You left on bad terms.

How you approach this opportunity depends on how, and when, you left your last organization. If it was in a ball of fire, burning bridges along the way and publicly cursing the name of the people on your team, don’t hold your breath regarding another chance at the organization; it will be awkward, at best, applying to return. Timing could play a role, too. If you left many years ago, even if many of the key players are no longer working there, often, there will be someone with institutional memory who will make a return engagement difficult. Or, you may get lucky and find no one remembers your departure.

If you’re still set on a second chance, you’ll want to take special care to ensure you make it clear that you are exceptionally well qualified. In fact, you may need to be so qualified that they cannot imagine anyone else competing for the job. This requires you to know a lot about the specific problems the organization is facing and what the person in the role of interest to you will be required to do.

Use your sleuthing skills to assess how you can make a direct connection between what they need and what you offer. Tap into any friends or contacts you may have left at the organization, and don’t forget to find others who may have left after you departed who may be able to give you insight into what the company needs now. Make a solid case for why you’re the best person for the job and be prepared to answer for your past behavior. If you really want this job, a negative separation history will be an obstacle, but depending on the situation, it may not be impossible.

Avoid Job Seeker Mistakes: Download My Free White Paper

Your departure was amiable.

On the other hand, if you departed on a positive note, and you were considered an essential employee, you could very well be in luck. Instead of explaining away your past with the organization, you can highlight how much you accomplished and enhance those qualifications with what you have done since leaving.

Keep these tips in mind whenever considering returning to a company you left:

Don’t assume anything. Even if it hasn’t been that long since you left, it’s possible many things have changed in the interim. Rely on new data and insights, not on how things were when you last worked at the organization. Recognize that you’ll need to reintroduce yourself and, in some case, re-prove your value and worth to some decision makers. Be prepare to make a case for your candidacy, just as you would if you were applying to a new organization.

Have a good story. Even if a lot of people who like you are on the hiring committee, don’t take anything for granted. Be prepared to sell yourself and convince them you are best for the job. Explain why the role interests you and be able to describe how committed you are to seeing the company through to its next success. No one expects you to promise to work there forever, but, especially if your tenure in the past was short-lived, be ready to make a verbal commitment to the organization.

Don’t get cocky. Even if you are ideal for the job, keep in mind: when you return to a past organization, personalities can help and hurt you. Just as there are people who likely still miss you, it is just as likely that those who didn’t care for you are still influential. Ask the right questions and make a case for why you are the best candidate that will overcome those objections.

Make sure you aren’t making a mistake. Remember why you left in the first place. Are you sure you want to go back? Write up a list of pros and cons and recognize that returning is likely to be as challenging as taking a new job elsewhere. Make sure you go in with a clear idea of what you hope to accomplish and why.

This originally appeared on AOLJobs.com

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Whatâ€s Workingâ„¢

A Right Management survey found youâ€re probably working  harder than ever and that weekends no longer provide the work respite they once did. The research said, “more than one-third of workers regularly get weekend emails from their boss who expects them to respond. Another one-third reported getting such emails from time to time.”

Whether your motivation is that you are miserable at work or because you anticipate a layoff, itâ€s possible you may be better off marketing yourself as a consultant or starting a business instead of looking for another traditional job.

Consider these five tips to prepare to become a business owner.

Start saving money. If youâ€re the type of person who checks the calendar to find out when the next paycheck is coming because you are out of grocery money, itâ€s time to scale back your spending and save some money for a rainy day. Freedom and flexibility come with being able to manage to cover your expenses even without a regular job.

Audit your free time. Think about how you spend your time outside of work; is there any time to start a new business on the side? We used to call this moonlighting; some refer to it as a “side hustle.”

Decide what you want to do. It sounds obvious, but if you want to run a business, you need to identify the intersection between what you know how to do and what people need and are willing to pay you to do for them.

Evaluate your skills. Are you totally disorganized when it comes to managing money? Do you avoid writing like itâ€s the plague? Do you cower in fear when itâ€s time to attend an in-person networking event? Would you rather get in a pit of king cobras than speak in front of a group? If you want to run a business, youâ€ll need to be prepared to take on these and other challenges.

Study trends and market needs. You may have great skills and a passion for a topic, but you need to know if people are willing to pay you to use those skills.

Keep an eye on your competitors, review employment and industry trends via resources such as the Riley Guide, and tap into services such as Trendwatching.comâ€s free monthly trend briefing.

Read the complete post on U.S. News & World Report.

photo by nicsuzor

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Presidential campaigns in the U.S. make me think a lot about job seekers, and not because jobs and who can “create” the most jobs in Washington are the #1 topics on everyone’s minds. Let’s face it, running for office is the longest, extended interview anyone could imagine.

The final presidential debate is tonight. Based on watching some of my favorite political shows over the weekend, it seems like both candidates will be planning to turn a conversation about international issues into a referendum on domestic issues, which statistically is a more “needle moving” topic for “undecided” voters.

If you want to see some masterful examples of, “That’s an interesting question, but let me tell you about this other topic I’m more focused on,” be sure to watch the debate. However, don’t plan to take a lesson from the candidates’ playbooks, as interviewers are unlikely to be impressed by candidates who dodge questions in favor of talking about points that haven’t yet come up in conversation.

The infographic below, compiled by Spark Hire, an online video resume and interviewing platform, looks at the presidential election in the context of your own job search. Please comment and let me know if you’re learning anything — either what to do, or what NOT to do during your search — by watching our candidates.

Political icon photo by DonkeyHotey

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In an era in which every job is temporary, what skills does the worker need to thrive? What does it take to succeed in this “gig economy”?

What does it take to succeed as a freelancer?

1. Know your audience.

It’s crucial that you know what skills you’ll need to compete in your field. This means keeping a keen eye on market trends and keeping ahead of the curve when it comes to knowing how to provide exactly what your industry needs from someone with your expertise.

How can you keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on, while you are busy doing the work? Subscribe to industry publications, read blogs and follow social media streams created by thought leaders in your field. Identify the “gurus” in your industry and keep an eye on what they are saying online. Track conference conversations from other experts in your field, even when you don’t attend, by following hashtags for the events on Twitter. Many professional conference planners will list the hashtag — a keyword with a # sign, such as #SHRM16 representing the Society for Human Resource Management — right in the advertised materials. Hop on Twitter during the conference and track the hashtag to find out what information is hot in your field. If you are really savvy, you’ll respond using the hashtag and communicate with people at the conference, even if you’re at home.

2. Assess and update your skills.

Are some of your skills a little dated? Is there a new software program everyone is flocking to use, and you’ve never even tried it? It is up to you, as a freelancer, to maintain your own professional development standards. You can be sure you aren’t likely to get hired for a gig if you don’t have the organization’s desired skills. (It’s not much different from finding a job.) Make a list of skills you need to improve and decide which ones are worth investing your time and money.

3. Learn to market yourself.

To succeed as a freelancer, you’ll need to be an expert in your field, but you’ll also need to become an expert self-marketer (or hire someone to help you). Start now to take steps to be able to effectively get the word out about your skills and expertise. Social media is a terrific, and free, way to demonstrate what you know to a broad audience and to expand your network. Like traditional jobs, many freelance opportunities will be won via networking.

How can you get started? First: be sure you know what you offer. What is unique and special about you, your skills and your accomplishments? Once you know what you offer, it’s much easier to market yourself to potential clients.

Once you know what you offer, jump online and market those skills. Create a website for your business, and include a blog so you’ll be able to showcase your expertise. Begin a Twitter feed to connect with others in your industry and become a resource of information and news relevant for others in your field. Set up a business Google+ page and incorporate targeted public updates so Google will associate your name with your expertise. Optimize your profile on LinkedIn and take advantage of its social features, such as Answers and Groups, so it’s easy for people looking for consultants to find you. Take advantage of these and other social media tools and you’ll put yourself in the strongest position to succeed as a freelancer.

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Listening to her story, it was clear to me that this potential client can do so much more to improve her chances of finding a new job. How do I know? She said, “I guess there are a lot of things I haven’t tried, yet.”

Most importantly? She hasn’t prepared to network spontaneously! Ironic, right? How can you prepare for something spontaneous? Maybe it’s a technicality, but I believe it is absolutely possible. It’s one of the underpinnings of our new book, 100 Conversations for Career Success. With a little preparation (or, maybe a lot!), you can network effectively and convince people you meet that they should take a look at you!

Charles Purdy, Senior editor for Monster.com, recently asked us a series of questions about job search networking:

Is there really a formula for saying the right thing in a job hunt? How much should people plan to customize or speak “off the cuff?”

How are people networking incorrectly — why do they need scripts to help them (what are they saying wrong)?

Is it ever a good idea to cold-call a company for job? Whatâ€s are a couple of tips for doing so?

When youâ€re using something like Twitter or another social platform, how does the medium shape the message?

How have the rules about “the right thing to say” in a job hunt changed in the past 20 years?

Find out what we said on the Monster blog!

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Originally Published in my U.S. News & World Report column.

The post How to win at the interview appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Situation 1: The interviewer asked you a question you are not prepared to answer.

Do not panic or appear obviously rattled. Take a breath – give yourself a few seconds (even if it seems like minutes to you) to formulate a reply. Feel free to ask the interviewer to clarify the question. (Donâ€t ask him to repeat it – that will make it seem as if you are not paying attention.)

If you still canâ€t think of a reply, choose one aspect of the question and respond with a succinct comment. Watch any politician or political operative interviewed on television for examples of this technique. If they donâ€t like the questions, they reframe things and tell a story that frames them in a positive way. Do not plan to use those tactics as a rule, but for the occasional question, it could help save your interview.

If your answer is short and sweet, the interviewer may recognize your subterfuge, but itâ€s just as likely she will just move on, and may not even notice you were on the brink of interview disaster.

Avoid this: You do not need to memorize 501 interview answers. Instead, craft a narrative and several talking points to prove you are a good fit for the job. Plan to tell stories where you explain problems you faced, actions you took and the results. You should be able to use these “PAR” (problem-action-results) stories to address many different types of questions and avoid situations where you donâ€t have a good answer.

Situation 2: Your interviewer is totally unprepared and appears hostile to the process.

Do your best to try to steer the interview in your favor. If youâ€ve prepared key talking points – and stories – to support your skills and accomplishments that are relevant for this job, start making a mental checklist and begin to insert those points into the conversation.

If the interviewer appears disinterested in you, try to incorporate some questions for him into your responses. Most people enjoy talking about themselves; maybe you can win the interviewer over by inviting him to engage in a discussion. Watch your body language, too. If you lean toward the interviewer, avoid crossing your arms and make friendly eye contact, it may help ease an uncomfortable situation.

Avoid this: Obviously, you donâ€t control the interviewâ€s attitude or mood. However, if you do some research about who will be questioning you, itâ€s possible to start things off on the right foot. Use Google and LinkedIn to learn as much as you can about the interviewer in advance. Maybe you went to the same school, or share some of the same causes – you can find this out from LinkedIn. Perhaps you know some of the same people?

Sometimes, knowing a little about the interviewer can help you overcome a testy situation; it certainly cannot hurt.

Situation 3: You are visibly nervous.

On televised reality contests, showing nerves can help humanize the candidate, but in an interview, itâ€s less than charming. If your palms are excessively sweaty and your heart is racing so fast you can hear it beating, you need to relax, or your interview will spiral downward quickly. If you are in the midst of the interview, it is a good idea to remember that life will go on, no matter the outcome. Take one question at a time and try to reassure yourself.

Avoid this: Itâ€s better to try to collect yourself before heading into the meeting. Take a few deep breaths. (Be sure the receptionist doesnâ€t think you are hyperventilating, though!) Smile, and picture yourself answering the questions confidently. If you prepared for the meeting, it shouldnâ€t be too difficult to assume things will go well.

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Companies reluctant to ramp up their full-time workforce are realizing they can accomplish their targets with temporary workers. This may be a trend that continues whether or not the economy improves.

Bill Inman is the president of Emergent, a California-based contingent workforce employer that works with companies across a variety of industries, including finance, legal, marketing, technology, and engineering. He explains: “We are seeing a shift in values where independent and highly specialized workers are looking for greater flexibility and more control over their schedules and lives. At the same time, companies are changing how they approach their workforce needs and looking for more flexible staffing arrangements.”

If you’re looking for work, or searching for a position in a new field, this may be the opportune time to take a temporary or contract assignment. Inman has seen job seekers benefit from taking on temporary and contract assignments. He explains: “It allows them to choose what assignments or projects they want, giving them greater flexibility and a work style that fits better into their schedule.”

Do you think you may want to consider pursuing a contingent or temporary job? These are Inman’s suggestions for successfully navigating the field and taking advantage of the growing use of contract and temporary workers in this new job market:

Keep your options open.

Build your skills.

Let your network know you’re open to temporary work.

Tweak your resume.

Give your temporary position your all.

Read the entire post on U.S. News & World Report

photo by openDemocracy

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Keep these tips in mind so your resume will make the cut:

1. Use keywords.
Study job descriptions to identify what the employer wants and include key words in your document. For example, job titles are keywords – use your targeted job title in your resume’s headline. Incorporate nouns and noun phrases describing the skills the employer is seeking. For example, “cross-functional teams and internal and external customer service.” Include degrees, certifications, and memberships – all may be keywords for the job.

2. Use up-to-date language to reflect modern skills.
Avoid old-fashioned references and language that makes the reader think you are stuck in the past or lacking useful skills. For example, while some offices still use fax machine, don’t highlight your ability to fax a document as if it’s your most important accomplishment. If you work with computer programs, be sure to reference the most up-to-date software versions.

3. Highlight relevant skills.
If you work in customer service, demonstrate your ability to use social media in your resume to help distinguish you from other applicants. If your skills are lacking, sign up for some classes or look for online opportunities to learn new information. Then, include the course work or just list the new skills in your resume. Don’t underestimate informal ways to learn new things; you may be surprised by how much you can pick up by watching YouTube videos.

4. Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability.
One stereotype some employers may have about experienced workers is that they may have a hard time learning new things. How can you show you’re ready, willing, and able to learn? Emphasize how you’ve used up-to-date tools, and showcase accomplishments related to those tools. For example, even if you’re unemployed, consider creating a YouTube channel for a non-profit organization where you volunteer. If the non-profit reaches more people via the channel and increases their donations, you will have a great story for your resume that also makes it clear you aren’t stuck in 1995.

5. Highlight results.
Avoid language such as, “responsible for” or “assisted in;” these are dated ways to describe what you offer. If the description asks for a detailed, customer-service oriented candidate, don’t say, “Responsible for providing strong customer service and answering phones.” Instead, include specifics, and highlight skills and results:

“Use strong attention to detail to provide customer service support to patients, guests, and staff. Answer telephones, transcribe messages, and route calls, resulting in winning customer service awards (2011 and 2012).”

When you create bullet points that draw direct connections between what you did and what the employer wants you to do, it will be easier for the reader to envision you in the job.

6. Don’t cling to the past.
A mistake many job seekers make is they insist on including an in-depth work history, even if it does not interest the employer. Make every word count: Review your resume and compare it to job descriptions. Highlight the parts of your resume that relate specifically to your target job. If the majority of your resume is not highlighted, it is time for a major resume overhaul.

photo by NASA Goddard Photo and Video

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Regular readers have seen all the special pre-launch posts to preface introducing You Need a Job: 5 Steps to Get One, which I co-authored with Hannah Morgan. Some of the posts we ran included tips from our colleagues about what job seekers should NOT do. One friend and expert expanded on her tip and offered additional, great advice, and I am happy to share it today!

Chris Havrilla is a recruiting and sourcing leader with her own company, Havrilla, LLC. Additionally, she is the Principal Consultant at Recruiting Toolbox, Inc, a management consulting, training and tools company that focuses 100% on helping companies recruit better. Chris is also VP of social media for SHRM-Atlanta and blogs (along with the also terrific Teela Jackson) on RecruiterChicks.com. Chris is a great thought leader, and one of the “good guys.” You’ll want to pay attention to her advice about how to reach out to your network!

These are Chris’ suggestions to help you avoid being too general when you turn to your network:

Have a pretty solid idea of the type of role you want and if possible the ideal target companies — and what it is based on … location, industry, size, anything applicable.  Be able to explain the why’s, as well as anything you don’t want.  This will make it easier for whoever you ask for help to take a targeted approach, and it also helps demonstrate that you know who you are, what you are seeking, how you can/will add value and why these organizations need to have you to take their teams or organizations to the next level.

This approach pushes some of the ownership back on you and means you need to think through all of this stuff and do some research and footwork, but doing a job search is just like building a business — it needs to be focused. Frankly, you don’t want somebody else assuming what your vision, values and goals are.

The advantages to this approach are huge:

• You are not leaving it up to someone to assume what you want and why. The key is giving people actionable tasks…people are more willing to help when they know what to do and why.
• You are arming people with the data and direction they need to help you best.
• It will also help you figure out who all can best help you and how — and then use your network accordingly.

Once you know what you are looking for and can articulate it, be sure you know how to best utilize that network. Give people direct, easily actionable tasks.  For instance, there is a big difference between the more vague, general inquiry:

“I am looking/open to new opportunities, here is a copy of my resume — I was hoping you could help me?  Or… “Could you please keep your eyes and ears open?”  compared to the preferred:

“Hi _____, I noticed on LinkedIn that you have some connections at Company X, and I would like to apply/I am applying for a Sales Director role that is perfect as I have the industry experience, but also worked for their biggest competitor for three years.  This experience with their current and target customer base, in addition to the insider knowledge of their marketplace should help me be productive in a much shorter time frame than most candidates.  Would you mind helping me make a connection with a hiring manager or their recruiter?

Another suggestion:

“I am looking for a position that leverages my deep experience in organizational design and transformation/talent development & management/fill-in-blank-here — I noticed in LinkedIn you have several connections at Coca-Cola and they actually have an open position for ____________, if I wrote an introduction, would you be willing to send it to one of your contacts so I can try and get my foot in the door?  I have worked with several CPG companies and believe that I can leverage that experience and industry knowledge with my….”

For Twitter or Facebook –

“Hey Friends/Tweeps, do any of you have a connection in the Talent Management team at Children’s Healthcare and would you be willing to make an intro?” (Note I did not say reference/referral, save that for the people you have direct work experience with that you can ask personally/directly.)

This upfront time and thoughtful approach can make all the difference.

Thanks so much to Chris for her generous tips. Keep these in mind when you prepare to network!

photo by Bilal Kamoon

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