Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Archives for 2009

Intuition and your job hunt

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intuition.2677121177_d81cbe81d8_mIntuition is the apparent ability to acquire knowledge without inference or the use of reason.[1] “The word ‘intuition’ comes from the Latin word ‘intueri’, which is often roughly translated as meaning ‘to look inside’ or ‘to contemplate’.”[2] Intuition provides us with beliefs that we cannot necessarily justify. For this reason, it has been the subject of study in psychology, as well as a topic of interest in the supernatural. The “right brain” is popularly associated with intuitive processes such as aesthetic abilities.[3][4][5] Some scientists have contended that intuition is associated with innovation in scientific discovery.[6]

– Wikipedia

I’ve been thinking a lot about intuition and the job hunt. A lot of people who contact me have been looking for a job for a long time before they seek help. They realize that something isn’t working and hope that getting help will – help! But, why does it take so long? Why doesn’t intuition kick in sooner?

Which begs the question: Is intuition a skill we acquire or a talent we refine? The question, posed on LinkedIn and responded to by many people, is probably key. Clearly, some people have a stronger sense of intuition than others – about their job hunts and everything else!

So, I did a Google search for intuition in the job hunt. Not surprisingly, the first result was written by Kathy Hansen from Quint Careers, a giant in online career search resources.

Kathy shares “tips to sharpen your intuition and use it for making career choices.”(Bold from Kathy, commentary is my own.)

 

  • Accept your gut feelings. Do you remember someone once telling you to “go with your first choice” on a standardized test? While “your first choice” is not necessarily the best one for all of life’s concerns, it is important to recognize that you have a “gut instinct.” Think about it and use it when you are navigating your job hunt..

 

  • Know yourself. Think about it. Who knows you better than you do? Take advantage of what you know and let it guide you.

 

  • Journal your thoughts about career choices. This is a useful way to track information you otherwise might ignore.

 

  • Seek a calm, quiet place to ruminate on your intuitive thoughts. Kathy says, “It’s OK to wait for the insight you need to make a choice.” I agree totally – rushing to judge and acting impulsively are unlikely to help you with your job hunt. (Note the difference between “impulsivity” and “intuition,” per wikipedia:

Impulsivity (or impulsiveness) is a type of human behavior characterized by the inclination of an individual to act on impulse rather than thought.[1] Although part of the normal behavior, impulsivity also plays a role in many mental illnesses.

  • Take baby steps. You probably want to rush. Getting a job is important. Going slowly is okay.
  • It’s OK to use both intuition and rational, analytical thinking to make career choices, especially if you are not highly intuitive. Kathy suggests, “Use reason to test your hunches. Once you think you’ve made an intuitive choice, ask yourself the logical questions that draw on your powers of reason. You can also visualize possible outcomes of your decision.”
  • Be positive and assume you have the resources to make a good choice. You can’t really underestimate the importance of having a positive attitude.
  • Ask the right questions. What are the right questions? I’d suggest – “What brought me to this point, and what, if anything, do I want/need to change?” Also – “What steps can I take to bring me closer to my goal?

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.

photo by lefiaf.geo

 

 

How to find out what job you should do next

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leapAre you doing what you SHOULD be doing? Does you job fill you with excitement and passion? (Not THAT kind!) Do you REALLY enjoy your work, or is it just a means to an end?

When job seekers contact me and don’t know what they want to do next, I tell them I can’t help them. Actually, that’s not exactly what I tell them. I do explain that I only work with people who know their next target job. I don’t write “general resumes,” nor do I do what I call “find your bliss” coaching. If clients need help figuring out their next steps, I can offer some suggestions about how to go about finding jobs you might not even know existed (maybe a topic for a future post), but otherwise, I will refer those clients to work with a trusted colleague and advise them to come back to me when they are ready to focus on a job search.

So, I don’t usually write about the topic of “figuring out your next step.” A few recent occurences have made me think about this, though…

A friend of mine, who has been running her own business for the better part of the last several years, recently took an opportunity to do some work that was very similar to what she used to do before her current gig. The money was too good, so she couldn’t pass it up. Unfortunately, she admitted to me how BORED she is with the work. Remembering her talk about her previous job, it never occurred to me that she had disliked it, so I pressed her to explain.

It turns out that she had really LOVED this job in the old days. It felt challenging, different every day – even thrilling at times. Now, that same work is so boring, she can hardly get anything done without something running in the background.

What changed? She realized where her TRUE passions lie in the interim. It’s a different type of work, a different type of interaction with people  that excites her now. If the money were not so good, she would not even consider going back. Maybe, some would say, she should STILL not go back, even for the money, but I’m about practicality, so I’m not one of those voices!

Coincidentally, I recently had the opportunity to meet Rick Smith, author of 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers and The Leap. Rick’s focus is on showing people that “3 simple changes can propel your career from good to great.” He launched what he calls his “primary colors” assessment, which he says helps people identify where their passions should take them. In fact, he believes that working to find your passions (or your “primary color“) and then working to move in the direction of that passion is the first step to success (p. 192).

Rick’s personal story (basically, he was laid off from his recruiting job and wound up founding an elite senior executive networking organization) and those of the people profiled in his book can certainly inspire anyone to take that “leap” into doing something different. What I really like about Rick’s idea is that the “leap” does not necessarily need to be into entrepreneurship. It is perfectly reasonable to assume that people who recognize what they love doing will be able to direct their job search in the right direction.

I enjoyed The Leap…If you are struggling with your next step, I think you will, too. (Be sure to watch Rick’s video. It is pretty inspiring!) Learn more about Rick and his book HERE.

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.

Is there a reason you are not getting a job?

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mirrorscene141751734_9c57d7eae9_mLet me tell you the tale of two job seekers.

One has been out of a job for almost a year. She is really tired of looking for work, and chafes at the idea of ramping up her networking. She “doesn’t have time” to optimize her LinkedIn profile and focus on using Twitter for the job hunt. Even thought she has a great resume and terrific experience, she has a tough time getting engaged in the hunt and she has nothing good to say about how things are going.

Our other job seeker has also been looking for work for almost a year.  She went at it alone for most of the time, doing what she thought was right (it wasn’t) and banging her head against the proverbial wall. When she reached out for help, she was frustrated, but open to new ideas. She understood that “you can’t expect to do the same thing and expect a different result.” That really made sense to her.

She was actually HAPPY to know that there were things she had NOT tried. It energized her to have new networking plans and suggestions about social networking tools to use to fuel her hunt. Her attitude is upbeat, and although she’d most like to land a job TOMORROW, she knows that she is on the right track now and will find a job that is right for her soon.

Look in the mirror. Do you recognize yourself in these profiles? Which job seeker do you think is likely to land more quickly? Not to be a doomsday predictor, but even well qualified people can easily be out of work for extended periods if they do not conduct an optimized search.

Additionally, don’t forget  how important your attitude is in the job hunt. I worry about my clients who seem too wrapped up in the negative to take advantage of all the resources available to them.

Think about it – NOW is the time to make a change. It’s not too late to have a good attitude and to move forward confidently with your search. WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK?

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.

photo by escape to christel

Great links for job seekers

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glindawitch3973198611_4bfc240fd7_mIn winding down my “scary story” posts, I wanted to share some links to some fun posts that my Twitter friends shared in the past week. I have posted a slew of scary (and funny) and scarily funny job search horror stories – take a look at this LINK and scroll down to experience the full scary impact!

@ExecuSearch shared 10 spooky jobs & the salaries that come with them via @CBforJobSeekers!

Want to know how other employees would describe their bosses? (Glinda the Good Witch? Wolfman?) What the scariest part of their job is? @CareerBuilderPR shares THIS LINK to their research results!

@jennyjensHR and RT @davecarhart share What NOT to do in an interview! Worst interview faux pas by @abalderrama.

Don’t miss this great post from Michelle Goodman, who shared job interview horror stories.

@beneubanks shared a link to Employee Horror stories at UpstartHR.

Finally, thanks to @SusanZelinski: for sharing: Four Kinds of Vampires that Haunt Your Life (and What to Do About Them)

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.

photo by jeffryb

Job seeker – beware!

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haircut5cents367152004_581426567e_mHave you been following our job search and hiring manager horror stories? I wanted to share these because they are good reminders to job seekers that “buyer beware” applies to them while out on the hunt. Have YOU ever experienced a scenario like this? Share in the comments!

This story from Doug a job seeker:

I was laid off from a job and had been offered a job earlier that week. Didn’t really check the new agency out. When I sent out an email saying you now can find me at this new agencies, I instantly started getting phone calls and emails saying, “You should have talked to me about them!” The owners was nuts. She had a ton of lawsuits against her, did things like grab her staff, buy plane tickets and rent limos to fly to another city on a cold-call, and make promises she couldn’t keep. I was there three months, most of that time spent trying to find another job, which I did and left gladly. That three-month period does not even appear on my resume.

From Chuck, a job seeker:

I was working in the Furniture industry several years ago. A company I had known for a long time asked me to interview for a position. I did interview and was given an offer. I accepted on the condition we (wife and self) had a successful real estate visit to the company location. After looking at real estate for two days and dining with the president and my new boss, I was told that my new boss had a friend who had come on the job market and he wanted to interview that person before he finalized things. (Things had been finalized before we ever left our home, except for a few details). I left, went home and told the company to take my name out of the hat. A week later they called me and offered me the job a second time. I politely declined. I tell youngsters new to job hunting to expect anything in a job search environment.

Don’t miss Parts 1 – 8. Follow THIS LINK and scroll to your favorite!

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.