If you are a job seeker, I wouldn’t be surprised if you welcome the opportunity to hear from recruiters and sourcers (the ones who track down candidates) about how to position yourself to land a great opportunity. On this “international” edition of my friend Stephanie A. Lloyd’s Dream Job Radio show, listeners not only had the opportunity to hear directly from those great resources, but also got the HR perspective – more accurately, the Punk Rock HR perspective, which always adds spice to the mix!

Featured guests included: Geoff Webb and Maha Akiki representing RecruitingBlogs, Laurie Ruettimann of PunkRockHR fame and Craig Fisher, creator and host of #TalentNetLive.

(In the photo to your right – Maha, Geoff and Craig) >

I was happy to share the coach’s vantage point, answering such questions as “What do you advise for job seekers who cannot afford to hire help?” and others! (There I am with Laurie in the picture below!)

Some tidbits from the show:

Craig – You are in big trouble if your job profile is just a paper resume. Everything is going mobile. Get a good smart phone.

Geoff – Resumes are terrible. You need to be involved in social media. Build a Google profile.

Laurie – Don’t feel that you must find a “dream” job. “Dream jobs” don’t always pay the bills. Hiring is not fair and we all need to recognize that!

Maha – Build a great online profile so I can find you while you are sleeping!

Stephanie – Get creative. Companies don’t take care of people. Get creative and have multiple streams of income. (There is Stephanie, running the show, below!)

Listen to the show HERE to catch all of the great advice from a terrific group of pros!

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.

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SuperFreakonomics,” by the economist Steven Levitt and writer Stephen Dubner, is not only a book with mind-blowing ideas, innovative research and quality investigative journalism, it’s also a story about creativity and what it takes to get the mindset to turn conventional concepts upside down.

(Follow the link to learn more about the book. Suffice to say they have some pretty outrageous ideas and suggestions for solving problems. For example, to alleviate global warming, send a hose into the sky. Really.)

The point is that they are clearly thinking “outside of the box.” Let’s say their ideas would blow box wrappers away!

What does this have to do with you?

More often than not, I believe that job seekers with the gumption to see beyond the obvious are the ones who land the jobs. Several points struck me when I was watching this story on 20/20. I tweeted them (see below). Coincidentally, these tweets came right after I shared a link to Harry Urschel’s post listing reasons job seekers often give for not getting the job.

Harry Urschel (@eExecutives) notes: “I regularly hear people tell me that they can’t get a job because:

• I’m too old and face age discrimination.
• I’m too young and companies are hiring older more experienced people.
• I don’t have a degree.
• I’m over qualified with my graduate degree.
• They are only hiring men.
• They are only hiring women.
• I have physical restrictions.
• Companies want more experience with a particular skill.
• Companies don’t want much experience these days.
• I have too many jobs on my resume.
• I’ve been at one company too long.
• Companies are only hiring consultants.
• Companies are focused on diversity, and I’m not “diverse”.
• I’m a minority and face discrimination.
• It’s a “Good Old Boys” network, and I’m not a “Good Old Boy”.
• …and many, many more.

He goes on:

After 23 years in the executive search business, I can honestly tell you that many of the traditional barriers that used to be common, are all but gone.  “Conventional Wisdom” about age, or race, disability, or sex discrimination just don’t exist anywhere near where they used to even 10 or 20 years ago.  Certainly there are instances where it occurs, however, they are isolated and rare.  Most people that are convinced that they are being singled out though, “find” discrimination, or negative business reasons everywhere.

Even more interesting, Harry comments:

In fact, for almost any person that gives a reason why they cannot get hired, you can find another person with the same circumstances that got a job.  It may take more effort. It may take a different approach. However, the biggest stumbling block to getting a job is often the mindset of the seeker.

Be sure to read his full post HERE.

This reminds me a lot of my friend Stephanie A. Lloyd’s post, “75 Reasons You Didn’t Get the Job.” An excerpt:

1. You laughed too much.
2. You didn’t show a sense of humor.
3. You talked too loud.
4. You talked too softly.
5. You seemed arrogant.
6. You didn’t show enough confidence.
7. You were late.
8. You arrived *way* too early.
9. Your resume is too long.
10. Your resume is too short.
11. Your hair is too long.
12. Your hair is too short.

Hmm…Can’t win, can you? The fact is, there is no perfect job search technique. We coaches suggest best practices, advise what not to do, but there is really no magic wand…no silver bullet.

So – back to Freakonomics…Are you looking at EVERY AVAILABLE OPTION? Are you FORGETTING WHAT YOU WANT TO BE TRUE? Think about it….Let me know what you are doing and thinking!

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 bhaven

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Yesterday, I attended the New Media Atlanta, a conference organized by Matt Fagioli and Brad Nix. (In the picture, I pose (from far left) with my friends Stephanie A. Lloyd and Stephanie Frost with key note speaker and social media guru, Chris Brogan.)

Listening to the speakers and panelists, one message came across very clearly to me:

Advice to entrepreneurs and business owners for using social media to improve their prospects parallels the advice I offer job seeking clients.

Below is a recap of my tweets from the conference. (In reverse chronological order.) See if you don’t agree that job seekers can learn a lot from information aimed at business owners!

For non Twitter users, #nmatl is a “hashtag” used for the conference to make it easier for people to follow the conversation on Twitter. If you search that tag on Twitter, you will find the entire stream of tweets about the conference.

MY TWITTER RECAP

. @chrisbrogan talking about “share vs. hoard.” Good for #jobseekers to think about-SHARE. You may be surprised at results

Don’t collect business cards like Pokemon via @chrisbrogan at #nmatl. DO: LISTEN-ASK-RECIPROCATE-COMMENT-COMMENT BACK

Business opportunities come to people who connect ppl to other ppl – via @chrisbrogan #nmatl

.@chrisbrogan reminds us that #jobseekers shouldn’t start looking for a job after they’ve been fired. Manage UR relationships along the way

“Your competitor is doing it.” @chrisbrogan on social media for businesses. SAME for #jobseekers. Find your niche & what you offer. #nmatl

. @chrisbrogan says “Reciprocity is a powerful thing” – YES. #Jobseekers – listen up! #nmatl

Integrate social media with all of your marketing efforts-advice for businesses from #nmatl. Also ++ for #jobseekers. Don’t rely on 1 thing.

Branding advice works for #jobseekers-Simple story, be articulate and intelligent! Take the time to KNOW YOUR STORY! #nmatl

#nmatl – Branding – Find a simple story in product and present it in articulate & intelligent, persuassive way – Bill Bernbach via @tobydiva

Brent Leary says “Listening to customers yields more than asking.” Same idea for #jobseekers-use your ears and mind to connect. #nmatl

Jeff Turner shares useful tool to monitor # convos: http://tweetgrid.com/irc #nmatl

Jeff Turner: “important to take risks.” Lesson for job seekers: Take a chance! Connect w/someone new. What’s worst that’ll happen? #nmatl

Relationships matter in web of interconnections. Key for jobseekers-networking = relationships. No matter what you call it. #nmatl

I posted a blog on the day of the conference that I’ve been holding for a while, but seemed perfect: Job seekers (and business owners) pitch what you offer, not what you WANT. I think this is a good reminder of many of the lessons that speakers shared. A lot of it boils down to a very basic message:

USE YOUR EARS FIRST! Listen, respond, connect.

It’s not rocket science, but clearly not everyone is doing this or doing it well. If you do it well, you can fuel your job hunt and/or entrepreneurial plans. Don’t get left behind!

Since this is all about connecting, here are some people I had a chance to either meet for the first time and/or spend time with again at the event and links to their Twitter accounts:

Stephanie A. Lloyd, Stephanie Frost, Marna Friedman, Taryn Pisaneschi, Robyn Cobb, Marisa Sharpe, Stone Payton, Todd Schnick, Jenny Devaughn, Chad Rothschild, Jeff Turner, Bert Dumars, Victoria Dunmire, Chris Jordan,  Kevin Metzger, Willie Jackson,  Andrea Walker and Sandra Spiller.

I’m looking forward to the opportunity to get to know some of my new friends and to possible business opportunities in the offing!

If you need help using social networking (Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn, FaceBook, etc.) for your business or job search – I can help! Please learn more about what I can do to help you!

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While many of Gen Y’s employment troubles can be blamed solely on the current economy, there are other difficult circumstances they must overcome, Pollak says. Those with the misfortune of having been born in the 1980s are also the first wave of job seekers who have been trained to seek conventional careers yet are entering a workplace that is alien to every previous generation.

“The old paradigm is clearly not working anymore,” she says. “The thinking was that all the baby boomers would start to retire and there would be lots of new positions open, but that’s not happening. Even the meaning of the word ‘career’ is changing. You’re not going to see people working for one company for 30 years anymore.”

There’s no doubt that Gen Y (and all) job seekers who embrace the new paradigm will be the most successful finding fulfilling positions, but those positions may look very different from the old norms.

The article notes:

Pollak, author of the new post-grad bible, “Getting From College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World,” says some new terms are cropping to describe the peripatetic nature of employment today, in which workers will commonly jump from job to job, sometimes moving into several different fields. Some are calling these “slash-careers,” she says, referring to the need to add a series of slashes in job descriptions (e.g., editor/speaker/dancer). Others say young job seekers are members of “free-agent nation” and need to become their own CEOs and take more control of their careers.

Marci Alboher, author of One Person/Multiple Careers,  authority on “slash careers” and the writer who likely first coined the term notes on her website:

“…slash careers integrate and fully express the multiple passions, talents, and interests that a single career often cannot accommodate.“

Anyone looking for a job, particularly young people with less experience, will do well to embrace a variety of types of internships, part-time work and entrepreneurial options to take advantage of the opportunities the current economy offers. No, it isn’t your father’s job market…The situation requires a creative approach and may result in different types of results from the ones college students might have expected. However, there are positive aspects to the situation – the proverbial “silver lining.”

For one Gen Y’s optimistic take on the situation, see the video interview with Stephanie Perrett, a Gen Y intern for Stephanie A. Lloyd and Radiant Veracity:

If your search is stalling, consider getting some help to get it jump started? Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.

photo by hana8hana

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Do you live in the Atlanta area? Unemployment in the state of Georgia is now at 10.7% and predicted to go even higher

Think about it…Would you pull your own tooth? Wire your own home for electricity? Do you cut your own hair? Most would say “no.” If it is important (involving our health, safety or appearance), we hire an expert. However, many people face one of the most challenging tasks alone, without the benefit of professional expertise. It’s no wonder that many job seekers feel alone and depressed. Looking for a job is challenging and often unpredictable.

Your career is one of your most crucial financial investments. Whether you are actively engaged in a search, underemployed or unhappily employed, it makes sense to consult an expert as you embark on your search for a new job. Many job seekers don’t stop to think about how much money less-than-optimal job search methods costs them. Consider, if you are unemployed, how much money you lose for every day that you are out of work? Your return on investment in yourself to get help and land a job sooner than you might have on your own may pay off substantially!

No one wants to be a professional job seeker. Wouldn’t it be nice to have experienced allies who will help you every step of the way? It’s not a “come as you are” job market. Stop wasting your time; learn how to make use of today’s tools and resources to propel your search forward.

Let us help you help yourself! Learn more about what we are offering Atlanta-area job seekers, including coaching on LinkedIn, Twitter, interviewing and in-person networking. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS and to sign up. Don’t delay – our early adopter price is only good through July 31st. (And you get a free coaching session as an early adopter.) Don’t hesitate to be in touch if you have questions about You Need a Job, but seating is limited, so don’t delay!

The post You want a job! appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Even if you are not using Twitter (yet!), feel free to join us! I invited a non-tweeting colleague who asked, “What is the advantage of a tweetup?” Let me count the ways! For the uninitiated, a tweetup is just the Twitter term for a get-together/opportunity to network with all different types of people. It’s amazing what synergies there are between professionals in very different fields.

Networking is important for job seekers and non-job seekers alike. This tweetup (free to attend – you purchase your food and beverages) – is a great way to connect with people you would probably never otherwise meet! I hope to see you there, and feel free to invite your friends! You can RSVP by clicking HERE, but feel free to come, even at the last minute!

The post Are you in Atlanta? Join us for the #ATLMix Tweetup appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Interested in some great tips about how to use social networking for your job hunt? Wonder why you should conduct vanity searches regularly and what to do if you have the same name as a death row inmate(!) Do you know about pipl.com and why you should incorporate it into your search? I have just the resource for you…

I hope you’ll listen to the High Velocity Radio Show, guest hosted by Stephanie A. Lloyd of Radiant Veracity. I was a guest along with  Jenny DeVaughn, Senior Talent Consultant with Talent Connections. (There we are in the picture at lunch after the show.) We talked about using social media for both recruiters and job-seekers. Listeners will gain lots of inside tips and tricks!

You can listen to the show by clicking HERE.

We were joined in the studio by Lee Kantor, co-host, who runs Business RadioX, “an Atlanta-based internet radio network that helps entrepreneurs and business owners connect with their prospects and dramatically grow their businesses by hosting their own radio show and podcasting it on the internet.” If you are in Atlanta, be sure to review Business RadioX to learn about opportunities to host a radio show!

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How important is it to be on LinkedIn and can you tell us how a recruiter uses LinkedIn to source candidates?

If you’re not on LinkedIn, create a profile *now.* I suggest a robust profile – the more the better. Recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn all the time to find candidates, doing key word searches. Many times these are based on job responsibilities, so if you have your title but don’t fill in what you did in each job you may not show up in the results. For the most part I copied and pasted my resume in to my LinkedIn profile.

The next thing you should do is search and select several groups to join. These should relate to your job function and/or industry. Jobs can now be posted free in groups, and if you’re a member you’ll have access to the listings. Recruiters join industry groups in order to have access to members. Remember, your goal is to be found!

Finally, recruiters and hiring managers are looking to see how many recommendations you have, and how genuine they are. Carefully select several people you have worked for and with in the past, and ask them to write a recommendation for you. A word of caution – if your recommendations are all reciprocal that can be a red flag (“I’ll write one for you if you’ll write one for me.”) Instead, write several (genuine) recommendations for other people you’ve worked with in the past and pay it forward.

Do you need help with your search? Follow this link to learn how I can help propel your job hunt!

In Atlanta? GA is expecting 10.1% unemployment. Get ahead of the game so you will be prepared to search for your next opportunity with local job search interventions: http://youneedajob.org/

The post The other side of the hiring desk, pt. 7: How a recruiter uses LinkedIn appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Where can you find High Velocity Radio? Follow THIS LINK to Stephanie’s blog for a “listen live” player.

There is no “one size fits all” career advice. Don’t you deserve the best, personalized information and help? Learn how I can help you with your search.

Frustrated that your search isn’t resulting in a job? In Atlanta? Join me and Stephanie for our series of in-person job search interventions. Read more about how to propel your search and sign up here.

The post Live on High Velocity Radio! appeared first on Keppie Careers.

What should job seekers do to turn a recruiter into a fan?

Turning a recruiter in to a “fan” shouldn’t be all that difficult. I’m contacted every day by people who impress me.

Once you identify a recruiter you think is a good contact for you, I recommend a brief, courteous and professional phone call, email, LinkedIn message or “Tweet” if on Twitter, with a brief introduction, a bit about your background and a description of the opportunity you’re seeking.

I personally prefer a brief email with the candidate’s resume attached so that I can review it and determine whether I have anything for the candidate now or potentially down the road – and if not, I can refer him or her to another recruiter and/or other resources that might be of help.

What does not impress a recruiter? Do you have any “real life” memories of candidates who made you want to run the other direction?

Sadly…where to begin?!? This is precisely why I started @JobSnob on Twitter, which was inspired by a candidate that I recently phone interviewed. He yawned throughout the entire interview! That was obviously a non-starter.

Another candidate whom I implored to wear a suit to his interview with our client…did not. He called me ten minutes after the interview began and said it was over. Knowing that something must have gone wrong, my colleague and I spoke with the hiring manager who stated that he was incredibly annoyed and insulted that my candidate did not have the respect to wear a suit to interview with him. This not only reflected poorly on my candidate, but also on our firm! Because I clearly could not trust this candidate, I did not work with him again.

The worst situation I’ve encountered in my recruiting career to-date was with the very first candidate I placed. She interviewed well with me and the client, and they asked me to extend an offer to her. I called her with the offer and stated, “This offer is contingent on a background check. You know your background better than I do, and if you’d like to wait until the results come back before giving notice, that’s perfectly fine.” She said no; that she was so excited and was going to give notice right then. And she did.

She went to work for my client before the background check came back (this was their decision). After they’d spent a week training her, they received the results. It turns out she was a convicted felon: forgery and writing bad checks. And she was an Accounting Manager! When they went to talk to her about it – assuming it was a mistake and wanting to clear it up – she gathered her things and said she wasn’t planning to come back on Monday anyway. I did manage to save the account with my client and had to do a replacement search at no charge. Fortunately, I quickly found someone they liked even better and she worked out very well. However, I could have easily lost that client over that situation.

Moral of the story: please be up front with recruiters you work with! If you’re not, you may not only jeopardize your relationship with us, you risk our relationships with our clients, our reputation and ultimately our livelihood.

Do you need help with your search? Follow this link to learn how I can help propel your job hunt!

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