Welcome to the brand new look for Keppie Careers! It is so exciting to launch my new site, with a totally redesigned logo, colors and platform. The new design makes it easier for me to share information that helps job seekers and small business owners propel their careers forward.

I’m happy to add new functionality for readers, including providing automatic tweeting and “liking” options and new ways to help you find content and information you need. I also have a great new Search functionality and a new way to go through the archives. I’m really loving the drop-down menus on the navigation bar…If I’m not careful, I may wind up with 15 items per topic — I’m having so much fun adding them. We’ve also included integration that shows my Twitter feed, which I am enjoying, but am not sure I will keep. What do you think?

I’ve moved my blogroll here (accessible from two different places) and plan to use the new space I have on that page to highlight my friends’ and colleagues’ blogs…All in good time!

I hope you enjoy the new logo as much as I do. Thanks to Elise Elswood, I believe my logo really captures what I want to share about Keppie Careers. It’s about energy, empowering and reaching for success. It’s about moving forward – riding the wave to the next great opportunity. I love the colors, which turn out to perfectly represent my brand.

As for the site itself, Willie Jackson designed and build it for me on the well-known Thesis platform. As I have written before, I have really enjoyed working with Willie to totally revamp my site. He’s done an amazing job of figuring out how to accomplish my goals, implement things I wanted to include as well as suggesting and incorporating ideas I did not even know were possible! THAT is the reason to hire an expert if I ever heard one.

I hope you agree that the brand new look is a great way for me to help you stay current with cutting-edge techniques and ride the tide to success!

I’d love your comments…Thanks so much for reading!

photo by Look4U

If you are having a hard time finding a job, have you considered relocating? It’s not always an easy or obvious choice, but in some cases, being open to a relo may be just the change you need to land an opportunity.

Consider Indeed.com’s ranking of the “number of unemployed per job posting for the 50 most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S.” While these statistics can be a bit misleading (they indicate the number of jobs per the number of people without specifically taking into account the types of job), they list the following as the best U.S. cities to find work:

• Washington D.C.
• San Jose, CA
• Baltimore, MD
• New York, NY
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Oklahoma City, Ut
• Hartford, CT
• Boston, MA
• Seattle, WA
• Austin, TX

Another recent listing of places to consider working is from a study reported by Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com/CNN by Apartments.com and CBcampus.com, which list the top 10 cities for new grads are:

• 1. Atlanta – Average rent:* $723: Popular entry-level categories:** sales, marketing, customer service
• 2. Phoenix – Average rent: $669: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, training
• 3. Denver- Average rent: $779: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care
• 4. Dallas – Average rent: $749: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care
• 5. Boston – Average rent: $1275: Popular entry-level categories: sales, marketing, training
• 6. Philadelphia – Average rent: $938: Popular entry-level categories: sales, marketing, health care
• 7. New York – Average rent: $1,366: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, marketing
• 8. Cincinnati – Average rent: $613: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, management
• 9. Baltimore – Average rent: $1,041: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, management
• 10. Los Angeles – Average rent: $1319: Popular entry-level categories: sales, training, health care

Anthony Balderrama, from CareerBuilder’s The Work Buzz suggests these questions to consider when evaluating a move:

1. What is the entire cost of the move itself?
2. What is the comprehensive cost of living adjustment?
3. When is your last day on the old job and your first day of the new one?
4. What are your career opportunities in this new city?
5. What does saying “no” to the relocation mean for your career?
6. If you’re switching employers, what are your career opportunities at the new company?
7. Do you want to move?

Giving a move serious consideration? Be sure to visit the Riley Guide’s list of resources if you are planning to make a career move. Links include cost of living calculators as well as moving companies!

photo by mattindy77

If you are a job seeker, I wouldn’t be surprised if you welcome the opportunity to hear from recruiters and sourcers (the ones who track down candidates) about how to position yourself to land a great opportunity. On this “international” edition of my friend Stephanie A. Lloyd’s Dream Job Radio show, listeners not only had the opportunity to hear directly from those great resources, but also got the HR perspective – more accurately, the Punk Rock HR perspective, which always adds spice to the mix!

Featured guests included: Geoff Webb and Maha Akiki representing RecruitingBlogs, Laurie Ruettimann of PunkRockHR fame and Craig Fisher, creator and host of #TalentNetLive.

(In the photo to your right – Maha, Geoff and Craig) >

I was happy to share the coach’s vantage point, answering such questions as “What do you advise for job seekers who cannot afford to hire help?” and others! (There I am with Laurie in the picture below!)

Some tidbits from the show:

Craig – You are in big trouble if your job profile is just a paper resume. Everything is going mobile. Get a good smart phone.

Geoff – Resumes are terrible. You need to be involved in social media. Build a Google profile.

Laurie – Don’t feel that you must find a “dream” job. “Dream jobs” don’t always pay the bills. Hiring is not fair and we all need to recognize that!

Maha – Build a great online profile so I can find you while you are sleeping!

Stephanie – Get creative. Companies don’t take care of people. Get creative and have multiple streams of income. (There is Stephanie, running the show, below!)

Listen to the show HERE to catch all of the great advice from a terrific group of pros!

I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

In an effort to convince you to ramp up your job search efforts during the holidays (click HERE for part 1 and a free ebook offer), I’m sharing ideas and insights from some of my colleagues and friends during this holiday week and next. Today, I am happy to share some insights from my friend Walter Akana, of Threshold Consulting.

Walter suggests (bold are his ideas, commentary is mine):

1. Put aside the idea about people not hiring during the Holidays. Whether it’s true or not, it can become an excuse to do nothing. I like this take on the subject. In fact, whether there are jobs to be found or not depends on many factors. Taking the position that it does not matter, and that it is important to move forward with your job hunt regardless, is a very good approach in my book.

2. Stop making your interactions with people about job leads. Instead, focus more on getting to know other people so you can build stronger, long-term relationships. Excellent advice! The majority of people I see who have not been successful at networking are approach their contacts as a job seeker first. The fact is, relationships are key to creating opportunities. So, don’t bring your resume to holiday parties. It is okay, however, to bring your business cards! (More about that later!)

Walter’s additional suggestions, which he first offered (and expanded on) in his post Own Your Life. (Be sure to read the original post!)

Use this time to refocus on happiness practices to keep your spirits up and create a positive foundation for the New Year:

- Count your blessings.
– Practice acts of kindness. 
– Savor life’s joys. 
– Thank a mentor/benefactor.
– Learn to forgive.
– Invest time and energy in family and friends.
– Take care of your body.
– Develop strategies for coping with stress and hardship

Learn more about Walter, an expert on career planning and personal branding.

What are your experiences with job seeking during the holidays? Share in the comments!

photo by tonivic

I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

If you are looking for a job, do you feel stuck and like you don’t know what to do next? You are not alone, as most job seekers I know don’t intend to become professional job hunters and don’t feel confident that they can move from step to step, knowing exactly what they are doing.

Last month, I attended a workshop with Havi Brooks. She specializes in what she calls “Destuckification: working through the stucknesses that get in the way of doing your thing.” Havi teaches about how to get unstuck via a mind-body/yoga practice called Shiva Nata. She calls it “brain training that looks like martial arts and acts like drugs-that-make-you-smart-and-hot.”

Even Havi calls is “wacky,” and it is nothing if not a bit unconventional – teaching your brain to act differently by focusing on patterns, deconstructing them and building new ones!  (I’m no expert on the subject, having just starting studying it, but I think that gets at the basics for our purposes! Read Havi’s blog and explore her site for more details.)

So, what does this all have to do with you – the job seeker who is stuck and can’t figure out the next step? One of the big things we discussed at the workshop was how important it is to bring “conscious awareness” to patterns in order to challenge and change them. Really, that’s just a fancy way of saying that you need to notice what’s happening and point it out to yourself to impact a change.

So, instead of wallowing in self-doubt and avoiding your job search like the plague, stop and think, “Hmmm…how am I feeling when I think of my job hunt?” Does it give you a stomach ache? Your head hurts? You panic? You know it’s important and urgent, but instead of working on it, you decide to take a bike ride instead? Or, eat a plate of cookies?

Every time you think of your job hunt and you go numb and panic, try to be aware of the pattern.

Look at  your intellectual response – I “should” do this now. I feel guilty if I don’t work on my search.
Examine the physical response – I can’t breathe. I get a pain in my neck. Stress creeps into my shoulders.
Focus on what you do – I clean the house instead. Or eat chocolate. Or watch TV.

Then, think about little steps you could do differently. If, when you think of sitting down to your search and start getting stressed, you took a moment to be really aware of all that is going into those feelings, you may have a much better chance of jumping over the hurdle and making a change – step-by-step. Maybe instead of cleaning the whole house, or eating the whole box of cookies, you decide that you’ll JUST clean one bathroom or eat two cookies and then do 30 minutes of job searching.

I’m no expert in teaching about conscious awareness, and I want to make it clear that is my interpretation of when of the things I learned from Havi, but I thought it was too important of a concept NOT to share the idea. Take some time to be aware of what is going on with you – you may be surprised by the results!

Would it help to have a coach on your side? Learn more about how I can help you overcome your “stuck” by teaching you what you need to know to propel your search forward!

photo by dyanna

When I was in New York last month, I was lucky to be able to spend time with Marci Alboher, freelance writer, journalist, author and speaker who focuses on career and workplace trends. Marci is an authority on “slash careers” (about “custom blending” different, sometimes divergent occupations and passions). She is the author of One Person/Multiple Careers, and someone whose work I have admired and followed for a long time.

In our conversation during a walk around Marci’s Greenwich Village neighborhood (where she seemed to know everyone!), we discussed a topic that is often on my mind – how much should we reveal about ourselves online? It’s a topic that is salient for job seekers using social networking sites and blogging to get their name out as an authority in their subject, and it is just as relevant for entrepreneurs, coaches and anyone engaging in the sphere known as Web 2.0.

Marci wrote about our conversation and raised some important questions about this topic on her blog today…be sure to click through to read more about our conversations and learn about “the illusion of transparency,” which may be just the ticket for job seekers!

There is no “one size fits all” career advice. Don’t you deserve the best, personalized information and help? Learn how I can help you with your search.

Frustrated that your search isn’t resulting in a job? In Atlanta? Join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd, CEO of Radiant Veracity for our series of in-person job search interventions. Read more about how to propel your search and sign up here.

photo by atrotskyite

Chris Sweigart from Atlanta’s local NBC affiliate station, 11 Alive, interviewed me for a piece that aired on the 6:00 pm newscast about how job seekers can address the issue of being considered “overqualified” for the job.

I suggested that it is important for job seekers to realize why employers are concerned about hiring “overqualified” applicants.

Some reasons:

- They worry the candidate will be “too expensive.”

- Concern the overqualified applicant will leave at the first sign of a better opportunity.

- A desire to avoid hiring a potential “grumpy Gus” or “sad Sally” if the job does not meet the candidate’s needs.

So, how should job seekers address these concerns?

Take salary off the table. Explain that, at this stage of your career, you recognize there are more important things than a high salary. Identify positives, such as work-life balance (if appropriate), the opportunity to work for an organization with a good reputation and/or with a set of talented colleagues. Give good reasons for wanting the job that don’t make you sound desperate for a paycheck.

Make a time commitment. Offer to stay for one or two years – make it clear that this job is a destination, not a jumping off point for you.

Make a convincing case for why the job is a good match. The onus is on the candidate to point out what skills and tasks involved in the job resonate with him or her and explain why those are a good fit. The fact is, while job seekers might have been doing higher level, high powered jobs with a lot of responsibility, those tasks may not necessarily be the things they really enjoy doing. Make the case that this job, at this stage of your career, is what you know you’d like to do and convince the employer of that.

Watch the clip here:

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Unemployment in the state of Georgia is now at 10.7% and predicted to go even higher. If you are looking for a job, or thinking you should be, join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd of Radiant Veracity for a series of job search interventions. Save time, money and YOUR SANITY by learning optimum job hunting tips and tricks. Learn more about our program how you can be better at job seeking HERE.

You’ve already heard – having a positive attitude is important for your job search.  We all know it is not easy to keep a cheery disposition when the news around every corner doesn’t look so good. But the disgruntled job seeker is less likely to land a job. Who wants to hire Bitter Bob, Sarcastic Sue or Desperate Derrick?

Susan Strayer reminds us that it isn’t easy to keep your spirits up. She offers “10 tips for handling a job search during a tough time.” Read the first 5 tips HERE. Now for tips 6 through 10. (Commentary is my own.)

6) Gimme a break. Yep, a real break!

Even if you were a workaholic at your job, it does not mean that you should be a jobseeker-aholic! Plan in some down time. Watch a movie. Go for a walk or to the park. Take the weekend off. You’ll be more refreshed and less likely to burn out if you give yourself some down time.

7) Patience is a virtue
Don’t be a toe-tapper.

I once received an email from a client who was anxiously waiting to hear back from a very large employer. They told her that she was under consideration for a position. That was two weeks ago. Her question: Does this employer typically take so long?

My response: When you are waiting for an employer to get back to you about a job (especially a large employer with an HR department and a lot of hiring layers), think in terms of months, not days.

Her reply was very smart: “I guess I should stop toe-tapping.”

Lean on friends and family
If they want to help, let them! Don’t be a hero.

9) Admit when you need help
Consider hiring a career coach, which could propel your search.  Your career is one of your most crucial financial investments. Whether you are actively engaged in a search, underemployed or unhappily employed, it makes sense to consult an expert as you embark on your search for a new job.

10) Be realistic. Really.
Clarify expectations for your search. Unless you have already optimized your materials and have a well-developed network, you probably aren’t going to find a job in a few weeks. However, as Susan points out, “If your search isn’t working something is wrong.” There ARE jobs – you just need to be sure you are making yourself competitive for them. Don’t blame the economy or your age if you don’t land interviews. Review and revise your materials and your networking techniques.

You do control how you approach your hunt…Take the wheel and drive your own career bus! Let me know if you need help!

photo by feuillu

You’ve already heard – having a positive attitude is important for your job search.  We all know it is not easy to keep a cheery disposition when the news around every corner doesn’t look so good. But the disgruntled job seeker is less likely to land a job. Who wants to hire Bitter Bob, Sarcastic Sue or Desperate Derrick?

Susan Strayer reminds us that it isn’t easy to keep your spirits up. She offers “10 tips for handling a job search during a tough time.” Here are her top 5, stay tuned tomorrow for the rest. (Commentary is my own.)

1) Every job search needs a plan.
Identify your goals. You can’t get anywhere until you decide the destination! Stop and evaluate. What characteristics and traits make you special? What are you (or do you hope to be) known for in your field?

2) Planning is key. Seriously.
I tell my clients to set realistic goals. How many people will you contact to request informational meetings? How much time will you spend online? When are you going to set aside time to tweak your resume to target specific employers? Plan your time so you can avoid feeling like you are spinning your wheels and not getting anything done.

3) Be honest with yourself and your family.
Rely on them for support. Susan suggests sharing if you’ve had a bad day and letting your kids or other family members help cheeer you up.

4) Variation
Change up your job search preparation. Use your plan to help vary your day. Don’t spend 8 hours in front of the computer in the row!

5) Quality not quantity
So many people sit and zap out 100 resumes in one day and call it productive. Don’t be that person! Applying for jobs online may be a small part of your plan, but sending the same resume out 100 times is useless. Have you experienced the feeling that your resume is going into a “black hole?” If your strategy is about how many jobs you can apply for and is not focused on how well to apply for them, it probably IS going into a black hole.

Spend your time networking and connecting with people who can share information with you. Connect and share what you know about your industry and offer your expertise. Look for opportunities to grow the circle of people who know you and would be willing to share information about you if an opportunity does come up.

You do control how you approach your hunt…Take the wheel and drive your own career bus! Let me know if you need help!

Stay tuned for 5 more tips tomorrow!

photo by jalalspagues

Are you still waiting for things to look up in the job market? You may be waiting a while…All indications are that we are in for a bit of a bumpy road for the next patch. But, all is not lost for job seekers! Did you know that workplaces that have been recognized as “great,” such as those highlighted on GreatPlaceJobs, historically outperformed the general market and are less likely to have to resort to layoffs during tough times?

These award-winning employers typically offer better job security, which is a terrific benefit for anyone who needs a job!