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Archive for category: First Sun Blog

You are here: Home1 / FSC Career Blog – Voted ‘Most Read’ by LinkedIn.2 / First Sun Blog

#JobSearch : Employers Want – And Will Pay For – Soft Skills. Are You Focusing On Them Enough? Got Kids? MUst REad!

October 30, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Gallup and Amazon Web Services recently completed a study that assessed workers’ job satisfaction based on their digital skills, including information technology, coding, data analytics, and search engine and social media marketing. The survey showed that workers with digital skills experienced higher job satisfaction, increased wages, and felt safer from layoffs or firings. The pay bump was particularly pronounced: those with advanced skills could expect about a 65 percent premium in compensation over those without digital skills.

The importance of having some technical skills in a world where technology advances at exponential rates means that much press is given to the importance of learning these skills. And indeed, it is important to have – at some level – a firm grounding in technical topics. But far less attention seems to be given to the other side of the skills coin: the soft skills.

This Forbes article points out that employers rank soft skills higher than technical skills when hiring new employees. Knowing how to code may be critical if you’re a software developer, but those skills won’t matter if you can’t do the soft things: work well on a team, lead a project, communicate clearly, and think critically. Soft skills are particularly important if you want to take on more responsibility – they are the grease that allows you to successfully move from an individual contributor role to a leadership one. Indeed, in an article talking about the importance of soft skills to career advancement, the author references this LinkedIn survey, noting,

“Technical capabilities can only take you so far in your career. To really soar, you need skills that are harder to measure but critical to success. In LinkedIn’s … report, 89 percent of recruiters say that when a hire doesn’t work out, it usually comes down to a lack of soft skills.”

Here at Harvard Business School, our faculty have produced thousands of pages of research on the importance of soft skills. And the portfolio of online certificate programs we offer reflects this sense that while accounting and finance skills are important to a modern business, they are nothing without the more human skills. Courses centered on leadership, power dynamics, management, and negotiations are examples of those that teach “pure” soft skills. But even those courses that are geared toward the more technical skills regularly touch on the soft ones as well.

 

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

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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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

 

Article continued …

You can find plenty of free content online regarding soft skills development. But learning about leadership in any meaningful way through a Google search is much harder than learning how to code in Python. To be effective, online soft skills educational content needs to utilize features like self-assessment tools, complex interactive simulations, and real-world stories to ground learning. Producing such courses can be difficult and expensive.

Even then, many are skeptical that soft skills can be taught – either online or in person. Some evidence suggests that they can. But that prompts a question: even if they can be taught, do employers pay for soft skills as they might for easier-to-quantify technical skills? There’s surprisingly less data on this. But with my years of experience as a manager and leader, I would unequivocally say “yes.” And a recent study we did at HBS Online provides evidence that soft skills do indeed translate into better economic outcomes.

In a survey of 2,000 past HBS Online learners conducted by research firm City Square Associates, 42 percent experienced an increase in salary, with an average bump of $17,000 in additional annual income. Twenty percent saw a bonus increase that averaged $14,000. That means that over the roughly eight-year history of HBS Online, the population of those who have taken one of our programs have collectively realized about $700 million in economic value. Admittedly, not every one of the respondents took a soft skills focused course; but many did. Even if only 50% of that $700 million in value could be attributed to soft skills, the numbers are meaningful and a strong indication you shouldn’t ignore soft skills development at any career stage.

A final thought: I recently sat in on an in-person executive education case discussion comprised of senior leaders from a financial services firm. The case study they were addressing related to a dysfunctional leadership team at a fictional company. The professor closed the discussion by recounting something he learned as a doctoral student after reviewing nearly 1,000 pages of research focused on leadership. He said that when he finished his review, he noted that there were ultimately only two things that matter for those aspiring to become effective leaders: hold those who report to you accountable for meeting ambitious goals and do it while demonstrating that you care.

That’s a compelling argument for the importance of soft skills.

 

Forbes.com | October 28, 2022 | Patrick Mullane

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/College-Graduate.jpg 680 1024 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-10-30 14:23:592022-10-30 14:23:59#JobSearch : Employers Want – And Will Pay For – Soft Skills. Are You Focusing On Them Enough? Got Kids? MUst REad!

#JobSearch : Former Co-Workers Could Be Sabotaging Your Interview. You can Get Sabotaged When Applying for a New Job. A MUst REad!

October 28, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

You can get sabotaged when applying for a new job. There have been many instances when a job hunter with all the right skill sets and experiences was knocked out of contention due to disparaging comments made by former employees.

Recruiters refer to this as a “back-door” reference. On an unofficial basis, behind the scenes and without the candidate’s knowledge, former colleagues get wind that a person is interviewing and go out of their way to deliver unflattering opinions about the person to people at the new company.

 

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

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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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

Article continued …

Now, human resources, the hiring manager or other executives at the company are placed in an awkward position. They’ve received an unsolicited negative reference citing issues of the person not being a team player; they botched a big deal; are difficult to work with or some other action that raises red flags.

Armed with this knowledge, they have a couple of choices. If the applicant has impeccable credentials and is a perfect fit for the role, the company may want to bring up the negative reviews during the interview process. It would make for an uncomfortable conversation and blindside the applicant. However, raising the topic would allow the interviewee to offer their side of the story.

Some managers may elect to halt the interviewing process, offering vague comments to the candidate that they are going in a different direction, placing the role on pause or have already isolated a person for the job. This action signals that the managers lack confidence in themselves.

They could continue the process, which for mid to senior-level white-collar professionals, may mean three to six-plus interviews with several people conducted over about three months. After the culmination of the process, they’d possess sufficient information to render an intelligent decision, including the damaging unsolicited performance review. On the condition of extending an offer, the firm could require the candidate to submit references from their last two or three employers. The responses may be in complete contradiction to the allegations levied against the person.

This happened more frequently pre-pandemic when interviewing was nearly 100% in person. You need to be prepared. As companies pivot toward hybridization and workers back in the office, the pattern will start again. Staff will deduce you’re there for an interview, sizing up your new wardrobe and haircut. You could be that person walking into the building and navigating the hallways into the meeting rooms when a former co-worker recognizes you.

Some People Just Can’t Let Go Of Past Grudges

An empathetic person would make a mental note to say something positive about the candidate to help their chances of getting hired. Managers and human resources place credence on internal referrals. They feel more comfortable hiring someone well-known and highly regarded by a currently valued worker.

Unfortunately, there will always be people who harbor past grudges and can’t let go of prior arguments and disagreements. Some may feel that the person got a promotion, but believe they richly deserved it. There may have been some long-standing rivalry or they just disliked the person.

Try To Work And Play Well With Others

You don’t always have to be a people-pleaser, but try to get along and make friends and allies instead of enemies. It’s essential to be honest and trustworthy and deliver on your promises. Be respectful to your boss, co-workers and staff. Burnish a reputation above reproach that will follow you to the next job. Remain humble in your victories, and don’t blame others when you fail to achieve your objectives. Avoid talking badly about co-workers behind their backs. Praise and applaud your colleagues when they do well. The advice is both helpful for excelling in your career and minimizing the number of haters who are wishing for your downfall.

The Broken Recommendation Process

Recommendations from former employers are mostly a farce. Nearly all businesses ask for one to three or more references when applying and interviewing for a new job. This is one of the many standard practices that don’t make sense, but continue to happen out of habit.

The reality is that the applicant will seek out only those professionals who will say positive, flattering and overly kind things about them. It’s an open secret that everyone helps each other out in this aspect of the job search. Few people would say anything negative when asked to submit a reference. If that happens, the candidate would cast it aside and choose another person to write a reference. The result is that the company receives questionable references that may not be wholly accurate and are tilted in favor of helping out a work friend. Nevertheless, employers pretend that the reference checks are legitimate, which checks off another box on the interviewing to-do list, and have some cover if the newly hired person turns out to be a dud.

 

Forbes.com Author:   Jack Kelly  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | October 28, 2022
https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/free-women-at-meeting.jpeg 350 524 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-10-28 20:21:332022-10-28 20:21:33#JobSearch : Former Co-Workers Could Be Sabotaging Your Interview. You can Get Sabotaged When Applying for a New Job. A MUst REad!

#YourCareer : 5 Recession Proof Jobs Revealed (And The List Might Surprise You). Great REad!

October 26, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

American families are struggling with inflation. As three-quarters of middle-income Americans struggle to support their cost of living, 78% are worried about losing their jobs, while 25% say they’ve been laid off or know someone who has been. Crippling recession and job uncertainty have forced Americans to act, with 40% actively planning a career change, seeking more security and a higher salary.

“Today, the job market moves faster than a Tesla in a ludicrous mode, leaving many bystanders gasping for air,” according to Roman Peskin, co-founder and CEO of ELVTR, an online education platform.

The team at ELVTR surveyed 21,500 Americans looking to change or enhance their careers to discover the top five recession-proof professions, helping workers recession-proof their careers and add value to their job search.

Top 5 Recession-Proof Professions

Here are the top 5 professions that, according to ELVTR, are in high demand—each paying up to around $100,000 a year. This list might surprise you:

1. Product Management

In a world driven by technology, there’s no shortage of innovation or demand for talent in the IT sector, but companies aren’t just seeking technologists. They also require those with product management skills to ensure the success of their products. According to Glassdoor, there are 17,725 current openings in the product management field. IT product managers can expect a respectable salary and opportunities to progress. Offering a pathway into the lucrative tech industry that doesn’t require the ability to code. Average salary, Glassdoor: $96,496 per year

 

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

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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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

Article continued …

2. DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Management

According to LinkedIn, the number of ‘head of diversity’ professionals has more than doubled since 2015 with companies such as Electronic Arts, Deloitte and Amazon among those hiring. Shown to boost productivity, employee retention and morale, and with 75% of job seekers evaluating a company’s diversity when considering a job offer, investment in DEI management positions will only increase. By mastering skills such as communication, issue identification and conflict management, candidates can secure a career in this growing field. Besides offering a lucrative career choice, such roles are perfect for those hoping to leave a positive mark on our workplaces and society. Average salary, Glassdoor: $89,804 per year

3. Game Production

The gaming industry grew by 26% between 2019 and 2021 and will continue on this trajectory despite the recession, according to PwC, as consumers seek low-cost entertainment. With gaming a favorite hobby among young consumers, this ranks as the most desirable industry among job-seekers as new professionals seek a career doing what they love most. To beat the competition, candidates will need to master scarcely available skills. This is not just an opportunity for those with coding knowledge and experience. To meet demand, the industry will need to recruit a diverse range of skills—from UX/UI to sound engineering, programming to script writing. Average salary, Glassdoor: $87,024 per year

4. Creative Direction

With sector job prospects projected to grow 11% this decade, faster than the U.S. job market average, there is an evident need for art direction skills. A decline is unlikely despite the economic situation as people continue to seek entertainment during tough times and businesses increase their advertising efforts to maintain recognition and loyalty. Opposing the ‘starving artist’ stereotype, art direction roles enable creative types to showcase their creativity with the guarantee of reward. Average salary, Glassdoor: $72,694 per year

5. Data Analysis

With an ever-growing amount of data available to businesses, professionals with analysis skills to transform this into valuable insight are in high demand. According to LinkedIn, data science vacancies have been growing by 37% annually in the U.S. With roles spread across almost all industries, those competent in data analysis have the freedom to pick a role and sector that appeals to them such as banking, healthcare, retail or tech. Also requiring above-average computer literacy and mathematical skills, this is by no means an easy profession, but the rewards are equal to the requirements with even entry-level analysts commanding above-average salaries. Average salary, Glassdoor: $63,731 per year

A Final Word On The Future Of Work

After decades of wage stagnation, the workforce is finally seeking more, Peskin told me. He explained that close to a quarter of employees are considering their options and scrambling to expand their expertise, but so too are thousands of others. “‘Skills inflation’ hits, the supply of candidates increases, and the number of available roles plummets,” he said. “Ultimately, mastering mass market skills are unlikely to improve a job seeker’s prospects. Instead, employees should focus on acquiring skills that are less common among today’s workforce, yet no less valuable and desirable to employers.”

Most of the jobs from the list above didn’t exist 20 years ago, according to Peskin, yet today they enjoy a steady demand despite a slowdown in the economy. “According to our recent research, 40% of people with a college degree don’t believe their profession will be in demand ten years from now,” he concluded. “Lifetime learning is no longer a fancy concept but quite literally a survival mechanism. Learn new skills or get eaten. That’s the deal.”

 

Forbes.com | October 26, 2022 | Bryan Robinson, Ph.D.

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Free-Thinking-Plasma-Ball.jpg 1101 1650 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-10-26 15:44:552022-10-26 15:44:55#YourCareer : 5 Recession Proof Jobs Revealed (And The List Might Surprise You). Great REad!

#YourCareer : How To Deal With A Toxic Boss (And Maintain Your Sanity). Welcome your Thoughts/Suggestions?

October 25, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

It’s no secret that managers can make or break your experience at work. A good boss can open doors for you and help you accelerate your career, while a toxic boss can make you dread getting out of bed every single morning.

If you find yourself currently experiencing the latter, here are some suggestions to help you deal with a toxic boss while still maintaining your sanity:

Evaluate their expectations

It can be hard to know what’s expected of you when you’re dealing with a toxic boss. But, there are two ways to combat this. The first recommendation is to ask for clarity. Set up a time to have a conversation with your boss. Check in on their top priorities. Ask about their biggest challenges and how you can alleviate them. You can even get clarity on their preferred communication style, particularly if you’re working remotely.

If having a conversation isn’t an option, or if you’ve already exhausted this option, try observing your boss instead. Pay attention to how they interact with others. Take note of the things you do that spark their interest. Observe when they’re the most stressed. Surveying your boss from this perspective can help you better understand how to interact with your manager based on their actions rather than their words.

If you’re already aware of your manager’s expectations, take inventory of how well you’re meeting them. If there are areas of improvement, be vigilant about those areas. However, if you are confidently killing it at work, it’s best to move on to the other suggestions.

 

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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

Article continued …

Filter the feedback

Once you’re certain you’re doing your job and meeting expectations, it’s safe to assume it’s not you; it’s them. If you have a condescending, overly critical, or insecure boss, recognize that they probably behave this way in other relationships too. Once you acknowledge this, you might even notice that they treat other colleagues the same way they treat you.

So, commit to not taking their behavior personally. Practice filtering their remarks, holding on to the feedback that will help you do your job better and discarding the digs and other comments that won’t add any value to your work or performance. Another thing you can do is to source your feedback elsewhere, which leads us to the next step.

Build your tribe

Because working with a toxic boss can be frustrating and mentally draining, it’s critical to build a tribe at work that can affirm and support your work and your day-to-day experiences. When creating your tribe, you want to find allies, mentors, and sponsors. Your allies might be your team members who work closely with you and your boss. Your mentor should be someone who can help you navigate your workplace woes with wisdom. Your sponsors are those who can speak of your work in rooms you haven’t been able to enter yet and who can vouch for your performance and track record.

While it might take time and intention to establish these relationships, they are worth it, especially the relationships you create with senior leaders and executives who can offer objective feedback, raise your visibility and create new opportunities for you at work.

Fortify your confidence

Having coached many top-performing high-achievers who’ve worked at toxic workplaces, I’ve seen first-hand how those experiences can chip away at one’s confidence. Without much care, it can cause you to second-guess your skills and question your capabilities. This is why it’s essential to protect your confidence so that you don’t wake up one day wondering why you no longer believe in yourself and the skills you’ve worked so hard to master.

One way to do that is to separate your identity from your career by creating a life you enjoy outside the office. Pick up a new hobby. Spend more time with your loved ones. Get in the habit of doing something fun or relaxing after work, even if it’s just once a week. While this might be tough to do when your career is negatively bleeding into your life, it’s essential if you want to maintain your peace of mind and self-worth.

Prepare your exit

While you might be able to survive dealing with a toxic boss, if you find that it’s holding you back from thriving in your career, then it might be time to map out your next career move. If you still enjoy your current company, then this might look like exploring internal opportunities that will allow you to work with a better manager. If you don’t see any value in staying where you are, this might be a chance to start fresh elsewhere.

Sure, it might be easier to stick with the devil you know than the devil you don’t know, as the saying goes. But, giving yourself a chance to find a better working environment can positively impact your career in the long run.

It’s certainly not easy dealing with a toxic boss. Without the right perspective and boundaries in place, it can take a toll on you. But taking the time to implement these steps, whether you choose to quit or not, can help you maintain your sanity and peace of mind even on tough days.

 

Forbes.com | October 25, 2022 | Adunola Adeshola

https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Boss-Taped.jpg 367 749 First Sun Team https://www.firstsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/logo-min-300x123.jpg First Sun Team2022-10-25 21:02:142022-10-25 21:02:14#YourCareer : How To Deal With A Toxic Boss (And Maintain Your Sanity). Welcome your Thoughts/Suggestions?

#HRTeams : After Decades Of The Antiquated Job Advertisement, It’s Time For An Overhaul. Thoughts/Suggestions?

October 24, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

The job description, the first important step in the hiring process, is an antiquated document that needs to be updated. The massive amount of bullet points in the advertisement demand what you need to bring to the table. There is virtually nothing about the financial situation of the company, your future boss or information that a job hunter would like to know before investing their time and energy. It is one-sided

More Than Just Salary Transparency

Many states have seen an employee-empowering movement to require salary disclosures on job descriptions. This is a decisive move forward to alert job hunters as to whether or not they are wasting their time pursuing the opportunity.

Without knowing the salary, a person embarks upon an interview process that could last from one to six months for white-collar professionals. They would spend an inordinate amount of time preparing for the interviews, sneaking out of the office for meetings, conducting clandestine video calls at home on their remote days and all the while worried about getting out by someone and potentially getting in trouble with the boss or even fired for being disloyal.

The salary disclosure is just the tip of the iceberg. You also want to know about bonuses, stock options, medical benefits, and future raises. In sectors, such as Wall Street and tech, bonuses and stock options play a large part in total compensation. It’s only fair and reasonable for companies to clearly spell out all the financial pieces of the total compensation so that candidates can make an informed decision before getting involved with a lengthy hiring process.

What Annoys Applicants About Job Advertisements

Companies should consider hiring professional writers to help with crafting job descriptions. Most job ads you read are filled with corporate jargon specific to the company and acronyms you’ve never heard of before. There is a lack of creativity and humanity. Job descriptions are nearly uniformly cold and dull.

There are 10 to more than 20 bullet points of what is required from applicants. It’s not reasonable for anyone to have all the experiences demanded by the ad. This turns off and discourages job seekers from applying. Ironically, the voluminous requirements do not stop people who don’t have much, if any, of the skills. Those folks will shoot their shot, hoping for a miracle. The results are that potentially good candidates opt-out and human resources must filter through dozens of inappropriate applicants.

Companies love to offer the range of years required for the role. This metric seems outdated. Saying that the candidate needs to possess three to 10 years of experience doesn’t make sense. The gap is far too broad.

Calling for a certain number of years doing a job doesn’t provide the intended results. How often have you noticed someone in your office who has been doing the same job for 10-plus years and isn’t that great at it? They’re mediocre at best. The odds are that they’ve become stale in their position and haven’t learned new skills and technologies.

You’ve all seen young and brilliant people who have outstanding accomplishments under their belt. It’s self-defeating for a business to discriminate against someone because of their age. Instead of requiring a certain number of years, leadership should think outside the box and open up the rigid requirements to include brilliant, fast-track people who can do the job, even though they don’t have the requisite years of experience.

On the flip side, older workers are overlooked. When was the last time you looked at a job ad that stated that an applicant needs 30 years of experience? It rarely ever happens. Asking for three to 10 years of experience kicks out anyone in their late 30s and older. If a photo accompanies the online advertisement, the odds are high that it shows a multicultural group of fresh-faced Gen-Zs and younger Millennials. There may be one token gray-haired person in the picture to ward off claims of ageism.

 

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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

Article continued …

What About The Manager?

Since the interviewers, human resources, internal corporate recruiters and hiring managers grill the applicant about their background and experiences, shouldn’t the company share information about its people? A glaring omission from the job advertisement is that there is no insight into the boss or executive management team, who will be your co-workers.

Who hasn’t read job descriptions, becoming enthralled with the position, only to feel later betrayed when they met with their prospective manager and co-workers? It feels like bait and switch when the ad sounds wonderful, but when you’re interviewed, you realize that the managers are rude, dismissive and abusive.

To level the playing field, the company should disclose any shortcomings of the people you will work with. Since this has never happened before, you may think this is a crazy idea. However, all that people want is to know the truth. Some people may elect to accept a job with a not-so-great boss because they love the company, its mission and feel that the specific role could be a career-accelerating move.

Tell Us About Working Conditions

As a traditional go-to question, the interviewer will ask, “Please tell me about yourself.” The same should hold for the business, its culture and its people. Job seekers want to know if the company has a toxic culture or advocates employee empowerment. Disclosures should be made if the business has been the subject of discriminatory complaints. You want to know if the bosses are micromanagers, implant spy software on your computers, verbally abuse people and allow managers to bully, harass and intimidate workers.

It would be helpful to know if they have plans to lay off people, rescind job offers or allow attrition without aggressively trying to replace the people who quit. Although the ad says the role is remote or hybrid, there should be a disclosure if management is considering changing the work style to going into the office five days a week.

An applicant bases their life and family’s lives on the work model offered by the company. If there was a shift from remote to the office, it would create turmoil for families, as it relates to child and eldercare. Their quality of life would substantially decline as a long commute would be required. They will miss out on all the school plays, ballet recitals and special events you can never get back.

Why Don’t We Know Anything About The Firm’s Financial Situation?

After accepting a job offer, the company usually requires an in-depth background check. They want to know nearly everything about you, ranging from college grades to late payments on credit cards. Wouldn’t it be fair for the job description to offer complete openness and cite the organization’s financial situation, as well as any potential problems on the horizon that could negatively impact the company?

Do the CEO and other C-suite executives hold other jobs, such as heading up another company, sitting on a number of board of director seats, investing in startups or running an entrepreneurial endeavor on the side?

What do you know about the CEO and the top executives? Have they run their prior companies into the ground, or were they highly successful? In full transparency, disclosing the compensation of the top executives would offer a glimpse into how fair the business runs. Earning larger multiples of money than the average worker signals that employees are not valued, as the upper echelon is lavishly paid.

Forbes.com | October 24, 2022 | Jack Kelly

 

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#JobSearch : 5 Ways To Encourage Your Network To Follow-Through On Career Help. People are Willing to Help, but How? MUst REad!

October 21, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

When networking, I am meeting people who are willing and able to help find clients for my current boss AND/ OR find a new job for me, but my new contacts are not sure how to help me. What would be my next question or response? – Jaime

 

Kudos to Jaime for cultivating a robust network with plugged-in connections who are able to help and supportive connections who are willing to help. If you’re new to networking or have let your contacts languish, willingness and ability to help are two key criteria to focus on in deciding which connections to cultivate. If you already have people who have offered to help or seem ready to help, but have not actually done anything, then you’ll need to prompt them – politely and gracefully, but also explicitly enough that there is motivation to act.

1 — Be specific about the help you need

If you tell someone you’re starting a job search, and they say, “Great. Let me know how I can help”, then the onus is on you to tell them what “help” looks like to you. People are busy, and they are not mind-readers. That connection might have only meant help getting your resume to HR at their company. On the flip side, they might only be willing to help with introductions outside their company. Or they might not be willing to make introductions at all, but are willing to share information. This could be looking up a name for you (e.g., who runs the procurement function for the western region of their employer) or describing the org chart in more detail (e.g., who reports to whom in procurement). People’s ideas of what is helpful can vary tremendously. Don’t make the other person guess what would be helpful to you – tell them outright.

2 — Make it as easy as possible for your connection to follow through

Once you sync up with the other person about what they should do as the next step, do any of the work that you can do so what they have to do is as minimal as possible. If they agree to hand over your resume, give them your resume in whatever format they need. If they will email it to their HR contact, they should write a short email explaining what they’re sending and why HR should be interested —write that email introduction for them. If your connection offers to introduce you to one of their connections, write that email or at least a few lines about yourself and why you would be to connect with. If your connection just offers to provide information, tell them the companies or people or whatever it is you are researching so they share information that is relevant. Don’t leave them with a generic “if you think of companies or people I should target…”

 

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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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

 

Article continued …

3 — Set a deadline to create urgency

A deadline could be as simple as telling them you’ll circle back in a week or two to check in. Or, if you have asked for information related to an upcoming job interview, then tell them exactly when the interview is. If you have already asked for help without specifying a deadline, add one when you follow up. For example, your connection offers to introduce you to their procurement director so that the two of you can geek about all things supply chain and sourcing. Then, crickets are heard as no introduction is ever made. Check in with your connection with an offer to write the introduction (see point 2) and a deadline: Hi Jane, thanks again for offering to introduce me to Joe in Procurement. I have an interview next Friday to prep for, so this will really come in handy. Would it help if I wrote the email introduction for you, or should I just reach out to Joe directly and mention your name?

4 — Double-check that now is still a good time

One thing to add to that follow-up email above and to any follow-up you do with people who have previously offered to help is to ask them explicitly if their offer is still on the table. Even the friendliest connections sometimes renege on promises. That email follow-up to Jane should include (bolded so you don’t miss it): Hi Jane, thanks again for offering to introduce me to Joe in Procurement. Are you still able to make the introduction? I have an interview next Friday to prep for, so this will really come in handy. If you still can do this, would it help if I wrote the email introduction for you, or should I just reach out to Joe directly and mention your name?

5 – Allow your connection a graceful exit – and do the same

Double-checking your connection’s current availability is one way to give them a graceful exit, if they really don’t have the time or inclination to help. Sometimes people get too busy to help. Some people make promises because they don’t like to say No. Sometimes, they don’t think through what they really promised (in Jane’s case, maybe she doesn’t know Joe well enough to make an introduction or maybe she remembers that Joe isn’t very social). Or they made a promise that was bigger than they can deliver (Jane really doesn’t know Joe, and he might not take her e-introduction seriously). These offers to help were more like white lies, and the connection intends to drop the ball, hoping you’ll forget. You don’t want to force someone to follow through when they no longer can, but you also need to know where you stand so you can make other arrangements. Whenever you check in on help previously offered, include a way for them to decline – is now still a good time? Can you still connect us, look up that name or [whatever specific help you asked for]?

Always have multiple leads in your pipeline

The strongest network is built on genuine, long-term relationships, not an immediate give-or-take. So your first priority should be to preserve the relationship with your connection over getting whatever it is you need right now. That said, people like to be helpful (they would want that same courtesy returned to them!) so help them help you as much as they can. Just have additional ways to get that introduction, information or insight than one connection so you keep your job search, sale or whatever goal you have moving forward.

Forbes.com –  October 21, 2022 –  Caroline Ceniza-Levine

 

 

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#JobSearch : How To Quickly Rebound From A Layoff. Networking Is The Top Job Search Strategy. A MUst REad!

October 18, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Losing your job is one of life’s most stressful events. Unfortunately, most people are unprepared for this life-changing news. Last year employers let go 321,970 people, reports Challenger, Gray, & Christmas, Inc. For the first six months of 2022, 179,506 became unemployed. Ellen was the HR Manager at a midsize company. Distraught, she called asking for career help, saying she’d just been laid off from her employer of 12 years. Ellen was shocked, having a hard time trying to accept this had happened to her. “I am a dedicated employee,” she said. “I worked long hours through the pandemic, and now I realize my loyalty means nothing. I feel so betrayed. I’ve become depressed. I am 59 years old, so I’m worried my age will prevent me from finding a new job, and I need to work,” she said with panic in her voice.

When the job ends like that, you need some time to process this loss. You’re likely to experience a complete range of feelings: fear, isolation, loss of identity and confidence, depression, and some trepidation. Try writing out the emotions and give yourself a few days to recover. There is one mistake you must not make. Be very careful you do not burn any bridges with your boss or former employer, no matter how angry you are. Avoid complaining on social media. One VP of Recruiting shared she was ready to make a job offer and went to see a candidate’s LinkedIn profile. She read recent posts he’d made, and several were very critical of his former employer. Because of that, he lost the high-paying job she was about to offer him.

As a career counselor with decades of experience, I shared something with Ellen that helped reassure her. If you are suddenly unemployed, now is the best time for that to happen. Why? It’s a job hunter’s mecca. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks the time unemployed people remain out of work. The average unemployment duration was 7.5 weeks between leaving a job and obtaining a new one. That is significant when you consider what it was a few years ago, when it took at least five to six months to land a new position. So, reframe your thinking and focus on this opportunity to land a better, higher-paying job.

Great News: Your new job will likely come with a pay hike—and a big one. The most significant salary jumps almost always come from leaving a job and taking a new one. CNBC reports that the typical increase is now about 10%. Yet when you talk to recruiters who are in the trenches trying to hire new employees, they all complain that it’s taking a major salary increase to get people to accept their job offers. They report that when the average professional switches jobs today, they will likely get a pay increase between 15-35%. Unfortunately, the accurate figures of what employers are paying today aren’t incorporated into the salary data available on the internet. Whether you are a Baby Boomer, Millennial, Xer, or GenZer, HR managers report that people at all levels are starting with better salaries than they left. Being unemployed seems to have no impact on the salary offered.

 

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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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

Article continued …

Know Your Real Value

You have marketability talents other employers would be interested in. Do a self-assessment of what your accomplishments are, the knowledge you have acquired, and most of all, the accomplishments and results you have achieved in past roles. To begin your job search, define your actual worth as an employee performing your type of job. You may worry that you were overpaid, only to learn you were underpaid. For example, a laid-off Boeing engineer stated he didn’t know what his skills were worth to other employers. He researched the subject and uncovered salary surveys and in-depth salary data on Payscale.com that were enlightening. As a result, he landed a new position at Hewlett-Packard that paid $20,000 more than his prior salary.

Networking Is The Top Job Search Strategy

Connections are key. Ensure you are using LinkedIn to connect to all former managers, colleagues, vendors, customers, friends, clients, etc. They are vital sources of insider information and knowledge about job opportunities. LinkedIn has made networking easy, allowing you to reach out and send a personal message. A terrific strategy includes asking a colleague for a referral to their employer by passing your resume on to the hiring manager. Referred applicants always get heightened attention. For more specifics, read the Forbes.com article “Here Is A LinkedIn Secret Weapon To Land A Job.”

One of the country’s top job search strategists, Hannah Morgan, who writes a newsletter and blog, offered her best advice on getting hired.

“Uncover the hidden job market via LinkedIn,” says Morgan. “An impressive LinkedIn profile is where you start. Ensure that recruiters find you by creating a more compelling headline instead of the default that lists your current job title. Customize your headline to spell out the type of roles you are looking for and note any special expertise. As you craft your profile, use the LinkedIn “About” section to tell your story. Include the kind of information you’d use in a cover letter or how you’d answer this question, Tell me about yourself? Write the “About” section in first person, which means use “I” throughout this section.”

Morgan continued, “Sell yourself effectively when you write about your work experience on LinkedIn. Take credit where credit is due. Be specific on how the employer benefited. Did you save time or money? Did you create something new? Don’t just list the job title, employer name, and dates of employment. Be sure you outline the results you achieved working at your current and previous positions.” For additional guidance, read “How to Write an Impressive LinkedIn Work Experience Section.”

Keep a positive attitude and be able to describe in an interview why you are right for the job. Demonstrate the value you’d bring with specific details of the past results you delivered and how that prospective employer would benefit if they hired you.

 

Forbes.com | October 18, 2022 | Robin Ryan

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#JobSearch : 4 Ways To Minimize Career Risk In A Market Downturn. Great Read!

October 16, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

As multiple companies (Intel, Warner Bros. Discovery, Robinhood) announce layoffs, aspiring career changers like Kera might decide to pause their efforts. If you’re already anxious about the economy, you may not want to add on the anxiety of a job search. Even if you’re lucky enough to land a new job, job security is more tenuous for the new hire — you might be first-in, first-out in a market downturn. If your emotional and mental health is tenuous, the stress of a new job might be too much.

How do you move forward with a career change given the emotional and mental health issues during this pandemic and economic downturn? This is probably the most significant issue holding me back from actively pursuing my career pivot rather than continuing to “plan” for it. I still have a job that still provides a paycheck for now at least, and even though I am deeply unhappy in this job I am very hesitant to make that leap for fear of not being able to provide for my family (I am the sole income earner at the moment) just for a chance that I might be happier in a different job / company / industry. – Kera

However, you don’t have to quit your job right away. You can still move towards your dream career without jeopardizing your income. Even in a down market, you can minimize career risk while maximizing your chances at landing a job you love.

1 – Learn to be happy in an unhappy job

Jay worked in a niche area of tax where the typical career path stayed at one level for years. He was feeling stagnant, but generally liked his work and colleagues. Rather than quit a mostly good situation, he tackled the specific area of concern – his lack of growth and challenge – by pursuing professional development outside his job. He took on an adjunct role and became active in his trade association. While he eventually left his job, it was years later, and his outside-of-work efforts were significant in helping him land his next bigger role.

As Jay did, pinpoint the specific reason for your dissatisfaction with your current job, and work on that specifically. You might be able to find enough fulfillment outside of work that your unhappy job counts for less of your overall well-being. Or you might be able to work with your manager on restructuring the scope of your job, changing up your schedule or improving your work environment. Figuring out how to be happy in an unhappy situation helps minimize career risk for several reasons: 1) you’re not in a rush to leave and won’t settle for a suboptimal move; 2) you increase your resilience which is a helpful trait for managing the invariable ups and downs of a job search and overall career; and 3) you maintain an upbeat demeanor which makes you more attractive to employers, including your current one.

 

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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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

Article continued …

2 – Start your career change quietly

Maybe you have already tried talking to your manager, or changing other areas of your life instead of your job. But you know for sure that it’s your job at the root of your unhappiness, and it has got to go. You can look for a new job or work on a career change confidentially, without jeopardizing your current job security.

Never use your work computer, email address or other work-provided resources for your search. Schedule your research, networking and other activities for lunchtime, breaks and after work. If you’re working from home, make sure you’re available when you’re expected, and don’t get sloppy about taking off so much time that you can’t get your work accomplished.

3 – Target a career change that doesn’t require a pay cut

It’s a myth that changing careers means making less money. One policy analyst moved from non-profit to technology, so he actually made more money after switching industries. You can help your chances by targeting high-paying industries. Then, save your raise as a buffer in case of a market downturn!

Even if you’re already in a high-paying industry, a career change may still be feasible. An investment banker moving to education did give up the big banking bonuses, but she actually made the same base salary when making the switch. She was able to land a senior enough role in her new industry by focusing on transferrable skills and expertise to the new industry – something all aspiring career changers should do.

4 – Negotiate your next job offer with job security in mind

There’s a real risk of moving to a new job, and being the first-in, first-out in a downturn. Before accepting a new job, negotiate a severance package if your job is eliminated or restructured into something materially different. It doesn’t cost the company anything to guarantee your severance because they only pay for something they do (like job elimination or restructuring). Guaranteed severance clauses are typically structured so they don’t get paid out if you quit or get fired for cause.

In addition to aiming for guaranteed severance, you can improve your job security by thoroughly researching a company before you join. Is their industry growing? Is their market share within the industry growing? How strong is their financial position? How strong is the specific department you are joining?


Career risk exists whether you stay where you are or make a move

Sure, career change entails risk and discomfort. However, staying where you are still carries risk, and if you’re unhappy where you are, you’re already uncomfortable. The risk in staying put is that you still might be laid off, even if you are long tenured. Furthermore, your inertia might cause your skills to atrophy, your expertise to get outdated and your motivation to disappear – making you less competitive, once the market does improve. The best way to minimize career risk is to continually grow and challenge yourself – including stretching past your fear towards your dream career.

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 | October 15, 2022

 

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#JobInterview : How To Talk Positively About A Negative Job Experience. MUst REad!

October 14, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

You don’t have to love everything about your current job. It’s no surprise to prospective employers that there are aspects of a candidate’s current job that are suboptimal. That’s why the candidate is looking or agrees to an exploratory interview or returns the recruiter’s call. That said, no employer wants to feel like you’re looking at them only because you want to get out of wherever you are.

The “positive twist” that Ivy is asking for is simply a reframing of what you don’t like in your current job to the aspirational thing you do want in your next job. Talk about what you’re looking for, not what you’re running from.

Here are five common job complaints and how to put a positive spin that helps your candidacy move forward:

1 – If you think you’re underpaid

Never talk about compensation as a reason for wanting to leave your current job. It just makes you sound like money is a primary motive, which is a shortsighted way of managing your career. Of course, money is a motivator, and you can and should negotiate for what you deserve once an employer expresses interest in hiring you. However, the driving motive should be career-related.

Employers want ambitious people with long-term aspirations. Highlight how broad your scope of responsibility is and how you’d like a similar or even larger role. This sets the level of your role, which indirectly sets the compensation expectation. You can also highlight specific wins and their impact on the bottom line. This introduces money into the conversation but in terms of the value you’d bring, which also indirectly sets a compensation expectation.

 

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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, UK, & Mexico!  

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

Article continued …

2 — If you don’t like your boss

If you’re asked to describe your boss, don’t talk about what drives you crazy and pretend it’s okay. That’s just lying, and you might attract more of the same in your next role. Instead, think about a small specific thing they do that is okay, and then quickly shift the conversation back to the job at hand. For example, if you have a micromanager, for interview purposes they are someone who gives detailed instruction or who asks for exactly what they want or who gives continual feedback. If you have a yeller, they are passionate. If you have an idiot, they are hands-off. Then talk about your ideal work environment, and get the interview focused back on the best case, not the worst.

Many interviewers don’t ask about your boss, so definitely don’t offer. Even when you are asked about them, it’s typically to get a sense for the current environment you’re in. It may be in the context of asking how you like to be managed. It could be a trick question to see if you do go negative – and are the type of person who talks behind other people’s back. The only positive way to spin this question, if it pushes your hot button, is to be quick, gracious and focused on the next question.

 

3 — If you disagree with the company direction or are concerned about its business prospects

You don’t want to go into too much detail if the company isn’t doing well because you might give away confidential information. If you’re not sure, assume all financial details and other numbers are confidential. Instead, you can point to the broader industry or the general economy as a reason that you’re listening to other opportunities.

What if the economy is strong, your industry is growing and even your company has had positive media coverage, but you don’t have faith in the leadership or strategic direction? In a strong market, keep your motives general. You’re open to opportunities because you like hearing what else is out there. You recognize that business can shift quickly, so you like to keep your options open. You have seen situations where conditions change unexpectedly (you don’t have to specify that this situation describes where you’re at), and so you’d like to be prepared.

4 — If you feel mistreated

A project did worse than expected, and your boss blamed it on you. A recent restructuring means you’re now stuck doing less desirable tasks than others in your group. You once had resources that are now taken away. There are many legitimate reasons why an employee can feel slighted, frustrated or upset.

However, your prospective employer can’t help with any of these things, so there’s no point in raising upsetting experiences in a job interview. If you’re worried that you’ll leave one blaming boss for another or be stuck doing tasks you don’t really want or think you have resources only to have them taken, then earmark time in your search for thorough due diligence once you get an offer and know who your new boss is, what the job scope is supposed to be and what resources are supposed to be yours. Till then, find another reason that is motivating your move, and do not discuss problems specific to your old company with potential new ones.

5 — If you want to do something else and no longer want your current role ever again

Don’t get defensive if you get calls for the same old jobs you no longer want. It makes sense that employers will target people who have done the job before. Have people to refer so you build a relationship, and pivot the conversation to what you are looking for, not a diatribe on why your current role no longer suits you.


Even if you only have positive experiences, you will encounter the negative interviewer

It’s well worth your time to learn how to handle difficult questions because you will encounter difficult interviewers. Some people frame all their questions to put others on the defensive. What was your biggest mistake? Tell me about your least favorite boss. How do you deal with a difficult client? The negative interviewer tries to stress you out and bring you down. The positive twist is to not let negative interviewers or negative questions bring you down, but rather move the interview back up with your aspirational talk and focus on the ideal.

Forbes.com | October 13, 2022 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine
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#BestofFSCBlog : Reality Check- Recruiters are Not your Friends. There’s No Such Thing as a Professional Job-Finder. MUst REad!

October 13, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

This fact may burst a bubble for most job seekers. The hard reality is job seekers have the wrong idea about what recruiters and headhunters do for a living. When one starts a search for a new job, the first professional they may try to connect with is a recruiter. A recruiter would know where to find a job…right? They can take the resume and push it to everyone they know…right? Dead wrong.  

Here is the hard-core truth. Recruiters are too busy to call anyone their company isn’t ‘interested in’ for a specific job. Recruiters will not return phone calls, voice mail, email, or text messages to strangers or applicants who don’t meet the minimum job requirements. They are already overwhelmed with communications trying to find the ‘perfect candidate.’ If you are not ‘the match,’ – you can talk ’til you’re blue in the face,’ but it won’t change circumstances. You will only waste your and the recruiter’s time.

There’s no such thing as a professional job-finder. Resume writers, career advisors, career counselors, life coaches, or outplacement service professionals may operate with parallel tasking – but they’re not job-finders. Recruiters are candidate finders. It’s not their responsibility to find a job for job seekers. Don’t blindly contact recruiters and ask them to help you find a job. 

 

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Article continued …

It’s also a numbers game – job seekers submit resumes, aim for multiple interviews, and hope for an offer letter. Recruiters review hundreds of resumes from websites, headhunters, or employee referrals for each position, query the resumes for matching keywords, and send the top 5-10 results to a hiring manager. The hiring manager picks the top three to interview and make a decision based on salary (budget), availability, knowledge, skills, experience, abilities, and personality in the interview.  

It sounds harsh, but it is reality. Finding a job is not a matter of justice, fairness, or luck. No one owes anyone a job. Recruiters are your ‘friend’ only if you meet the immediate requirements of an open job requisition. Recruiters don’t have time to invest in job seekers, their inconveniences, and their car or family problems.  Recruiters do care about recruiting, filling jobs, keeping hiring managers happy, and staying within a staffing budget. They will be polite to qualified candidates and perform the steps necessary to get that candidate hired.  Likewise, hiring managers do not care about applicants’ inconveniences and problems.  Hiring managers care whether the qualified candidate has great skills, stays within a labor budget, and can get the job done.  

Recruiters and headhunters are ‘people finders,’ not ‘job finders.’ They have a set number of specific openings at any given time and usually only hire one person per seat. One. Recruiter’s jobs are to conduct a ‘high throughput’ process. It is a matter of getting the right resume with the needed skill set to the recruiter to solve a company’s problem.  

Job seekers must ask when the decision will be made during the interview. If the company is interested in hiring, they’ll call. If you know when the position closes, call the day after if you haven’t gotten a ‘sorry, we found another more qualified candidate’ message. One call…no more. Drop that job lead into the dead file if you get a voicemail and no callback. Most recruiters have an email management system within their ATS, and there is a chance they’ll notify the ‘rejects.’ But most likely, they don’t have time for follow-up. 

To summarize, there is little point in calling a recruiter to ask them to help you, the job seeker, to find a job. Job seekers should recognize the recruiters’ viewpoint for what they do for a living. It is up to the job seeker to find that job and apply. It’s not a recruiter’s responsibility to help the job seeker find or get that next career position.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:

Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., is an associate of First Sun Consulting, and the owner of D. Boyer Consulting – providing resume writing, editing, and publishing consulting services. Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@DBoyerConsulting.com or http://dboyerconsulting.com.

Bio: Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D., manages and operates a consulting firm in Norfolk, Richmond, Colonial Beach (Dahlgren), and Gloucester, VA. Her background is 24+ years in the Human Resources field, of which 12+ years are within the Federal & Defense Contracting industry. She is the author of 940+ books on business, human resources research, career search practice, women’s studies, genealogy lineages, and adult coloring books. Her books are listed on Amazon.com under her author’s page for Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D.

 

FSC Career Blog | October 13, 2022 | Dawn Boyer, Ph. D. 

 

 

 

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