#BestofFSCBlog : #JobSearch -How to Take Advantage of Pandemic Conditions. Here are Three Ways to use the Pandemic to your Benefit. Great Three Min Read!

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Pandemic conditions have created difficult financial times for many people, including millions that have been unemployed or furloughed. However, that does not mean that you can’t make the best of a bad situation. If you’re currently in the job market, whether you’re unemployed or just looking for a new line of work, there may be opportunities to take advantage of pandemic conditions.

Here are three ways to use the pandemic to your benefit when searching for a new job:

Negotiate Working Remotely Full-Time 

The need for employees to work from home throughout the pandemic has shown that many people are capable of being even more productive than when they were working in an office. Some new job listings may start as remote work with an expectation that you will work from an office once the pandemic is over. However, you may be able to negotiate for a full-time remote work position.

This could save you a considerable amount of money, especially if you have a long commute or would be required to relocate for this new job. There’s also plenty of other benefits to working remotely long-term, such as a better work-life balance, less stress, and a lower environmental impact. As part of any interview process, try to test the waters and inquire about this possibility.

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

Article continued … 

Move to a New City 

Some people have taken advantage of pandemic conditions in order to move to a new city. If you’re lucky enough to be working from home permanently, you may take this opportunity to finally move to the city of your dreams. You can also use a job search as a chance to start looking for work in a city where there is more opportunity in your field or where cost of living prices are lower. However, if you are considering moving to a new city for work, remember that the house hunting process is equally as important as the job hunting process. I

t’s important to browse homes for sale and find suitable living arrangements before making any kind of permanent move. Be sure to properly discuss your working and living situation during and after the interview process to ensure that the job will be a good fit. 

Take Advantage of Online Networking 

Now is a great time to shift your networking strategy online as more and more people are stuck at home. With fewer opportunities to socialize in-person, there’s a much greater opportunity to make connections with others online. One of the great things about networking online is that you can reach people all over the world, whether it’s through social media apps or virtual career fairs.

To make the most out of this experience, you’ll want to update your LinkedIn and other social profiles, as well as maintain a polished online presence. You’ll also want to keep a polished physical appearance as well. Although we all enjoy working from home in sweatpants, it’s important to look professional during any virtual career fairs and interviews.

Searching for a new job in the middle of a global pandemic is not easy. Many people are still unemployed as they continue to struggle finding work. However, you may still be able to take advantage of these conditions and use them to your benefit to gain an edge over others. Patience and proactivity can go a long way in your job search.

 

FSC Career Blog – January 17, 20212 – FSC Career Blog Author

#BestofFSCBlog : #JobSearch – How to Deal with a Termination on a Resume. Great Two(2) Min Read!

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Your employer just let you go. You need to find another job, but how should you handle your termination on your resume? The days when you signed on with a company and stayed with it until retirement are gone. In today’s climate, employers are much more understanding when they see a less-than-perfect work chronology, but you still have to be careful how and when you present a termination.

Remember, your resume is a marketing piece:  positive, upbeat, and selling yourself to a potential employer. There are many reasons someone gets fired, some outside of your control. It could be corporate politics, downsizing, or poor management. But presenting the information correctly is important.

 

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

Article continued …

Do not put the termination or the circumstances surrounding it on your resume. You will have a much better chance of impressing hiring managers if you deal with this question in face-to-face interviews.
If you were recently let go, resist the urge to keep your position listed as “to present” on your resume, giving the appearance that you’re still employed. You will have to explain yourself later on, and potential employers might think you tried to mislead them.

It’s a different matter if you were laid off instead of fired. In this case, you can mention the lay off in your cover letter. Employers are more forgiving of layoffs, so mentioning this might work in your favor.

Focus on your accomplishments in your resume. Your goal is to wow your potential employers by highlighting those accomplishments and skills. Even if hiring managers are wondering why you left a certain employer, your resume should be strong enough for you to receive invitations to interviews in which you can explain your situation in person.

Be sure to list all of your contributions to a previous employer, even any that laid you off. This too can be a red flag to hiring managers. Talk about your responsibilities, overall contributions to the company, and if you received any awards or special recognition. All of this will go a long way in your favor and that’s what you want.

No matter how the termination came about, you still learned skills and accomplished things at the job. Focus on these aspects when creating your resume, presenting the best pieces. But be ready to answer what you learned about losing the job as well. Being able to pick yourself up after a fall speaks to your resilience and ability to learn from mistakes.

 

FSC Career Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – January 16, 2021

 

 

#JobSearch : 5 Mistakes Job Seekers Make When Looking For A Job In Another City. Job Search Strategies Specific to Landing a Job in Another Location.

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If you are having difficulty landing a job in a different area from where you live, troubleshoot your job search. Don’t assume that it’s harder to get hired if you live elsewhere. Most of the job search process is done virtually, such as researching companies, applying to specific job listings, and some, if not all, job interviews. Even networking is mostly done virtually these days, via video or phone calls, social media and emails. You can learn about a geography and establish a presence there without necessarily living there.

Therefore, if you’re serious about landing a job in a different city from where you are now, don’t let the distance stop you. Start your job search, taking advantage of the many virtual tools at your disposal. That said, there are job search strategies specific to landing a job search in another location (you can see 10 tips here).

In addition, you want to avoid these five common mistakes job seekers make when looking for a job in another city:

1 – Overlooking your current employer as a possible option

If you’re employed, your current employer should always be considered an option, and that includes when you’re relocating away from the employer. Explore a remote option. Transition your status to consultant, if they’re adamant that all employees must reside within the home state. Ask if there are subsidiaries of the company where you can transfer. Even if you have already tried this before and your employer declined before, ask again — you might be able to renegotiate.

 

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

Article continued …

2 – Not casting a wide-enough net for employers

If your new target location has less diversity of employers – say, only one Fortune 500 company – you’ll have to expand your perspective on possible employment. Look at the Fortune 1000. Consider a regional office of a larger company. Look at smaller companies – Inc magazine profiles the fastest-growing private companies, and some of these are not yet household names but show impressive numbers. Consider non-profits and municipal agencies to broaden your search outside of the private sector.

3 – Not having – or sharing – your relocation plan

As a job seeker coming from the outside, employers worry that you’re going to ask for relocation reimbursement. Or that you won’t be available right away. Or that you don’t really know the area, aren’t really committed and could leave if you get here and things don’t match your plans. These are reasonable worries for employers because hiring costs time, energy and money (recruiter fees or simply opportunity cost of their internal recruiters hiring you instead of someone else). Employers don’t want to risk or waste their resources on an outside candidate who may not work out. Therefore, you have to anticipate these objections and counter them before they become an issue. Let employers know you already have relocation covered (if you are indeed not planning to negotiate for this). Share your start date. Share your excitement for the new area. If you sound like an insider, you make it easier for prospective employers to say Yes.

4 – Relying on general, instead of local resources

While I mentioned that your research can be done virtually, it doesn’t mean relying on national or general resources. Tap local colleges, the area chamber of commerce and local chapters of alumni and professional associations for the most relevant and updated news, trends and leads. You want to know what industries are thriving, which specific companies or organizations are growing and hiring and what local initiatives might be happening that impact investments made into the area.

5 – Limiting your networking to people you KNOW are connected to the area

People hire people, so all job searches should focus on reaching out to people for information, leads and openings. For a location-specific job search, don’t limit the people you network with to the ones you are sure are connected to that location. We can never know who or what people know – your next-door neighbor may have grown up in your new target location, may have studied or worked there, or may have a best friend who is still there. Check your entire network, not just the obvious suspects or people you can remember. Do a search on LinkedIn for your connections and your target city or state as a keyword, not just location – this way, you catch people who might have moved away.

Even though much of the job search can be done virtually, it helps to make yourself available in the new location.

With an increasing amount of work being done virtually, living in the same city as your job is becoming more optional. However, that doesn’t mean that employers won’t prioritize candidates who are local (see number 3 for all the reasons). If you can get to your new location, it helps to let employers know you’ll be there. They may want to meet live and may put you on their schedule since they know you aren’t there all the time. At the very least, it shows that you are serious about the location. Even if you don’t meet live, telling employers you’re coming over is another point of contact and keeps you top of mind.

 

Forbes.com – January 13, 2021 – Caroline Ceniza-Levine

 

#JobSearch : Networking is a Critical Part in Finding Your Next Job. If you Didn’t Understand the Importance of, or Need for, Networking Before 2020, you Probably Do Now!

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I can say that 2020 was an unprecedented year that hit many of us where we work! The number of people unemployed for at least part of the year is staggering. For some, that unemployment became permanent. Job searching through online vehicles became more important than ever, with social distancing and lockdowns in place.

If you didn’t understand the importance of, or need for, networking before 2020, you probably do now!

 

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

Article continued …

Depending on where you are in your career, here are some aspects to networking for you to consider:

  • Start early. If you’re fresh out of college or if you’re trying to get a foothold in a new career move, the sooner you start making those connections, the better off you’ll be. Reach out to classmates or find student chapters of professional societies. It is easier to maintain relationships that you already have than to start out cold. If you’re freelancing, cultivate more connections whenever you possibly can, from fellow freelancers or from your clients themselves.
  • Choose wisely. Unfortunately, a down job market also brings the scammers and fly-by-nighters out of the woodwork. They know that there are job seekers (and sometimes clients) who are bordering on desperation. They might be out to take advantage of you, or they might be looking for a pawn to help advance a cause of some sort. You don’t want that hung on you, so tread carefully and make good decisions.
  • Cast a net wide. Don’t limit yourself to just your field or to people with tastes, interests, or skills to your own. It’s easy to make this mistake and to just have associates that are in your “comfort zone.” What happens if your industry takes a nose dive? You will need to consider pivoting to something new, and those connections in other fields can be an asset. Remember that the wider your network of people, the more resources you can have to fall back on if things go sour.
  • Quid pro quo. Networking is a two-way street. If there’s anything you can do for your associates in return, whether it’s job referrals, professional references, or anything else, don’t hesitate to do it. It will pay off for you in the long run.
  • Go online. Make a plan to utilize your social media to network with potential connections every day. LinkedIn is the #1 professional networking site, so ensure your profile is up-to-date and set for recruiters to find you.

With record numbers of job seekers vying for every open position and hiring managers overwhelmed with resumes, this is a challenging time to be in a job search. That’s why networking is even more important today than ever before.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog |  January 12, 2021

 

How to Work With Headhunters…. Important Note -Headhunters Work for the Company that Hired Them, Not for You. (i.e. Not there to ‘find’ you a job)

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What is a headhunter?

There is a distinction between headhunters and recruiters. Headhunters tend to be more singularly focused on filling a particular role and actively seek out the perfect person for the job, whereas recruiters tend to work on multiple jobs at once and rely more on candidates finding them. “You’re going out to find people. You’re not waiting for them to come to you,” says Matt Clarke, managing director at recruitment firm Blackwood Associates LLC. “There are some people who are more proactive and there are others that are reactive. It’s more about the proactive approach.”

A headhunter usually tries to convince a high-performing worker to leave a job for a competitor, according to Mr. Clarke. “You’re recruiting someone out of their current seat based on a referral or knowing that they’re good in their current space.” This can be more challenging than trying to find a role for someone who is looking for a new job. “They’re happy and you’re motivating them to make a move.”

A headhunter usually tries to convince a high-performing worker to leave a job for a competitor, according to Mr. Clarke. “You’re recruiting someone out of their current seat based on a referral or knowing that they’re good in their current space.” This can be more challenging than trying to find a role for someone who is looking for a new job. “They’re happy and you’re motivating them to make a move.”

In brief:
  • Headhunters work for the company that hired them, not for you.
  • Talk to the people in your network to track down who is recruiting for particular roles.
  • Build a rapport and offer help to headhunters for benefits down the line.
  • Know which headhunters to avoid.

 

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Article continued …

Do headhunters focus on people who are mid-level or higher?

Not necessarily. While some headhunting firms specialize in filling C-suite jobs, others fill jobs that require less experience. “It spans where you are in your career. It’s really more about your company’s focus,” says Mr. Clarke.

Headhunters don’t work for you, they work for an employer.

Headhunters primarily work with companies looking to fill a position. If you aren’t getting a call back from a headhunter, you are not alone. A headhunter’s focus in most cases is to devote his or her time to the client, not a job seeker who isn’t an active target. “Most recruiters work for companies that are paying them to find candidates,” says Stacey Staaterman, a leadership and career coach based in New York. “So, what’s most important for people on the job-search side is that they need to be sensitive to the fact that they’re not the first priority.”

Why would a company hire a headhunter?

Companies hire headhunters for a variety of reasons. “It could be that it’s a messy situation, so they need a recruiter to sell it,” says Roy Cohen, a career coach and author of “The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide: Success Secrets of a Career Coach.” Another reason could be the seniority of the role. Mr. Cohen says that recruiting for a very senior-level position, such as a division president or chief executive, can be a heavy lift and companies may prefer to use a headhunter with the expertise to find the ideal person from a “large universe of potential candidates.”If you are contacted by a headhunter, it helps to ask tough questions about why the role is open, because some of those reasons might not be positive for a candidate. “Be careful what you wish for when you do work with a recruiter. It could be they’ve been hired because the situation is one that has been problematic,” says Mr. Cohen. “Maybe there’s turnover, maybe the boss is a screamer. There could be all sorts of reasons they’ve hired this recruiter.”

How to find a headhunter to work with.

Since most headhunters are looking at a fairly small pool of people, you may have to get creative to get yourself on their radar. One way is to triangulate the jobs they are trying to fill by speaking to people in your own network in similar roles. “It’s about networking with people who work in the field that you’re looking for a job, because it’s likely that if you’re talking to people who are in visible positions in your field, they will have received calls from recruiters,” says Mr. Cohen. Find out who the headhunters are that are targeting them. There is often a virtuous cycle of people referring headhunters to their contacts when they themselves are not interested in positions.

You may need to tell people you trust in your network that you are open to talking to headhunters. Mr. Cohen says that this strategy is preferable to emailing several recruiters en masse.  It is useful to develop a relationship with a headhunter that might pay off later. If you happen to be contacted by one for a position you have no interest in, think about how you might be able to help him or her with a solid reference to someone else in your own network. “I always tell people if they’re looking, identify a few headhunters that you can establish a bit of a rapport with so that they kind of know you and stay in touch,” says Ms. Staaterman. “Don’t be annoying—be helpful. If you’re not right for a position, give the headhunter a few names. That always creates goodwill.”

What are headhunters looking for and what are their motivations?

Headhunters look for high-quality candidates—who in most cases are already employed—and try to convince them to leave for a better job. Usually, they are trying to meet specific requirements from the company that hired them to fill the job, but sometimes they may look for less obvious candidates who might be an interesting wildcard. “There is a growing interest in having nontraditional candidates on the candidate list,” says Ms. Staaterman. “The term is a ‘cultural add.’ It’s essentially trying to bring something different into the organization,” she says. “Thanks to companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, we have more awareness [that] having a diversity of thought, for many companies, is a good thing.”

How disreputable headhunters can harm you and how to avoid them.

You need to be smart about which headhunters you are willing to work with, says Mr. Clarke. You should make sure they are not trying to hire you for a job that someone else left due to an unresolved problem, such as the work culture or bad management. You also need to avoid working with headhunters who aren’t thoughtful about the jobs they submit you for. “If they’re just sending your résumé around to different firms—let’s use banks, for example—some headhunter gets your résumé, or some recruiter gets your résumé and they’re not professional, [or] good at what they do, and they start sending you around to different companies without telling you where your résumé has been sent in, that can absolutely crush your chances of getting jobs at certain places,” says Mr. Clarke.

WSJ.com | January 8, 2021 |  and

#YourCareer : How To Land A Promotion While Working Remotely. Is this a Good Time to Ask? Great REad!

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If you’re like a lot of other professionals, you had high hopes for 2020. You started the year on the right foot, outlined incremental goals to achieve each quarter, and had your eyes on a promotion just in time for the holidays.

Unfortunately, you’ve been wearing your pajamas to work since March, a few major clients paused their accounts, and the company is struggling to get back to pre-pandemic production levels—not exactly an ideal time to ask for a higher salary.

Or is it?

Almost no one escaped the disruption caused by the pandemic, and many workers experienced the chaos as a massive increase in demand. Whether sales were up or way, way down, you’ve had to pivot, learning to do your job with fewer resources and more stress—you might even have received an entirely new set of duties. These situations don’t always bring out the best in people, but if you’ve shown patience, adaptability, and grit, you might be poised to leap up the career ladder.

Vaccines are being distributed as you read this sentence, but the pandemic is far from over. We can expect at least several more months of “business as unusual” before things go back to nearly normal, but that doesn’t mean putting your ambitions on hold. To prevent the pandemic from sabotaging your career goals, focus on these four steps:

1. Build relationships with clients

Forging relationships is an important part of your career, but you shouldn’t limit your focus to establishing connections with your colleagues and managers. Nurturing strong relationships with clients takes trust, communication, and the ability to cater to specific needs that vary from client to client. As Jeff Winters, CEO of Sapper Consulting, explains, “Engaging with prospects’ social posts, writing handwritten letters, and giving strategic, genuine gifts within your company’s ethical guidelines are all smart tactics for staying top of mind—but they’re just the tip of the iceberg.”

There are lots of ways to go the extra mile for clients, from making a delivery when someone mentions a badly needed home-office supply to remembering their favorite restaurant and giving them a gift card on their birthday. Knowing how to build these relationships shows your employer that you’re capable and that you see the bigger picture—characteristics that reap dividends when you’re hoping for a promotion.

 

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

Article continued …

2. Look out for your co-workers

In your quest for a promotion, be sure not to trample your co-workers on your way to the top. Managers often look to promote the individuals who make the whole team better with their efforts. These people finish their own work and then reach out to peers to see where they can assist. Build your personal brand attribute of being collaborative, while diminishing actions that seem competitive or self-centered. Not surprisingly, these gestures of camaraderie go a long way.

D.G., a manager at Oracle Cloud, points out that “collaboration with teams across the organization always stand out. I always look at an employee’s internal branding to see how they are viewed by others.” The approach makes sense. If an employee is resented by his or her peers, there’s probably a reason for that. Maybe they frequently show up late or fail to pull their weight, or maybe they’re far more interested in ingratiating themselves with the manager than actually doing the work. When you come up for a promotion, you want your co-workers to have nothing but great things to say about you.

3. Talk with your manager about growth opportunities

For whatever reason, plenty of employees keep their desire for promotion to themselves and then resent being passed over in a favor of a more vocal candidate. If you want advancement, you’d better make sure the person with the power to grant that wish knows that you want to be in the running. Expressing interest doesn’t make you a shoo-in, but it can give you deeper insight into what the position requires or what specific skills the hiring manager is looking for. Approach the situation from the decision maker’s point of view. Mentioning your interest in moving ahead—always with the greatest humility—can help them see you in a whole new light.

4. Focus on professional development outside of work

Whether you get a promotion has a lot to do with your manager and employer, but don’t let that overshadow the control you have over the growth trajectory of your career. The more you know, the more promotable (and hirable) you are, and there’s never been a better time to teach yourself valuable skills. According to 2019 data from the Statista Research Department, employees most wanted to improve their influencing and negotiating (46%), having difficult conversations (24%), design thinking (24%), and leading and managing change (21%).

According to David Parnell, author, communication coach, and legal recruiter, “When you are trying to get promoted, it is impossible to go ‘above and beyond’ without knowing exactly, to a T, where the ceiling is. So be crystal clear about what is expected of you, when it is expected, and how it is expected. This way, you can meet and exceed your manager’s expectations.” If your desired promotion involves a set of tasks that you don’t normally perform, train yourself on whatever programs, equipment, or skills will be most relevant in order for you to excel. People with strong personal brands are life-longer learners, remaining relevant and ready for what’s next. Even if your self-directed development doesn’t get you a promotion, a portfolio of these self-taught skills will look great on your résumé and will demonstrate initiative that employers find extremely valuable.

It’s tough to ask for a promotion when you don’t know what kind of situation your company is in, so do your research just as you normally would. It obviously won’t do you any good to try to advance on a sinking ship. But if your organization has weathered the storm and is on an upward fiscal trajectory, show them exactly how you made unique, valuable contributions to that success. There’s no reason to put off asking for what you’ve earned, along with the new responsibilities and initiatives you know you’re ready for. By establishing your worth, you also indirectly demonstrate what your employer stands to lose if they don’t entice you to stay aboard.

Author:  William Arruda is a founder of CareerBlast and co-creator of BrandBoost – a video-based personal branding talent development experience.

 

Forbes.com – January 10, 2021

#JobSearch : 5 Reasons Your Job Search May Be Stalled. If You Find yourself Doing Any of the Following, then Today is a Great Day to Take Action.

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In order to advance your career and get your job search back on track, there are a few things that you must do correctly. As a job seeker, finding a job should be your full-time job.

Many people work tirelessly to find a job, but they keep coming up short, so today we’re going to have a look at the 5 reasons that your job search may be stalled and why you’re not getting the response that you feel you should. If you find yourself doing any of the following, then today is a great day to take action.

1- Your search isn’t personal.
What this means is that you’re still sending out generic resumes with no target. Instead, get personal. Find the names of HR Managers, company directors, or anyone involved in hiring at the company. Then you send them a personalized note with your custom made resume explaining your desired position and how you could help the company.

 

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

Article continued …

2- You are looking where everyone else is.
Keep in mind that there are a lot of unemployed people out there right now. Many of these people will be looking in the exact same field, geographical area, or they have the same skill set as yourself. One way around this is to find opportunities through networking, online job searches, and by using job boards to find hidden career options. If everyone is looking in the same place, it will only drown out your voice. Be different and look at all of your options.

3- You believe every word you hear about the job market.
If you think everyone is living hand to mouth, then you are very mistaken. America has a lot of opportunity for people who are willing to look. Yes, it’s tougher than usual, but not impossible to find a job that suits you. Take a few minutes to review the positive aspects and reduce your stress level. An open mind will lead towards an open job.

4- Your email etiquette is poor.
Every time there is a job fair, we see this problem emerge. People do not read their emails and proof them, but you can bet that your prospective employer is reviewing every little detail about your resume. Misuse the word “your” in place of “you’re” and it’s a dead giveaway that you did not proof your email. Another way that people send out poorly written or constructed emails is if they do not have a subject, have a subject line that reads, “have a look at my resume” or poorly written opening lines in the email. Show a little patience and take some time to review your emails before you send them.

5- You’re not as productive as you think.
Sending out a few resumes during the morning and then taking the rest of the day to binge-watch TV is not a productive job search. Get into the habit of diligently looking for a job. Make yourself a schedule and stick to it. All you have is you. So, work hard and you will find the right career for you.

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

FSC Career Blog| January 6, 2021

#BestofFSCBlog : 5 Ways To Update/Change Your LinkedIn Profile For A Career Change. Holiday Season is Prime Time for Networking! MUst REad!

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If you hope the new year brings a new career, you’ll want to promote your background in a way that translates to your new target field. Your LinkedIn profile is a powerful tool to reposition yourself for a new industry, role or both. LinkedIn is public and searchable, so not only prospective employers and recruiters might view it, but also potential connections who can offer information, leads or other support.

LinkedIn is a social network, and we’re still in holiday season – prime time for networking! Therefore, updating these five aspects of your LinkedIn profile so that it supports your career change should be a priority:

1 – Rewrite the Headline for your new target industry and/or role

If you don’t customize the phrase that appears right below your name, it can default to your current title and company. That’s sufficient if you want to continue working in the same industry and role. However, if you aspire to change careers, you don’t want your old industry and/or role to be the first thing potential connections and employers see. (Your headline may be the only thing employers, recruiters and other potential connections see if you appear in search results, and people decide not to click since your headline isn’t relevant.)

For example, let’s say you are currently a marketing manager at a bank, but you want to do marketing for a media company. You could change your headline to include your marketing expertise overall – e.g., Marketing Manager | Partnerships | Direct Mail | E-commerce. This takes the focus away from banking, which isn’t relevant, and highlights your marketing expertise, which still fits.

 

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

Article continued …

 

2 – Highlight new activities in the About section

Similarly, when you summarize your background in the About section, open with the most relevant and substantive qualifications for your new field, even if your experience in previous industries or roles is lengthier. You want to catch the reader’s attention early, since they may not read everything, or even if they do, once they see you in the old industry or role, they won’t see you as a potential fit for something new.

For example, you might have 20 years of experience at the bank, but you could still open with your enthusiasm for the latest media trends. If you are working at all in your new industry (even if it’s a side consulting project or volunteer work), highlight that first. If you have certifications or are an active member of a relevant professional association, that can also legitimize your interest in the new field. If instead you open with a laundry list of your old experience, expertise and skills, by the time they get to the new stuff, they will see you as a newbie and therefore a hiring risk.

3 – Showcase your new expertise in your Activity

In addition to the About section, your Activity – e.g., posts you write, comments on other posts, videos or presentations you attach – can be tailored to the new career and showcase your expertise. Being active in your new field is also a good way to make and expand your network in that field. An insider may take note of your insights and make introductions for you to others.

For example, you could summarize insights from books or courses you are taking to learn about your new field. If you conduct informational interviews (and you should), you could highlight key takeaways from these meetings. You don’t need to produce content from scratch – you could follow executives in your target function or dream companies and comment on what they post.

4 – Include substantive consulting, part-time or volunteer work in Experience

The work experience you include in the Experience section doesn’t need to be paid or your primary job, as long as it’s substantive. Yes, you could also put volunteer work in the Volunteer section, but then it might be overlooked. Your goal is to catch the reader’s attention early before they have formed an opinion about you as being too deeply embedded in your old career.

This also includes how you organize the description about your current job — if some aspects of your job are more relevant to your new career than others, highlight these first. For example, a client of mine made a career change from financial services to education. It seems like a big pivot given she had decades in her original industry. However, in her last job, even though the bulk of it was financial, she also had some mentoring and training activities which she listed first.

5 – Speak to your new audience with relevant keywords

Whether it’s your headline, summary, activity, experience or other section, review what you include and how you describe it from the perspective of your new target field. Avoid jargon that only applies to niche areas. Generalize your skills so that multiple industries can see your value.

For example, I had a client in the transportation industry switch out references to passengers for customers. Another client in healthcare switched out patients for clients. A seemingly small change does make your profile more welcoming.

Put your LinkedIn URL in your email signature so your entire network has your updated information

Of course having an updated, career change-friendly profile is meaningless if no one sees it. Putting your LinkedIn URL into your email signature (your personal one, not your current work!) is an inobtrusive way of attaching your background to every correspondence. While it’s presumptuous to send people a resume (and people who don’t know you well may not open an email with an attachment), posting a URL gives access to the same information but more subtly.

As a career changer, most of your network will likely be in your old career rather than your new target, so your existing connections may not know all your adventures in your new career. Pointing them to your profile in each and everh email is an ongoing reminder of what you do and how much you’re working towards something new.

 

Forbes.com – December 30, 2020 – Caroline Ceniza-Levine

#JobSearch : 4 Ways To Get A Jumpstart On Your Job Search In 2021. Here are a Few Things you Can Do to Boost your Chances of Finding a New Job in 2021.

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Whether you’re just beginning your job search or continuing an existing one in the new year, there are a few things you can do to boost your chances of finding a new job in 2021.

Before you dive into your job search, it’s important to take time to reflect on why it is that you’re looking for a new job. Get clear on your motives for wanting (or needing) a change so that you can start your 2021 search off with a strong sense of intention. Once you have clarity on that, it will be much easier to power through the monotony of searching, waiting, and interviewing.

It’s also important to reflect on how you want to work. Remote work is here to stay, but there will also be hybrid working options and companies who choose to return to the office as soon as it’s safe to do so. Figure out what you’re willing and not willing to do, then begin your job search with that in mind. Some job postings will have details about the working model, but most often this is a question you’ll need to ask during an interview.

Once you’ve gotten clarity on those things, there are four more things you can do to get a jumpstart on your job search.

Get organized.

It’s incredibly important to keep track of the jobs you’re applying to and interviewing for. A simple spreadsheet is all you need to keep yourself organized throughout your search. With a spreadsheet, you have all the information you need in one place, ensuring you won’t miss an important detail because you couldn’t find the note you wrote or accidentally deleted an email.

You’ll want to track the job title, company name, date you applied, and then fill in any relevant details if you’re selected for an interview such as the hiring manager’s name, date of your interview, and link to the Zoom room or phone number to call. It’s also helpful to save a link to the job posting so that you can review it before your interview.

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

Article continued …

Broaden your horizons.

With remote work here to stay, you’re no longer limited to jobs that are in your immediate area. Be sure to choose ‘remote’ as a location when you’re searching on job boards and include in the keywords you’re using to search as well. Be sure to read the job description fully to be sure that it’s fully remote, and not just temporarily until offices can reopen.

Another important factor to consider is the time zone you’ll be working from – if you live in California but the company is in New York, you’ll most likely be working in Eastern Time, which means an early start to the day for you. With the coasts reversed, it would mean a late start but also a late finish. Nothing wrong with either option, just something you need to seriously consider.

Learn new skills.

The job market continues to become increasingly competitive. With remote work, companies are no longer limited to a geographical pool of talent, significantly increasing the competition for each job posting. This means it’s now more important than ever that you stand out from the crowd.

Sharpen your skills by taking a course or getting certified in a relevant skill. Show your work whenever possible – create a portfolio website, write an article, make an infographic, or create a demo app. The key is to have something tangible you can share with a prospective employer. Another way to highlight your skills is by taking on freelance work to show real-world experience and real-world results.

Practice self-care.

A job search can be stressful, so it’s incredibly important that you take some time to practice self-care. High stress just isn’t good for anything, and it can easily derail your best efforts and intentions. If you’re able to manage your stress levels, the job search process will be far less taxing. Make time to relax, especially when you don’t feel like you can, because that’s when you need it most.

 

Fobes.com – December 29, 2020 – Ashira Prossack

#YourCareer : How to be a Reference for a Friend. Things to Consider Before Providing yourself as a Reference for a Friend’s Aptitude for a Position.

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In this difficult economic time, everyone knows someone who is unemployed. With the jobless rate in the US at a staggeringly high percentage, it is understandable to feel a strong conviction to help in whatever way possible. What if you are working for a dynamic company that is flourishing and looking to expand? What if you have a close friend that would make a wonderful applicant?

 

There are multiple things to consider before providing yourself as a reference for a friend’s aptitude for a position.

Be Objective
Carefully consider your friend’s goals and work experience. Review the job description and examine what about your friend would work in the position. Encourage your friend to follow the proper channels and submit their resume in the same way as every other applicant, even those without a personal connection to the company. Only approach the subject with your superiors if you are asked directly- do not approach them directly with a plea for your friend to be hired. You want your friend to be hired on account of their own merits, not for whom they know at the company. You also want to demonstrate to your company that you understand and respect the ethics of business.

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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’ ?

Article continued …

Gather the facts
Be objective with yourself regarding your motive for referring this person. Make a list of your friend’s strengths and how they fit the job description. Know their job history and be prepared to provide a reference. Examine your support. Are you referring them because you enjoy their presence and think they would make a nice addition to the office atmosphere? Are you referring them because you know they offer the commitment and drive the company deserves? Answer the questions honestly.

Don’t hold back
If you don’t think your friend will fit in to the company’s atmosphere or will believe in the company philosophies and practices, don’t be afraid to suggest alternative options. Encourage your friend to explore all aspects of the company-from your personal perspective to published reviews. Remember that you have a biased perspective, and your friend should research if this is the best decision to make at this time in their life.

If you make a well-informed decision on referring your friend for a job at your place of employment, you do not have to worry about risk. You can stand by your recommendation and watch your friend succeed in the workplace. You can worry less about your friend’s negative impact on your company’s perception on you, but the positive reflection the suggestion of a new and dedicated employee can have.

If for some reason it is not to be, you will feel comfortable knowing that you thought logically throughout the application process and didn’t recommend your friend on a whim. You should also keep in mind that if it is not meant to be, that it is in no way whatsoever a reflection on your ability to do your job or function in your company. Do not let your friend’s experience (negative or positive) influence the way you feel about your job and your contribution to it.

 

FSC Career Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – December 29, 2020