10 Essentials Needed for a Successful Job Search

June 26, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley
These 10 things will get you the job you want.

These 10 things will get you the job you want.

There is plenty of information about how to get a job.  But it all boils down to 10 things that are essential for finding the job you want.  You will see below what they are. 

  1. Growing  network—most jobs are obtained by networking.  Grow your network and stay in touch with your network.  It’s a reciprocal connection that you are building not “what’s in it for me” be willing to help wherever you can.
  2. Targeted resume and cover letter—have a basic resume that can be tweaked for each position for and the cover letter needs to be modified, as well.  Use keywords from the job description in both.
  3. Interview skills—prepare and practice for your interviews by learning as much about the company as you can; having interview clothes that you are comfortable in and make you look your best;  have p-a-r stories that show how you have done your job well; research interview questions for your position and practice answering them.
  4. Positive mindset—remain optimistic that something good is going to happen.  People shy away from people who are desperate.  They don’t want to risk their reputation on someone who has negativity written all over them.
  5. Volunteer—use your skills to assist another person or organization pro bono and it will fill the gap in your résumé.  It offers you an opportunity to meet people that may be able to help you.  The best thing is you will feel better about yourself.  There is a correlation between helping others and feel good.   
  6. Join a job search networking support group—you can expand your network, learn tips and tricks to boost your job search, get leads on jobs, and gain the emotional support along with the encouragement you need at this difficult time.
  7. Social media—LinkedIn will help you grow and keep track of your network and help you with research for interviews.  Many recruiters post job openings on Twitter.
  8. Be appreciative for any help you get—whether it’s thanking an interviewer or someone who have you a lead, express your appreciation for any help you get.  It is the best way to make sure you will continue receiving help. 
  9. Know what makes you unique—the hiring manager wants to hire the best person for the job.  Be able to articulate what unique skill, ability, or experience you bring to the job that no one else has.
  10. Take care of you—this is an extremely stressful time.  Your health is vital to your job search success.  It is essential that you eat healthy, exercise regularly, and get the rest you need.  If you have all the above but look sickly or depressed, you won’t get the job.

 It takes time and patience but with the right tools your job search will have the momentum it needs to keep you motivated and  on task.   By incorporating the above in your job search, you will be sitting at your new job before you know it.

image:  http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/  Stuart Miles

Posted in cover letter, interview skills, Interviews, job search essentials, network, Resume, self care during job search | 4 Comments

Does your elevator pitch have your stuck between floors?

June 24, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

In the time it takes to go from the floor you are on now to the floor you want to be, you can land a job. But is your elevator pitch/speech bringing your job search to the next level?  Most have job searches stuck between floors.

Elevator pitches can cause to your job search to go up or down. What is yours doing for you?

Elevator pitches can cause to your job search to go up or down. What is yours doing for you?

However, they are called elevator pitches or speeches are meant to last about 30 seconds to 90 seconds depending what your objective is. Elevator pitches or speeches, whatever you they are called in your area, are a way to introduce yourself to someone you have never met before.  Usually it’s in a networking environment, but can be used anywhere.

They are not my favorite job search strategy.  I have seen and heard too many people give their elevator pitch/speech that are practiced, practiced and practiced.  Most of them remind me of fingernails on a chalkboard.  From the phony smile to the over-rehearsed flawless recitation of the unique value proposition to the stating the name once in the beginning and again at the end, the elevator speech wouldn’t convince me to hire you.

Memorizing the elevator speech is necessary, because carrying around a cheat sheet isn’t professional.  But then neither is reciting your value to another the same way a school age child would recite a poem.  The reason most people recite their elevator pitch/speech the way they do is because they want to get in the most information they can in the allotted time.

The elevator pitches/speeches I like are ones that sound conversational.  You tell me what you do and how you do it better than anyone else.  You use your smile to communicate confidence and sincerity.  If I ask you a question that isn’t on your script, you are able to answer it in the same manner.  If you run over your 30 to 90 seconds in this manner, I don’t mind because you are informing me about you.  And hopefully  moving me to learn more.

When you stop, I don’t feel like you just tried to “sell” yourself to me.  I feel like we have learned a little more about one another; that’s a great way to start building a relationship.  And the true goal of networking is building relationships.

If you want to stand out among other job searchers, don’t recite your elevator pitch/speech like you are selling a used car.  Have a conversation with the person; tell them everything you want them to know, and keep it fresh.  Practice with a friend so that you include all the points you want to make in a casual manner.  By having an appealing elevator pitch/speech, you will have a better chance at keep your listener’s attention through the entire speech.

Posted in elevator pitches for job search | 1 Comment

Your Key To Building Your LinkedIn Network Success: Use A Personalized Greeting

June 21, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

June 20, 2013

Networking is about building relationships.

Networking is about building relationships.

 

Lately, I have been getting messages on LinkedIn to join someone’s network that only uses the generic LinkedIn invitation to connect.  To me it’s like getting a letter without acknowledging the recipient in the salutation.  It makes me feel like the invitation is sent to me only to increase someone’s network.  Maybe I’m wrong thinking that, but that’s how I feel.

Additionally, I have noticed that many people are getting the same bland invitation and are complaining about it.  It seems like social media has been become so commonplace that the common courtesies are ignored.  For whatever reason, the practice of using the nonspecific invitation is becoming the norm.  When the sender puts little effort into the invitation, chances are they will put the same effort in the relationship. 

What the sender doesn’t realize is that if they send this invitation, the chances of being accepted is lower than if they personalized the message.  It’s counterproductive to building their network.  The receiver has three choices:  accept, ignore, or send it to spam.  When they get three requests sent to spam, their LinkedIn privileges will probably be revoked.

Personalize the invitation to increase your acceptance rate and increase your network.  With only 200 characters for a LinkedIn invitation, there isn’t much room to go into much detail.  Begin by addressing the recipient by name, then two or three sentences indicating how you know the person, why you want to connect, or a personal message.  End with a complimentary close and your name.  Creating a unique message tailored to the receiver shows more professionalism and interest in them.

Some examples: 

Hello Stan, It was wonderful to meet you at the national meeting.  I would like to continue our association and share our contacts in order to expand our networks.  Thank you, Bea

Dear Rose, Your colleague, Jan told me that you are an alumnae of the University of Name.  I graduated from there in 1994.  Please feel free to contact me if there is anything I can do for you.  Thank you, Sophia

A simple, sincere message using a name will be more successful than, “I’d like to add you to my professional network.”  Building your network is building relationships.  Building your network by starting off on the right foot by making your invitation friendly.

Posted in LinkedIn, network | Leave a Comment

5 Interview tips that change your A game to and A+ game.

June 19, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley
Everyone is bringing their A game. But to win you need to bring your A+ game.

Everyone is bringing their A game. But to win you need to bring your A+ game.

 

The resume has landed you an interview.  Now it’s up to you to show them you are the professional your resume exhibits.  Everything about you is under scrutiny at the interview.  You need to bring not just your A game, but you’re A+ game.  Here are 5 tips that kick your game up the level that will get you the job.

 1-PREPARE, PRACTICE, and REPEAT— Preparation and practice are keys to interview success.  Prepare for your interview by doing research on the company and questions you can and can’t be asked.  Know how you fit the position and your unique selling proposition.  Have an interview outfit that fits you perfectly, is clean and pressed.  You know about no cologne for the interview, but your clothes may have an odor that you aren’t aware of, such as smoke, pet, sweat, or food.  If you are a smoker, you may not have had a smoke before the interview, but if you smoke at home, your clothes will absorb the odor.  

Practice answering questions that might be asked; traveling to the interview place; making proper eye contact, and being friendly regardless how you are feeling. 

When you have prepared and practiced, do it again and again until it is second nature to you without looking over-rehearsed and fake. 

2-BE FLEXIBLE—Things happen, don’t allow  changes in the interview site, time, place, or interviewer throw off your composure.  You have prepared and practiced for this event and are ready for anything.  The changes may or may not be contrived to see how you react under pressure.  Show you are flexible and able to adapt to whatever is thrown at you.

3-BE WATCHFUL—Remember the interviewer is trying to get as much information from you as they can.  S/he is aware of the questions that cannot be asked.  However, the interviewer has  ways to get information without your knowing it.  Questions can be asked that may seem harmless enough, but your answer can reveal more about you than you want to share.

4-LISTEN CAREFULLY—Answer the question you are asked not what you think you heard. It’s only natural for your mind to wander.  You might be rethinking your response to another question, thinking about questions you want to ask or you may be evaluating your interest in the job.  Distractions take away your concentration. 

5-BRING YOUR BEST SELF—You need to be well rested, well groomed and well dressed.  Think of the interview as an inspection of you.  Get plenty of sleep the night before.  Wake up the day of the interview at a time that will allow you to get dressed and travel to the interview without being late.  

Don’t leave anything to chance.  You are competing with others who are just as qualified as you are.  They are preparing their A game.  With preparation and practice you will stand out above the others and get the job with you’re A+ game.

Posted in Interviews | 2 Comments

Make These Changes On Your Resume For Job Search Success

June 17, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

 

Get your resume read by making these changes

Get your resume read by making these changes

June 16, 2013

Many changes have taken place in the job search over the last few years.  The résumé is one of the items that have changed.  If you are using an old style format or information, it is likely the reader won’t go beyond the first section. 

Making the right changes make your job search more successful.  Here is a list of changes you should make so that your résumé is read.  Your résumé has one mission, to get you an interview.  If your résumé isn’t read, it won’t get you an interview.

Above the fold is prime real estate.  Use your best information above the fold.  Resume readers look at a résumé for only about 10 seconds.  If you want them to continue reading beyond the fold, capture their attention in the first half because they won’t continue reading if they don’t find it interesting.

Objectives are out.  The company doesn’t care what you want.  They want to know what you can do for them.  Give them a summary of your professional experience and skills.

List of every task you did at every job.  The laundry list of tasks and duties doesn’t say anything about how well you did them.  Tell them how what you did affected the bottom line—did you make or save money/time.  Include achievements and metrics as dollar signs or as percentages.  They will speak louder than words.

Lose the extra page.  Although you don’t have to limit your résumé to one page, keep your statements short and to the point. 

Use plenty of keywords found in the job posting.  Your résumé will be submitted to a résumé database called an application tracking system.  Your résumé will be scored according how it matches the job requirements by the keywords.  The higher the score, the better are your chances of getting interviewed.

One resume doesn’t fit all. Gone are the days when you created one resume and had it copied to be sent to every job you apply for. Create a résumé for the job you are interested in, and then tweak it for each job by adding the keywords in the job posting.  Also, use only relevant information.  If what you have isn’t applicable to the job, take it out.  If there is information pertinent to the job, add it.

Use a headline and branding statement.   State the job title at the top of your résumé.  Then add 2 or 3 sentences from the job posting that describe you, your skills and/or experience.  I.e., Strategic Planner, Excellent Interpersonal Skills, Finance/Healthcare/Marketing/Manufacturing/Non-Profit, Project Management and Highly Motivated.  This will set the tone for the rest of the résumé.  Show them what makes you different, what you have achieved, your most remarkable personal trait, or what value you can give.

Make you resume readable for mobile devices.  Many busy executives are reading resumes on smartphones or on tablets.  A résumé created to be read on a computer screen won’t necessarily look good on a smaller screen.  Consider the smaller screen when formatting your resume.

Include a QR code.  A relevant resume that must be short and concise leaves out information that you want the reader to see.  A QR code enables the viewer to be taken directly to an activity of your choice.  Options are your LinkedIn profile, telephone number, website with samples of your work or your email address.  The QR code shows you are tech savvy and not outdated. 

Don’t let your résumé get tossed because you aren’t giving the information the reader is looking for.  Standing out from the competition is essential.  The information you give must show you are the best candidate for the job.  Make the changes and you will get called for an interview.

 

 

 

Posted in QR code, Resume | Leave a Comment