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#BestJobSearchTips : Collection of Favorite Job Search Tips From 2022, that Will Help you in 2023. MUst REad!

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With 2022 winding down, a lot of us are thinking about our goals for the new year. But if those goals include landing a new job, you might have a lot of work to do. From polishing your résumé and writing cover letters to interview prep and company research, looking for a new job is basically another job in itself.

“Before accepting a job, there is usually a time to negotiate salary, and this is a good opportunity to negotiate your job title as well. The same goes for any promotion. Pick a job title that has the highest earning potential.”

To help you get started, we’ve rounded up the best job searching tips of 2022 from the always-helpful r/LifeProTips subreddit. Here are the tips people loved in 2022 to help you start your 2023 job search right:

1. “When applying for a job, keep in mind that you are being interviewed long before your interview begins.”

“When communicating back and forth for a potential job, any and all correspondence that you have with the person hiring is being taken into consideration.”

I am currently hiring for a Front Desk position that would require the future employee to interact with customers (both in-person and via email) and be professional and timely at all times. I have been emailing with a number of applicants to organize interviews, and I am blown away by the number of people who have not been professional throughout the process. I have already written off the applicants who have been short and unprofessional in their emails, shown up late for their interview, or been poor communicators throughout the process.

Extra Pro Tip: Research the company you are applying for! My first interview question is ‘What do you know about our company and what made you want to apply for this job?’ And more often than not, applicants have responded with, ‘I don’t know anything about your company.’ Any and all information they would need is on our website under the ‘About Us’ section, and would show me that they have the forethought to prepare ahead of time!”

You might find social media accounts and can see how they present themselves and if you will get along with them. Maybe you find out that you share hobbies, maybe they share extremist political content. You will know more after Googling, which might help your decision if you want to work with them.”

“They likely did the same to you, might as well look them up too.

Because a job interview isn’t just them interviewing you, you are interviewing them (more so when you are competitive for your field/industry). Realizing this helped my mindset in interviews. I don’t need to be nervous. I need to show them what I can offer to the job and decide if I want to work in the work environment they are offering.”

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2. “Use AI to generate cover letters to save time applying to different jobs.”

“Recently my wife has been applying for jobs on the market. She’s tired of writing cover letters for different companies, so I helped her generate them using AI instead. ChatGPT blew up recently and everyone’s been using it.

Put things that contain the company information and your background like ‘A cover letter for applying to an accounting company as a bachelor of finance,’ the more specific the better.”

“I just tested this, and I’ll be damned if it didn’t work. It didn’t seem perfect. There were lots of things that could be improved, but you go from authoring to proofreading and editing instead, and that’s a big benefit.”

3. “When changing your status on LinkedIn to be ‘open for work,’ make sure it’s set to be visible to recruiters only.”

“I’ve made this mistake before. My current boss sent me a LinkedIn message and it was pretty awkward.”

 

4. “When filling out a job application that requires you to answer long questions online, write them out in a Word document first.”

“I learned this lesson many years ago, applying to a job with long essay questions, and of course the application glitched and didn’t save. My spouse just learned this lesson last night, and I feel horrible for forgetting to tell him my painful experience, so here we are.

Therefore, whenever you are filling out long answer questions online, write them out in Word (or whatever you use), or at the very very least, copy and paste your answers into Word. Trust me! Plus that way you can save them should you need those brilliant answers in the future.

And don’t trust that ‘save application’ button. Don’t click it until you’ve copied and pasted your answers somewhere else first. Websites time out and don’t tell you sometimes.”

5. “If you barely don’t meet the job requirements, apply anyway. You may be able to land the interview and progress from there. Let them decide if you’re good enough, don’t do their job for them.”

“It’s incredibly common for hiring managers to ‘shoot for the moon’ on the job description, listing the skills of their ideal candidate, but not necessarily a realistic one. Always apply if you truly believe you can do the job. I have seen countless times where candidates who were under-qualified on paper were hired over more-qualified candidates thanks for their interview, attitude, etc.”

6. “If you can, don’t apply for a job that is complaining about ‘severe employee shortages’ or the like. There’s a reason they can’t retain employees, and you don’t want to have to find out what that reason is.”

“One of the questions I always ask in an interview is, ‘What is the average tenure of the team I’ll be working with?’ Some are quite caught off guard by the question, and I’ve even seen the life drain out of some of them when they realize exactly what it is that I’m asking. It’s a perfectly legitimate question and can give you a mountain of information from the actual tenure, which is nice to know, to how they answer (or dance around) the question.”

7. “When job searching on LinkedIn, filter for ‘in my network,’ then reach out and ask your connection for a referral.”

“I know many of us are unwilling to give up remote work, and many companies are forcing people back. That puts a lot of us in the job market. There are over 550,000 remote jobs on LinkedIn right now. LinkedIn is really great for job searches because it’s shows you your connections at a given company. You can even filter for ‘in my network’ to see companies you know people at. Reach out to those people and ask for a referral. A referral can be the difference between getting an interview or not.”

8. “If you are looking for a new job and reading reviews of a company always look at the date reviews are posted. If all the five-star reviews are posted on the same day, avoid it.”

“My current employer took their rating from 1.7 on Indeed to 4.6 in three weeks by incentivizing reviews.”

9. “If your home doesn’t have a space suitable for having a virtual interview, check with your public library to see if they have a meeting room you can use.”

“Or your local employment or unemployment office — they have rooms just for that reason.”

10. “Copy/paste all job descriptions you’re interested in into a notes app, with the job title, company name, and how you applied.”

“Job applications don’t last forever on the respective sites/boards. Job titles can easily blur; you do not want to think you’re interviewing for Software Analyst I and it’s really Systems Analyst I at a completely different company.

Jot down the info in the title so you can easily keep up with what you’re doing AND be able to mentally compare the job description to what the recruiter entails it to be. If you’re good at multi-tasking without looking distracted, you could even have it (or a brief description) pulled up on your device/monitor while looking into the camera, verbally checking off the items during the discussions.”

11. “If you are in the process of applying for a job, please make sure you have set up the voicemail on your cell phone.”

“My job responsibilities include setting up interviews for open positions that we have. We get flooded with applications. I call those who are deemed most qualified. Most people do not answer the phone and that’s fine. But too many candidates have not set up voicemail on their cell phones, and I can’t leave a message. I hate for that to be the reason they don’t get an interview.”

12. “It’s better to negotiate a good starting salary rather than relying on raises to hit your target.”

“If you accepted a low-ball starting salary, it’s unlikely that you can rely on a raise to get you to where you want to be.

It’s best to negotiate a starting salary to start off where you want to be. Remember, once an offer has been made, the ball is in your court and you have negotiating power.”

13. “Keep a CV or master résumé for when you are applying for jobs. You can make custom résumés quickly by pulling necessary info out while also keeping all of your résumé information in one place.”+

“By making a master document, you have everything you have ever done already formatted and summarized in a résumé format such that you can copy and paste from it to generate custom résumés for each application.

Likewise, you have all of your information in one place so you don’t have to look across multiple versions of your old résumés to remember what you have done.”

“As soon as you start a new job, add its job description to your ‘master résumé’, even as just a place-holder that you’ll edit later. In six months or a year, come back to it and update that portion based on what you’ve learned.”

14. “When submitting a résumé online, make sure you use a filename with your first and last name.”

“Oftentimes people don’t realize the filename you use to submit your résumé is seen by the recruiter. If you name it something like ‘new revision for accounting firms,’ they will see this. What’s more, if they are downloading them they have to go out and rename the files, which takes time. Best approach is to just name your PDF with your first and last name.”

15. “Keep a running list of career accomplishments and things you’re proud of.”

“Not only can you use this list for building future résumés or negotiating your salary, but it’s also great to look at when imposter syndrome comes creeping in.”

16. “If you have a job interview coming up, practice describing your job to someone who isn’t familiar with your industry. Include descriptions of what you do and what tools you use.”

“This can be especially good so that you can practice keeping a straight face if the question sounds silly. Remember the first person you meet in a job interview may be HR and may not know anything about the details of the actual job you are being hired for.”

17. “When you have an interview at a company, Google the people you have the interview with.”

You might find social media accounts and can see how they present themselves and if you will get along with them. Maybe you find out that you share hobbies, maybe they share extremist political content. You will know more after Googling, which might help your decision if you want to work with them.”

“They likely did the same to you, might as well look them up too.

Because a job interview isn’t just them interviewing you, you are interviewing them (more so when you are competitive for your field/industry). Realizing this helped my mindset in interviews. I don’t need to be nervous. I need to show them what I can offer to the job and decide if I want to work in the work environment they are offering.”

18. “When interviewing for a new role, ask the hiring manager to clearly define what success looks like in the role.”

“If they can’t paint a vivid picture of what it takes to thrive, run.

A company that can’t define how you will win with them is destined to lose.”

19. “In interview situations, practice avoiding filler words such as ‘like’ or ‘umm’, and don’t be afraid to briefly pause to collect your words. This will help you seem more assured in your responses, and shows you’re thinking carefully about your statements.”

“I train technical trainers and this is sound advice. That being said, filler, especially in English is natural and fairly unavoidable 100 percent of the time for most folks. You just want to be conscious of it and make sure it isn’t a distraction. Most people don’t notice it if it is intermittent. People will notice if you use ‘ummm, uhhhhh, ok, right?’ as punctuation on every sentence or in-between every few words.”

20. “If a prospective employer asks why you’re leaving your current employer, give a reason that involves something the new employer has that the old employer doesn’t.”

“If this new job is a smaller company, ‘I’m looking to work for a smaller company.’ If the new job is more hands on, ‘I’m looking for a job where I can be more hands on.’ Etc.

That way you are already complimenting something this prospective employer has while refraining from negativity regarding your current employer.”

21.“When interviewing for a job, ask what day-to-day work would be in detail.”

“There is a wild amount of hiring going on right now and copy/paste errors and omissions (both intentional and non intentional) on job descriptions mean red flags or mismatched responsibilities to your talent stack may not be caught in the application process. Also hiring managers will only ask what you know/did. It’s on you to ask what tasks you will be doing on a day to day basis.

A friend who applied for ‘Business Analyst’ roles found out during the interview process that one role was for a monotonous data entry process while the second one was a technical writing role.”

22. “If you interview for a job you don’t get, send a gracious response email.”

“Nobody likes to give bad news, and people will remember you as a class act who handled a disappointing situation with professionalism.

My go to is something like: ‘Thank you for the prompt response. While I am obviously disappointed, I understand there were many qualified applicants to choose from and I very much enjoyed meeting you and your team. Thanks again, and best, (name).'”

23. “When you get a job offer and you’d like a higher salary, ask. The worst thing they will say is no.”

“I was chatting with a friend who got a job offer and wanted $10k more annually but was nervous about asking.

When I asked what he was nervous about, he explained that he was concerned that they would revoke the offer.

I reminded him that if you get to the stage in the interview process where you are receiving an offer, they WANT you to work there. Asking for more money will result in one of two things:

• Getting more $$ than they initially offered

(or)

• They do not have additional budget to increase your salary and they tell you they cannot go higher.

It would be incredibly bizarre for a company to revoke an offer completely after spending time putting you through the interview prices and deciding they’d like to hire you all because you asked for a higher salary.”

24. “Job titles can often be negotiated. Before accepting a job, there is usually a time to negotiate salary, and this is a good opportunity to negotiate your job title as well. The same goes for any promotion. Pick a job title that has the highest earning potential.”

“Look around at that next level job you want and advocate for a job title that would give you an edge on your application. For example, you may have a current job title of ‘office assistant’; but if you are the assistant to one of the executives and have been there longer than another assistant, you might able to push for a job title change to ‘Senior Executive Assistant’. These may seem like small changes but can mean thousands of dollars a year when you try to find another job.”

25. And finally, “Do not resign your current job until your next job’s background check is completed.”

“I just watched this scenario unfold: Employee gets a new job — hurrah! Employee resigns from current job sure that their background check is clean. Background check comes back and there are red flags. Red flags cause the employer to revoke the job offer. Person has now resigned their current position (no takebacks) and hasn’t truly secured their current position.

Don’t do that. Just wait until your background check is completed before quitting.”

 

BuzzFeed.com | December 29, 2022 | Megan Liscomb

 

#JobSearch : Concerned About Layoffs? 7 Actions To Take In Advance Of A Career Disruption. Great Holiday Project. MUst REad for All!

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Morgan Stanley, Pratt & Whitney and DoorDash are among the companies recently announcing layoffs. With downsizing affecting different industries and small to large companies, it makes sense to be prepared for a disruption in your employment – a job search “go kit” as Boyer Management Group puts it. This is especially true if there is an organizational change, such as a company merger as in JP’s case, or a change in leadership or company strategy.

Request: The company merged, layoffs are coming, and I need to prep for a transition. – JP

Answer: Especially with a turbulent jobs market, you might write something on having your job search “go kit“ ready in the event that his or her job situation can change suddenly in this economy. – Boyer Management Group

This isn’t about encouraging unnecessary anxiety, but rather, being proactive while things are still calm so that you are several moves ahead if something does happen. By taking preemptive action in advance of a career disruption you’ll be able to transition quickly into an active job search. Speed is especially important if you financially need to land your next job quickly and also to stay ahead of all the other job seekers who are laid off alongside you.

Here are seven actions you can take now that will enable you to bounce back from a layoff more quickly:

1 – Confirm your existing severance policy

It’s helpful to review your severance policy when you don’t need it, so there aren’t any negative feelings clouding your judgment. With a clear head, you can list any questions you need to research further, as well as think about what you might negotiate for should a layoff occur. Knowing what you’re entitled to allows you to plan how much runway you have to find your next job and therefore more realistically plan your job search.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2 – Run your numbers

Severance is just one piece of your financial puzzle. You might have savings, another salary in the household or other income sources that will affect the deadline for your job search. Yes, you could wait till you’re laid off to do this accounting. However, knowing your numbers sooner than later gives you more time to plan. You might realize you have more time to look and want to go after a career pivot. Or, you might pursue a longtime dream to start a business or take a longer sabbatical.

3 – Explore lateral move prospects

On the flip side, your numbers might show you can’t afford much, if any, time off. If that’s the case, one of the fastest ways to land quickly is to move within the company. Know what the company policy is for exploring openings in other departments, subsidiaries or regional offices. See if you can find examples of people who have moved from one role to another, or who started as employees and are now consultants. Consulting to your company is also an option — even when a company lays staff off, they may still need the work done and would be willing to hire back staff on a contract basis.

4 – Collect contact information for references and supportive colleagues

Hoping to land within your same company is just one option, and the most productive job searches keep multiple options in play at a time. This means, you’ll want to be ready for an external job search, and that means having professional references for your work, as well as supportive colleagues who can point leads in your direction. Once you leave your company, you leave your equipment and your email platform behind. Make sure that you have in your personal phone and personal email the contact information for all the people with whom you want and need to stay in touch.

5 – Rekindle key external connections

In addition to current colleagues, your network should extend outside your company. (Networking done correctly doesn’t tip off your company that you’re looking!) Former colleagues, social relationships, even classmates from years or decades back are potential resources for your job search. If you have let these relationships lapse, take time now, while you aren’t looking and don’t need anything, to get back in touch with your extended network and rekindle lost connections.

6 – Update your marketing material

Update your resume and LinkedIn profile to reflect your most recent role and accomplishments. As you rekindle outside connections, you may find yourself catching people up on what you’ve been working on – that’s a mini cover-letter. If you catch up over coffee, your introduction is a networking pitch that will help you later in career fairs and interviews.

7 – Itemize the help you need

As you pull these items together – your marketing material, contact list, references, relevant financial numbers – you’ll find some actions easier to complete than others. This gives you an important early indication of where you’ll need help in your job search. Start thinking now about how you’ll get that help – whether you have a mentor or coach you can tap, what your alma mater or local library offers, what books or blogs you can start reading.

Positioning yourself to bounce back from a layoff will help you even if you’re never laid off

A bonus of working on your job search go kit is that these actions will help you even if you don’t use the actual tools in your kit. Knowing your numbers gives you peace of mind or a much-needed jumpstart to save more. Having updated marketing material helps you take advantage of unexpected recruiter calls – or the next opportunity to ask for a promotion or raise. Preparing for the worst increases your resilience and confidence, so you can focus on performing on the job – or taking a much-needed rest for the holidays.

 

Forbes.com | December 23, 2022 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

 

#JobSearch : The New Year May Start Out Challenging For Job Hunters: Here’s What To Expect. To Gain a Competitive Edge, Start Searching for a New Job Right Now.

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The key to succeeding in 2023 is to accept the uncertainty and take action. You need to realize that we won’t return to the halcyon days of companies hiring with reckless abandon. Some Economists and Wall Street professionals have predicted that we will face a rough recession. Layoffs and hiring freezes will continue for the near term. You will need to make yourself indispensable at the office while keeping an eye open for new opportunities.

To gain a competitive edge, start searching for a new job right now. Spruce up your résumé and LinkedIn profile. Ask around to find a few top well-respected recruiters. Check out job boards, create an elevator pitch and network with friends, family, former coworkers, college alums and others to gain job leads and introductions to key decision-makers at target companies.

Thoroughly read the job description to ensure that you’re the right fit, and watch for any red flags. Ask the hiring managers tough questions. You don’t want to quit one job to find out later that the new company is conducting layoffs or rescinding job offers. While interviewing, ensure you are working hard at the office or home, getting noticed by your boss, and making yourself irreplaceable just in case you don’t receive a job offer.

Just because the New Year starts doesn’t mean everything has become good again. Inflation is still at 40-year record highs, and the Federal Reserve increased interest rates which popped the everything bubble. The stock, real estate and crypto markets plunged in 2022. The one invincible tech giants saw their share prices plummet. Amazon’s stock price cratered, falling 50.3% year to date. Meta saw a 63% drop, and Netflix plunged by 53%.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

On The Positive Side, January Is A Good Month To Find A Job

Historically, January is one of the best times to embark on a job hunt. The commencement of a new year ushers in a feeling of possibilities and fresh starts. Seeking out a new opportunity is part of the usual promises made; going on a diet, joining a gym, and getting rid of bad habits.

From Thanksgiving until a week or two into the New Year, there is an unspoken collective agreement between workers and management that we can see all coast during the holiday season. It’s a time to take a vacation, use your personal days, and enjoy three or four-day weekends. As people are mentally checking out of work, it’s too difficult to gain transactions in the hiring process. Soon as one person returns from their vacation, another professional— integral to the interview process— is out of the office.

By the second or third week of January, we engaged in another collective decision. Begrudgingly, we adopt a ‘back to school’ mentality and reconciled getting back into the grind. Human Resource professionals and hiring managers start panicking when they realize they need to fill seats that have been vacant for too long. The workers who have been picking up the slack are complaining that they need help, with a veiled threat that they’ll quiet quit or commence a stealth job search if the company doesn’t hire people to help with the workload.

What To Watch Out For

Although January is a great time to find a new job, the first few weeks are usually slow-moving. There is a time lag for new budgets and headcounts to be approved. Companies will slowly start posting their open roles online and enlist recruiters to help find suitable and appropriate candidates.

Sometimes there is a gap between the reality in the job market and what managers perceive is happening. They may not be aware that salaries have risen due to inflation and may inadvertently extend lowball offers. The hiring process has become colder. Human Resources don’t respond to your résumé submissions, and phone calls, texts and emails go unanswered. It’s become commonplace that after undergoing three to six interviews over several months, the company ghosts you.

Before a new person is hired, leadership wants to understand who might be leaving or already has a new role lined up. There’s a bit of a drag as year-end reviews, raises, bonuses and promotions linger into January or March.

Sectors, including Wall Street and tech companies, pay in total compensation. A large portion of pay packages is in the bonuses. Banks can hold off on paying the bonus up until about March. It’s a cold strategic move to impede a person from leaving, as they’ll forfeit their bonus if they quit before it’s paid out. Some job seekers hold off on their search plans out of fear of being found out and jeopardizing their year-end bonus. The company you are interviewing with may not want to buy out your bonus due to the new austerity mindset of corporate leadership.

Work On Your Mindset And Positivity

In addition to possessing the right skills, academic background and talents for the job, you also need the right attitude. Companies want people who are confident, motivated, positive-thinking and enthusiastic. They want people with winning attitudes.

Interviewing is a stressful endeavor. You’ll need to summon up your courage and be bold and brave. At times, even the best and brightest get rejected. When this happens, brush yourself off and get back up again.

Managers and interviewers want to hire and work with upbeat people who project the ability to get the job done. A critical part of the job hunt is your mindset. Cultivate a positive outlook that radiates confidence. Recall all of the times you triumphed over adversity. Think of all the good luck you’ve had. Going into an interview with positivity makes a big difference. People will pick up on your vibe and frequency. They’ll feel good in your presence. When you emanate a positive aura, you’ll become likable and desirable.

 

Forbes.com | December 22, 2022 | Jack Kelly 

 

#JobSearch : Received A Strong Job Offer? Now Avoid These 3 Negotiation Mistakes. Negotiate a Salary More than You Expected? REAd This!

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I received a job offer that’s better than I expected? Should I still negotiate? If so, can I send this [email with the current offer details and counter arguments]? I plan to accept and hope to work with these people long-term, so I don’t want any bad feelings. – JT, Energy Policy Analyst

Kudos to this job seeker for landing an offer and having the discipline to not accept right away, but rather step back and reassess. Additional kudos for seeking out help since JT is returning to the workforce and hasn’t negotiated in years. Finally, even more kudos to JT for getting a strong offer even with an employment gap of almost a decade. (This offer came at the end of a temp assignment and is a great example of how to convert a project into a full-time job.)

That said, JT’s question also illustrates common misconceptions that job seekers have about the offer negotiation process. Luckily, JT didn’t act on any of these incorrect assumptions and as a result got an even better job offer (higher base, which will be compounded because it’s the basis for the performance bonus and retirement contribution calculations!). Follow JT’s lead and avoid these three negotiation mistakes:

1 – Failing to negotiate at all

Even though the initial offer was strong, JT didn’t accept right away. Too many job seekers jump the gun and accept the first offer out of excitement. Or, they don’t want to risk the offer by countering (even though you won’t, which we’ll cover in point 3).

You don’t want to negotiate just for the sake of negotiating. However, there’s probably something in the offer that isn’t ideal. If it’s not the money (e.g., base salary, bonus or other cash aspect of the offer), then you might want to negotiate the start date, your title, your scope of responsibility, when you’re eligible for benefits or bonus, etc. – there are so many factors to consider in deciding your next career move. As it turns out, JT realized that, while the base salary was strong, it was lower than she hoped. (JT had smartly used her interview process to gauge how much room there could be for negotiating salary.) If she didn’t get the base she wanted, then that lower figure would also lower her bonus, retirement contributions and future growth.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2 – Negotiating by email instead of voice-to-voice

Once JT decided to negotiate, she drafted a long, detailed email with her counterarguments. Like many job seekers, JT felt that an email would allow her to collect her thoughts, edit carefully and avoid the confrontation of a direct conversation. While these are legitimate advantages of an email negotiation, there are disadvantages that outweigh the benefits.

You don’t know how an email is received, while in a voice-to-voice conversation you can hear and potentially see (if live or video) the other person’s reactions. Even though you can draft and refine email, it’s still hard to capture tone and intention 100% accurately in writing – and again, you won’t be able to gauge how it’s received by the reader. Finally, if the negotiation requires a lot of back and forth, perhaps even some brainstorming on what creative compromises could work, a long email chain is confusing and slow, compared to the immediate collaboration of a direct conversation.

3 – Assuming that negotiating will harm collegial relationships

One of JT’s primary concerns in negotiating at all was incurring bad feelings by not accepting the offer right away. However, companies respect strong negotiators. In addition, done correctly, there need not be any hurt feelings.

JT opened every conversation with a heartfelt Thank You for the offer. She reassured both the recruiter and her direct manager that she was excited about the opportunity and was looking forward to joining. She introduced her negotiation as questions about the offer, rather than a formal negotiation. In this way, she kept the dialogue positive and emphasized collaboration over conflict.

Even with a strong initial job offer, there are many upsides to negotiating

As JT’s story demonstrates, one major upside to negotiating is the opportunity to get an even stronger offer. Differences in compensation compound over time, not just for the base salary but for other aspects of an offer. A higher title now will support an even higher title in the future. More responsibility or resources now will put you in the running for a bigger role in the future. At the very least, you get much-needed negotiation practice every time you ask for more. This also gives you confidence and reinforces a self-image as someone who advocates for themselves.

Forbes.com Author: Caroline Ceniza-Levine Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | December 20, 2022

 

#JobSearch : 7 Reasons To Update Your LinkedIn Profile Before 2023. A MUSt REad!

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In 2023, LinkedIn will be two decades old. A lot has happened since it first launched as your e-resume and online networking platform. In fact, the current version of the platform has little resemblance to its original format thanks to the dozens of extremely valuable personal branding features that have been added over time.

Here are 7 reasons why you need to polish your profile now so you can shine online on 2023.

1. The changes you want to make are fresh in your mind. If you go through a year-end review, you’ve spent some time over the past month or so thinking about what you accomplished in 2022 in preparation for your annual performance assessment. You likely have a good inventory of relevant and valuable content you can use to bring your profile up to date. An annual refresh is always a good idea.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2. LinkedIn is the first place where people go to check you out. When people want to research you in a professional capacity— even people who work down the hall from you—they’ll typically go directly to LinkedIn and type your name in the search box at the top of the screen. And if, like some computer users, they start their search at GoogleGOOG -0.5%, they’ll end up at your LinkedIn profile. That’s because your LinkedIn profile will likely show up in one of the top three spots. And we know that most clicks on a Google results page go to the top three spots. This is great news. It means you can tell your story in a powerful way online using just one social media tool. If bolstering your career success is a goal for 2023, it just takes one platform to set that goal in motion.

3. We’re likely entering a recession. Most economists agree that a recession is probably on the horizon. There’s less agreement about how serious it will be and how long it will last, but regardless of that, you want to be prepared for any eventuality. With a complete, current and compelling profile, you’ll not only be able to pursue relevant positions should you end up on a layoff list, but you also become an attractive passive candidate: recession or not, your next job might just find you.

4. You need to position yourself for what’s next. If you haven’t updated your profile in a year or more, it may not align with your career aspirations. Although personal branding is about being authentic, there’s also an aspirational element. You want to demonstrate that you’re ready for that role you seek to fill. One place to focus on is skills. When someone checks out your profile, they only see the top three skills for which you have been endorsed. So make sure those are the skills that are relevant for what you want to do next. Reorder your skills to get the right ones on top.

5. You’ll get up to speed on all things LinkedIn. While you’re in the process of updating your profile, you’ll inevitably check out your feed, the queue of connection requests that have come in since the last time you visited LinkedIn and the messages that arrived in your LinkedIn inbox. If you get caught up now, you’ll be well positioned and fully informed to help your professional circles kick off new initiatives at the start of the new year.

6. You can demonstrate relevance. A relatively new feature of LinkedIn that you’re likely not using is Creator Mode. Although this feature was designed for thought leaders who want to publish content on the platform, it can also be used to tell people about your area of expertise. Creator mode allows you to identify your top five hashtags—the topics you want to be associated with. These hashtags sit at the top of your profile, right below your headline, letting viewers know a lot about you from the second they click on your profile.

7. You’ll stand out from your peers. LinkedIn provides one of the best opportunities to increase your visibility and credibility with the people who need to know you. It helps you stay connected to large networks of important contacts. A powerful element that’s rarely used but extremely valuable is called Featured, which allows you to add videos and images to your profile so you can develop a truly three-dimensional tour of your brand in the two-dimensional world. It will give you the edge and allow others to connect with you on a deeper level. It takes time to polish these assets before you post them, so use the holiday lull to choose the best of the best. And if the holidays reunite you with family members and lifelong friends, you can tap their insight to make sure you’re posting the samples that reflect your true brand traits.

Before that New Year’s Eve countdown, make sure your LinkedIn profile doesn’t look like it was created in 2003. Start the new year by making the most out of the platform’s valuable innovations.

 

Forbes.com | December 19, 2022 | William Arruda

#YourCareer : How To Set Yourself Up For A Productive 2023. This Could be a New Job, a Promotion, etc.

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The new year brings with it a chance to start afresh, take on new challenges and set yourself up for the year ahead. For many, this will mean getting ready to take the next step in their career. This could be a new job, a promotion, or taking on new responsibilities within their existing role.

For others, this could simply mean going into the new year with a positive attitude and ready to be the best they can be at work. Whatever the case may be for you, it’s important to start the year off on the right foot.  But how do you set yourself up for a productive 2023?

Complete your pre-holiday tasks

First and foremost, you don’t want to go into the new year with a to-do list the length of your arm, trying to catch up on last year’s work. You want to enjoy your holiday without overdue projects playing on your mind.

Therefore, it’s important to make sure you complete your pre-holiday tasks to the best of your abilities, without rushing or overdoing it, of course.

Depending on your career plans, these activities will differ, but the best way to kick off the new year is going to be organized with a clean slate.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Take a proper break

Your career is a big part of your life and one which can consume a lot of your time and energy. However, resting and recharging are crucial if you want to continue to be good at your job and love what you do.

The festive season is the perfect time to unwind and spend some time with friends and family. So you need to do just that.

No matter what industry you work in, it’s important that you take a proper break wherever you can and allow yourself to go into the new year feeling refreshed and ready.

This might mean taking a few days off, switching on your’ out of office’ response to your emails, and shutting down your work computer or phone for a few days.

Although it can be tempting to dip back in or quickly reply to one or two emails, remember balance is important, and you deserve a rest.

Set tangible goals

Going into 2023, it’s a good idea to set yourself some goals that will point you in the right direction and help you to get off to a productive start.

Your goals should be as specific and relevant as possible; they must also be measurable and achievable. Give yourself a date by which you would like to achieve your goals, as this will allow you to measure your progress.

For example, if you’re looking for a new job, you might wish to set a target for how many jobs you want to apply for each week.

Alternatively, you might want to learn new skills or put the wheels in motion for securing that promotion.

Everyone’s goals will be different; just ensure these are attainable and you’re not setting yourself up for failure. You could even break larger goals down into smaller objectives so that you can tackle these one step at a time. This also makes it easier to monitor your progress.

Bridge your skills gaps with courses

It doesn’t matter what stage you’re at in your career; you are never too senior to stop learning. In fact, it is important that you are always building on your knowledge and developing your skills.

So, as well as staying up to date on the latest industry trends, it is a good idea to bridge your own personal skills gap by taking relevant online courses.

The great news is there are loads of courses and providers to choose from, so you’ll be able to find the type of study that best suits your lifestyle.

Taking online courses can be particularly important if you’re planning on changing jobs or advancing in your current position in the new year. It means you can continuously update your resume and your offering.

Monitor your progress and adapt

Once you’ve set yourself goals and begun taking the necessary steps towards achieving these, you need to make sure you stay on track.

The best way to do this is to keep checking in on yourself and revising your targets where needed.

Ask yourself, are you on track, or have you fallen behind? Is there more you can do to reach your goals? If so, what steps do you need to take?

You should also take this as an opportunity to consider any feedback you’ve received in the new year, be that from your boss, recruiters, or your colleagues.

By taking stock of what you want from your career in this way, you can take proactive steps to set targets and start working towards your larger career goals in the new year.

Give yourself a chance to relax over the festive period and go into January with a positive attitude; this will set you up for a productive 2023.

 

Forbes.com | December 17, 2022 | Andrew Fennell

 

#JobSearch : Five Social Media Secrets To Get Yourself Hired. People Fail to Realize Social Media Can Be the Very Reason Why/How you Got that Job. A MUst REAd for All!

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With 2023 right around the corner, most people already know employers will scroll through their social media profiles before offering them a job at their company. But in case no one has told you, let me be the first to say you should probably take photos of yourself partying in the college on your Facebook page.

It only takes 15 seconds and an impulsive tweet about quiet quitting to go from a company’s top candidate to another resume tossed in the recycling bin. Fortunately, most social media mishaps can be avoided by relying on common sense and using a little extra caution before you post something.

What people fail to realize, though, is that social media can also be the very reason why you do get a job position. Sending a cold email to an employer? Submitting your resume to a company after coming across a job description? You’re not paranoid if you think the next thing they’ll do is look at your social media profiles.

A survey from the Harris Poll found that 71% of U.S. hiring managers think looking at candidate’s social media profiles is an effective way to screen applicants. Sixty-seven percent of hiring managers actually do use social media as a way to research candidates, more than half of whom say they have come across content that has caused them to reject a candidate.

Recruiters are less likely to look at an applicant’s resume now more than ever. A study from Capterra found that 75% of recruiters use applicant tracking systems to weed out candidates before their resume is seen by a real recruiter. In other words, submit a resume that doesn’t match enough key words in the job description and you’re out of the race before a recruiter even knows you applied for the position – and that’s how it works for most jobs you’ll apply for.

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

If a recruiter does like your resume, they’ll assess a second source of information: the narrative that emerges from a collection of your LinkedIn comments, Facebook updates and Twitter thoughts. For recruiters, social media is SparkNotes about a candidate’s job history, life accomplishments, networking history, personal woes, and life philosophy.

Modest candidates may feel inclined to avoid the trend of commemorating their achievements with posts on LinkedIn. But this is the wrong approach, especially during a time when employers are less likely to reach out and communicate to get information that could just as easily be posted online. In other words, if your social media doesn’t portray you as an active student or standout employee, recruiters will likely assume that’s because you aren’t one.

But enough with the negativity — social media also offers job candidates several advantages, namely curating the image of themselves that employers see.

So, how do you make yourself stand out from the crowd when recruiters are looking at dozens, if not hundreds, of social media profiles? It all comes down to having the right strategy.

1. Choose your network wisely. At their core, social media profiles are essentially digital networks visible to the public. This concept, however, gets lost in the addiction that keeps us coming back – scrolling. LinkedIn, particularly, gives employers a pretty good idea of what your professional network looks like and the connections you’ve made in your respective industry. Be mindful of the people who you add to your circle. Influencers, business owners, teachers, or scholars — following these people not only exposes you to their insight, but also gives employers information about the kind of person you are and what you value.

2. Plow into the discomfort. If the rules for communicating were the same on social media as they are in real life, we’d be professing our latest achievements to strangers before having enough courtesy to introduce ourselves . Which is to say, catching the eye of an employer on social media means throwing some of the etiquette you’ve been taught out the window. Get comfortable posting about your accomplishments, even if doing so may feel out of character in the beginning. Employers check social media platforms because they want to see what you can bring to the table. Playing it modest by not highlighting these skills and accomplishments won’t get you rewarded.

3. Practice active liking: What you like, retweet, share, and comment can say just as much about you as what you post. Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter will show your followers what you’ve liked or commented on, so it’s important to be intentional. Engage with posts that show the latest happenings and updates in your industry, but also think about the message you’re sending others through the posts you like. Endorsing ideas that are negative, political, or unprofessional is not only off putting to a future employer, but also overshadows the posts you do want them to see.

4. Reach out; stay consistent. One of the biggest benefits of job hunting in the age of social media is that distance doesn’t poses fewer obstacles. Networking with an employer through social media takes the same amount of time and energy regardless of whether they live across the country or down the street.

You don’t need to direct message an employer on LinkedIn to get a lot out of the platform – and that actually poses a problem. It is easy to tell yourself that scrolling through social media and commenting on people’s posts is a version of networking, but there’s really much more to it than that. Launching yourself into a career that fascinates and energizes you is quite the challenge – especially without any help. Professionals who can shine some light on the industry – and maybe even be a future mentor – are what helps people get their foot in the door. But none of them are going to reach out to you first. It’s your job to take the first leap that gets the conversation going. While cold messaging someone can be intimidating the first few times you do it, setting a goal for yourself, like initiating one networking conversation every week, is a good way to hold yourself accountable when nerves begin to hit.

5. Reverse engineer an employer’s ideal candidate. Employers scouting candidates through social media are looking to fill a company need. The job may only require a qualified and competent candidate, but ideally a recruiter would prefer to hire someone who also checks a bunch of other boxes, like being collaborative, enthusiastic, motivated and insightful. Take some time to think about the job you’re applying for and ideal qualities a recruiter is likely looking for. What would you want to see in a candidate if you were trying to fill the position? Then, look through your social media profile and assess whether these qualities would shine through to someone who hasn’t met you in person. If the answer is no, tweak your content, bio, likes, or comments to reflect the qualities and skills think recruiters will be looking for.

 

Forbes.com | December 15, 2022 | Ashley Stahl

#JobSearch : 4 Reasons Your Job Application Isn’t Noticed — And What To Try Instead. Applications are Often Filtered by Specific Keywords. Great REad!

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What can I do to make my applications more noticeable? Is it simply that I need more classes or qualifications or am I not doing cover letters correctly? – Pinchas

It would be great for job seekers if there was a surefire way to guarantee their application leads to a new job. Pinchas is correct in brainstorming on what is keeping his applications from moving forward, so he can adjust what he’s doing. The thing is, there are multiple reasons why your job application goes unnoticed, so you’ll have to correct them all.

People hire people, and people are distinct and unpredictable. What hiring managers and recruiters prioritize can differ even for the same job. In addition, technology impacts the process, such as when a filter is applied to search for a specific keyword or phrase. People use different technology, and people apply technology differently – more variability.

The variability in the hiring process means that you can’t know for sure why your application is selected or not, but here are some reasons to consider and troubleshoot:

1 – You don’t meet the qualifications

An edtech company was hiring for a senior HR generalist, and it so happened that this company was migrating to a new HRIS platform. This made the decision team prioritize HR professionals with systems migration experience and particularly experience with the package the company had already selected. Not all HR generalists need systems migration experience, but for this particular role, it was a deal-breaker.

If you had your heart set on landing at this particular edtech, yes, more HRIS experience or even a certification, would have helped. But you might feel like you’re playing whack-a-mole if you try to fill in every gap in your background when compared to all the job postings you see. Desired qualifications vary company by company. If you see multiple roles that you want asking for the same skill or certification you are lacking, then by all means fill that gap. Just recognize that this may not be the only issue.

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

2 – Your cover letter doesn’t entice the reader to look further

Not every employer asks for a cover letter. Not every cover letter gets read. However, cover letters can be particularly helpful at explaining gaps in employment, career changes or other nontraditional detours in your background. In this way, they play a different, complementary role to your resume.

Given this important role and that cover letters in general are an additional opportunity for you to tell your story, it pays to know how to write a persuasive cover letter. The best cover letters are tailored to the specific company and specific role, so they take time to craft. This means there’s a trade-off between how quickly you can submit your application versus how much tailoring you can do to your cover letter. Invest the time and effort for your dream companies and roles, and use a standard template for the rest. You want to maintain a good balance in the quality and quantity of your applications.

3 – Your resume didn’t entice the reader to invite you for an interview

Companies can receive dozens, hundreds, even thousands of resumes for a single opening. Realistically, the resume screener will spend a few seconds just skimming before making a decision to dig in further or pass. Is your resume easy to skim with dates, companies and titles easy to pick out? Is the format inviting for the eyes or so cluttered that the reader is discouraged to continue? Do you have brand name employers and education that will be familiar to the reader?

Applications are often filtered by specific keywords. Does your resume include the keywords and phrases that decision-makers use when hiring for the roles you want? Do you know what those important search terms are, and do you include them in your descriptions? If you’re coming for a different industry or role, have you translated your experience such that your new target will see your background is relevant?

4 — Unsolicited applications aren’t reviewed

Even if you have a crystal-clear resume, a compelling cover letter and qualifications that meet the requirements for the role, you still might not get noticed if your application goes unread. (This is why applying to job postings is not enough to land your dream job!) A company can hire in multiple ways –an employee referral, a candidate networking their way in, an existing employee applying internally. If the company finds what they need without going through dozens, hundreds or thousands of applications submitted to a job posting, then they may do that to save time and effort.

Many recruiters kick off a search, not by perusing the existing candidate database, but by searching on LinkedIn. Will they find you there? Is your LinkedIn profile optimized – i.e., clear, compelling and relevant to the roles you want?

A thorough job search needs quality and quantity

Since you can’t guarantee that even a strong application gets seen, you need to put as many applications in play as possible. Yes, focus on quality because you want to present yourself at your best. But also focus on quantity, so that you have enough opportunities in your pipeline that your job search maintains momentum forward, even if any one application falls through the cracks.

 

Forbes.com | December 13, 2022 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

#BestofFSCBlog : 5 Resume Hacks To Pass ATS. Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Software Scans Resumes to Weed Out Applicants. A MUST REad!

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Applicant tracking system (ATS) software scans resumes and cover letters to weed out applicants based on factors set by the employer. This can include keywords, design and layout, length, and salary requirements. If your resume doesn’t make the cut, you won’t be asked for an interview.

Other companies direct applicants to apply online using one-word or drop-down responses and auto-fill resume features. One wrong response and, presto, you’re out!

This process can be incredibly frustrating to job seekers. Especially for those that are qualified for the position. With 98% of Fortune 500 companies use an ATS to vet credentials, it isn’t going anywhere soon. But there are some things you can do to increase your odds of passing ATS.

1. Focus on keywords. Read the job description thoroughly and circle keywords. Present keywords and phrases throughout your resume — but be honest! Here are tips on how to use ATS keywords on your resume.

  • Always include the company’s name and the exact position title on your resume.
  • Include a few role-specific keywords in the education and hard skills portion of your resume. Copy and paste keywords, not sentences from the job description. Include action verbs and specific skills from the job posting.
  • Do an internet search for relevant industry keywords to include. Compare the job posting to similar job announcements to pull keywords.
  • Don’t stuff your resume with keywords. Remember, at some point a real human being is going to read your resume.
  • Never lie about your abilities. If you cannot back it up, don’t write it down.

2. Stay away from PDFs. Often ATS misses pdfs, so use a Word document instead.

3. Ditch your headshot. Unless the posting specifically asks for a headshot, it is not necessary. Instead make sure your LinkedIn and social sites include a professional photograph. (And clean up anything on your social sites you wouldn’t want your employer to see … 67% of employers screen candidates using social.)

4. Avoid overused jargon or buzzwords. Never use clichés or overused phrases such as “self-starter” or “attention to detail.” Use a show, don’t tell approach on your resume and cover letter. Instead of “I am a self-starter,” write “I initiated a company-wide volunteer program that resulted in 1500 prepared lunches for school age children in impoverished areas.”

5. Avoid fancy graphic designs. Be basic. Use bullets to get your points across. Be succinct. Make sure that the information on your resume is easy to find and easy to read. In positions where design matters, you’ll be asked to present a portfolio where you can showcase your style.

Eventually, your resume will be read by a person. So, you want to be sure that it is easy to navigate, readable, professional, and includes information pertinent to human eyes … not just ATS. Here are some tips:

1. Highlight relevant experience. Make it easy for recruiters to pick out relevant experience over longevity of experience.

2. Use bullet points and short sentences. Hiring managers and recruiters spend an average of six seconds reading your resume.

3. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile. While you’re at it, update your LinkedIn profile especially concerning dates! (Pro tip: update your LinkedIn profile URL so that it is your name: example https://www.linkedin.com/in/yourname/).

4. Include a link to your portfolio, personal website, or social media sites. Make sure to include or include links to relevant and requested information. Not every position will require a portfolio, but if yours does, you better include a link.

 

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Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Just as there are things to include, there are aspects of a resume to ditch. Here are some tips to tighten up your resume:

1. Omit your GPA. Unless you recently graduated magna cum laude, there is no need to include your GPA. Work experience is more relevant.

2. Don’t include every job you’ve ever had. Part-time jobs, non-relevant jobs, and side hustles should not be included unless they specifically demonstrate why you’re qualified for the position.

3. Avoid discriminating against yourself. Unfortunately, age discrimination is real and it is really easy to slip information about your age onto your resume. Here are some tips to age-proof your resume:

  • Avoid using AOL and Hotmail email domains. Register for a new email on Gmail that is succinct such as your first and last name.
  • Remove graduation dates from your education section. De-emphasize irrelevant degrees. Instead, highlight relevant training and experience.
  • Avoid including jobs that are older than 15 years.

Job hunting is a laborious process, but you can increase your odds of an interview by following a few common sense tips. Also, be sure to use spell and grammar checks. Independently check for types (pro tip: read your resume backward so your eye catches typos more easily).  You can’t trick an ATS, but you can increase your odds of getting your resume in front of HR or a recruiter.

 

Forbes.com | December 12, 2022 | Ashley Stahl

#JobSearch : Four Things You Can Do Now To Prepare For A Job Search In 2023. Rule #1: When to Start? How about Now! MUst REad!

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As we quickly approach the end of another year, it’s time to start getting ready for the next one. There’s no better time than now to slow down, take a breath and reflect on the accomplishments and shortcomings of the past year. The last month of the year is also the perfect opportunity to begin thinking about goals and aspirations for 2023 and beyond.

For talent in transition, whether by their own choice or their employer’s, this period of self-examination has suddenly become more urgent. Wherever you are in your career, here is some practical year-end advice to help make the most of a job search:

Is it flexibility? Stability? Or salary? Is it remote work or a job that requires you to be in the office? Is it a challenging position that will push you to learn new skills? Clarifying what’s important is a critical first step.

If you’re still in a job, journal every day and note these two things: What gave you energy? And what left you feeling exhausted?

Over the course of the next several weeks, you’ll see patterns emerge that will help define the elements you should seek in a new opportunity. Once you find those patterns, find ways to engage with the topics or priorities of interest by searching for YouTube channels, podcast series, TikTok users, books, or articles that dive deeper. Reputable influencers with credible experience could be worth following or engaging with going forward.

Reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

The holidays are a great excuse to reach out and schedule time with people you know and those you’d like to get to know. Ask them what they have been up to, what they enjoy about their current role and any career advice they might have.

For finding and making new connections, there are plenty of options now to cultivate new networks, such as Discord communities, Slack communities, or mentorship services. If you find someone in a position or company you are interested in, there is no loss in reaching out and asking for a virtual coffee or monthly mentorship chat going into the new year.

Be ready to share your own reflections and ask for their perspective on how you might navigate your new interests or your next move.

 

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Learn new skills.

If you find yourself out of a job at the moment, dive back into learning. New knowledge and abilities can complement your current skill set and help you open new doors.

There are plenty of free and affordable online courses and programs that teach job skills. Some even award badges and certificates for completing them. Spreading the holiday spirit through volunteering can also be a way to develop a wide range of business skills.

Whether you take classes in-person or online or volunteer your time, you might meet folks who can help you broaden your network.

Pay attention to the local and national job markets.

It might be time to be flexible and consider the industries that are hiring and the roles that are available.

The tech, media and financial services industries have grown a lot more competitive for job seekers in the latter part of 2022. But several other fields — architecture, real estate, government, construction and the food and beverage industries, to name several — have seen strong growth in job postings in recent months. Stay flexible: it could be that the role you want exists in an industry you’ve never considered (for instance, lots of non-tech fields hire tech roles!).

Ask yourself how you might apply your skills or strengths to these potential new roles. Where would your learning curve be? How might you start to address that now?

Do it again next year.

A year from now, whether you’re about to launch a job search or are content in your current role, it’s still a good idea to take time to reflect, review and recharge for the next year.

Ask yourself these questions annually: What’s important to you in your work? Are there people you want to meet or reconnect with? Are there skills you’d like to learn? What are the job markets looking like? An honest assessment of your interests and priorities will help you recommit to your current career or begin the process of finding something new.

 

Forbes.com | December 9, 2022 | Christine Y. Cruzvergara