Happy New Year Job Seekers?

Although many are still gift shopping for the holiday season, it is not too soon to  work on New Year’s resolutions.  Especially for job seekers!  This month’s Job-Hunt.org article provides many choices for improving the job search process.  Feel free to contribute others by adding comments to this post.

Article:  New Year’s Resolutions for Job Seekers

Can You Go The Distance?

Collaborative, creative, team player.  Self-motivated, quick-learner, top communicator.  Do these terms describe you?  Well, they should because apparently they describe just about everyone based on the resumes I’ve seen.  For certain, these terms are not original.  While discussing your talents within a resume or interview, you need to convey you possess these attributes.  However, job seekers should keep in mind these are not enough.

There is one attribute I don’t hear much about from candidates that I think may be more important than the others: ENDURANCE.  As an avid cyclist, this word comes up often for me, especially around the discussion of long-distance rides and races. 

In the working world, what connotations come to mind?  If an employee has strong “endurance,” he or she typically:

• Do not shy away from tough assignments and gets them done on time
• Is politically savvy and can manage through controversy
• Can set action plans in place that are achievable (often times with limited resources)
• Leverages constructive criticism to make themselves better
• Sticks around for a while and looks to get promoted from within
• Does not get bored easily
• Takes few sick days

I’m sure the list goes on and on.  As employers look to bolster their teams, they want strong contributors.  All the common qualities mentioned at the top are important, but frankly, they are expectations of every candidate.

Endurance is something that is proven and displayed through solid examples.  The best examples relate how an employee rose above the rest to accomplish big things during tough times.  In my opinion, endurance is a differentiator.  It enables you to go the distance.

 

Related posts:

Resume Writers- Keep Your Plate Out of the Boiler

How Much Is Your Resume Worth?

Today I listened to the Recruiting Animal Show as he hosted quite a few Resume Writing Professionals.  One of the key questions raised centered around cost of service and its value.  As a recruiter who often helps his candidates improve their resumes, I know many need help in this area.

Why don’t more job seekers invest in their resume and get professional help making it better?  Especially knowing this is a critical part of the job search process.  It may come down to cost.  Here are two surveys which I hope shed some light on Resume Services.  Please leave your votes and feel free to comment at bottom of this post.

Author’s Note: After posting this article, I’ve had numerous comments submitted below.  Any job seekers questioning the value of professional resume writing assistance (and related services) should read through the comments by the experts below.

A Recruiter’s Poem: Bad Drivers, Bad Managers

While I was recently moving along in my car,

I realized bad drivers and bad managers set the same bar.

Both have things in common that are easy to see,

Read this poem to see if you agree.

 

Bad drivers are constant lane changers,

Inciting all kinds of dangers.

As are some hiring managers who don’t know who to hire,

Who bring in candidates who they later must fire.

 

Bad drivers are poor at following the road rules,

They do their own thing and think us all fools.

Some managers skirt hiring policy with strong defiance,

Making the selection process more an art than a science.

 

Bad drivers step on the gas when the green turns bright,

Only to slam down the brake when they reach the next light.

Bad managers often state they need to hire right away,

But once into the process, making the candidates wait appears OK.

 

The worst drivers act like they are the only one there.

They make their maneuvers with absolutely no care.

Hiring managers can act similarly it would seem,

They need to know they can work with a team.

 

So as you drive down the road or want to hire a new star,

It matters not if you are in an office or car.

You need to throw all the bad habits away,

Be a good manager AND driver starting today.

Are You Keeping It Real?

Recently I was asked for some advice by a job seeker about what to say about being let go from his last job.  He was told by a friend to say he was “caught sending his resume out to recruiters and got canned.”  This was not what happened.

Some folks who are let go start up “consulting agencies” to show activity during the employment gap.  When I ask them how much revenue they have generated, many tell me they don’t even have any clients.

These are tough times.  There are good people who are out of work.  In the past, the “currently employed or passive candidate” might have seemed to be more qualified for a job opening than an out-of-work candidate.  However, in this era of the Great Recession, the “unemployed” label is not necessarily a stigma.  Many good employers know there are good candidates out there who have been victims of times.

With this in mind, job seekers, I implore you to KEEP IT REAL.

Lying or misinformation can often lead you down a bad path.  It is easier than you might think these days to connect with those who can confirm/dispute your past. Even if your “untruths” are not discovered until after being hired, the employer most likely will opt to fire you for this lack of good judgment.  This would only compound your resume detractors.  A very short tenure is even harder to explain, isn’t it?

Present your situation factually, and highlight the positives of your last employment.  If you were fired, you’ll need to share what you’ve learned from the experience and how it has shaped your career decisions going forward.  If it was a bad fit, then explain what a good fit for you looks like (it should be a perfect match if you’re doing your homework).  And if you were laid off, realize this is not uncommon right now.  You might be asked what prompted the layoff and/or why you were included.

Perhaps this is common sense to most.  That’s good.  For those who need the reminder, do your best to present yourself in the best light.  There is something to be said for good character and integrity.

Author’s note: This may be a topic that prompts your own thoughts on the subject.  Feel free to leave a comment for others to learn from.

Setting Goals: Do It or Get Passed

Whether managing your career, your job search, or even your personal life, goals play an important role is achieving new heights. 

I recently wrote a blog post as my alter ego, The Bike Whisperer, on setting goals in cycling.  The parallels to life “out of the saddle” seem pretty clear to me.  Take a look at the post and see if you agree: The Secret is Setting Goals.

Momentum in the Job Search

Job Seekers:  Momentum is your friend!  Don’t lose it!

 

P.S.  Here’s a link with more advice on this topic from Denise Palmieri.

Ten Reasons to Take Up Biking During a Job Search

While riding my road bike recently, I was thinking about all the benefits of putting in miles on two rubber tires (and no motor!).  And then I got to thinking about the job seekers in the world and how biking should be an activity included in their job search routine. 

So, without the fanfare of a drumroll, I present in no particular order:

Jeff’s Ten Reasons to Start Biking While Looking for Job:

• As you venture out of your immediate neighborhood, travel through industrial parks to find companies to investigate.
• Riding helps clear your mind and gives you time to think.  Bring a recorder (or old school: scrap of paper/pen).  You’d be surprised how many great ideas pop into your head while you’re riding.
• Obviously, getting some exercise is a chance to burn calories.  Hours of research in front of a computer can lead to the opposite.
• By meeting new folks who ride in your town, you get to network with all kinds of new contacts.  Most bike shops hold weekly rides originating from their shop.
• In between jobs, it is sometimes hard to find accomplishments to be proud of.  As your miles and fitness increase, you’ll feel extremely good about your positive experience.
• Biking adds another dimension to your personal life that may be useful in interviews.  You never know, you might have an interviewer who is an avid cyclist.  Making personal connections in an interview is key.
• Being healthy is appreciated by employers’ (and your own) budget.  In fact, many companies have developed programs in the last several years for encouraging their employees to stay fit.
• Biking lends itself to setting and achievement of goals.  Hiring managers like candidates who are self-directed and can achieve personal goals.
• Biking is a stress reliever.  It gives your body and brain a chance to vent frustrations by pushing yourself physically.  Being out in the world/nature/fresh air helps bring you back to reality.  Although this may be a tough time, there is a “bigger picture.”
• Duh!  It’s a good habit.  After you’ve found your next job, you’ll want to continue mashing those pedals!

If you’ve got a few more to share, feel free to comment below. Or if you want to chat about biking, tweet me at @jlipschultz.  I’d be happy to give you my two cents immediately, assuming I’m not on the road at the time.

40 Jobs in 40 Years? Fact or Fiction?

I heard a bizarre quote the other day:  The next generation’s employee will have 40 different jobs in a 40-year span. 

Even if some of these jobs were to be within the same company, this scenario represents a complete paradigm shift from today’s seven to twelve.  The discussion following the comment included an assessment of Gen Y and their quest for the perfect job (and lack of so-called patience to see how jobs play out).  There may be some truth to that, but I am very skeptical.

Certainly, we have all seen the 1950’s scenario of “two-way, long-term loyalty” fall off.  Although there are still many who retire with their first company, the majority do not.  Sometimes this is the employee’s choice, sometimes not.  But 40 jobs in 40 years?  This implies new employees working for a quarter, month, or week and moving on (not the employer cutting the cord).

As of 2006 to 2008, we may have seen the growing tenure trend come to a peak.  Bureau of Labor Statistics data show an stable trend over the last eight years, but recently the trend has leveled out or decreased.  And our current tough economy will certainly skew the data for Jan 2010.  Here is an excerpt (and here is the whole table):

Median years of tenure with current employer for employed wage and salary workers by occupation, selected years, 2000-08

Occupation	Feb 2000	Jan 2002	Jan 2004	Jan 2006	Jan 2008
Management	5.3	5.6	6.0	6.0	6.0
Computer & Math	3.1	3.2	4.8	4.8	4.5
Architecture & Engineering	4.8	5.2	5.8	6.5	6.4
Legal	3.9	4.5	4.1	5.0	4.3
Arts, design, entertainment, sports, media	3.2	3.0	3.6	3.6	3.4
Sales	2.6	2.7	2.8	2.8	2.9
Total	3.5	3.7	4.0	4.0	4.1

Source: US Department of Labor

Much has been said about what is the “right” amount of tenure for career advancement.  I am not discussing that today.  However, Erin White wrote a great article for The Wall Street Journal that sums that up nicely.

What I want to know:  IS THERE TRUTH TO THE 40-40 SCENARIO?  From what you have seen-heard-experienced, what is your assessment?  If this turns out to be true, how do we prepare our kids?

Please take my latest poll AND share your thoughts using this blog post (click on Comments at bottom of post).  I’ll attempt to compile all the feedback and share.

What Would Mom Say About Your Job Search?

In honor of Mother’s Day and moms everywhere, I think it is apropos to share how “Mom’s Rules” apply to the job search and interviewing process.  We have learned a lot from our moms. You may be surprised how much of this can be applied to this process.

Stand up straight

When presenting yourself in writing or in person, stand tall.  I always say, be confident to the edge of arrogant.  You need to project the image of someone who is sure of themselves and knows what they are talking about.  Body language speaks loudly about you, as does the tone of your voice.

Don’t talk with your mouth full.

Full of lies, that is.  Always be honest in the process.  It only takes being caught in one lie to lose the opportunity.  And, it might even happen after you have started working.  If you feel the urge to lie, ask yourself, do you really think you should be the one to get the job.

Money does not grow on trees.

Actually, American dollars are not even paper–they are made of cotton and linen.  Set your salary target responsibly.  In a down economy, do not be surprised to be asked to take a pay cut.  You may have to re-establish yourself at a new company to get a promotion to a level you are accustomed to. 

What if everyone jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?

Differentiating yourself is the key to getting the offer when being compared to other A-List candidates.  What are the key experiences or knowledge that make you special?  Think of things you have accomplished that no one else could have done. 

If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.

Never, ever bash your previous employer, co-workers, neighbors, mailman, cat…Any kind of negative statements can be misinterpreted by the hiring manager.  Although I am not a big cat person, maybe the hiring manager is.

Be careful or you’ll put your eye out.

Or at least hurt your reputation.  Be careful not to apply to every single job posting that looks remotely close to your ideal job.  Also, do not put out a weekly email that states you are still on the market.  Manage the level of your communication so that you do not appear desperate.

When you have your own house then you can make the rules.

The job search process does have its own rules.  Mostly unwritten.  You certainly can be creative in finding inroads to companies, but do not go behind your recruiter’s back.  You should never apply twice for a job.  If a job posting says to fax or email in a resume, they really don’t want you to call.  Follow the rules until you get to make them as part of your job.

Smiles are free.

And attitude is everything.  Project a positive attitude throughout the whole process.  Sometimes this is hard when you are not sure you want the job that you are interviewing for.  When you have doubts internally, they tend to show externally.  Therefore, you need to think of the job as your best/only choice for the time being and give it all you got.  Remember, you can’t turn down an offer you don’t have.  You can always evaluate your options later, when you do not have to be smiling.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

Obviously a good one for this process.  You should resign yourself to the fact that you will most likely be in this longer than you would like.  There will be ups and downs, close calls, and surprises.  If you set a plan realistically and financially, you may not rush to take the first offer you get.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. If it doesn’t kill you, it’ll make you stronger.

During the process, you will get better and better at understanding what is required of you.  And along the way, you’ll be expanding your network.  Some companies may think you are not the right person for the current opening, but might have one soon for you.  You need to think of the process as a growth opportunity and learn as much as you can about companies, industries, and yourself.

Always wear clean underwear (in case you’re in an accident).

I had to drop this one in.  In this case, I would say the “underwear” is all the searchable media about you that may not be on the surface.  Any potential employer can search on your name in Google and find out what you have been writing on the Internet (or what has been written about you).  Make sure you have “laundered” all this material.

No matter what, I’ll always love you.

Remember the big picture.  It is hard not to take rejection personally.  After all, it is YOU they passed on.  In the grand scheme of things, if it was not the best fit, we need to accept that and move on.  But do not ever let a hiring manager put a kink in your self-esteem.  You will find the right fit and someone down the road will appreciate you.  Maybe not as much as mom does, but enough to offer you a job.

 

I am sure there are many more I could have included.  If you have one of your own, feel free to leave a comment.

Happy Mother’s Day to my moms and moms everywhere!  And be sure to follow all this advice.  Why?  Because I said so!