is NOTHING you nor anyone else who is your advocate can do?

First, you cannot control the situation. As frustrating as it is, that person / obstacle is immovable and they are in a position of authority which you cannot change. You are only responsible for your conduct, and if you execute everything flawlessly, then you’ve done everything expected and demanded of you. Beyond that, there is absolutely nothing you can do to influence or shift opinion, and to attempt to do so will only result in it reflecting badly on you for circumventing the person in question.

Second, you need to let it go. Look through the entire experience and determine what the take-aways are… is there anything you could have done BETTER? It’s ok to examine what happened, what the clues were, how you responded, and if there was anything else you could have contributed differently – but you ultimately cannot dwell on it… you’ll drive yourself crazy with the ‘what ifs.’

Decide what you want to learn from the experience and integrate it into how you want to present yourself in case this same kind of situation presents itself again. Then let it go, and concentrate your efforts on your job search efforts. Don’t devote your energy on something that is now in the past…. Instead, focus on your future.

Third, you wouldn’t have enjoyed working there anyway. Sure, it’s easy to adopt this attitude, but think of it this way… how many of us end up in a dysfunctional workplace that ends up eating up our productivity time by us ‘kivetching’ to other employees about a particular problem or person? If you are experiencing a disconnect in the interview and can easily see through personal issues and personality problems of your potential future boss, what do you think it would be like on a daily basis?

Most likely, it won’t improve from there… I always say that you are interviewing employers just as much as they are interviewing you. If the employer is that bad in an interview, what do you think they will be like as your boss? The interview is supposed to be when everyone is on their best behavior!

And, as part of evaluating a job opportunity, no matter how much you need the money, you should weigh the mental cost of working with supervisors with control, anger, or personal issues. A healthy workplace could be more desirable than a bigger paycheck served up with a whole lot of angst. And chances are that there’s someone in your social or work circle that ended up going to counseling because of an unhealthy work environment.

The key to get beyond these excruciatingly disappointing interviews where you knew you had it ‘in the bag’ but got derailed by someone who isn’t in their right mind is to understand the boundary lines between what you can and cannot control, and to do what you can do to the best of your ability.

If it doesn’t come to fruition, then there wasn’t a fit, and you need to move on to the next opportunity and put your energy into more productive efforts.

Counter Offers: 7 Reasons to Just Say "NO"

This blog post is generously provided by Connie Dorigan, president of Dorigan & Associates, a high-tech talent recruiting firm.
_______________________________
Congratulations! You've managed to hold on to your job through the "Great Recession" and are feeling fortunate to be employed... and indeed you are. But recently, you started exploring the job market just to see what is out there. Then, lo and behold, you run across a position with a company that is everything you've ever wanted...more pay, good management, exciting products, and tons of upside potential. After going through the application and interview process, and after a lot of careful consideration, you have decided to accept the offer.

Building up your courage, on Friday afternoon you walk into your boss's office to hand in your resignation. You explain the opportunity is too good to pass up, and announce your departure date.

What happens next is something you are completely unprepared for: Your boss presents a counter offer, which means that they really want to keep you. From the boss' response, it is clear that they had no idea you were looking. (Really? Hadn't they noticed that your wardrobe had suddenly improved and you were taking longer lunches fairly frequently?) The offer includes more money, a newer computer, an extra week of vacation... if you'll just reconsider.

Confusion sets in, and you start mulling it over.... Maybe the your current work situation isn't so bad after all. You wouldn't have to prove yourself at the new company, nor have to learn how to navigate around their corporate culture. Plus, you'd earn more money for doing exactly what you've been doing all along.

But... STOP! 7 Reasons to Just Say "NO"!

This kind of emotional thinking could be very dangerous to your career.

Consider what's really driving your employer's response...

1.) Your decision was made long ago, when you first decided to look for a new job. Something motivated you to look. What was it? Whatever the reason was, that reason still exists. Staying with your current position will only prolong the inevitable.

2.) If your employer was sincere about retaining you, they would have taken steps to keep you long before you handed in your resignation. Likely you've been unhappy for quite some time. Why did you have to threaten to resign before someone noticed?

3.) Fear is the number one reason an employer makes a counter offer, the fear of having to re-hire and re-train your replacement. It will take effort and a minimum of six to eight weeks to find your replacement, and there are no guarantees that your replacement will work out. You're a proven commodity; your replacement is not.

4.) Replacing you is risky business. Your boss will do or say what ever it takes to minimize the risk, until it suits them to do otherwise. Consider what's in your best interest.

5.) Accepting a counter offer can be hazardous to your career and your character. Although, it might seem unfair, some might believe you can be bought, you are indecisive, and /or could walk out at the most inopportune times.

6.) Accepting a counter offer, while reasonable enough, can send a ripple through the team. The relationships that you now enjoy with your co-workers may never be the same. The news of your interviews and decision to stay will eventually leak out. Peers will wonder if they can count on you, and may resent that you have one more week of paid vacation, or a new computer. Think about it: they could start assuming that you possibly got the part of the budget that was supposed to be their raise.

7.) According to the Wall Street Journal, in more than 90 percent of the cases where people accept counter offers, they end up fired, laid-off, or at least looking for a new job within six to twelve months.

Making a clean professional exit
The best way to avoid a counter offeris to state that after much deliberation, your decision is final. That's it. Incorporate your decision into your letter of resignation as well as verbalizing it to your manager. No need to be unpleasant. Deliver the news and reiterate that you will do what ever it takes to make the transition easy for them. Putting the focus on them and away from you will allow them to process your resignation and move forward more easily.

Congratulations for making the effort and taking the risk to grow, personally and professionally.