How to Have a Healthy Job Search Network
Posted: May 23, 2012 Filed under: Job Search, LinkedIn, Career Management (General) | Tags: job search, career management, networking, job search network, healthy job search network, growing your network Leave a comment »A successful job search can depend heavily on having a healthy network. However, you won’t have one until you build it, and you won’t have it for long unless you nourish or sustain it! Note: Sustain means to “strengthen or support physically or mentally,” and that’s as critical for a healthy job search network as it is for anything else you expect to be–and remain–productive for you. When I started thinking about this topic, I decided to do a quick search for ideas offered by other writers online, and I immediately found one that fitted neatly with what I was thinking. It’s called “Planting Seeds, Growing Your Network,” by Jennifer Miller. I’m sure I’ll find others if I keep looking.
Build a Strong Job Search Network
I should probably consider calling it a career management network, because that’s really what it is. You can’t have a healthy network if you only do something about it when you’re in the midst of a job search. It has to be an ongoing activity. So how do you build a strong job search or career management network? Be selective, for starters. Your goal probably isn’t to become a LION (LinkedIn Open Networker), not even to amass 500+ contacts in your LinkedIn network–although there’s nothing inherently wrong about reaching that number. At this stage, though, I believe it’s at least as much about quality as it is about quantity and maybe even more so.
At the same time, you don’t necessarily want to restrict your networking to online resources (social media and the like). Those are just one potentially useful venue. What about offline groups or organizations you belong to or have some kind of connection with? You might participate in sports clubs, book clubs, special interest groups, charitable organizations, or any of a number of other organizations that have at least the potential to become a career management resource. Since you’re presumably already contributing in some way as a member, you have a head start on gaining positive visibility and being viewed as someone who gives rather than just takes.
Sustain Your Job Search Network
Jennifer Miller has some suggestions about this in her Q&A article. In response to a question about how to devote time to networking when someone is very busy, she says, “Nourishing your network need not be as time-consuming as you might think. You don’t need to make endless rounds of ‘work the room’ type meetings.” Then she mentions three things you can do to build and maintain networking momentum:
- Send a congratulatory note or interesting article to a colleague.
- Dash off a short “how are you doing” email to someone you haven’t heard from in a while.
- Update your LinkedIn status page.
Can you maintain genuine relationships with a large network over time? Possibly not. In fact, I’d say probably not. Again, it’s that quality vs. quantity issue. Some degree of personal attention is required for the relationship to benefit both parties to it. If the person on the other end doesn’t get a sense that you actually value the connection, he or she has little (if any) motivation to sustain (nourish) it. The result might be that you both lose something that could have produced mutual benefit.
Be smart about who you have in your network(s) and about where and how you spend time sustaining the relationships with them. There’s nothing wrong in an element of self-interest, as long as it’s not exclusive (all-consuming). The time and energy you selectively spend can produce substantial rewards.
Omit Home Address from Your Resume?
Posted: May 21, 2012 Filed under: Career Management (General), Job Search, Resumes | Tags: geographical areas, home address, identity theft, location information, privacy, rejection by employers, resumes, screening procedures Leave a comment »Should you leave your home address off your resume? This question has a variety of answers, depending on the circumstances and whom you ask. Some key issues include privacy, protection from identity theft, and trying to avoid premature rejection by employers.
Resumes: Privacy and Protection from Identity Theft
The privacy issue includes ideas such as not letting people know where you actually live when you’re sending your resume out into the world, presumably since all kinds of people will be seeing it and could make note of your address for purposes of their own. Personally, I think the likelihood of this happening is fairly remote, but I can’t say it would never happen.
On the other hand, protection from identity theft has become a serious issue in recent years. It’s something that can cause devastating problems for you through no fault of your own. For that reason, it would seem a reasonable precaution to avoid displaying your complete home address on your resume. When an employer becomes genuinely interested in hiring you, providing the address becomes a non-issue.
One possible alternative that I believe makes good sense is to list the city, state and ZIP code, without the physical street address. Another way to deal with this involves renting a mailbox that doesn’t look on the face of it like a mailbox address.
Resumes: Avoiding Premature Rejection by Employers
Sometimes employers set up screening procedures that look for candidates living—or not living—in certain areas. For example, they might be biased against people living in other geographical areas for fear they’ll be asked to pay for relocation or because they want someone who is well versed in the local culture and has local contacts. However, companies might have other reasons for using your resume’s lack of location information or inclusion of certain information against you.
The following are some points recently shared by one of my professional colleagues, Robin Schlinger, who is located in Georgia:
- If you eliminate the entire address and the client is applying for jobs in Georgia, they most likely will not be considered for the job, unless the client has really unusual, highly technical skills that are in demand.
- In Atlanta, it is not good enough just to live in/close to Atlanta. Due to transportation issues, people need to live in the right ZIP codes to get an offer.
- Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) check addresses or ZIP codes for proximity and will reject applications from applicants who do not fit the geographical profile.
Robin recommends that the resume indicate your mailing address if you’re not interested in relocation and that you rent a mailbox at a UPS store or other mailbox store in the general ZIP code area where you are looking for a job. You can also arrange to list the local address of a friend or relative, with his/her permission, and you can get a local cell phone number. Of course, with the current portability of phone numbers, an area code is no longer quite the location give-away it once was.
Be aware, however, that if you are currently working in, say, Texas and want to land a job in California, your resume is going to show a geographical discrepancy regardless of whether or not you include any location information in the contact section at the top.
Cover Letters versus E-Notes
Posted: May 18, 2012 Filed under: Cover Letters, Job Search, Trends--New and Changing | Tags: cover letters, e-notes, emerging trend, job search, subject line Leave a comment »Some things get super-sized, like fast-food portions. Others get minimized…like cover letters? Just when I thought I knew everything there was to know about writing cover letters (not really), I started seeing references to e-notes. Apparently, we now have to start thinking in terms of the old quote about “less is more” with regard to cover letters. So, hello, e-notes!
Difference between a Cover Letter and an E-Note
As I understand it (I’ve just started researching this), an e-note could be compared to a cover letter on a diet. It needs to fit comfortably into the body of an e-mail message, ideally short enough to be read without scrolling down. Typically, it might have 6-7 paragraphs of 2-3 lines each, sometimes only one line. The first paragraph should grab the right kind of attention, preferably with a clear reference to something the reader is likely to care about or at least a concise statement of your purpose in sending the message. You can use an e-note to reach out to your network, to contact recruiters and, presumably, to pursue opportunities directly with hiring managers. The e-note also needs a strong and clear subject line if you hope to have recipients actually read it.
Cover letters have normally been a full page or close to it–maybe as few as 3 paragraphs but more likely as many as 5 or 6, with each paragraph running from possibly a couple of lines to as many as 5 lines. The cover letter might or might not contain a short bulleted list. It also might or might not have a subject line, which often would simply be the title of the position being sought (although that’s not a particularly creative approach, it is direct). We know that not everyone reads the cover letter that comes with your resume, although a good letter has still been considered important because it allows you to reinforce the impression you hope your resume is making and also lets you do some customizing.
Are Cover Letters Doomed in Favor of E-Notes?
While it might be premature to pronounce cover letters a thing of the past, it’s hard to ignore an emerging trend toward brevity, which has also had some impact on resumes in recent years (possibly accelerated by devices such as smart phones and tablets). That job search trend suggests an e-note might increasingly be the communication tool of choice, particularly when so many of our communications travel electronically. You can also hope that the e-note will actually get read before the recipient opens the attached resume–it might be a little harder to ignore than a separate cover letter and also more encouraging for people to read, simply because it’s short. That’s if–and it’s a big IF–you craft your e-note thoughtfully and judiciously to make every word count as much as possible.
Whether you create a cover letter or an e-note to send with your resume, you still need to do your homework about the position you’re pursuing and the company that’s hiring for it. In fact, it might be even more important to do this with an e-note, since you’ll have to choose wisely to make the best use of the space available. Think of it this way: If you had to pay $5 for each word you used, would you weigh your choices carefully? I’m betting you would!
Job Fit: Things You Should Know
Posted: May 14, 2012 Filed under: Career Management (General), Job Search | Tags: Certified Job Search Strategist, ideal company, ideal job, job fit, job opportunities, job satisfaction, job search Leave a comment »How good a fit is the job you have now? The one you’re pursuing or interviewing for? While we’re at it, how good a fit is the company itself–your current employer or the one you’re aiming for next? If you haven’t asked yourself these questions yet, you really should. Failure to identify the answers can lead to failure in the job because it or the company isn’t a good fit for you, or vice-versa.
A few years ago I took training to become a Certified Job Search Strategist (CJSS). The core training resource was a book called Job Search Magic, by Susan Whitcomb. I’ve used that book and its principles countless times since then to help clients focus their job search effectively. In view of the current challenging economy and changing work world, I thought it was time to revisit some of its ideas that you might not be familiar with.
External “F.I.T.” and Its Relationship to Your Job Fit
According to Job Search Magic, your Career “Master F.I.T.(TM)” consists of two kinds: external and internal. For the purposes of this post, I’m only going to touch on the external kind. Whitcomb presents F.I.T. as standing for Function (what you want and would like to do), Interests or Industry (where and with whom you want to do those things), and Things That Matter (values and priorities that are critical for your best performance).
Looking at this concept in the light of your current job, for instance, does the job require you to spend time doing something you really dislike, such as working more with numbers than people? That probably means that a primary function of your job is not a good fit for you. If you knew that going in, maybe you assumed it wouldn’t be a big enough deal to bother you much, but now you know better. When you plan your next job search, therefore, you’ll want to keep in mind that fairly extensive people interaction is a primary goal for you, and a job that doesn’t offer it is likely to be one you won’t be happy with.
A passionate interest in a particular field or industry might be the motivator you need to pursue certain job opportunities. For example, if you’ve always been a nature lover and care deeply about protecting our wildlife, you might seek a job as a park ranger or game warden. On the other hand, holding a position as a claims adjuster in the auto insurance industry might make you increasingly reluctant to show up for work! The disparity between the field or industry you’re most interested in and the one in which you work is too great for long-term satisfaction.
Finally, if the job you hold or the company where you work involves violating principles that are important to you or doesn’t provide conditions you consider essential, your job fit doesn’t look encouraging. Your job satisfaction will probably decline significantly, and your performance is likely to suffer. That’s a potentially slippery slope to involuntary termination (firing) or impulsive departure (emotionally driven resignation).
How to Maximize Your Job Fit
Think carefully about what you want to do and what you do not want to do. Both are important. Consider what your ideal job and ideal company might look like, if you could have everything you wanted. Then prioritize your “wants.” Finally, get “real” and determine which or how much of those you can realistically shoot for in your next job, based on your strengths, experience and other key factors. That’s your starting-point to evaluate both your current position and the next one you want to target.
Resume Padding: What’s the Problem?
Posted: May 11, 2012 Filed under: Career Management (General), Job Search | Tags: background checks, employment screening, falsified qualifications, job candidate, job seekers, resume padding, resume padding problems Leave a comment »Up-front clarification: I write resumes for clients as a professional, and I’ve decided I’m uncomfortable including information that is untrue, misleading, etc. I also discourage clients from doing it if I know they’re considering such a problematic course. However, unless I have a reason to know or at least suspect that a client is being dishonest, I have to take his/her word for the truthfulness of the resume contents. All I can do is refrain from including information I know is false. That said, I have some fairly strong opinions about the subject of resume padding, which has been prominent in the news so frequently over the years–very recently, in fact.
One Problem with Resume Padding
First, let’s define resume padding. As I see it, that refers to lies or exaggerations (a fancy word for lies that just “stretch the truth” somewhat) the job seeker knows aren’t factually accurate but chooses to include in the resume anyway. It does not refer to things like typographic errors (typos) that don’t get caught and corrected by careful proofreading. For instance, you could inadvertently type “increased sales by 25%” when you actually increased them only 15%, because the “1″ and the “2″ are right next to each other on the keyboard. However, you should be proofreading carefully enough to catch that.
On the other hand, when someone claims to have a certain university degree and knows he or she doesn’t–in some cases, didn’t even attend that university–that puts the truthfulness of the entire resume in question. What’s worse, it raises uncertainty and suspicion about resumes in general, many of which could actually be truthful. That puts an unfair burden on job seekers like you, who are trying their best to present themselves strongly to potential employers without crossing the line between truth and lies. That’s one problem with resume padding. There are others.
Other Resume Padding Problems
Here are just 3 more problems involved in resume padding:
- Companies spend valuable time and money hiring employees who have put lies into their resumes, and the companies might have been depending on the falsified qualifications to produce value for them. Discovering the lie after the fact (after hiring) causes multiple difficulties. That’s one reason so many employers are doing background checks these days. As noted in a “resume padding” article by Emanuella Grinberg for CNN), “In a 2010 survey of 1,818 organizations, 69% reported catching a job candidate lying on his or her resume, according to employment screening service HireRight.”
- The issue of violated trust raises its ugly head. People throughout an organization have put their trust in someone who has lied to them, directly or indirectly. As HireRight’s Employment Screening Benchmarking Report (mentioned in the article) states: “Even where lies may not represent a huge loss to the employer, companies report that catching a candidate in an untruth undermines confidence and credibility.”
- The judgment and ethics of the individual who has perpetrated the lie are called into serious question (at least in my mind), spurring concerns about the reliability and trustworthiness of that individual in other areas of his/her work and life. If an individual can justify lying about something on the resume to get a job, who’s to say he or she wouldn’t decide that other lies are equally justified down the road somewhere? Where does the line get drawn?
The Best Alternative to Resume Padding
Don’t let yourself get sucked into doing it! Instead of fabrication (another fancy word for lying), focus on creating and communicating genuine value–something employers can, in a sense, take to the bank. That can produce great results and won’t keep you on edge wondering when or how you’ll get caught.
Job Market Predictions–Are They Reliable?
Posted: May 7, 2012 Filed under: Career Management (General), Job Search | Tags: career management, job market, job market predictions, job market statistics, job seeker Leave a comment »Numerous news-feeds, blogs, etc., provide information on the latest job market statistics and often include predictions about what’s coming down the road–anywhere from short-term periods to years from now. As a current or future job seeker, you should do your best to stay on top of this kind of information, as an aid to your career management activities. However, if you take everything you read as gospel, you could find yourself thoroughly confused!
Job Market Predictions Not Cast in Concrete
One definition of “prediction” is “forecast.” Basically, that means “to estimate or calculate in advance.” That alone tells you something about the nature of predictions. Even the best job market experts are drawing conclusions about the future based on past and present knowledge available to them. They can’t assure you that what they believe will happen will actually happen, much less that it will happen when they predict and in the way they predict. Virtually every job market prediction they make is “subject to change without notice.” Too many variables can pop up to ensure any degree of certainty. Look at what happened when the bottom fell out of the real estate market, for example. The impact hit harder and lasted much longer than predicted, leaving many people scrambling to find jobs and careers outside that field.
Interpretation of Job Market Predictions
Even if statistics included in the predictions are based on reasonably sound assumptions, they can still be open to multiple interpretations. That’s why you’ll often see a particular news item viewed differently by different commentators, bloggers and others. Either intentionally or through unintentional bias, an individual can provide an interpretation of the statistics that fits his or her view but contradicts the view held by other individuals. Politicians aren’t the only ones guilty of this, but they’re definitely a good example. That means you need to take different views of job market statistics with a healthy dose of skepticism. Trying to stay informed about possible outcomes or events in the job market is good; letting yourself get sucked into unquestioning acceptance of a prediction based on something no more solid than Jello is not so good.
Tips for Responding to Job Market Predictions
Tip #1: Consider the source. How strong are the organization’s or individual’s credentials for making job market predictions? What kind of track record has been maintained and over how many years?
Tip #2: Remember that time changes everything–or almost everything. Predictions are moving targets. Even if something seems like a near-certainty now, in 5 years…a year…maybe even less, it could turn out to be anything but certain. It might not come to pass at all or maybe much later than originally predicted.
Tip #3: Build a contingency factor into any decisions you make based on job market predictions, even those that come from the most reliable source you can find.
As Benjamin Franklin once wrote: “…in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
Entrepreneurial Skills & Your Career Strategy
Posted: May 4, 2012 Filed under: Career Management (General), Job Search | Tags: career strategy, entrepreneurial skills, job seekers, networking, personal marketing, personal plan, professional associations, successful business Leave a comment »Whether or not you are–or ever expect to be–an entrepreneur, you could find it extremely useful to adopt some key entrepreneurial skills into your long-range career strategy, especially since the days of companies looking after the career well-being of their employees are way long gone.
As some of you know, I do resume reviewing and resume writing / job search coaching for an executive web site called BlueSteps, whose parent organization is the Association of Executive Search Consultants. I’ve become a fan of their blog (for which I’ve written a couple of posts), and a post from April 20 by Clara Widdison of AESC recently caught my attention. It’s titled, “How to Include Your Entrepreneurial Skills in Your Executive Career Strategy.” The points in Widdison’s post could be considered especially critical for senior managers and executives, but in reality, they’re probably good advice for all job seekers these days.
6 Tips for Entrepreneurial Skills in Career Strategy
In brief, Widdison lists 6 points you should keep in mind as you develop, fine-tune and periodically update your career strategy:
- Financial knowledge is critical to driving successful business, and even if your job doesn’t involve financial control directly, having that knowledge can boost your standing in the organization and provide opportunities for growth.
- Businesses need a written plan that gets updated regularly. If it already has one, develop a personal plan that shows how you will drive the business forward.
- It’s important for entrepreneurs to tap into knowledge of experienced peers and mentors in areas where they’re not as strong, but it’s also important to do that when you’re not an entrepreneur–don’t let embarrassment hold you back from seeking advice.
- Don’t get complacent. Always seek new challenges. This not only helps your company but also makes you more indispensable as an employee.
- Research, research, research. Especially the region and industry you’re working in. Join trade or professional associations. Become a mentor to subordinates and trusted advisor to superiors.
- Never underestimate the power of personal marketing and networking. Do them early and often, in terms of both time and money.
Evaluate Your Entrepreneurial Skills and Career Strategy
Maybe you think you don’t have any entrepreneurial skills, so how can you fit them into your career strategy? I used to think I never wanted to have my own business because I certainly didn’t see myself as an entrepreneur. About 10 years after that, I started my own business, which I’ve now been operating for about 20 years. Never say never!
Did I have strong entrepreneurial skills when I started? Heck, no! In some ways, I still don’t. I’m not going to be the next Steve Jobs, for example. I’m also not going to be Ms. I-Can-Sell-Ice-to-Eskimos! That’s not my style or my business model. However, some of what I observed from executives and other business people when I still held a “real” job proved to be valuable when I launched my own business. You could find the same to be true in your own experience–except you would be planning your career strategy to build success as a direct employee, rather than starting and running a company.
Research that Turns Career Strategy into Action
Widdison’s point about research particularly resonated with me. The more I talked to people who were successful at what I wanted to do, the more I learned about what it took to succeed. The more I researched resources others recommended to me, plus those I found on my own, the better armed I felt to tackle the challenges involved. At some point, however, you have to stop researching and take action. Otherwise, you’re just stuffing your head with knowledge you’ll never use. Decide when enough-is-enough and get moving! That’s what entrepreneurs tend to do, and it can work for you as well.
Check Your Professional References!
Posted: May 2, 2012 Filed under: Career Management (General), Job Search | Tags: career management, former employers, job search, previous employer, professional reference checking, professional references, prospective employers Leave a comment »The subject of references keeps cropping up, so I think it’s time to beat this drum again. If you haven’t checked recently to see what kind of shape your references are in, you might want to do it soon–for several reasons. For one thing, one or more of them might no longer give you the stellar recommendation you once expected. For another, if you haven’t been in touch in a while, one or more might have encountered personal or professional challenges that make them no longer quite such a good resource as they’ve been in the past.
Why You Should Check Your Professional References
First, let’s clarify one point about references that people sometimes overlook. The reason I use the phrase “professional references” is that most employers won’t waste much, if any, time, checking personal or “character” references. (I can think of only a few exceptions, such as when you’re applying for a position that requires a security clearance.) Also, when prospective employers are interested enough in you to ask for your references, they don’t necessarily limit themselves to those you provide to them. They can, and often do, contact previous employers and other sources, including people in your LinkedIn network.
Now to the point about why you should check your professional references occasionally. In a recent article by Michelle Rafter, “References: Don’t Assume an Old Boss Still Loves You,” the writer noted that you should not assume things are fine without bothering to check. As she commented, “When it comes to references, don’t assume–it could come back to bite you….Don’t take for granted that a previous employer will verify your job title and employment dates and leave it at that, or that if you left under less-than-ideal circumstances your old boss will keep quiet about it….” Rafter interviewed Jeff Shane, the owner of a reference checking company, and he indicated that in 20 years or so, his company has found that around 50% of the time, they uncover some kind of negative comment.
How to Check Professional References
You can do some discreet calling yourself or, which might be better, ask a trusted friend to do it for you, to see if he/she can get an idea of what’s being said. Under some circumstances, you might want to hire a professional reference checking service to explore the kinds of information your selected references and former employers are providing. As I might have mentioned before, the one I’m familiar with is Allison & Taylor, but I’m sure there are many out there–just make sure they’re reputable before you pay them to do your reference checking.
How Many References Should You Have?
This doesn’t relate directly to checking your references, but it’s another question that often comes up. Typically, I’ve recommended having a minimum of 3 and up to 5 references; however, the article raised a point that I hadn’t considered, and it’s a good one. You might not want to provide the same references for each position you pursue. Rafter quotes Shane as stating, “Some might be able to talk more effectively to your skill set more than others. So it could be a supervisor or second-level supervisor or close associate.” That being said, you’ll probably want to identify more than 5 professional references to draw from, so you have more choice and also don’t over-work the same ones by using them every time.
Test-Drive Your Dream Career
Posted: April 27, 2012 Filed under: Career Management (General), Job Search | Tags: career change, career disaster, dream career, dream career possibility, dream job, learning process, new career, test-drive your dream job Leave a comment »Whether you’re considering the possibility of retirement and starting a second career or maybe burned out in your current job and desperate to get out, you might be deterred by the potential problems involved in jumping into a new career. What if it fails miserably? For at least some people, there might be a way to test-drive that dream with minimum down-side risk.
The article that caught my attention today is “Test-Driving Your Dream Job” by David Ferrell. It’s an interesting read even if you’re not considering a career change.
How to Test-Drive Your Dream Career
A man named Brian Kurth came up with the idea of a company called VocationVacations because “he had a hard time finding a way to explore new fields and see what he liked while still working a day job” that he was seriously burned out with. His vocational mentors provide the Reader’s Digest condensed version of career exposure in fields that cover a diverse range, including archaeologist, makeup artist, and white-water rafting guide.
You don’t have to know anything about the career you’re dreaming about. You pay a fee for one to three days of up-close observation in the location where the mentor is based, plus the costs of your travel and accommodations. During that time, you’re exposed to critical elements of the career and have a chance to ground your fantasy in reality.
Avoid Career Missteps with a Test Drive
Not everyone will decide the dreamed-of new career is a right choice. You might be considering, as one person did, becoming a bed-and-breakfast owner. She knew it would be basically a 24×7 life and wasn’t discouraged, but if that field was your dream, you might find the demands of it more than you bargained for. Having to cater to the expectations of difficult guests could be just one of several drawbacks.
In most cases, too, you might not want to leap into the new career after the relatively brief observation, although it has been done (and successfully). As the article notes, “More typically, people take well over a year or two to prepare. The brief mentorships are just one aspect of the long learning process, and clients are just as successful if they can rule out a career change that would be unwise for them.”
Is an Onsite Career Test-Drive the Only Option?
Kurth published a book titled Test-Drive Your Dream Job: A Step-By-Step Guide To Finding And Creating The Work You Love. The reviews on Amazon are basically positive, with one partially negative review indicating that the person found the book overly simplistic and felt it romanticized small-business ownership. In any case, you might find the book worth reading, even if it only gives you some ideas about where to start your own new-career exploration.
Mind you, I think the concept of finding a way to try out a new career doesn’t have to be limited to people who want to own a business. I don’t see any reason you couldn’t come up with a plan that would allow you to check out a dream career possibility–a try-it-before-you-buy-it approach–and get a sense of whether it’s a good option for you to consider. Maybe you can find someone who does what you’re thinking about doing and persuade the individual to let you “shadow” him/her for a short time, have a heart-to-heart talk about what it takes to succeed in that field, and so on. Obviously, you couldn’t ask for a great deal of time, especially not for free, but if you’re resourceful, respectful and determined, you might achieve a workable approach that will help you avoid a “frying pan into the fire” career disaster.
