Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

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

 

 

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

Horror stories from the employer's perspective

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wool3525465303_1c93b7cb66_mHave you been keeping up with horror story week at Keppie Careers? Where job seekers and hiring managers have a chance to share their tales of woe, in hopes that we can all learn something?

Today, we have two stories from the hiring side!

This story from Chuck Smith:

On the verge of offering the candidate a job, our client checked one last reference. Unable to reach the named “previous manager,” our client called the candidate. In turn, the candidate produced the reference in minutes.

Only problem was that the caller ID for the manager was the SAME one the candidate had called from! You got it… the boyfriend impersonated the manager.

When our client asked about the name on the caller ID, the boyfriend stammered, stalled and hung up.

Needless to say, when our client called the candidate to offer some “good news,” the candidate never called back, ever.

Lesson: check references and be wary!

This from Orit:

We received many resumes, sorted through them and interviewed people.

One young woman seemed to be the perfect fit. She was very willing to learn (we knew we would have to train) and could answer our questions well. She seemed to have the right attitude.

After 2 hours of working we realized that she did not know anything technical. She could not even use email or understood any of the terms we talked to her about in our training. Being that we also needed a part-time receptionist, we asked her if she was interested. It was clear to both us and her that there was no way she could perform any of the tasks of a tech support person.

She gladly agreed and told us how much she needed a job.

3 days later we fired her in total frustration. The woman could not answer the phone, could not file (she did not seem to know the ABC order.)

It was such a waste of time, money and energy. It may not sound like a bad story, but for a small company it was horrifying.

The lesson here seems clear – integrity is key in a job hunt. Impersonating a reference is not only wrong, it is, for lack of a better word, stupid. While there is even a company that will fake references FOR you, and certainly it is not the first time a candidate has tried to pull the wool over a hiring manager’s eyes, it is such a bad idea and likely to derail your chances for the job. After all, if you had been on the up-and-up all along and were at the point of having references checked, lying probably resulted in handing the job off on a silver platter.

As for the inept hire…It is incredible that someone so incompitent  would have been able to land that job. However, it does point out how important it is to apply for jobs that you are qualified to do! Sometimes, a smooth talker may be able to slide into a totally inappropriate position, but it is more likely for an overqualified person to take a job that does not suit him or her.

Even in a tough market, resist the urge to set your sights on something that is not appropriate just because you “really need a job.” In the long run, it probably won’t work out.

Don’t miss Part I, II and III, IV,  V,  VI and VII.

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 grantmac

An interview story to remember, Part VII

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comedy-of-errors2This is a post from last year. I think it is worth re-telling, as it fits our theme of “horror job search stories,” with a funny twist!

Sometimes, even the best laid plans don’t go as planned…

Case in point, a new client of mine whose job search is in full swing. His resume is top-notch, cover letters targeted and linkedin profile updated. He has started being invited for a lot of interviews, which is very exciting (for him and for me!)

Having worked in one place for his entire (lengthy) career, the interview is a stress point, and we have discussed and prepared to face this very important bridge between the opportunity for a job and actually getting a job!

He knows what to do to prepare. Sometimes it just doesn’t go as planned. For example, a recent interview:

  • The shirt he was planning to wear didn’t fit. Luckily, he had an extra one handy.
  • His well-thought out portfolio was waiting on the kitchen table. Unfortunately, he forgot it there and only realized it when he reached his interview destination.
  • His GPS didn’t have the company’s address in its system, so locating the interview spot was a bit tricky.
  • Sitting down for the interview, his phone rang. Forgetting the cardinal rule about not answering your phone during an interview, he answered it. Who was calling? A very high-profile recruiting firm asking him to schedule an interview!

There are several lessons to be learned from this story, but the most important lesson is the one I haven’t shared with you – this client’s reaction to the whole mess:

I was not angry with myself…Have a giggle with me not at me, all I can see is the funny side of what happened today.

You can’t buy a great attitude like that! Next time, he’ll triple-check that he has his portfolio and he’ll NEVER answer his phone in an interview. All of these are lessons that are easily learned. The ability to see the humor in a comedy of errors isn’t something you can teach. It’s a “soft” skill that will serve him well in his job hunt and as an employee for the lucky employer who hires him!

Further proving this client is a true math guy – he estimates the statistical probablility of all of these things happening at once: 10 trillion to one. So, don’t worry too much that your interview experience will be similar!

Don’t miss Part I, II and III, IV,  V and VI.

What is your story? Tell it in the comments section!

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 GotMeAMuse