Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Time to move on?

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You can’t beat Dilbert for saying it like it is. If this video touches a nerve, you may want to contact me to learn how you can put the wheels in motion to move on!

Thanks to my new partners Simon North and Nisa Chitakasem, for sharing this video via the Position Ignition Career Advice Blog. Position Ignition is all about helping you get clear about what you want to do next with your career and how to make it happen. They focus on helping people who want a more purposeful, rewarding career and those who are considering a career change.


photo by Ol.v!er

3 career lessons from the soccer field

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Have you ever watched small kids play soccer? It can be a real trip! (Pun intended.) While watching a game last weekend, I thought of 3 lessons job seekers can learn…

Do you know which way you should be kicking?

In the game I watched, there is no goalie in the box. So, sometimes it is tough for the kids to remember which way they should be kicking. (This is complicated by the fact that they switch sides during the game.) Every once in a while, a kid scores a goal for the OTHER team. Ooops…But, 9 of 10 times, the kid is so excited to have scored a goal, it doesn’t matter!

A lot of job seekers are like this. They don’t keep track of what direction they are going, where they want to “kick” and which “goal” is their target. The big difference between job seekers and 4-year olds on the soccer field – it is no joke to “score” for the other team.

Think about this – what can you do to be sure you are moving in the right direction for your job hunt? Are there better ways to track your research and information that you have gathered? If you are not organized, all of your hard work may go to waste.

Do you go, go, go – and then stop?

I can’t tell you how many times I saw even the best players (a relative term when it comes to 4-year olds on the soccer field) take the ball down the field – go, go, go and then, just as it seemed a goal was inevitable – come to an abrupt STOP. On the sidelines, parents had their hands on their heads…WHY STOP? “Keep going! Take it in!,” they shouted. But, it was too late. Stopping allowed another player to take the ball off in the opposite direction. Opportunity wasted.

I’m sure you can envision how this relates to job seekers. Everything is in forward motion, going great. Then, maybe an unexpected obstacle or maybe just nerves forces a stop – just enough to allow things to turn around and put an end to an opportunity.

How can you make sure that you don’t allow (or cause) an abrupt end to your positive, forward motion? Being prepared helps. Why waste all that energy you expended landing an interview if you are not going to give it your all? You need to take the ball into the goal – not stop just as you are planning to boot it in. Think about this when you are in the midst of your search. What can you do to keep moving? Maybe it is networking more (or better). Using social networking tools to expand your loose network? Coming up with a better, more succinct pitch for you and your skills. A better resume – one that helps you open doors AND helps you identify what you have to offer? Obviously, there are a lot of ways to help you stay in forward motion…Take advantage now, before you bring the ball to a stop.

Don’t take the ball from your own teammate

Kids are so focused on getting the ball, they have a tendency to steal it from their own teammates! This is another wasted opportunity, as someone’s forward motion comes to an abrupt stop at the hands (um – feet) of a teammate who should be helping.

Does this happen to you in the job search? People who should be helping you are inadvertently throwing roadblocks in the way? This happens when well-meaning friends or family members think they have something to add to your job search, advice about your resume, or stop to offer information that turns out to hurt more than help? Or, maybe you are facing stressed out family members who are less than supportive of some of the techniques you may be trying to fuel your job hunt. (These are the people who think you should be staying home applying for jobs online all day long and get annoyed when you explain that isn’t the best approach.)

Picture these folks as the kid who takes the ball from his own teammate. The soccer player just needs a little educating, some practice and some self-control. Similarly, your friend who isn’t helping you needs you to explain how he or she can help you succeed. Take the time to do the educating. Share an article about job hunting that proves your point or explains your methodology. Most importantly, though – be sure you are doing everything right. If you are the player kicking the ball in the wrong direction, you shouldn’t be surprised when a team member takes it from you!

photo by burienundressed

Evidence that Twitter is important for job seekers

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Last week, I attended (and spoke) at the Career Management Alliance conference in New Orleans. It’s always great getting together with colleagues and meeting new friends, but one of my favorite things about conferences is that I come home with several blog post ideas!

One tidbit I found very share-worthy was from Paul Forster, CEO and Co-Founder of Indeed.com. Did you know that the word  “Twitter” is the fastest growing term to appear in job postings appearing in job boards? Take a look at this chart:

These were the top ten words found in job postings, per Indeed.com’s research:

1. Twitter
2. Cloud Computing
3. iPhone
4. Facebook
5. Corporate Social Responsibility
6. Blogger
7. Pediatrician
8. Hospitalist
9. Social Media
10. Speech Language Pathologist

To clarify, this does not indicate the number of jobs working FOR Twitter, but reminds us that companies who are seeking experience using Twitter (based on the fact that they include that word in their online job postings) has grown exponentially.

This list might lead you to believe that if you want a job, social media and the medical profession are two hot topics! You may also find industry trends, unemployed per job posting (by location), and job posting per capita via Indeed.com’s job trends section.

So, if you are hesitating to dive into Twitter or other social media tools because you think they are insignificant to your job hunt, you may want to reconsider.

Stay tuned for more advice and information from the conference!

photo from FactoryJoe

Body language matters in your job hunt

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I’ve been writing about listening skills last week don’t miss 7 tips to become a better active listener and 6 ways to become a better listener. One point that came up several times – body language is an important element of good listening. Think about it – eye contact, nodding, leaning in to listen – all of these help your conversation partner recognize how engaged you are and helps him or her feel valued as part of a conversation.

Body language may be more important than you think in a job hunt.

Kate Lorenz wrote about the topic for CareerBuilder.com. She said:

Research has shown that the first impression you make on an interviewer really sticks. In one study, untrained subjects were shown 20- to 32-second videotaped segments of job applicants greeting their interviewers. When the subjects rated the applicants on attributes like self-assurance and likeability, their assessments were very similar to the interviewers’ — who had spent more than 20 minutes with each applicant.

Seems like focusing on your body language – and first impressions – matters – a lot!

I once wrote a term paper about the importance of body language. The quote I remember from it,

“Don’t underestimate the power of body language,”

from The Little Mermaid, is no less true today!

(Yes, I really quoted a Disney movie in my paper. It worked.)

Did you know that people who are positive and confident outperform their peers in their job searches? Research shows that persistence and a postive attitude pay off in the job hunt. You can always pick out a pessimist by his or her body language – slumped shoulders, eyes down, expressionless (or frowning). No one wants to hire someone who seems sad or pessimistic. Straighten up, smile and make eye contact. Your body language speaks louder than your words.

In fact, research also shows that body language makes up more than half of how our communication is perceived. That means that you may be describing your greatest business accomplishment, but if your posture isn’t good and you don’t make effective eye contact, you might as well tell the interviewer about the time you lost your portfolio on the way to a presentation.

Another telling body language tool is the handshake.

How many times do we have to tell you – strong and firm gets the job done! BusinessWeek wrote about several different types of handshakes to use and some to avoid. Eye contact along with a firm handshake can make a world of difference to how you are being perceived.

Remember – the little things matter.

In fact, the “little things” may actually be the BIG things! Focus on every aspect of your presentation to ensure that you put your best foot forward with your job search.

photo by Gerwin Filius

Questions to ask when networking

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This is the third in my series about networking. Now that you have the keys to researching your networking targets, and know the fundamentals, you need to consider what to ask when you meet them! The number one thing to remember when networking is that most people have a favorite topic of discussion – themselves!

GL Hoffman had some useful advice at his blog, What Would Dad Say?:

It truly is not about you. It is more about the other person. Ask questions, find their interesting story, learn from them, ask advice. Strive for a conversation that is 25% you, 75% them.

Remember your manners. Smile a lot. Say please and thank you. Hold doors open. Make eye contact. Say “and” more than you say “but.” Be positive. These are the things your mom taught you.

These are great launching off points to consider before thinking of what to ask at an informational meeting.

Don’t forget that it’s important to assess what you want to know! There is nothing worse than having a meeting and walking away without accomplishing your goals. So, have some goals!

Need help learning what to say when networking?
Find tips and scripts for in-person and online networks in my new book:
100 Conversations for Career Success

Figure out what you need to know about the organization or the person – things that you cannot find out by a quick Google search. Consider asking about the person’s (or organization’s) values, important skills needed to work there and about how they do business. Ask the nuanced questions you want to know. For example:

  • What are your biggest challenges? (Or those impacting your field/company/organization?)
  • What is the best (and worst) part of your job?
  • What would you do differently (if anything) if you were starting over in your field?

At the same time, in case you have a contact who likes to ask a lot of questions, be sure that you can also discuss your unique qualities – your unique selling proposition.

  • What are YOUR skills.
  • Why are you interested in this field or organization?
  • What do YOU have to offer?

Be sure to bring along your resume, just in case your networking contact asks for it, or if you have an opportunity to ask for input and advice.

In the long run, what exactly you ask is less important than HOW you ask it and how well prepared you appear. It is really true that you have one chance to make a first impression…Be interested and interesting and you won’t have to worry!

Feel free to share your great question ideas and success stories in the comments!

photo by leo reynolds