Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Job seekers need to do more than dream to honor Dr. MLK

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Dr. Martin Luther King offered many inspiring messages. As we honor him, it seems fitting to remember his message of hope. His “I Have A Dream” address was delivered in a time when most of his “dreams” really seemed to be just that.

It’s important to recognize that having dreams isn’t enough. Dr. King and other leaders of the Civil Rights movement recognized that hard work and sacrifice was key to success. Thinking outside of the box, organizing peaceful marches…Civil disobedience. All of these at a great cost, but prepared and enacted with great hope.

Every job seeker can take something away from these optimistic messages. Maybe the message is as simple as a reminder that hope is important, even when it is hard to muster. Maybe the more important take-away is that nothing worthwhile comes without hard work and effort.

No matter the message, as the nation pauses to honor Dr. King, this is a good time for job seekers to stop and think about how to harness hope with hard work to move forward with an optimistic job hunt. Or, take another lesson from King and turn this day into a day of service and volunteer. It’s a great way to spend the holiday, with added benefits for job seekers.

If YOU have a dream, but need help getting there, 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.

How a resume writer can help you

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I recently spoke to a woman who is losing her job. Her company is closing, and she has an end date. She sent her resume to me, explaining that she knows it needs some help and that a networking contact had suggested she get in touch.

When we spoke, she admitted that she probably hasn’t fully accepted the fact that she is going to be looking for a job and explained that she is having a lot of trouble getting her head around the whole thing. It’s been a long time since she has looked for work. (And it has always been HER idea in the past.) She’s upset to be in this situation, and it is getting her stuck in a rut.

This is something I hear over and over again. It’s tough to rise above the situation to really focus on what is important – identifying and highlighting skills and accomplishments that connect with your goals.

Surprisingly, it’s not much different for employed clients. Even though they may not be dealing with the emotional issues involved in a downsizing, it is not easy to hone in on the key points and focus on what to say on the resume.

If either of these describe you, think about the value of having an unbiased, expert specialist write your resume. It could be like a breath of fresh air for your search!

Don’t forget that clear, concise, optimized job search materials AND a strong, well executed plan are key for job search success! 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 MAS Photography

What to do if you are unhappy at your job

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I can’t tell you how many studies I’ve seen quoted that detail how many people are unhappy with their current jobs and will jump at the first chance to find something new once there are opportunities. Does that describe you? You’re looking to jump ship at the next opportunity?

If you are lucky, opportunity will come knocking. Maybe you have a well-developed and strong network, a great LinkedIn profile (that makes it easy for recruiters or hiring managers to find you) and you are well known in your industry. Maybe you will provide a resume only as a formality, once you’ve already been offered the job.

If that does not describe your situation, you are in good company. Most people neglect their networks and pay no attention to materials that will support their search for something better. When is the last time you looked at your resume?

No, this is not a “get your resume ready now or you will regret it later” post. (Although, it isn’t a bad idea to get your resume and supporting materials ready now!) Instead, this post is a wake-up call to everyone who does not like their jobs.

Think about it – what exactly do you NOT like? What can you do about it? Have you been wasting away, bored at work because it is actually boring, or because you have allowed yourself to be complacent and don’t look for any new challenges? If you work at it, are there projects you could take on that will broaden what you can add to your resume? Expand its depth?

Have you fantasized about different job opportunities that are advertised and noticed whether or not you are actually qualified? What skills would be best to add to your current resume to make you more qualified for your next challenge? Have you thought about making a plan to get those skills?

For example, you notice that team leadership seems to come up in every job description, but you haven’t really led any teams. Maybe it’s time to volunteer to head up a program or to engage with a group where you can take a leadership role. (This may even be a volunteer opportunity outside of work. If it is significant and successful, you can include it in your experience.)

Or, maybe there is a specific credential or skill set you are missing. Maybe now is the time to take some training or to pursue those goals. Showing interest in improving your skills is a great way to be a leader at work. It may also help propel you to a whole new adventure!

You may be surprised, but taking some initiative and engaging in a plan to mindfully move from here to there may actually make you like your job a little more. More importantly, it will help set you up for what is next, and we all know that one of the only things we can count on in work is change.

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Making a change can be tough. I can help! Don’t forget that clear, concise, optimized job search materials AND a strong, well executed plan are key for job search success! 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 jasoHill

Protect what is yours

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I was reading through some Facebook status updates and  came upon an interesting one from an old high school classmate. It said, “Bill (not his real name) is Married.” Now, I don’t keep up with Bill, and I really had no idea of his marital status prior to his post. “Nice,” I thought…”Bill got married.” Curious, I read the comments. (Does that make me a voyeur? Or, is that the POINT of Facebook?)

Anyway, the few comments made it clear that Bill and his wife (who apparently have some kids) were going to make a go of their marriage, which had apparently been on the rocks. (I guess that would be “complicated” in FaceBook lingo.)

None of this would be all that interesting or topical for me, except Bill’s comment at the end of the messages congratulating him  for sticking it out. He said, “Ya, we’re going to give it a go. Don’t tell anyone as I haven’t told my family yet. I didn’t realize Facebook was going to post it.”

Hmmm…Maybe not the best idea to announce your “status” on a social network if you want your friends and family to know first. Why didn’t Bill realize that Facebook was going to announce his status to the world? Or, at the very least, that it was not going to be “their little secret?”

I was thinking about this in light of the buzz about Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg’s recent comments about privacy. In an apparent about-face on the subject, he indicated that today’s consumer is not as interested in privacy as in the past. PC World quoted him:

“People have really gotten comfortable not only sharing more information and different kinds, but more openly and with more people. That social norm is just something that’s evolved over time,” Zuckerberg said. “We view it as our role in the system to constantly be innovating and be updating what our system is to reflect what the current social norms are.” Zuckerberg then pointed to Facebook’s recent privacy policy change that made user’s key information open by default as an example of the social network’s willingness to reflect “current social norms.”

For those unfamiliar with the recent changes, Facebook recently changed settings to allow your name, profile picture, gender, current city, networks, friends list, and all the pages you subscribe to to be publicly available information on Facebook. What does this mean to you? Everyone on the web can see it; it is searchable. (Yes, that means Google can come looking for you.)

Making the default “public” is kind of  like when you sign up for anything and the default is to subscribe to their newsletter and learn more information – not taking action is so much easier, many businesses get subscribers who had not intended to hear from them ever again. By the same token, if you’re not paying a lot of attention and being vigilant, you may be sharing more than you intend to online.

And, if you are my old high school friend, you are sharing because it feels natural, only later realizing the ramifications. Think about it…If you are who Google thinks you are, you need to step up and make sure you actively manage what it sees and knows.

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Don’t forget that clear, concise, optimized job search materials AND a strong, well executed plan are key for job search success! 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 Bill Gracey

Search for jobs by identifying a company

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One piece of advice I share with all of my clients – don’t look for a job, look for a company. If you are looking only specifically for a job (focusing only on job boards or posted listings), you are missing out on potential opportunities that are never advertised. Seeking an organization and broadening your target will help you be more competitive in this environment.

Research from the Michigan State University Collegiate Employment Research Institute, which conducts an annual survey, (as reported via CNN) suggests that:

“Large companies, those with more than 4,000 employees, plan to decrease hiring of all graduates by 3%, and medium-sized companies, those with between 500 and 4,000 employees, expect to lower hiring by 11%.

Smaller companies, however, may provide a bright spot in the job market for new graduates.

Employers with fewer than 500 staff members said they expect hiring at their companies to jump by 15%. These companies will hire 11 new graduates on average in 2010, and 8 of them will be at the bachelor’s level.”

So, it may be wise to stop looking only at large companies and to focus on smaller firms for opportunities.

I have many clients who identify organizations first.  They say, “I want to work for a small company where I will be able to get involved in a lot of different areas.”  Or they say, “I want to work for a large company with opportunity to be promoted.”  Or, “I’d love to work for a large firm and be pigeon-holed into doing the same work day after day.”  Except for that last one…

There are pros and cons to every type of job. I have a client who works for a small family firm.  Her stories are exactly what one would expect based on stereotypes of small family firms…Uncle Bill comes in to do the taxes, Aunt Sue is hired to decorate the waiting area.  Non-family members work at their own peril.  At the same time, this client had the opportunity to take on responsibilities and hone skills she otherwise would not have had the chance to do had she worked at a larger firm.

Points to consider…

Small businesses offer:

  • Quick response time
  • Decision making flexibility
  • Personal attention
  • Specialization opportunities
  • Ability to change with the times

Salary.com offers these reasons to choose a small company:

  • Improved work/life balance
  • Less political
  • Better company culture

Larger firms may offer better benefits (free lunch, anyone?), training opportunities and an HR department that prevents Uncle Jim from getting a job that someone else is more qualified to do.  Although I was glib in noting that large firms may pigeon-hole their workers, it is also true that they may provide more opportunities for advancement from within or transfers from one office to another that would not be possible in a small firm.

Suite101.com notes these advantages of working for a large company:

  • More resources
  • Leadership potential
  • Ability to specialize
  • More job options

There are pros and cons to every choice, but it is interesting to consider:  Are you a large company or small company worker?

Don’t forget that clear, concise, optimized job search materials AND a strong, well executed plan are key for job search success! I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  Could you use some help mobilizing your job search plans? If you’re ready to hire a pro to help you get where you want to go, contact me to find out how you can boost your job search – both online and off line. Check out my new book, Social Networking for Career Success, to learn how to use social networking tools to your advantage!

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 Clif1066