Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Do something different to find a job: talk to people who can’t help you

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2137729430_11b29f9164_marrow1You’re looking for a job? When is the last time you tried a new strategy? A change of direction?

Your job hunt is lasting longer than you thought? You know it’s a tough market, but you’re frustrated and looking for answers? Here’s another in a series of posts sharing ideas to help you “change up” your job hunting efforts.

Be sure to read earlier posts in this series:

Read materials targeted to employers
Change your job search strategy – search for companies instead of jobs

I was recently speaking to a client about his search and offering him some tips to rev up his hunt. I said, “Talk to people you don’t think can help you.” Silence…”People who CAN’T help?,” he asked, incredulously. Absolutely! You never know where the next lead may be or where an important piece of information may be lurking.

Talk to people who CAN’T help you with your search. Expand your net of networking contacts. You never know when a connector is in your midst – someone who takes pride in knowing a lot of people and introducing them to each other.

As part of my work, I keep a close eye on career and resume trends by reading books, blogs and keeping in touch with my advisory board of professionals in an array of industries.

When I’m not writing resumes, coaching, blogging and reading, in the spirit of ”practice what you preach,” I also frequently meet people for “informational interviews.” I attend Chamber of Commerce meetings, visit close-contact networking groups and seek out an array of networking opportunities.  It is amazing to me how our need for networking (as entrepreneurs and as job seekers) has spawned a whole industry of people for whom networking is actually their business!

I’ve been to coffee with real estate professionals, a dentist, investment advisors, life coaches, travel professionals, vitamin sales people, photographers and a salesperson trainer, just to name a few.  It never ceases to amaze me how much we have to share with each other, and the possible “touch points” between our businesses or our networks.

Taking the time to meet these professionals offers me the opportunity to share information about my business, but more importantly, I have a chance to learn about programs, events and opportunities I might never have considered.  I also try to share something that will help them and offer to be a resource.

In a recession, it is even more important to expand our circles when  job seeking.

Some lessons:

Never underestimate the possibility for really interesting common ground.  Some of the meetings I’ve least felt like getting up at 6 a.m. to attend have been the most productive in terms of what I’ve learned.

Open your eyes to the opportunities!  Seek out places to meet new people.  Join an organization, a new health club or take a class. Google “networking opportunities, (your city)” and see what comes up! Then, don’t just attend, be an active participant.

Just because someone isn’t in your field doesn’t mean they don’t have useful information for you.  (Or you for them.) Our lives intersect in so many points.  Think of someone you consider least likely to be able to share good information with you for your search. Meet for coffee. You may be surprised!

I challenge you to engage – ask questions…be able to explain who you are and what you do. Don’t underestimate the value of every connection.  Everyone knows someone who knows someone who knows something. Inserting yourself as part of the chain is a great step in the right direction!

 

picture by lumaxart

Change your job search strategy

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159337100_47f31f771e_mYou’re looking for a job? When is the last time you tried a new strategy? A change of direction?

This week, I will be sharing ideas to help you “change up” your job hunting efforts.

Intellectually, we all know that doing the same thing, over and over again,
but expecting a different result does not make sense. If you always got lost on the way to someplace, would you continue to try to get there without a map or directions? If you always burned dinner because you didn’t set a timer and are always busy doing a million other things, would you continue to cook without a timer? I hope not!

By the same token, continuing to sit at your desk, applying for jobs online with the exact same resume and wondering why you aren’t landing more interviews (or ANY interviews) doesn’t phase you? It’s a tough market! You have too much (or not enough) experience. Your background isn’t exactly perfect for your target jobs and no one will give you a chance. I have heard all of the excuses. Well, it’s time for some tough love: It is very possible that what you are doing (and NOT doing) is the reason you aren’t finding more opportunities.

Today’s tip: instead of looking for a job, search for an organization!

Read more at my blog on GreatPlaceJobs…

If you need help with your search, contact me!

photo by Fifi LePew

JobAngels: A Twitter phenomenon helps job seekers

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jobangels_winglogo_stacked“It is the one certainty in today’s environment – change is inevitable. Dynamic market conditions necessitate the timely and continuous deployment of thoughtful strategies and approaches.”

It doesn’t surprise me that these sentiments lead Mark Stelzner’s business site.
If you haven’t heard of Mark, you’ll be interested to know that he is a human resources consultant who, while pondering the excessive number of layoffs and out-of-work people who could benefit from resources and support, sent out a tweet that started a fast-growing, timely and thoughtful movement to help job seekers!

The tweet:

marks-tweet

Apparently, his followers, including many recruiters, were game! The resulting business, JobAngels, has become a viral Twitter phenomenon, growing to over 1,700 followers in just a few short weeks and nearing 3,000 across Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn since Mark’s initial message on January 29th. JobAngels now boasts a website (in development) that Mark refers to as the theoretical prodigy of Match.com and LinkedIn. More specifically, he said “If Match.com and LinkedIn had a child, this is what it would look like.”

I recently had a chance to speak to Charee Klimek, Chief Marketing Officer, COO and Guardian Angel. She originally became acquainted with Mark via Twitter, as did the rest of the core organizing team: Deirdre Honner, Chief Connection Officer and Guardian Angel and Chris Bailey, Chief Technical Officer and Community Manager. Charee marveled at how individuals in the community embraced the movement aimed at bringing like-minded people together for the common goal of helping just one person find a job.

Charee explained that JobAngels is working on becoming registered as a non-profit organization whose mission, vision and values will align with the generous outpouring of support this movement has engendered. JobAngels plans to maintain the “high-touch, high-tech” presence they have fostered and maintained since Mark’s original tweet. The organizing “Angels” (all volunteering their time) hope that their efforts to grow and strengthen this movement will serve as “sandbags” helping to stave off the flood of unemployment, one person at a time.

What do you need to know to get involved? If you are interested in helping to network or able to hire someone, simply follow @jobangels on Twitter or join their LinkedIn or Facebook communities and alert them that you are willing to be an ‘Angel.’ If you are looking for a job, feel free to DM @JobAngels with your location and the type of position you seek; they will broadcast your request for an Angel using #jobangels. You’ll also want to follow the hashtag: #jobangels to keep up with the stream of information on Twitter.

I have already experienced the amazing reach of this network myself! I tweeted a request for a client, a photographer in Georgia, and almost immediately heard back from a contact in Chicago who offered to try to help! Amazing!

Charee noted that the Guardian Angels believe that “every bit of help from an Angel, no matter how small, sets the foundation for a successful career search.” JobAngels seeks success stories as a result of this nascent movement. If you have a story to share, they ask that you send it to [email protected].

As hundreds of people roll up their sleeves to help – and job seekers recognize the value of “loose” networking connections – it’s only a matter of time before the stories start coming in!

Need help with your search? Assistance using Twitter and other social networking platforms to fuel your search? Contact me – I can help!

 


Get help for your job search before desperation sets in

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Looking for a job can be a lonely process, even when it is clear that no unemployed job seeker is alone. All you need to do is read or listen to the news to know that you are in good company if you’ve been laid off of your job. However, knowing that you’re not alone isn’t usually enough to help keep job hunters motivated and on track. In anything, the negative news may just send more people to bury their heads under their pillows to escape the incessent bad news

My colleague Alexandra Levit recently wrote about how job seekers are turning to “accountability groups,” teams of job seekers whose goal is to help each other stay motivated and on track.

She shared information from a New York Times article that reported on one such group in suburban Chicago. The article notes what we all recognize: being out of work and job hunting can be difficult and demoralizing. It may be a very lonely process, especially for those unaccustomed to job hunting and for job seekers who don’t know how to conduct a successful search.

The benefit of an accountability group is that job seekers encourage and support each other, network and keep each other motivated and on task in what might otherwise become a very unstructured time.

Alexandra notes,

According to the Times, membership in various networking organizations across the country for unemployed executives and other professionals has ballooned in recent months as the recession has continued its march, sparing not even the highly educated and skilled. Providing a spur as well as solace, the groups offer transition assistance for people who previously led comfortable lives in the middle and upper-middle class.

One thing that struck me about the group described in the New York Times article was that it was organized and run by the job seekers themselves. “Seven of nine members have been out of steady work for six months or longer; the other two are approaching the six-month mark.” The organizer of the group lost his job 16 months ago, struggled to get interviews and wondered if he was “spending too much time applying for jobs online.” The article quotes him as saying, “I’m not doing something right yet.”

Honestly, reading about this group breaks my heart! Clearly, these job seekers could benefit from some professional job hunting advice. What if they knew how much time to spend sending out online applications and had expert feedback about their resumes and other job search correspondence? I am sure they could benefit from up-to-date information about using online tools and social networks. I wonder how different their stories might be if they had engaged the services of a coach before things began to look so glum?

I am happy to announce that I will be facilitating “virtual” accountability groups to help job seekers succeed in this difficult and competitive market. Help is just a phone call away! Participants will benefit from targeted professional coaching, an understanding team of other job seekers for networking and support and a structured program to help keep their job hunt on track.

Please CONTACT ME if you are interested in learning more about these groups.

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How important is a college degree for your job prospects?

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Last month, 20/20 ran several career oriented items. Interestingly, one segment, which questioned the value of a college degree, was perfectly timed for me. I’ve been hearing from more and more clients and potential clients who have worked their way up to positions that now require a college degree as a basic qualification. Unfortunately, these professionals are now finding themselves laid off and in the unenviable position of being “unqualified” to apply for the jobs they have been doing for years!

How frustrating to have this extra barrier to winning a new job! Is it impossible to overcome? I don’t think so. With strong networking and the right connections to less traditional organizations, I think these job seekers can still succeed.

So, when job seekers wonder about the value of their undergraduate degrees, I always come out on the side of earning the degree, even though college doesn’t typically prepare you to actually find a job! The skills you do learn in formal education should serve you well as a job seeker, and those letters after your name will not hurt.

Of course, there are iconic figures who never earned a college degree (such as Steve Jobs), but historically, workers with college degrees have been shielded much more from the ups and downs in the market.

The national unemployment rate in January 2009 was 7.6 percent. Recently, for those with college degrees, unemployment was 3.7 percent — a reduction of nearly 50 percent. Lawrence Mishel of the Economic Policy Institute in Washington predicts that the unemployment rate for college graduates will reach a record 4 or 5 percent in 2009. His comment to the AP: College-educated workers “are going to experience the kind of pain that has been common for people with less education.”

The New York Times suggests that the typical gap in unemployment favoring college graduates is narrowing a bit. Certainly, having a college degree, including those from online colleges and universities, is no guarantee against unemployment.

What all of this points to is that today’s economy doesn’t offer anyone a free pass to employment. No matter how highly “qualified” you are, knowing how to market your qualifications is much more crucial. Your ability to connect your skills and accomplishments to an organization’s needs will be just as important as actually having the basic qualifications.

It’s up to you to convey what you have to offer that is above and beyond your competition. When you do that well, you’ll be on your way to landing the job of your dreams!

Need a little help marketing yourself in today’s tough market? I can help! Contact me to discuss how I can help you succeed!

 

photo by adobemac