Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Happy Blog-aversary to Keppie Careers – Announcing a New Blog on Examiner.com

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It’s hard to believe, but I’m celebrating one year of blogging! Last year at this time, I couldn’t have known how terrific it would be to join the career advice blogosphere. So, I’m thrilled to announce that I have started a new blog!

Last week, I signed on as the Career Coach Correspondent for the National edition of Examiner.com. I’m very excited to join this group of journalists, who write about every topic you can imagine! You can find my column HERE.

(I learned of this opportunity via Twitter, thanks to Heather Huhman!)

I often write about how valuable it is for job seekers to engage in Web 2.0 applications (such as blogging and social networking). I get up on my soapbox and remind clients that they must take the time to engage and connect for success. So, I thought it made sense to publicly acknowledge and thank a few professionals who really made a difference when I first started blogging.

Lindsey Pollak was the very first blogger who reached out to me online. I commented on her blog, and she responded by posting a comment on mine. I was excited to hear from Lindsey and really appreciated that she took the time to connect. She was the first one to demonstrate to me the importance of personal connections online.

Anita Bruzzese‘s blog also quickly became a favorite when I joined the blogosphere last year.  Anita has been successfully writing about career topics for years, and I was thrilled when she went out of her way to respond to me and offer advice. Anita has never had writer’s block, so she’s a great inspiration to a blogger like me! (She also keeps me laughing and informed with her tweets!)

Another early favorite blog belonged to Penelope Trunk. I liked her conversational style and how she often linked to topics so readers could explore further. Imagine my surprise and delight when she emailed me asking for a guest post for her (then) new site, Brazen Careerist! I wrote a blog exploring being connected versus being exceptional. So began my foray into being connected via Web 2.0!

I thought about listing the many wonderful opportunities I’ve been offered as a result of this blog and all of the great people I’ve “met” online, but I realize that the list is too long! I am thrilled to have the opportunity to connect and partner with so many terrific professionals and to share information with job seekers around the world! I’m excited to see what 2009 holds for job seekers, Keppie Careers and this blog!

Thanks for reading…Please come back often. I hope to celebrate many more blog-aversaries with you!

Are you ready to jump start your job hunt? Contact me to see how I can help!

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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!

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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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You Control Your Job Hunting Destiny

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I recently received an email from a former colleague. He’s an empathic and caring professional who never has an unkind word to say and is one of my mentors in the career world. So, I certainly took notice of his strongly worded comments.

He wrote:

I was watching Good Morning America this morning, (not a normal part of my routine), but on the show I learned they are sponsoring/promoting job fairs across America…I only saw one segment, but it was very revealing and certainly blog-worthy.

DRESS!!! Attire was absolutely HORRIBLE. What are these people thinking???? The men were less than business casual. One man Robin Roberts interviewed had no tie and literally 4 buttons undone on his shirt. He has been unemployed for over a year and has no idea why. Sure, he was in construction, but he has to dress when meeting potential employers. Overall, of the people they showed in line, at least 2 – 3x were more inappropriate than appropriate for a job fair. It was SHOCKING!!!!

Then came the interviews. Robin Roberts talked to 3 people. Talk about depressing. Sure they are unhappy because they have been unemployed since February or longer, BUT, that is NO REASON to have lack of energy and purpose. They will never get hired with the hang-dog pessimistic attitude. Who wants to hire that??? People need to suck it up and get a burst of happy because being morose will not earn them work. Someone needs to shake these people and wake them up. It was awful…terrible…pathetic.

Think about it: are YOU one of these job seekers? You don’t even try very hard anymore because you’re so tired of looking for a job? I often think about all of the clients I meet who blame the economy or any number of other factors when they can’t get a job, when there are some very basic things that job seekers can do to improve their chances.

In your efforts to focus on resume standards and interview questions, are you forgetting the basics?  You MUST make an effort to appear positive and not down and out at the interview. Appearing desperate won’t win you points, and most people wouldn’t purposely choose to work with a sad sack. In fact, career columnist Anita Bruzzese said, “Most hiring managers I have interviewed say they won’t hire desperate candidates, although they can’t exactly explain why. They also say they really take notice of people who give off a positive energy.”

Are you giving off a positive energy? Would YOU want to hire you? Think about it…Take control of what you DO control. Dress up for interviews. Smile. Sit up straight and look confident. Stay tuned for tips to help you stay positive and use your time well while in a longer than expected job search.

If your job search is getting you down, consider partnering with me to help get you on the path to landing a job. You will be amazed at the things you could be doing that you are NOT doing that can help you get where you need to go.

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