Filed under: Job Loss, Job Search Help, Networking, Self Help, Success | Tags: Care, company research, constant improvement, CV, fear, how to get a job, Interview, job, Job Loss, Job Search, network, networking, resume, success
I meet with people everyday who apply for jobs. And it still shocks me to see so many people do the following:
1) Send your resume and not say the position you’re applying for –This is common. Not long ago I met a guy faxing a resume to a multi-national company with over 10,000 employees with no cover letter, no fax cover sheet or even stating the position he was applying for. I asked if he thought that the resume will get to the right person, he said ‘hope so’. I asked “Do you think the person receiving the fax will be able to read your resume and figure out by your experience where you would fit into one of the 10,000 positions?”. He said that if it’s meant to be it will be?? I told him “probably will not be”. Most just want to drop off a resume and hope for a magical fairy to land them a job.
Another example- Locally a large company wanted to hire a manager and a receptionist and received over 2000 resumes. Approximately 1/3 didn’t identify the position they were applying for. Result – Garbage!
Tip – Research. It doesn’t take long to call, search on the internet or speak with someone who works there. Add the name of the position on your cover letter. In an email state the position in the subject area. And don’t believe in magical fairies.
2) Do not give a reason why the company should hire you – Not all people hired have the experience for that specific job, but they do have transferable skills or have worked similar jobs. Make it easy for the company to see what you did, and how that relates to the job you’re applying for.
Tip – Research. Find out what the company is actually looking for. Sell your skills that match the job in your cover letter and add those in the summary of qualifications section on your resume. Answer the following question for them – How will you add value and fit into this company?
3) Not talking to the ‘movers / shakers’ – Many don’t do this because it’s going way out of their comfort zone. If they don’t know you, your chances of finding work in a competitive market decreases dramatically.
Tip – When speaking to management, be quick and confident. Give him/her a quick pitch about yourself and your experience. Be ready to give a resume / business card, and be ready to like the person.
4) Dressing inappropriately – There are some people who just don’t care how they look. If you’re searching for a job, care. As soon as a hiring person sees you they ask themselves “How will the other co-workers react to you” and “How will our clients react to you”. If your wearing inappropriate clothing on your first impression red flags begin showing up in the supervisors mind.
Tip – Do a little research on the company, and even talk to someone who works there to see what people wear. Don’t wear anything too tight, or show too much skin. Wear only clean clothes and nothing outdated. Some may need a makeover? A tip one of my co-workers always suggest is to dress one step up from what you would wear to work every day at the job your applying for
5) Not using their Network – Many people find this awkward. Calling and meeting new people can be intimidating, but that is where 80% of the jobs are. If the hiring person / co-workers do not know you, it will be more difficult for them to invest in you.
We are all networkers, but not everyone is a good networker but we can all improve. To be a success we must step out of our comfort zone and keep trying to improve. When I was younger I disliked with a passion-networking, but now I see how powerful it is and I’m trying to become better at it.
Tip – Stop thinking about yourself when networking and ask questions about their favorite subject, themselves. The 80-20 rule states it’s 80% them and 20% you.
Bottom line – Care, research and use your network!
Filed under: Job Loss, Job Search Help, Networking, Self Help, Success | Tags: CV, increase your chances, job help, job hunting, Job Loss, Job Search, networking, resume, success
One of my pet peeves is to hear people that are upset they didn’t get the job they were entitled too.
“We are entitled to nothing”
We need to change our mind set from “I can do this job so hire me” mindset to how can I show the employer I would be more of a benefit to the organization then a liability?
Employers have moved from just filling a spot to finding someone that adds value.
Any monkey can operate a machine, but will that monkey add value or cost money?? Will that person get along with everyone, or will they have problems.
Question we need to ask ourselves – Will you offer more problems to the company or more solutions?
Most people will say that they definitely will add value but they need to show that to the employer.
Question – Are you giving them reasons to hire you or are you giving ‘Red Flags’ – i.e., Transportation problems, inability to get along with others, problems with previous employers, marital issues ect.
The answer to a great job is not in how good your resume looks, but how you show that you will add value to the company.
You can show you are an asset by
- Researching the position and relating your experience to it
- Asking people that already work there about the job – the more you know the easier you will fit in
- Reference letters – especially letters from managers in similar fields with the new position
- Positive attitude
- Friendly – be prepared to like the other person!! Your first impression is kind of like a first date. If you don’t think you could go out to dinner with this person, you may not get the job
- Energetic and outgoing without being overbearing
- A good selling cover letter, not a generic one
To be really successful in any economy we need to focus on and show
HOW CAN I BE OF VALUE TO THIS COMPANY!
Thank you so much for reading! I would really appreciate any comments below on anything I can add for the future.
Filed under: Job Loss, Job Search Help, Networking, Self Help, Success | Tags: increase your chances, Interview, job, job help, job hunting, Job Loss, networking, resume, success
Some would say when the 1st question begins.
Thinking about this recently on my vacation, I was reminded of a story I heard not too long ago.
A friend was telling me about a time he was on his way to an interview and was rushing because he was late. At the last second he noticed someone following in the door carrying an order of coffee. Since he was running late he didn’t bother waiting the 2 seconds to hold the door and rushed in to find the place he needed to be for the interview.
Once he found the right office and was called in, he was shocked to see the person he didn’t hold the door for asking most of the questions. ; )
He didn’t get the job. Could it have been because of him not holding the door??? Who knows, but it certainly didn’t help.
For this guy the interview started before the ‘interview’.
But actually the interview always starts before the interview.
It starts while;
- we are talking with the receptionist
- working at our present job
- we are socializing
- using social networking
- hanging out
- shopping
- volunteering *** (Most people don’t bother doing this but it’s very important)
- taking our kids to events
- we are talking to co-workers
- walking in the parking lot
- working out at the gym
- cold calling employers
- meeting managers
This list could go on and on.
Every job I have ever had for the past 20 years has been through networking and through people I have known or from a referral. People have always known me before they hired me. So case in point is that while working or volunteering we are unknowingly being interviewed.
Our past work record is very important. I always tell people that with every job we have we will need to use those references for the next 3 years no matter what type of job we did.
Whole books can be written on networking –it boils down to one thing. We are constantly being interviewed whether we like it or not. We are all networkers whether we are good ones or not. I’m not a perfect networker (far from it) but as I get older I see the power in it, either to build up or to tear down.
Take care, beware and work hard.
Bonus Quote – Use the 90 / 10 rule when networking – It’s 90 % about others and 10% about ourselves.
Filed under: Job Loss, Job Search Help, Self Help, Success | Tags: Cover letter, CV, increase your chances, job, job hunting, Job Loss, Job Search, networking, resume, success
That is the question
I get asked this question all the time!
Should you use a Cover letter??
YES and NO 
Let me explain.
No – if you are thinking of using a generic cover letter. I hate these and so do employers. If there is not anything relevant or extra then people don’t want to read a whole lot extra.
Do not send a resume and cover letter blindly – could actually back fire.
If you don’t invest time, don’t expect the hiring professional to.
Yes, Send a cover letter – if you take time and do a little research. Find out who the person is that receives the resumes. Find out the address and what type of work the employer does. This will help find what they need and in turn help you target your cover letter.
A cover letter should be
- Specific and personal. Each letter should refer to a specific person at a specific company and provide a specific next step that you will be taking. If you wait for them to call you, your odds of contact decrease dramatically. The Squeaky Wheel Theory (i.e., the one that squeaks the loudest gets the grease) is alive and well in the employment marketplace. If you make the effort to contact me, I will respond to you. If you passively wait for your phone to ring, do not expect me to call.
- Cover two important points: (1) what your product can do for your customer (the company), and (2) what your customer will need to do to buy your product. Don’t just explain the great product (you) but what the product can do for the company. If you have no idea how you can benefit that customer, then you may be wasting everyone’s time (including your own) in even attempting a reasonable job search. You will most certainly fail any interview. Go back to square one and start over.
A basic formula for cover letters is as follows:
- Standard business letter address format–prospect name, title, company, address top left
- Salutation (yes, it should be to a real person take time to know who your target is)
- First paragraph why you are writing? To meet that companys specific need(s)!
- Second paragraph-briefly state two or three top skills (from the Summary section of your resume), then immediately follow with the benefits these features (and you as a person) will provide to the company.
- Third paragraph–close! Not just the ending of the letter, but the sales closer to the letter. Close the sale. Give your target contact a specific action to take and a backup action you will take if you do not get a response.
Filed under: Job Loss, Job Search Help, Self Help, Success | Tags: first impression, increase your chances, job help, job hunting, Job Loss, Job Search, networking, success
Job search is all about increasing your chances of getting hired, below are some ways to decrease your chances big time and ways to stop it.
These are all common sense!! But I see often that common sense is not all that common. Enjoy!
1) Wear something that shows a lot of skin or clothes that are too tight – Self explanatory, but when in doubt dress conservative!!!
2) Bath in Perfume and Cologne – Too much is always annoying. If you’re worried about smelling bad just be sure you’re clean. There seems to be a huge increase in allergies to this type of smell, be careful as it could ruin your chances of getting hired.
3) Show all your Tattoos and Piercings Depending on where you are interviewing, you may want to consider covering your tattoos and taking out your rings. There are companies that have policies which limit both. When in doubt – be conservative.
4) Wear Dirty Clothes – I do interviews often and I see so many people with the “Good enough” attitude. That’s just lazy, do some research on the company and see what people commonly wear. Don’t wear anything that you wore a few days ago. All clothes for job search and meeting potential employers should be clean and not from the dirty clothes pile EVEN if the clothes are ‘good enough’.
5) Talk aggressively – Tact is a huge skill in job search. I often see people that are a little over aggressive or sometimes ticked off on the phone talking to a potential employer. I truly think this is a nervousness issue and they cannot hear what they are saying. The people that hire are just regular people and when they are not treated with respect and if they feel they are pressured – things go badly really quickly. Careful what you say, practice with a job search coach, friend or family member. Another great tip is to call other places of employment that you don’t really care if you do get a job to practice talking on the phone.
6) Do not talk to the hiring person – Job search is soooooo awkward to a lot of people so many don’t bother speaking with someone who does the hiring. I get the impression that when people drop off their resume, that they think theirs is the only one being submitted. They also think that people get to read it for hours on end and will just call them up right away and make a huge offer. Ha-ha, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The resume usually gets a quick look, and either filed or garbage.
If you don’t speak with hiring personnel, then you decrease your chances big time. Remember don’t just fax your resume and hope that some sort of miracle will take place and the manager will see yours from the other 1000 resumes they see and call you.
7) Apply to only posted jobs – I tell everyone that not many companies bother with posting jobs. Because it costs money, takes time and then they get a lot of resumes. Up to a 1000 resumes and more sometimes can be sent in. Companies don’t want to take chances on people they don’t know, so if you go meet with the hiring personal you instantly have a better chance of finding work.
8) Be Sweaty – Summer can be hot, and trying to drop off resumes to all the places by bike, bus, cars with no A/C with the stress of talking to a hiring personnel can leave a person looking for work look like a sweaty mess. Careful, your image is everything – or most of it especially your first impression. Don’t bring that ‘good enough’ attitude. Remember, by going the extra mile there isn’t much traffic – which can be good in the job search.
9) Be ignorant to the receptionist – Ever hear of the word ‘Gate Keeper’. That person is powerful and controls a lot of information in any organization. Many people think that it’s the owner, manager or superintendent. But actually the one who is connected to all the departments and all the people of the organization most often is the receptionist. Disrespect her, and you will lose your chances of employment big time! Be careful what you say, be humble, respectful and maybe try a compliment, but make sure you’re genuine.
10) Spit / pick your nose in the parking lot and don’t wash your hands in the bathroom – No one would do these around someone that is hiring, so they shouldn’t be done anywhere on the property. Most job searchers will say they would never do any of these, but I see it in my office (Which is a job search center), and I work beside a bathroom and about 40% of people don’t wash their hands – which I find ironic in this time and day.
Again, these 10 are all common sense and there are more, but these are the ones I see most often. So it is true that “Common sense is not all that common”. Be careful
Filed under: Job Loss, Job Search Help, Self Help, Success | Tags: CV, goals, increase your chances, job, job help, job hunting, Job Search, networking, resume, success
Job search can be stressful – depressing and hard on your health.
Most job seekers fall into a rut from time to time especially if unemployed for a long time.
If you’re in a ‘rut’, down or depressed – hopefully some of the following will help. Remember, I’m not a doctor; I’m just a guy that have experienced that down time and have seen it countless times with clients.
6 ways to get out of the jobsearch RUT
1) GET OUTSIDE – Today in this day and age, one can stay behind a computer 24/7 and not even see the sun. I see people get down and not want to go into town (hey that rhymes). Then it becomes a endless downward cycle before we realize it ourselves or have friends that ‘shake us out of it’.
Break the cycle by – Calling friends / family and make plans to go to the park or trails. You don’t need to book a trip to CUBA, but make and effort and schedule yourself to do something different outside. Try aerobics, yoga, running, a new sport or join the gym. By doing something simple like getting fresh air getting up early and showering can make a huge difference. All very basic and commonsense but when in the rut we sometimes don’t notice it. Be aware, get outside and remember nature rejuvenates and heals.
2) Exercise – The older I get I find it so much easier to gain weight. When we gain weight we feel more slugish, down and no energy – A big part of the ‘job search rut’. I’ve heard people tell me that they are “too tired to exercise”. We need to understand that to have more energy we need to exercise.
To Get more Exercise – See #1. Try something new, join weight watchers, set a goal to walk, run, or bike a certain distance or amount of time. Join a league or group and try to have fun. The more fun you have the more likely you will stick to it.
3) Change some of those key CORE people – I see so many people get into a rut and hang out in the same areas with the same people day, after day, after month after year without making any changes. I heard a great quote last year – “We are the average of the 5 closest people we hang out with”
Ask yourself this – are you hanging with people who move? Or people who watch the soaps? Just stop waiting. Stop waiting for something to come along, Stop waiting until you’re ready, Stop waiting until you know what you’re doing. Remember: Life’s too short to surround yourself with people don’t challenge and inspire you. Who do you need to delete from your life?
4) Learn something new –I truly believe that if we stop learning we are dying! So many people feel that way when they are in a rut.
Learn by – Read more, search the internet and check out the library. There are all kinds of short courses you can take at local colleges / universities or courses given by people in our community. Learning in groups is fun and you get to know people and increase your network which is one of the most powerful job search methods.
5) Help Others – I’ve seen it time and time again, people get stuck in a rut and they can’t get out it, and the last thing they would do or think of is helping others. It is very difficult feeling bad when you’re helping others.
Do this by – Volunteering with a local charity, church or school. This also helps with networking (one of the most powerful ways to find work).
6) Stop Complaining – Complaining is very easy to do, but sends us in the direction of being negative and down. Complaining just makes life seem more dreary and unfair.
Stop this by – be careful who we are around (see #3). Spend time with hyper / enthusiastic people. Also squash all negative comments quickly before they have time to take root!
Take care and thanks for reading
Filed under: Job Loss, Job Search Help, Self Help, Success | Tags: CV, goals, increase your chances, job, job help, job hunting, Job Search, networking, resume, success
Job Hunting - PART 3
The 3rd way people stall their job is by not knowing how to hunt. Below I will list 10 areas that people often overlook or are very weak in! These will not guarantee anything – but if you work on it they will definitely increase your chances!!!!!!!!!!
I talk to a lot of people looking for work and they often say they want work but I don’t see them using much effort at all. People can talk all they want but if that doesn’t translate into action it’s all in vain.
From the start, no one likes doing the job search – because it’s not something we do often, they don’t know what to do and it feels awkward. We need to be able to get things moving and move out of our ‘comfort zone’ if we want success!!
Below are 10 areas to work on. Each area is summarized but could be easily posted all by itself and expanded on (which I will be doing in later posts).
1) Schedule & Goals – We all get very busy – even if you’re not working. Time does fly, and if we don’t pay attention we can waste a lot of time.
The longer you wait to begin a serious job search, the more suspicious a possible employer will be about your interest in work. It takes time to find work – don’t take time off then start later on – I see it all the time people will wait to have their employment insurance to get started and the next time I see them they are applying for social assistance.
Start by – Set aside time every day (one, two or more hours) to search for work. There are a number of things you can do besides reading the paper, like typing resumes, cover letters, networking, volunteer, pass out resumes, speaking with managers, read the paper / directories, call people that you know are working to get leads, ect.
Set Goals by writing them on paper. Write down how many people you will see in a day, make a commitment to reach a certain number of people by email, phone, or face to face meetings. Plan to talk to people working already in your field and see what positions may be coming up and actually who does the hiring.
2) AIM at a TARGET - You may already have learned that sending out hundreds of resumes over the internet isn’t your ticket to a paycheck. That strategy doesn’t work very well, as millions of veteran job hunters say. Instead of running to the big-name companies everyone else runs too and wants find other smaller companies in your area.
Aim at target employers by – Searching businesses by looking through directories, labour market sites, asking people in your network, phone books and yellow pages. Make a list of employers and start meeting with managers, cold calling and/or dropping off resumes! Always awkward at first, but gets easier once you start. 50% of the battle is getting out the door!
3) Be flexible – Be willing to work contract, part-time, nights or be willing to move. If not you decrease your chances of finding work. All successful people have started out with dead end meaningless jobs. Remember it always seems to be easier to find work once you’re working. If your working, you are getting references, skills, and contacts.
4) Networking – is the most important part of the job search. People cringe at the very sound of that word. Some even say – “I’m not into networking”. But actually we are all networkers!! Either we are the really good, really bad or so-so.
Become a better Networker by – talking to friends/family, past co-workers/managers, take the time to use social media (facebook, msn, twitter, linkedin). Start conversations with strangers, attend public meetings, volunteer, join associations. Check out bulletin boards, businesses and stores where you want to work. Check kijiji. Ask yourself where the industry of your choice meets/volunteers and check it out.
Volunteer – I see so many people that are volunteering while working. But those that are un-employed often wouldn’t even think twice about it. Is there a relation between working and volunteering?? You bet! Volunteering increase’s your network swagger by 100 thousand!
5) Be a MODEL – I think most people at some point thought of being a model, well here’s your chance. Employers want good people they can trust with their clients. Employees are like billboards for their company, if the employer is a little worried about you then your chances of getting work decreases a lot!!
Rule # 1 – Don’t scare the employer!! Don’t be overly aggressive “UFC technique” when passing in your resume.
Rule # 2 – Be careful of your online presence – 70% of surveyed HR professionals in U.S. (41% in the UK) have rejected a candidate based on online reputation information.
Check out people that work there – what do they dress like, talk like and maybe even where most hang out??
Ask yourself – ARE YOU TRUSTWORTHY?
6) Resume – The bulk of what I do is to type up resumes for clients, and I see a number of mistakes through out. Spelling, grammar and resumes not formatted in an easy to read way is a great way to decrease your chances. Always have 3 people check it out for spelling and grammar as I even make mistakes. The Government in many provinces and cities has free services and seminars – check them out.
7) Be ready for rejection baby!!! You will not get all the jobs you apply for – don’t take it personally!! If not, watch out for that job search rut where we pout, complain and get down.
8) Invest time!!
9) References and a reference letter. Every manager has been scammed, quit on, had slackers – basically when we apply we are starting out with a very watchful eyes.
Get references and add them to your resume, but do not use relatives. Use work or volunteer related if possible. If your last supervisor wouldn’t be a good one then use a co-worker. (Make sure for your next job you can use a manager – as you will need that reference for the next 3 to 5 years!!!)
Ask permission to use them for references, inform them, give them your resume and keep them informed.
10) Get out there – so many push it off or ‘wait’. Job search is awkward but to be successful we need to get out the door and move!! 50% of the battle is won by getting out the door. Don’t wait for the perfect job to come along – cause it never comes. The biggest problem is that people wait, and wait and wait till they run into major problems financially and causes more problems. Move!!!
** Every job is an extension to your next one, do well and you will move on! Don’t do well and you can be stuck in an endless circle of meaningless work!
Take care and thanks for reading
FEAR
Job Search – part 2
My last Blog was about the ‘comfort zone’, this week’s is about FEAR. Both are intertwined.
The second factor that I see that decreases people’s chance of finding work is FEAR.
I see 3 types
1) Fear of rejection
2) Fear from not knowing what to do
3) Fear of taking risk
Everyone experiences fear, but how the job seeker deal’s with it determines how much success they will have.
1) Fear of Rejection – no one person likes to be rejected and there are a great number of people that will not move on a goal because of it. I see it often; people won’t take the extra step to talk with a manager or cold call a business to see of possible employment for fear of rejection. Many job seekers want to have the job catered to them.
Beat this by – understanding that rejection is a part of the job search. Sales people get rejected on average 8 times before making a sale. In a difficult job market we will get rejected often. Don’t take it personally and try to learn from it. Job search is like learning a new sport; you feel awkward and out of place when starting a job search. The successful job hunter just keeps moving through that awkward learning stage and keeps learning. It’s like riding a bike, we need to keep moving to stay upright – if not it is very easy to fall in a rut.
Ask your-self – What can I try differently next time?
2) Fear from not knowing what to do – Job search is a DIY ‘do it yourself’ project. Some home DIY projects are down right scary and expensive, especially when you don’t know what the options are or how to go about it. Successful DIY’ers are the ones that are hard workers, look for help (people, books, internet), and are not afraid to make mistakes.
Beat this by – To be a successful DIY’er in Job Search, we need to find people (like me) that work in the area, and ask questions. Read books and / or the internet. Scheduling your day and setting goals can also help.
Ask yourself – Where can I find help outside of my home?
3) Fear of taking risk – I have a sign on our ‘job board’ that says – NO, THESE ARE NOT ALL THE JOBS – ASK ABOUT ………. I don’t get many people that ask about it – maybe 1 in every 30. It’s not hard to miss but most people are shy – I believe it all boils down to fear of taking risk. Asking questions to business owners and networking is very powerful but many job seekers don’t want to take the risk. When I mention Networking to clients – I get a glazed look that says – ya right. Again, this part of the job search is awkward but is needed to be successful.
Beat this by – schedule yourself to seek jobs that may not be posted by cold calling or showing up at the business. Set a goal with yourself to meet someone new every day. It takes practice, again it’s like learning a new sport – and feels very awkward but that goes away with time, practice and making mistakes. Networking becomes very powerful when we fully engage and make it happen!!!!
Ask yourself – Who have I met today that could possibly help me in my job search?
Thanks for reading my 2nd blog – Remember keep your eye on the goal of finding work and everyday move toward it by doing something.
If you think something else could be added – please comment below!
Part 1
From working with 1000’s of people looking for work in my community, one of the hardests hit by job loss in North America (per capita), I’ve seen it all.
I have seen people with addiction, mental illness and those that lost their homes, cars, families and even their own lives.
There are 3 main reasons that I see that stop job hunters from finding a job.
1) Comfortable
2) Fear
3) Not knowing the steps or ‘how to hunt’
For PART 1 of my BLOG, lets look at number one;
1) Comfortable—so many people say will say they’ll do anything to find work but when you watch them it seems they really won’t give anything at all. Our human nature always leans towards being comfortable – just look at our cars, chairs, and everything going automated now.
So when we are laid off – a lot of job hunters mis read their ‘pink slips’ by thinking they have paid vacation. I hear it all the time –“ya I’ll look for work after I get my Employment Insurance going and take a few weeks to relax then I’ll start handing out resumes”. I often chuckle at this because most times the next time I seen them they are applying for welfare and in shock that their EI ran out so quickly and they are rushing to find work.
I could go on with stories like that. Then I see so many fall in a rut and come to me asking for help – which I do after kicking them in the butt !
How be get SUCCESSFUL in the Job Search – Read this book – Success Principles by Jack Canfield. In it he has a number of great life-changing stories and principles. One is to try to get out of your comfort zone. He says that “all of our goals are just outside of our comfort zone” otherwise we would have achieved all of our goals.
My daughter just started playing basketball and when I watch her play I want to jump right in and tell her to be more aggressive. She is playing with people that most of whom have played more then one year. She’ s learning on the go but needs to push out of her ’ballerina mode’ and into more of an attack mode.
It’s just like that in the job search – I see people just too comfortable and need to take off the ‘tutu’ and be more aggressive. Not NFL aggressive but enough to move out of their comfort zone and try something new.
In the job market, if we are not moving forward and learning we are falling backward.
I’ll end part one with a quote – “the illiterate of the 21st Century will not be the one’s that cannot read but the ones who stop learning.” Get out there and read (This blog ), books, get a job coach, get accountable and start moving out of your comfort zone and try something new.
Take care and read Part 2 next week!
