What's On Your Answering Machine?

It's amazing how many tries it takes before I get the recording on my answering machine or voicemail just right.  Professional.  Personal.  Just the right amount of enthusiasm.  I'm not looking for a lot of detail like the date or time, as my machine gives me that information anyway.  I always hate it when I'm asked to leave the date and time as sometimes I'm not sure about either when put on the spot.  In addition to a name I want a phone number.   It really annoys me when people leave their name without a number, assuming I already know it.  And while I may have it somewhere, unless I have caller ID, I'll probably have to look it up.  Had the caller simply responded to my request and left their number it would have saved me time and I wouldn't have to feel as if my request, the number, had been ignored.

The message on your answering machine or voicemail when you're not involved in a job search can be funny, cute, include heavy metal music or your kids' voices.  The message when you're involved in job search must be professional and in your voice.  Remember that everything you do creates an impression and you don't want a potential employer to be put off by a loud, off color or cutesy message.  I actually counseled my son to change the message on his cell phone when he was applying to colleges for the same reason.

The other thing to consider is who answers your phone when you're not around.  If it's another adult, coach them how to respond to a potential employer.  There are two critical rules for answering a job search related call.

1.  The person who answers the phone should not give out any information about you -  your whereabouts, how excited you are about the job, whether you're interviewing elsewhere or who you're out with.  Their job is to acknowledge that you're not available and take a message.

2.  Their key responsibility is to take an accurate message which includes the caller's name, the company they're calling from and a contact number.  Coach the person who may answer the phone to ask for the spelling of the caller's name and the company name unless it's something simple like Susan Jones from IBM.  Have them repeat the phone number back to the caller to make sure they've got it right.

In order to insure that you get the information you need, put a note pad next to each phone with blanks for name of caller, company name and phone number.

It there are teens in the house, younger children or someone not capable of getting the information correctly, ask them to refrain from answering the phone at all.  Make sure you have an answering machine that allows those at home to listen to who's on the phone so they know whether to pick up or let the answering machine handle the call.  If they pick up and it is a business call, tell them to ask the caller to call back and leave a message. 

If you have two phones in the house, designate one your job search number and make it clear that the only person who will answer that phone is you.  Another way to avoid having your 4 year old son or 87 year old mother answering the phone, is to only provide your cell phone number, thereby eliminating the need for almost all of the advice I've included above.



 

Tips on Telephone Interviews

Today we are seeing more and more screening done via phone.  While this definitely cuts down on commutation costs and dry cleaning bills, it's a lot tougher to impress someone over the phone and even more difficult to know whether you're on the right track when you can't see your interviewer's face.  The only thing that helps you sell what you say via phone is the way you say it.  Here are some things you can do to energize your telephone interviews:

Always stand when interviewing via phone.  Pace. Wave your hands around.  Sitting not only flattens the diaphragm, or at least that's one thing I've been told, you can also get just too relaxed and comfortable which may cut into your tone and volume.  When you pace, your energy is up.  When you use your hands or smile as you would in a face to face interview, it tends to energize your voice as well. 

Check out your facial expression in a mirror.  Pass by a mirror while you're interviewing via phone.  Watch your facial expression.  If it's flat or lifeless, you can bet your voice is reflecting what you're seeing. 

Watch your pace, volume and tone.  It is hard enough to keep up with a fast talker when they're sitting in front of you.  Speaking too quickly when interviewing via phone can really damage your chances to make it to the next round.  Likewise, if you are soft-spoken, you may come across as weak or unsure.  There is a time and place for soft-spoken and the telephone interview is not it.

Know your space fillers.  We all have space fillers, things we say when we're reaching for our next answer.  Your space filler may be 'you know' or 'like' or 'uhm'.  Whatever it is, be aware of how often you use the space filler because it can really detract from the important information you're trying to convey. This is true in person and especially true when you're interviewing via phone.

Do NOT multitask when on the phone!  You know how easy it is to talk to someone with your laptop open in front of you.  This is not the time to multi-task.  Focus on the interview.  Your e-mail will wait until you're through.

If it won't make you crazy, have someone coach you while you interview via phone.  You can actually talk to them so you are interacting with someone in the room.  Know your own tendencies to either speak too quickly or quietly and have your coach signal you to either slow down or speak up.

With the volume of resumes floating around today, it is likely you will have to go through at least one phone screen.  Have your stories ready to tell.  Get your walking shoes on and be ready to wow them with your energy and enthusiasm.

The Benefits of Being Grateful

While there are days that it's harder to remember that I have blessings to count, on this Thanksgiving, as well as most other days, I try to spend at least a moment reviewing what I have versus what I don't have or what I want.  Examining this a bit closer, I try to focus on what I need versus what I want.  Focusing on wants often brings me to things other than the those that really matter - a warm home, food on the table, the ability to pay my bills, the support and love of family and friends.

This may all seem unrelated to job search, yet we know that those who convey a positive attitude will land sooner than those who don't.  Those who have a positive attitude on the job tend to keep their jobs longer, even when their skill set is not as strong as a colleague who complains a lot. 

Until a decade ago, the focus of psychological research was heavily skewed towards what makes people sad or depressed.  During the past ten years, there has been a shift towards examining what makes people happy.  The evidence is overwhelming - those who are grateful, which has a direct link into being happy, are healthier, more productive and more likely reach their goals.  The results of one major study on the impact of gratitude clearly indicates that taking the time to count our blessings makes a huge difference in how we face the world each day.

So today, I am not only grateful for the smell of the turkey cooking in the oven and the knowledge that I will be surrounded by friends and family later in the day, I am also grateful to all of the people who were strangers to me several months ago and are now part of my network.  I am grateful for the time and energy they've put into meeting with me, the guidance and advice they've offered and the people they've connected me to.  Today I focus on all that has gone right with my job search and remind myself that I am making progress, make the choice to believe that each 'no' brings me a step closer to my 'yes' and count my blessings.  I truly have a lot to be grateful for.

Convert that Turndown to a Network Opportunity

I did something today I really wasn't looking forward to.  I met with someone who had chosen the other person rather than me.  While the turn down was supportive and the feedback was positive, it was still a turn down and it still cut into my self-esteem.  I counsel others to view a rejections as a networking opportunity, especially when they come close to the finish line.  When you know you're a top contender, you also know there are folks at the hiring company who were impressed with your skills and experience.  These same folks might feel bad about not being able to offer you the position and would most likely agree to see you in order to provide feedback and guidance.  In an effort to follow my own advice, I scheduled an appointment with the manager who didn't hire me. Going back in was something I knew I should do, but the desire to do this was right up there next to having a tooth pulled!

As I've said so many times before in other posts, you just never know what will happen when you walk into one of these network meetings.  In this case, it was just terrific.  I went in to get advice about what I can do to strengthen my candidacy next time a similar position opens up.  I walked out feeling confident that the volunteer work I'm doing will help establish my credentials working with undergraduates, experience I know is missing on my current resume.  I also walked out with network connections at three other universities and some ideas about alternative avenues to explore.  The interview I'd been on for the position I didn't get was with seven people.  Meeting one-on-one to network with the hiring manager gave me the opportunity to better establish myself and build rapport with someone who will likely be in the position to hire someone in the future.

So, all in all, I did what I was supposed to do and, in this case, got more than I expected.  You simply never know where these network meetings will take you.  Next time you come in second, remember to reframe the turn down as a networking opportunity.

A New Job Search Strategy: Volunteering

I have been working as career counselor for over 20 years, and while volunteer work was sometimes suggested to those involved in a job search, it was more often seen as a diversion, something that would steal time away from the real work of finding a job.  Not so today.

Volunteer work can be a real part of a search strategy and serves a multitude of purposes.  Working as a volunteer one can...

• make new contacts
• feel good about themselves and connected to others
• be reminded of the skills and energy they bring to the work place
• explore new opportunities, possibly even a total job shift
• discover all that it takes to run a non-profit organization, including accounting, marketing, etc.
• uncover consulting opportunities
• walk in the shoes you hope to step into to see if they're a good fit - this is really helpful to those thinking of a true career transition
  

I am working with one woman with a legal background who is volunteering for a tourism group.  The group plans walking tours of New York City and needed a lot of research done.  They expected the first project they assigned her to take at least a month.  Two weeks later the work was done and exceeded expectations both in terms of time and quality.  My client is now working on several other projects for this group and the hope is that they will be able to hire her at least part-time in the next few months.

During one of my network interviews I was told about a woman who wanted to work in college admissions, but had never worked in admissions or on a college campus.  She offered to volunteer in the admissions office and ended up working two days a week.  She confirmed her belief that she really liked the work and became a known resource in the department.  The following year when the college had a part-time opening in admissions, she was the logical choice.  This year she's on board full-time.

One critical thing to remember is that your search doesn't stop because you spend some time volunteering.  If you hear yourself say you don't have the time to get that resume out or make a network call because you're too busy with your volunteer work, then volunteering is serving as a means of avoiding your job search.  While you need to take volunteer work seriously, an interview for a paying job that can only be scheduled when you are supposed to do your volunteer work trumps the volunteer work.  You notify the agency, give your apologies and put on your interview suit.

When we're honest with ourselves, most of us have to admit that we don't spend all of our time working on our search.  So, there is time to spend volunteering and it's often time spent more productively and with more value (see bullets above) than simply killing time at home.

If you don't know where you want to volunteer, there are numerous placement agencies that can help you identify opportunities.  Google 'volunteer opportunities in (your town or county)' and see what comes up.  Sites like idealist.org and Volunteer Match are places to research the types of volunteer opportunities out there and to connect with the organizations in need of help.

One of the challenges in this market is maintaining a sense of self worth.  Volunteering is one way to  contribute to something important and to get the acknowledgment and appreciation that's hard to find sitting by yourself in front of a computer screen.

Keeping the Faith

I admit it.  This networking thing can be tough and demoralizing.  I keep facing two big challenges.

1. How to keep yourself from taking it personally when you do everything right and don't get any response.  You use the right connection.  You make it clear that you're looking for guidance and advice.  You make yourself totally available to work within their time schedule.  And still, you don't get so much as a 'sorry I'm busy'.  You simply get no response!  It is tough when you make the warm call or outreach using a mutual contact as the connection and get no response.  It's hard not to personalize it or somehow feel rejected.
   
2. How many ways can you approach someone to try to get that meeting without feeling like a nag.  You get no response the first time, and after waiting a few days or a week, you try to come up with a clever way to connect with your network contact and score that meeting.  No response this time can really cut into your self-esteem.
   

This is hard work!  

Back to the facts.  This is a tough market.  People are getting inundated with resumes and requests to network.  I choose to believe that most of those on the other end want to reply and be helpful and just can't find their way around the volume. 

When networking works, it works.  When it doesn't, the most important thing for me to remember is that it's not about me or what I bring to the party because more often than not the person I'm trying to network into doesn't know me.  It's about the market.  It's about the volume.  It's about the person at the other end.  

So, I keep at it knowing that I've gotten every job I've ever had through my network, and keep the faith that it will happen this time as well.

Why This an Ideal Time to Find Your Next Job

There are three realities that make this a great time to network and land your next job. 

1. Budgets for next year are often set in the next few weeks which means managers know they have the money to fund their open positions and start to search for the right person to fill the spot.
   
2. People get into the holiday spirit and are often more open to network meetings.
3. Many job seekers assume that nothing will happen during the holidays and decide to drop out of the market until January, so there's less competition.

And I have proof - my husband was offered one of his jobs at 4 p. m. on Christmas Eve, so it can happen!

This is not the time to take a breather.  It is the time to keep the energy up and keep plugging.

Take That Holiday Job

There are signs in most major department stores advertising for holiday help.  While you many never have thought about applying for a seasonal job, you may want to rethink what it can buy you.

There are some obvious benefits to taking a seasonal job.

1. Bring in some money - it may not be what you were earning, but money is money.
   
2. Get out of the house - for many of us, a reason to get out of the house, the need to be somewhere, can really lift our spirits.
   
3. Meet new people - it gives you the chance to expand your network.  The person working next to you may have contacts at a company you've been trying to get into.  Remember, you never know who someone knows until you ask.
   
4. Uncover opportunities - this may actually turn out to be in the company or store you're working in.  While the majority of seasonal opportunities are in sales, there are back office ans support functions in most major stores either locally or at their headquarters.  You could end up uncovering an opportunity in marketing, accounting or graphics and you'd be coming to it from the inside.
   
5. Discover a new passion - you might just find out that you love sales.  This could be an eye-opening experience.

Working during the holiday doesn't mean you stop your search. While you may have to creatively juggle your time, you can still set up network meetings before or after work, respond to postings in the evening and, should you score an interview, to schedule it during your lunch break. Is this a challenge? Yes. Is it doable? Yes.

These jobs are filling up fast and the time to act is now.  Reframe what a short-term job can bring you, take advantage of the opportunity and go for that seasonal job.

Committing to Action - An Admission

I have to come clean.  I am not doing everything I can to find my next job.  There are a whole lot of shoulds that I can't cross off my list because I haven't done them.

• I should be joining some local networking groups.
• I should be joining more professional associations and attending meetings.
• I should be sending my resume out to all listings that have any semblance of connection to my experience and what I'm looking for and then work hard to find some network contacts at those companies.
  
• I should be networking more.
• I should be better at looping back to people I've met with both to let them know I'm still looking around and to keep in front of them.

It's said that job search is a full-time job.  If so, I must admit that I'm only approaching mine part-time.  It's not that I'm not doing the right things.  I am.  I just have to do them more consistently to bring it up a notch.

And I have to ask myself why I'm not running at full throttle.  Regardless of the advice I give, I know that part of it has to do with self-doubt.  Most of the things I'm targeting are truly under the heading of career transition and I can easily slip into a 'why would they hire me' state of mind.  That's a dangerous place to be when you're trying to make a change. This is where talking to yourself comes in.  This is where talking to your fans becomes important.

Admitting what you're not doing and why is the first step in making a change.  And, for me, it is time for a change.  So now I have to follow my own advice and kick this search into full gear starting right now.  I know the best way to do this is to set some realistic goals.  I don't plan on moving through my entire 'shoulds' list in a day.  I will set a few goals each day - all of which are doable - and in so doing, move into action.

Is this easy? Yes and no.  Yes, because I know I can make a call, search on-line, book a lunch meeting.  No, because I have to make myself do it.  Will I feel better when I'm back into full search mode?  Absolutely!

I have a cousin who has many challenges to deal with in life, including being legally blind.  Yet she gets up every day and greets the day with a smile.  She views each day as a new start with new opportunities.  And, her attitude and zest for life, her ability to put a positive spin on things, enables her to be fully independent and enjoy each day. 

My new mantra:  Every day is a new day bringing new opportunities for me to uncover and new people for me to connect with. 

What Happened to Old Fashioned Courtesy

There is no doubt that old fashioned courtesy has gone out the window in this job market.  One could argue that this has been happening for a while and not just when it comes to job seekers.  The common courtesy of please and thank you, allowing someone to get in front of you to make a turn or exit off of a train...it's not that we don't see it at times, it's just that courtesy used to be a given and now it's an exception.

I've found that people don't seem to be very courteous in this crazy market.

A friend in human resources insists that it's not about courtesy, just about volume.  I do buy that to an extent.  I know there are a lot more resumes per opening than there were a few years ago, so communicating with applicants has become a much bigger task.  I also know that some acknowledgment, even when it's a turn down e-mail, is better than not hearing anything.  It's just too easy to feel like you're operating in a black hole when you hear nothing.  And that's a lonely place to be!

I've received several computer generated acknowledgments from companies, and while I'd prefer the human touch, any and all communication is welcomed.  When I get something back from a company I at least know my paperwork or e-mail was received and that I'm somewhere in the system.

I've also received a Dear Applicant turn down e-mail.  Here, too, I was actually grateful for the contact.   The e-mail itself was well written, emphasizing the large pool of qualified candidates and the need to focus on those who had the most relevant experience.  I came from an HR role in which I had responsibility for recruiting and can appreciate the need to concentrate on those who most closely match my job criteria.  I actually wrote back to the company to thank them for the turn down e-mail.  At least I knew where I stood.

The message here - don't personalize it when you don't hear back from a company you've applied to.  This lack of courtesy is probably tied into volume.  It's not that it's OK.  I just can't afford to doubt my ability because people don't respond or can't see beyond the stack of resumes on their desk to see what a catch I am.  I have to remember that it's more about the folks at the other end and the market than about my worth as a candidate or as a human being.

How to Deal with the Salary Question

One of the sticky parts of interviewing is when the prospective employer starts to ask questions about compensation during an interview.  I always tell people to avoid talking or asking about salary until there's a deal on the table.  However, sometimes the interviewer asks about salary at which point you take that first swipe at ducking it with - "Salary is clearly an important factor and the key for me is fit."  NOW THE TURNAROUND, meaning tack a question onto that response that will redirect the conversation.  In that you go in having done research on the company, field, product, etc., ask a question that relates to the company, field, position, product or service, anything that's meaty and will move the conversation away from salary. 

That being said, you may have an interviewer who comes back to the salary question and won't let go until you give in and answer.  There are several approaches to this depending on your level, package and what you're looking for.

See if you can possibly turn this around so the interviewer provides you with some information, like the salary range or rank for the job for which you're interviewing.  It's then easy to confirm that the range works for you without divulging your exact salary.  If the range isn't a match, comment on the fact that salary is but one part of a compensation package and it's the total offer that will make the difference in the end and jump to a TURN IT AROUND question.

You can talk in terms of total compensation versus base salary.

While many suggest giving a range, whether your range is $50,000 to $55,000 or ten times that amount, give a range and the prospective employer is probably going to head for the lower end of that range.  One of the safer approaches is to speak in terms of low, mid or high.  I'm targeting a package in the mid 50s.  In addition to your bonus package, I am looking for a salary in the low 90s.


Before any of these conversations take place, in fact before you go on any interview, make a list of what you'd like to have versus what you need to have.  For some, it might be worth taking a slightly lower salary for a position closer to home.  For others, the salary and bonus are the driving factor.  Ask yourself the question - How much do I need to earn to maintain my quality of life?  What do I need to have?  What do I want to have?

Research salaries before you interview.  You can go to sites like salary.com to get some information.  Talk to people in the field.  If you have a relationship with a recruiter or someone in HR, ask them about the salaries they're seeing for a particular position or in a specific field.  Remember there are  other things to factor in to your negotiation besides salary.  Vacation (often not real negotiable but I've seen some real creative ways to get more time off), company car, flex time, tele-commuting and bonus are just a few of the things you can play around with when crafting a compensation package.

Another thing to remember is that you can't get what you don't ask for.  Be reasonable and put your requests out there.  You never know what an employer will agree to once they've decided you're the ideal candidate for their opening.

Your Window of Opportunity

 
Your best window of opportunity to negotiate a compensation package is after they say "We want YOU!" and before you say yes.

Once the hiring manager is through interviewing and has decided you are the one for the job, he or she really doesn't want to go back to the drawing table.  This is the time to negotiate your package.  Once you've signed on the dotted line, your bargaining power is greatly diminished if not gone!

And remember, you can't get what you don't ask for!

Don't Deal Until It's Real

Never accept or reject a job before it's offered.

A tale of wasted energy and angst...

Several years ago I had an interview at a great company about an hour away from home.  The commute would have been all highway driving, so not terrific.  The job was neat but would require a lot of travel and time away from home, also not terrific.  I went in to wow them nonetheless.  It became clear during the interview that, due to the travel requirements, the job was not for me.  I obviously did wow them, because the senior manager gave me a name of someone to network into at a major company 10 minutes from my house.

I made an appointment and went in on a Friday for what was supposed to be a one hour meeting.  I wasn't aware of openings, so this was truly a network meeting, information gathering and an opportunity to add someone to my network.  The one hour grew into two one hour meetings and a return to meet with others later in the afternoon.  At the end of the day, the senior manager told me there was a job as Head of Organization Development which he thought I'd be great in.  I didn't have a lot of experience in this area, but he was confident I could do the job.  His request was for me to think about it over the weekend and get back to him on Monday if I wanted to pursue this opportunity.

I was certainly complimented and also a bit petrified.  While I'd worked with others on several OD projects, I didn't have a wealth of experience in this field.  So, I made myself crazy all weekend.  Should I go for it?  What if they asked me to do something and I didn't know how?  They'd be viewing me as an expert in something I didn't feel expert in. How could I possibly be successful in this position?  After a while I felt like a ping pong ball.  I went back and forth over whether or not to pursue this job.  Then the light bulb lit up!

No one had offered me a job.  All they'd offered me was the opportunity to interview for a specific position.  They didn't make any promises.  After stressing myself out all weekend, I decided to tell the manager that I was interested in continuing the conversation.  After all, what did I have to lose?  I called on Monday to let him know I'd be happy to interview for the job only to find out that a job freeze had been announced that morning.  What did I get from all of this?   A weekend of wasted energy and angst.

I spoke to a colleague today who told me she'd been called by an HR manager to get salary information.  She's had several interviews in the company so this call seems like a good sign.  And maybe it is and maybe it isn't.  It certainly is a sign of increasing interest.  It clearly means they are seriously considering her as a candidate for the position.  So we kicked around the pros and cons of the position and what she's looking for in a compensation package.  As we talked more I realized she was  beginning to sound like that ping pong ball - what if they don't offer a high enough salary, what about vacation time, bonus - a lot of what if this and what if that mixed in with what a neat opportunity this would be.  So, I shared these words of wisdom...


Never accept or reject a job before it's offered.  Make this one of your job search mantras.  Do research and be prepared but don't react or angst over something that may or may not happen. 

The Journey Continues

There is no doubt that this is not a great job market.  I have a tendency to slip into kicking myself for not making a move a few years ago when there were jobs for the taking.  Speaking of a waste of energy!  So when I go there, I have to remind myself that I've been engaged in productive work during the past few years and jump into the here and now.  I talk about having a fan.  The primary fan you have to have is yourself.

Back to the job market.  While there are fewer jobs and more candidates for each, there are still openings every day.  You just have to work harder to find them and be willing to think more broadly.  The wider I cast my net, the more opportunities I find.  It isn't enough to go to the regular sites to find openings.  I have a set list of sites I visit each day or week like Indeed.com,  nj.com/jobs and higheredjobs.com.  I also scour individual web sites for schools, companies, colleges or universities I have on my list.  I am pleased that there are still new openings, as most of my targets staff up before the school year or semester begins.  Those of us engaged in job search have to remember that 'stuff happens' resulting in openings on a regular basis.  These unexpected openings need to be filled and my goal is to be well positioned so that when a potential employer is looking for someone, I'm there.

Finding the listings is one piece.  Even more important, and often more difficult, is finding a network connection when there is an opening.  Here, too, it seems the more I put my request out there, the greater the likelihood I'm going to find the someone who knows the someone who may get me on the inside track.


I know.  I know.  It keeps coming back to networking.  I do have colleagues who are being found after they file their resumes at on line sites, but admittedly, this is rare.  Networking is generally the key to those who are landing jobs.

So I'll continue to be the cheerleader for the networking crowd.   And I'll continue to remind myself to get out and do it.