You kno those e-mails you get that are wrtten with intentionl typos and yet you can read them? The truth is that our mind fills in the right information to make sense of these blips and, more often than not, they don't even register as typos. You might get away with this in a letter to a friend, but you can't get away with this when you're searching for a job. I have written a lot about checking your material more than once, not relying on spell check, and having someone else proof your material.
Why don't I follow my own advice more carefully?
I applied for a great job on Saturday and opened an old cover letter I'd written for a similar position to rev up the creative juices. The body of the letter was great. The content was clear, concise and included language used in the posting. A+ for me! And then I noticed the date - March 3, 2009. 2009! That was last year and this is this year and that's enough to get my whole package dumped in the electronic circular file.
Did I mention proofing your work? Did I mention reading each word out loud from the beginning to the end for content, grammar and spelling, and then reading the whole thing from the end to the beginning just for spelling? Did I mention that this includes every word and number on the resume and cover letter? If I didn't, I'm mentioning it now. I did read the letter over several times in each direction. I just missed that small thing - the date. I can almost guarantee that I proofed it but simply didn't see it. That's when having another set of human eyes scanning your material comes into play.
Take your time! Get it right! Proof everything several times before you push that send button. It is painful to look back at a brilliant cover letter and resume that will get me nowhere because of a silly and wholly avoidable mistake!
What's next? Pick myself up. Dust myself off. Forgive myself (because beating myself up will get me nowhere). And get back to the job of finding myself a job.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
There Are Good Guys Out There
While this is a tough and often demoralizing job market, there are still many good guys out there.
I am a trustee on our local Adult School Board. Last year I designed and facilitated an offsite for this group to explore ways to improve communication between the board and staff and overall operation. As a result of this work, a number of ad hoc committees were established to further define recommended changes. I served on two of those committees and, at some point, must have referenced my job search.
Last Wednesday after our monthly board meeting, someone I'd served on an ad hoc committee with approached me to ask about my job search. I explained that I was still at it, out there networking, and optimistic that something will pop up at some point.
The next day I received an e-mail from my fellow board member with a job posting he thought might be a fit. Not only was it a fit, but it read as if it were written for me.
I filled out the application, fine-tuned my resume and cover letter and faxed it over to the hiring company this afternoon. Another iron in the fire is a good thing.
More important than the actual opening, is the fact that someone I know casually took the time to help me with my search. It is proof that there are still good guys out there.
I am a trustee on our local Adult School Board. Last year I designed and facilitated an offsite for this group to explore ways to improve communication between the board and staff and overall operation. As a result of this work, a number of ad hoc committees were established to further define recommended changes. I served on two of those committees and, at some point, must have referenced my job search.
Last Wednesday after our monthly board meeting, someone I'd served on an ad hoc committee with approached me to ask about my job search. I explained that I was still at it, out there networking, and optimistic that something will pop up at some point.
The next day I received an e-mail from my fellow board member with a job posting he thought might be a fit. Not only was it a fit, but it read as if it were written for me.
I filled out the application, fine-tuned my resume and cover letter and faxed it over to the hiring company this afternoon. Another iron in the fire is a good thing.
More important than the actual opening, is the fact that someone I know casually took the time to help me with my search. It is proof that there are still good guys out there.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Another Great Networking Story
I have to admit that I'm a pretty good networker. I don't love doing it, although I usually find I leave network meetings feeling more positive and hopeful than when I walked in. And, when I look at the list of people I've met with, even I'm impressed. I operate with the belief that you never know who someone knows until you ask. It's also proven true that when you follow up with network leads, they tend to lead you to other network leads and so your network grows. I'm not talking about telling everyone you know you're looking for a job. I am talking about getting out there when there's no apparent opening to meet new people and gather advice, suggestions and more network leads.
My connections have come through all sorts of people. My first line contacts were obviously already part of my network web. I don't mean the web you're surfing on, but rather think of what a spider's web looks like and how it's built. The spider starts in the middle and slowly works to add ring after ring, making the web larger and larger. You start in the middle and reach out to your first line or primary contacts, people you already know from a former job, your team at the bowling alley, a professional association, a friend or family member. You meet with that person and give them a sense of what you're looking for and they recommend you to others so you're adding the next ring or your second line contacts. The contact for my first job as an adult was my mother. It didn't feel very adult to work through my mother, but she was the one with the contact in the company I was interested in and so she became more than my mother. She became apart of my professional network.
One of my best network connections this time around came through my niece. She was in for the holidays and we got into a conversation about my job search. I mentioned that I wanted to talk to someone at a specific university and, to my great surprise and delight, that someone turned out to be her best friend's father. Another great connection came through a friend who had a friend who had worked at several different colleges. This mutual friend made her introduction through e-mail. I arranged to meet my new network connection for coffee and once she got to know me and understand my goals she connected me to colleagues at two major universities. It turned out one of them did have an opening for which I interviewed. The other helped me network into several other departments on campus where he thought I'd be a good fit. Again, they had no openings, but I'm now volunteering in one of those departments, which has allowed me to confirm that I'm on the right track in targeting a position as a career counselor in higher education. It has also expanded my network, because the head of the department has become an important part of my web. I truly mean it when I say that you simply don't know who someone knows until you ask and you have no clue where your network can take you.
I have found the network process a true reflection of the roller coaster I've written about so often. I come out of some network meetings feeling a bit frustrated or dejected and I come out of others just soaring! Yesterday, I was soaring.
The contact I'd made through my niece referred me to one of his colleagues. While I was upbeat about the meeting, I've admittedly been in a bit of a slump of late. After an hour-long conversation, it felt like I'd known this person for most of my career. I walked out totally energized! I also walked out with some suggestions about groups I should join, people I should contact, people she is going to contact on my behalf and leads about some possible openings.
Some network contacts will give you names of people to contact and suggest you use their name as the connection. Others will send an introductory e-mail that basically says 'this is a good person' who will be contacting you to schedule a meeting. Then there are those people who send out that e-mail and say, 'you must meet this person, they're terrific!' Or better yet, 'I think this person would be great for your open position.' These people are rare and yesterday I was lucky enough to meet with someone rare.
Most of my network meetings have been very fruitful. I've received valuable advice and, in almost every case, names of others I should contact either within their organization or at another university. I've had four network meetings after which my belief in myself was reinforced both through the words and actions of the person I'd networked into. Those meetings are truly gifts and help balance a process that can often knock the stuffing out of you.
So just keep at it! There will be those meetings where you try every way possible to get the name of someone else you might talk to and walk out empty handed. And there will be those meetings where the person truly gets networking and becomes a valuable contact and fan in your growing web.
My connections have come through all sorts of people. My first line contacts were obviously already part of my network web. I don't mean the web you're surfing on, but rather think of what a spider's web looks like and how it's built. The spider starts in the middle and slowly works to add ring after ring, making the web larger and larger. You start in the middle and reach out to your first line or primary contacts, people you already know from a former job, your team at the bowling alley, a professional association, a friend or family member. You meet with that person and give them a sense of what you're looking for and they recommend you to others so you're adding the next ring or your second line contacts. The contact for my first job as an adult was my mother. It didn't feel very adult to work through my mother, but she was the one with the contact in the company I was interested in and so she became more than my mother. She became apart of my professional network.
One of my best network connections this time around came through my niece. She was in for the holidays and we got into a conversation about my job search. I mentioned that I wanted to talk to someone at a specific university and, to my great surprise and delight, that someone turned out to be her best friend's father. Another great connection came through a friend who had a friend who had worked at several different colleges. This mutual friend made her introduction through e-mail. I arranged to meet my new network connection for coffee and once she got to know me and understand my goals she connected me to colleagues at two major universities. It turned out one of them did have an opening for which I interviewed. The other helped me network into several other departments on campus where he thought I'd be a good fit. Again, they had no openings, but I'm now volunteering in one of those departments, which has allowed me to confirm that I'm on the right track in targeting a position as a career counselor in higher education. It has also expanded my network, because the head of the department has become an important part of my web. I truly mean it when I say that you simply don't know who someone knows until you ask and you have no clue where your network can take you.
I have found the network process a true reflection of the roller coaster I've written about so often. I come out of some network meetings feeling a bit frustrated or dejected and I come out of others just soaring! Yesterday, I was soaring.
The contact I'd made through my niece referred me to one of his colleagues. While I was upbeat about the meeting, I've admittedly been in a bit of a slump of late. After an hour-long conversation, it felt like I'd known this person for most of my career. I walked out totally energized! I also walked out with some suggestions about groups I should join, people I should contact, people she is going to contact on my behalf and leads about some possible openings.
Some network contacts will give you names of people to contact and suggest you use their name as the connection. Others will send an introductory e-mail that basically says 'this is a good person' who will be contacting you to schedule a meeting. Then there are those people who send out that e-mail and say, 'you must meet this person, they're terrific!' Or better yet, 'I think this person would be great for your open position.' These people are rare and yesterday I was lucky enough to meet with someone rare.
Most of my network meetings have been very fruitful. I've received valuable advice and, in almost every case, names of others I should contact either within their organization or at another university. I've had four network meetings after which my belief in myself was reinforced both through the words and actions of the person I'd networked into. Those meetings are truly gifts and help balance a process that can often knock the stuffing out of you.
So just keep at it! There will be those meetings where you try every way possible to get the name of someone else you might talk to and walk out empty handed. And there will be those meetings where the person truly gets networking and becomes a valuable contact and fan in your growing web.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Stay Ahead of the Game
It's easy to slip behind when you're out 'pounding the pavement' looking for a job. When you're on the downhill side of the roller coaster you might not feel like checking those web sites or making that call to try to set up yet another 'informational' interview. You want a real interview.
OK. So I'm writing as if I'm not talking about myself, which is not the truth. Here's the story...
In December I was given the name of a contact at a major university. There was no open job on their web site that interested me or that I had the credentials for. And it was the holidays, and I wasn't in the mood, and I wasn't following my own advice. So I kept that contact info on my 'to do' list where it sat until two weeks ago.
What happened two weeks ago? I found the PERFECT job on the university's website.
I immediately filled in an on-line application, but the advantage of being able to pick up the phone to a network contact I had already met with and could count on as an 'inside' acquaintance was lost. Now I have to play catch up. Instead of getting in there ahead of the game so I'd be known before they had an opening, I'm scrambling to get my foot in the door now. It puts so much more pressure on the situation in that every day that passes until I get that network meeting scheduled is another day that someone else might be getting my job!
The goal of networking is to get in front of people and the easiest time to do that is when there is no published opening. It takes the pressure off both parties. You can go in to ask questions, sell yourself for the future and hopefully uncover one of those positions in the 'hidden job market'. They can simply sit back and give advice, offer up suggestions about others you might want to talk to and, if you're lucky, reveal a lead about a real job!
So whether you are on a downward slide or soaring to the top of that roller coaster, the truth is you have to be diligent and just keep at it. I am taking yet another oath to work on this everyday. I know there's a great position out there for me, and the only way they'll find me is if I find them first.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.
OK. So I'm writing as if I'm not talking about myself, which is not the truth. Here's the story...
In December I was given the name of a contact at a major university. There was no open job on their web site that interested me or that I had the credentials for. And it was the holidays, and I wasn't in the mood, and I wasn't following my own advice. So I kept that contact info on my 'to do' list where it sat until two weeks ago.
What happened two weeks ago? I found the PERFECT job on the university's website.
I immediately filled in an on-line application, but the advantage of being able to pick up the phone to a network contact I had already met with and could count on as an 'inside' acquaintance was lost. Now I have to play catch up. Instead of getting in there ahead of the game so I'd be known before they had an opening, I'm scrambling to get my foot in the door now. It puts so much more pressure on the situation in that every day that passes until I get that network meeting scheduled is another day that someone else might be getting my job!
The goal of networking is to get in front of people and the easiest time to do that is when there is no published opening. It takes the pressure off both parties. You can go in to ask questions, sell yourself for the future and hopefully uncover one of those positions in the 'hidden job market'. They can simply sit back and give advice, offer up suggestions about others you might want to talk to and, if you're lucky, reveal a lead about a real job!
So whether you are on a downward slide or soaring to the top of that roller coaster, the truth is you have to be diligent and just keep at it. I am taking yet another oath to work on this everyday. I know there's a great position out there for me, and the only way they'll find me is if I find them first.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Friday, February 19, 2010
How to Mine Gold from the Job Listings
I was at a network meeting recently and was asked if I'd seen a listing for a position in Ithaca. When I replied that I wasn't able to relocate, this sage network contact reminded me that job descriptions, even those for positions that you won't be applying for, provide a lot of good information and some valuable language to use on resumes and in cover letters. It was a V8 moment! You know, when you hit yourself on the forehead after you realize you could have had that healthy drink. I forgot to follow advice I've given to others ever since the days when people fought over getting the Sunday New York Times Classified on Saturday night!
Ads, whether they are in print or on-line, are filled with valuable information for your search.
For instance, reading through job descriptions can give you a good sense of the skills and experiences required for different positions. They can also provide language for your cover letter.
Read through job listings on sites like indeed.com or dice.com to get a better idea of which companies are expanding. Armed with this information, you can add these company websites to your regular checklist to more closely monitor job opportunities.
If you're not 100% sure of what you want to do, combing through the classifieds can work as a mini assessment. Simply circle or bookmark any job that tickles your fancy, regardless of whether you have the background and skills. After you've gone through this a few times, patterns will likely arise, some that may even surprise you. If everything you mark has to do with outside work and you've only been targeting a desk job, you might want to consider jobs that free you from that desk. It may be in the office of a nursery or landscape business or working a territory that allows you to scoot around in your car. You might see patterns that speak to creativity or problem solving. It's another way to broaden your search and consider new targets.
The job opportunity listings can also give you a good idea about skills or education you need in order to fulfill your career goals. If your ideal job requires an MBA and you don't have one, this may be the time to check out part-time or full-time programs. If you can't go that far, take one or two courses, some of which may be available on-line, and lay the groundwork to make your dream job become a reality.
Remember that insight into the market and jobs can be found everywhere, at job fairs, while networking and sprinkled throughout the want ads!
Ads, whether they are in print or on-line, are filled with valuable information for your search.
For instance, reading through job descriptions can give you a good sense of the skills and experiences required for different positions. They can also provide language for your cover letter.
Read through job listings on sites like indeed.com or dice.com to get a better idea of which companies are expanding. Armed with this information, you can add these company websites to your regular checklist to more closely monitor job opportunities.
If you're not 100% sure of what you want to do, combing through the classifieds can work as a mini assessment. Simply circle or bookmark any job that tickles your fancy, regardless of whether you have the background and skills. After you've gone through this a few times, patterns will likely arise, some that may even surprise you. If everything you mark has to do with outside work and you've only been targeting a desk job, you might want to consider jobs that free you from that desk. It may be in the office of a nursery or landscape business or working a territory that allows you to scoot around in your car. You might see patterns that speak to creativity or problem solving. It's another way to broaden your search and consider new targets.
The job opportunity listings can also give you a good idea about skills or education you need in order to fulfill your career goals. If your ideal job requires an MBA and you don't have one, this may be the time to check out part-time or full-time programs. If you can't go that far, take one or two courses, some of which may be available on-line, and lay the groundwork to make your dream job become a reality.
Remember that insight into the market and jobs can be found everywhere, at job fairs, while networking and sprinkled throughout the want ads!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The New Resume: A Work in Continuous Progress
There was a time, prior to laptops and lightening fast communication, when you created one resume used for every job applied you to. The cover letter was critical because it was here that you highlighted experiences and skills most closely related to the job in question. In fact, we often discouraged job seekers from having multiple resumes because it got hard to track which one went where.
Today, a one-size fits all resume just won't make it. Whether you reorder your accomplishments, change the wording in your profile, have one resume for marketing positions and another for public relations or have both a chronological and functional resume, you must tailor the resume to the job in order to be competitive.
For most job seekers, including myself, one of the most dreaded parts of job search is the resume. Once it's done, the last thing you want to do is change it, yet that is exactly what today's technology enables and the job market demands. Use the job description for each job as your guide. Lift language from the job description and use it in your resume and cover letter. If the job calls for strong communication and analytical skills, make sure you mention those in your profile. If it calls for someone who has 'managed large scale development projects', highlight your experience 'managing large scale development projects' in your cover letter and make sure the accomplishments that relate to your work in this area come first in any list of bullets on your resume.
I am not suggesting you totally rewrite your resume for each job posting. Assuming your resume paints a broad enough picture of your skills and experiences, this is simply about tweaking it. As much as I hate reinventing myself for each posting, in today's competitive market, the one who most closely matches the requirements for the job is the one who has the best chance of standing out.
Today, a one-size fits all resume just won't make it. Whether you reorder your accomplishments, change the wording in your profile, have one resume for marketing positions and another for public relations or have both a chronological and functional resume, you must tailor the resume to the job in order to be competitive.
For most job seekers, including myself, one of the most dreaded parts of job search is the resume. Once it's done, the last thing you want to do is change it, yet that is exactly what today's technology enables and the job market demands. Use the job description for each job as your guide. Lift language from the job description and use it in your resume and cover letter. If the job calls for strong communication and analytical skills, make sure you mention those in your profile. If it calls for someone who has 'managed large scale development projects', highlight your experience 'managing large scale development projects' in your cover letter and make sure the accomplishments that relate to your work in this area come first in any list of bullets on your resume.
I am not suggesting you totally rewrite your resume for each job posting. Assuming your resume paints a broad enough picture of your skills and experiences, this is simply about tweaking it. As much as I hate reinventing myself for each posting, in today's competitive market, the one who most closely matches the requirements for the job is the one who has the best chance of standing out.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Networking: A Life Long Adventure
While most people think about networking as a tool in job search, those who manage their careers well understand that networking is equally important throughout one's career. Actually, those who network well throughout their career generally have a much easier time when it comes to transitioning from one job to another.
In addition to counseling individuals impacted by job loss, I also coach clients who want to increase their effectiveness and expand their influence within an organization. I always emphasize the importance of nurturing one's network as a career management tool. To do this, I recommend that my clients schedule a breakfast or lunch with a different colleague at least once a month. In order to make sure this becomes more than just a good intention, I advise clients to put a note in their calendar on the first day of each month as a reminder to schedule their monthly network meeting. Without putting a process in place like a monthly reminder, networking will fall under the weight of all the other 'to dos' on one's list.
The other thing to remember about networking is that it is an adventure which can lead you in directions you never dreamed of!
In job search you know your first line contacts, often through having worked together, so they think of you within that context which often creates blinders. Everyone they recommend to you is a new person in your network and generally have suggestions and ideas that many of your close contacts may not think of because of the assumptions that familiarity often brings with it. Those you are meeting for the first time are often more expansive and creative in thinking about the areas you might explore. This helps breathe new life into your search and your career and can lead you to paths you might never have thought of.
Remember that networking doesn't stop once you land your next job. It is a life long adventure that can take your career to exciting new places and ease the way through any future job transition, whether it is one resulting from a down sizing or one of your own choosing.
In addition to counseling individuals impacted by job loss, I also coach clients who want to increase their effectiveness and expand their influence within an organization. I always emphasize the importance of nurturing one's network as a career management tool. To do this, I recommend that my clients schedule a breakfast or lunch with a different colleague at least once a month. In order to make sure this becomes more than just a good intention, I advise clients to put a note in their calendar on the first day of each month as a reminder to schedule their monthly network meeting. Without putting a process in place like a monthly reminder, networking will fall under the weight of all the other 'to dos' on one's list.
The other thing to remember about networking is that it is an adventure which can lead you in directions you never dreamed of!
In job search you know your first line contacts, often through having worked together, so they think of you within that context which often creates blinders. Everyone they recommend to you is a new person in your network and generally have suggestions and ideas that many of your close contacts may not think of because of the assumptions that familiarity often brings with it. Those you are meeting for the first time are often more expansive and creative in thinking about the areas you might explore. This helps breathe new life into your search and your career and can lead you to paths you might never have thought of.
Remember that networking doesn't stop once you land your next job. It is a life long adventure that can take your career to exciting new places and ease the way through any future job transition, whether it is one resulting from a down sizing or one of your own choosing.
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