Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Archives for June 2009

Why you didn't get the job

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soap45560773_1c6e342e73_mYesterday, I got on my soapbox and ranted about the fact that there is no one “right” way to search for a job. It might be nice (or maybe not), but there are so many people and twice as many opinions involved in every job posting, resume review, interview and hiring decision.

As promised, today – a look at why you didn’t get the job from my friend Stephanie Lloyd, Consultant on Talent Acquisition strategies and Owner of Calibre Search Group. Stephanie  wrote a great post on her blog, Radiant Veracity. It’s called “75 Reasons You Didn’t Get the Job.“

(Stephanie is also a National Careers & Workplace Columnist for Examiner.com.)

Before you start to sweat and feel overwhelmed, the point of Stephanie’s list is to remind job seekers that, sometimes, the reason they do not land the job is more about the organization and situations than about any one specific thing that a job seeker does in the process. A sample:

  • You’re not qualified.
  • You’re overqualified.
  • You were overdressed.
  • You were underdressed.
  • The job was filled internally.
  • The job was put on hold.

See? You can’t please everyone all of the time. The fact is, personal preferences will enter into the process, and every individual has his or her own likes and dislikes. And, you don’t control when and if an employer’s needs change. It’s up to the job seeker to react flexibly in this ever-changing environment and to move deftly through the process.

I DO believe that every job seeker controls his or her own destiny, despite the fact that there may be aspects that you cannot change. Have you really done everything you can to improve your chances? Yesterday, I spoke to a potential client who was really doing most everything right, but I advised her how to ramp-up her networking and to improve her online presence by writing a blog. Take a critical look at what you can do differently to help improve your chances in this tough market.

I’m glad you are reading this! Be sure to look through my blog roll as well! Take and follow good advice from professionals about your job search and you are much more likely to land something in a reasonable time frame. You don’t need to go it alone…Save your time, money and sanity…Approach your search with the very best information and there is no need to get frustrated!

There is no “right” way, but there are things that you may be doing wrong! So, are you ready to get in the game? To grab the keys and climb the stairs to your own career bus? Let me help get you started ahead of the pack. Learn more about what I can do for you.

photo by thomashawk

The "right" way to look for a job…

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one way440308423_823520a6f8_mWouldn’t it be nice if there were just one “right” way to look for a job? Everyone would be able to look at the manual (it would be free online) and know what font and style to use on a resume, how long it should be, whether or not to list a graduation date, if a cover letter is really necessary, which keywords to use or not use, what online tools to incorporate, how and when to follow up and at what intervals, what answers to prepare for an interview…I could go on and on here!

Well, I’m here to tell you that there is no manual to follow that ensures you’ll appeal to every employer all of the time!

I recently worked with a client whose resume I totally redesigned using a very modern style. Her reply, “I thought it was going to look more like the one I sent…Will this appeal to recruiters, since they read resumes in a Z pattern?”

Not an unexpected question, and also interesting, since I know recruiters who just skip the top section and look for the resume’s “meat!” I explained that the best resume professionals are not writing “your mother’s resume” anymore. Times have changed, and we need to change with them. My client showed her new resume to an (older) recruiter who admitted it wasn’t what she expected to see, but that she liked the format and how it outlined the candidate’s skills and made her stand out! I couldn’t have been more pleased!

But, remember, no one can say, “This is the way to go…It will appeal to EVERYONE and win you the interview every time.” If you meet a professional who has all of the answers and does not acknowledge the fact that there are many shades of gray when it comes to the job hunt, be skeptical. Stay tuned tomorrow for a sardonic, but funny look at why there is no one “best” way to job hunt!

So, are you ready to get in the search? To grab the keys and climb the stairs to your own career bus? Let me help get you started ahead of the pack. Learn more about what I can do for you – and WHY you should hire me to help you.

photo by loopweaver

Delaying your job search? Ready to pack it all in?

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suitcases2703024979_ac0bae3e27_mRecently, Jonnelle Marte wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal’s The Wallet about how college grads are delaying the job search. She contacted me for my take on the trend, which she described in the article:

More college grads are putting off the job search this year, according to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Just 59% of the 16,500 graduating seniors surveyed had started looking for jobs by the end of April, compared to 75% who had started by that time last year and 64% in 2007. Only about 40% have actually applied for a job.

Jonnelle interviewed Winnie Yang, a 2009 George Washington University graduate. Winnie applied for “a few more than 10 jobs between January and April,” and is taking a break from the job hunt in favor of a few months of international travel.

I certainly understand the propensity to avoid the job search. I’m sure that it’s not just young people delaying their searches. People of every age avoid job hunting if at all possible. While my business is to help people overcome their fears of job hunting and offer tools to provide clarity, confidence and job search know-how, I recognize that it’s a difficult and often demoralizing process.

You’re out there, doing the best you can (or you think you are doing the best you can), but jobs are not easy to find. Statistics vary, but I’ve heard that there are anywhere from 4-8 people for every job (depending on your location and field). It’s not a “come as you are” job market.

But, does that mean it is a good time to pack your bags or sit on the beach all summer and just wait for things to improve? I bet you can guess my answer! NO WAY.

Think about it – job seeking is a skill. Just like any other skill – think swimming, biking, photography – you get better at it the more you PRACTICE. “Practice looking for a job?,” you ask? Yes, absolutely! The more you network, the more you use Twitter, answer questions on LinkedIn, revise and tweak your cover letter and resume   – the BETTER YOU GET at it! That’s not even counting possible interview opportunities. The more you do it, the better off you are. (Don’t forget that I do mock interviews!)

A personal story to illustrate the point…

When I first applied for a career services position, I recognized that I was under more than the usual amount of scrutiny. After all, I was applying for a job to teach people how to job hunt! So, of course, I spent a lot of time personalizing and targeting each application specifically for the positions.

Despite my expertise and the care I took, I remember looking back at resumes I sent at the early part of my search and remarking (to myself), “WHAT was I thinking?” Now, mind you, these resumes were solid – well done. I even got interviews from several of them – including some that I wasn’t technically qualified to do (but I digress). The point – even though I knew what I was doing, actually updating my own resume and resending it over and over made me a much better applicant. Practice (and waiting) paid off in the job I landed – heading up the career center at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.

So – if you are waiting because you are stuck, or scared, or just plain tired of it all, or because you think the economy will get better in the fall and you’ll be fresher, I honestly think you are kidding yourself. You need to be IN it to WIN it. How can you drive your own career bus if you are not picking up the keys? Think of all the possible lost networking opportunities you can have over the summer. (You can still get a free copy of my networking guide – CLICK HERE for info.) What about the job descriptions that may be posted online or on Twitter or via your network on LinkedIn? If you are not looking, you will not find them. And you will never know what opportunities you may have lost along the way.

Do I think you should spend your every waking moment looking for a job? No way. (In fact, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m a big advocate of HIRING SOMEONE – ME(!) – to help you with your materials and your search so you know you are starting way ahead of the pack. Save your time, money and sanity!) Yes, take a break, but not a 3-week break! Don’t be a job seeker-a-holic, but don’t step out of the frey if you want to be competitive in today’s tough economic times.

So, are you ready to get in the search? To grab the keys and climb the stairs to your own career bus? Let me help get you started ahead of the pack. Learn more about what I can do for you – and WHY you should hire me to help you.

photo by MollyPop

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How to Win A Pitch

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howtopitch1“How can we distinguish ourselves from the competition when what we are offering is so similar?” That is the first line of the book, How to Win A Pitch, by Joey Asher, an Atlanta-based sales presentation coach and President of the nationally-recognized consulting firm Speechworks. (Joey is also someone I know personally, so I am happy to share the great information he offers in his book.)

While his book targets professionals who are pitching to win business or a project for themselves or their organizations, his advice is absolutely essential for job seekers to learn and understand.

Joey offers readers all of the fundamentals to consider when trying to communicate their value to another person or group. Sound familiar? That’s exactly what you’re doing in a job hunt – trying to make a strong connection to someone to convince them to hire you. Here is a run-down of the fundamentals and their job search applications:

Fundamental #1. Present a solution and nothing else.  All too often, people start presentations by talking about themselves. “Before we start, let me tell you about how our company began . . .” Who cares? Your prospect only cares about is how you can save them money, grow their revenues, or reduce their risk. Detail your plan to help your prospect and tell stories about how the plan has worked for others.

Job search application: Hiring managers care about what they want to know and how you solve their problems. You need to learn how to identify and hone in on the most important information to them in order to win the job.

Fundamental #2. Keep it simple. Resist the urge to cover too much ground in the presentation. Pound away at three messages. “We’ll build your project on time. We’ll meet your budget. We’ll deliver quality work.” Simplicity always separates you from the competition.

Job search application – Sending a 3-page resume detailing every thing you have done in the last 25 years and/or going on and on ad naseum in an interview is NOT going to win you the job. Focus on the basics – how you have what they want. Demonstrate why and how.

Fundamental #3. Speak with Passion. If you’re one of three firms competing, you know that your competition can do a great job.  But as one CEO explained, “When it’s close, many of the decisions just come down to who connects with us best.”.  Passion in the voice helps you connect.

Job search application – You need to realize that you are probably not the only one who could do this job. You might not even be the best qualified. But if you can connect with the hiring managers and communicate better than the competition, you will earn the job.

Fundamental #4. Leave half of your time for questions. Questions address what your prospect wants to hear. Your answers almost always separate you. Your competition often makes Q&A an afterthought. Consequently, you can gain an advantage by considering the questions on the front-end.

Job search application – Questions are key. Typically, you’re the one answering the questions (in an interview), so answers are important, but it is also important to ASK good questions. Sometimes, a few well-placed questions can really set the job seeker ahead of the crowd.

Fundamental #5. Rehearse. One CEO who has had hundreds of sales presentations stated, “I can always tell who has rehearsed.” Most people don’t rehearse much. Practicing sets you apart.

Job-search application – I always advise my clients to practice answers to potential interview questions out loud – not inside of their heads! Hearing how you sound and even watching how you look in a mirror can really make a difference in the outcome. I sometimes suggest talking to a pet, or even a stuffed animal!

Joey’s book can be a great help for job seekers who could use some help presenting a solution that works, focusing on a simple message so the target can connect, demonstrating passion and managing anxiety. As an added bonus, it is a perfect resource for anyone who needs to “win” presentations once landing in their targeted jobs!

You can buy the book here. I also highly recommend Joey’s Talking Points blog for a lot of great tips about how to communicate and present to win!

Need some help getting your targeted message together? I can help! Follow THIS LINK to learn more about me and how I can help you shorten your search and land the job you want!

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Are you a career coward? Your guide to changing careers!

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careercowardj3904If you are afraid to make a change in your career and/or hesitant to begin to take the wheel to drive your own career bus, you are not alone! Many people facing a change stop in their tracks because they can’t figure out what to do next and don’t want to make the “wrong” move.

Enter Katy Piotrowski’s book, The Career Coward’s Guide to Changing Careers.

Katy guides her readers through a series of stages to help them decide on their plans and overcome roadblocks caused by fear and hesitation. She offers exercises and support from the “discover your natural talents and best skills” stage through to the point of being ready to learn “how to succeed and progress in your new career.”

With confidence checklists and profiles throughout that demonstrate success stories and cases in point, Katy brings her (potentially reluctant) readers along and offers courage to overcome “panic points” to succeed.

My favorite chapter? Chapter 8 – Execute a Successful Informational Interview. Katy offers sample scripts to secure the meeting and step-by-step instructions to help readers know “What to Wear, Where to Meet and How to Act.” Key advice? “Take notes and leave your resume at home.” Successful networkers conduct as many informational meetings as possible. (CLICK HERE for my thoughts on info interviews.)

I highly recommend The Career Coward’s Guide for anyone who is experiencing a fearful transition – and who isn’t?

If you’d like to win a FREE copy, comment on this blog post to enter a random drawing! Feel free to comment on all of my blogs for a better chance to win:

If you need some coaching to figure out what you should do next, contact my business partner, Hallie Crawford. Once you know what you want to do, if you need some help to get your job search in gear – Learn more about me and my services.- I will help!