I Didn't Know Either: A Tip About Research

I got a comment in response to the LinkedIn post of a few days ago in which the writer acknowledged he hadn't realized that you could 'Get Introduced' through LinkedIn.  I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I didn't know the option was there either until I tripped over it.  There are tools on many of the job search websites and professional connection sites designed to help make this process easier, but they can't do their job unless you know they're there.

That's why I encourage you to go to websites like LinkedIn and just explore.  Click on every link and see where it takes you.  When you find something that really helps, tweet about it or send me a comment and I'll do my best to share your discovery.

Keep Sleuthing and You Can Find Anyone

In the post I wrote about LinkedIn, I mentioned going to the website of the college I wanted to network into and creating a list of names that I then researched on LinkedIn.  There is so much information out there for all of us to play with. You can find information on company web sites and through professional associations.  Today, you can simply Google someone and see what comes up.  It still tickles me that google has become a verb!  It's an action!

For me, it's easiest to keep at it if I set it up as a challenge for myself.  I reframe it as a test of my sleuthing prowess.  Can I find a contact who can get me into...almost anywhere!

My father was a mechanical engineer who taught me that if you can't get an answer one way, you simply seek another. 

So try to view research as sleuthing.  Put on your Sherlock Holmes cap and dig into the internet to follow the clues to the people you really want to meet with.

Man With A Sign Gets A Job

I heard a story on the news today that's worth repeating.  They told of a man who'd lost his job over a year ago, ended up declaring bankruptcy, and was obviously pretty desperate for work.  He decided to take to the streets with a placard reading "Help me find a job" and he got a job.  While he said the placard gimmick helped him uncover the job, he acknowledged that it was his network that made the difference in landing the job!

It's Hard to Keep Getting Out There

I must admit that it's hard to keep putting myself out there.  I continue to network and truly enjoy meeting each new contact, once I'm sitting in the room with them.  It's the process of getting myself there that's hard.  I continue to 'strategically' volunteer.  In addition to the regular volunteer work I'm doing at one university, I just agreed to conduct some mock interviews at another university.  I know this volunteer work enables me to showcase my skills and strengthen my network, and I truly enjoy working with the students.  And there are days when it's just hard to keep putting myself out there.

An honest conversation about the process...

I was talking with my husband who is new to this process and he admitted that he'd rather play in his workshop or work in the yard than schedule network meetings.  I told him I fully understood his feelings and admitted that it's hard to keep getting myself out there.  Then I thought about the work I've done with clients and students and how good I feel about what I can contribute, how important my support has been to their success.  And I reminded him about the times he's really 'in the work' and how much he loves it. What I realized is that it's not about the work or working, it's about getting through the process to get back to the work.

Inspiration

I have been following the Job Search Ninja on Twitter (yes, I've been tweeting) and reading through a bunch of his blog posts.  I don't know when this guy gets to sleep based on the number of posts he puts out.  I really liked one of his recent posts entitled, "You Can Do Anything".  I do believe we all can accomplish great things with enough energy and determination.

My mantra...

I know I have a lot to offer and I will make a significant contribution to the team of the college or university Career Services Director who is lucky enough to hire me!  That's my mantra.

And so...

I'll keep at it. You should too.  I'll keep putting myself out there, knowing that it's this act, this process, that will get me to the work I so enjoy. 

Fully Explore Options to Get LinkedIn to the Max!

I'm LinkedIn

Like most of you reading this post I'm LinkedIn.  While I've been LinkedIn for quite a while, I didn't realize it's full potential until recently.  I've used LinkedIn to connect with colleagues and friends from past chapters of my life and as a vehicle to put my best professional foot forward.  I belong to a select number of groups and, as had been suggested at a LinkedIn workshop, have jumped into discussions to get myself known.  But the real potential of LinkedIn, to connect with people at target companies, became quite apparent with this recent experience.

FRUSTRATION...

I've been trying to connect with someone at a specific university for quite a while with little success.  I'd uncovered some network connections, sent the usual e-mail referencing the mutual colleague's name in the subject line and requested a meeting, a method that has proved to be very successful and has resulted in personal meetings in all but one instance.  In this case, it just wasn't working and I was very frustrated.  I kept seeing a great job posting at the university for which my skills and experience would be a good match, and while I'd applied to it on-line, in that I am transitioning from one arena to another, I knew a network connection would be critical to getting in the door. 

So here's what I did...

I did some searching on the university's website and developed as long a list as possible of people I wanted to connect with.  I then went back and started diligently searching on LinkedIn to see if anyone I knew, knew any of these people.  I came up with a few distant connections, people who were 3 or 4 contacts away from the people I wanted to meet, meaning they didn't really have a direct connection.  My connection would have to work through their connection to get to 'the' connection to see if they'd meet with me.  While this can work, it's a hard sell because the person in the middle doesn't know the individual making the initial request at all.  Convoluted, but I hope you can follow the flow and the logic.

Perseverance...

So I continued to run through the list of names I'd gotten from the university site on LinkedIn, often finding people only by using the advanced search option, looking for a second line contact, someone connected to one of my first line contacts.  I finally came up with one in the very department I'm interested in networking into.  At that point I clicked on the small type that read 'Get Introduced'.  What came up next was a place for me to write an e-mail to the person I wanted to meet and below that a box where I could write an e-mail to my direct contact asking him to make the introduction.  My contact wrote back stating that, while he didn't know the person very well, he would forward my request.

Success!

While it took a week, and I had actually given up on hearing from this once removed contact, I was so pleased to find a LinkedIn message from her today in which she said she'd be happy to meet with me. 

Take the time to explore
While it's true that today's job seekers spend too much time conducting their searches on-line rather than getting out and talking with people,  I'm recommending you take the time to explore sites like LinkedIn to see what they can offer.  Go through the tutorials and click on all of the links to see how you can make the best use of these sites.  Your ultimate goal should be to get out to meet people and network.  It is the way people find jobs.  Use these on-line sites to uncover these network connections, the critical link that will lead you to your next chapter.

Easy Come, Not So Easy Go!

Easy Come...
This week I had my hopes raises by finding two great postings - one new and one re-advertised.  Even better, I was able to identify solid network connections into both!  And the icing on the cake was that the person who connected me via her network said both schools are great places to work.  Boy, was I excited!

Easy Go...
Within a few hours, both openings vanished.  The re-advertised one was filled with an internal candidate and the new listing was simply pulled.  The message from HR on that one said that it had been canceled and was not likely to be re-opened.

Speaking of ups and downs!

Keep on Truckin'...
I will pursue the new network contacts even though there are no openings, just to get my foot in the door and present my best me.  You never know what may come up down the road.  I do remain firm in my belief that with determination and networking, I will land in the perfect position.

Just another example of what a wild ride the job search roller coaster can be.

It's Earth Day!  Get out and take a walk!

Celebrating the Change

The Kick That's Needed To Make A Change

While getting laid off rarely feels like a good thing, for many it is the kick they need to get into gear and finally make a change that's long overdue.  My experience in counseling people in career transition is that a large percentage of those impacted by a corporate downsizing were unhappy with their job to begin with.  A good number of these folks stayed in those jobs for years and years and years.  For those of you who felt stuck in a job, it's time to celebrate the change and acknowledge that you would have continued to sit at your desk and be unhappy if someone hadn't dumped you out of that chair.

Why Does Someone Stay?

You can answer that. 
For the security,
the paycheck,
the benefits,
and all too often
because they simply aren't sure what else they'd do. 
They're just not sure where else to go.

A Scary World Ripe With Possibilities

It's scary to think about change, especially in today's market place.  Yet it's this change that brings about the possibility of new ventures and different pathways.  It's this change that offers the possibility of being happy in a job.  Some might continue in their field at another company or take those same skills into a different arena where they can marry their expertise and their passion, as in the non-profit world.  For others, it's time to research and launch that business they've always dreamed of whether it's opening a bakery or a launching a new line of clothing.  You might want to consider quality of life changes like targeting a job closer to home to cut down on commutation costs and maybe even be in the kitchen at a reasonable hour to eat dinner with the family. 

Be Open to Everything

I find people go all too willingly to the 'why it won't work' before exploring the possibilities.  Be open to everything.  Hear out every new idea and seriously consider every suggestion.  View this as an opportunity to make a change.

Wisdom from someone who sat in a job he was unhappy in for years and recently joined the ranks of the unemployed... I spent so much time looking out the window that I forgot there was a door. 

Whether you opened that door yourself or you were shown to it, make the most of this time to assess where you want to be and make it happen.

Paint a Picture of the Best You

There are some common mistakes people make when writing their resumes that can put a screener to sleep, even when it's an electronic scanner!  Start your resume with a professional summary that paints a broad picture of who you are and the strengths you will bring to my organization.  Write a professional summary that paints a picture of the best you!

Avoid terms that simply let me know you do what's expected...
Using terms like dedicated, motivated, punctual, or responsible in a profile or summary tells me that you haven't really thought about what you'd bring to my organization besides those things I expect from every employee.  I fully expect staff to be dedicated and motivated, certainly punctual and responsible.  So filling your profile with these terms doesn't tell me anything about you that goes beyond what's expected.


What makes you special?
You must think about what makes you special.  Answer the question - what are my top three strengths? We all have them, those things we really do well.  Again, you must go beyond dedicated, motivated, punctual and responsible.  Do you excel at troubleshooting or developing new programs?  Are you organized, detail-oriented with strong leadership or communication skills?  These are some of the terms that begin to differentiate you from the rest of the pack.

CAUTION:  If you tell me you have strong communication skills, be ready to back that up with examples or don't claim ownership of those skills.

How do I determine my top three skills or strengths?
If you've never thought about your three top skills, there's no time like the present to name them.  Go to any site that provides a list of action verbs.  One such site is Quintessential Careers.  Print up their list of action verbs and check every one that applies to or describes you.  Then go back and circle your top five.  These terms should be in your profile and demonstrated in accomplishments in the body of your resume.  If they are not, your resume is not painting a picture of the best you.

Take credit for your best you...
When describing your strengths in the profile on your resume, use terms like known for, demonstrated, proven and with a reputation for.  Again, ask yourself the question - what am I known for?  What do my colleagues, staff or managers look to me for?  An example would be - Demonstrated communication skills with the proven ability to build and nurture strong relationships with clients.   
OR Known as a strong mentor and coach with the ability to develop a team to attain high levels of efficiency and productivity.

If you've received an award, beyond the one given for good attendance, stick that up in your professional summary.  Include any special certification you may have to catch the reader's attention right up front.  In today's global market, speaking, reading or just understanding more that one language is a real advantage.  Make sure to include that as part of your professional summary.

As mentioned in previous posts, today's resume is never done.  It is not static and needs to be changed to emphasize the requirements listed in different job postings.  This fine-tuning is an easy task to accomplish once you have a strong professional summary that paints a picture of the best you.

Strategic Volunteering

In her address to job seekers at the Women for Hire Job Fair, Tory Johnson used a phrase that really made tremendous sense when describing the importance of volunteering during a job search.  She referred to it as strategic volunteering.

Too many job seekers view volunteering as a waste of time.  I've provided numerous examples to demonstrate how volunteer work can be a valuable aspect of your job search.  I've suggested targeting volunteer opportunities in industries or organizations in which you'd like to work or to which you think you'd like to transition into.  Actually, I guess I was talking about strategic volunteering.

Three of the suggestions Tory made were...
1.  target volunteer opportunities that are closely associated with what you want to get paid for
2.  seek a volunteer opportunity at an industry association
3.  volunteer to work at a conference in your field or the field you wish to transition into

While I am currently doing the first, volunteering in career services at a university, I hadn't focused on the benefit of volunteering at an industry association or conference.  What a great ideas!  What better place to expand your network than volunteering for an association or at an industry conference that draws together professionals who work in a field or discipline in which you're interested. 

The message is clear.  In today's job market  strategic volunteer opportunities can greatly expand your network and add value to your job search efforts.

Inspiration and Another Story About Volunteering

Another Story About Volunteering
I served as a volunteer at the Women for Hire job fair this week.  When I saw that this event was coming to town, I contacted the organization and offered my services to critique resumes.  After reviewing my resume and bio, they invited me to come on board.  The resume critique process was a bit like speed dating - a new partner every 5 minutes for 4 hours!  Sounds grueling, but it was actually great.  I got to meet interesting women, share my knowledge and support them in their effort to find work.  While I gave a lot, I got even more.  Sometimes it's hard to remember what we bring to the party when we're knocking on doors and not getting any response.  I felt great when the coordinator at the job fair told me that there were women who were actually waiting to see me because others had told them I'd been so helpful.

Inspiration and Some Food for Thought
I got up at the crack of dawn to get into the city to attend the pre-job fair seminar.  Tory Johnson, the founder of Women for Hire, was the keynote speaker and she was inspirational.  Following is a summary of some of the advice she gave that hit home for me and, judging by the number of heads nodding in agreement, most of the audience.  As usual, I've tucked in a bit of my own advice as well.

Attitude and Outlook are Critical
How we present to the world is critical.  As I've said in the past, if you are angry or very sad and it seeps into your job search, you are shooting yourself in the foot.  Tory shared her story about getting fired and locking herself away for the first month.  It's easy to slip into victim mode - they did this to me!  It's easy to stay there and sulk and be stuck.  It's harder to take control and move ahead - what they did stinks and now I am going to go out there and shake up the world!  A bit of 'I'll show them' anger is OK, as long as it fuels your energy and gets you in the game, but doesn't play out as a bad attitude when you're meeting with people.
  
Choose to Put a Positive Spin on Events
I've mentioned that I'm good at reframing.  Actually, it's something I choose to do, not to be a Pollyanna, but to help keep myself on the right track by looking for the positive in every situation. In my early days in the outplacement world we used to tell clients that job search looked like this...
No, No, No, No, No, No, No, YES! 
You can either allow each No to rob you of confidence and defeat you, or look at what you learned from that experience and view it as bringing you one step closer to your YES!  That's what I did recently when I didn't make it to the final round of what would have been a perfect job.

What Makes You Operate at the Top of Your Game?
Tory talked about the need to figure out what makes you feel good when you're fully engaged and happy. What will make you 'the best me' for my job search?  Think about those times when you are fully engaged and feeling good about yourself, whether building something in a woodshop, cooking in your kitchen, or setting up some new systems on your home computer.  Ask yourself what about that activity makes you happy?  What skills does it require?  Make sure these skills are needed in your next job to insure that you'll feel good about your work.  For instance, while you may not find a job in a woodworking shop, you might want to target jobs that require creativity and problem solving, two skills needed to be a good woodworker.

 A Personal Story About Self-Discovery
Shortly after I left my full-time job and started to work as a consultant, I ran for and was elected to our local Board of Education.  One day I realized that I'd been in a great mood since being elected.  Understand that being on a Board of Education is a non-paying, often thankless job, and yet I was happier than I'd been in a while.  In thinking about it, I realized that what had been missing in my life was the collaboration that comes with being part of a team.  When I left my job to become a solo practitioner, I left much of that behind.  Now I was meeting with this new team of 8 other board members, brainstorming on issues critical to our kids and I felt great!

A Success Doesn't Have to be a Giant Leap
Another bit of advice that Tory gave was to celebrate successes.  I encourage clients to celebrate any and all successes, not just that new job you land at the end of the search process.  When you book a network meeting with someone you really want to connect with, you celebrate!  When someone gives you the names of three other people to meet with who could further your search, you celebrate!  You celebrate after attending a job fair, even if the one thing you walked away with was the card of fellow job seeker.  You got up and went to that job fair, so you celebrate!  Celebrating all successes, no matter how large or small, helps you remain positive.

REMEMBER that you need to be your own best friend and biggest fan through this process.  So, celebrate every step of the way! 

For more tips and some great resources on job search, check out the Women for Hire website and Tory Johnson's book, Fired to Hired.

Taking the Time to Smell the Roses

The Situation

I counsel many people who get that lay off notice and want to have a new job the next day.  I counsel an equal number who get that same notice and decide it's time to smell the roses.  I honestly can't blame them.  Many who fall into this second group have been working for a number of years, have the security of some severance, unemployment payments, and benefits coverage and figure it's a good time to take a few months off.  This is even truer this time of year when the sun is out and most of us are ready to break loose anyway.

The Caution

If you think it's hard to engage in job search right after a lay off, I can promise you it is twice as hard after you've smelled those roses.  The comment I hear most often from clients and friends is actually a question - how did I ever manage to get everything done when I was working full time?  It is amazing how 'things come up' and 'stuff needs to get done' and you find your days full.  Most also admit that they really enjoy not having to deal with the day-to-day pressure of work.  Here, too, I honestly can't blame them.  There's a ton of stuff I like to do and need to do which includes exercising to stay healthy and all of this stuff takes time.  It's just too bad these things generally won't pay my bills.  So....

The Recommendations and Action Items

I am not going to tell you not to take time off.  I am going to recommend that you get your house in order before you do.  What does this entail?  Here's the pre-break 'to do' list.

Get a good draft of your resume completed while you still remember what it is you accomplished during all of those years you worked.  Get out all of your old performance reviews as a reminder of some of the great things you accomplished but may have already forgotten about. It's hard enough to access these memories when we're still in a work mode.  Give yourself a few months off in the backyard and it becomes even harder to remember our best work.  You will end up fine-tuning your resume during your search, but this will give you a good base to start from. 

Decide whether you want to stay in the same functional job or field or whether you want to do something different.  If you fall into the second category, put together a short list of possibilities.  This will help you network both during your break and once you jump back into your search.  So the line goes something like - I've been in an audit function in financial services for the past fifteen years, and while I am considering a similar position, I also want to explore taking my skills into the sports administration and management field or starting my own consulting company or going into landscape design. You don't have to have all the answers, just enough ideas to start a conversation, get some advice and possibly some suggestions about others you should talk with when you're ready to jump back in.

Start a list of contacts, people you want to reach out to once you get back to your search.  Go through your work e-mail list and old committee lists.  Start a list of everyone you might want to contact when you re-start your search.  I guarantee you that you'll forget people if you don't start this now.  You don't have to act on in now, just get it started. DO NOT EDIT by deciding who can help and who wouldn't remember you or know anyone who could help.  You never know who someone knows until you ask. (see my 3/4 post entitled "Another Great Networking Story").

Don't pull out completely.  There are people you can and should network with casually while you're taking in the scenery.  Go to lunch or have coffee with a different business colleague at least twice a month just to stay in touch. Take a walk with a neighbor who just retired.  Yes, retired people know others who may be able to help or advise you when you get started again.

Make sure you have your line down both about taking time off and what you want to get back to.  Be prepared to network socially while you're taking time off.  You will run into people who want to and can help.  You have to think about what you'll say to them before you get into that situation.

Set a date to re-engage and stick to it by making some specific plans to force yourself make it happen.  Sign up to attend a conference, schedule a business lunch, meet with your job search coach, anything that will result in getting you back in the game.  This is actually advice I give to anyone taking the time for a brief vacation - schedule one or two network meetings for after you return to help ease back into job search.

The Warning

Don't put off re-engaging.  There's always going to be more stuff you want to do, but the longer you stay out of the search the harder it may be to re-engage, the less comfortable it may feel to put back on that suit and jump back into that professional persona.  I have also found that the longer one stays out of the game, the less confidence they have in themselves when they jump back in.  So take the time to smell the roses.  Just make sure the snow isn't falling on them by the time you re-activate your job search.

Job Fairs

You can't afford to leave any stone unturned in today's market.  While job fairs feel more and more like zoos, they still provide opportunities to see (conduct some research, see who's out there, gather some business cards from recruiters and others) and be seen (actually meet with a recruiter).

A Story...
I am counseling a talented business analyst who has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry.  She is really working her search, going to network meetings, following up on leads, and putting a positive face to the world.  She left a message earlier this week stating that she had an interview coming up and wanted to go over a few things.  When we spoke, my first question was 'how did you find out about the position?'  To my surprise she said, 'at a job fair'.

She then explained that she'd gone to this job fair and, as expected, it was a zoo.  There were tons of people and very long lines.  My client scoped out the field and selected one or two target companies.  She was on a long, long line and thought about bailing out, but decided she might as well hang in there.  She got to the front of the line just as the fair was ending, so she didn't have much time with the recruiter.  She had her 2 minute pitch well polished and within a few minutes the recruiter looked at her with a big smile and said, 'finally someone who understands project management.'  The recruiter told her she'd be presenting her resume to her manager and my client got a call within a day to schedule this interview.

The interview went well and she should know within a week or two whether she'll move ahead in the process.  I'll keep you posted on her progress.

The bottom line - you have to do it all, including job fairs, because you never know where you'll uncover the next lead to a live one!

To find job fairs in your area, just Google 'job fairs in ____' and see what pops up.

Don't Wait for Your Future to Find You - Get Out There and Do Something

What to do while you're waiting...

I heard a great piece today on NPR about lawyers who are out of work.  They interviewed one young lawyer who is currently working in RadioShack for $7.25 an hour.  When asked why he would take a job like that he stated a few excellent reasons.

1. It's a job.
2. I get a paycheck.
3. I use my brain. 

He went on to say that his friends who keep asking why he's doing what he's doing are doing nothing.  He is working, meeting people and learning new things.  Does he want to stay at RadioShack forever? I don't think so.  Is he still looking for work as an attorney?  I believe he is.  And, for now, he's engaged and using his mind.  This kid has a great attitude.

Trying something new...

There was another story about an attorney who went through the all too typical depression when she was laid off from her high laying position in a law firm.  She pounded the pavement for a while before she began to ask herself what she really wanted to do.  She is very close to launching a new clothing line for big-busted women.  She realized that she really wasn't happy being an attorney.

A job loss is often an opportunity to take a risk, to either change fields or launch a business.  It's a time to take stock of where we've been and, as long as we have to make a change, make sure that we are moving forward rather than continuing to stay stuck. 

Caught by a phrase...

While listening to the report, I was also caught by the phrase, 'life has not gone as expected'.  That seems so big to me.  This is a chapter in a career, not the whole career.  This is a bump in the road, albeit a big one.  But this is not it!  It may take a while for this job market to open up and it won't look like it did three years ago, it will look and be different.  But this is not the end of the road.

A phrase I've heard about dating someone who doesn't have the stuff to be 'the one' is... He may not be Mr. Right, but he's fine for right now!

Get a job for right now while looking for the one that's right.  Join a network group and kick around some new ideas.  Join a group for entrepreneurs and get some feedback on your dreams or some suggestions about researching your idea.  Take a class.  Attend a lecture series.  Just get out there where you can meet people and engage your brain.

Don't wait for your future to find you.  Get out there and do something! 

Set Me Free!

Message to Prospective Employers

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to interview for your position.  Your interest in me really boosts my confidence.   And, if I don't make the cut at some point along the way - set me free!

I have now been in three situations where I made it through to a personal interview, knew at the end of the interview that I either wasn't the right person for the position or, as mentioned in an earlier post on forgiveness, came up short in what I delivered, and then waited and waited and in one case, I'm still waiting to be set free.  It's not that I'm looking for rejection.  It's just that knowing where I stand is easier than the wondering if I'm still in the running.

I can be reasonable....
I recognize that there is an issue responding to everyone who submits an application for a position.  While I still feel there are ways to respond electronically just to let someone know their on-line submission is complete and then to let them know that they didn't make the first cut, with the volume of applications coming in for each posting, I can be reasonable and cut prospective employers some slack on this initial contact.   

BUT when you've invited someone in for a personal interview, there is no excuse for not setting them free when you have eliminated them from the pool of active candidates.  You generally don't have 20 candidates coming through for personal interviews, and even if you do, it takes 10 minutes to set free those who won't be continuing on to the next round.  Hold onto the front-runners, and even the runners up, but let the rest of us go.  This waiting and wondering game is brutal. 

Volunteering Can Open Doors to Areas of Interest and Job Opportunities

I've written about volunteering, volunteer myself and my clients probably get tired of hearing me push it as part of their search strategy.  I am an advocate for the following reasons:

1. Volunteering gets you out of the house and doing something productive.  This is really important in the battle to stay positive.
2. Volunteering provides unanticipated and therefore really encouraging network opportunities.
3. Volunteering usually exposes you to new arenas and therefore expands your search horizons.

Following is an e-mail I received from a client this morning.

Last month I started volunteering at a local hospital as a Patient Advocate in the Emergency Room.  There's not much to do and the 4 hours drags along, so I’m trying out working on a floor as well.  I've discovered that I enjoy being around the doctors and nurses in addition to seeing what I can do to make the patients stay more comfortable.  Two weeks ago my sister-in-law sent me some information about Medical Coding Certification as a way to enter the Health Care industry, and for the first time I became serious about going back to school.   I did some research and enrolled with Kaplan University Continuing Education online Medical Coding Certificate Program.  The program starts today.  I plan to devote 16 hours each week as long as I’m unemployed and my expected completion date is year-end. 

While doing my research about  obtaining the certificate, I talked with a young friend who is working at another local hospital and she informed me about a data management position in her unit.  The requirement seemed heavy on medical experience so I didn’t think I would be considered and asked if she could at least ask her administrator to meet with me to talk about getting into the industry.  The administrator suggested that I submit my resume for the job because they have not been successful so far with getting people with the medical experience.  So I forwarded my resume (after tweaking it, of course) and cover letter to my friend and she submitted it to HR yesterday.  I’m thinking positive and will start doing some research and prepare some questions and answers in case I get called in for an interview.  My sister-in-law is in the field and she offered to help me understand the details and acronyms listed in the job description.  

 

You don't have to be an expert to volunteer and it doesn't replace or take away from your job search.  In today's market volunteering is truly an important part of any search strategy.  Simply pick a cause or field you have an interest in and offer your services.  You'll be amazed at what you'll get out of giving.

Vacation and the Speed of Job Search

Job search used to be a much slower process.  You'd find opportunities in papers or professional journals, send in a cover letter and resume, generally via snail mail - the good old U.S. Postal Service - and then wait, often several weeks, to hear if you made the first cut.  We'd advise clients on the strategy of holding off a few days before sending in their letter and resume so their material wouldn't arrive with a pile of other envelopes but rather as one of a few, thereby garnering more attention.

Today the game is totally different!  While there are jobs listed in newspapers and journals, all of those jobs are also posted on-line, so by the time you find an opening in a paper, you are probably a few days behind most other applicants and possibly too late to be considered in with other early bird front runners.

Case in point is a position I applied to a few weeks ago.  It was Saturday morning and I was about to head out for the weekend but decided to give a quick check on one of the sites that list positions in higher education.  Low and behold there was a terrific new job post.  I could have waited until after my weekend getaway to fill in the application and send off the resume and cover letter, but I decided to put off my mini-vacation for a few hours and apply for the position that day.  And, it was a good thing I did because I got a call two days later to set up a first round telephone screen.  While I have no guarantee that my application might not have drawn a response if I'd waited until after the weekend, my sense is that it might have been too late. 

Two weeks ago I was away for a week on a much needed vacation.  I took my laptop with me because I had signed up for a multi-session webinar and I'd committed to participating in all six classes.  While I told myself I was only going to use the laptop for the webinar and take a total break from work and job search, having it with me made it too tempting to avoid checking into e-mail, just to see what was happening out there.  Low and behold I got an e-mail from a network contact informing me of a terrific new job post.  So rather than sitting on the beach, I sat in my hotel room, drafted a new cover letter and completed the on-line application.  Would this have waited until I got home?  Who knows?  Will this be 'the one'?  The jury is still out.  Do I feel it was important to respond quickly?  You bet.

So, what do you think?  Should I have simply put things off for a week and disengaged or was I right to check e-mail and critical job post sites each day?  I must admit I'm really torn on this one.  In a wide open job market, I'd probably advise a client to take a rest, knowing there will be other opportunities when they reconnect.  In this job market it feels like staying connected, if at all possible, is critical.