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

I had a great opportunity to be on Daisy Wright’s BlogTalkRadio Career Tips2Go Show this week along with Sarah Welstead (both in Canada!).  Sarah and I answered questions from callers that covered a lot of ground in the job search.

Link to the show:  All You Ever Wanted to Know About Recruiters, But Were Afraid to Ask.

Topics covered:

• What makes a recruiter take notice of your resume.
• Contacting a recruiter directly.
• Managing your references and professional reputation.
• Importance of “fit” with a company.
• Dealing with a “hiccup” in your history during the interviewing process
• Being honest and forthcoming with a recruiter to build a stronger relationship.
• Checking backgrounds on candidates using Social Media.
• Managing your Social Media brand.
• Answering the “Tell Me About Yourself” Question
• Making a recruiter your champion.
• Approach to interviewing.

Related previous posts:

An Interview with Jeff- Answering the Question Why Should We Hire You-

Interviewing is Easy…if Done Right!

Tele-Seminar Recording- Working with Recruiters

I was recently interviewed by Kristi Daeda on the topic of marketing yourself in the job search. 

Here’s the link to the short article:

How to get a job in IT, Project Management and More – Interview with Jeff Lipschultz

Topics covered include:

• Current job opening trends and types of roles
• Common traits of successful candidates
• Certification and training

When the phone doesn’t ring within 24 hours of an interview, many job candidates start to assume they didn’t get the job.  The waiting game is worse than the interview itself for some.

Read what to do and NOT do during this stage in process in my latest Job-Hunt.org article:  Post-Interview Waiting Game.

So many job seekers tell me they are doing everything they can to find a job.  But when I ask them how much they’ve done to brand themselves using Social Media, I get a blank stare or a sigh.  Or I hear questions such as:

• Isn’t that a waste of time? Or too much work?
• Isn’t Social Media only useful for finding Web-related jobs?
• Isn’t it just a fad?

Social Media is not a waste of time if you manage it carefully. It absolutely can used to find job, and more importantly, have the hiring team find YOU.  And this world evolves every day, constantly adding more ways to be leveraged.

Last week, I was interviewed by another recruiter on this subject. Stephen Hinton asked me all about Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  For those who are just starting out in branding themselves in Social Media, it may be a good starting point.

Listen to the interview.

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

Recently, a career coach in Barcelona spoke with me about interviewing and the addressing the question, “Why Should We Hire You?”  Speaking with him reminded me how the process is very similar around the world and we all face similar challenges.  You can learn more about Sergi Mora by clicking this link.  You can also read his blog.

To listen to our discussion on topics covered below, click on this link.

Discussion topics during job interview

• Types of qualifications to be ready to discuss in the interview
• Unwritten qualifications
• “Fit” with hiring company
• Functional Requirements versus Soft Skill Requirements

Expectations of the interviewee in the interview process

• Preparation and taking ownership of the interview
• Creating the checklist of key items to discuss
• How to leverage the checklist during the interview
• Conveying your strong interest in the job
• Direct answer to the question, “Why should we hire you?”

My wife has been in China for a week and I’ve been playing the role of Mom AND Dad for our girls.  Stereotypes aside, I’ll just say I’m having to be the good cop and bad cop.  Sweet and sour.  There are many who do this full-time and I admire them.

This situation reminds me that hiring managers have to remember to pull double-duty during the interview process.  A hiring manager should be critical during the interview and ask pertinent, direct questions.  At the same time, the manager needs to realize the (best) candidates are also interviewing them.  Managers must present themselves in a professional manner, but should also let their true personality show.  Being a real person during the interview gives the candidate a chance to evaluate how well they could work with that manager.  Being open to questions about management style, work environment, and expectations is a good start.

A relevant example comes from a friend of mine who was interviewing recently.  She interviewed with a manager who asked all types of off-the-wall questions and pushed hard for more if he thought she was giving “pat answers.”  Later in the interview, he explained why he asked certain questions and gave feedback on her answers.  He went on to say how he is easy to work for, but nonetheless, my friend had a hard time picturing a good working relationship.  Most likely, she was not the right fit for the job.  The right person for the role might have been someone who enjoys frequent debates or a fever pitch work environment.

As a part of being the “good cop” in the process, it is also important to convey the benefits of working for the company.  Even in an economy where there are many candidates available for every posting, managers still have to present their job as a great opportunity.  After all, the best candidates for the job may have other options.  More information on communication strategy for enticing the candidate to work for your company is available in a previous post:  Have You Wooed Lately?

Acting as Mom and Dad boils down to simply being a good parent.  And acting as an interviewer and interviewee during this process is a part of being a good manager.

Got more advice on how to be a good interviewer? Leave a comment below.

Part of how recruiters earn their fee is by determining who are the best candidates for the client’s job opening.  Some candidates may feel a little put out when they are not selected to be presented to a client. 

Understanding what qualifies as the best candidate for a job may dispel any myths or mysteries about the selection process recruiters use.  An article I’ve written for Job-Hunt.org gives an objective description and some guidelines for job seekers.

Click here to read the article.  Please share your comments/questions using this blog post.

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.