Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Don't Try to Grow a Bigger Ox and Your Job Hunt

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Musk Ox of Alaska

photo by drurydrama

So, you’re wondering what a bigger ox has to do with your job hunt?

Today’s post was inspired by a quote from Peter Shankman, author, PR guru and owner of the list “Help A Reporter Out.” Today, his email reads:

In pioneer days, they used oxen for pulling, and when one ox couldn’t budge a log, they didn’t try and grow a bigger ox.” Peter says, “When one pitch doesn’t work, sending six more of the exact same pitches usually won’t, either.”

Peter’s focus is PR – pitching stories to reporters or other influencers in hopes of achieving good buzz for a client or product. I’ve often written about how a job search is an exercise in marketing and PR, so the jump from a focus on a “pitch” to thinking about your job hunt is more of a hop than a leap.

If you’ve been sending out your “pitch/resume” and haven’t been getting the response you’d like, consider if your plan is as effective as trying to grow a bigger ox. Sending and re-sending that same resume is not going to help you get anywhere but frustrated. Most likely, a revision (maybe a transformation) is in order!

Throw in some great networking and interviewing tips, and you’re on the right path.

Keppie Careers can help you get your job search moving! www.keppiecareers.com

Communicate for Impact!

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Communicating effectively and with clarity is key for job seekers and professionals in all fields. For job seekers, the ability to connect in an interview and sell themselves confidently makes the difference between a shot at the job and getting the job. Others in the workforce find themselves trying to persuade others of their viewpoints on a regular basis.

Do you come across as unsure? Uncertain? Do you end every sentence with a question mark? If so, you aren’t communicating for impact!

This video (a FedEx commercial) perfectly demonstrates how important it is to communicate with emphasis and clarity. (Hat tip: Speechworks’ blog, Talking Points).

Don’t have your ideas stolen by someone with more authority…Focus on the communication skills that will launch or sink your career.

Stay tuned for more on the art of communication!

Keppie Careers will help you communicate with impact. Need help getting your ideas across for a job hunt? www.keppiecareers.com.

Stop Toe-Tapping: Clarifying Expectations for Your Job Hunt, Part II

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Toe-tapping

Photo by vintagediva_nat

Last week, I wrote that it is a good idea to clarify expectations for your job hunt. I focused on the fact that you need to give yourself a reasonable amount of time to land a job you want. If you’re convinced that a successful job search will be a 2-month process, when realistically, 8 months is typical, you are setting yourself up to be disappointed.

Similarly, it will help your job hunt management plan if you clarify expectations for the all important, “Waiting to hear.” Most job hunters spent a lot of time “waiting to hear.” You’re waiting to hear if you’ll get an interview. You’re waiting to hear if you’re being considered…Waiting to find out if you made it to round two…If you’ll get an offer. Sometimes, it seems like the waiting never ends. Maybe it seems like waiting for Godot…

I recently received an email from a client who was anxiously waiting to hear back from a very large employer. They told her that she was under consideration for a position. That was two weeks ago. Her question: Does this employer typically take so long?

My response: When you are waiting for an employer to get back to you about a job (especially a large employer with an HR department and a lot of hiring layers), think in terms of months, not days.

Her reply was very smart: “I guess I should stop toe-tapping.”

There are a lot of productive things that you can do with your time while you are in the “waiting” stage.

It is best to always have several balls up in the air – never stop your search to wait for just one or two employers to get back to you.

One useful strategy to help avoid needless toe tapping:

If you do speak to someone who
lets you know that you are under
consideration for a job, express
enthusiasm and excitement and
ask about their time frame.

A great last question for an interviewee to ask at an interview: When do you expect to make a decision? Granted, their answer is not set in stone. Things change. Delays occur. However, if you know that they are interviewing 35 people over the next 3 weeks, it will help you plan your follow-up.

I really liked this list of ideas from the Villanova University School of Law about how to handle the waiting game:

  • Accept that two things are certain in the job search process: (1) the process will often be unpredictable and (2) you will often face uncertainty.
  • Take action on other fronts by pursuing other employers. Keep moving forward while you’re waiting for a response. Don’t wait passively for something to happen. Be proactive by targeting other employers.
  • Follow up with employers by phone, e-mail and/or letter. Mark your calendar so you remember the next follow-up dates.
  • When following up, convey your continued enthusiasm, not your frustration. Remember: the person on the other end of that call can be your best advocate or your worst enemy. How you treat them will dictate which role they play in your candidacy.
  • Continue networking with the organization-you may develop helpful relationships.
  • Be ready to move quickly if and when you finally do get a response. Use the “waiting period” to research the employer in greater depth and determine what questions you’d need answered before accepting an offer.
  • Know your audience when following up. Are they overwhelmed? Afraid to make hasty decision? Waiting for economic justification to hire? Trying to convince others to hire you? Empathize with your audience and don’t vent your frustration.
  • Expand your plan. Develop new targets. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
  • Be honest. Don’t use ruses to get faster answers. Don’t say “I’ve got an offer from another employer” if you don’t. Honesty is always the best policy.
  • Make peace with the fact that closure may not occur in every situation. Persistence in the face of uncertainty will eventually produce results!

Although it may not seem like it, a lot of the job search process IS in your court…use your “waiting” time well. Prepare for a possible interview. Find an even better job and apply for it! Don’t forget to drive your own career bus. If it seems stalled at the station, it is up to you to put the key in and start the ignition!

Are you sure your resume will shorten your wait? Need help preparing for an interview? Keppie Careers is here to help!

Clarify Expectations for Your Job Search

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Photo by yourpaldave

Growing up, my good friend frequently offered two words of advice that seemed to work for most any situation. The advice? “Clarify expectations.” Think about it – how many problems would be prevented if only the parties had set up specific expectations prior to engaging in whatever caused friction or hurt feelings? Letting everyone know what to expect – upfront – is a great problem-preventing strategy.

So, why am I telling you about my friend? I think his advice works well for job seekers.

Clarifying expectations for your job hunt will solve you countless
problems and needless anxiety.

Clarify how long you expect to search for a job. In the old days, the figure that was tossed around was to expect to search one month for every $10,000 in salary. So, if you are hoping to earn $80,000 – expect an 8-month search.

The fact is, there is no specific data that indicate how long it will take to find a job. Everyone’s situation is unique.

While hiring a resume writer or coach will most likely shorten your search, and focusing your hunt in productive areas (networking) and avoiding time drains (zapping tons of resumes online) will help, there’s no hard data on the subject.

So, you are kind of on your own here. Assuming you need to find a job, the choice factor mostly pertains to holding out for the “right” job. Maybe you have opportunities to take positions for less money than you’d like, or jobs that are not as interesting or challenging, but you want to hold out as long as possible for a job you’d appreciate.

Think about this…What is your time line? What is your financial situation?

How long can you wait before you will need to take a job – any job?

Be clear with yourself – and realistic with your expectations. Most people probably won’t be able to pick up their dream job in a month, but maybe your network is so evolved and your job hunting skills so well trained that you can meet that deadline. Your search will be more productive if you know how long you’ll allow yourself to hunt. You may be less stressed after one or two months if you’ve recognized and clarified the fact that you expect your search to take 6 months or more.

Stay tuned for more tips about how clarifying expectations will help you in your job hunt.

Keppie Careers is here to help you meet your expectations. Do you need a great resume? Tips to get you through the day? Contact us: www.keppiecareers.com

Why Your Job Hunt Isn't Like Barry the Bee's, Part II

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Photo by bbum

Yesterday’s post served to remind job seekers that picking a job or career could be worse…You could be a bee who, after a 3-week course of study, must choose a vocation in the hive for the rest of his life!

I promised more reasons not to stress out about a job search in Part II…

In her blog, “Take the Pressure Off the Process of Choosing A Career,” Penelope Trunk makes some great points that are perfect to support the “don’t sweat it too much” theory of job hunting. She suggests the following points (commentary my own):

Squash perfectionist tendencies and get comfortable in gray areas.
No job is perfect. The job hunt is a process. For some, a lifelong process, of exploring. Things will change along the way. Your life will change, which may require your job goals to change. Or vice verse. Again, the key point is that no choice is set in stone, so don’t feel that you have to make a “perfect” choice.

Stop looking for a career to save your life.
Penelope notes that “a career can’t make you happy.” If you expect the “perfect” job to make your life complete, you may be waiting a very long time. Relax about the career choices you make. Be lucky that you’re not a bee…If you don’t like your job, you can make a change. It’s not a good idea to approach jobs without foresight and research to determine what is right, but there are no life-long contracts. If it doesn’t work out, you can adapt and find something new.

Don’t wait until you know yourself.
How can you know yourself until you try yourself? This does not only apply to young job seekers, but anyone in the working world. If you have been doing the same job your whole life, how will you know if something else might be better suited to your skills, needs and interests?

In today’s working world, no one expects you to have one job for life. Unlike Barry the Bee, your choices are only limited by your skills and desires. Think of this as an opportunity…The world is your flower. Don’t waste time buzzing around the same hive!

Keppie Careers will help you find the right fit for your skills and experiences. Visit us at www.keppiecareers.com.