Browse published articles attributed to Michael Trust, with full-archive search.
Overcome Your Job Search Competition In today’s highly competitive job search market, anything that gives you a legitimate edge is worthwhile to use in your job search. Below are a number of items that you can use, today, in your job search to help you overcome the completion. • Research Your Target Companies: this point can’t be more important in today’s market.
Oh, you don’t have any? Hmmm. You probably won’t be hired. Everyone has some and to overcome this, it’s all about how you position your answer. Most people assume that the following answers will usually do the trick: • I’m a perfectionist • I’m reliable/dependable to a fault, even when I’m sick • I take care of the customer/client, even when I may have to bend some rules • I know this is a writing job, but I hate writing and am not very good at it
All of us have to network for most things in life. It’s how most business gets done. Many of us are very shy, introverted people who have a fear of networking – in person, by email, by phone, or in groups.
Today’s job market is unlike any job market since the Great Depression. With off shoring, outsourcing, economic uncertainty, the prospect of deflation in many sectors of the economy, finding a position, much less a career, is a huge challenge in today’s world. Saying so is an understatement, to say the least.
Over the last several years, we have seen a dramatic shift in the concept of a “career” as more and more people have been downsized, right sized, outsourced, and the like. A career isn’t just vertical anymore; it’s how horizontal and in many cases, very much a zigzag. What do you do if you’re a former real estate agent or broker, automaker in Detroit, a mortgage broker, a banker, someone in manufacturing, etc.? Most of these roles have a greatly decreased volume of jobs these days (although autoworker jobs are picking up in Detroit once again).
Ace the Phone Interview!! Many recruiters use the phone interview as a quick and efficient method of screening potential candidates. While at first glance, it may seem that this is an easier way to be interviewed, in many ways, it is in fact much more difficult. The phone interview derives from a hiring manager reviewing your resume or other application materials and determining that you may be a good fit for a role that is available or that may become available. This is great: it means that your resume did its job and got you the interview.
Office Etiquette – “Friends” In any office environment, people have friends with whom they feel more than just a “work relationship”. These relationships often help to facilitate work getting done by the use of informal networks, and the like. However, there are some things to watch for when dealing with work “friends”: • Just like elementary school, there are workplace bullies, gossips, hangers-on, and snitches. Sadly, this behavior never changes. Be cautious about these types of people.r
If you are reading this, you are probably contemplating writing or rewriting your resume for a new position, a career change, or for some other related reason. There are some items that are highly important when thinking about your resume beyond the obvious (many of the obvious items have been discussed in other blog posts from me):
In today’s economy, with double digit inflation still the case in many states and the national average just under double digits (March 2010), many job seekers wonder what to do with their resume in terms of period of unemployment. It’s a fair question, and it’s driven in large part by past perceptions about unemployment. In the past, any significant unemployment time was often seen as a reflection of the person – the thinking went something like this: “if they were that good, they wouldn’t have been laid off” or “if they were that good, they wouldn’t have been unemployed for that long”.
No one ever wants to find themselves involuntarily unemployed. It’s a horrible feeling to get the news, to wonder about the bills, what to tell family and friends, and how hard it can be to land a new gig. It strips away part of one’s identity in many cases, especially if someone has been with the same organization for years. But, there are some things that are upsides to unemployment:
We all have been there – an interview that seems to be going well and then out comes the 500 pound gorilla in the room – “what are you looking for in terms of salary”. There are a variety of ways to handle this and how you handle could make or break your candidacy.
First off, anyone who has read my young blog for any amount of time knows that I don’t think anyone should look for a job; people should look for a career (even if it’s the second or third one!!). A “job” is so “ho hum”. If you have to pay bills, of course, you do what you have to, trying to keep it relevant to your passion, so in some sense, that could be a “job”. I use “job” here generically, to mean both a “job” and a “career”.
Keep Motivated During Your Position Search It can be very frustrating during a job search, especially an extended search, to stay motivated and on track. It’s very easy to become undisciplined and unfocused, especially as the financial and emotional toll of an extended search mounts. There are some tips that can help to keep you focused an on track, and that can help you stay upbeat, and keep your position top of mind with those around you. Think back to the last political campaign you followed or know about. How did you come to know anything about the candidate or the issue?
In today’s job market, it’s very easy to become frustrated by the lack of response to your resume or application submissions. The fact is that there is about a 6:1 ratio of job applicants for each available position (March 2010). What does this mean? It means that you have to stand out, head and shoulders, above the rest of the applicants. It means that you have to have the perfect resume and cover letter, tailored for each position to which you apply, that easily shows that you have the background (or potential) for the position.
Over the last several years, there has been a proliferation of social networking technologies and platforms. Some have morphed into more “social” than “networking”; however, you never know where your next lead will come from, so it pays to be open about all of the platforms. One (of many) key rules about social networking: if you play to “get”, you won’t get very far. As you “get”, you have to “give” (ideally, you would “give” before you would “get”).
The same set of standards apply to both groups. This is the time of year to evaluate or re-evaluate where you are and where you want to be. As the economy continues to struggle, it is especially important now to get a bearing on where you are in your career. • Finding a new job is hard work. So hard, in fact, that it should take up at least 40 hours per week, just like a regular job – if you have a regular job, you might get by with a little less, but not much.
There are many common mistakes that people make on their resumes. These mistakes are often fatal. As the primary introductory marketing document for your job search. these are items to avoid: An "Objective" statement. This is all fluff, and most recruiters and hiring mangers don't even both to read it. Poor grammar: there is no excuse for poor grammar. Be careful about relying too heavily on spell and grammar check - there are many variations of the same words that have vastly different meanings, spellings, usages, and the like. A resume that reads like a tombstone.
Today’s more sophisticated email systems often look for certain characteristics in email text and in any email attachments. Unfortunately, things like words or graphics that may be perfectly appropriate in some cases can cause spam filters to stop your email, thus rendering your resume “never received”. As crazy as it may seem, totally innocent words can create problems for spam filters. Consider the alte ate meanings of these words (as examples) and how spam filters would likely block your resume if it contained them: • Free • Expand • Trial • Mortgage • Cum (like cum laude)r
In today’s economy, many people who have very specific skill sets are having a hard time landing a regular gig. Some of these people have the mindset necessary to work for themselves and are becoming contractors, either on an on-going basis or for specific projects. Some have one client, some have many (having many of course spreads the risk; but, this could also dilute one’s ability to successfully serve one or two very demanding (and potentially very profitable clients).
As the economy slowly begins to improve, more positions will become available. One of the key processes in any hiring process is the reference check. This process can make or break your candidacy for a position. Key points to consider: • If you only contact your references when you need them to be a reference, you may find them to be lukewarm in their enthusiasm about you. References, in addition to being fantastic networking sources, are like plants: they have to be watered and nurtured. Keep in touch – even if just at holidays or birthdays; preferably once per quarter.
Let’s assume for the purposes of this article that you have the requisite background for the position for which you are applying, have outstanding references, and otherwise on paper meet the requirements of the position. What other things must you have? • Know what is on your resume. In-depth. Be prepared to discuss your resume. It is ok to have it in front of you to help remind you, but if you keep looking at it during the interview, it makes you look unprepared and not confident.
Remember the adage about having an “elevator speech” or an “elevator pitch”? Same concept here. In today’s highly interwoven social networks, it’s very possible that you will run into people with whom you may want to share your job search plans. Given that your interaction is likely to take place on the “fly”, it’s a great idea to have a 30 Second Resume ready to go – and, by ready to go, I mean well thought out and well articulated, but not so rote as to be awkward like you are reading from a script. With that in mind, the same “rules” of the job search apply:r
As we move into the middle of the first week back at work for most folks, let’s look at what’s necessary to land a position – the basics: • Know your target. A scattershot approach will never work. Evaluate what your passion is (or what you think it is if you’re just starting out and don’t yet know or are changing careers) and focus on that. Identify organizations that offer you the ability to fulfill your passion. • Ensure that your resume is up to date. Most importantly, make sure it is error free. There is NO excuse for errors on your resume. None. Zero. Nada.
So, What’s Important When Thinking About Your Resume And A Career Change? Finding a gig in this economy is tough by any measure. Finding one when trying to change careers is even tougher. But, the good news is that it’s not impossible; in fact, with the right coaching , writing, and planning, it can be done!! Let’s look at what a career changer should be thinking about: • Before you can start to network, write a new resume, and the like, you have to know what you’ve done, and where you want to go. Sounds easy. Often isn’t.
Are you unemployed, unhappily employed, or underemployed? If you are, this is the time to get your job search in gear. Below are some tips to help you get started: