Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Communicate for Impact!

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Communicating effectively and with clarity is key for job seekers and professionals in all fields. For job seekers, the ability to connect in an interview and sell themselves confidently makes the difference between a shot at the job and getting the job. Others in the workforce find themselves trying to persuade others of their viewpoints on a regular basis.

Do you come across as unsure? Uncertain? Do you end every sentence with a question mark? If so, you aren’t communicating for impact!

This video (a FedEx commercial) perfectly demonstrates how important it is to communicate with emphasis and clarity. (Hat tip: Speechworks’ blog, Talking Points).

Don’t have your ideas stolen by someone with more authority…Focus on the communication skills that will launch or sink your career.

Stay tuned for more on the art of communication!

Keppie Careers will help you communicate with impact. Need help getting your ideas across for a job hunt? www.keppiecareers.com.

Stop Toe-Tapping: Clarifying Expectations for Your Job Hunt, Part II

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Toe-tapping

Photo by vintagediva_nat

Last week, I wrote that it is a good idea to clarify expectations for your job hunt. I focused on the fact that you need to give yourself a reasonable amount of time to land a job you want. If you’re convinced that a successful job search will be a 2-month process, when realistically, 8 months is typical, you are setting yourself up to be disappointed.

Similarly, it will help your job hunt management plan if you clarify expectations for the all important, “Waiting to hear.” Most job hunters spent a lot of time “waiting to hear.” You’re waiting to hear if you’ll get an interview. You’re waiting to hear if you’re being considered…Waiting to find out if you made it to round two…If you’ll get an offer. Sometimes, it seems like the waiting never ends. Maybe it seems like waiting for Godot…

I recently 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.”

There are a lot of productive things that you can do with your time while you are in the “waiting” stage.

It is best to always have several balls up in the air – never stop your search to wait for just one or two employers to get back to you.

One useful strategy to help avoid needless toe tapping:

If you do speak to someone who
lets you know that you are under
consideration for a job, express
enthusiasm and excitement and
ask about their time frame.

A great last question for an interviewee to ask at an interview: When do you expect to make a decision? Granted, their answer is not set in stone. Things change. Delays occur. However, if you know that they are interviewing 35 people over the next 3 weeks, it will help you plan your follow-up.

I really liked this list of ideas from the Villanova University School of Law about how to handle the waiting game:

  • Accept that two things are certain in the job search process: (1) the process will often be unpredictable and (2) you will often face uncertainty.
  • Take action on other fronts by pursuing other employers. Keep moving forward while you’re waiting for a response. Don’t wait passively for something to happen. Be proactive by targeting other employers.
  • Follow up with employers by phone, e-mail and/or letter. Mark your calendar so you remember the next follow-up dates.
  • When following up, convey your continued enthusiasm, not your frustration. Remember: the person on the other end of that call can be your best advocate or your worst enemy. How you treat them will dictate which role they play in your candidacy.
  • Continue networking with the organization-you may develop helpful relationships.
  • Be ready to move quickly if and when you finally do get a response. Use the “waiting period” to research the employer in greater depth and determine what questions you’d need answered before accepting an offer.
  • Know your audience when following up. Are they overwhelmed? Afraid to make hasty decision? Waiting for economic justification to hire? Trying to convince others to hire you? Empathize with your audience and don’t vent your frustration.
  • Expand your plan. Develop new targets. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
  • Be honest. Don’t use ruses to get faster answers. Don’t say “I’ve got an offer from another employer” if you don’t. Honesty is always the best policy.
  • Make peace with the fact that closure may not occur in every situation. Persistence in the face of uncertainty will eventually produce results!

Although it may not seem like it, a lot of the job search process IS in your court…use your “waiting” time well. Prepare for a possible interview. Find an even better job and apply for it! Don’t forget to drive your own career bus. If it seems stalled at the station, it is up to you to put the key in and start the ignition!

Are you sure your resume will shorten your wait? Need help preparing for an interview? Keppie Careers is here to help!

Heat Up Your Job Search: At a Crossroads? 10 Tips to Get Your Job Hunt on the Right Track

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Photo by Alan by the Sea Used by permission.

To really start off this week’s “Heat Up Your Job Search” series, an overview of job hunting techniques to get you in the swim of things! Stay tuned this week for more specific compilations on networking, resume writing and interviewing!

  1. Talk to people you do NOT think can help you. 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!
  2. Network generously. Think how you can help others instead of what they may offer you.
  3. Optimize your online presence, but don’t waste time zapping a lot of resumes to ads on large job boards. The possibilities to connect are endless: Blogs, networking sites such as linkedin.com, large and small social networks provide opportunities to “meet” professionals from every industry.
  4. Evaluate your resume. Is it top notch? If not, consider hiring Keppie Careers to rewrite it for you! A professionally written resume will shorten your search and may qualify you for a higher-paying position.
  5. Customize your resume for EVERY job. It is worth your time. If you want to get your foot in the door, your resume must clearly outline how your skills and accomplishments solve a problem for the employer. It is your job to offer clear reasons to interview you.
  6. Evaluate your interviewing skills. Are you selling yourself? Your resume got you in the door; the interview is your chance to show the employer that you really have what it takes to join their team.
  7. Vet your references. They have the potential to seal the deal for you. Do you know what they might say?
  8. Appearance matters. Cut your hair. Shine your shoes. Invest in a nice suit.
  9. Don’t let your job hunt consume you. Frequent exercise, support or networking groups and chocolate can be good stress relievers! Don’t spend every minute on your job hunt. You still need to have a life! Plus, you never know – it could be someone you meet on a trip to the grocery store or a seatmate on an airplane while on vacation who winds up linking you to your next job!
  10. Consider hiring a career coach. Would you set your own broken bone? Wire your own home for electricity? Do you cut your own hair? Most would say “no.” The same standard should apply when job seeking. If you aren’t an expert on the job hunt, getting some advice will help you advance your search. It may also save you time, money and sanity in the long run!

Keppie Careers will write your resume and help you every step of the way! www.keppiecareers.com.

Why Hire a Career Coach?

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As college graduation season wraps up soon, it seemed like as good a time as any to remind everyone why hiring a career coach can be the difference between getting the job and NOT even getting an interview. ..

Would you pull your own tooth? Wire your own home for electricity? Do you cut your own hair? Most would say “no.” If it is important (involving our health, safety or appearance), we hire an expert.

The same principle should apply when job seeking. 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.

Most people don’t welcome the idea of a job hunt. It is hard work and may seem scary. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an experienced ally who will help you every step of the way? Keppie Careers’ mission is to encourage, enlighten and empower job seekers and provide a toolbox of practical tips and support. When we work together, you will overcome obstacles keeping you from making positive changes in your life. We offer confidence, clarity and job search know-how!

Career coaches add value on a number of fronts. Keppie Careers can help you with any of the following:

Goals assessment. Are you at a transitional point in your career? You aren’t sure what your next step should be? I can help you identify what you want next and get you on the right path to achieving your goals.

Social media presence. Do you need help optimizing LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook for your job hunt? Need a social resume? Want to create an online presence and tell your OWN story? This is my specialty!

Critique and rewrite your resume and letters. Do you really want to face the job market with documents that are not optimized? Often, job seekers don’t view their resumes objectively. Misplaced modesty prevents them from incorporating their very best accomplishments. Ignorance of the resume’s purpose (it’s a sales document, not a laundry list of things you did) precludes them from producing a top-notch result.

Many job seekers don’t stop to consider how much money a less-than-optimal resume costs them. Consider, if you are unemployed, how much money you lose for every day that you are out of work? If your resume isn’t top-notch, you may not appear qualified for the salary that you seek or deserve. A professionally written resume will help shorten your job search and may qualify you for a higher salary. Your return on investment in yourself may pay off substantially!

Learn how to sell yourself. You must identify and be able to effectively describe your skills and accomplishments. I will your resume and help you recognize your marketable skills. Once you know what you have to offer, your ability to sell yourself via networking and in interviews increases exponentially!

General job search skills. Do you know how to look for a job? How savvy is your networking plan? Do you know where hiring managers are sourcing candidates? Do you know how to avoid common pitfalls?

Interview preparation. Tell us about yourself? What’s your weakness? What do you have to offer? Why should we hire you? Do you know the answers to these and other important interview questions? More importantly, do you know how to structure and deliver your answers to ensure optimal results? If not, you may be wasting your time. We all know that “time is money.”

Negotiating. Entering an interview or negotiation unprepared will cost you. I can help you prepare so you don’t lose money.

Career market knowledge. We spend our time keeping up with the market. We learn about new technology and approaches and stay plugged in because you don’t have the time, expertise or desire to do it. Helping people along their career path is our passion.

Do you want to achieve your career goals and save money? Hire an ally for your job hunt. An ally tells it like it is and helps you get where you need to be. Are you committed to discovering what you have to offer an employer? If you are motivated to make a change, Keppie Careers is here for you!


Clean Up Your Digital Dirt

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The blog, Satisfying Career – Happier Life offers some resources for those who have unsavory information in their digital footprint. According to the blog, a report in careerbuilder.com, says that hiring managers checked out job candidates online and discovered these discrepancies:

  • 31% lied about qualifications
  • 24% were linked to criminal behavior
  • 19% bad-mouthed their former company
  • 19% boasted about drinking and doing drugs
  • 15% shared confidential information from former employers
  • 11% posted provocative photographs
  • 8% used an unprofessional screen name

I’ve written before about the dangers of mixing too much personal information in your online profile that potential employers will find if they “Google” you. I’ve also suggested that you check your online profile frequently and set a “Google Alert” so you can keep up with what is posted online that is tied to your name.

Satisfying Career, Happier Life suggests these services to help control your digital dirt:

These resources may be useful, but you don’t want to be in the position of worrying about whether or not unsavory pictures or trash talking could have cost you an interview or a job. Be careful what you put online and you’ll never have to find out how well or quickly these services work!

Need a new job? Keppie Careers will write your resume and help you every step of the way.