#JobSearch : The 4 Keys To Writing A Résumé That Gets Results. For Many Job Seekers, Procrastination Takes Over Because they’re Afraid of Rejection.

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COVID-19 tore through the global economy this spring, leaving extended shutdowns, stay-at-home orders, and mass layoffs in its wake. It might not seem like the best time to find a new job, but waiting for the perfect moment will only increase your risk of a career stall. Whether you’ve been laid off because your industry or company downsized or you just want to start moving your career in a different direction, it’s time to seize the day and start connecting with hiring managers.

For many job seekers, procrastination takes over because they’re afraid of rejection. One way to boost your confidence is to rethink your résumé, turning up the volume on your personal brand while focusing on the inspiring traits of the job you want—not the rigid expectations of the jobs you’ve had. Although personal branding is based in authenticity, there’s an aspirational element to it. Here’s how you can set yourself up for hiring success when you’re venturing into a different field alongside a daunting number of applicants:

1. Practice writing a personal branding statement.

Personal branding statements are like company mission statements, which are short and sweet and state their core message in general terms. For example, Tesla aims “to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.” Notice how this mission doesn’t refer to cars at all. You need to craft a branding statement that tells employers what your core purpose is, no matter which job you land.

In your branding statement, address the value you will bring to organizations. Touch on the problems you solve, the unique ways in which you do so, and who benefits from your solutions. A personal branding statement is a great way to garner attention from hiring managers and recruiters, but it’s also a tool to help you decide what you want out of the next phase of your career. You may want to consider adjusting your statement slightly for each position you apply for.

 

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

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2. Restructure your experiences for the career change.

Your current (or previous) job likely taught you valuable skills, but you’ll want to frame those experiences in a way that suits your desired career. Recruiters will almost certainly rely on applicant tracking systems to sift through all the résumés they receive, and that software is based largely on keywords. Identify the keywords most commonly found in your target job descriptions and incorporate them throughout your résumé where applicable.

You should also think about refreshing the education section of your résumé, especially if you haven’t been in school for some time. If your college degree isn’t relevant for the career you’re hoping to transition into, list any recent classes or courses you’ve taken that might be more applicable. If you haven’t done any self-directed learning, there’s a wealth of free online resources and training courses you could take to help your résumé stand out.

3. Highlight your transferable skills.

What tasks did you need to perform in your last role? When you think about that question, the first skills that come to mind are likely job-specific. Think deeper and pinpoint transferable skills that your potential future employer will value. Were you a manager? Try listing skills like “people development” or “teamwork,” for example. Add skills that apply to any line of work, such as “financial acumen,” “written communication,” or “personal motivation.” More importantly, what’s special about the way you apply those skills? Infuse your personal brand while you’re bringing those skills to life. Which of those skills are the basis for your superpowers?

Here’s a great example from academia. Isaiah Hankel, founder and CEO of Cheeky Scientist, encourages degree-holders to promote what makes them unique. Only about 2% of the U.S. adult population (ages 25 and up) has a Ph.D., according to 2018 Census data. Why is that? ”Because adding to a field is hard,” Hankel explains. “Anyone can learn something and then repackage it. Anyone can regurgitate information. That’s easy. It’s so much harder to create information — to bring knowledge into existence for the very first time. If you have a Ph.D., you are a creator of information. This is one of your most valuable and most transferable skills.”

4. Show, don’t tell, why you’re a good candidate.

Anyone can make lofty claims about their past job performance, but a great applicant knows how to validate those victories. Would you be more likely to hire someone who “led successful marketing campaigns that reached new markets and yielded a tangible return on investment?” Or would you rather hire the person who “spearheaded three successful marketing campaigns that grew the company’s audience by 43% and earned an average ROI of 560%?” The first applicant is telling you they would be a good fit (and hoping you’ll agree), while the second applicant is showing you why they deserve the job.

According to Ryan Corbalis, a business recruiter at Indeed, employers are looking for applicants who can quantify and communicate the abilities they’re looking for. “One of the biggest things I’d stress that candidates need to convey is adaptability — this was true before Covid-19, but I think it’s even more the case now,” he says. “Likewise, I’d say this to anyone looking for a new role, but it’s even more important for those looking to change industries or careers: Show how your abilities adapt to this new field and focus on skills more than just experiences because skills can be applied in so many different ways.”

If you’re thinking about waiting until a more opportune time to switch careers, remember that there’s no telling when the uncertainty will pass. That’s why you should take steps toward the job of your dreams. Tap into your professional networks for real-world advice, and use the myriad free online resources to learn new skills and locate relevant job openings. Your most valuable resource is your own time, so don’t waste it on a job or an industry that no longer excites you.

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

 

Forbes.com | November 12, 2020

#JobSearch : 5 Reasons Why A Down Market Is The Best Time To Pursue Your Dream Career. You’re More Open to Thinking, “If Not Now, When?”

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In the recent months that the pandemic has crippled the job market, you could be tempted to put your aspirations to build a dream career on hold. For example, you decide to stay put even if you’re unhappy at your job, rather than risk looking for a change in a tight market. Or if you do take the step to look for a job, you target opportunities that match your previous experience (and therefore where you’re more competitive), even if that’s not what you’d ideally like to do. Or you consider lower-paying jobs than you’re worth because you think it will be easier to land these, rather than holding out for more.

It’s true that, in a down market, your job search might take longer and be more difficult, with more available workers chasing fewer job openings. However, counterintuitively, a down market could be the best time to pursue your dream career:

1 – You’re more open to thinking, “If not now, when?”

A downturn can take you out of autopilot and prompt you to reflect on what is most important. That self-reflection could propel you into bigger risks and changes. Time is of the essence, and you shift your priority from managing risk to minimizing regret. The down market becomes a catalyst for something positive. Since there is never a perfect time to go after something new, why not now for pursuing your dream career?

 

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

Article continued …

2 – If the job search will be difficult anyway, might as well go after something meaningful

In a tight job market, you probably will experience more rejection. When you target something meaningful like finally pursuing that dream career, you have genuine motivation to persevere through the rejection. Being involved in something you enjoy or find fulfilling makes the job search feel less like work and more like an investment, vocation or calling.

3 – The extra grunt work will feel less tedious

When you make a change, like entering a new field or line of work, you have to work harder to prove yourself than someone who has an established track record. The results, examples or other proof you need to demonstrate are additional activity above and beyond what you have to do for your everyday job search. This extra work could include volunteering in your new area, joining a professional association and getting active, or doing exhaustive research on the trends, challenges and potential innovations in your new industry or role. This is hard work, made much more palatable when you’re inspired by what you’re working on.

4 – Desire is a big competitive advantage, and you need an edge

That desire for your dream career is not just inspiring to you, but also to prospective employers. Eagerness, enthusiasm and excitement for an area signals to employers that you’re committed and will work hard. As a recruiter, I have seen candidates who exhibit very strong desire gain an edge over candidates who are more qualified in terms of skills or experience but who come across as not as interested. In a tough market, you want that edge, which could be a deciding factor to selecting you among other candidates.

5 – When you experiment and inevitably fail sometimes, the starts and stops blend in with the chaotic market

In a down market, more job seekers will be flailing about – taking short-term projects, starting side gigs, experimenting and sometimes failing to find what sticks. This makes it a good time for you to experiment since any starts and stops you make will mirror what is happening all around. This puts less pressure on you to have it all figured out right away. In fact, you can try the new industry or role you think you want as a consulting project or volunteer or part-time, and if it isn’t as good a fit as you expected, you can go back to what you did before. The short tenure will seem less disruptive because many other careers have disruptions – layoff, furlough, underemployment – in a down market.

Don’t let a down market be the excuse for postponing your dreams

Sure, a growth market means that jobs are more plentiful and might be easier to get on average, but how long are you going to wait for the market to turn around? Besides, now you know several advantages a down market can bring. No more settling for just any job – pursue a job that moves you towards your dream career instead.

 

Forbes.com | November 13, 2020 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

#JobSearch :Think You Can’t Negotiate Salary Right Now? You’re Wrong. A MUst REad!

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“Help me land my dream job,” said Ellen, 55, who called for Interview coaching. An IT Project Manager, she said, “A couple of weeks ago, I met with a VP online for a different interview. I blew it. They hired someone else. I must be making some mistakes when I talk to them. This new opportunity is ideal for me. Great company – it really is a dream job. How can I improve?”

That conversation lead us to work together, roleplay, and perfect her answers. She was underselling herself, so we worked on boosting her confidence. Ellen struggled a few times with some of her answers to potential questions. Salary questions, the weakness question and identifying her strengths all need some finessing. After our session, she went to the interview and wrote to say, “I heard back that I did very well in the interview, and I was offered the position. Please help me negotiate to secure a higher salary.”

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

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The fact is women are not good at salary negotiations. Most women will never even try. According to PayScale.com’s 2020 Gender Pay Gap report, women make only $0.81 for every dollar a man makes. New to the gender pay gap report for 2020 is an analysis of the impact of lost wages on lifetime earnings. By calculating presumptive raises given over a 40-year career, PayScale reported that women stand to lose $900,000 on average over a lifetime.

There are multiple reasons why women still earn less. One key reason is that men are more inclined to ask employers to pay them more, and women accept the first offer. Even during COVID, I’m seeing clients reject the first offer, which is almost always a low-ball one to see if you will take it. Instead, clients ask to be compensated higher based on the experience and skills they bring to the job.

Ellen’s Real Life Case Study

Ellen followed my advice and never revealed her salary to the recruiter or anyone else on the hiring team. This got her an initial six-figure offer. She then went in and stated that she thought the offer would have been higher. She mentioned the necessary experience and skills she would bring to the job. The employer came back and offered $20,000 more.

The signing bonus was $5,000. I thought that was too low for her field and was confident she could get more. The question was, how much? I advised Ellen to probe the recruiter, who stated they might have room to go up on the signing bonus. I directed Ellen to then talk to the hiring manager. She told the manager she wanted to accept the job if they could work out one thing. When asked what that was, Ellen stated that she thought the signing bonus was too low. The manager said, “let me see what we can do.”  The employer came back and increased the signing offer to $20,000. Ellen accepted the job and secured a total of $40,000 more in income by making this career move.

Strategies to use to raise your salary offer

Know What Your Skills are Worth

Do some research to learn what you should expect to be paid for your years of experience, education, certifications, and any specialized training you possess. Try Payscale.com, which offers free salary surveys that provide detailed information to help you get an estimate on what you should be earning.

Focus on the Employer’s Needs

Begin your conversation with the hiring manager by reselling yourself. Reaffirm the reasons they want you, the skills you’ll bring, and how you’ll solve their problems. Mention your key strengths and experience plus stress how quickly you will be productive. In other words, give them reasons to pay you more. After you restate your interest, start the negotiation by saying, “I’m interested in the position. I was a little disappointed that the offer was lower than I expected, especially since I have this experience or these skills (note something specific) and will come up to speed quickly.”

Be Specific When It Counts

The employer may ask you what figure you have in mind. Know what you want and state it. Be willing to wait. The hiring manager may say they need to go back and ask their boss to get the additional dollars. If they want you, they’ll be your advocate and almost always come back with more than they originally offered. Patience here pays off.

Get an Employment Letter in writing

This letter should outline all the terms of your employment, covering salary, signing bonuses, stock options, starting date, benefits, and particularly noting anything different from the organization’s standard policies. Too many promises are made and quickly forgotten once you begin the job. Get the details in writing, so there are no misunderstandings later. People who have failed to do so have suffered when the promised extra week of vacation was “forgotten” once they started. A written agreement protects what you have negotiated for. I always advise my clients that it’s wise – and necessary – to obtain one.

 

Forbes.com | November 12, 2020 | Robin Ryan

#YourCareer : The Twenty(20) New Career Rules To Follow In 2020 & Beyond. A MUst REad f or All!

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The business world is evolving at a rapid pace. Long gone are many of the career “rules” our parents adhered to, like the popular “Stay with the same company until you retire” directive.

But the thing is, many of these guidelines are antiquated. You don’t have to follow them in order to achieve great success—yet many of us still try to.

It’s time to set a new precedent. Here are 20 career rules that are more relevant to the times that will help you be more successful than you ever dreamed of (at least for the next few years, because standards are changing all the time!).

1. You Don’t Have To Go To College In Order To Be Successful

A post-secondary degree used to be the only way you could truly access the business world. But these days, many companies have dropped that requirement. Plus, if you feel the itch to start your own company instead of pursuing higher education, you can. Follow your excitement and desire. College is the right path for some, but not for others.

 

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

Article continued …

2. Job Hopping Is Perfectly Okay (And Can Actually Be A Really Great Thing)

Personally, I think people who job hop are superstars—because they know when they’re getting bored and are ready for a new challenge, they don’t fear change (at least not enough to stay stagnant), and they are proactive about moving on and choosing the right next step for them.

3. Self-awareness Is More Important Than Credentials

Traditionally, the more degrees after your name and certifications listed on your resume, the better. Formal education used to be thought of as the key to success, the only way to learn. But now, with information at everyone’s fingertips, it’s more important that you’re always learning and can talk about what you know, why it’s important, and the value you can bring to an organization. Turns out, informal education is just as beneficial (if not more). In other words, your knowledge and skills are what matters—how you get there doesn’t.

4. The Way Your Job Makes You Feel Is More Important Than Your Salary And The Perks

Yes, if you’re struggling financially, you may have to prioritize the amount of money you make and the benefits that come along with it.

But even then, you should try your hardest to find a position and company you enjoy (at least most of the time). Because, at the end of the day, no dollar amount can completely erase your misery. And if your work makes you feel unhappy, dejected, frustrated, or all of the above, your performance will suffer. It’ll be mediocre at best.

5. Only You Can Drive Your Performance—No One Else Can

Performance management has radically changed. The new model requires individuals to manage their own work behavior and achievements, rather than relying on their manager to do so. As a performance expert, I can confidently say this is a great thing! It requires you to be more self-aware, more present, more engaged. And, frankly, that’s the only way you can actually experience true great performance.

But, take note: Doing this means you have to get into the habit of being connected to yourself (this weekly performance tracker I developed can help). The more you know how to be who you are and how to use that as your performance North Star, the more successful you’ll be.

6. Your Manager Isn’t Your Career Coach

They are your ally—there to support you, help remove barriers, and provide feedback. They are not there to give you answers to your career planning or to solve any performance problems you may have. You alone are in charge of those two things.

7. Filter Feedback Through The Lens Of Who You Are

Sometimes, criticism is helpful. Other times, it’s not. You need to be able to see it for what it is: data. If it’s not a true reflection of who you are, discard it. If it is, embrace it, learn from it, and move forward. Often, feedback can help you see your own blind spots—and in those cases, you should welcome it—but don’t take it as gospel if it doesn’t resonate with who you are and where you want to go.

8. Create Opportunities—Don’t Wait To Receive Them

The world is entrepreneurial now more than ever. As you generate ideas, your circumstances will become more favorable and you will become more valuable and essential.

9. Ideas Come From Everyone, Not Just The Executive Team

About 20 years ago, ideas came from the top. Today, that’s simply not the case. (If it is at your company, you may want to consider a change.) Leadership has evolved. These days, good leaders encourage—and inspire—everyone on their team to come up with and suggest new ideas.

10. Your Organization Should Make You Feel Safe Being Exactly Who You Are

Psychological safety is a buzzword now, and for good reason. If a company wants to be comprehensively diverse and inclusive, this is a crucial component. If you can’t be who you are, your ability to perform is thwarted.

11. Increased Diversity Of Thought Is Always Better For Business

Be you, be creative, be willing to be different. That’s the true key to innovation. And make sure you promote and accept others doing the very same.

12. Getting Fired Can Be A Gift

It’s a huge opportunity for growth and learning. Why did it happen? If it was “a long time coming,” why did you not leave on your own terms? Dissect the experience and use it as intel. Being fired is not the end—it’s a new beginning, the chance to start over and build a career even better than you imagined.

13. Failures Are Essential For Great Success

For most successful people, the journey wasn’t seamless—far from it. They likely tackled and overcame multiple failures along the way. And the truth is, those bumps in the road, both big and small, played an integral role in their great achievements. When you fail, embrace it as an opportunity to learn and evolve. Don’t fear failure; that won’t serve you. It’ll prevent you from stretching your comfort zone and reaching your ultimate potential.

14. Careers Can Go In Any Direction—They Don’t Have To Be Linear

No longer do you have to choose one company and climb the never-ending ladder (though you can certainly still do that, if you prefer). Careers are as unique as the individuals who have them. Make the moves that feel right to you, even if it means you’re moving to the left, right, back, front, up, down, in a circle—whatever. You can get off the ladder and choose the jungle gym instead. It’s your life, your career.

15. To Be A Great Leader, You Must Be Self-Aware

The better you know yourself, why you are the way you are, and what blind spots you may have, the more powerful and inspiring of a leader you can be. Because with self-awareness comes vulnerability, confidence, and clarity, and those are the makings of great leadership.

16. You Don’t Have To Listen To Everything Your Mentor Says

Just because someone is successful and has your best interests at heart doesn’t mean that you should do everything they say. After all, what worked for them may not work for you. Resist taking action unless it’s something you feel excited about and motivated by. It must feel right to you. Again, this requires knowing yourself—and your aspirations—very well so that you can be discerning with the advice you receive.

17. If Success Keeps Eluding You, The Job Is The Problem, Not You

When things just don’t seem to be working out, don’t point the finger of blame at yourself. There’s nothing wrong with you. It’s just not a good fit, whether it’s because of the office environment, the dynamics between you and your manager, the job responsibilities, or the mission of the organization. Don’t keep trying to force a square peg into a round hole. Find an opportunity that fits you better.

18. You Need To Block Off Time To Think

In a world where back-to-back Zoom meetings are the norm, you must be proactive with your calendar and book time to process, plan, and brainstorm. It sounds strange, but it’s true. And it’s worth it. I promise.

19. Connecting To Your Purpose Is Essential

You must do this in order to avoid burnout and find fulfillment. When you figure out how to tap into your intrinsic motivation, you’ll find that you have natural, endless energy for the work that you do (as long as you still make time to take care of yourself and get enough sleep). And you can’t do this without identifying your Purpose—operating without it is like running a marathon without any food—you’ll deplete your energy stores quickly and crash far before you reach the finish line.

20. Knowing Your Zone of Genius Is Essential For Productivity, Excitement, Fulfillment, And Energy For Your Work

Your Zone of Genius is the way you think best (your Genius) and the impact you want to make on the world (your Purpose). These two data points will change your career (and life) for the better. Take the Zone of Genius quiz to identify yours today!

 

Forbes.com | November 11, 2020 | Laura Garnett

#JobSearch : How To Look For Jobs At The Right Salary Level. How to Search for a Job in your Salary Range or Higher.

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This reader wants advice on finding a new job at his current salary or higher:

I’d like to get a salary in the same range as my last job, perhaps even 10 or 15 percent more. That being said, salary isn’t the most important aspect of getting a new job. Should I start my search looking only for jobs that will be in my pay range, or during the current pandemic/economic crisis, is it more realistic that I might have to settle for less? – David

You can’t reliably target jobs by salary level because pay isn’t always listed in the job description

While salary is an important consideration in deciding your next job, it is a tough criteria to target in researching job opportunities because salary is often not posted publicly. If you only apply for jobs where the salary is included in the job description, you will go after a much smaller subset of available jobs, especially at the senior levels. You are better off targeting jobs based on industry, function or role, size of company, specific responsibilities, title or other criteria that are readily available and searchable.

 

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

Article continued …

Use job title to approximate pay

Job title is a more readily available criteria and can approximate pay. Job titles are typically tied to experience level – e.g., associate v. manager v. VP – and pay typically rises along with experience. Therefore, a job candidate can filter for higher level titles and essentially also be filtering for higher pay. Keep in mind, however, that titles vary across industries, and even company by company. If a company prioritizes a flat hierarchy without a lot of management titles, you may miss out on openings at these types of companies if you over-rely on title in your job search.

Use job responsibilities to approximate pay

The job responsibilities – i.e., what the role requires day-to-day and what results the new hire is expected to produce — is another way to approximate pay and more detailed and nuanced than what a job title can convey. Two jobs can have a similar title, say Director, but if one is responsible for a larger team, larger budget, larger region and/or larger impact on the employer’s bottom line, then you can probably assume that it offers a higher salary than a smaller scope of responsibilities. I say “assume” because some employers will have high expectations but may not have the budget to match. I once had a client who was interviewing for a job that involved launching an initiative across several countries, which could potentially add tens of millions of dollars to the company’s bottom line. Yet, the role was budgeted at a similar salary to a junior manager. Job responsibilities might approximate pay, but not always.

Target jobs you want and then negotiate the pay

The most exhaustive way to find jobs at the right salary level isn’t to rely on approximations like title or responsibility level at all, but to apply for jobs that you want and then negotiate the pay. For example, you may really want to work for a specific company, but it only advertises a lower-level job in the area where you could be a fit. Network your way into that company, ideally reaching the head of the group you want to work in. Then, propose specific contributions that you could make, which should be broader and more impactful than the lower-level job and therefore command higher pay. If the company really wants you, they may grow the job to justify increasing the pay. Or the company may still hire the junior role, but create another opening just for you.

Focus more on your individual impact than market conditions

Another benefit of targeting jobs you want and negotiating the pay after the fact is that it is a proactive and empowering way to manage your job search. You focus more on your individual impact than market conditions, like what jobs happen to be posted or how the general economy is doing. Today’s market is heavily influenced by the pandemic and the uncertainty it has wrought.

Companies have a harder time planning needs, budgets and therefore job openings. Of course, this will impact your individual job search. You have to be prepared for a potentially longer job search as some companies will take longer to make hiring decisions. You have to be prepared to stick to and negotiate your value if a company insists their budget has decreased. The difficult market conditions could influence your job search but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for less.

 

Forbes.com | October 9, 2020 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

 

#JobSearch : Three(3) Tips To Help You Ask Great Follow-Up Questions In A #JobInterview . If You Want to Stand Out, Ask Quality Follow-Up Questions.

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Great job interviews rely on asking great questions. You have the opportunity to make your conversations worthwhile by adding value, and you can do that with your questions.

Here are three things that will improve your follow-up questions and help you to stand out:

1.     Listen, and think about nothing other than what the other person is saying.

People like it when people listen to them. The person feels like the other person cares about them and what they have to say.

If you are thinking about starting a conversation but there is something bothering you from earlier in the day, stop and take the time to think about what is bothering you. You don’t want to go into a job interview or any discussion not being fully present. If you are in the middle of an important conversation and your mind starts to drift elsewhere, try to refocus your thoughts on the current conversation. Remind yourself that you can come back to other thoughts later; it is more important to focus on the present conversation.

If you have control over where the conversation can be held, consider a place that is quiet and with little distractions. If distractions arise mid-conversation, ask the person if they would be willing to continue the discussion elsewhere. If you know you have a habit of drifting to other thoughts during conversations, consider practicing the art of listening with a friend or family member.

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

Article continued …

2.     Reflect beforehand.

In addition to acting and reacting in real time by listening, you can also ask pre-planned questions. Before important conversations, dedicate some time to think about what information you want to know from that interview or discussion. Take 20 minutes to focus. By reflecting beforehand, you can develop more insightful questions. Better questions demonstrate your desire to know more and that you care.

3.     Ask questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer.

A great way to bring an otherwise productive conversation to an abrupt end is by asking a question in which the respondent only needs to answer “yes” or “no.” Instead, focus on asking open-ended questions that further the discussion. Don’t ask, “Do you have a collegial work culture?” Instead, ask “Would you describe the work environment?” Asking questions that beg descriptive answers demonstrates interest. You want to know more than a “yes” or “no.” Showing interest sets you apart.

If you want to stand out, ask quality follow-up questions. Great interviews and conversations involve a speaker and a listener and questions and answers. Take advantage of asking great questions to stand out. Listen, reflect beforehand and focus on questions that share more information than just a “yes” or a “no” response.

 

Forbes.com | November 10, 2020 | Avery Blank

#JobSearch : Four(4) Holiday Hiring Myths! Shouldn’t Apply for Jobs during the Holidays, Since Companies aren’t Hiring Anyway? Not!

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Have you heard you shouldn’t apply for jobs during the holidays, since companies aren’t hiring anyway? This is one of the most common myths we hear this time of year. Not only is the statement not true, but it’s actually the opposite in some cases. Companies always accept resumes and cover letters because they don’t want to miss out on a quality candidate.

Here are some of the top myths about holiday hiring you may hear, but shouldn’t believe.

Myth #1: Companies Don’t Hire During the Holidays

In most cases, a company is going to hire a candidate if the perfect person walks into their office. The holiday season may be slower from a job seeker’s standpoint, but it rarely has an impact on whether a company is hiring. In fact, some companies prefer to hire at the end of the year because they know the candidates who apply will be serious since they are conducting a job search throughout the holidays. Also, the competition is less because people are thinking like you. So take advantage of that and apply.

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

Article continued … 

Myth #2: People Are Too Busy to Network

This is actually the opposite during the holidays for most companies. The end of the year rush can be intense for some people, but there’s always time to network and be social. Keep your LinkedIn profile updated and reach out to business connections when you have a chance. This is a great time of year to connect or reconnect, and you never know when it could lead to an opportunity. People also take vacation during this time of year, which means they may have more time to connect with people. 

Myth #3: Jobs Posted During the Holidays Are Temporary

Some jobs are only temporary to get through the holiday rush, but it’s not fair to make this a general statement. And besides, temporary jobs can sometimes end up being a permanent job if you do the job well. You can always ask the employer if you’re concerned with the type of job being offered, but if it’s not specifically stated, you should assume the opening is for a full-time position. 

Myth #4: Budget Constraints Prevent Hiring During the Holidays

Sometimes a company has extra money to invest at the end of the year, but sometimes it doesn’t. You shouldn’t refrain from writing resumes and cover letters just because you think a company won’t hire you during the holidays. Many companies leave room in their budget for an end-of-year hiring so then they have their staff in place to begin the new year.

Professional Resume Services is here to help you develop your LinkedIn profile, craft the perfect resume or cover letter or assist with any aspect of your holiday job search. If you’re planning to look for a new job to start the new year, you shouldn’t delay any further. Feel free to contact us to learn more about holiday hiring myths and why you should update your resume today.

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 | October 9, 2020

 

#JobSearch : 10 Traits Every Executive Should Have. Do you Think your Experience is Enough for the VP Job?

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The common question I get when speaking with our senior-level clients is, “Do you think my experience is enough for the VP job?” or “Am I out of line seeking a CEO role? I have the experience, but I’m not sure if I’m there yet.”


There is a lot that goes into being an executive at a company, and we know the usual: strategic corporate decision-making, operations, point of contact with the board of directors, manage departments, and the face of the company.

If you’re not sure if you’re a fit, consider a few other traits that most likely aren’t in the job description:

✔ LEADERSHIP – While leadership skills can be acquired traits, an innate tendency to lead will serve you better in a position of power within a company.

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

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✔ SALES DRIVE – As a leader within the company, you will need to sell yourself, your ideas, and the business on a regular basis.

✔ REALISTIC VIEWPOINT – You need to be able to recognize what is possible and execute the required processes to achieve those goals.

✔ PATIENCE – Patiently waiting for the proper timing and the right resources will help you bring your business to the forefront.

✔ BROAD PERSPECTIVE – Keeping short-term goals in mind is essential for ensuring daily objectives are met for your company, but having a broader perspective can be invaluable. Having a big-picture mindset solidifies the company vision.

✔ COURAGE – Courage can also be defined as the strength required to stop or change direction. Strength needed to get through the tough times.

✔ FINANCIAL EXPERTISE – Many companies want to executive team that can keep the budget in mind and understand how money flow factors into the function of the business. Budget and financial acumen is a must.

✔ TECHNOLOGY – You should command a basic knowledge of the latest technology as it related to your industry.

✔ HONOR – An honorable philosophy and actions allow you to readily connect with you team and customers on an emotional level.

✔ PERSEVERANCE – The drive to keep going, even when things aren’t proceeding as planned is important.

 

These aren’t the only traits you need, but if you have these, and can communicate them throughout your resume, LinkedIn profile, and in an interview, they will brand you as a leader to contend with.

 

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 | November 5, 2020

 

#JobSearch : How To Answer New, Hard Interview Questions Employers Now Ask. Companies are Asking about a New Line of Interview Questioning that is Stumping Them.

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Career Counseling clients started asking about a new line of interview questioning that is stumping them. They wanted guidance on how to develop an effective answer to diversity questions. Larger employers, especially Fortune 500 employers, have begun to add one or two diversity questions into their interviewing process. These are very difficult when you are not prepared for them.

One Fortune 100 Recruiter said, “our company has implemented a few new policies in response to the need to diversify the workforce. The key problem is that hiring managers often introduce their personal biases into the hiring process. So, the first change has been to send our hiring managers resumes to review where the recruiter has replaced the job candidate’s name with a number.

This way, everyone is equal, and no one brings personal biases into the interviewing process. Having had twenty years of hiring experience, I’ll tell you EVERYONE is raised with some innate biases against other cultures, races, genders, or sexual orientation. If you don’t think so, ask Baby Boomers what they think of tattoos? You will hear an opinion, for sure. Our company wants to level the playing field when hiring new employees and develop a culture where they feel they belong. We now have all our hiring managers ask a couple of diversity questions during the job interview.”

“Diversity initiatives are now at the forefront of every HR leader’s to-do list,” said a Chief of Human Resources who asked to remain nameless. “SHRM (the Society of Human Resources Management) has provided plenty of valuable resources to help companies big and small deal with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issues which start with hiring new talent. I’ve been sitting through numerous webinars in the last few months covering this topic. Our company is smaller, and we are just beginning to develop a diversity plan. I am currently asking job candidates at least one diversity question in their interview with me.”

 

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

Article continued …

Diversity questions often catch people off guard. It is a sign of the times that more employers are asking these, though. The job hunter, if unprepared, typically answers diversity questions poorly. That can mean elimination from that job.

Right approach

We live in a global workplace with many companies doing business with other nations. How do you define diversity? It’s not just race, but it can also include gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, and generational gap.

To answer appropriately, you must stress these three things:

·        tolerance

·        acceptance

·        inclusion

Older, more mature workers may have more biases because of the times which they were raised. Maybe you support vets. Perhaps you dislike a nationality because of war experiences. You must bring a more neutral attitude to your job in these sensitive times. All ages can have biases, so you are likely not immune from this issue, whether you are 30 or 60.

Answering Diversity questions

Here are a few questions and sample answers to help you understand how you can answer these questions.

Describe a time you were in a group of diverse people?

One client was from the Middle East, and she had experienced a great deal of discrimination. This question threw her in the interview. She confessed she had a complete block on how to handle this question. I worked with her in our interview coaching session to make her position and experiences better known. She said:

“I’m usually the person with the most diversity in any workgroup because of my Middle East birth. I have found others are usually afraid to ask me questions for fear of offending me. I am rather introverted, and in my culture, men’s opinions mattered more. I have realized that I must speak out more frequently and offer my ideas. I now actively participate in brainstorming sessions to solve problems. I even talk a bit about some of my life growing up in the Middle East. People are more comfortable around me because I made a significant effort to be more open and share.”

Here is how a male engineer in a global company answered.

“In my company, we have people from all over the world, so our workgroup is very diverse. I noticed some people are very quiet in the group. They offer more if we two are talking, but they remain silent in a group. I have realized the reluctance to speak in a larger group was because of age or generational differences or cultural differences. I then took on a more active role in group settings, even though I am not the leader. I’ll ask each person by name if they have any ideas or anything to add. This approach has given us new and better ideas to solve problems because everyone comes from a different perspective. It has also helped build more acceptance and make these people feel included and not like outsiders.”

As a manager, what strategies have you used to address diversity challenges?

“Many of our customers are from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds, so being savvy on how to act and what to say shows insight and good business acumen. As a result, I have taken several classes on diversity and became more sensitive to this issue. I do my best to promote tolerance, acceptance, and inclusion. I work with some resistant people who need additional training classes and coaching to be more sensitive. I coach them privately or call in HR and have HR offer a training course for my teams and indirect reports. I sell it as a terrific way to get more input from every person on the team, which allows us to come up with new ideas, productivity, and process/system or design improvements. That approach has been successful for me.”

Another answered with a clear-cut example:

“I had a female tech employee come to me and stated she overheard some men talking about their salaries. She did the same job and was shocked to hear that these men made more than $10,000 more than her. She requested an immediate raise to be equal to her male peers. I investigated the issue, and I found that all seven women I had in my division were underpaid. I took the issue to senior leadership and asked them to rectify the situation. This was not an easy sell because the company was in a so-called ‘no promotion, no raises’ timeframe. I talked to all the women involved and kept them informed. I was able to get equity raises through and retroactive to the beginning of the year. I pushed hard for this because it was the right thing to do. I feel strongly we need to offer fair, equitable pay to both men and women.”

Think about a few diversity questions you might be asked. (This Forbes article has more). Many interviewers want you to offer a specific work example. Think about the best illustration you can present, showing you to be accepting and tolerant. Write out your answer. Roleplay and say the words out loud. Perfect the answer, so you are ready to handle these challenging questions when asked.

 

Forbes.com | November 3, 2020 | Robin Ryan

#BestofFSCBlog : #JobSearch -Social Networking… What are you waiting for? The Reality of Finding a “Career” through Simply Newspaper or Job Boards is Slim to None.

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There are die-hards out there who still insist the best way to get a job is the old fashion way– newspaper ads, job boards, and word-of-mouth. While I agree on the word-of-mouth (a.k.a. networking) point, let’s face it, the reality of finding a “career” through simply newspaper or job boards is slim to none.

So, if you are still unfamiliar with social marketing/networking and online branding/profiles, I will give you the 101 basics on how to get started online with fast results.

  1. LinkedIn.com : I know I sound like a broken record here, but join LinkedIn. LinkedIn will open doors for you that you never thought possible. Originally started as a professional networking tool, LinkedIn is now being used by employers to seek out job seekers! How do they do this? They type in the keywords of candidate characteristics in the search box. If their words match up with the keywords on your profile, guess what?  You have officially become a contender. You can also research companies online, network with employees that WORK at that company and look for current job openings. Utilize LinkedIn as much as you can. You will be amazed at the results you get.
  2. Twitter.com : Join Twitter. If you are an entrepreneur, have a small business of some sort or are a job seeker, Twitter is a wonderful way to connect fast with all sorts of people. You build your network by following others who in return, follow you. It sounds strange at first until you get going. I created my profile, and within 3 months, I started really connecting with colleagues and job seekers, plus all sorts of other interesting folks. You can spread the word that you are job searching. The bigger your “follower” list is, the more people will know this and keep their eyes and ears open for you. I just read a great post about a college grad who got a job within just a couple of weeks of joining Twitter. It happens.
  3. Facebook.com : Facebook is a great way to connect with lots of people and get a little more personal with them. With the option of adding pictures, videos, quizzes and applications, you let the other person see more into your personal life–if you want them to. Many companies have their own Facebook pages that you can research.  Again, another great networking tool.
  4. Google.com : Another one I think everyone should do is to set up a Google profile. It is a basic profile with facts about you on Google. You will be able to control, or at least add to, what people see when they ‘Google’ you. Put up a professional picture and add a little bio. It adds to your online presence.

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

Article continued …

As with anything, there are a few rules to keep in mind when doing your online networking. NEVER ever say anything you wouldn’t want a prospective employer to know. Remember that hiring managers ARE GOOGLING YOU, and an unsavory post on any of your networking sites may come back to haunt you. And PLEASE do not post any pictures that you wouldn’t want your Grandmother (or an employer) to see. Be smart. Keep it professional.

 

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 | November 2, 2020