My new years resolution is to make my blog posts shorter -- not. Nonetheless, I want this post to be shorter to save room for the list below.
When I recently checked these companies had multiple job openings:
1. PBSJ
2. METROPCS
3. CBS Corporation
4. GE
5. Kimpton, hotels and restaurants
6. ExxonMobil
7. Beckman Coulter
8. Apple
9. BAE
10. Nestle
11. Piedmont Natural Gas
12. Kimberly-Clark
13. Palm (*)
15. BJ's
16. KPMG
17. Public Storage
18. Abbott
19. Abercrombie & Fitch
20. Capital One
21. NETFLIX (*)
22. MTV Networks
23. Western Digital (*)
24. Chevron (*)
25. Kinder Morgan
25. Costco
26. Kohl's
27. Pfizer
28. Sears Holdings Corporation
29. Accenture
30. P&G (Procter & Gamble)
31. Nike (Nikebiz)
32. AGCO
33. Amazon
34. Nestle Purina
35. Sprint
It is a good idea to review the company's site to find out more information and determine if the organization seems right for you. If you are familiar with a company on the list and only want to view the career pages go to Google, type in the company name and the word careers. For example, XYZ Careers.
Also, no matter how you find out about employment opportunities it is important to keep a record of the companies and jobs that you apply for in a journal, a file or some type of database. It can take anywhere from a few days to several months for an employer to call after you've submitted a resume. During that time you may have sent out resumes to several other companies or you may have changed your resume. If you are like most job hunters, you're probably constantly modifying or updating your resume to match keywords in ads.
Therefore, each time that you apply for a position, make sure to keep a paper or electronic copy of the job description together with a copy of the resume that you submitted to the employer. You do not want the employer to have to remind you of what the job description said nor do you want to bring copies of the wrong resume with you to your job interview.
Be prepared for possible phone interviews as well as meetings with potential employers by creating notes, talking point and/or an elevator pitch on how your experience complements the tasks outlined in the job description and what you have to offer the company. You may also want to take time to jot down a few questions that you have about the company or the position.
Good luck with your job search and Happy New Year!
(*)Some openings in other states but several positions in California
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Tread Carefully there could be Land Mines on the Road to a New Job
I am the first person to tell you I am not a professional career coach or recruiter. What I am is a person who went through an extend job search during this recession before finally landing a job. And like many people caught on the unemployment side of the financial downturn, I can say that I am a person who believes I learned a couple of things during my time on the dole.
Keep going full steam ahead until you are hired
Early in my job search I came across a job that I crowned, My Dream Job. The thing that made this job my dream job was it was close to where I live. I mean close enough to go home for lunch, close enough for a tank of gas to last a month. So what did I do? I hate to admit it, but after interviewing with the company, I slowed down my job search while the company considered who they were going to hire. I knew that the interview had gone well and I felt that my chance of landing this job was pretty much in the bag. The hiring process took about two weeks and during this time, I only used the job boards for my job search.
While you are waiting to hear from your dream job, which you may or may not land don’t allow a perfectly good opportunity to pass you by. Keep networking, go to open interviews where legitimate companies ask candidates can come in on a certain day, attend career fairs. Just keep going as if you never interviewed for your dream job. The worse thing that can happen is you find yourself in situation where you have to choose between employers, which is not really a bad situation.
You don’t actually have the job until you collect a pay check
At another point during my job search, I was extended and accepted a job offer. After a few days of feeling relieved and happy that my search was over, I was notified that the job had been created for residents living in a nearby city. Being that I did not live in the designated city, the offer had to be rescinded. The lesson here, do not think that because you have accepted an offer that you have a job. You don’t have a job until you have actually worked and collected a paycheck.
Your most recent job may not be in demand or the competition may be too stiff
Like a lot of job seekers I tried to build my resume around my most recent position, while demonstrating steady career growth. I honestly, believe that had I stuck with that formula, I would still be looking for a job. While there were hundreds of jobs that matched my skills available on job boards and elsewhere, I soon realized that there were literally thousands of people with the same skill-set or better going after the very same jobs. After about three months of searching, I refocused my job search to highlight my extensive experience in business and community research. There were fewer ads for these skills but on the other hand there was also less competition.
When looking for a position, perform an analysis of your skills and consider everything in your toolbox. If you possess a unique tool, now may be a good time to put it to use.
Follow-up after submitting an online application
You may receive a computer generated email confirmation regarding your resume, but do not trust your fate to a machine. Get some stationary and mail your resume and cover letter in to the company as well. Then follow-up with a phone call.
During my job search I learned that not all online applications are equal. As a result of the recession, many of these systems are operating over capacity. Others appear to flat-out misread resumes. For example, during my job search I completed an online application for a position as a marketing coordinator. Months afterwards, I received several messages from the system’s “search agent” suggesting that my skills were a match for an available position as a vice president with the company. This left me wondering if the hiring manager seeking the marketing coordinator had ever seen my resume, considering that my resume appeared to be organized in a category for potential vice presidents.
Proclaiming your ambition to be the boss may backfire
No matter what the experts say, as far as jobs are concerned we are still in recovery mode. People are still nervous about their jobs. Many fear being replaced by a less expensive worker, their position being eliminate, their salary being cut or jobs being sent offshore. Telling an interviewer that your goal is to have their job might seem cute and clever, but it may not sit too well if you are being interviewed by a tired, overworked employee who is not feeling too secure about their position.
Do not bring luggage with you to the interview
People will tell you a job interview is similar to a first date and a job can be like a relationship. As a job seeker you are leaving one relationship and attempting to enter in to a new one and just like dating you can unconsciously bring along baggage to your interview. Before you fall in to this trap, remember all relationships are subjective and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
If the experience with your former employer fell below your expectations, don’t vent about it to potential employers
Don’t appear desperate, one would think that desperation leads to people wanting to help, but the opposite is true people who appear desperate make others uncomfortable
Remember your manners by introducing yourself, offering the interviewer a firm shake, thanking the interviewer for seeing you and remembering to say thank you if the interviewer pays you a compliment.
Sit-up straight and make eye contact frequently.
Keep going full steam ahead until you are hired
Early in my job search I came across a job that I crowned, My Dream Job. The thing that made this job my dream job was it was close to where I live. I mean close enough to go home for lunch, close enough for a tank of gas to last a month. So what did I do? I hate to admit it, but after interviewing with the company, I slowed down my job search while the company considered who they were going to hire. I knew that the interview had gone well and I felt that my chance of landing this job was pretty much in the bag. The hiring process took about two weeks and during this time, I only used the job boards for my job search.
While you are waiting to hear from your dream job, which you may or may not land don’t allow a perfectly good opportunity to pass you by. Keep networking, go to open interviews where legitimate companies ask candidates can come in on a certain day, attend career fairs. Just keep going as if you never interviewed for your dream job. The worse thing that can happen is you find yourself in situation where you have to choose between employers, which is not really a bad situation.
You don’t actually have the job until you collect a pay check
At another point during my job search, I was extended and accepted a job offer. After a few days of feeling relieved and happy that my search was over, I was notified that the job had been created for residents living in a nearby city. Being that I did not live in the designated city, the offer had to be rescinded. The lesson here, do not think that because you have accepted an offer that you have a job. You don’t have a job until you have actually worked and collected a paycheck.
Your most recent job may not be in demand or the competition may be too stiff
Like a lot of job seekers I tried to build my resume around my most recent position, while demonstrating steady career growth. I honestly, believe that had I stuck with that formula, I would still be looking for a job. While there were hundreds of jobs that matched my skills available on job boards and elsewhere, I soon realized that there were literally thousands of people with the same skill-set or better going after the very same jobs. After about three months of searching, I refocused my job search to highlight my extensive experience in business and community research. There were fewer ads for these skills but on the other hand there was also less competition.
When looking for a position, perform an analysis of your skills and consider everything in your toolbox. If you possess a unique tool, now may be a good time to put it to use.
Follow-up after submitting an online application
You may receive a computer generated email confirmation regarding your resume, but do not trust your fate to a machine. Get some stationary and mail your resume and cover letter in to the company as well. Then follow-up with a phone call.
During my job search I learned that not all online applications are equal. As a result of the recession, many of these systems are operating over capacity. Others appear to flat-out misread resumes. For example, during my job search I completed an online application for a position as a marketing coordinator. Months afterwards, I received several messages from the system’s “search agent” suggesting that my skills were a match for an available position as a vice president with the company. This left me wondering if the hiring manager seeking the marketing coordinator had ever seen my resume, considering that my resume appeared to be organized in a category for potential vice presidents.
Proclaiming your ambition to be the boss may backfire
No matter what the experts say, as far as jobs are concerned we are still in recovery mode. People are still nervous about their jobs. Many fear being replaced by a less expensive worker, their position being eliminate, their salary being cut or jobs being sent offshore. Telling an interviewer that your goal is to have their job might seem cute and clever, but it may not sit too well if you are being interviewed by a tired, overworked employee who is not feeling too secure about their position.
Do not bring luggage with you to the interview
People will tell you a job interview is similar to a first date and a job can be like a relationship. As a job seeker you are leaving one relationship and attempting to enter in to a new one and just like dating you can unconsciously bring along baggage to your interview. Before you fall in to this trap, remember all relationships are subjective and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
If the experience with your former employer fell below your expectations, don’t vent about it to potential employers
Don’t appear desperate, one would think that desperation leads to people wanting to help, but the opposite is true people who appear desperate make others uncomfortable
Remember your manners by introducing yourself, offering the interviewer a firm shake, thanking the interviewer for seeing you and remembering to say thank you if the interviewer pays you a compliment.
Sit-up straight and make eye contact frequently.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
@Obama, WHERE'S MY STIMULUS JOB??!!!!!
I have to make a confession… I didn’t always know how to use twitter. I got the account because I though twitter might be helpful in finding a much needed job. However, I didn’t have a clue about who to follow or how to find people that could help with my job search. I got the account and clicked the tab saying, “suggested users” and followed a few celebrities, some news organizations, and a few others. I also found and followed one of my friends who was also unemployed and looking for work. Sadly and surprisingly none of them -- not even my friend followed me back. I sent an email to my friend asking what’s up, after all she actually knows me. She emailed back that she had abandoned the account several weeks before because it was a waste of time. I soon abandoned my account too.
Nonetheless, I kept hearing about Twitter everyone on television was saying tweet us or follow us. Instinctively, as a research professional there were times when I wanted to tweet responses to poll questions and see what others were saying but I just did not see how it would be worth the effort. Finally, one day I gave in and started another account. However, this time I unknowingly followed a person who became my twitter evangelist. A tweeter evangelist is someone who realizes that a user is struggling, follows them back and provides the new user with tips and information on using twitter. However, even with the added help, I was still not getting the results that I wanted and I abandoned that account too.
Then one day after a miserable morning on the job boards, I decided to give twitter one more shot. I went back to my first account and made some changes. I took my name off and replaced it with @onejobhunter because I wanted people to know right off that I was looking for work. I used a mock-up of a resume as my avatar and I changed the email address allowing me to keep my twitter job search efforts separate from the traditional methods.
Well as they say, the third time was the charm. This time armed with the knowledge that I had gained from my evangelist and my knowledge of basic research, I set out with a goal to find people who could help me to find a job. Using the search function I searched for words associated with working such as careers, jobs, employment, HR, human resources, networking, seeking, recruitment, recruit and so forth. I weeded people out by reading their profile, looking at their website and reviewing past tweets to make sure that they were offering the type of information that I believed would be useful to my job search. After all, I did not want a work from home opportunity nor did I want to be a secret shopper. It was a time consuming exercise but if the person or company passed the sniff-test then I would follow them.
Pretty soon I had more information than one person could use and I wanted to share my findings with others who were looking for work. I went to back to the search function to look for other job seekers. No surprise here, I found tons of people and I started following them to share information. What was unexpected, is how it was nearly impossible to get many of them to follow me back. In some cases, I would follow their friends and their friends would follow me back and pass along the information that I was tweeting to their unemployed friend.
One of the things that was both amazing and sad to see was how many unemployed people were desperately following and tweeting to celebrities about their plight. They would have been better off yelling out of their kitchen window because no one was listening. Almost none of the celebrities were following them back.
In the meantime, I was making contact with companies who were interested in finding out more about me and my work background. I was applying for jobs. Even though I did not get my job through Twitter , the fact that I was getting results helped me to stay optimistic during my job search. I was also getting valuable advice from experienced recruiters and hiring managers that was helpful in preparing me to meet with potential employers.
I was also able to get information on networking opportunities through Twitter. I found organizations such as Pink Slip Networking in my area where I met with employers and was provided with insight on making a positive impression when meeting with potential employers. I also found out about PinkslipMixers which is pretty much based in California but has a job board that list jobs from around the country. I was also introduced to tweet-ups and Meetup which are good places to meet new people and grow your network.
Okay, I did not find my job on twitter but I do feel that twitter was instrumental to keeping me plugged into people, which helped me to keep my spirits up and kept those feelings of desperation at bay. When I finally met with my future employer, I was able to engage, converse, listen and learn instead of feeling and appearing worried out of my mind and beside myself about getting a job. I honestly believe that had I been tweeting Help Shaq, where’s my stimulus job Obama or Oprah Jobs the result would have not been the same.
I don’t know how long twitter will be around or what it will eventually morph into but I do know is that currently it can be a valuable tool for job seekers, when used correctly.
Nonetheless, I kept hearing about Twitter everyone on television was saying tweet us or follow us. Instinctively, as a research professional there were times when I wanted to tweet responses to poll questions and see what others were saying but I just did not see how it would be worth the effort. Finally, one day I gave in and started another account. However, this time I unknowingly followed a person who became my twitter evangelist. A tweeter evangelist is someone who realizes that a user is struggling, follows them back and provides the new user with tips and information on using twitter. However, even with the added help, I was still not getting the results that I wanted and I abandoned that account too.
Then one day after a miserable morning on the job boards, I decided to give twitter one more shot. I went back to my first account and made some changes. I took my name off and replaced it with @onejobhunter because I wanted people to know right off that I was looking for work. I used a mock-up of a resume as my avatar and I changed the email address allowing me to keep my twitter job search efforts separate from the traditional methods.
Well as they say, the third time was the charm. This time armed with the knowledge that I had gained from my evangelist and my knowledge of basic research, I set out with a goal to find people who could help me to find a job. Using the search function I searched for words associated with working such as careers, jobs, employment, HR, human resources, networking, seeking, recruitment, recruit and so forth. I weeded people out by reading their profile, looking at their website and reviewing past tweets to make sure that they were offering the type of information that I believed would be useful to my job search. After all, I did not want a work from home opportunity nor did I want to be a secret shopper. It was a time consuming exercise but if the person or company passed the sniff-test then I would follow them.
Pretty soon I had more information than one person could use and I wanted to share my findings with others who were looking for work. I went to back to the search function to look for other job seekers. No surprise here, I found tons of people and I started following them to share information. What was unexpected, is how it was nearly impossible to get many of them to follow me back. In some cases, I would follow their friends and their friends would follow me back and pass along the information that I was tweeting to their unemployed friend.
One of the things that was both amazing and sad to see was how many unemployed people were desperately following and tweeting to celebrities about their plight. They would have been better off yelling out of their kitchen window because no one was listening. Almost none of the celebrities were following them back.
In the meantime, I was making contact with companies who were interested in finding out more about me and my work background. I was applying for jobs. Even though I did not get my job through Twitter , the fact that I was getting results helped me to stay optimistic during my job search. I was also getting valuable advice from experienced recruiters and hiring managers that was helpful in preparing me to meet with potential employers.
I was also able to get information on networking opportunities through Twitter. I found organizations such as Pink Slip Networking in my area where I met with employers and was provided with insight on making a positive impression when meeting with potential employers. I also found out about PinkslipMixers which is pretty much based in California but has a job board that list jobs from around the country. I was also introduced to tweet-ups and Meetup which are good places to meet new people and grow your network.
Okay, I did not find my job on twitter but I do feel that twitter was instrumental to keeping me plugged into people, which helped me to keep my spirits up and kept those feelings of desperation at bay. When I finally met with my future employer, I was able to engage, converse, listen and learn instead of feeling and appearing worried out of my mind and beside myself about getting a job. I honestly believe that had I been tweeting Help Shaq, where’s my stimulus job Obama or Oprah Jobs the result would have not been the same.
I don’t know how long twitter will be around or what it will eventually morph into but I do know is that currently it can be a valuable tool for job seekers, when used correctly.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
THE SLOT MACHINE AND THE JOB BOARD
When I was living in New York, a friend talked me into going to Atlantic City. I had never been to Atlantic City and I had never gambled before. So it was pretty exciting to me. Lot of noise, flashing lights, money and people everywhere walking around with rolls of chips and cups of coins. What really got my attention was that it seemed as if all the trays attached to the slot machine were all filled to the brim with silver dollars. It looked like it would be so easy to grab a machine put in a dollar and watch my tray begin to fill-up and then overflow with silver dollars.
I hurried over to the cashier and turned my hard earned paper money into silver dollars. Then I carefully walked around the casino searching for the perfect slot machine. Once I found it, I put in one of my dollars and wow; three dollars came out. Then I put in another dollar and three more dollars came out. This went on for a good while and I began to wonder how did the place make money when the slot machines were paying me and all of these people two dollars for every dollar that they put into the machine.
Soon my friend came over and told me that I would win more if I put in more than one dollar at a time. So I started to put in two and three dollars and the money just kept pouring out of the machine. I felt like I had discovered a diamond mine or an oil well or something.
Then it happened, I put about four dollars in and nothing came out. Normally, had I been in my right mind I would have walked away at that point; however, even though I did not know it the gambling bug had me. My normal ability to think and rationalize were gone. They had been replaced by something that was saying put in a few more dollars something will come out the next time.
Needless to say, after about an hour or so I had given the machine back all of the dollars that it had given me as well as my entire $80.00 bank roll that I had brought with me for spending money. As if that was not bad enough I found myself struggling to keep my bank cards in my wallet and not walk over to the ATM to start pinching off of my little savings account.
The only escape was to run out onto the boardwalk to get away from the trays and cups of money and rolls of chips because I had learned that the odds were not in my favor.
I hate to say this, but in a way the slot machines are like the job boards. They may seem like they are free and not costing you anything but if you spend too much time there you will eventually realize that you've put everything that you've worked for and own on the line hoping that the job boards will pay-off with a shinny new job.
Each time when I would click-on the submit button on a job board, I experienced the same exact feeling and thoughts that I had when I was feeding dollars to that darn slot machine. Maybe it will pay-off this time. Every time that I waited for a response it felt the exact same way as it had as I watched the cherries and sevens fly by on the slot machine. And when the call never came I had the same let down feeling that I had when the machine did not pay-out.
Just like the slot machine, even when I realize that my efforts were not paying off, I still had a hard time tearing myself away. I felt like I was leaving the excitement, the flashing lights, and the people with the cups of coins and rolls of chips. I felt like I was going to miss out on a chance to win.
Finally, I had to do the same thing that I had done when I was in Atlantic City I had to force myself to walk away and not look back. Believe it or not it was hard. Sometimes during the day out of nowhere I would think about checking the boards to see if there was anything new that looked good. It took almost all of my willpower not to log-on.
Finally, after about two weeks the urge was finally gone. The strange thing was I knew that I had gotten past it when I received an email egging me to log-on to view new job openings and I became angry. I actually sent a heated response to the company demanding that they never contact me again. I was sort of like a reformed smoker. I did not want any part of my former vice.
The next time that you find yourself logging-on to the job board for a full-day of job searching ask yourself why are you doing it. What do you expect to gain? Do you really believe that the next time that you submit a resume the outcome will be different? Have the job boards become an unfulfilling habit or do you really believe that the odds are in your favor? Ask yourself if it is time to try something else.
This is not meant to say that you should do as I did and stop using the job boards to search for employment. It is to suggest that you consider trying a few alternative methods in addition to the job boards. For example, increase your network by getting out and about, seek the assistance of a recruiter, sign-up for temporary work, try freelance work you will be surprised by the number of options that are available to you once you kick-the-job-board habit.
Friday, November 27, 2009
STREAMLINING YOUR JOB SEARCH
We all know about looking for work on the job boards. If you’ve spent more than one month looking for a job, there is a good chance that you've tried a job board. Some of you may have been successful using this method most of us have not.
After 10 months of searching job boards and getting nowhere, I finally decided that it was time to take matters in to my own hands. Here is a list of what I did to land a job within six weeks of taking a no nonsense approach to my job search. I am not saying that this will work for you exactly how it worked for me, what I am saying is there are other ways and here is what I did:
1. Removed my information and stopped responding to ads on job boards. The job boards were wrecking my self-confidence and making me feel as if my destiny was out of my hands.
2. Reached out to my network with a new request. Instead of asking if they knew anyone hiring, I asked them if they could provide me with some names of people who might need some help.
3. Started prospecting by writing letters, sending emails and making phone calls to people that my contacts referred me to. This helped me to expand my network and I started to get a few freelance assignments from this effort.
4. Sent my resume to an employment service whose promotional material stated that a live person would review the resume and provide suggestions on how to improve the document free of charge. After months of resume tweaking the document had became almost unrecognizable. Worse yet, the hybrid resume was not getting any results.
5. Started an intensive search for local employment agencies. I had done this earlier in my job search but this time I changed my tone an my tactics. Instead of asking them about available positions or what type of jobs did they specialize in I asked, “When can I come in to be tested?” To my surprise, after months of getting nowhere with agencies I was finally getting in the door. Some asked that I email my resume to a specific recruiter before coming in for testing. Others just said show up during the hours that they were testing.
6. Only responded to ads on Craigslist. For some Craigslist can be scary, in reality it is not much different from the job boards. You have to be careful of spammers and use your best judgment. If it does not feel right, follow your instincts and skip the ad. The upside to Craigslist is that you usually know within a week if the company is interested in meeting with you. The companies are usually smaller and more in tuned to their needs. Most companies that advertise on Craigslist do not use web crawlers. An actual person usually reviews the resumes, which means that even if your resume is not peppered with keywords there is a good chance of it actually being seen.
7. Obtained input from a person who hires or recruits people for a living. When I first started to get interviews again, I realized that I was still not closing the deal. I spent a small amount of time communicating with a human resources recruiter on Twitter and the input that I recieved was dead on.
After taking these steps, I was off to the races. I had freelance work, I was getting calls for temp assignments and I was going on at least one interview a week. Better yet, within six weeks I had no less than three job offers.
After 10 months of searching job boards and getting nowhere, I finally decided that it was time to take matters in to my own hands. Here is a list of what I did to land a job within six weeks of taking a no nonsense approach to my job search. I am not saying that this will work for you exactly how it worked for me, what I am saying is there are other ways and here is what I did:
1. Removed my information and stopped responding to ads on job boards. The job boards were wrecking my self-confidence and making me feel as if my destiny was out of my hands.
2. Reached out to my network with a new request. Instead of asking if they knew anyone hiring, I asked them if they could provide me with some names of people who might need some help.
3. Started prospecting by writing letters, sending emails and making phone calls to people that my contacts referred me to. This helped me to expand my network and I started to get a few freelance assignments from this effort.
4. Sent my resume to an employment service whose promotional material stated that a live person would review the resume and provide suggestions on how to improve the document free of charge. After months of resume tweaking the document had became almost unrecognizable. Worse yet, the hybrid resume was not getting any results.
5. Started an intensive search for local employment agencies. I had done this earlier in my job search but this time I changed my tone an my tactics. Instead of asking them about available positions or what type of jobs did they specialize in I asked, “When can I come in to be tested?” To my surprise, after months of getting nowhere with agencies I was finally getting in the door. Some asked that I email my resume to a specific recruiter before coming in for testing. Others just said show up during the hours that they were testing.
6. Only responded to ads on Craigslist. For some Craigslist can be scary, in reality it is not much different from the job boards. You have to be careful of spammers and use your best judgment. If it does not feel right, follow your instincts and skip the ad. The upside to Craigslist is that you usually know within a week if the company is interested in meeting with you. The companies are usually smaller and more in tuned to their needs. Most companies that advertise on Craigslist do not use web crawlers. An actual person usually reviews the resumes, which means that even if your resume is not peppered with keywords there is a good chance of it actually being seen.
7. Obtained input from a person who hires or recruits people for a living. When I first started to get interviews again, I realized that I was still not closing the deal. I spent a small amount of time communicating with a human resources recruiter on Twitter and the input that I recieved was dead on.
After taking these steps, I was off to the races. I had freelance work, I was getting calls for temp assignments and I was going on at least one interview a week. Better yet, within six weeks I had no less than three job offers.
LOCATING AND COMPLETING ONLINE JOB APPLICATIONS
One of the things that really frustrated me about searching for a job was when it felt as if there were no more places to look. Almost every morning the search would start with Careerbuilders, Monster, Indeed, Snag-a-Job, www.linkup.com and other job boards. Then I would check LinkedIn, Craigslist and MySpace for job postings and maybe email or call a couple of my contacts.
However to be honest, I really did not care for and tried to avoid completing online job applications. It seemed as if something would always go wrong. Often times the sites did not have a place for a carefully crafted cover letter. Then there were programs that insisted that the town where I live does not exist and the darn computer would assign a city on its own. Information would disappear and have to be reenter. Of course, that usually only happened on the page where the company asked two or three questions that required applicants to respond with short essays.
Nevertheless, I would press on like a good little job hunter because the goal was not to leave any stone-unturned during the job search. So, I tried to complete at least two online application per week. Most of the time on a Thursday or Friday, afternoon after I had run out of other places to look. Whether you have better luck with online job applications or if you are like me and only use them when you've run out of other places to look, below is a list of companies, most of which when last checked had multiple openings. Some of the jobs require a high school diploma others want degrees.
To see a company's career pages go to the Google search button, which has been conveniently added to the blog and type in the words "careers at" and then put the company name. For example, typing in careers at Johnson and Johnson should take you directly to the company's career section of their website. This phrase usually works on most corporate websites. So, if none of the companies listed below interest you, try typing in something that does -- such as careers at Burson-Marsteller.
Remember, most online applications use crawlers to search through the resumes and completed applications to determine which applicants background and experience best matches the job description. So use words from the job description when submitting your resume and completing the application. When there are questions that require you to compose a response, type-out the answer in Word then paste the response into the application. That way if the program fails to capture the information you will not have to start over again. Additionally, you can recycle the response if another application has the same or a similar question. And best of all you'll have the benefit of using spell-check.
Best of luck!
However to be honest, I really did not care for and tried to avoid completing online job applications. It seemed as if something would always go wrong. Often times the sites did not have a place for a carefully crafted cover letter. Then there were programs that insisted that the town where I live does not exist and the darn computer would assign a city on its own. Information would disappear and have to be reenter. Of course, that usually only happened on the page where the company asked two or three questions that required applicants to respond with short essays.
Nevertheless, I would press on like a good little job hunter because the goal was not to leave any stone-unturned during the job search. So, I tried to complete at least two online application per week. Most of the time on a Thursday or Friday, afternoon after I had run out of other places to look. Whether you have better luck with online job applications or if you are like me and only use them when you've run out of other places to look, below is a list of companies, most of which when last checked had multiple openings. Some of the jobs require a high school diploma others want degrees.
To see a company's career pages go to the Google search button, which has been conveniently added to the blog and type in the words "careers at" and then put the company name. For example, typing in careers at Johnson and Johnson should take you directly to the company's career section of their website. This phrase usually works on most corporate websites. So, if none of the companies listed below interest you, try typing in something that does -- such as careers at Burson-Marsteller.
Remember, most online applications use crawlers to search through the resumes and completed applications to determine which applicants background and experience best matches the job description. So use words from the job description when submitting your resume and completing the application. When there are questions that require you to compose a response, type-out the answer in Word then paste the response into the application. That way if the program fails to capture the information you will not have to start over again. Additionally, you can recycle the response if another application has the same or a similar question. And best of all you'll have the benefit of using spell-check.
Best of luck!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
THE DAY THAT TWITTER PASSED-OUT
On Twitter I mostly RT job openings as well as other information for myself and other job hunters. On this morning, I was sitting at my desk tweeting as I do almost every morning since getting my account, when my TweetDeck started responding slowly. Then it froze. When I tried to restart it it was gone.
I have been tweeting jobs since mid-June after a less than positive experience that I had with an employment agency. It was clear that I needed to identity other ways to find a job.
Then I remembered, I'm a research person. I should try to put my research skills to work to help me to find jobs on Twitter. I started my search and not only did I find employment tweets I found career coaches and other helpful people all sharing tips and suggestions. There were resume writers, expert bloggers, graphic designers, webinars for new skills, the place was just a wealth of information and suggestions. Best of all there was something that almost every job seeker really needs - support.
I immediately knew that I had found more information than I could use. So, I started searching for and following other unemployed people on twitter and they started to follow me back and before you know it I had a community comprised of job seekers, employers, job coaches, resume writers and cheerleaders. Most of them have been with me since I got the account. I know their avatars, I know their online personalities, I know who is quick to joke and quick to cry. I know when some of my followers are down and when they are are up. With my twitter account I went from one person sitting alone at home with my computer sending out resumes to a person with 700+ friends sitting with me in my home while I sent out resumes.
Loneliness, one of the worst aspects of the job search was gone. I had the ability to vent, share, celebrate, laugh, gossip, console and agree and disagree in my home. It actually made my home feel like an office because of the different personalities and human interaction.
Then suddenly they were gone not just for a few minutes but for hours and I was alone again with my resume. I had to go out for an interview later and I wanted some suggestions because I did not want to blow it. I had had several interviews that went well but I'd failed to close-the-deal. I was in need of some suggestions on how to close the deal. However, my tweeple were gone and I had to go it alone. Following the interview, I knew that it was just like the others I had gotten along with the interviewer they seemed to really like me but no deal.
When I returned home I checked my Twitter account and my tweeple were back. I sent a DM to one of my Twitter friends asking if they were on line. I told them what happened and was given some good advice and great words of encouragement. Then another tweeter came online and I discussed my issues we went over some interviewing tips.
If you are only using Twitter to sell your wares or have an account that you don't use just to say that you have a twitter account, you're missing out. Try using it for it's intended purpose to connect with others and share.
Below are tweeters with good advice and suggestions for the job search:
@LindaNoland
@onlineresume
@AndyInNaples
I have been tweeting jobs since mid-June after a less than positive experience that I had with an employment agency. It was clear that I needed to identity other ways to find a job.
Then I remembered, I'm a research person. I should try to put my research skills to work to help me to find jobs on Twitter. I started my search and not only did I find employment tweets I found career coaches and other helpful people all sharing tips and suggestions. There were resume writers, expert bloggers, graphic designers, webinars for new skills, the place was just a wealth of information and suggestions. Best of all there was something that almost every job seeker really needs - support.
I immediately knew that I had found more information than I could use. So, I started searching for and following other unemployed people on twitter and they started to follow me back and before you know it I had a community comprised of job seekers, employers, job coaches, resume writers and cheerleaders. Most of them have been with me since I got the account. I know their avatars, I know their online personalities, I know who is quick to joke and quick to cry. I know when some of my followers are down and when they are are up. With my twitter account I went from one person sitting alone at home with my computer sending out resumes to a person with 700+ friends sitting with me in my home while I sent out resumes.
Loneliness, one of the worst aspects of the job search was gone. I had the ability to vent, share, celebrate, laugh, gossip, console and agree and disagree in my home. It actually made my home feel like an office because of the different personalities and human interaction.
Then suddenly they were gone not just for a few minutes but for hours and I was alone again with my resume. I had to go out for an interview later and I wanted some suggestions because I did not want to blow it. I had had several interviews that went well but I'd failed to close-the-deal. I was in need of some suggestions on how to close the deal. However, my tweeple were gone and I had to go it alone. Following the interview, I knew that it was just like the others I had gotten along with the interviewer they seemed to really like me but no deal.
When I returned home I checked my Twitter account and my tweeple were back. I sent a DM to one of my Twitter friends asking if they were on line. I told them what happened and was given some good advice and great words of encouragement. Then another tweeter came online and I discussed my issues we went over some interviewing tips.
If you are only using Twitter to sell your wares or have an account that you don't use just to say that you have a twitter account, you're missing out. Try using it for it's intended purpose to connect with others and share.
Below are tweeters with good advice and suggestions for the job search:
@LindaNoland
@onlineresume
@AndyInNaples
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
IT MAY NOT BE RIGHT FOR U -- CHECK OUT THE COMPANY FIRST
Early in my job search I had a very strange experience. It was sort of an interview ..... No, well to be honest, I would not call it an interview because I never really got any solid information about the company or the advertised position. As a matter of fact, when I asked a couple of questions about the job, the interviewer authoritatively responded, "I ask the questions." At that moment, there was no doubt, I was in the wrong place.
Yes, we have all heard that in order to make a favorable impression during an interview we should research a company beforehand. However, there is another reason to research a company, which is rarely discussed. Research can help job hunters decide if a company or job is a good fit for them. A bit of research can be helpful in preventing a job seeker from wasting time, gas and money on dead end interviews.
Do not get so excited about landing an interview until you neglect to do your best to check-out the company. This is especially true when it comes to lesser known companies advertising on job boards. Below are a few steps that I should have followed had I known at the time that unusual job opportunities come in many forms and not just the email variety.
1. Look at the company's website -- If there is no website or if the website is under construction, incomplete and/or filled with typos and dead links this may be a bad sign. If the company's name is vague or very similar to another company's name making it difficult to locate the correct website then call the company and ask for their URL.
2. If there is a website check it for information on the company's officers and staff as well as a list of current and past customers or clients. Make sure that you are not thrown-off by a list of industries. Check the site for the company's physical address and a phone number. If the company has offices across the county check the address in your area and make sure that it is the same address and phone number that you were given. Search the site for testimonials, news releases, and a history of the company.
3. Look for the company and members of the staff on LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter most companies are on at least one or more of these social networking sites. If the company has a paid LinkedIn account and you can't see the information ask one of your contacts with a paid account to look up the company for you.
4. You may also want to run the company's name through the rip-off report at http://www.ripoffreport.com/ I cannot guarantee that The Rip-off Report has posts on every rip-off out there but it is a pretty decent place to start. Another place to check is The Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.org/online/.
There are also a few things that you might want to pay attention to once you arrive for your interview.
5. When you arrive at the location, check for the company's name in places where a company's name can usually be found such as in the building directory, the front door, a sign or lettering in the lobby of their offices. This is especially true when it comes to a marketing firm. It is rare to find a marketing company that fails to market themselves and their brand.
6. Notice the furnishings are there folding chairs, does the furniture look mix-matched with old pieces mixed with new pieces and expensive items mixed with cheaper ones? Do the walls look as if they could use a coat of paint? Notice if there are several offices but only a few appear to be occupied.
6. When you enter the office look around and note if there are already a three, four or more other applicants either filling out applications or waiting to be interviewed. Also this may seem strange, but note if there is a radio playing loud music nearby.
You will be more likely to find a job that's right for you if you do your research and pay attention to the details.
For more information, check-out this forum titled, This Job is a Scam The posts are dated, but the information may be relevant to your job search.
Yes, we have all heard that in order to make a favorable impression during an interview we should research a company beforehand. However, there is another reason to research a company, which is rarely discussed. Research can help job hunters decide if a company or job is a good fit for them. A bit of research can be helpful in preventing a job seeker from wasting time, gas and money on dead end interviews.
Do not get so excited about landing an interview until you neglect to do your best to check-out the company. This is especially true when it comes to lesser known companies advertising on job boards. Below are a few steps that I should have followed had I known at the time that unusual job opportunities come in many forms and not just the email variety.
1. Look at the company's website -- If there is no website or if the website is under construction, incomplete and/or filled with typos and dead links this may be a bad sign. If the company's name is vague or very similar to another company's name making it difficult to locate the correct website then call the company and ask for their URL.
2. If there is a website check it for information on the company's officers and staff as well as a list of current and past customers or clients. Make sure that you are not thrown-off by a list of industries. Check the site for the company's physical address and a phone number. If the company has offices across the county check the address in your area and make sure that it is the same address and phone number that you were given. Search the site for testimonials, news releases, and a history of the company.
3. Look for the company and members of the staff on LinkedIn, FaceBook and Twitter most companies are on at least one or more of these social networking sites. If the company has a paid LinkedIn account and you can't see the information ask one of your contacts with a paid account to look up the company for you.
4. You may also want to run the company's name through the rip-off report at http://www.ripoffreport.com/ I cannot guarantee that The Rip-off Report has posts on every rip-off out there but it is a pretty decent place to start. Another place to check is The Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.org/online/.
There are also a few things that you might want to pay attention to once you arrive for your interview.
5. When you arrive at the location, check for the company's name in places where a company's name can usually be found such as in the building directory, the front door, a sign or lettering in the lobby of their offices. This is especially true when it comes to a marketing firm. It is rare to find a marketing company that fails to market themselves and their brand.
6. Notice the furnishings are there folding chairs, does the furniture look mix-matched with old pieces mixed with new pieces and expensive items mixed with cheaper ones? Do the walls look as if they could use a coat of paint? Notice if there are several offices but only a few appear to be occupied.
6. When you enter the office look around and note if there are already a three, four or more other applicants either filling out applications or waiting to be interviewed. Also this may seem strange, but note if there is a radio playing loud music nearby.
You will be more likely to find a job that's right for you if you do your research and pay attention to the details.
For more information, check-out this forum titled, This Job is a Scam The posts are dated, but the information may be relevant to your job search.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
WATCH YOUR BLOG
Blogging can be a good way to gain an employer's attention by displaying your knowledge and skills, while demonstrating your social networking expertise. However, you should be careful regarding the image that you project.
Employers want to believe that their employees respect themselves as well as others. Another thing that really interests employers is how you handle interpersonal relationships. So don't refer to or respond to friends or foes using profane language. Just try to steer clear of the "F" bomb and the word that rhymes with witch. Under no circumstances, discuss your drunken escapades. Even if you have a job this may cost you a promotion or worse.
If you have a problem with a company, try not reveal the company's name. A prospective employer will feel that if they hire you and things don't workout you will become a one person public relations nightmare.
Show that you try to obey rules, are honest and responsible. Don't tell stories about how you argued with police officers or ran traffic lights. Don't boast about how a store clerk gave you too much change and you kept it without disclosing the error.
If you just can't help it and you just must let off some steam make your blog private. However, remember even this is not 100 percent safe or foolproof. It only takes one person from your inner circle to copy, paste and email one of your verbal gems or indiscretions to one of their friends and a rant can end-up off in cyberspace for anyone to see for years to come.
Employers want to believe that their employees respect themselves as well as others. Another thing that really interests employers is how you handle interpersonal relationships. So don't refer to or respond to friends or foes using profane language. Just try to steer clear of the "F" bomb and the word that rhymes with witch. Under no circumstances, discuss your drunken escapades. Even if you have a job this may cost you a promotion or worse.
If you have a problem with a company, try not reveal the company's name. A prospective employer will feel that if they hire you and things don't workout you will become a one person public relations nightmare.
Show that you try to obey rules, are honest and responsible. Don't tell stories about how you argued with police officers or ran traffic lights. Don't boast about how a store clerk gave you too much change and you kept it without disclosing the error.
If you just can't help it and you just must let off some steam make your blog private. However, remember even this is not 100 percent safe or foolproof. It only takes one person from your inner circle to copy, paste and email one of your verbal gems or indiscretions to one of their friends and a rant can end-up off in cyberspace for anyone to see for years to come.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
YOUR JOB SEARCH AND YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
People are putting a lot of things on the back burner until the economy turns around. A good number of people are finding ways to make do with what they have instead of getting something new. Fewer people are eating out and more people are shopping with coupons. However, there is one area where people should not skimp during these difficult economic times and that is in their relationships.
Who is not trying to save a few bucks these days? It’s a good thing to do but it does not mean people should skimp on their relationships with family and friends. After all one day this economic situation will pass, but for some the question is will friends and family be with me on the other side of this recession.
In these days of networking and connecting online, many relationships are suffering during this economic decline. Friends are dumping friends, relatives are becoming more distant and many couples are finding communications are strained. In many households there may be at least one person who has experienced a salary cut or job loss. And as high unemployment numbers persist many people are finding themselves moving from the category of unfortunate victim of the economy to person to be avoided.
While most people want to be supportive the strain may be showing in some relationships. For many who are still working hearing about job loss from a friend or family member can stir uncomfortable feelings. These include feelings of pity, uncertainty, fear and sometimes feelings of guilt for being relieved that the recession has not financially affected them. To avoid these feelings some people opt to distance themselves from their less fortunate friends and family members. Many couples have separated from or contemplated tossing their unemployed mate out of the life raft.
Losing a job or experiencing a significant pay-cut can be a very painful way to find out who is with you for the long-haul and who are your “fair” weather friends. It can reveal where blood is thinner than water and demonstrate where that spouse or family member with the bossy take charge attitude seems to come-up short in the area of empathy.
No matter which side of the coin you’re on if you are a person who values your relationships there are a few things that you can do to maintain your relationships. For individuals suffering financial loss it may mean holding back some information from friends who are not in a situation where they can offer any form of assistance or offer suggestions. Face the fact, some people are not good listeners or problem solvers. So do not discuss what is going on at the job or during your job search with them.
If you need to vent save that for friends and family members who are willing to listen and able to offer support and encouragement. If you’re on the other side of the coin with a friend or family member who is experiencing difficulties and you value the relationship the best thing that you can do is to learn to listen. The worse thing that you can do is make yourself scarce. Believe me they will notice that you're missing.
As for a spouse remember why you fell in love in the first place. If your spouse is telling you that they are looking for work, trust that they are doing everything possible to find a job. If you have some suggestions make sure that they sound like suggestions and not accusations. Be willing to try to understand the situation and make sure your responses and suggestions don’t sound judgmental.
Even when things are going well financially, most couples don’t agree on everything. However, when there is a disagreement and a spouse is unemployed, don’t remind the person of how long they have been out-of-work. They already know how long its been. Also, try not to be too hard on them about not doing housework during the day. It may appear that there is enough time in the day for them to search for work and do chores, but the truth is it takes a full day to search for work. If they are taking time from the search in order to cook, clean, run errors and pick-up kids there is a good chance that the search will last longer.
When a spouse wants to change jobs but can’t due to the economy and they start to vent about work conditions or salary cuts, try to be supportive. Remember, these days it’s best to discuss these matters at home than to vent with co-workers. It is also healthy for them to vent every now-and-then to relieve stress and to have their feelings validated by another person.
If you are the person experiencing employment issues, remember that unless your spouse has been unemployed during this particular recession they have no idea of what your days are like. Talk with them about your efforts to find a job, but do not expect complete understanding. This is the first time in history that the country is going through a major economic recession and the Internet is the primary tool for conducting a job search. Only those who are currently conducting a job search or those who have successfully completed a search within the past year will understand how you spend your days.
So when speaking with your spouse, friends, or other family members about your job search skip the small details and focus on measurable results such as inquiries from companies, interviews, networking opportunities, meetings with employment agencies, and applications completed. These are things that anyone who has ever looked for work can wrap their arms around and understand.
Times of economic uncertainty are trying, but by being sensitive to others no matter their circumstances and by managing your relationships you should be able to make it through this period with your family and friendships intact.
Who is not trying to save a few bucks these days? It’s a good thing to do but it does not mean people should skimp on their relationships with family and friends. After all one day this economic situation will pass, but for some the question is will friends and family be with me on the other side of this recession.
In these days of networking and connecting online, many relationships are suffering during this economic decline. Friends are dumping friends, relatives are becoming more distant and many couples are finding communications are strained. In many households there may be at least one person who has experienced a salary cut or job loss. And as high unemployment numbers persist many people are finding themselves moving from the category of unfortunate victim of the economy to person to be avoided.
While most people want to be supportive the strain may be showing in some relationships. For many who are still working hearing about job loss from a friend or family member can stir uncomfortable feelings. These include feelings of pity, uncertainty, fear and sometimes feelings of guilt for being relieved that the recession has not financially affected them. To avoid these feelings some people opt to distance themselves from their less fortunate friends and family members. Many couples have separated from or contemplated tossing their unemployed mate out of the life raft.
Losing a job or experiencing a significant pay-cut can be a very painful way to find out who is with you for the long-haul and who are your “fair” weather friends. It can reveal where blood is thinner than water and demonstrate where that spouse or family member with the bossy take charge attitude seems to come-up short in the area of empathy.
No matter which side of the coin you’re on if you are a person who values your relationships there are a few things that you can do to maintain your relationships. For individuals suffering financial loss it may mean holding back some information from friends who are not in a situation where they can offer any form of assistance or offer suggestions. Face the fact, some people are not good listeners or problem solvers. So do not discuss what is going on at the job or during your job search with them.
If you need to vent save that for friends and family members who are willing to listen and able to offer support and encouragement. If you’re on the other side of the coin with a friend or family member who is experiencing difficulties and you value the relationship the best thing that you can do is to learn to listen. The worse thing that you can do is make yourself scarce. Believe me they will notice that you're missing.
As for a spouse remember why you fell in love in the first place. If your spouse is telling you that they are looking for work, trust that they are doing everything possible to find a job. If you have some suggestions make sure that they sound like suggestions and not accusations. Be willing to try to understand the situation and make sure your responses and suggestions don’t sound judgmental.
Even when things are going well financially, most couples don’t agree on everything. However, when there is a disagreement and a spouse is unemployed, don’t remind the person of how long they have been out-of-work. They already know how long its been. Also, try not to be too hard on them about not doing housework during the day. It may appear that there is enough time in the day for them to search for work and do chores, but the truth is it takes a full day to search for work. If they are taking time from the search in order to cook, clean, run errors and pick-up kids there is a good chance that the search will last longer.
When a spouse wants to change jobs but can’t due to the economy and they start to vent about work conditions or salary cuts, try to be supportive. Remember, these days it’s best to discuss these matters at home than to vent with co-workers. It is also healthy for them to vent every now-and-then to relieve stress and to have their feelings validated by another person.
If you are the person experiencing employment issues, remember that unless your spouse has been unemployed during this particular recession they have no idea of what your days are like. Talk with them about your efforts to find a job, but do not expect complete understanding. This is the first time in history that the country is going through a major economic recession and the Internet is the primary tool for conducting a job search. Only those who are currently conducting a job search or those who have successfully completed a search within the past year will understand how you spend your days.
So when speaking with your spouse, friends, or other family members about your job search skip the small details and focus on measurable results such as inquiries from companies, interviews, networking opportunities, meetings with employment agencies, and applications completed. These are things that anyone who has ever looked for work can wrap their arms around and understand.
Times of economic uncertainty are trying, but by being sensitive to others no matter their circumstances and by managing your relationships you should be able to make it through this period with your family and friendships intact.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
BLOG IN THE HEADLIGHTS
Deciding to blog presented a dilemma. I was intrigued when I first came across blogger. I thought wow, I can get a free blog, this is great. I can write about my pet peeves, my dreams, my kids about anything that I like and a few things that I dislike.
Since I was and still am looking for a job, I decided to write about my job search. I wrote a few posts about my experiences as I looked for work and emailed them to my friends for comments. To my surprise, I only received a couple of comments, but my cell phone and email were blowing-up. The calls and emails were from my friends suggesting that I take down the blog . I began to wonder if I should take their advice and delete the site.
Prior to be laid-off, I had been steadily employed for over 20 years. I did not have an online presence and I was somewhat skeptical of social media. My only knowledge of FaceBook and Myspace was that people were getting fired or not being hired as a result of these accounts. The last thing that I wanted was to get tangled-up with something that could cause problems with my job. So I left FaceBook and Myspace to my kids. I also warned them about the problems that could result from keeping those accounts.
However, after being unemployed for a couple of months and not getting any responses from employers advertising on the job boards I started reading articles written by career advisors. Every single career coach or advisor stated that an online presence was essential to the job search these days. When I considered that my friends who were suggesting that I take down the blog were employed I reasoned, what do they know about what is going on out here in the world of the unemployed. So I left the blog up. Then I added a LinkedIn account and FaceBook account to keep my blog company.
I never created a link from the blog to my FaceBook or LinkedIn account. Whenever I checked the blogs I saw that it had very few readers. There was nothing in it that was questionable, no company names, no names of people, it was about me pursuing job opportunities and my occasional interviews. Nonetheless, the fact that it was not being read by many people was fine with me. My well meaning friends had successfully fanned the flames of doubt, which fueled my preexisting uneasiness about social media. I was not confident that social media was the way to go when it came to looking for a job. I was not sure that I would gain exposure that could possibly lead to a job. On the contrary, I felt that my blog might actually hurt my chances of landing a job.
I started searching the Internet for blogs like mine and I came across the same type of blogs in The Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal had links to several other blogs written by people looking for jobs. I responded to several of the blogs, but I never put my real name or the URL for my blog in the response. It was a real dilemma for me and I tried to figure out the right way to proceed in this new environment. After some months, I updated my blog less frequently and I recently took it down altogether.
Now months later, I see where many of the people who had blogs similar to mine are employed. Several of them are blogging about their lives and their new jobs. I on the other hand am still looking and only about three-step ahead from where I was months ago when I first stated the blog. I say three steps because next week I have three interviews lined-up. When I created my first blog, it was as a result of not having any interviews, none, zero, zilch.
The blog did not help because I never promoted it. I never included the URL on my business cards and I did not include it following my online signature on emails. My blog and I were like a deer caught in the headlights. Not knowing whether we belonged on the road or hidden in the brush. Nonetheless, my use of social media is responsible for each of these interviews. I found the two of the companies through LinkedIn and the other interview was secured as a result of my activities on Twitter.
This is not exactly 100 percent proof positive that had I promoted the original blog that I would have a job by now; however, the evidence does point in that direction. Judging how social media has started to be a help in my job search, there is a pretty good chance that had I promoted the blog, I would be happily working by now instead of still looking for opportunities.
I recently decided to start this blog, Everyday Dilemmas and this time I plan to go about things differently. First, I don’t want to simply write about my job search. I want it to contain some information about a variety of things that interest me. Second, I’m pretty confident that my well intentioned friends will not be getting any advanced copies. Guys you know I love you, but these days when it comes to finding a job many of the old rules don’t apply.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
FINDING A JOB IS NOT A JOB IT'S A BUSINESS
Consider the various departments or functions within a business they usually include: Accounting, Marketing, Human Resources, Sales, Research and Development, Procurement, Business Development and Administration.
If you’re running your job search without incorporating these functions there is a good chance that your job search is not going to run efficiently. Furthermore, things will be slow to improve unless you make some serious changes, which includes incorporating some or all of these functions into your search.
It’s been said before, but it’s worth repeating, today’s job search is very different from the job search of 10 years ago. For starters, due to the availability and accessibility of information as well as the means to secure off-shore back-offices business the search is going to take longer. Good economy or bad, candidates and workers from across the nation and around the globe have access to the Internet and the ability to compete with locals for jobs. In short, it is going to take larger companies a while to sort through their options and make a decisons as to how they will go about filling available positions.
This brings us back to why the job search has grown from being a job and into a business. These days you have to conduct your job search as if you are the CEO of a small business. The only thing that makes your company different from a traditional business is that you only have one product to sell and that product is you. To get your product sold you will have to manage all of the functions of your company. You may use the services of a few consultants such as your network, recruiters, employment agencies or coaches but the job of moving the product rests on you.
So let's look at your basic corporate structure:
Accounting
Adequate funding will be needed to support the search. Expenses such as parking, admittance to events, dry cleaning, lunches, gasoline as well as funds to support your headquarters including rent or mortagage, electricity, food, vehicle maintenance, Internet access and so forth. It's good to identify your liquid assets (cash) from the start as well as consider other assets that may be sold-off or liquidated in order to increase your cash flow if necessary.
Marketing Communications
You can’t do this without a marketing department. Your resume and cover letter are your primary marketing tools. You will also have to think of ways to become visible to your target audience. This may mean developing a database of companies that you would like to work with and contacting these companies through traditional methods or social networking. You may consider starting a blog to help to brand yourself as an expert in your field.
Human Resources
Make sure that your documents are in order. Do you have a birth certificate, passport, social security card, drivers license or other acceptable forms of identification. You may want to run a criminal background check and credit check on yourself to make sure that there are no errors. Beware of things that can get you into legal or financial troubles such as work-from-home opportunities or jobs that hire you as an independent contractor. There is nothing illegal about being an independent contractor but remember you will be responsible for managing your withholdings. If you have never done anything like this before and you decided to give it a try it may be necessary to speak with an accountant before getting started.
Sales
Since you are the one person that knows you best you are the one person who is best able to sell your services. Be prepared to tell potential employers not just what you do but how you go about doing it. Make sure that you keep abreast of what is going on in the industry. Listen carefully to what the interviewer is telling you about the position so that you can offer what the employer is seeking. Remember the job of selling is not based on talking it’s based on listening and identifying areas where your product can fill a void. Find out from the interviewer exactly what the company needs, ask them to tell you about the day in the life of the person holding the position. Find out where the interviewer feels that there is a need or room for improvement. For each question, be ready to respond to how you will can fill the company’s needs. For example, you may want to relate a story about how you solved a similar problem for your previous employer. If you feel that you can’t fill the void be honest with yourself and don’t make-up things in order to make yourself look good. If you do this and get hired you may find yourself right back on the job boards, posthaste. No one wants a product that does not perform as promised.
Procurement
You will have to decided what type of paper you are going to use to print-out your resume. You have to decide what type of thank you notes to purchase and if you will be using notes or buying cards. You will need some business cards for when you go out networking. Decide if you want to design and print your own or if you want to hire someone to provide this services for you. If you don’t have a computer in your home you will have to decide if you should buy one or rent one to use during your job search. It may be best to use the library if funds are not available.
Business Development
As the head of business development you are responsible for seeking out opportunities where you can be seen and present yourself to potential employers without actually trying to make a sale or close a deal. Your business development strategy may include attending meetings of experts your industry. Also, attending town and government meetings in your area to get to know businesses owners, and residents in order to develop new contacts. You may also be able to learn about upcoming projects in the area and get information on who to contact regarding job opportunities resulting from community projects. Depending on your level of expertise in your field you may request an opportunity to make a presentation at a local business gathering.
Research and Development
Research and development is important and will ensure that you have evolved over the years. Sometimes people who have stayed with the same company for several years missed out on some of the newest business trends. For example, if your former company used Office 2005 and now you are confronted with Office 2007 you may be in for a bit of a shock. If your former company's main method of communication was through the local newspaper, you may have to get up-to-speed with social media. You may have to redesign your product in order to find more customers (potential employers). This may mean taking a writing class or computer course it may mean learning something totally new such as medical terminology. In short, you don’t want to be dated. You want to be a fresh, innovative and exciting product.
Administration
Remember you are your company's CEO and responsible for your company's suvivial. It is your job to determine if your efforts are providing acceptable returns. You have the final decision regarding which programs will be cut and what programs will be enhanced. The buck stops at your desk and you have to be the enforcer because you want to keep your company afloat. If you are going to temporary employment agencies and spending $30.00 a month for parking but not getting any work, it may be time to make a decision 1) stop going to employment agencies or 2) only go to employment agencies that are located in buildings with free parking. If you are attending networking events and coming home with a pocketful of card from other job seekers but nothing from potential employers it may be time to cut-back on networking events that target job seekers. If you are attending community meetings and becoming known and connected within your community, you may want to keep it up. Remember, most successful businesses know how to do two things really well 1) How to turn on a dime when a strategy is not working and 2) How to capitalize on strategies that work.
If you’re running your job search without incorporating these functions there is a good chance that your job search is not going to run efficiently. Furthermore, things will be slow to improve unless you make some serious changes, which includes incorporating some or all of these functions into your search.
It’s been said before, but it’s worth repeating, today’s job search is very different from the job search of 10 years ago. For starters, due to the availability and accessibility of information as well as the means to secure off-shore back-offices business the search is going to take longer. Good economy or bad, candidates and workers from across the nation and around the globe have access to the Internet and the ability to compete with locals for jobs. In short, it is going to take larger companies a while to sort through their options and make a decisons as to how they will go about filling available positions.
This brings us back to why the job search has grown from being a job and into a business. These days you have to conduct your job search as if you are the CEO of a small business. The only thing that makes your company different from a traditional business is that you only have one product to sell and that product is you. To get your product sold you will have to manage all of the functions of your company. You may use the services of a few consultants such as your network, recruiters, employment agencies or coaches but the job of moving the product rests on you.
So let's look at your basic corporate structure:
Accounting
Adequate funding will be needed to support the search. Expenses such as parking, admittance to events, dry cleaning, lunches, gasoline as well as funds to support your headquarters including rent or mortagage, electricity, food, vehicle maintenance, Internet access and so forth. It's good to identify your liquid assets (cash) from the start as well as consider other assets that may be sold-off or liquidated in order to increase your cash flow if necessary.
Marketing Communications
You can’t do this without a marketing department. Your resume and cover letter are your primary marketing tools. You will also have to think of ways to become visible to your target audience. This may mean developing a database of companies that you would like to work with and contacting these companies through traditional methods or social networking. You may consider starting a blog to help to brand yourself as an expert in your field.
Human Resources
Make sure that your documents are in order. Do you have a birth certificate, passport, social security card, drivers license or other acceptable forms of identification. You may want to run a criminal background check and credit check on yourself to make sure that there are no errors. Beware of things that can get you into legal or financial troubles such as work-from-home opportunities or jobs that hire you as an independent contractor. There is nothing illegal about being an independent contractor but remember you will be responsible for managing your withholdings. If you have never done anything like this before and you decided to give it a try it may be necessary to speak with an accountant before getting started.
Sales
Since you are the one person that knows you best you are the one person who is best able to sell your services. Be prepared to tell potential employers not just what you do but how you go about doing it. Make sure that you keep abreast of what is going on in the industry. Listen carefully to what the interviewer is telling you about the position so that you can offer what the employer is seeking. Remember the job of selling is not based on talking it’s based on listening and identifying areas where your product can fill a void. Find out from the interviewer exactly what the company needs, ask them to tell you about the day in the life of the person holding the position. Find out where the interviewer feels that there is a need or room for improvement. For each question, be ready to respond to how you will can fill the company’s needs. For example, you may want to relate a story about how you solved a similar problem for your previous employer. If you feel that you can’t fill the void be honest with yourself and don’t make-up things in order to make yourself look good. If you do this and get hired you may find yourself right back on the job boards, posthaste. No one wants a product that does not perform as promised.
Procurement
You will have to decided what type of paper you are going to use to print-out your resume. You have to decide what type of thank you notes to purchase and if you will be using notes or buying cards. You will need some business cards for when you go out networking. Decide if you want to design and print your own or if you want to hire someone to provide this services for you. If you don’t have a computer in your home you will have to decide if you should buy one or rent one to use during your job search. It may be best to use the library if funds are not available.
Business Development
As the head of business development you are responsible for seeking out opportunities where you can be seen and present yourself to potential employers without actually trying to make a sale or close a deal. Your business development strategy may include attending meetings of experts your industry. Also, attending town and government meetings in your area to get to know businesses owners, and residents in order to develop new contacts. You may also be able to learn about upcoming projects in the area and get information on who to contact regarding job opportunities resulting from community projects. Depending on your level of expertise in your field you may request an opportunity to make a presentation at a local business gathering.
Research and Development
Research and development is important and will ensure that you have evolved over the years. Sometimes people who have stayed with the same company for several years missed out on some of the newest business trends. For example, if your former company used Office 2005 and now you are confronted with Office 2007 you may be in for a bit of a shock. If your former company's main method of communication was through the local newspaper, you may have to get up-to-speed with social media. You may have to redesign your product in order to find more customers (potential employers). This may mean taking a writing class or computer course it may mean learning something totally new such as medical terminology. In short, you don’t want to be dated. You want to be a fresh, innovative and exciting product.
Administration
Remember you are your company's CEO and responsible for your company's suvivial. It is your job to determine if your efforts are providing acceptable returns. You have the final decision regarding which programs will be cut and what programs will be enhanced. The buck stops at your desk and you have to be the enforcer because you want to keep your company afloat. If you are going to temporary employment agencies and spending $30.00 a month for parking but not getting any work, it may be time to make a decision 1) stop going to employment agencies or 2) only go to employment agencies that are located in buildings with free parking. If you are attending networking events and coming home with a pocketful of card from other job seekers but nothing from potential employers it may be time to cut-back on networking events that target job seekers. If you are attending community meetings and becoming known and connected within your community, you may want to keep it up. Remember, most successful businesses know how to do two things really well 1) How to turn on a dime when a strategy is not working and 2) How to capitalize on strategies that work.
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