What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days (Favorite Friday)

What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days (Favorite Friday) I love this post I did back in August of 2008: Job Search Tips: What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days.  Here it is: When I got laid off I thought I’d land pretty quickly.   I was an experienced professional with strong IT, strategy, business and customer relationship skills, and excited about life and business. I didn’t know that the job search would kick my butt, and my ego would dwindle as the days/weeks went by. Even though I had not ever been in a job search, I thought I knew what I was doing.   My strategy looked like this: Get resume ready, and pass it by trusted friends who would be able to critique it. Post resume on key job boards, including Monster, Careerbuilder and Dice. Apply to jobs I found online from various sources (job boards, company sites, etc.). Send resumes to recruiters, who would surely love me, help me, and bend over backwards to put a paycheck back in my hands (couldn’t let the 3.5 kids starve now, could they?). Ignore the concept of networking, since it would take too much time, and I would have an offer pretty soon.   Um, yeah.   I was that dumb. Prepare for interviews by reading articles about how to interview.   After all, I was going to have a lot of interviews coming up soon, and I wanted to be as sharp as a whip. Figure out how to do salary negotiation. This needed to be a step forward, not a step backwards. Figure out how to accept a job offering, while turning down at least three others.   How could I let the other three down easily? I was ready to conquer the world.   Or at least get a great job that I’d love, hopefully as much as I loved my last job.   Well, my job search sucked, and I  spent  wasted 60 hours each week for months â€" mostly applying to jobs online.   Want to know where that got me?   Further unemployed. I have some friends who recently got laid off, and thought “what would I suggest to you?   What do you do in the first 30 days in a job search?”   This is such a critical time.   So here’s what I would suggest: Get your resume ready.  Find a way to scape up a few hundred dollars and  get a competent, well-respected resume writer  to do it for you.   During the resume-writing process you should learn some new phrases to help you in your interviewing, and networking.   If you can’t get the money (I realize there are some who read my blog with tens of thousands of dollars available to them, and others who don’t have one red cent left, and no family or support group), go to a library (or bookstore) and read through resume books.   Or, for $9.95 buy the resume book  I recently reviewed  by master resume writer Louise Kursmark.    MY RESUME LOOKED GOOD, BUT IT KEPT ME OUT OF JOB INTERVIEWS!  I am confident a resume professional would have been able to help me figure that out BEFORE I applied to dozens and dozens and dozens of postings. Find someone to be accountable to.  I learned about the importance of this from a network group I went to, where they emphasized your “coach” is NOT your spouse (who is too close to the emotional situation).   But you need to find someone to be accountable to on a weekly basis.   This person should be strong enough to lay down the smack if you need it (you probably will).   They should not be nut-cases who don’t understand the job search, especially the importance of networking.   If you can afford it, consider one of my  career partners  who will not only be accountable, but will guide you based on best-practices and CURRENT job search and career management information. Understand your finances.  One of the first things we did, and it was very scary and humbling to do this, was to talk finances with our parents (both sets) and our local church leader.   We got some temporary help, and we were able to really understand our financial status, what we could/should cut, and how long we could go at the rate we were going.   You HAVE TO do this. Is it scary to talk to those who can help you?   Very.   Heck, I got too much schooling, and had great titles, and made good money… talking to someone about supporting MY family was not easy at all.   But it was very helpful, both financially and for my nerves. Learn about the relationship you have with recruiters.  I thought recruiters would be the silver bullet in my job search.   I was WRONG.   They don’t work for me, they work for the hiring company, and get paid if they make a placement.   If they don’t have something that fits me, they MOVE ON fast.   I put too many eggs in that basket without understanding what I was doing. Understand the value of job boards.  Yes, post your resume there, but don’t overdo it, and don’t spend too much time there.   An eye-opener for me was when I learned that about 10ish % of all jobs were placed through job boards (this stat is widely argued), so WHY spend more than 10ish% of my time on job boards???   I was spending 90+% of my time there, neglecting what I should have been doing.   Consider getting job search agents set up, so you don’t even have to go search for the job openings, and doing “competitive intelligence research” to learn what you can about target companies or industry happenings. Network, in person.  You cannot ignore the power of in-person networking, and should not avoid this.   You should get out every day â€" find networking events to go to, and invite people to breakfast, lunch or “coffee.”   Read Never Eat Alone to understand the power of networking… this was the book that changed my entire attitude, especially when networking with other job seekers. Network, online.   Of all the tools you can network on online, I’ll suggest getting on LinkedIn first.   Grow your network with people in your space (profession, industry and geography).   Figure out how to network with them (which is too involved for this post).   Then, look for relevant Yahoo or Google Groups to join, again, in your space. Get prepared for a potentially long search, and a long time without an income.  When I lost my job my dad wisely commented “I’ll expect you to be out of work for at least six months.”   I thought  NO WAY.   I was too good to be out of work for that long.   Since then I’ve met professionals and executives who have been out of work for up to two years… at least a handful for more than two years.   As you settle in to this phase in your career, you need to adjust your mindset.   Remain optimistic but realistic or else you’ll find yourself with financial and  emotional problems  that compound the issues. Kiss your spouse and kids.  This is stressful for you, right?   Humiliating?   Scary?   It is equally as stressful for your family.   A few months into our job search someone asked my wife how I was doing.   She said “I don’t know.   We don’t talk much anymore.”   That really hit me hard… I didn’t realize that our communication all-but-stopped.   She was trying to be strong for me, and I was trying to be strong for her, and we just didn’t have much to say during this time.   What a waste of time â€" take advantage of this time to communicate about important matters.   And realize your kids are going to wonder what the heck is going on, and perhaps have to fend of rumors from neighborhood friends (like “your dad got fired!”). JibberJobber.  If you showed me  JibberJobber  at the beginning of my job search I would have said phooey!   I wasn’t going to need it for more than a few weeks, right?   WRONG.   The job search went longer than expected.   More importantly, as you use JibberJobber you enter information that will be critical in your next job search… helping you get a jump start on that next transition (not a pleasant thought, but hey, we’re all adults here â€" it’s time to be serious about your future transitions).   The amount of information to keep track of, and the potential for missing appointments, opportunities and followup, is just too much… you really need to get a real tool to help manage your job search â€" this is it. If you are serious, consider the  optional upgrade. I’m sure I’m missing stuff, and this is much more “JOB SEARCH” oriented than “CAREER MANAGEMENT” oriented.   What would you add or suggest? What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days (Favorite Friday) I love this post I did back in August of 2008: Job Search Tips: What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days.  Here it is: When I got laid off I thought I’d land pretty quickly.   I was an experienced professional with strong IT, strategy, business and customer relationship skills, and excited about life and business. I didn’t know that the job search would kick my butt, and my ego would dwindle as the days/weeks went by. Even though I had not ever been in a job search, I thought I knew what I was doing.   My strategy looked like this: Get resume ready, and pass it by trusted friends who would be able to critique it. Post resume on key job boards, including Monster, Careerbuilder and Dice. Apply to jobs I found online from various sources (job boards, company sites, etc.). Send resumes to recruiters, who would surely love me, help me, and bend over backwards to put a paycheck back in my hands (couldn’t let the 3.5 kids starve now, could they?). Ignore the concept of networking, since it would take too much time, and I would have an offer pretty soon.   Um, yeah.   I was that dumb. Prepare for interviews by reading articles about how to interview.   After all, I was going to have a lot of interviews coming up soon, and I wanted to be as sharp as a whip. Figure out how to do salary negotiation. This needed to be a step forward, not a step backwards. Figure out how to accept a job offering, while turning down at least three others.   How could I let the other three down easily? I was ready to conquer the world.   Or at least get a great job that I’d love, hopefully as much as I loved my last job.   Well, my job search sucked, and I  spent  wasted 60 hours each week for months â€" mostly applying to jobs online.   Want to know where that got me?   Further unemployed. I have some friends who recently got laid off, and thought “what would I suggest to you?   What do you do in the first 30 days in a job search?”   This is such a critical time.   So here’s what I would suggest: Get your resume ready.  Find a way to scape up a few hundred dollars and  get a competent, well-respected resume writer  to do it for you.   During the resume-writing process you should learn some new phrases to help you in your interviewing, and networking.   If you can’t get the money (I realize there are some who read my blog with tens of thousands of dollars available to them, and others who don’t have one red cent left, and no family or support group), go to a library (or bookstore) and read through resume books.   Or, for $9.95 buy the resume book  I recently reviewed  by master resume writer Louise Kursmark.    MY RESUME LOOKED GOOD, BUT IT KEPT ME OUT OF JOB INTERVIEWS!  I am confident a resume professional would have been able to help me figure that out BEFORE I applied to dozens and dozens and dozens of postings. Find someone to be accountable to.  I learned about the importance of this from a network group I went to, where they emphasized your “coach” is NOT your spouse (who is too close to the emotional situation).   But you need to find someone to be accountable to on a weekly basis.   This person should be strong enough to lay down the smack if you need it (you probably will).   They should not be nut-cases who don’t understand the job search, especially the importance of networking.   If you can afford it, consider one of my  career partners  who will not only be accountable, but will guide you based on best-practices and CURRENT job search and career management information. Understand your finances.  One of the first things we did, and it was very scary and humbling to do this, was to talk finances with our parents (both sets) and our local church leader.   We got some temporary help, and we were able to really understand our financial status, what we could/should cut, and how long we could go at the rate we were going.   You HAVE TO do this. Is it scary to talk to those who can help you?   Very.   Heck, I got too much schooling, and had great titles, and made good money… talking to someone about supporting MY family was not easy at all.   But it was very helpful, both financially and for my nerves. Learn about the relationship you have with recruiters.  I thought recruiters would be the silver bullet in my job search.   I was WRONG.   They don’t work for me, they work for the hiring company, and get paid if they make a placement.   If they don’t have something that fits me, they MOVE ON fast.   I put too many eggs in that basket without understanding what I was doing. Understand the value of job boards.  Yes, post your resume there, but don’t overdo it, and don’t spend too much time there.   An eye-opener for me was when I learned that about 10ish % of all jobs were placed through job boards (this stat is widely argued), so WHY spend more than 10ish% of my time on job boards???   I was spending 90+% of my time there, neglecting what I should have been doing.   Consider getting job search agents set up, so you don’t even have to go search for the job openings, and doing “competitive intelligence research” to learn what you can about target companies or industry happenings. Network, in person.  You cannot ignore the power of in-person networking, and should not avoid this.   You should get out every day â€" find networking events to go to, and invite people to breakfast, lunch or “coffee.”   Read Never Eat Alone to understand the power of networking… this was the book that changed my entire attitude, especially when networking with other job seekers. Network, online.   Of all the tools you can network on online, I’ll suggest getting on LinkedIn first.   Grow your network with people in your space (profession, industry and geography).   Figure out how to network with them (which is too involved for this post).   Then, look for relevant Yahoo or Google Groups to join, again, in your space. Get prepared for a potentially long search, and a long time without an income.  When I lost my job my dad wisely commented “I’ll expect you to be out of work for at least six months.”   I thought  NO WAY.   I was too good to be out of work for that long.   Since then I’ve met professionals and executives who have been out of work for up to two years… at least a handful for more than two years.   As you settle in to this phase in your career, you need to adjust your mindset.   Remain optimistic but realistic or else you’ll find yourself with financial and  emotional problems  that compound the issues. Kiss your spouse and kids.  This is stressful for you, right?   Humiliating?   Scary?   It is equally as stressful for your family.   A few months into our job search someone asked my wife how I was doing.   She said “I don’t know.   We don’t talk much anymore.”   That really hit me hard… I didn’t realize that our communication all-but-stopped.   She was trying to be strong for me, and I was trying to be strong for her, and we just didn’t have much to say during this time.   What a waste of time â€" take advantage of this time to communicate about important matters.   And realize your kids are going to wonder what the heck is going on, and perhaps have to fend of rumors from neighborhood friends (like “your dad got fired!”). JibberJobber.  If you showed me  JibberJobber  at the beginning of my job search I would have said phooey!   I wasn’t going to need it for more than a few weeks, right?   WRONG.   The job search went longer than expected.   More importantly, as you use JibberJobber you enter information that will be critical in your next job search… helping you get a jump start on that next transition (not a pleasant thought, but hey, we’re all adults here â€" it’s time to be serious about your future transitions).   The amount of information to keep track of, and the potential for missing appointments, opportunities and followup, is just too much… you really need to get a real tool to help manage your job search â€" this is it. If you are serious, consider the  optional upgrade. I’m sure I’m missing stuff, and this is much more “JOB SEARCH” oriented than “CAREER MANAGEMENT” oriented.   What would you add or suggest? What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days (Favorite Friday) I love this post I did back in August of 2008: Job Search Tips: What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days.  Here it is: When I got laid off I thought I’d land pretty quickly.   I was an experienced professional with strong IT, strategy, business and customer relationship skills, and excited about life and business. I didn’t know that the job search would kick my butt, and my ego would dwindle as the days/weeks went by. Even though I had not ever been in a job search, I thought I knew what I was doing.   My strategy looked like this: Get resume ready, and pass it by trusted friends who would be able to critique it. Post resume on key job boards, including Monster, Careerbuilder and Dice. Apply to jobs I found online from various sources (job boards, company sites, etc.). Send resumes to recruiters, who would surely love me, help me, and bend over backwards to put a paycheck back in my hands (couldn’t let the 3.5 kids starve now, could they?). Ignore the concept of networking, since it would take too much time, and I would have an offer pretty soon.   Um, yeah.   I was that dumb. Prepare for interviews by reading articles about how to interview.   After all, I was going to have a lot of interviews coming up soon, and I wanted to be as sharp as a whip. Figure out how to do salary negotiation. This needed to be a step forward, not a step backwards. Figure out how to accept a job offering, while turning down at least three others.   How could I let the other three down easily? I was ready to conquer the world.   Or at least get a great job that I’d love, hopefully as much as I loved my last job.   Well, my job search sucked, and I  spent  wasted 60 hours each week for months â€" mostly applying to jobs online.   Want to know where that got me?   Further unemployed. I have some friends who recently got laid off, and thought “what would I suggest to you?   What do you do in the first 30 days in a job search?”   This is such a critical time.   So here’s what I would suggest: Get your resume ready.  Find a way to scape up a few hundred dollars and  get a competent, well-respected resume writer  to do it for you.   During the resume-writing process you should learn some new phrases to help you in your interviewing, and networking.   If you can’t get the money (I realize there are some who read my blog with tens of thousands of dollars available to them, and others who don’t have one red cent left, and no family or support group), go to a library (or bookstore) and read through resume books.   Or, for $9.95 buy the resume book  I recently reviewed  by master resume writer Louise Kursmark.    MY RESUME LOOKED GOOD, BUT IT KEPT ME OUT OF JOB INTERVIEWS!  I am confident a resume professional would have been able to help me figure that out BEFORE I applied to dozens and dozens and dozens of postings. Find someone to be accountable to.  I learned about the importance of this from a network group I went to, where they emphasized your “coach” is NOT your spouse (who is too close to the emotional situation).   But you need to find someone to be accountable to on a weekly basis.   This person should be strong enough to lay down the smack if you need it (you probably will).   They should not be nut-cases who don’t understand the job search, especially the importance of networking.   If you can afford it, consider one of my  career partners  who will not only be accountable, but will guide you based on best-practices and CURRENT job search and career management information. Understand your finances.  One of the first things we did, and it was very scary and humbling to do this, was to talk finances with our parents (both sets) and our local church leader.   We got some temporary help, and we were able to really understand our financial status, what we could/should cut, and how long we could go at the rate we were going.   You HAVE TO do this. Is it scary to talk to those who can help you?   Very.   Heck, I got too much schooling, and had great titles, and made good money… talking to someone about supporting MY family was not easy at all.   But it was very helpful, both financially and for my nerves. Learn about the relationship you have with recruiters.  I thought recruiters would be the silver bullet in my job search.   I was WRONG.   They don’t work for me, they work for the hiring company, and get paid if they make a placement.   If they don’t have something that fits me, they MOVE ON fast.   I put too many eggs in that basket without understanding what I was doing. Understand the value of job boards.  Yes, post your resume there, but don’t overdo it, and don’t spend too much time there.   An eye-opener for me was when I learned that about 10ish % of all jobs were placed through job boards (this stat is widely argued), so WHY spend more than 10ish% of my time on job boards???   I was spending 90+% of my time there, neglecting what I should have been doing.   Consider getting job search agents set up, so you don’t even have to go search for the job openings, and doing “competitive intelligence research” to learn what you can about target companies or industry happenings. Network, in person.  You cannot ignore the power of in-person networking, and should not avoid this.   You should get out every day â€" find networking events to go to, and invite people to breakfast, lunch or “coffee.”   Read Never Eat Alone to understand the power of networking… this was the book that changed my entire attitude, especially when networking with other job seekers. Network, online.   Of all the tools you can network on online, I’ll suggest getting on LinkedIn first.   Grow your network with people in your space (profession, industry and geography).   Figure out how to network with them (which is too involved for this post).   Then, look for relevant Yahoo or Google Groups to join, again, in your space. Get prepared for a potentially long search, and a long time without an income.  When I lost my job my dad wisely commented “I’ll expect you to be out of work for at least six months.”   I thought  NO WAY.   I was too good to be out of work for that long.   Since then I’ve met professionals and executives who have been out of work for up to two years… at least a handful for more than two years.   As you settle in to this phase in your career, you need to adjust your mindset.   Remain optimistic but realistic or else you’ll find yourself with financial and  emotional problems  that compound the issues. Kiss your spouse and kids.  This is stressful for you, right?   Humiliating?   Scary?   It is equally as stressful for your family.   A few months into our job search someone asked my wife how I was doing.   She said “I don’t know.   We don’t talk much anymore.”   That really hit me hard… I didn’t realize that our communication all-but-stopped.   She was trying to be strong for me, and I was trying to be strong for her, and we just didn’t have much to say during this time.   What a waste of time â€" take advantage of this time to communicate about important matters.   And realize your kids are going to wonder what the heck is going on, and perhaps have to fend of rumors from neighborhood friends (like “your dad got fired!”). JibberJobber.  If you showed me  JibberJobber  at the beginning of my job search I would have said phooey!   I wasn’t going to need it for more than a few weeks, right?   WRONG.   The job search went longer than expected.   More importantly, as you use JibberJobber you enter information that will be critical in your next job search… helping you get a jump start on that next transition (not a pleasant thought, but hey, we’re all adults here â€" it’s time to be serious about your future transitions).   The amount of information to keep track of, and the potential for missing appointments, opportunities and followup, is just too much… you really need to get a real tool to help manage your job search â€" this is it. If you are serious, consider the  optional upgrade. I’m sure I’m missing stuff, and this is much more “JOB SEARCH” oriented than “CAREER MANAGEMENT” oriented.   What would you add or suggest? What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days (Favorite Friday) I love this post I did back in August of 2008: Job Search Tips: What I Should Have Done In The First 30 Days.  Here it is: When I got laid off I thought I’d land pretty quickly.   I was an experienced professional with strong IT, strategy, business and customer relationship skills, and excited about life and business. I didn’t know that the job search would kick my butt, and my ego would dwindle as the days/weeks went by. Even though I had not ever been in a job search, I thought I knew what I was doing.   My strategy looked like this: Get resume ready, and pass it by trusted friends who would be able to critique it. Post resume on key job boards, including Monster, Careerbuilder and Dice. Apply to jobs I found online from various sources (job boards, company sites, etc.). Send resumes to recruiters, who would surely love me, help me, and bend over backwards to put a paycheck back in my hands (couldn’t let the 3.5 kids starve now, could they?). Ignore the concept of networking, since it would take too much time, and I would have an offer pretty soon.   Um, yeah.   I was that dumb. Prepare for interviews by reading articles about how to interview.   After all, I was going to have a lot of interviews coming up soon, and I wanted to be as sharp as a whip. Figure out how to do salary negotiation. This needed to be a step forward, not a step backwards. Figure out how to accept a job offering, while turning down at least three others.   How could I let the other three down easily? I was ready to conquer the world.   Or at least get a great job that I’d love, hopefully as much as I loved my last job.   Well, my job search sucked, and I  spent  wasted 60 hours each week for months â€" mostly applying to jobs online.   Want to know where that got me?   Further unemployed. I have some friends who recently got laid off, and thought “what would I suggest to you?   What do you do in the first 30 days in a job search?”   This is such a critical time.   So here’s what I would suggest: Get your resume ready.  Find a way to scape up a few hundred dollars and  get a competent, well-respected resume writer  to do it for you.   During the resume-writing process you should learn some new phrases to help you in your interviewing, and networking.   If you can’t get the money (I realize there are some who read my blog with tens of thousands of dollars available to them, and others who don’t have one red cent left, and no family or support group), go to a library (or bookstore) and read through resume books.   Or, for $9.95 buy the resume book  I recently reviewed  by master resume writer Louise Kursmark.    MY RESUME LOOKED GOOD, BUT IT KEPT ME OUT OF JOB INTERVIEWS!  I am confident a resume professional would have been able to help me figure that out BEFORE I applied to dozens and dozens and dozens of postings. Find someone to be accountable to.  I learned about the importance of this from a network group I went to, where they emphasized your “coach” is NOT your spouse (who is too close to the emotional situation).   But you need to find someone to be accountable to on a weekly basis.   This person should be strong enough to lay down the smack if you need it (you probably will).   They should not be nut-cases who don’t understand the job search, especially the importance of networking.   If you can afford it, consider one of my  career partners  who will not only be accountable, but will guide you based on best-practices and CURRENT job search and career management information. Understand your finances.  One of the first things we did, and it was very scary and humbling to do this, was to talk finances with our parents (both sets) and our local church leader.   We got some temporary help, and we were able to really understand our financial status, what we could/should cut, and how long we could go at the rate we were going.   You HAVE TO do this. Is it scary to talk to those who can help you?   Very.   Heck, I got too much schooling, and had great titles, and made good money… talking to someone about supporting MY family was not easy at all.   But it was very helpful, both financially and for my nerves. Learn about the relationship you have with recruiters.  I thought recruiters would be the silver bullet in my job search.   I was WRONG.   They don’t work for me, they work for the hiring company, and get paid if they make a placement.   If they don’t have something that fits me, they MOVE ON fast.   I put too many eggs in that basket without understanding what I was doing. Understand the value of job boards.  Yes, post your resume there, but don’t overdo it, and don’t spend too much time there.   An eye-opener for me was when I learned that about 10ish % of all jobs were placed through job boards (this stat is widely argued), so WHY spend more than 10ish% of my time on job boards???   I was spending 90+% of my time there, neglecting what I should have been doing.   Consider getting job search agents set up, so you don’t even have to go search for the job openings, and doing “competitive intelligence research” to learn what you can about target companies or industry happenings. Network, in person.  You cannot ignore the power of in-person networking, and should not avoid this.   You should get out every day â€" find networking events to go to, and invite people to breakfast, lunch or “coffee.”   Read Never Eat Alone to understand the power of networking… this was the book that changed my entire attitude, especially when networking with other job seekers. Network, online.   Of all the tools you can network on online, I’ll suggest getting on LinkedIn first.   Grow your network with people in your space (profession, industry and geography).   Figure out how to network with them (which is too involved for this post).   Then, look for relevant Yahoo or Google Groups to join, again, in your space. Get prepared for a potentially long search, and a long time without an income.  When I lost my job my dad wisely commented “I’ll expect you to be out of work for at least six months.”   I thought  NO WAY.   I was too good to be out of work for that long.   Since then I’ve met professionals and executives who have been out of work for up to two years… at least a handful for more than two years.   As you settle in to this phase in your career, you need to adjust your mindset.   Remain optimistic but realistic or else you’ll find yourself with financial and  emotional problems  that compound the issues. Kiss your spouse and kids.  This is stressful for you, right?   Humiliating?   Scary?   It is equally as stressful for your family.   A few months into our job search someone asked my wife how I was doing.   She said “I don’t know.   We don’t talk much anymore.”   That really hit me hard… I didn’t realize that our communication all-but-stopped.   She was trying to be strong for me, and I was trying to be strong for her, and we just didn’t have much to say during this time.   What a waste of time â€" take advantage of this time to communicate about important matters.   And realize your kids are going to wonder what the heck is going on, and perhaps have to fend of rumors from neighborhood friends (like “your dad got fired!”). JibberJobber.  If you showed me  JibberJobber  at the beginning of my job search I would have said phooey!   I wasn’t going to need it for more than a few weeks, right?   WRONG.   The job search went longer than expected.   More importantly, as you use JibberJobber you enter information that will be critical in your next job search… helping you get a jump start on that next transition (not a pleasant thought, but hey, we’re all adults here â€" it’s time to be serious about your future transitions).   The amount of information to keep track of, and the potential for missing appointments, opportunities and followup, is just too much… you really need to get a real tool to help manage your job search â€" this is it. If you are serious, consider the  optional upgrade. I’m sure I’m missing stuff, and this is much more “JOB SEARCH” oriented than “CAREER MANAGEMENT” oriented.   What would you add or suggest?

A case study in staying resilient My divorce

A case study in staying resilient My divorce My husband and I are getting a divorce. Its really hard to write this for a lot of reasons, but the one that comes to mind this moment is that its so crappy to be in the middle of a divorce when I make a living telling people how to run their lives. Fortunately I also make a living scouring the world for good research. And, while I have spent forever telling you that relationships make us happier than money, I am really pleased to find some research that says that for some people marriage is like a raise in pay, and it only makes us happy for a couple of years, and then we go back to our baseline of happiness. This is not true for the kids, of course. There is extremely persuasive research that no one likes to hear, that says that kids do not notice that their parents are unhappy in a marriage. In this seminal study, Judith Wallerstein tracked a large sample of children of divorce for 25 years. And she found that unless there is violence in the home, kids suffer more from parents getting a divorce than staying in a bad marriage. This research is what has kept me in my marriage. But now I am learning that marriage is a little like fertility in that I cannot control everything. So really, I guess I have to say that you shouldnt take my advice about marriage, because I failed. But then I think, hold it, I have failed at least once in just about everything I have tried, and I think thats what makes my advice work. How do you know what youre doing wrong if you are not failing? How do you ever learn your limits? Heres the process I go through to tell myself that Ill be okay after this divorce: I think about when I used to practice volleyball. If you spent the day practicing a shot you knew how to do, what was the point of practicing that day? Where was the learning curve? Where was the growth? I think that one reason people listen to me about choosing a career is because I chose so badly, so many times. And bounced back. And I think that one reason that Wired just asked me to write a column on how to start a business is because I have started one and seen it go under. And then done another. We should all know that success is as much about resiliency as it is about luck and skill. And at this point, I think its safe to say that while I have luck and skill, I am most gifted in the resiliency department. So maybe getting a divorce will make for better advice. Or more humility. Which Im sure are related, by the way. Theres a study I read in the New York Times about how the people who are most happy with life are people who can create complicated scenarios to explain why a given situation is not so bad. That is me, right now. To be honest, Ive had a lot of time to perform those mental gymnastics since Ive known for a while about the divorce. I waited to tell you because I didnt want to blog about it when I was crying. Everyone has their limits, even me. And besides, Ive been raising a round of funding for my company, and what a terrible post to have up on a day when investors are reading my blog. Anyway, during the time between crying and deciding that Im the queen of resiliency, I stumbled across this information about my Myers Briggs type: ENTJ. There are sixteen personality types. ENTJs make up 4% of the general population and 80% of the population of executives. Heres the news about ENTJs in a marriage: Gender issues are especially significant for ENTJ females. As a type, their arrogant, confrontational manner and need for control can appear to be quite unwomanly to others. Of course, the problem intensifies for the ENTJ female when dealing with men. Their demanding, objective, competent, and independent nature is not particularly endearing to most men. But, being the optimist I am, I kept looking and found this: These qualities may obscure the fact that ENTJ females can be quite nurturing and caring. For them, femininity is not defined by traditional roles. It is reflected in the total involvement and commitment they bring to each moment of life. Heres what Ive been doing while Ive been not blogging about the divorce: Ive been thinking about dating. Its my naturebeing an ENTJ means planning the future. Im very future oriented. And I cant help wondering where the female ENTJs are in the marriage world. How those marriages work out. Right now, I cant even imagine how an ENTJ date would work out. But Im starting to remember that all the skills Ive learned in my career will be useful to my personal life right now: dont focus on shortcomings and play to your strengths instead; be kind and caring to the people around you to improve any situation, and most of allsetbacks dont matter as much as bouncing back.

How To Recruit Passive Candidates Online

How To Recruit Passive Candidates Online 79% of working professionals around the world are considered passive candidates. The other 21% are actively seeking a new job. In which group do you think the better talent is? LinkedIns research shows that on balance, passive candidates care disproportionately more or less about certain factors than their actively job-seeking counterparts. Through that research, five factors stand out as major points of differentiation. These factors have a bearing on how you might approach passive candidates. Passive vs active candidates takeaways: Passive talent are 120% more likely to want to make an impact 56% are more likely to want a corporate culture that fits to their personality Passive candidates are 33% more likely to want challenging work Passive talent is also less needy, 17% less likely to need skill development and 21% less likely to need recognition 3 tips to passive talent recruitment success: Leverage your entire team to find the right talent. Good employees know good people who could be a strong culture fit. Start the conversation right by being targeted and personal. Emphasize impact over skill-laden job descriptions. Listen. Invite candidates to talk about themselves, uncover their needs and motivations, and keep detailed notes at every touch point. Related: How To Use Mobile, Social Media and Video To Recruit Passive Candidates [Video]. Main image: Shutterstock

What Small Businesses Want to See in Your Application

What Small Businesses Want to See in Your Application There is no way around it: job hunters searching for opportunities in this labor market should be considering jobs with small businesses. Since the financial crisis, small businesses have added an estimated 2.6 million jobs in the United States. Businesses that employ fewer than 500 employees are the engines of job growth in this sluggish economy. These enterprises encompass a wide range of industries and sectors, making a small business job a possibility for workers from a variety of diverse backgrounds. 1. Educational Background Small businesses are always looking for dynamic employees who can quickly adapt to unconventional situations. The best signal for critical thinking and adaptability is a college education. Most workers should try to have at least a bachelors degree, even for positions that would not appear to directly use college knowledge. Remember: a college degree is not about what you know, it is about signaling to employers that you are disciplined and driven enough to accomplish a big goal like graduating from college. A degree will come in handy even for low-skill positions like manufacturing. A machinist with a college degree is more likely to be promoted to a higher paying management job than someone with only a high school diploma. 2. Framing Previous Experience Employees who can integrate quickly with a close-knit team are valuable to a small business. Since most of these companies are run by family members, integrating as an outsider is essential to being successful. Look through your resume for experiences where you have had to adapt to challenging circumstances or make connections as an outsider. Your job as a cashier was probably not very impressive, but maybe you were the youngest person on staff and can frame your successes in terms of proving yourself to colleagues. 3. Strong Work Ethic Small business owners need to get the maximum amount of labor out of their employees because they cannot hire a large staff. Increasing your appeal as a multifaceted employee will lead to more interviews and job offers than focusing on narrow skills or experiences. In summarizing a job either in the resume or an interview highlight a time when you had to adapt to changing circumstances or make due with limited resources. Experiences like those will highlight your flexibility as a worker. Finally, avoid using the word dynamic on a resume. It is one of the top five most overused words on resumes and will make your application blend in with everyone elses. Instead, use words like adaptable or versatile which will make a resume pop. 4. Salary Range When prompted for a desired salary, aim for ten percent below the average salary for your occupation. Small businesses are reluctant to hire expensive employees initially, but they are more willing to give raises and bonuses once employees prove their ability to contribute to the bottom line. Taking a small cut for a year may be worth above average salary and benefits later. 5. Career Goals When asked about your career plans, direct the question away from yourself and towards what you can do for the company. Interviewers dont want to hear about how the job will help you  even if they ask about it. They want to know what you can contribute. It is acceptable to answer a question about future plans by listing some of your best skills and emphasizing how they will help the companys growth in the future. Small business owners provide most of the new jobs in America, so using these five tips are important for landing a better job. Above all, small businesses care about their bottom line: emphasize your flexibility and willingness to deal with challenges, and you will be on your way to a successful interview.

Important Facts Stats About the Thriving Gig Economy CareerMetis.com

Important Facts Stats About the Thriving Gig Economy Original Image Source â€" Depositphotos.comIf you’re new to the concept of a gig economy, you won’t be for much longer.Freelance and independent workers are becoming more common throughout North America and the rest of the world. In fact, statistics show that approximately 57 million Americans, or about 36 percent of U.S. workers, would consider themselves to be gig workers. And this number is only expected to increase in the coming months as both workers and businesses recognize the advantages of a gig economy.But just what is the gig economy and what does it mean to you if you’re considering making the transition from traditional employee to freelancer?Defining A Gig EconomyevalThe definition of the gig economy is a simple one: instead of hiring full-time employees, businesses are opting to hire freelancers, otherwise known as gig workers, for short-term tasks and projects. Hiring gig workers are beneficial for both the freelancer and the business, allowing for more flexibili ty in the hiring structure.In the past, freelancers have consisted mostly of independent contractors and part-time employees hired on a temporary basis. But now, with advanced technology, the role of the freelancer has expanded considerably.Using unlimited and affordable data plans along with smartphones, gig workers have the ability to work from wherever they want simply by being online and connecting with wifi. Whether they’re working from home, from the local café, or in a shared workspace with other freelancers, gig workers have access to technology in ways that, until recently, were not available.What does all this do to the way we’ve traditionally hired employees? It’s provided the unique opportunity for workers to have the flexibility to work the way they want and find the perfect balance between needing to work and enjoying working.The Different Types of Gig WorkersAs you get ready to move from working for a company to working for yourself, it’s helpful to have a cl ear understanding of the different types of freelancers. There are two main categories of gig workers: independent and contingent workers.Independent workers work entirely for themselves, being responsible for their own billing and invoicing to the individuals and businesses that hire them. Contingent workers are hired by businesses much the same as regular employees are hired. The difference is that they have no job security and fewer benefits than traditional employees.Under the umbrella of gig workers, there are even further distinctions when it comes to breaking down the definition of independent workers:Freelancers â€" This common term has been around for years and typically includes creative jobs such as web designers, writers, or developers.Gig market platforms â€" The gig marketplace includes those platforms that cater to on-demand services that users hire such as Lyft, Uber, and Airbnb. Gig workers who work in this sector often do so to supplement their income, working full or part-time jobs at the same time.Self-employed workers â€" The gig economy also includes self-employed workers, who enjoy all the advantages of working for themselves. This includes small business owners and tradesmen who have their own company.Other gig incomes â€" Still other gig workers fall into an area where they generate income from a variety of specific jobs, such as selling on eBay or Etsy, blogging, and affiliate marketing. Why Workers Quit Their Traditional JobsevalThe dream of becoming your own boss isn’t a new one. Many people have thought about quitting their traditional full-time job and working for themselves.Even though being a gig worker comes with less job security than working for a business or organization, it offers the opportunity for higher pay and the freedom to work when and where you want to. And the results of a survey of 1000 people show that more than 30 percent of Americans would quit their current job if they were able to make as much income as th ey currently make.The reasons for being willing to quit cover a range of complaints about job satisfaction when working for an employer:9% dislike their current boss or manager.12% feel burnt out from working 9 to 5.14% feel they’re working in a toxic environment.14% are transitioning to a new job.19% feel they’re not paid enough.33% want more job flexibility.Demographics Of Traditional Workers Ready To Embrace The Gig EconomyEven more, studies have been done to determine the demographics of workers who are ready to leave behind traditional employment to become a gig workerâ€" and surprisingly it’s not millennials who are leading the numbers.evalOlder demographics are also indicating dissatisfaction with their jobs and prepared to make changes to the way they work:People aged 45 to 54 are burnt out from working 9 to 5 and just as likely as millennials to move into the gig economy.Employees aged 35 to 44 are ready to become gig workers because they feel they work in a toxic wor kplace that’s unhealthy.Men are more open to a freelance job when they need to supplement their income as they transition to a different career.The Benefits Of A Gig EconomyThere are numerous benefits to consider as you think about quitting your job and making your move to becoming an independent worker. Whether you’re ready to go full-time as a gig worker or just want to work as a freelancer to supplement your income, the following benefits and opportunities are the main reasons more people are opting to choose to work in a gig economy:1) Build an impressive portfolioevalIt doesn’t matter where you are in the steps of becoming a gig worker â€" having an established portfolio that shows you’ve worked with a number of clients is going to pull in even more steady and reliable clients in the future.2) Make your own schedulePerhaps the biggest benefit of working for yourself is that you have the flexibility to make your own schedule and work when and how much you want. This mean s taking time off for personal days, family events, and vacations according to your own schedule and not that of an employer.3) Enjoy working on a variety of different projectsBeing able to choose your own projects gives you the opportunity for variety, taking away the grind of working in a repetitive job that can weigh you down emotionally.4) Personal satisfactionFreelance work lets you choose jobs that you’re interested in, leading to more personal and professional fulfillment.Ready To Get Started As A Freelancer?With all the facts behind you, are you ready to get started as a freelancer? Here are some key points to focus on as you market your skills and services so you can find your first clients:What skills and services do you have to offer to your clients?Will you specialize in one skill, such as web development, or will you offer more generalized services, such as being a marketing strategist?What’s your target market?What types of clients will be interested in your skills ? Come up with a unique selling position that’s aimed towards clients in your skill sector, such as writing or photography.Establish your rates. Check to see what your competition is charging. Then set your own rates, making sure that you’re competitive.Market and promote your services. Create an online portfolio and post it on your website. And don’t forget the power of social media, word of mouth, and marketing emails.Best Practices For Gig WorkersOnce you’ve set yourself up as a freelancer, there are some best practices that can help you succeed in the gig economy as you work in a non-traditional environment:1) Establish schedules and routinesevalIt’s easier to stay focused and on track when you’ve created a schedule and routine for yourself. To ensure that your freelance job doesn’t become your entire life, make sure your routine includes downtime for personal activities.2) Focus on your purposeevalDon’t forget why you’ve become a gig worker. Whether it’s to supplement your income or to become your own boss, stay in touch with the bigger picture.3) Network with other freelancersIt’s easy to become isolated as you work alone from home. Network with other gig workers for both support and to establish important career connections.4) Find the right office spaceDesignate office space in your own home as the area where work gets done away from distractions. Or consider looking for coworking space close to where you live if you work better in an office environment. Coworking space also has the benefit of giving you access to meeting rooms and an office area you may not have at home.Are You Ready To Thrive As A Gig Worker?The advantages of the gig economy will continue to grow in the coming years, as freelancers and businesses develop new ways of working together. For more detailed information about becoming a freelancer, check out this guide on everything you need to know about the gig economy.Understanding how to navigate and compete as a g ig worker can set you up for success, giving you the tools you need to thrive in today’s new workforce.eval

Summary Sunday Communicating Your Value

Summary Sunday Communicating Your Value It can be challenging to talk about yourself. And its even more difficult when you know communicating your value should be part of the message. With so much news to keep track of, I wanted to re-share some of the top articles that will help with your job search and career! Money, maximizing your personal brand and social media were hot topics this week! Here are the 5 best performing articles to help you when communicating your value! Oh, and Happy Mothers Day to all you moms out there! SALARY NEGOTIATION Yes, you should always think about negotiating your salary. And heck, it doesnt hurt to try to ask if thats the best they can do. How to Negotiate Salary During the Job Interview by Dana Leavy | YouTern This post lays out six steps to negotiate your offer. The good news is, you and the employer both want the best deal possible. Leavy says Typically, your main concern is getting the best job possible and earning a decent salary. In the meantime, the employer’s main concerns are paying a competitive salary while  hiring the best talent possible. LINKEDIN Your LinkedIn summary is too important to dismiss. (And too many people have skipped including one.) 7 LinkedIn Profile Summaries That We Love (And How to Boost Your Own) by Kate Reilly | LinkedIns Talent Blog The featured summaries are for recruiters/talent acquisition professionals, but they still provide ideas! How to: Write Your LinkedIn Summary Like a LinkedIn Influencer by  Siofra Pratt | SocialTalent Logic, rules and reminders for how to write a really great summary! SOCIAL MEDIA Please, please, please! Do not dismiss the power of social media/social networking when searching for a job! 13 Social Media Power Tips for Getting the Job You Want by  Matt Sweetwood for Entrepreneur | Fox News TWITTER 10 Twitter Features You Aren’t Using… You Are Missing Out by  Susanna Gebauer | The Social Ms

Writing Up Sops Resume - How to Ace the Competitive Exam

Writing Up Sops Resume - How to Ace the Competitive ExamIf you are going to write up sops resume, you need to make sure that your next steps to ace the competitive exam will be much easier. There are many people who tend to give up in the course of the competition since they don't feel that they have anything to offer as much as the others. The problem with this is that in some cases, they are not having a basic understanding of what should be done and how to start writing up sops resume. In this article, we are going to provide you with tips to ace the exam.First, you should have your previous jobs or certificates available. You should also add details on each of your most recent job that you have held. You need to make sure that you add about 25% of details to make sure that it is enough to help you when it comes to covering certain topics in the exam. One of the things that you need to do is that you need to highlight the most recent job that you have held in the details. You also need to include more details to the most recent job that you have held in the details.Another thing that you need to remember is that you should always use standard format when writing up sops resume. Your goals, achievements, projects and so on must be included in your sops resume. Also, it is very important that you make sure that you have something to discuss in your sops resume.Part two of this guide will focus on the content. In particular, we will talk about the keynotes and the contents that you need to include in your sops resume. It is also important that you make sure that you include your specialty or something that is important to you in your sops resume. What you need to remember is that you should never limit yourself to just providing one topic.You should always remember that yoursops resume is your key to success in the exam. With that said, you need to use different types of methods to make sure that you cover different types of topics. For example, you should crea te or summarize points that you are going to cover in your sops resume. Also, you should include other material that can be beneficial for you during the exam.Another important thing that you need to remember is that your skills and expertise should be stated in your sops resume. You should make sure that you focus on the major skills and expertise that you possess in the skills area. For example, if you have expertise in education, you should include that information in your sops resume.Finally, you need to make sure that you use different methods of composing your resume. One of the main methods that you should use is that you should include three sections in your resume. This will ensure that your work history and your educational experience are covered. Additionally, you should put all the other relevant information that you want to put in your resume.These are some of the tips that you need to remember when writing up sops resume. It is important that you remember these tips es pecially if you are looking to ace the competitive exam.