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#JobSearch : Worried About Layoffs? 5 Tips For Job Seekers (And Job Seekers-To-Be) In A Slowing Economy. Study: Nearly 80% of Americans Worried about their Job.

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More workers are finding themselves out of a job (or becoming worried they might soon be) as a string of high-profile companies, mostly startups and in tech, have moved to freeze hiring or even to slash workers and rescind job offers.

New unemployment claims edged up to an eight-month high last week. Initial unemployment claims increased by 7,000 to 251,000 in the week ending July 16, making the four-week moving average rise by 4,500 to 240,500, according to the Department of Labor. Those numbers are still a marked improvement from last July, when the four-week average of unemployment claims hit more than 405,000. And the actual unemployment rate in June (the last month reported) is still a rock bottom 3.6%.

Still, fears of an impending recession have made nearly 80% of Americans worried about their job security, with almost a quarter of workers extremely concerned about their job security, a recent survey found. With more cuts expected in the near future, you might be wondering how to prepare in case of a layoff, or what to do if you do lose your job.

1. Maintain and expand your network

“Relationships can always expedite your success,” says Kimberly Brown, a career coach and author of Next Move, Best Move: Transitioning Into a Career You’ll Love. “I know someone who may be unemployed may not want to hear that…but they are literally the only thing that can expedite your success in that way because if someone’s able to put a word in when there’s 1000 applications, and you have a contact there, you can at least get an interview.”

Brown says she wishes that during her time working in college career development offices, she provided students a more structured approach to maintaining relationships.

“It doesn’t have to be a big thing to maintain a relationship,” she said. “I think people will think that you need to meet with folks once a quarter, you need to have a one hour conversation once a month. Maintaining a relationship doesn’t necessarily look like that, there’s so many different ways to keep top of mind, even something as simple as being active on LinkedIn.”

 

 

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

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

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

Article continued …

 

2. Reach out to past recruiters

Interviews with past job-and job offer-losers demonstrate that maintaining relationships with recruiters can be key.

For Patrice Ju, founder and lead coach at Carpe Diem Careers, the current wave of layoffs are reminiscent of the job cuts many, including herself, experienced during the Great Recession. “​​I was devastated and in shock. I didn’t think that that could happen to me,” Ju said of losing her first job out of college in 2008. But her first step of reaching back out to recruiters she had been in touch with during her initial job hunt proved advantageous.

“One of my tips is, if possible, to stay in touch with old recruiters, because you never know where you may land down the road,” Ju said. “So I reconnected with a recruiter, reconnected with my friends that were then working at Deloitte, and was able to get some interviews and then eventually got the job offer.”

Ju’s story is similar to that of Jenna Radwan, who previously told Forbes about her experience losing a job offer due to the economic downturn. Radwan was able to quickly land on her feet because she reached back out to previous recruiters she’d been working with during her job search — one of whom offered a position that she ultimately accepted.

3. Keep learning

Ju has offered career coaching for more than 400 individuals across all types of industries but one piece of her advice always remains the same: “keep your skills up to date” and always keep learning “​​so that if something does happen to your role or to your job, you can easily and quickly pivot and interview and then show a future employer that you are still very competitive in the current marketplace.”

Ju earned an industry-based certificate during her time between jobs, something economist Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, says can help job seekers stand out from a crowd of applicants. “It makes you look more like an experienced worker somehow.”

Earning a certificate is one way to stay competitive as a candidate and keep your skills up to date, but so could be going back to school or learning on your own. But make sure “whatever it is you’re doing will yield something,” says Brown. She suggests looking at job descriptions to “make sure you’re doing and gaining those skills, whether it’s public speaking, or coding, or writing, communications.” She adds: “Whatever it is, make sure it’s directly correlated to the job and is not just a nice-to-have skill [because] you can get the nice-to-have skills from having a really great mentor or a coach.”

Brown says that if you choose to go back to school — as many people did during the Great Recession — make sure it’s to a program that will help you land your next job, whether it’s through a robust career development office, alumni network or job placement program. Indeed, Carnevale says, many people view education as “a safe harbor from recessions and bad economic news” — and for good reason. Hiding from a recession in college “is not only safe, it improves your position when you come back into the labor market,’’ he says.

Zachary Herrmann, executive director of the Center for Professional Learning at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education, says that he has found the networking that comes from participating in one of their programs to be “remarkably valuable.” In other words, it’s not just what you’ll learn in some professional or continuing education program. “So much of the value that comes from engaging in some of our professional learning programs, is the ability to form networks and relationships with other individuals in the field,” Herrmann says.

4. Hone your interviewing chops

“When people are getting laid off, it’s hard to not feel desperate,” Brown said. “And while you may be desperate, I think it’s really important that you don’t convey that in interviews and in conversations and still keep your conversation skill-based.”

Brown recommends the STAR (situation, task, action, and result) method when answering behavioral interview questions, meaning job applicants describe a specific situation, the goal they had, what steps they took to reach that goal, and what the outcome was. She stressed that answering questions with the STAR technique might not come naturally, so people should practice telling stories that showcase professional success.

“If you have not interviewed in many years, don’t think that you’re magically going to put those shoes back on and it’s going to be fine. It’s not going to be fine,” she said. “You don’t need to test it when the stakes are high. So you have to practice. Whether you’re practicing with a friend or just yourself, make sure you know what are the stories that showcase you being successful? What are the stories that showcase you being resilient and navigating through a problem? What are the core stories that really share who you are and what you’ll be able to do? The secret to interviewing is that most of the time, all these doggone questions are the same.”

5. Be open-minded

Brown recommends staying flexible during a recession, particularly for recent graduates. “We have to think a little bit more long term when there’s a recession [about] how can you build skills now or take a step now that will allow you to do exactly what you want to do later,” she said. For example, if you’re able to get your foot in the door of a company you want to work for, but maybe in a different field, be open to that, and “when things get better make that transition” to what you’d rather be doing.

In some instances, being laid off might provide the time to consider changing industries or doing something slightly different — in which case practicing interviewing and practicing “communicating your skills” and how they would benefit a different type of company are paramount, says Ju.

Herrmann echoed Ju’s advice, encouraging individuals who were laid off to reflect “on what it is that they’re passionate about, the impact that they want to make [and] the type of organization they want to work for.” He added: “If they do want to make a transition, that might require developing new skills, interacting with different types of people or different types of organization. It might require some work, but that work might ultimately prove to be important in the long run.”

 

Forbes.com | July 22, 2022 | Katherine Huggins

#JobSearch : It’s Time To Up Your Social Media Job-Search Game. Rule# 1 – Start with LinkedIn. A MUst REad for All!

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By now, you’ve seen the writing on the wall. Layoffs, hiring freezes and job offers being rescinded are the unfortunate new corporate trends. Businesses are in cost-cutting mode, fearful of the adverse effects of a possible global recession. Some companies, such as the Mom Project, are letting go of people in anticipation of “economic uncertainty” ahead—and not due to a current need. In the herd mentality of corporations, once one major organization downsizes, all the others follow suit.

                              Question: How do you stand out?

The traditional job-searching methods still hold true: seek out recruiters, tap into your network and respond to help-wanted ads online. Since there are continued waves of layoffs, you may want to take your job search to the next level by leveraging social media to get noticed.

Many people use social media to find news quickly, argue politics, troll others, see what Elon Musk is up to and watch cat videos. It’s also a great way to brand yourself and gain attention from prospective hiring managers, human resources professionals, recruiters and others who may be of assistance in finding you a new job. Using social media, you can also get a deep sense of a company’s culture and values through its online presence.

Start With LinkedIn

It may not be as sexy as Twitter or TikTok, but LinkedIn is the go-to platform for career-focused professionals and job hunters. With over 800 million members, the odds are in your favor that you can find the right people who could help place you in the perfect job.

Take a fresh look at your LinkedIn profile, as you most likely haven’t needed the site up until now, and your information may be woefully outdated. Tailor your profile and job responsibilities to relate to the roles you’re seeking specifically. Ensure that you include all of the relevant keywords, acronyms and corporate jargon that recruiters and HR would use in a search to find candidates for their open job requisitions.

Send out connection invitations to people who are in your field that look like possible decision-makers. These folks include internal corporate talent acquisition professionals, hiring managers for your desired roles and those who work in different companies within your field.

Start a marketing campaign to garner attention. If you notice a person posting an article or other type of content that’s relevant to your line of business, like and comment on it. As you get more comfortable, write your own content. It could be something about a new development within your area of expertise or sharing how your job search is going. If you are creative, make short videos. The key is to position yourself as a competent and experienced expert within your domain. It’s not a one-and-done. You must post regularly to stay on everyone’s radar. The only caveat is that if you are gainfully employed, you need to be more cautious and low-key in your marketing efforts.

Many newly laid-off workers opt for the #opentowork banner on their profile. The green banner alerts recruiters, HR and hiring managers to get in touch. The cold reality is that someone in between roles won’t need a two or three weeks’ notice period, and could start immediately. Along with the banner, you need to provide some context. No one will just reach out to you if they don’t know what you did or the type of work you’re looking for. Clearly set forth the information people need to easily see if you are fit for their open roles.

 

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

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

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Continue Article……………

TikTok, Instagram, Facebook And Twitter

In addition to LinkedIn, depending upon your type of job and career, get active on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Each platform has a very different and distinct feel to it. If you are not an avid user of TikTok, for instance, before diving in head first, test the waters. Watch several videos to gain a vibe check.

Once you gain an understanding of the sites, tailor your photos, videos and written content to fit well within the platforms’ generally accepted practices. Similar to LinkedIn, the goal is still the same. You want to create a genuine and authentic feel that will make people comfortable reaching out to you.

Instagram offers a visual and video platform. With a professional account, the app would be a perfect vehicle to showcase your portfolio and burnish your brand if you are in a creative or marketing role.

You may not have noticed, but TikTok has moved away from just young Gen-Zs dancing. Elder Millennials, Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers are all over the site. TikTok now boasts a substantial career-oriented section with creators offering résumé and career advice in a refreshingly upbeat and enthusiastic way.

It may feel weird for people who are of a certain age; however, if you have a little creativity and are open to taking a risk, start making TikTok videos. You can then download the short, one-minute or so video to LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media sites. The fresh feel of the videos will make you stand out compared to stodgy, clichéd content.

You can also gain some attention on Facebook with over one billion users. First, join groups that are relevant to your field; then, get active. For example, let people know that you’ve lost your job and would like some help with leads.

Put aside all the trash talking and trolling on Twitter and consider using it to your advantage. Look for your tribe on the site. Seek out trending topics that align with your skills and background. Then, weigh in with your comment, offering your unique perspective. If you stay active, people will start seeing you as an expert and you will get noticed by headhunters, HR and hiring managers.

Forbes.com Author:   Jack Kelly    – Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | July 21, 2022

#JobSearch : Surprise -The Hiring Manager Is More Anxious Than The Job Seeker. What Hiring Managers Obsessively Worry About. MUst REad!

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Here is a hack that will make you feel more confident in your job search: the interviewer and hiring managers are more nervous than you are.

It’s hard to wrap your mind around this concept, as people are indoctrinated to think that job seekers should be the ones who are nervous and anxious going into an interview. They worry about being judged. Job hunters must contend with the shame of not moving onto the next level in the interview process. Even worse, they don’t receive feedback and get ghosted. The hiring process feels—to the job seeker—like the company, human resources, management and internal talent acquisition professionals hold all of the power.

What Hiring Managers Obsessively Worry About

A supervisor needs to hire. They want to make sure that the applicant possesses all of the requirements listed in the job description. The interviewer also wants to feel that they can click with the candidate and forge a mutually beneficial relationship.

If a person is a software engineer, the company can test their skills during the hiring process to tangibly assess their coding abilities. It’s not that easy for the average job seeker. You almost have to just hope for the best. The manager is at a disadvantage, as they rely upon what the candidate says about their background, skills and experience. While references are called upon, most candidates scam the system. They only provide the names of people who they know will say warm and glowing things about them.

If the manager decides to make an offer and it doesn’t work out well, the supervisor loses political capital and is embarrassed. For instance, once an offer is extended, it takes time to be reviewed and approved by senior-level executives.

 

Oftentimes, especially in hot job markets, there is a lot of haggling concerning compensation, stock, options, benefits and corporate title. There may be an uncomfortable debate over the permitted work style—remote, hybrid, in-person, relocation to a lower-cost location or being a digital nomad.

The back-and-forth changes to the offer letter, which drags in human resources and a layer of management can start to irritate the bosses. They have their own work to do and feel that the direct manager can’t handle it.

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Article continued …

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

A job seeker, who said they love the job, spends weeks nitpicking the offer letter, finally accepting the offer. Everyone involved breathes a sigh of relief. The team members are ecstatic over the news, as they’ll get some relief with the new hire.

The day before the new hire is supposed to start, the person emails the human resources representative involved with the process and copies everyone else, writing, “I’m sorry to have to let you know, but I’ve accepted another offer from a different company.” The now-former incumbent adds, “The other organization is paying significantly more money, is allowing me to work remotely and didn’t give as much pushback as you did. At the end of the day, I’m sure you appreciate that I need to do what’s best for my family.”

The direct supervisor is mortified. They feel betrayed and embarrassed. Over the three-week notice period, they were reassuring the senior executives, human resources and everyone else involved that things were going well. The office was already set up, including a computer, phone, desk, chair, paintings on the wall and a welcome gift package with balloons.

The team was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new team member, as they’ve been putting in long hours and weekends, helping with the extra workload. Now, they’re confronted with the harsh reality that there’s no help coming to the rescue. Even if the company commences a new search, it could take months. The workers will likely all complain and at least one person may quit for another job elsewhere, placing additional stress on the remainers.

The candidate in question moved on with their life. They are happy to have received a great offer. Meanwhile, the manager is miserable. The person feels that they let everyone down. The next level up is upset that this turned out so wrong. They now have to worry about the safety of their own job.

Lack Of Interview Training And Time Constraints

For some reason, leadership feels interviewing is an easy and natural thing to do. A quirk in the corporate system is that a sizable number of managers, who may be great at their jobs, don’t possess the social skills and etiquette to effectively interview people. It looks easy, but it’s not. Companies generally don’t offer interview training courses. They just assume managers will know what to do. This accounts for why you always get the clichè job questions. For many professionals thrown into the hiring process, interviewing is a frightening, nerve-wracking experience.

It’s also stressful, as they’re pulled away from their core responsibilities to read through dozens of rèsumès, coordinate and meet with three to 10 applicants over six months. For an extended period, the hiring manager needs to juggle his workload, oversee the staff and stay heavily invested in the recruiting process.

The next time you go to an interview and notice that the boss looks harried, worn out, unprepared and clearly didn’t read your rèsumè or view your LinkedIn profile, you can understand why, as you are now aware of what goes on behind the scenes.

The Paralyzing Effect Of Groupthink

It used to be that a candidate would meet with human resources, the boss and maybe one or two other people within a few weeks to a month. The current trend calls for a candidate to meet with the human resources, the manager, the manager’s boss, other executives within the division, peers, underlings, business counterparts and some others who clearly don’t know why they’ve been invited.

With so many people involved, the process becomes long and clunky. As up to 10 people need to be looped into the interview process, there will always be someone who is out sick, stuck on a conference call, running late or simply forgot to put it into their calendar. This process needs to be repeated over and over again for around six to 10 candidates.

No one wants to be the one to make the final decision, as they don’t want the finger-pointing and blame, in case the incumbent employee turns out to be a disaster. The hiring manager will lean on the other interviewers to weigh in with their opinions. If there are a few dissenters, a low-confidence manager will remove the person from consideration and the process starts all over again. This is similar to the annoyance of trying to get family members or a group of friends to all agree on a movie to watch or where to go for dinner.

Fear Of Lawsuits Or Being Called Out For Biases

This topic is largely avoided in polite circles. Ten-plus years ago, human resources or the hiring manager would offer feedback and constructive criticism throughout the hiring process. If the candidate was not selected for an offer, the HR person or hiring manager would tell them the reasons why they were not chosen. It was an uncomfortable conversation, but it was made. The company deemed it the right and fair thing to do by offering its reasons as to why the applicant wasn’t moving forward—giving the job seeker closure.

In today’s litigious society, everyone is worried about lawsuits or being labeled. There is a fear that if feedback is offered, it could be misconstrued as being sexist, racist or some other prejudice or bias. People involved with hiring are afraid of having their reputation ruined and being fired or viewed as a pariah. An allegation could lead to their career being over. No other company would touch them. The path of least resistance is to ghost the applicant and not say or write anything at all.

How You Can Benefit From The Situation And Close The Deal

Now that you know what is happening behind the curtains, you realize that the people responsible for hiring have to deal with stress, fear and anxiety. Of course, if you are in between roles, you suffer from similar feelings. However, the applicant can always walk away. The HR professional and everyone involved with the recruiting process are still at the company.

You can use this information to your advantage. You know now how to play the game. Make the interviewer’s life easy by offering days and times that work best for the hiring manager. Show up with extra copies of your rèsumè. Have a tight, concise elevator pitch handy, in case they didn’t do their homework on you. Be polite and understanding, as you know the hoops that they are made to jump through. You also won’t get as offended now that you understand their challenges.

A key takeaway to closing the deal is to say, “I enjoyed the conversations with everyone. The company and people are all great. My experience, background, talents and education meet and exceed all of the requirements on the job description. I believe that I would be a great candidate and offer value to your organization.”

Then, you go for the close, “If you would offer me the role at the compensation we discussed, I’d happily accept the offer!” Add, “I promise that if the offer is extended I won’t entertain a counteroffer for a competing offer from another company.”

This will make the nervous hiring manager relax, as they know they found the right person who will take the offer and end the laborious hiring process. The boss can go back to their job, the staff gets additional help, you get a great new job and everyone is happy.

 

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | June 28, 2022

#BestofFSCBlog : The Summertime Vibe Shift In The Job Market. Corporate Leadership Abhors Uncertainty. Must REAd!

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There is a vibe shift that takes place during Memorial Day weekend. It signifies the unofficial start of summer. The local town pools open and so do public beaches. You can feel the change in weather. The sun is shining and winter clothes are stored away. The kids are happily counting down the days until school is over. Parents start planning family vacations. The collective mood positively changes, especially for those who live in cold climates for most of the year.

What To Expect When Job Hunting In The Warm Weather

Vacation schedules wreak havoc on the hiring process. If you are seeking a new job, be mentally prepared, as there is a downside to this period. Historically, from around now to the middle of September, there is a steady slowdown in hiring. Since people generally plan vacations for the summertime, the folks involved with the hiring process may not be around.

Every year we see the same scenarios play out over and over again. The human resources professional quarterbacking the interview process places an out-of-the-office notice on her email and phone message. By the time she returns, the hiring manager is in Disneyland. Then, the candidate is on a beach somewhere.

Since interviews now require three to around 10 rounds with personnel from the group, along with other divisions, it becomes nearly impossible to get everyone aboard with the interviews in an orderly fashion. Due to the fractured schedules, it’s difficult to schedule interviews, momentum is lost and the applicant is left out in the dark.

There’s A New Challenge For Interviewees

You’ll likely run into resistance when applying for a job and getting called for an interview. Inflation, supply chain disruptions, rising costs, the war in Eastern Europe, overinflated valuations of startups and a plunging stock market are taking their toll. There have been a number of tech companies that have enacted hiring freezes and started conducting some downsizing.

Corporate leadership abhors uncertainty. With all of the issues swirling around, it’s easier for hiring managers to slow-walk the process or simply put it on hold. They’d rather take a wait-and-see approach. As we get deeper into the summer, it’s a convenient excuse to say, “We might as well wait until September, when everyone is back from vacation, and can then start looking at candidates once again.”

This doesn’t mean you should give up looking for a new job. It’s meant to manage your expectations. If you interview and don’t hear back, you’ll know that it’s not just you. This is a systemic matter for the time of year.

 

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

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

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Article continued …

On The Positive Side

There is a wild card. Even with all the geopolitical drama over the last month or so, America still has around 11 million jobs available.

If the Federal Reserve doesn’t raise interest rates too quickly, the stock market stabilizes, inflation calms down and China starts reopening and shipping goods to the United States, as Covid-19 cases subside, America may see renewed optimism.

Many people pull themselves out of the job market, since they have trips planned, just want to destress, enjoy the peaceful time away from the office and don’t look forward to enduring an interview process in 90-degree weather.

Both hiring personnel and prospective job hunters will tell themselves, “I’ll enjoy the summertime and get back to the search in the fall.” They’ll add, “After two years of being in a lockdown and worried about catching or spreading Covid-19, I just want to enjoy life for a while and not have to deal with any additional pressure.”

There is a contrarian game plan. You may want to put some travel plans aside for a while. With fewer job hunters around, there is less competition and you’ll stand out. If a company desperately needs to quickly hire and there are not too many other candidates, you have a better chance of succeeding and winning the offer.

For those who get out of their search mode, they’ll be met with tough competition once everyone gets back into interviewing when the summer ends.

Easy-To-Do, Career-Enhancing Tips

If you aren’t thinking about a job switch this summer, consider how you can advance your career over the summer lull. Usually, companies offer Fridays off or at least a half day. There is an unwritten rule that there’s more leeway during the summer months. Work and the pace of things appreciably slow down.

You can use this extra time to get ahead. Sign up for some online classes. Get a needed license or certification that you’ve been putting off. Now that the pandemic has largely ebbed, cultivate a mutually beneficial network of like-minded professionals. Ask for career advice. Invite a person who is in the role you’d love to have for a cup of coffee. Inquire about how they got to where they are and see if they’d offer some tips and suggestions.

Reach out to recruiters to get on their radar. Request an online or in-person meeting to discuss your short and long-term career goals. Now that they know you, the recruiter can keep her eyes open for when the perfect job opens up. If you are unsure of what to do next, enlist the help of a career coach. The same holds true for your résumé and LinkedIn. There are professionals who can write or enhance your résumé and beef up the LinkedIn profile.

Since business generally slows down, schedule a meeting with your boss to go over expectations and see if there is anything you could do to improve, add on new challenging tasks or feel out if there are any internal lateral moves you could make. By the time September rolls around, you’ll be prepared and ready to take your career to the next level.

Jack Kelly  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | May 30, 2022

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 5K Reads! Career Experts Offer Advice For People Who Are Worried About Layoffs. Tons of Expert Links/Articles. A MUst REad for ALL!

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There was a huge pent-up demand for workers once the economy reopened, along with a surge in spending as people left their homes to dine out, shop in stores, attend events and travel.

An influx of companies is announcing layoffs and downsizing. The rationale for the decisions is due, in part, to economic and geopolitical events.

 

The stock market boomed and everything looked rosy. Rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, the cost of everything increasing and threats of an escalation in the Russia and Ukraine war have struck fear in the hearts of corporate executives.

They started to think that perhaps they were too exuberant in their hiring and now feel the need to tap on the breaks, hold off on hiring and consider some layoffs to conserve capital.

This may all turn around soon for the better. However, if there are more layoffs and job freezes, here’s some advice from career experts on what people can do to be prepared for quickly engaging in a job search.

 

Great Tips to prepare for Job Layoff or Transition:

  • Immediately begin to prepare.

  • Know your transferable skills and your unique, differential advantage. Only here do you find true job security.

  • Update your résumé with quantifiable, measurable benefits accomplished in the past 18 months.

  • Refresh your LinkedIn profile capturing all of your upskilling, certificates and accomplishments. Make sure it’s complete and robust.

  • Join LinkedIn groups and participate.

  • Network. Network. Network.

I was recently told of a company president who bragged that 60% of their workforce were now contractors. This [was] after shrinking the workforce by thousands over time. He then went on to boast about the significant amount of healthcare dollars, benefits and other company savings.

His remaining employees now live in fear daily because of their new rolling layoff policy. At any time on any day, HR can show up at your cube, escort you to a conference room and let you go. No warning, personal improvement plan or feedback and little recourse.

We will all lose our jobs at some point in our careers……….. Bottom Line: Always Be Prepared.

Sweta Regmi, CEO And Career Consultant, Teachndo

This is how it starts. First, there will be a freeze, then a salary-raise freeze during a performance review, then no yearly bonus, then eventually layoffs. I have been there.

Some companies will do [temporary] layoffs, should you wait? This is the time to lay off people who are not part of the tribe. Management issues, those who are change-resistant and those who speak up will be targeted. If you are paid a high salary, you are an easy target too.

Listen to water-cooler talks. Rumor mills might be true. There may be constructive dismissal. Do not sign any new job description because it will forfeit the previous responsibilities.

Proximity bias is real [and] face time is in dire need. Taking on extra tasks is a strategy to stick around, but be mindful of work-life balance. Anyone can go from office pet to threat. Keep an eye out!

Start reactivating relationships with people who left. Transfer all your reviews and documents to personal emails, including the job offer you have signed, if severance is not paid properly. Lawyers need to see job offers.

 

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

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

 

Article continued …

Erica Reckamp, Executive Résumé Writer And Job Search Consultant, Job Search Like A Pro

We’re headed for leaner staff in Q3 and Q4.

 

  • I’ve already seen rumblings in the C-suite and the inevitable fallout after a favored leader exits.
  • Recession is likely on the horizon, as the cycle of requests for wage increases, subsequent price increases and inflation needs to stop somewhere.
  • Companies unable to hire shift funding to automation over payroll.

 

It’s happening.

What can professionals do?

  • Up the visibility of your contributions (self-advocate, show up, chip in).
  • Build skills through online credentialing platforms or free coursework.
  • Strengthen your career collateral (résumé, LinkedIn, profile, bios, letters).
  • Consider a content strategy or social proof (LinkedIn, conferences, publishing, etc.)
  • Engage with your network! Start spreading some goodwill, as it will be needed whether a layoff hits you or someone else in your network

 

Virginia Franco, Executive Storyteller, LinkedIn And Résumé Writer, Cofounder, Job Search Journey

I’m starting to see signs that the job-a-palooza party might be coming to an end. Now’s the time to get your career marketing collateral together, shore up your network and make sure you have closed the skills gap for any roles of interest should you be worried your job is at risk.

Ed Han, Senior Recruiter, Cenlar FSB

I suspect that when such high-profile employers, like Meta, Amazon, and Uber, institute freezes, even employers who are feeling confident start to wonder if those shops know something they don’t and produce a ripple effect.

But even if so, this doesn’t mean that no employer is hiring. Even in a down market, someone is making money, after all. And this goes to the importance of job seekers building a target list of preferred employers. Go after what you want, instead of simply spraying and praying.

Marti Konstant, Keynote Speaker And Author, Activate Your Agile Career: How Responding To Change Will Inspire Your Life’s Work

There is another underlying trend that impacts the numbers. The alternative workforce, which includes freelancers, gig workers, contract and consultants, is now between 40% and 50%. This enables companies to still stay current and relevant, yet have the best available talent.

Adrienne Tom, Executive Résumé Writer And Job Search Strategist, Career Impressions

Unfortunately, what goes up almost always comes down. Now is the time to get ready. Don’t wait for the layoffs or cutbacks to be announced before putting a plan in place and getting your career tools prepared.

I don’t recommend moving or changing jobs if you like where you are, but be ready for the possibility that you may have to execute a search suddenly. It’s wise to always be ready—and always have a career management plan in place—but even more so if you are hearing rumors or feel uncertain in your current company.

David Lee, Career Coach, Heart At Work-Career Counseling And Outplacement

This upcoming shift is a great reminder of why it’s so important to ‘dig your well before you’re thirsty,’ to quote the Harvey Mackay book from around the time of the dot-com bust, and connecting with your network and seeing how you can be helpful to others versus only reaching out when you need something from them.

Rebecca Bosl, Career Coach And Executive Résumé Writer, Dream Life Team

The ‘music is still going’ and use this time to do all the things you need to do to land a job fast now. Build your network [and] refine your career marketing materials.

If you are sitting on the sidelines, get back in the game now before the hiring freezes and layoffs start.

Sonal Bahl, Founder And Career Strategist, SuperCharge

Push the digits. Go through your address book and send around 20 to 30 emails per day to people that include friends, ex-colleagues, former headhunters you worked with, parents you chat with at the morning school drop off…basically anyone who knows your first name and can recognize your face in a police line. And use these exact words (adapt for style):

Hi [Insert Recipient’s Name],

I hope all is well! Not sure if you know, my employer [Company Name] is going through a massive reorganization, and unfortunately my position, along with hundreds of others, is likely being made redundant. So, I’ve recently started to look for a new challenge in the [your desired field] field and am reaching out to you to ask for your help with any leads or contacts. I am looking for a [your desired level and role] position in or near [Desired Location]. I am also open to an in-house opportunity for the right company and role. If you know of any job opportunities or leads that you might be able to share with me, please send them my way, it would really mean a lot to me. Below, I have included a list of my dream companies. I have also attached my résumé for your reference, and feel free to pass it along. Thanks in advance for your help! I hope you all are doing well and hope to catch up with you soon. Take care!

Warm regards,

[Insert Your Name]

Those who care will respond immediately, and you’ll also find out who your real friends are! A one-liner follow-up from those you don’t hear back from would help too. Now, if you have dug your well before you’re thirsty, there will be plenty of fresh drinking water (opportunities) in your well (network). If you haven’t, outreach, outreach, outreach. No panic, just taking action.

Forbes.com Author:  Jack Kelly Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Forbes.com | May 12, 2022

 

 

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 9K Reads! The Secret to Getting a Better Job After 50. Even in a Hot Hiring Market, it is Tough for Workers Over 50 to stay Competitive in Workplaces that often Value Youth over Experience.

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Even in a hot hiring market, it is tough for workers over 50 to stay competitive in workplaces that often value youth over experience.

The pandemic has been especially hard on older employees seeking to reclaim jobs lost in the early days of lockdowns. Many say they fear that the workplace upheaval brought on by Covid-19 has reinforced some bosses’ belief that professionals in their 50s and beyond are less inclined to return to offices or adapt to new ways of working.

Workers over 50 haven’t joined the jobs recovery to the same degree as younger peers, not counting the millions who retired early during the past two years. In January, nearly one-third of job seekers age 55 and older were part of the long-term unemployed, according to federal data, compared with 21.8% of those between 16 and 54.

It is perhaps little surprise that in the AARP’s most recent survey, 78% of workers between 40 and 65 said they had seen age discrimination in 2020, the highest share since the advocacy group began tracking the question in 2003.

Professionals who have kept careers progressing well into their fourth and fifth working decades say they have developed a few strategies.

Tackle age discrimination head on

Rule No. 1, they say: Confront the reality of age discrimination head on instead of avoiding it. Some say they are doing so by appearing youthful—both in person, for hiring managers and colleagues, and in writing, to the bots that screen résumés. Others are pitching themselves as indispensable mentors to younger colleagues.

“You have to never give up,” said Jennifer Kay Rouse, who at 61 started a new job this month as a customer-success manager after losing her sales-account-manager position in a corporate acquisition last year.

Ageism persists as one of the most insidious forms of on-the-job discrimination, according to academic research and employment experts. In a 2021 study, researchers at New York and Stanford universities found people who opposed racism and sexism at work were still likely to harbor prejudices against older employees and to believe such workers should step aside for younger colleagues.

Meanwhile, many job postings appear to target younger job seekers with terms such as “digital native” or “recent grad,” and employers focus recruiting efforts on rising talent rather than on proven veterans.

This month, unsealed court documents in an age-discrimination case cited emails in which an executive at International Business Machines Corp. referred to older workers as “dinobabies” and a plan to make them an “extinct species.” An IBM spokesman said “some language in emails between former IBM executives that has been reported is not consistent with the respect IBM has for its employees and as the facts clearly show, it does not reflect company practices or policies.”

 

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

 

Article continued …

Punch up your résumé

Ms. Rouse of Waukesha, Wis., says that asking a job interviewer for constructive advice and punching up her résumé with language such as “solid reputation” and “high performer” helped her land her new job at an industrial automation company.

Ms. Rouse maintains a youthful look by staying fit and wearing what she described as an “edgy” haircut with hair on the back and side shaved underneath the top layer. After landing several interviews but not the jobs, she asked an interviewer to level with her “to satisfy my curiosity as to whether it is about age,” she said.

The interviewer didn’t address her age directly but suggested her lengthy experience might make some interviewers assume she had come in with a know-it-all attitude. So she tweaked her approach, emphasizing in interviews that she was a team player. And she acknowledged being older to make the point that she could mentor younger colleagues and was open to being mentored by them, too.

A résumé writer she found on LinkedIn for $125 also helped refresh hers with a more modern format and buzzy phrases, such as “exceptional customer relationships,” which she said yielded more bites from employers. Ms. Rouse now earns more in her new job than she did in her previous role.

“I love business, and I love strategizing to give customers the best outcomes,” she said. “I wasn’t ready to give all of that up.”

Evade the job applicant-screening bots

Employers can’t legally reject applicants based on their age, but ageism can arise subtly in job postings and the algorithms that screen them. Applicant-screening software can potentially filter out older workers whose résumés show lengthy employment gaps. Other details can also date candidates, such as WordPerfect proficiency or an AOL email account, career coaches and recruiters say.

Laid off in 2018 from a middle-management role in delivery and logistics at the company where he had worked for 17 years, 56-year-old Dale Johnston said he was prepared for the algorithms that would likely screen his résumé. Instead of “17 years,” for instance, he wrote “over 10 years.”

“I had to be very conscious about what I put in and time frames to get past the bots and AI,” said Mr. Johnston, who lives in Bellingham, Wash. “I wasn’t lying. I just wasn’t disclosing the full age.”

He also kept his hair closely cropped while interviewing, because it looks more gray when it’s longer, he said. After landing a job as an analyst with a municipality in 2019, then losing it to cost-cutting a year later, he used the same tactics to apply for a job as an operations manager for a logistics-transportation company, where he works today.

Ginny Cheng, a San Francisco career coach and recruiter, advises clients that it is better to delete early years of work experience from your résumé if they mostly date you.

“If your total work experience is over 25 years but your last 15 is most relevant to the new opportunities you are seeking, you can focus on the newer timeline,” she said.

The key, employment experts say, is putting the focus on your talents, not your age. “Employers value wisdom, so it’s important to emphasize what you’ve learned and what you’re good at, not the amount of time you spent in the labor force,” said Richard W. Johnson, director of the program on retirement policy at the Urban Institute.

Harry Moseley retired at 62 from his job as chief information officer at KPMG US in early 2018 but jumped back into the workforce a couple months later by repositioning himself as a mentor.

During what would be a brief retirement, he had let his network know he remained open to new ventures and helping coach at another company. A friend soon approached him with an opportunity as global chief information officer at Zoom Video Communications Inc. Mr. Moseley hadn’t thought he wanted to return to a full-time role, but the position excited him.

“It could be a lot of fun, and I felt like I could help,” he said.

At Zoom since March 2018 and working mostly from the New York area, where he lives, the now 66-year-old Mr. Moseley said he makes a point of not appearing resistant to change. “You kind of have to say, ‘OK, well, that’s how I used to do things,’ and you have to have an open mind and look at things in a different way,” he said.

At the same time, he uses his experience to guide colleagues. “I am who I am. Take me for who I am,” he said.

 

WSJ.com | February 22, 2022 | WSJ.com Author:  Ray A. Smith

#YourCareer : Intimidated To Engage On LinkedIn? Here’s Some Advice. Great REad!

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Before corporate and intellectual property attorney Lacy Bell graduated Emory Law School, she created a LinkedIn profile to facilitate easy networking with law school colleagues and hopefully help secure employment post-graduation. Later, as she launched her own law firm during the pandemic, she created a LinkedIn profile for her business as well. She certainly understood the importance of maintaining a presence on the largest professional social media platform, but she also faced a challenge—her own intimidation about actively engaging on LinkedIn.

“Like most of my peers, I had not engaged much on LinkedIn because it is a professional workspace and can be intimidating when you’re at the early stages of your legal career and trying to walk the line of being an individual with your own opinions and views, but also understanding that past employers and future employers are watching and have access to anything you post,” she explains. “Unfortunately, it can be intimidating and just feel like more work outside of work.”

Bell certainly isn’t the only professional to feel anxious about diving into the powerful LinkedIn ecosystem. Early career professionals in particular may have anxiety around figuring out what to post, what not to post, how often to engage, who to tag/hashtag, etc. As someone who posts on LinkedIn regularly, I’m surprised how often I encounter posts that start with some version of “I’ve been wanting to post on LinkedIn for a long time, but I was too nervous to do it.” Like Lacy many of these timid posts are authored by successful, accomplished individuals who still feel like a bit of an outsider on the platform. While starting to engage on any new social media platform can feel awkward, the stakes may feel even higher on LinkedIn as the site is often mined by employers and recruiters for valuable opportunities.

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

 

Article continued …

 

Global Creator Programs Lead at LinkedIn Callie Schweitzer insists that it’s perfectly fine to observe initially but also cautions against overthinking it. “If you’re just starting to get more active on LinkedIn or interested in upping how much you’re posting or how involved you are, just start commenting,” she suggests. “Follow people you’re interested in, connect with people, and start pursuing different areas. Build who you are and your presence that way.” She also urges newbies to experiment by engaging with different content types and learning from a range of creators.

One great way to explore a range of content types while also learning about the creator journey may be by following participants in LinkedIn’s new Creator Accelerator Program. It’s a 10-week incubator-style program designed to support creators on LinkedIn through coaching, recognition, and resources. Among other support, LinkedIn provides a $15,000 grant to help creators build engaged communities, spark productive conversations, and connect to meaningful opportunities. “I’ve loved following  Creator Accelerator Program participant Elizabeth Leiba as she shares how she’s learning to use and love video even though writing is her ‘safe space,’” explains Schweitzer. Indeed, following some of these creators may be a great way to learn alongside them and build your confidence muscle at the same time.

Follow people you’re interested in, connect with people, and start pursuing different areas. Build who you are and your presence that way.

Before long, attorney Lacy Bell took the plunge and crafted her first post, and she has no regrets. “It felt good to share my content and officially introduce my firm on LinkedIn,” explains Bell. Posting about her selection to Top 40 Lawyers Under 40 in Georgia by the National Black Lawyers last year, she explains “I was initially hesitant to share it, but I am grateful for all the overwhelming support and impressions that post received.”

As for those who professionals who are still terrified at the prospect of dipping their toe into the waters of the most recognized social media platform for professionals, founder and managing attorney Lacy Bell implores them to just do it. “If there’s something positive or otherwise in your professional career that you want to share with your network, try to put your fears aside and do it,” she insists. “LinkedIn is a great platform to connect with other professionals who can support and assist in so many different ways.”

Forbes Author:  Dana Brownlee       Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com – February 28, 2022

#JobSearch : 3 Signs Hating Your Job Might Be Hurting Your Job Search. Is Hating your Job Might be Costing you Job Offers ?? Great REad!

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You might utterly dread going to work every morning despite having a decent job that looks good on paper. Or, even though you’re ready to land a new job somewhere else, you might hate your job some days, while other days aren’t so bad. Regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, hating your job might be hurting your job search and costing you job offers. 

             Hating your current job might be costing you job offers

Here’s how to know if your feelings about your current job are impacting your job search:

You can’t separate your skills from your experience.

When you’re unhappy at work, it’s easy to focus on everything that’s missing. Maybe your current company isn’t as up to speed on the latest technology as your previous companies. Maybe every new idea you suggest seems to fall flat because leadership likes doing things a certain way. Maybe your current team is known for starting but never finishing anything, and it makes you want to flip a table.

Still, while all of those things might be true, your dissatisfaction with your current job might be hindering your job search if you have a hard time seeing the skills you’ve gained and the results you’ve brought to the table in spite of your less than pleasant experience at work. You may not like how things have panned out, but if you’re an ambitious, driven high-achiever, then odds are you’ve found some way to make an impact and deliver great work. But, if you aren’t able to communicate that in your resume because of how much you hate your job, then it’s costing you job offers.

 

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

 

Article continued …

You don’t have high hopes for your next job

This can sometimes occur when you’ve been at the same company for so long you’ve forgotten better companies exist. It can also happen when you’ve worked at a string of companies that have repeatedly disappointed you. Either way, because companies have let you down, it can be tempting to assume that all companies are the same.

Of course, there are no perfect companies. Not to mention, there are plenty of companies that could care less about their employees. But, there are just as many companies that do care about their employees and that have healthy work environments their employees enjoy. However, if you let your poor experiences at past companies stop you from even trying to find a company that matches your values and career goals, then you’ll be stuck accepting opportunities that aren’t any better.

Your interview presence is giving it away.

By this point, you’ve likely heard of how unprofessional it is to speak ill of your current or previous companies, and you might do your best to not say anything negative about your current employer. Still, if you feel strongly about how much you hate your current job, your words might say otherwise, while your body language might show it.

On top of that, if you haven’t been able to acknowledge the skills you’ve gained while working there, then you may be tempted to brush over or downplay your contributions in your current role when you could be highlighting those skills to further add to why you’d be a great fit for the next position you desire. These mistakes aren’t necessarily detrimental, but it certainly isn’t helping you stand out ahead of other candidates who aren’t letting how much they hate their job get in the way of landing a new one.

You might not have even noticed that you were making any of these mistakes. But, as a career coach who’s worked with high-achievers in dozens of industries, it’s a common issue that tends to fly under the radar. To fix this, the first thing you need to do is make peace with how things have panned out at your current job. Then, decide not to let anything you’ve experienced stop you from getting a better job than the one you want to leave. Once you do, you’ll be in a better place to make better choices as you pursue the next opportunity in your career.

 

Forbes.com Author:  Adunola Adeshola coaches high-achievers on how to take their careers to the next level. She is the author of the guide How to Go From Zero Interviews to Dream Job Offers.

 

Forbes.com | February 16, 2022

 

#BestofFSCBlog : 10 Steps To Change Your Career Path At Any Age. Wondering To Make a Job or Career Change? Take a Free 60-Second Career Quiz and Find Out!

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The pandemic has changed workers’ professional expectations for the foreseeable future. According to Randstad’s latest Workmonitor Survey, employees feel empowered in new ways as they reassess their careers and the role of work in their lives. A stunning 81% of those surveyed say they have gained more clarity around their personal and professional goals over the last 12 to 18 months. As a result, they desire more training, work-life balance and, in many cases, a different career.

The thought of changing your career path may seem scary, especially if you are over 40. But it is not uncommon or impossible. In fact, the average American worker has 12 jobs in their lifetime with an average tenure of around four years with a single employer. Given the current hectic environment, flexibility, fulfillment, and work-life balance are taking center stage. That means more people are thinking about pivoting professionally.

The good news—the majority of older career changers are successful, based on a study from the American Institute for Economic Research. Changing your career path doesn’t have to be as overwhelming or difficult as you might think. These ten steps will give you the framework you need to come out on top.

1.      Upgrade your mindset

Ultimately, what you think, you become. Altering your career path means being open to the possibilities. Change your self-talk so that you can move forward despite your fears. Even simple mantras like “I can do this” or “I am fearless” really work.

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

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Article continued …

2.      Take money off the table

One of the most common excuses for not changing career paths is money. Some common phrases are, “I can’t afford to change careers,” “I’m the main breadwinner, so I can’t take the risk,” or “What if I fail?” Of course, there are no guarantees in life. But who’s to say that you can’t earn a higher salary in your new career? It may not happen overnight, but it’s possible. Think of changing jobs as a calculated risk. If you plan for it, it will come.

3.      Focus on transferrable skills

Another common misconception is that changing career paths means starting from the bottom. Wrong! You already have an enormous number of transferrable skills. For example, if you are a lawyer, you have writing, speaking and research skills. As a marketer, you understand customer lifecycles and personas. Or maybe you are an accountant who is great with numbers and reporting. All of these are assets that can be valuable in almost any profession.

4.      Consider your why

Think about why you want to change your career path. Don’t change careers because you were passed over for a promotion or hate your boss. Make sure you are running towards something instead of running away from something. Let faith, not fear, drive your decision-making process.

5.      Identify the sweet spot

Find the intersection of the things that you enjoy and are good at. That’s the sweet spot. This exercise will help guide you towards career possibilities that align with your values and interests.

6.      Brainstorm new career paths

Make an exhaustive list of potential career paths. Keep an open mind! Defer judgment and try to have fun with this exercise. You can even throw an “idea party” where you invite friends to brainstorm different options.

7.      Research your new career path

Find people in the career you are interested in and ask them for their advice. That way, you can learn first-hand what it’s like to work in that field. You can also do research online and join professional organizations that will allow you to expand your network.

8.      Acquire new skills

Find out whether your new career path requires additional education or certifications. You could consider taking online courses or even find webinars, books and podcasts to hone your skillset. Think about how you learn best, and then set specific training and development goals.

9.      Test the waters

Try shadowing someone in your chosen profession. Create a side hustle that you can focus on in your spare time. You may even consider volunteering or working part-time to understand whether this new path may be the right fit.

10.  Develop an action plan

Once you’ve decided on a chosen career path, create an action plan. Your plan should include short and long-term goals along with specific milestones to hold you accountable. Think about how long it will take you to transition from where you are now to the new life you want to lead.

It’s never too late to change your career path. Whether you are in your 40’s or your 60’s, you can do it. The key is to have a plan and stick to it. Be fearless. Making a career change can be scary. But you know what’s even scarier? Regret.

Wondering if it’s finally time to make a job or career change? Take my free 60-second career quiz and find out!

 

Forbes.com | February 16, 2022 | Caroline Castrillon

#YourCareer : How To Find Direction In Your Job Search: The 3 Buckets Method. Great Way to Explore your Career Options/Direction.

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With unemployment hovering around 4% and a hot hiring market, one of the biggest challenges for many job seekers now is figuring out what they want. Often clients in this position are confused and paralyzed—they don’t know where to start. They may have no idea or lots of ideas but little direction. The title of Barbara Scher’s classic, “I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was” sums up what keeps a lot of potential job seekers stuck.

Lane, a project and production manager for an advertising agency, was burnt out and wanted a more humane culture and work that was mission-oriented. She was open to possibility but uncertain. “I’m all over the map,” she said. “I know I should be networking and pulling together my resume, but I’m not ready to talk to anyone yet. What am I even looking for?”

It turns out that this question cannot be answered by analysis or even deep reflection and introspection. Instead, Lane needed to get into action before she was she knew what she wanted, before she was ready. As London Business School professor Herminia Ibarra points out in her terrific book, “Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career,” most people need to act in order to gain insight into what job or career path will suit them. Acting first and then figuring out what you want contradicts traditional career advice to ”follow your dream.” But Ibarra urges us not to expect that we should, or even could, know our desired destination until we have walked at least a few small steps down the path to see how it feels.

Ibarra’s advice is similar to the recommendations of Stanford Design School professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ book, “Designing Your Life: How to Build A Well-Lived, Joyful Life.” Burnett and Evans also take an action-oriented approach to career exploration, based on design thinking. Instead of Ibarra’s language of experimentation, they call this phase “prototyping.” Think of it as finding your own personal product-market fit.

 

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

 

Article continued …

Whatever you call it, this time of exploration is about gathering data. First, you will need to identify options of roles to consider, which will function as your prototypes or hypotheses to test. Experimenting will help you to get the real-world data, information and experience that will help you identify what path you want to pursue.

One of my favorite exercises to use with clients is to brainstorm at least two possible jobs or roles within each of three categories or buckets.

  • Bucket 1: The logical next step. In this bucket, list roles that are clearly related to your current job and for which you have most of the skills and qualifications needed. For example, you could do the same role in the same industry but at a different company. You could stay in your company or organization and move to a different role that has some overlap with your current role. You could move up a level to be a manager or drop a level to being an individual contributor in the same function. In bucket 1, you have high confidence that you would be a strong candidate for the roles you list. If you were applying to college, bucket 1 would be your safety school.
  • Bucket 2: The stretch role. In this bucket, list roles or jobs that represent some degree of reach from your current role. You might consider an entirely different role or function where you hypothesize that many of the core competencies are similar. You might change industries or areas of expertise where there is an analogous or similar function. You might return to something you did earlier in your career and are uncertain whether your skills are up to date. In bucket 2, there is more uncertainty about fit, but also potentially more excitement and interest.
  • Bucket 3: The wild idea. This bucket is both the scariest and the most exciting. Here you want to list ideas that intrigue you even if they seem implausible. Roles in this category would represent a big shift and  involve some uncertainty or risk. You might even feel embarrassed to tell your friends. Perhaps you have dreamed of becoming a travel writer, starting a business, running for office, or going to medical school. Your bucket 3 ideas may seem outlandish or impossible. They also offer clues to what elements you find missing in your current life. And even if you can’t get a job now, they might represent an interest or skill area that you want to cultivate for a later chapter in your career.

If you have trouble making your lists, try asking a friend or colleague to brainstorm with you. Once you have at least 2-3 (or more) roles in each, review them and notice which ones are of interest. Do you observe any themes or commonalities? Do any make your heart sing (or sink?) Pick two—from different buckets—to explore and experiment with. For each idea, identify a few experiments. Your experiments should be easy, low-risk, and cheap. These could include: reading a book or article on a topic; taking a class; having an informational interview; writing a blog post; volunteering; attending a meet-up or conference.

Be clear about the hypothesis you are testing. For example, Lane’s bucket 1 hypothesis was that she might be happier at a mission driven ad agency and her bucket 2 hypothesis was that her project management and production skills from advertising would be transferable to the non-profit or museum sectors. She arranged informational interviews with various colleagues who had taken those paths. These conversations helped her to refine her hypotheses and continue her exploration. She was on her way!

If you are having a hard time knowing what you want or where to start, try it. The 3 Bucket Exercise can help you get unstuck and take action to explore and iterate—or prototype—your next career move.

 

Forbes.com | February 16, 2022 |  Hanna Hart