Career Hub

Get to the Point!

One of my biggest frustrations in rewriting a resume or coaching a client is CUTTING THROUGH THE CLUTTER in their resume or their mock interview responses. Loading up your communication with industry jargon or the latest buzzwords in business or management does NOT mean that you are clearly communicating the most important information in your job search:

Who you are and what you can do for the employer.

Keep it simple! Use clear, strong, direct language to get your point across quickly and crisply. Keep sentences, paragraphs, and lists short. Curb any tendency to speak for more than 90-120 seconds without interacting with your interviewer. (Time yourself, then listen. If you've been practicing a 3-minute introduction, you'll be surprised at how LONG that is when you're listening.)

I think some of the over-communicating comes from fear that if you leave something out, you'll miss an important point that the reader or interviewer is looking for. Relax. Talk about what you've done and how it's been valuable (more profit, less cost, happier customers and employees, greater market share, and so forth) - and be specific! Don't spout generalities - tell stories!

Even better - listen, ask questions, and react to what you learn. Make it more about "them" and less about "you." You'll position yourself as a partner committed to solving problems - and isn't that what employers are looking for?

Posted by Louise Kursmark

Blogging As a Career Tool

Quite often I am asked by job seekers how they can use blogging to further their career or help in their job search. This Fast Company article goes some way to shed some light on the practice.

What they fail to cover is the majority of people (there are only 12 million blog owners in North America after all !) who do not want to run their own blog, but would still like to a part of the blogging explosion and benefit from its power in their career marketing.

If you want to use blogging as a way to start to build your on line personal brand and are not ready to take the leap to your own blog take the following actions:

1. Go to places such as Technorati or Google Blog Search and keyword around for blogs that are relevant to your vocation or industry or passions - where ever you want to be known as the expert or specialist.
2. Bookmark them, or better still add them to somewhere like Bloglines and check in once a week to see who has added new comments to their blog.
3. Take 30 minutes (or less) a week reading those new postings.
4. If there are posts where you feel you can make a valuable contribution to the discussion click on Comments and make them. Remember to be credible and transparent (would you want to see what you said appear on the front page of your local newspaper?).
5. Watch your on line brand build as each comment becomes a separate piece on the web, and may even start to show up on your Google rankings.

Posted by Paul Copcutt

The Era of the Specialist or Being a Go-to Resource

The good news is that there are now quite a number of on-line venues where executives can seek advice from peers, make comments and observations, offer counsel or just plain rant. It never ceases to astound me when I read a posting that essentially says, "I want a job, send leads" or "Help me, I am qualified, will work for pay."  Have these individuals forgotten rule number one: talk about benefits not features? Don't say what you want but what you can do for others. Send the message that you deliver results, ones that your target audience appreciates and values. Create a value proposition clearly showing what you produce by describing relevant examples of your contributions. Be unequivocal in stating what you do exceptionally well, where your skills and talent are extraordinary. Show that you are the expert, the specialist that everyone needs to know, a go-to professional with a niche. Present yourself as the expert with a workable solution. Today, only those who present a unique, compelling story have impact.  If you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing to anyone.  Get the picture?

Posted by Debra Feldman

Secrets of Great Interviewers

I recently read CNN Money.com's article, What it Takes To Be Great which debunks the myth that people who are extremely successful at what they do are naturally gifted and instead focuses on the fact that greatness can be achieved through goal setting, observation, frequent feedback, mental visualization, and consistent practice. The article is accompanied by images of Tiger Woods practicing his golf stroke at age 3 and chess king Bobby Fischer who studied intensively for 9 years before becoming a grandmaster at age 16. The article reminded me of a frequent comment I hear from job seekers who often tell me "I just don't interview well". They seem to think that  some people are born with great interview skills and others are not. But this is not the case. Strong interviewers recognize that successful interviews occur when a job seeker builds trust and rapport with a hiring manager by communicating specific stories that validate their past successes. Job search candidates can build enormous credibility and authenticity by practicing and reciting their success stories and constantly making adjustments as they move through the process. Let practice, rather than fate guide your next interview and expect to hear the phone ring for a second interview or possibly a job offer.

The Boss

Typically, when I hear the words The Boss, my mind turns to a Born in the USA Bruce Springsteen sort of boss. However, this post is not about that particular boss. I am referring to individuals who supervise, manage, or oversee employees.

Webster says that a boss is "one who exercises control or authority; specif: one who directs or supervises workers."

In my career coaching and counseling practice over the past few months, I've had quite a few clients complain about their immediate supervisor. Repeatedly hearing this, I wondered if there were any "good bosses" out there. And indeed there are! Being the eternal optimist, as well as a person who likes to document stuff, I decided that I would intentionally listen for the good things others said about their immediate supervisor (the boss) and record it on a sticky note. To date, I've accumulated a nice little pile. Here's a random list of 25 traits and qualities I've collected, in no particular order of importance, regarding what constitutes a good boss:

1. A good listener - doesn't cut you off at the pass
2. A secure individual - OK in their own skin
3. A mentor and / or role model
4. Fair and ethical in business dealings with me and others
5. Consistent in decision-making
6. Doesn't take advantage of people
7. Receptive to new ideas; embraces, encourages change
8. Doesn't have issues
9. Supports my professional development
10. Challenges me in a positive, supportive way
11. Asks me how they can be a better supervisor
12. Cares about me as a person and what's going on with me
13. Someone I'm not afraid of
14. Goes to bat for me (or the team)
15. Disagrees with me, but doesn't put me down
16. Respects what I have to say
17. Knows when it's quittin' time
18. Gives me a chance to prove myself
19. Notices when I do extra things; compliments me
20. Doesn't berate me in front of my peers
21. Does what they say they will do; keeps their word
22. Gives me the credit when deserved
23. Doesn't swear at me or scream at me
24. Keeps his / her cool
25. Treats me like I matter; teaches me; appreciates me

Does this sound like your boss? I hope so! Better yet, what are some qualities you look for in a good supervisor, a good boss?

Online Visibility - Virtual Networking

I'm all energized from attending a careers conference last week. CareerHub was well represented - three of us (Susan Guarneri, Barbara Safani, and I) presented information on cutting-edge trends in our industry.

Barb Safani's presentation on online networking was something of an eye-opener. Social, career, and business networking sites are proliferating like rabbits, as entrepreneurs jump on the bandwagon with a new take or different approach to help members build connections. If you're not active and visible on sites such as LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, Ryze, Corporate Alumni, Knowmentum, Ecademy, or some others of the dozens available, you're missing out on some great tools and possible connections. Perhaps even more important, you're branding yourself as behind the times, not up to date on technology, and slow to identify powerful new trends.

Make online networking a component of your career management strategy. You don't have to invest a lot of time or be present on every site, you might not want to position yourself on MySpace, and you certainly shouldn't invest all of your energies and resources in online networking. But ignore it at your peril.

Posted by Louise Kursmark

You do What????

A book (A Man About a Dog: Euphemisms & Other Examples of Verbal Squeamishness)  recently launched by a very funny English author Nigel Rees seems a great place to end the week with a smile.

It reminded me of a conversation I had with a very experienced resume writer once, who recalled when the profession was just getting started that Yellow Pages had no category to put them under - it had to go with Escort Services!

Rees writes that these job titles have been used - somewhere;

• Rodent Officer - rat catcher
• Refuse Collectors - dustmen (garbage men) -
• Street Orderlies - road sweepers
• Ambient Replenishment Assistant - supermarket shelf stacker
• Head of Verbal Communications - receptionist
• Despatch Room Facilitator - post room clerk
• Appearance Engineer - hairdresser

While there is a need to change some job titles for reasons of diversity and to avoid discrimination, sometimes things can go a little too far.

Posted by Paul Copcutt former Head Chef - Poultry & Potatoes  (cook at KFC)

What's On Your Voice Mail?

I just contacted a job seeker a few minutes ago. Her voice mail message said, “Hi this is ….. If this is Stacey, the answer is still no.” What the heck?

What if I’m an employer whose name is Stacey? Whether you’re looking for a job or not, your voice mail brands you. In this case, if I had an opening, would I reconnect with this person? NO.

On another voice mail I heard drinks clinking in the background and a message that said, “Hey, we’re not here right now, we’re out on the deck having margaritas.” How nice for you. Too bad you were having margaritas when you could be setting up a job interview.

Or how about the old machines? What do you hear? Beeeeeeep. Click. Guess there wasn’t any tape left or the digital chip went out. Now I can’t leave a message.

Or the very worst, and yes, two job seekers had this issue - no voice mail or answering machine! After several tries and finally connecting I asked what gives. One said he didn’t want to waste money. The other didn’t want the hassle. Hmmm. I guess they both got their wish. One’s not wasting money - but he’s not making more money either. The other won’t have to worry about being hassled — by potential employers. They more than likely won’t call back.

Challenge: Check your voice mail on your cell phone and your home phone. Is it professional? Can it be clearly understood?

Cross-posted on Rock Your Network.

Grace Notes

A good friend and colleague periodically refreshes my day with poems that she refers to as "flowers left on your desk by a friend." And they are just that! Uplifting, inspiring, a real break in my task-driven workday.

During your job search, take time now and then to think about how you can leave metaphorical "flowers" for someone. What can you do to brighten someone's day or lift their load? So much of what you're doing is all about you - your goals, your targets, your connections and interviews, your next steps. Take the focus off yourself for just a few minutes, look around, and see what else is going on and how you can help - just a bit, without expecting payback.

You'll refresh yourself while uplifting others. Very nice all around.

Posted by Louise Kursmark

Make Something Happen

As usual, Seth Godin offers great advice to go along with his insightful marketing comments. This one is a pure gem:

Make Something Happen

Big results come from many tiny steps. Sure, it feels great to have that killer interview or empowering networking meeting. But to make those kinds of things happen you've got to make the cold calls, send out the resumes, do the company research, and so on and so on.

Have you done your slog work today? Challenge yourself to do more... one more phone call (the one you've been avoiding). One more targeted email. One more connect-the-dots networking attempt. One more voice-mail message for the elusive executive you're trying to connect with.

Then go and enjoy your evening. You've earned it.

Posted by Louise Kursmark