Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Set Your Alarm Clock – Job Hunting Tips on WPR Monday Morning

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I’m excited to announce that I’ll be a guest on Joy Cardin’s radio program on Wisconsin Public Radio this Monday, January 5th from 6-7 a.m. Central/7-8 a.m. Eastern.

The show airs on the Ideas Network of Wisconsin Public Radio and is broadcast across Wisconsin and parts of neighboring states. It is also live streamed on www.wpr.org, and will be archived there later in the morning.

Topic: General job hunting tips. We’ll cover pretty much everything, including what makes a good resume and cover letter, the importance of having your feelers out, sources to look for work, interview etiquette, etc.

You’ll have an opportunity to call in with questions by using the toll-free call-in number: 1-800-642-1234 (Madison listeners please use 263-1890). You can also email questions to [email protected]

I’d love to hear from some of my blog readers! I hope you’ll listen live or check out the archive after the show!

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Don’t forget that we are here to help you with your goals! If you’ve decided on a change, Keppie Careers can help you identify and communicate your skills. We can write your resume and coach you to a new job. Contact me!

I’m offering a free teleseminar with coach Carolann Jacobs to help you dive into your job hunt. Click HERE for more information!


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What Jobseekers Can Learn From a Panhandler

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Recently, I had an opportunity to ride the New York City subway. I say “opportunity,” because watching other passengers and what goes on in and around the subway offers an array of ideas for my blog.

One passenger stands out in my mind. Anyone who’s ridden the subway knows that you rarely get from point A to point B without encountering someone asking for money. Sometimes, it’s in exchange for some type of “entertainment,” other times simply because the person is hungry.

While sitting and minding my own business, I noticed a man in a wheelchair making his way through the train asking for change. At the other side of the train, another panhandler burst into the car with a loud and boisterous call for assistance. “Uh oh,” I thought, “Dueling panhandlers. What now?” The loud newcomer immediately noticed the man in the wheelchair. He stopped calling for a handout and came to sit down next to me.

I watched him go through his pockets and pull out all of his change. He counted it. It wasn’t much – maybe several dollars worth of coins. He sorted and fingered through it as I watched on the sly. He stood up and approached the man in the wheelchair. “What now?” I thought. I lived in NYC and rode the trains daily for years, but I don’t remember ever seeing two people in the same train car asking for money. (Maybe this is a sign of the times and is now commonplace.)

I admit that I was pretty surprised to see the man who had carefully counted his change offer a portion to the panhandler in the wheelchair. Here was someone who clearly didn’t have much offering part of his take to someone else who may have an even more difficult life.

I thought this made an inspiring story for an end-of-the-year career blog. This hasn’t been a great year for the economy. Unemployment numbers are higher than ever. Looking for a job is tough and trying work for even the most intrepid job seeker. Stop and take stock: how can you assist someone who needs help even more than you?

I’ve written to suggest volunteering as a great activity for a job seeker, as it offers networking opportunities as well as a chance to really give back to your community. But the panhandler offering some of his “loot” to another really put a spotlight on the issue of helping your neighbor.

I hope that one of your resolutions this year is to try to help someone else. You don’t have extra money? Offer your time. Offer your services. I think it’s a resolution that can help job seekers and provide a ripple effect we could all feel.

Looking for someone to help YOU with your job hunt? Contact me to see how I can help you achieve your goal of a new job in the new year.

photo by eastbayjay

Do You Want the Job? Kennedy and Cuomo's Lessons for Job Seekers

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If you follow politics closely, you probably know that Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late president, is actively campaigning for Hillary Clinton’s soon-to-be vacated senate seat. While the Governor of New York will appoint the successor and no voting will be involved, “campaign” seems the operative word.

Since this isn’t a political blog, why am I writing about New York politics? Interestingly, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, from another big political dynasty in New York, is also interested in the job. However, instead of getting right out in front and lobbying for it, he sat back and “respected the process” while Kennedy jumped out as an early front runner. Now, per the New York Times, he is “fuming” and feeling “outfoxed and frustrated” because Caroline Kennedy has all of the momentum.

Sounding more and more like a ripe story for a career search lesson? While most of us will (1) never have a name associated with a political dynasty or (2) be interested in political office, this story (made even more juicy by the fact that Cuomo was involved in a messy divorce from Kerry Kennedy, Caroline’s cousin), has several great lessons for job seekers.

Know your industry. In this case, since politics are involved, it seems that Cuomo would have known that getting the word out that he was interested would have been the prudent thing to do. Instead, Cuomo waited while Kennedy began a tour of the state, meeting high-level officials and garnering support. In fact, the NYT quotes NYC political figure Vito Lopez as saying, “I don’t think [silence] works…If a potential candidate is interested, it is imperative that they step up and activate their campaign.“

You snooze, you loose. While nothing is official, it would seem that Kennedy has the best chance of winning the appointment. Cuomo is left to think that he could have impacted the situation had he done things differently…

The job hunt is in your hands. Has there ever been a time when you have known there was an opportunity in your company (or another organization) that you thought you were perfectly qualified to do? You thought everyone would recognize your qualifications and you’d land the job? It doesn’t always work that way. Job seekers need to step out of the shadows and take an active role. In some firms, that may mean vocal lobbying for a job. In others, quiet meetings with influential stakeholders. Yet others may send the equivalent of smoke signals indicating their interest. The point here is that you can’t just throw up your hands. You must take an active role if you want a chance to land a job.

Drive your own career bus! If the Governor of New York appoints Cuomo (or another candidate), we’ll have lessons for another blog! In the meantime, as we approach a new year, this is a good time to remember that most people don’t just land their dream jobs by sitting around complacently, doing good work and not drawing any attention. In today’s competitive marketplace, you need to speak up for yourself. Don’t be left sitting on the sidelines while a more vocal (and gutsy) rival moves to land the job you want.

Have you ever sat by and watched someone else lobby for a job you wanted, but stayed quiet? Or, are you the careerist you boldly moves forward and  gets the job? Share your thoughts in the comments!

If you are tired of sitting around, waiting for some great job, Keppie Careers can help you turn the ignition on your job hunt.

photo by talkradionews

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Unemployed? How to Use Your Time Well to Succeed in Your Job Hunt

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If you’ve been keeping up this week, you know how important it is to look in the mirror when you search for a job – to take a good, hard look and see if there is something about your attitude or approach that you can change. Staying positive and upbeat is important to your ultimate success.

Another important tip? Use your time well if you are not currently working. It’s easy to let hours, days and weeks pass by before setting up a strategy that will help you succeed in your  hunt. (Hiring a coach can give your search a turbo boost!)

I’ve already shared great reasons to volunteer if you have some free time. Here are a few additional tips to consider if you’re not quite sure what to do with your time.

If you haven’t started, dive into social media and Web 2.0 applications! Yes, this can take some time if you are going to do it full force. But, you have time, so go for it! Start searching for blogs in your niche. Guy Kawasaki’s Alltop list is a perfect place to find blogs in an array of topics, but you can certainly use Google to find current information in your field of interest. Spend some time researching and exploring. See if you can identify the stars in your field. Use online mechanisms to connect to them!

How? Post smart comments on their blogs. See if they use Twitter and follow them. (Read more of my suggestions about using Twitter for the job hunt HERE.) Make sure that you are using linkedin effectively. You may be amazed at  how quickly you can connect and “befriend” people online.

Consider authoring a blog. If you are a strong writer, there isn’t a better way to influence your Google rankings and demonstrate authority in your subject matter. If you have the time, why not try? You have nothing to lose.

Stop and think about what you really want to do. Use your time to assess yourself, your goals and plans for the future. How often are we forced to take a moment to really think about the future. This is your chance. Do you like the way your life is going? Are you happy with your path? If not, consider a coach to help you figure out a new direction.

Learn a new skill. Have you been thinking about taking a class in something that will help you with your job? Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to knit? This is a good time. Doing something new and learning a new skill is good for your attitude and will help you in multiple ways.

There is so much information and opportunities to learn new things online for free. High-profile and talented people are offering free teleclasses, webinars and seminars all of the time. If you plug in, you’ll learn about these opportunities and benefit from them. Take advantage of your public library as a resource for information. Check in with the librarian for information you might be missing!

Don’t wait until you have an interview scheduled to prepare for the interview! Do you know what you’ll wear to an interview? Does it fit? Is it clean and pressed? How about your shoes? Do they pass muster? Dont’ wait until you’ve been searching for two months and get a call for an interview tomorrow to look in your closet!

Once you have an outfit ready, start planning and practicing what you will say in an interview, in a networking situation…Use your time to get ready. Consider hiring Keppie Careers to do a mock interview so you will really know what skills you can improve. If you are prepared, when you start pulling in opportunities, you won’t panic!

Of course, much of your “free” time will be taken up with job hunting. Don’t forget that many of the activities listed above are part of your job hunt. I would be remiss if I didn’t specifically mention that networking (in person and online) is key – spend more time doing this than searching for online postings. Make sure your resume and materials are top-notch and use your time to prep for everything you will need.

What ideas do you have?

Stay tuned for more about how to plan a successful transition!

Ease your job hunt pains. Keppie Careers is here to help!

photo by unhindered by talent

Stay Positive and Upbeat When Job Hunting

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Maybe you read yesterday’s post and have been wondering how you’re going to get yourself out of the doldrums so you can approach your job hunt with a positive attitude that will appeal to employers. (Just having a positive attitude should also help make you feel better, but that’s another blog!)

I’m no Polianna – I understand how difficult a long and drawn out job hunt can be. It can be demoralizing to be out of work, especially around the holidays. I hope the following tips can help you get over a hump and get your search going in the right direction:

You are not alone! Heard the news? Read a newspaper lately?  Take comfort in the fact that you are in great company if you are looking for a job.

Focus on the silver lining. Try to separate your thinking from the inevitable worry and stress a job loss creates to focus on your plans. Think beyond tomorrow – what do you REALLY want to do next? Is there a silver lining that will allow you to re-think your career direction or job location? Is this an opportunity to take the time to re-train for another field that has always interested you? Maybe you never really liked your job much anyway, and if you stopped to think about it, this job loss is actually a good thing for your career and maybe for your health as well!

It’s not all about you. While there are things that you control and should consider evaluating, such as your resume and written job search materials, your appearance and demeanor and actual job hunting skills, don’t take the fact that you can’t find a job personally. Even if you take care of all the things in your control and focus your search efforts properly, it may still take longer than you’d like to land a new position. Assuming you’ve done your part, it’s not your fault.

Plan your search. And plan time off of your search! You can’t stay chained to your computer 24/7. I’ve written about how important it is to take time off of your search. If you were a workaholic before, this may be difficult for you, but try! Take time off for fun. Rent a movie. Pop some popcorn and relax. Plan hours to search and hours to be off. Take control – it feels good!

Volunteer. This is a great way to help other people who are less fortunate. The advantages?

  • First and foremost – you will be helping an individual or group. Using your skills to benefit others is very rewarding.
  • Noticing that, even if you lost your job, you are still very fortunate relative to many others can be a reminder to stand up straighter and smile.
  • You may inadvertently find new career avenues as a result of volunteer work. If you volunteer in an area that always interested you, but you never learned much about, it might be an opportunity to find a new direction.
  • Volunteering can offer great networking potential. You’ll meet new people, expand your circle and demonstrate you skills and competence in a new venue. This is great for your job hunt!

Stay tuned for the rest of the series, including other tips for how to use your time well and how to find support when it isn’t coming from the typical sources.

If you’re looking for a job, I can help you. Take a look at our services to learn what we can offer.

photo by william hutton jr.


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