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Your #Career : 8 Steal-Worthy Secrets of Power #Networkers …Since There are So Many Different Platforms for People to Market Themselves these Days, You Have to Find Ways to Cut Through the White Noise & Get Noticed

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You’ve no doubt heard it a million times: Career advancement is as much about who you know as what you know—and that’s exactly why being a powerful networker is so important. But mastering this crucial skill requires more than just schmoozing over cheese platters and exchanging business cards. There’s actually an art to it.

 

“Since there are so many different platforms for people to market themselves these days, you have to find ways to cut through the white noise and get noticed,” says Ivan Misner, Ph.D., author of “Networking Like a Pro.”

When done skillfully, networking can not only open the door to plum job opportunities but it can also help land new clients and tap talent for future hiring. And what better way to learn the ins and outs of such skillful networking than to go straight to power networking pros for their tips on how to land on someone’s radar—and stay there.

Power Tip #1: Give Before You Receive

One of the biggest networking mistakes people make is jumping the gun when asking for a favor. One cardinal key of successful networking: Give before you can get.

“I can’t emphasize this enough—if you want to form a relationship with another person, you first need to show them how they’ll benefit,” says professional relationship development expert Keith Ferrazzi, author of “Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time.” “You usually bring a small gift to a dinner party, so why wouldn’t you offer a potential ally a token of generosity when you meet?”

And according to Ferrazzi, it needn’t be elaborate either. The gesture can be as simple as forwarding a relevant article or providing an introduction to someone who can further the person’s own interests.

So when can you comfortably turn the tables and ask for help? It’s a judgment call. But seeking favors too early can turn your contacts off—and risk damaging any positive collateral you’ve stored up. “People often say, ‘Hey, it doesn’t hurt to ask, right?’ ” Misner says. “But if you ask before you’ve established a relationship, then you are destroying the opportunity to cultivate one.”

So think of networking like a bank account—you have to make deposits and shore up social capital before making a withdrawal. Case in point: One of Misner’s contacts called him up every month or two to ask how his latest project was going and whether he could pitch in. After reaching out several times over a year, he told Misner he had a favor to ask. “I replied, ‘Yes!’ ” Misner says. “He hadn’t even told me what he needed, but he’d invested so much in our relationship that I was happy to do it.”

 

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Power Tip #2: Ask for a Strategic Introduction

If there’s a specific person you’re hoping to connect with, do some Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn sleuthing to see if you have a contact who knows that individual directly, or at least knows someone who works for the same organization.

Explain your game plan to your contact—you’re a huge fan of the company and would love to build a strategic relationship with such-and-such key player—and then ask if the person might be able to introduce you at an upcoming networking event.

“If you can find it, a third-party endorsement will give you a powerful edge,” Misner says. “It makes you stand out, and lends you credibility.” And the more credibility you have, the more likely that person will trust that you’re worth his time.

 

“People are always chasing bright, shiny objects, but I’m a firm believer in doing six things a thousand times, not a thousand things six times.”

Power Tip #3: Don’t Just Collect Cards

In the game of networking, you’re going for quality, not quantity—so simply focusing on beefing up your Rolodex will backfire.

Misner recalls meeting a young woman who claimed to be a pro networker. Her “brilliant” technique? She and her business partner would split the room in half, amassing as many business cards as possible. They’d then enter all the info into a database and email their new contacts. “Essentially, they’d spam people,” Misner says. “Using networking like a face-to-face cold-calling opportunity is a huge error.”

Instead of casting a wide net, direct it toward cultivating deep personal connections. “People are always chasing bright, shiny objects, but I’m a firm believer in doing six things a thousand times, not a thousand things six times,” Misner says.

To do this, Ferrazzi recommends creating a relationship action plan for every professional goal that you have—be it landing a new job or building up your client base. Make a list of people who can be instrumental in helping you achieve that success: friends, co-workers, people you’re hoping to meet, and even individuals you admire and just follow online.

“Write down why each person is important, and how you would categorize the strength of your relationship on a scale of zero to five,” he says. This will help you develop a strategy to pursue your goals—and home in on getting help from the right people.

 

Power Tip #4: Follow Up—and Then Follow Up Again

After clicking with a powerful new connection, too many people drop the ball—failing to check in post-meeting and never leveraging the new relationship.

So try this strategy from Kim Marie Branch-Pettid, C.E.O. and president of LeTip International, a business networking and referral organization. Immediately following a conversation with a person of interest, Branch jots down a number from 1 to 10 on the back of their business card, indicating their potential to help her advance in her career. For anyone who scores a seven or above, she adds a brief note about them, such as “trip to London, 3-year-old son, starting a new job.”

The next day, Branch sends an email to the person, saying that she enjoyed the conversation, and references one of her notes, like “Have a great time in London!” Finally, she assists in some way, by sending a link to an interesting London travel article or offering to introduce the person to a friend who works at the same company they just joined.

And don’t forget to maintain the connection. “In order for your relationships to become more robust, you need to ‘ping’ your network on a regular basis,” Ferrazzi says. “Create a schedule for keeping in touch, whether you set aside X amount of time each day to networking, or reach out to X number of people each week.”

 

Misner used the technique to land a coveted interview with mogul Richard Branson. After learning that Branson had launched a nonprofit called the B-Team, Misner used the nugget as his “in.”

 

The frequency and depth of your interactions depends on the strength of the relationship. For casual connections, the occasional retweet or Facebook comment might suffice. For deeper ones, think along the lines of a thoughtful email or meetup.

Power Tip #5: Suss Out Your Contact’s Passions

Before meeting someone you’d like to develop a relationship with, do an online search to uncover what they’re truly interested in, from charities they support to any awards they’ve received.

“Doing your homework shows a sincere interest in the other person as an individual, and not just as a business contact,” Ferrazzi says. “It also helps you understand how you can be of service—if you can offer something specifically geared to what’s important to them, they’ll be more open to connecting with you.”

Misner used this technique to land a coveted interview with Virgin mogul Richard Branson. After learning that Branson had recently launched a nonprofit called the B-Team, Misner used the nugget as his “in.” During a run-in with Branson, whom he’d met once before, he said, “I understand you’re doing something called the B-Team. Tell me about it.”

“He lit up,” Misner remembers. “I asked him how I could be of help with the project, and suggested interviewing him for my blog.” It was a win-win networking move: Branson’s charity got some extra airplay, while Misner landed his interview.

Power Tip #6: Deepen Your Network Pool

The more similar someone is to you, the more comfortable it feels to connect, which is why networks are, by nature, homogenous. “We tend to hang out with people like ourselves—the same gender, ethnicity and academic background,” Misner says. “But diversity is key to growing a strong personal network.”

So seek relationships with totally different people who can introduce you to brand-new social clusters. Not only will you gain access to potentially influential individuals whom you’d otherwise might never meet, but you’ll stand out from the pack.

For example, Misner is a member of an organization of women business owners. They allow men to join, so he asked a female friend to sponsor him at a meeting. “Everyone remembered me because I was one of two or three guys there,” Misner says. “I ended up getting a lot of business out of it.”

One important way to diversify is to “network down.” Most people concentrate on networking up—building a rapport with someone higher than yourself on the ladder. But it’s also smart to connect with savvy junior people in your industry because they might end up being portals of intel that can boost your career down the line.

 

Just like you wouldn’t give any Joe Schmo a job reference, you also shouldn’t add LinkedIn requests from strangers.

 

Power Tip #7: Don’t Overly Pimp Your Profile

If your LinkedIn page is open like a 7-Eleven, and you’re accepting invites from everyone and their mother, you could be putting your reputation on the line.

Your LinkedIn contacts are a reflection on you, and it’s implied that you’re vouching for someone’s skills by connecting. So just like you wouldn’t give any Joe Schmo a job reference, you also shouldn’t add contact requests from complete strangers.

Likewise, “You should only reach out to someone via LinkedIn if you have a connection in common,” Branch says, adding that you should write a message when asking to connect, rather than using LinkedIn’s form letter. And if you don’t have any shared connections, it’s better to get in touch via a more personal email or letter.

Power Tip #8: Seek Common Ground

There is a shortcut to fostering a new relationship with real roots: Figure out what you and the other person have in common—whether you went to the same school or both love to snowboard.

“Focusing on the similarities between you is a quick way to develop a rapport,” Branch says. “So don’t be afraid to ask personal questions that let the individual speak about him or herself: Where are you from? Do you have kids?”

Then it’s your turn to open up. One of Branch’s associates made several powerful connections after mentioning that she had been jumping out of airplanes since she was 14. People who have skydived (or are interested in trying) are instantly drawn to her—it’s like a built-in launching pad for cultivating a strong relationship.

 

Learnvest.com | July 22, 2014 | Molly Triffin

Your #Career : 5 Reasons You Should Always Be Looking for a New Job…Often, We Get Comfortable (a.k.a. Lazy) in Our Current Positions & Don’t Think About What Might be Next for Us on the Ladder of Success. But you Never Know When your Dream Job Will Come Along—Or When you Might Lose the One you Have.

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You may be really happy in your job and that’s great. But if a recruiter calls or a friend tips you off to a great position that fits your skills, are you ready to pursue it? If so, is your resume current? Are you constantly connecting with people in case a better opportunity presents itself?

 

 

Often, we get comfortable (a.k.a. lazy) in our current positions and don’t think about what might be next for us on the ladder of success. But you never know when your dream job will come along—or when you might lose the one you have. Here are five reasons why you should be always be seeking out new opportunities and laying the groundwork for your next career move:

1)    Loyalty doesn’t pay. Gone are the days when people stayed at the same company for their entire careers and collected a gold watch at their retirement party. According to a Careerbuilder study, today’s Millennials spend an average of 2.4 years or less in the same position—and it doesn’t hurt them one bit. In fact, staying at a company too long can work against you. You may get promoted but you likely won’t see the kind of substantial salary increases that you would if you left for a new job. In addition, unless you’re able to move into different roles that challenge you and grow your skills, you may max out on learning in the same job for years. Lastly, while you may feel that your employer values your loyalty, when push comes to shove, if they need to make cuts or new leadership comes in above you, there’s no guarantee that your job won’t be eliminated.

 

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2)    Things can change quickly. There are any number of reasons why you could be put in a difficult or precarious position and, suddenly, your previously secure gig could be on the chopping block. You could get a new boss who decides to bring in his own team or doesn’t think you’re as much of a rock star as your previous manager. Alternatively, if your company gets acquired, the new owner could choose to clean house or the business could go through a rough patch financially and be forced to streamline. You want to stay in control of your own destiny—not leave it at the mercy of shifting business priorities.

3)    It keeps you top of mind. Even if you’re content where you are, you should always be entertaining other options. Update your LinkedIn profile on a regular basis, expand your network and stay in touch with recruiters in your industry so they know to reach out to you when an even better job becomes available. If people don’t think you’re on the market, you won’t get those calls—and your competition will. I landed my last job by reconnecting on social media with the company’s CEO, with whom I had worked years ago, and asking him to have a catch-up coffee. It turned out that he had just started thinking about bringing in a head of communications. After I had started there, he admitted that, had I not gotten back in touch, he never would have thought of me as a candidate since I was at a much bigger, more established company and he didn’t think I would leave.

4) Every conversation is worthwhile. So, say you do get approached about a job opportunity and you don’t think it’s the right fit or the right time. Go on the interview anyway. Case in point: When I was director of PR at an internet company years ago, reporting directly to the CEO and running a department, I got a call from a recruiter for a senior manager position at a much bigger company, with three people above me, and I almost turned down the chance to interview. But I decided to take the meeting for the heck of it. Flash forward: I took the job, stayed there for over a decade and was promoted three times.

5) It’ll help clarify what you want—and don’t want. A few years ago, I got an offer for what seemed, on paper, like a dream job. But the process was agonizing—spanning five months of back and forth, multiple interviews, periods of radio silence and a management team that seemed highly disorganized. I turned it down because my gut told me it wasn’t a good move. Sure enough, less than a year later, they had eliminated the entire PR team and had gone through three CEOs. Paying attention to the signs confirmed for me what I didn’t want in a job or a company, which was indecision, changing priorities and a leadership team without a clear vision.

The upshot: You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by getting out there and going on interviews. At a minimum, it’ll expose you to new companies, businesses and people—which could help you at your current company. At best, it could lay the groundwork for future career moves. Either way, you’ll be on the road to success—and squarely in the driver’s seat.

Jessica Kleiman is a Branding and Communications Consultant and co-author of Be Your Own Best Publicist: How to Use PR Techniques to Get Noticed, Hired and Rewarded at Work.

 

Forbes.com | September 28, 2015 | Jessica Kleiman

Your #Career : Pregnant & Looking For A Job? How To Land The New Role Now…There is a Lot of Waiting In-Between Interviews & Decisions, & During this Time, the Candidate Can be Forgotten or the Employer’s Doubts Fester & Grow.

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Job Search & Pregnancy are Two Very Individualized Experiences on Their Own, so when you combine them, it goes without saying that any anecdotes, platitudes or even specific strategies I share need to be customized for your specific situation. However, if I look at the two real-life situations I shared – in two very competitive, fast-moving industries and at senior, high-stakes levels – some general patterns do emerge:

 

When I was an executive recruiter at a retained search firm, one of my colleagues placed a pregnant candidate, in her eighth month of pregnancy, in a senior strategy consulting role. Strategy is a demanding job, with frequent travel and volatile hours. The eighth month of pregnancy is when you’re visibly pregnant (so the employer clearly knew), and you are soon-to-be, if not already, not allowed to travel by air. Still a match was made.

 

When I was an in-house recruiter at a tech company, one of my candidates for an HR Manager role was in the middle of a pregnancy. She wasn’t as visibly pregnant as the eight-month candidate, so it’s unclear that my hiring group would have known for sure. Yet, she disclosed, was selected for interviews, and went far along the process (she ultimately stayed at her current employer but did refer an excellent candidate to us, so she clearly had a positive experience).

In my 15+ years of recruiting, I have seen multiple instances of pregnant, soon-to-be-pregnant, or recently pregnant/ new mom candidates get interviews, callbacks, offers, internal moves, and promotions. What worked for these candidates?

Job search and pregnancy are two very individualized experiences on their own, so when you combine them, it goes without saying that any anecdotes, platitudes or even specific strategies I share need to be customized for your specific situation. However, if I look at the two real-life situations I shared – in two very competitive, fast-moving industries and at senior, high-stakes levels – some general patterns do emerge:

The candidates were competitive for their roles

Pregnancy or no, the candidates were competitive. Both had specific skills, expertise, and relevant experience for the roles. In the case of the consultant, she was at a major competitor, she had worked on the specific projects that were a priority for the employer who hired her, and she had a personality that gelled with the team. For the HR candidate, she had experience at another fast-growth tech company, which was a deal-breaker requirement. I both cases, the candidate had something the employer really wanted. Pregnancy or no, how competitive are you for the roles you are targeting?

 

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The roles were hard-to-fill and required discerning, flexible employers

If a job is hard to fill, the employer can’t easily dismiss candidates. There aren’t going to be many candidates when the candidate pool is scarce, so the employer has to consider all of them. The more generic the job, the less likely an employer will have to compromise before finding the right fit. So an employer will simply take the readily available candidate (the path of least resistance) and likely won’t be as accommodating to a pregnancy, a flexible work schedule, a delayed start date or any other non-traditional arrangement. A hard-to-fill job isn’t necessarily unpleasant, difficult, or unreasonably demanding. It just means there are fewer candidates who meet the requirements. Typically, it’s a cutting-edge skill set, a specialized expertise, experience at a certain type of firm (e.g., the employer’s competitors), or experience in certain market conditions (e.g., a turnaround or a growth spurt). In many cases, it’s some combination of rare attributes. How difficult are the roles you are targeting? Are they difficult enough that the employer will be creative when considering candidates and will fight for the right candidate?

The work would still get done

In the case of the strategy consultant, the nature of the job involved travel, and the candidate could not travel for a period of time. This needed to be sorted out (in this case, there was a combination of remote work and an emphasis on local projects for a specific period of time). In the case of the HR Manager, the candidate’s delivery and subsequent leave timeline was mapped against key HR deliverables (e.g., benefits enrollment, performance review time) to see what coverage was needed and when. The optimal arrangement comes by collaboration so it is best to disclose the pregnancy during the interview process when both candidate and employer can see if there is a mutually agreeable and beneficial solution. The employer can’t accommodate the candidate if they don’t know what the candidate needs. Similarly, the candidate can’t put herself forward as the best solution to the employer’s problem if she doesn’t know upcoming objectives and timelines in much more detail than would likely be shared in a typical interview situation. Have you figured out what accommodations you need? Do you know enough about your prospective employer’s business objectives that you can outline a plan and timetable for the next 12 months?

The candidate had advocates to keep discussions on track

There is a lot of waiting in-between interviews and decisions, and during this time, the candidate can be forgotten or the employer’s doubts fester and grow. As the job seeker, you need to make sure you stay front of mind during the gaps and keep the employer interested over the entire process. In the case of the strategy consultant, my recruiting colleague was the advocate — checking in on both candidate and employer sides regularly. My colleague was facilitating what arrangements would need to be made to both onboard the candidate if she were to be hired but also to preserve her maternity leave. In the case of the HR Manager search, I was the advocate, ensuring that the pregnant candidate was seen and her timetable and requirements were out in the open. But I was also advocating for the hiring group, setting clear expectations with the candidate on business objectives and deadlines. You don’t necessarily need a recruiter or other intermediary to be your advocate. However, the process can take a long time (with consulting, for example, coordinating the travel schedules of everyone who has to interview really slows the process down). If you, as the candidate, don’t have an active recruiter keeping in touch with you and with the hiring group, you need to stay on top of every stage of the process. Without being inside the company, you can’t as readily interact with all of the decision-makers and know what is holding up the process or possibly derailing your candidacy. An insider, whether the recruiter or someone within the hiring group, is an ideal advocate. Who else is invested in your job search?

The candidate believed in the possibility of a better job right now

With both the strategy consultant and the HR manager, they raised their hand for these new jobs, while they were pregnant. They did not assume that they would automatically be rejected by the employers. They did not assume that it would be better to wait till after their maternity leave to consider new opportunities. They also came to the interview process with their game face on – brilliantly and competitively interviewing for these roles. If they had not considered the possibility that a better job was available, then they would have taken themselves out of the running at the start. This isn’t to say that every pregnant professional should be actively looking. But if you want to look, but think you can’t because you’re pregnant, reconsider your assumptions. Are you open to the possibility that there is a better job right now, even now?

 For more career advice, join me in the upcoming FREE webinar series,Confessions of a Former Recruiter, running September thru November. We’re talking all about Interviews on Sept. 23. You can also find me on Google+.

 

Forbes.com | September 18, 2015 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

 

 

Your #Career : 5 Items On Your Resume #Recruiters Notice First…Remember that a #Resume is the Start of a Discussion, Not the Close. You are Trying to Get a Meeting or Interview, Not a Job Outright.

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Recruiters Skim Resumes in Seconds & Still Glean enough Information to Decide on a Candidate. I have fond this to be true across industries, positions and levels. I have recruited for a variety of industries (financial services, management consulting, tech, media, non-profit), positions (client-facing, administrative, strategy, creative) and levels (unpaid interns thru multiple six-figure hires), and my recruiting colleagues and I always skim.

 

 

With multiple jobs open at any one time and hundreds of resumes to review, it’s simple math that each resume gets seconds of attention. Here are five items on your resume that recruiters notice first:

Brand names

The names that get attention are top schools, Fortune 500 companies, household brands, and hot start-ups. Your employers and schools screened you and selected you over others. Recruiters weigh the competitiveness of that filter. Recruiters’ preferences will depend on the search. For an executive-level position, top schools still carry weight but not as much at this stage of the career as recent companies. For a recent graduate with less information, the school brand matters more. If the role is for a fast-growth newer company, a history with successful start-ups may be preferred over even Fortune 500 companies. However, if the search is specifically to find a large-company executive then the Fortune 500 names will carry the day.

Make sure you put as many brand names as possible. If your employer is not a household name but is a leader in its field, put a one-line sentence to indicate this (e.g., largest textile manufacturer in Japan). If your employer is not itself a brand name but serves brand names, make sure you mention this. If your start-up is gaining traction but is not widely known, include something that indicates success—for example growth figures or media mentions.

 

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Keywords

Many recruiters don’t just look at every resume that comes in. They do a search for specific keywords. It might be a brand name – in the above example of the fast-growth company, the recruiter may search for competitor names experiencing a similar growth trajectory. Other popular keyword searches are technical skills like software or programming languages, certifications like the CPA or PMP, and functional skills like direct response for a specialized marketing search or regression analysis for a data analyst position. Just because you apply for a role does not mean you will be considered for that role. The recruiter may pull up resumes based on keyword, rather than who applied.

 Make sure your resume includes detailed keywords even if you think your title makes it obvious. If you are a direct mail marketer by title, you should still elaborate on the direct response, segmentation, and other specific campaigns and analyses you did, even if you think it’s redundant with your title. First of all, recruiters may not ever see your title because they won’t see your resume if you don’t get pulled up in their search. Secondly, recruiters are often generalists who search across a variety of positions, and the one working on the direct mail/ direct response/ email marketing search may not know what your role entails just by its title. Finally, titles vary across companies – do not assume that what you do is obvious.

Chronology

Recruiters zero in on gaps, short tenures, and lack of progression. Depending on how recent the issues are and other competing factors, the chronology in a resume may be a deal breaker. A gap in the middle of an otherwise solid career is less of an issue than a recent gap. A shorter gap (less than six months) is a non-issue. Multiple jobs with a year or less of tenure raise suspicions that the candidate has no staying power – either they can’t commit or the employer doesn’t want them. If this occurs earlier in the career and recent positions show longevity, it probably doesn’t matter. If there is longevity but no increase in responsibilities, title or results, then this shows a lack of progression.

Review your own resume just by dates and tenure. You may need to include shorter stints that you planned to omit but they fill in gaps. You might unnecessarily have short stints listed because one of your employers got acquired so it’s really a name change, not a short tenure, or maybe you moved from one subsidiary to another, each with different names, so it’s internal movement, not separate short stints. Make sure you group these experiences together, so you show continuity. Write your position descriptions to reflect progression especially for roles you have held for a number of years.

Mistakes

Spelling and grammar mistakes jump out. The candidate looks sloppy, unprofessional, uncaring. If proper names are misspelled (a company listed as a client, a software listed as a skill) it raises doubt as to whether or not the candidate really worked at the company or knows that program.

 Spell check is the first line of defense, but homonyms and names won’t get caught there, so you still need to copy edit line-by-line. Led versus lead is the most common mistake I see – the candidate means to write in the past tense (“led a team”) but instead spells it as it sounds (“lead a team”).

Potential

This is not one specific item on a resume but the feel across the entire resume. Brand names, relevant keywords, longevity and progression, and no mistakes all contribute to the message that, yes, this candidate has potential. In addition, the body of work – skills plus experience plus specific industry or functional expertise – also point to whether there is a potential fit to the opening on hand. The aesthetics of the resume – layout, readability, conciseness of descriptions – signal professionalism and attention to detail. The emphasis in the resume – the summary on top, the first bullet of each job, the results that are quantified – point to what this candidate feels is their value proposition. Does it match what the recruiter needs for the role?

Give your resume to someone else, anyone else to read. Someone who doesn’t look at resumes all the time will not be able to skim it in a few seconds, but it shouldn’t take that much longer to form an opinion. What jumps out at them? What do they think you do? What job do they think you’re applying for? Once you have all the facts down on your resume, edit it for potential – make sure it’s easy one the eyes and that you’re highlighting your value.

Remember that a resume is the start of a discussion, not the close. You are trying to get a meeting or interview, not a job outright. Don’t feel like you have to put every detail of every project. Put enough information – brand names, relevant keywords, longevity and progression, error-free presentation, potential value — so that you are clearly in the ballpark for the roles you want, but it will never be all the information you have. Your resume as an invitation to get to know you further.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart® career coaching and has worked with executives from American Express AXP +0.00%, Condé Nast, Goldman Sachs, Google GOOGL +0.50%, McKinsey, and other leading firms.. She is the co-host of the upcoming FREE webinar series, Confessions of a Former Recruiter, running September thru November. Connect with Caroline on Google+.

Forbes.com | September 12, 2015 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

Your #Career : 7 Reasons Why Recruiters Aren’t Calling You…Even If you Don’t Want another Job, #Recruiter Relationships are Helpful. You get Market News, #Compensation Guidelines, & the Flattery that Comes with Being Pursued.

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Recruiter Calls are a Sign That you are Marketable & Visible. You Want to Get Recruiter Calls. If you Aren’t, Which of the 7 Mistakes are you Guilty Of?

Fear

You have probably heard this lucky scenario: a gainfully employed professional is busily doing his/her job when he/she is contacted by a recruiter hiring for a great opportunity. Sometimes this results in a hire – just like that, a new job without all the job search effort. At the very least, the professional hears market news, gets a real-time snapshot of his/her market value, and gets a confidence boost that a recruiter would think to call. Has this happened to you? Are recruiters calling you? If you’re not getting these opportunistic calls, here are seven possible reasons:

You are invisible online.

So much of candidate research is done online using social media, particularly LinkedIn. In my recruiting activity, I searched LinkedIn using keywords reflecting target skills, companies or types of experience. Would your profile show up if a recruiter were searching? Does your online profile comprehensively describe your skills and experience? Don’t assume that a well-written resume is enough because you may not get approached and even have a chance to send a resume.

 

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You are inactive online.

Sometimes I would hear about a candidate, but not much besides a name, and I would check LinkedIn for more detail…only to find a blank profile with one connection. Not only do I have no information to move forward, but I don’t have any way to contact you even if I wanted to – the fact that you have few connections means you’re not active, and you probably wouldn’t respond to my message. Some recruiters may even take your inactivity as a sign that you’re not up to date on social media and therefore not up to date in general.
Your role doesn’t correspond to obvious keywords.

It’s true that some candidates are easier to target passively than others. If your role uses a specific skill set (e.g., programming in a certain language) or can be described very specifically (e.g., fundraising) then keywords will more easily point to you. If your role is in general management or strategy or something more generic, then it’s harder to get swept up in a keyword search. However, you can increase your odds by putting the keywords that are relevant. Your title may be a generic one (e.g., Marketing Manager) but the description of your role can include specific types of marketing (e.g., digital/online, direct mail, customer segmentation) that are searchable.

Your current employer isn’t branded, leading or trending.

Another popular search item is company names. If you work for a household name, a market leader or the hot start-up covered by lots of media, then you have an advantage because a recruiter will search on those companies and find you in the process. But even if you work for a small mom and pop, you can improve your chances by including brand names where you can. Perhaps your clients are Fortune 500 companies and you can mention a few sample names. Perhaps your company routinely beats out a brand name and you can include a mention of this when you describe your employer. Your alma mater or previous employers may also be brand names, which is another reason why a comprehensive, detailed profile is critical.

You’re not in the public domain.

Beyond social media, recruiters also search more broadly – conferences, trade publications, professional associations. If you have appeared on a conference panel, posted a guest blog or opinion letter for your industry rag, or a current member of your professional group, then your name is more likely to surface in the places recruiters typically research. The more you’re out there, the more likely you’ll be found.

You don’t come recommended.

The most relied-upon source of candidates for recruiters is word-of-mouth. In all of my searches, but especially my executive-level searches, hearing your name from other executives guarantees that you’ll hear from me. Make your name the one that your network remembers. First of all, you need to know enough people. Secondly, they need know what you do. Finally, you need to keep in touch so you stay front-of-mind if a recruiter calls them.

You didn’t respond.

Maybe you are great about managing your online profile, your public persona and your network, and recruiters do call you…but you don’t respond. Did you set your LinkedIn profile to deliver messages? Have you updated your email address on all social profiles to an address you actually check? If you get a call, do you return it in a timely fashion? Even if you aren’t looking and are too busy to bother, missing a phone call now may mean you won’t be contacted again.

Even if you don’t want another job, recruiter relationships are helpful. You get market news, compensation guidelines, and the flattery that comes with being pursued. Recruiter calls are also a sign that you are marketable and visible. You want to get recruiter calls. If you aren’t, which of the seven mistakes are you guilty of?

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart® career coaching. She has worked with executives from American Express, Citigroup, Condé Nast, Gilt, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, and other leading firms. She’s also a stand-up comic, so she’s not your typical coach. Connect with Caroline on Google+.

 

Forbes.com | August 1, 2015 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine

Your #Career : 15 Surprising #Negotiating Tricks to Boost your #Salary ..In Face-to-Face Negotiations, a Study Out of Imperial College London Research Finds That the More Powerful Person Will Usually Win Out.

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Whether you’re Asking for a Raise or Negotiating your Salary at a New Job, One Thing Stays Consistent: It’s Nerve-racking.   But it’s also necessary. An analysis by Salary.com suggests that not negotiating could potentially cost you more than a million dollars over the course of your career. Not that knowing that makes it any easier.

Screen Shot 2015 07 17 at 2.50.11 PM

You can do better.

We combed through research to collect some of the simplest — and most surprising — strategies that help lead you to what you want.

Max Nisen contributed to an earlier version of this article.

 

Always use precise numbers in offers and counter-offers.

Always use precise numbers in offers and counter-offers.

REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Throwing out your target salary as $103,500 seems a little bit silly — doesn’t $100,000 tell pretty much the same story? — but research from Columbia Business School suggests that using precise numbers makes a more powerful anchor in negotiations.

According to Malia Mason, the author of the study, kicking off a negotiation with exact-sounding numbers leads the other party to think that you’ve done research to arrive at those particular digits — and that, in turn, makes them think you’re likely correct.

But…

 …It’s better to suggest a salary range rather than a single number.
...It's better to suggest a salary range rather than a single number.

statigr.am/laurenvrussie

Using precise numbers doesn’t mean using single precise numbers. In a separate study, Mason and her Columbia Business School colleague Daniel Ames found that presenting a salary range — including and above your desired target — is the best way to get results.

In the past, organizational psychologists thought a range would work against you — wouldn’t people just fixate on the lower number? — but Ames and Mason found that’s not the case.

Presenting a range works for two reasons, they say: It gives your boss information about what you’re actually asking for, and it makes you seem polite and reasonable — which means you’re less likely to get hit with a hard-line counteroffer.

 

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Open with something personal, and your negotiating partner will respond in kind.

Open with something personal, and your negotiating partner will respond in kind.

China Photos/Getty Images

In an experiment where Kellogg and Stanford students negotiated by email, those who shared unrelated personal details over the course of the negotiation — hobbies, hometowns, etc. — ended up getting significantly better results than those who kept things to name, email, and the dry monetary details.

Opening up a bit sends a signal that you’re trustworthy, according to Wharton professor Adam Grant in a LinkedIn post, and makes it more likely that they’ll reciprocate.

Think of the negotiation as a competition.

Think of the negotiation as a competition.

Daniel Goodman / Business Insider

In most salary negotiations, you’re going after something that the other party doesn’t particularly want to give you. That makes it a competition, and viewing it such leads to better results, according to research from George Mason Professor Michelle Marks and Temple Professor Crystal Harold.

The team looked at five different negotiation strategies: accommodating, avoiding, collaborating, competing, and compromising. And — spoiler alert — compromising was not the best strategy.

Instead, Marks and Harold found that people who use competitive or collaborative strategies — employing “open discussion of issues and perspectives” — ended up with higher salaries than those who were “accommodating” or “compromising.”

Women might consider employing their ‘feminine charms’ — very, very strategically.

Women might consider employing their 'feminine charms' — very, very strategically.

Flickr/BigAl

According to a study from Berkeley professor Laura Kray, using “feminine charm” — a balance of friendly and flirtatious behavior — can substantially increase gains from a negotiation. It’s a “strategic behavior aimed at making the person you are negotiating with feel good in order to get them to agree to your goals,” she told The Independent.

It’s an adaptive strategy that helps our general cultural discomfort with aggressive women. But — as there always is — there’s a caveat: a little bit of feminine charm can work for you, but if you’re seen as too overtly flirtatious, you’re less likely to be trusted by your coworkers, the study suggested.

Don’t go face to face until you have to.

Don't go face to face until you have to.

Alan Cleaver via Flickr

Generally, if you’re the one asking for a higher salary, you are not the one in the position of power — the person who is hiring you or determining your raise is in control. They have to agree to the number in the end, and they usually have more power over your career and work environment at the organization.

In face-to-face negotiations, a study out of Imperial College London research finds that the more powerful person will usually win out. People think differently when they’re apart, and power hierarchies matter less from a distance. If you’re negotiating with your boss, you have a better chance when negotiations are conducted by email.

If you’re meeting in person, make steady eye contact.

If you're meeting in person, make steady eye contact.

Business Insider

Not every negotiator resorts to deception. But it’s often in their interest to hide how excited they about a candidate — and how willing they might actually be to bump up their offer.

According to a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one of the most effective ways to keep people honest is to make steady eye contact.

Put any concerns you have on the table all at once.

Put any concerns you have on the table all at once.

Julia La Roche for Business Insider

When getting an offer, many people want to seem happy, and avoid looking too needy or disappointed. They might bring up a concern or two, but gloss over other issues that — inevitably — end up coming up later.

That drives hiring managers crazy, according to Harvard professor Deepak Malhotra. The best strategy is to reveal all of your concerns at once, and note which ones are most important, so you can work through them together.

Make the first offer.

Make the first offer.

AP

Conventional wisdom is that you should wait for the other party to make the initial offer in order to get more information to act on. The problem with that thinking, though, says Wharton professor Adam Grant in a LinkedIn post, is that it’s wrong.

In reality, it’s much better to make the first offer because you get to set the “anchor,” the figure that affects the trajectory of the negotiation. People who make very high first offers end up with a much better result.

The first offer pulls the other person in its direction, and it’s difficult to adjust the other way.

Get them to talk about themselves.

Get them to talk about themselves.

Flickr/DellInc

While you clearly want to make an assertive case for your position, it might be wiser to open negotiations with a little chit-chat — especially if you can get your negotiating partner to talk about themselves.

According to Harvard neuroscientist Diana Tamir, the author of a recent study on the neurological effects of talking about yourself, it can trigger the same sensations of pleasure as food or money.

But…

…Chatting works better if you’re a man.

...Chatting works better if you're a man.

bimurch/Flickr

Unfortunately for female negotiators, another study — this one by led by researcher Brooke Ann Shaughnessy, of Technische U. München, in Germany — opening with small talk only works if you’re a man.

The researchers found that chatting before diving in leads men to get “more favorable final offers.” But the study found that small talk didn’t do anything for women (though it also didn’t do any harm, and it’s possible that women could also get results if they were really, really, really good small talkers, the researchers say).

That’s likely because of long-standing gender stereotypes: Going into a negotiation, men are traditionally seen as aggressive, and friendly small talk can be disarming — and get you what you want.

 

Rank your priorities, and share them.

Rank your priorities, and share them.

flickr/jkbrooks85

“In a job offer negotiation, for example, you might say that salary is most important to you, followed by location, and then vacation time and signing bonus,” Wharton Professor Adam Grant writes in a LinkedIn post. “Research shows that rank-ordering is a powerful way to help your counterparts understand your interests without giving away too much information.”

Then follow up by asking them for their priorities, and look for mutually beneficial trade offs on the most important issues.

Which brings us to…

Strike a ‘power pose’ before you get started.

Strike a 'power pose' before you get started.

flickr/poptech

According to research from Harvard Business School Professor Amy Cuddy, adopting a “power pose” with legs widely spaced and hands on hips (channel Wonder Woman) can actually alter body chemistry, making you feel measurably more powerful and willing to take (and stick to) risks.

It boosts testosterone, which increases confidence, and it also reduces the stress hormone cortisol. Just what you need before a negotiation.

Be a little unpredictable.

Be a little unpredictable.

Scott Olson/Getty Images

The default for negotiations is a relatively level and less emotional approach, an attempt to be as rational as possible. But injecting some passion and unpredictability can create an advantage.

A study from Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky found that emotional inconsistency from negotiators leads to greater concessions from the other party because they feel less in control of the situation.

Expressing anger, alternating between anger and happiness, and alternating between anger and disappointment all yielded bigger concessions.

Consider tears (but tread carefully!).

Consider tears (but tread carefully!).

Flickr/Crimfants

Going into a high-pressure negotiating situation, it makes sense to try to stay on an even keel: you’re controlled, you’re balanced, you’re in charge of your emotions.

But a recent study from ESSEC, the University of Michigan, the University of Paris, and EMLYON, found that in certain situations, expressing sadness — and even tears  — can apparently make you more likely to get what you want from the negotiation.

If your negotiating partner sees you as “low power,” if they anticipate continued interactions with you, and if they see your relationship as collaborative, then it’s possible that what Science Alert calls a “warranted display of pathos” could — maybe — get you what you your raise.

But even if it’s true, it’s very very very risky (do you really want to be seen as low power forever?). In the long run, it seems likely you’d be better off with a power pose, a well-chosen salary range, and a competitive spirit.

 

Businessinsider.com | July 20, 2015 | Rachel Sugar

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-negotiate-a-higher-salary?op=1#ixzz3gSheVcoY

Your #Career : 19 Terrible #LinkedIn Mistakes you’re Making…There Are Some Things you Just Shouldn’t Do on LinkedIn.

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Kim Brown is an Assistant Director for Syracuse University’s Career Services Department. She spends a good portion of her day looking over LinkedIn profiles for job seekers and students.

LinkedIn coffee

She makes sure candidates are putting their best foot forward on LinkedIn.  Here are the most common mistakes Brown sees job seekers make on LinkedIn.

Your profile is full of typos

Your profile is full of typos

John Lillis

Brown says she’s spotted typos in company names, job titles, and even in the user’s name.

Unfortunately, LinkedIn doesn’t have a built-in spell checker, but your browser might. Safari, Chrome, and Firefox underline misspellings in red. Bottom line, whatever you use: Be as careful on LinkedIn as you would be with a paper resume.

 

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You have no picture in your profile

You have no picture in your profile

LinkedIn

Adding a picture to your LinkedIn profile can make a world of difference to a recruiter. Studies have shown that LinkedIn profiles with pictures are much more likely to get clicked on than those without.

LinkedIn says you’re 14 times more likely to be viewed if you have a photo.

You have a profile picture, but it’s a photo of you and your significant other (or worse)

You have a profile picture, but it's a photo of you and your significant other (or worse)

Filckr / Huw Thomas

Do not get LinkedIn and Facebook confused, says Brown.

Facebook is for personal pictures, LinkedIn is for professional ones.

Brown recalls one student who came to her, frustrated because he couldn’t find a job. When she checked out his LinkedIn, she saw that he had chosen a photo of himself doing The Chicken Dance at a wedding. Oof.

Stereotypical, duck-faced selfies are another big no-no that Brown’s started noticing more often.

She also says she sees a lot of people link to their Facebook profiles from their LinkedIn pages. Don’t do this. It’s best to keep the two profiles separate.

 

You don’t have a background photo or any other visuals either

You don't have a background photo or any other visuals either

LinkedIn

You can now add a background photo to make your profile stick out, too. You should pick something that matches your brand, Brown says — for example, hers is of the SU campus — and make sure that your file is big enough that it doesn’t end up looking stretched and pixelated.

LinkedIn also allows you to upload all sorts of rich media — like documents, photos, links, videos, and presentations — to your profile, and if you don’t take advantage of that you’re missing out.

“Your LinkedIn isn’t just words anymore,” Brown says. “You should really be paying attention to the visuals you can add to your profile.”

 

You haven’t put any thought into your profile headline

You haven't put any thought into your profile headline

LinkedIn

Brown says she sees a lot of people simply put “Student at X University” as their lead LinkedIn headline. She also sees a lot of professionals who are looking for jobs with old titles as headlines.

You have a lot of room to be descriptive in this area of your profile!

“If you’re a job seeker and you have a [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][vague or outdated] title, I have no idea you’re looking for work,” says Brown.

So, it’s better for a student to write that they’re an “Advertising major at Syracuse University who has experience with nonprofit work” or for a job seeker to write, “Experienced advertising professional looking for a opportunities in the med-tech space.” Her official job title comes in the “Experience” section of her profile.

Even people with concrete job titles should use the headline space to give more detail about what they do and are passionate about. Brown’s headline, for example, reads “I help SU students and alumni to craft their career stories | Connector | Speaker | LinkedIn Trainer | CNY Promoter.”

Never, never write “unemployed” — highlight what you’re looking for, instead. 

 

Very Important: You’re not reaching out to people through LinkedIn Groups 

You're not reaching out to people through LinkedIn Groups

LinkedIn can be a great tool for networking, but messaging a complete stranger can be awkward. Try finding people who are in a group you share in common. This helps break the ice, says Brown.

For example, if you’re a Syracuse University alumnus, message a fellow Syracuse person from the Alumni Network before sending a blind InMail.

But pick and choose your recipient carefully: You’re only allowed to send 15 messages a month to other group members.

 

You’re not personalizing LinkedIn connection requests

You're not personalizing LinkedIn connection requests

LinkedIn

When you connect to someone for the first time on LinkedIn, don’t just use the generic message option, “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.”

Take a few moments to write something personalized, says Brown. It will make the recipient more open to your request and the message feel less spammy.

Also, never lie about how you know the person. Lying is almost a guaranteed way to kill your chances at connecting.

You’re “connecting” with people from LinkedIn on your phone

You're "connecting" with people from LinkedIn on your phone

LinkedIn

LinkedIn’s now has a whole suite of useful apps. The flagship lets you connect to people with a click—but you can’t customize the message.

“People will say to me, ‘Well, I didn’t personalize my message because I couldn’t on my phone,'” says Brown. “It’s not an excuse. Get on your computer and connect that way.”

Wiggle room: The nice thing about connecting via smartphone is that you can do it immediately after meeting someone, in which case a message isn’t as important.

You also run a greater risk of typos on your phone though.

You haven’t created a unique LinkedIn URL

You haven't created a unique LinkedIn URL

LinkedIn

“The head of business development for a big company contacted me, and he had his LinkedIn profile link in his signature,” says Brown. “It was [Joe]-[Smith]-8346974. Who would think [all those numbers] look okay? It looks terrible. Definitely customize your URL.”

To customize your LinkedIn URL, press the “Edit Profile” button. Click the gear symbol next to your URL, which will take you to a separate page where a “Your public profile URL” box will let you change the link. Try to get as close to your first and last name as possible. Avoid cutesy nicknames or usernames.

You never bothered to fill out a summary

You never bothered to fill out a summary

LinkedIn

Filling out the summary portion of your LinkedIn profile is crucial if you want to pop up in search results.

“The summary is the most important part,” says Brown. “Having search terms and key words in your summary that are related to the job you’re doing or want to do is going to make you more likely to be found by the recruiters and hiring managers who are searching LinkedIn for talent.”

You don’t “stalk responsibly” or take advantage of it when someone’s checking *you* out

You don't "stalk responsibly" or take advantage of it when someone's checking *you* out

LinkedIn

Any LinkedIn user can see who’s viewed their profile recently, but if you limit your public profile settings, less of your information will be revealed to the person you’ve checked out on LinkedIn. The trade-off: You won’t see as many details about who’s visiting your profile, either.

Getting insights can be super valuable, so being public is a plus. Just stalk responsibly.

“If you’re job seeking and you’re looking at the same person’s profile 59 times in a two-week period, you should probably make yourself anonymous,” says Brown. “Don’t be creepy.”

If you’ve noticed someone checking out your profile in a field or at a company that interests you, though, it can’t hurt to message them to start a dialogue.

 

You haven’t broken your profile out into sections

You haven't broken your profile out into sections

LinkedIn

It’s not just about your summary and work experience: You can add volunteering experiences, organizations you’re part of, honors you’ve received, projects you’ve worked on, and more to your LinkedIn.

A lot of profiles are just one long block of text, but breaking it into different parts makes it easier for people to scan and for you to highlight certain parts that you think are particularly important.

“Don’t be afraid to play around with the order of the sections,” Brown says.

For example, if you’re a recent grad and your course work is more valuable than any of your previous jobs, drag the “projects” section above the “experience” section.

You list “skills” that LinkedIn doesn’t recognize

You list "skills" that LinkedIn doesn't recognize

LinkedIn

Adding a bunch of skills to your profile is a good way to easily flaunt your chops and make yourself more searchable, but if you write something obscure that LinkedIn doesn’t recognize, it doesn’t do you much good.

When you start typing a skill on your LinkedIn profile, make sure it appears in the dropdown menu. If it doesn’t, it may be spelled wrong, or it’s not a frequently searched item, which won’t help your resume get found by recruiters.

Stick to the thousands of skills LinkedIn already has in the system and your profile will pop up more often in search results. You can also allow people to “endorse”

You don’t have (credible) recommendations

You don't have (credible) recommendations

LinkedIn

Brown says it’s important to have recommendations on your LinkedIn profile. But not just any old recommendation—it should come from someone who’s reputable and it should speak to your specific qualifications.

“A lot of times recommendations are really generic,” says Brown. “Such as, ‘Alyson would be an amazing asset to your company because she is a hard worker and a wonderful addition to our office.’ Well, great. How about something more detailed, like about that time you worked on a specific project together?”

Make sure the recommendation someone writes for you isn’t applicable to every other candidate.

Getting these recommendations may require asking for them. Navigate to the “Privacy and Settings” tab, then to “Profile,” and you will see a link for “Manage my recommendations.” That section will prompt you to send a message to a boss or coworker.

You’re not posting photos, posts, or work-centric updates

You're not posting photos, posts, or work-centric updates

LinkedIn

Don’t fill out your profile and then forget about LinkedIn. Radio silence on your feed is bad news.

More than ever before, the site makes it easy to keep your network up-to-date on what’s going on in your professional world through updates, photos, posts, and comments.

“Make it a point to once a week do something,” Brown advises. “Share an update with your network. Put up a photo of an event that you attended. Comment on someone’s post. You want to show up in the network feed, and the way you show up is by doing those things.”

You can solidify yourself as an expert on a topic by publishing posts, too, which often get thousands of views from professionals across LinkedIn.

You’re not engaging with your network

You're not engaging with your network

LinkedIn

“The ‘Keep in touch’ section is a lazy networker’s dream,” Brown says.

Under the “Connections” tab, LinkedIn makes it dead simple to find little ways to connect with people in your network. You can see congratulate someone on a work anniversary, new job, or switching cities.

There’s no excuse to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of maintaining a relationship.

You haven’t left yourself helpful little reminders or scheduled reconnection nudges

You haven't left yourself helpful little reminders or scheduled reconnection nudges

LinkedIn

Every time you connect with someone new on LinkedIn, you should get into the habit of feeling out information in the “Relationship” tab that will appear on their profile.

You can add notes about their interests, info about how you met, and even reminders to reach out to them again in a week, a month, or on a recurring cycle.

“Don’t worry, it’s only visible to you,” Brown says.

You’re not exporting all your contacts

You're not exporting all your contacts

LinkedIn

Want to make it easy to take your LinkedIn conversations off the site, or make sure that you’ll still have access to your contacts if you lose access to your account?

You can export all of your contacts into an Excel file with their name, job title, and email.

Go to the main Connections tab, press the gear symbol in the right-hand corner, and then click “Export LinkedIn Connections” under “Advanced Settings.”

Viola! There are a bunch of different file formats you can use when exporting

“This is one of the biggest ‘a-ha’ moments that everybody has when I teach LinkedIn classes,” Brown says.

BONUS: You’re not using advanced search tools when hunting for a job

BONUS: You're not using advanced search tools when hunting for a job

This one may seem a little obvious, but if you use the advanced search tab, you’re much more likely to turn up relevant career opportunities than if you just conduct broad queries.

Instead of just searching by the name of the company or person, you can search by keyword, industry, location, and more.

You can also save searches, save jobs you’re interested in, and even apply, right through the site.

You’re not taking advantage of the “Find alumni” option

You're not taking advantage of the "Find alumni" option

LinkedIn

Recently, LinkedIn has really amped up the way it lets you find people who went to your university.

You can see all the people who attended your college who studied a certain major or were in your year. You can even search for a specific company, and see all the alumni who worked there. This is great for networking, reconnecting, or planning reunions.

“You can use it for a ton, a ton of different purposes,” Brown says. “It’s like an in-depth yearbook.”

Businessinsider.com | July 17, 2015 | 

 

 [/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

Your #Career : Is It Ever OK To Accept A Job Offer And Continue To #Interview?…Picture this Job Search Conundrum: a Job Seeker has Multiple Hot Leads in Play. One of Them Extends an Offer.

/in /by

It’s Solid but Not Ideal, So the Job Seeker Tries to Hurry the Other Leads Into Additional Offers While Buying More Time to Respond to the First Offer. Eventually, that decision deadline can be pushed no further, and the other leads, while still interested, are not in a position to decide just yet.

  • Should you turn down the first offer, keep interviewing and run the risk that you don’t get anything else?
  • Should you accept the first offer and stop your search, forever wondering if you should have held out for something better?
  • Or do you accept the first offer, continue discussions with other companies, and take something else if a better offer comes? Is it ever OK to accept a job offer and continue to interview?

manage-irrational-employees

In general, it is a terrible idea to accept an offer and continue to interview.

While most work agreements are employment-at-will so you can quit at any time, you don’t want to be someone who quits shortly after accepting an offer. You do want your word to mean something.

In addition, being new to any job requires transition time. If you accept a role but haven’t 100% let go of the prospect of something “better” coming along, then you’re not really giving your new employer your full attention. During the inevitable awkwardness of adjusting to the new role, work environment and culture, you are not giving your best effort, and you may be too distracted to integrate fully. Your half-hearted acceptance is thus the start of a downward spiral.

Finally, it’s a small, small world. Confidentiality is paramount in the hiring process, but so many people are involved that you can’t lock things down 100%. If your new employer finds out you didn’t break off ties with previous prospects, this breach of trust could derail your stint right from the start, if not cause your new employer to cut ties immediately.

 

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That said, there are legitimate reasons why you still might interview even after accepting another job.

You can get closure on the other opportunities. You see your options fully play out, since clearly this new employer is not exactly right. You might even feel better about your new employer, if the other opportunities don’t end up as you expected.

You will have to manage the confidentiality very closely – when exactly are you going to complete these other interviews? If another offer does come through and you want to accept that, you need to make as little disruption for your new employer as possible – helping them secure your replacement, or helping with messaging around your premature departure. Keep in mind that your positive gestures may be rebuffed entirely – the risk of burning bridges when you renege on an acceptance or quit shortly after starting a job is high.

So proceed with caution, whatever you decide to do.

If you turn down an offer for other imminent, but still uncertain prospects, this is the time to really step up your search, including generating brand new leads. Seemingly imminent offers have a nasty habit of disappearing. If the other offers don’t pan out, having newer leads can distract you from regretting to accept that first offer.

If you decide to accept a job that is less than ideal and stop interviewing elsewhere, then don’t drive yourself crazy with what-if scenarios. It’s easy to convince yourself that some other offer would have been better, but that’s just fantasy. Embrace the new role you do have and make a go of it. Pour your energies into doing an amazing job and into changing over time the factors of the job you were less than ideal when you accepted.

If you accept the job but continue to interview, manage your risks in the immediate term as you sort out all the different options. In the longer-term, manage your career more proactively. You felt the need to accept an offer that is less-than-ideal. Why? If you felt you had no other alternatives, shore up your network, your job search technique, and your financial foundation so you increase your capacity to think and act long-term. If you needed to get out of your current company, take a hard look about what didn’t work before and make a plan to correct any shortcomings because the problems you had before might follow you to your new employer.

Did you accept a job before your job search fully played out? What happened?

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart® career coaching. She has worked with executives from American Express, Citigroup, Condé Nast, Gilt, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, and other leading firms. She’s also a stand-up comic, so she’s not your typical coach. Connect with Caroline on Google+.
Forbes.com | July 14, 2015

Your #Career : 7 Ways To Deal With Today’s Long Job Hiring Process…If you’re Looking for a Job, You Might have Sensed that it Seems to be Taking Longer to Snag an Offer Than in the Past. You’re Right.

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A Recent Study from the Employment Site Glassdoor.com Found that the Average Interview Process in the U.S. is Now 22.9 Days, Nearly Double the 12.6 Days in 2010.  It’s a maddening shift that’s only added stress for job hunters. I’ll provide tips on how to deal with this new reality in a moment, but first it’s important to understand what’s driving this change.

Interviewer3

On the surface, the trend towards longer hiring cycles seems counterintuitive. After all, as the war for talent has been heating up, you’d expect employers to act faster, not slower, to lock-in the best candidates. The unemployment rate just hit a seven-year low (at 5.3%) and the CareerBuilder jobs site says 49% of employers plan to hire full-time, permanent employees in the second half of 2015, up from 47% last year.

So what gives?

According to Glassdoor Chief Economist Andrew Chamberlain, there are several reasons why the interview process is taking longer these days.

“Overall, the interview process has become longer largely due to the fact that more employers are requiring more comprehensive interview processes,” Chamberlain told me via email. “For job candidates, that basically means more hoops and hurdles they may have to jump through.”

Screening methods such as group presentations, IQ tests, personality tests and drug tests have gained in popularity, each lengthening the hiring timeline.

Chamberlain also noted that there’s been a marked change in the composition of the workplace in recent years, with a shift away from low-skilled, routine jobs and towards higher-skilled positions requiring more sophisticated skills. Hiring specialized and technical workers requires a more careful — that is, longer — vetting process.

Of course, hiring timelines vary according to job type and industry. Glassdoor says hiring decisions for entry-level jobs like retail sales clerks take less than a week, while the process for senior-level execs typically drags on for two months or more. If you’re a law enforcement candidate, you’d better have a holster full of patience: the average hiring time for police officers clocks in at a painfully slow 128 days.

Glassdoor says neither age, gender or education affect hiring time, though.

7 Tips for Job Seekers

Its report leaves little doubt that you should expect your job search to last awhile. Given that reality, here are seven ways to better manage the wait and, with any luck, cut the time it takes for you to get hired:

1.  Do your homework about the employer’s hiring process.Learn what you can before you apply. This will help you tamp down expectations.

Many companies now post information about their particular hiring process on the career page of their websites; some even offer online chats for prospective applicants.  You can also research the interview process by reading employer reviews on sites like Glassdoor.com or Indeed.com as well as by speaking with friends who work at your target employers.

 

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2. Ask about “next steps” at the end of each interview. Find out if more interviews will be needed — and if so, roughly how many, how soon they’ll occur and how they’ll be done (group, individual, phone, etc.). Ask the employer if you’ll need to provide any additional information such as references. Or, if appropriate, whether you’ll need to schedule drug testing. The more proactive you are about handling needed tasks early on, the less chance of delays happening on the back end.

3.  Do what you can to nudge the process along. While you can’t do much to control the employer’s internal decision-making process, there are a few ways to bolster your standing and help speed up a potential offer.

For one, send a compelling thank-you note that clearly explains why you’re the best person for the job. It’s not only the polite thing to do; the note will provide a reminder that you’re a savvy candidate who might get snatched up by a competitor if the employer doesn’t act quickly.

If you know someone who works for the employer, ask him or her to put in a good word for you. As I’ve written before, a strong internal reference is one of the most effective ways to best the competition.

Of course, it’s wise not to appear too eager. There’s a fine line between good follow-up and looking desperate. So demonstrate your interest by touching base at the agreed upon checkpoints, but resist the temptation to check in every time you get anxious.

4. Don’t read too much into employer promises. Even if you’re told “We’ll definitely have a decision by next week” or “You’re one of our top two candidates,” take such comments with a grain of salt.

Employers’ plans change. A hundred things that have nothing to do with you can delay the decision: The hiring manager goes on vacation; an internal project suddenly requires attention; the company becomes the target of a takeover.

It’s fine to take a moment to relish any encouraging comments, but then plow full steam ahead with the job search.

5. Adjust your expectations (and advise your significant others to do the same). Reset your mental time clock and plan on the process lasting two or three times longer than the employer indicates. If it finishes sooner, great. But in the meantime, you’ll have an easier time managing your anxiety during the wait.

6. Keep your job application pipeline full. When you only have one prospect, you’ll obsess over it day and night. The best way to keep your sanity during a long interview wait is by generating a steady flow of new opportunities.

Even if your dream job seems within reach, keep searching, keep networking and keep applying. That way, you’ll feel like you’re making progress and you may uncover other interesting job openings in the process.

7. Snag a competitive offer. Nothing speeds up the hiring process faster than letting employers know you have another job offer. Just like dating, you’ll appear way more attractive to potential suitors once they know others are seriously interested.

Of course, there are risks involved with this strategy, so use it wisely. Once you tell an employer there’s a competing offer, you start the clock ticking. That’s why this approach can backfire if the employer’s lengthy interview timeline can’t be easily shortened. Also, some employers might resent being pressured into making a decision before they’re ready.

But when presented in a non-threatening and professional manner, having a bird in hand is one of the best ways to force the employer’shand — and maybe even get a higher starting salary to boot.

Nancy Collamer, M.S., is a career coach, speaker and author of Second-Act Careers: 50+ Ways to Profit From Your Passions During Semi-Retirement and a contributor to Next Avenue. Her website is MyLifestyleCareer.com; on Twitter she is @NancyCollamer.

Forbes.com | July 14, 2015 | Next Avenue 

Your #Career : 20 Words you Should Never Put On your #Résumé …Avoiding Overused Terms can Help #Job Seekers Convey their Message & Stand Out From the Crowd.

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While Any Large Companies Use Automated Résumé Screener Software to Cut Down the Initial Pool of Job Applicants, Loading your Résumé with Meaningless Buzzwords is Not theSsmartest Way to Get Noticed. 

Woman Using Laptop at Home

Get ready to start hitting the ‘delete’ button.

“Nearly everyone is guilty of using buzzwords from time to time, but professionals are evaluated increasingly on their ability to communicate,” says Paul McDonald, senior executive director for professional placement firm Robert Half.

One of the major problems with using buzzwords and terms, according to Mary Lorenz, a corporate communications manager at CareerBuilder, is they have become so overused that they’ve lost all meaning.

Another issue, she explains, is that many of these words don’t differentiate the job seeker from other candidates because they’re so generic. Instead, Lorenz says job seekers should speak in terms of accomplishments and show rather than tell.

“Avoiding overused terms can help job seekers convey their message and stand out from the crowd,” McDonald says. Here’s what you should avoid:

1. ‘Best of breed’

1. 'Best of breed'

When CareerBuilder surveyed more than 2,200 hiring managers last year, it found “best of breed” to be the most irritating term to be seen on a résumé.

“Anyone can say they are ‘best of breed,’ a ‘go-getter,’ a ‘hard worker,’ or a ‘strategic thinker,'” Lorenz says. “Employers want to know what makes the job seekers unique, and how they will add value to the specific organization for which they’re applying.”

 

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2. ‘Phone’

2. 'Phone'

Career coach Eli Amdur says there is no reason to put the word “phone” in front of the actual number.

“It’s pretty silly. They know it’s your phone number.” The same rule applies to email.

3. ‘Results-driven’

“Instead of simply saying that you’re results-driven, write about what you did to actually drive results — and what those results were,” Lorenz suggests.

 

3. ‘Responsible for’

3. 'Responsible for'

Vancouver Film School/Flickr

Superfluous words like “responsible for,” “oversight of,” and “duties included,” unnecessarily complicate and hide your experience says Alyssa Gelbard, founder and president of Résumé Strategists.

“Be direct, concise, and use active verbs to describe your accomplishments,” she suggests. Instead of writing, “Responsible for training interns …,” simply write, “Train interns …”

5. ‘Highly qualified’

5. 'Highly qualified'

Mays Business School/Flickr

McDonald saying using terms like “highly qualified” or “extensive experience” won’t make you seem better-suited for the job — in fact, it could have the opposite effect. Instead, he suggests you focus on the skills, accomplishments, and credentials you bring to the role.

6. ‘Seasoned’

6. 'Seasoned'

Flickr / mhaithaca

“Not only does this word conjure up images of curly fries,” says Rita Friedman, a Philadelphia-based career coach, “it is well-recognized as a code word for ‘much, much older.'”

 

7. ‘References available by request’

7. 'References available by request'

Flickr / Timothy Krause

This outdated phrase will unnecessarily age you, Gelbard says. “If you progress through the interviewing process, you will be asked for personal and professional references.”

8. ‘NYSE’

8. 'NYSE'

Flickr/Hans Watson

Vicky Oliver, author of “Power Sales Words” and “301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions,” says you should spell out any acronyms first and put the initials in parentheses. For example, “NYSE” would read “New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).”

“For starters, acronyms are capitalized, and all caps are harder to read than upper and lower case,” she explains. “It’s also really difficult to wade through a piece of paper that resembles alphabet soup.”

 

9. ‘Team player’

9. 'Team player'

TaskRabbit

“Who doesn’t want to be a team player? If you’re not a team player, you’re probably not going to get the job,” McDonald says.

But using this term isn’t going to make you stand out from other candidates. “Instead, use an example of how you saved a company time, money, and resources on a team project or in collaboration with others.

10. ‘Ambitious’

10. 'Ambitious'

“Of course you would never say you’re ‘lazy’ either, but calling yourself ambitious doesn’t make any sense on a resume,” Friedman says.

“It can imply that you’re targeting this job now, but will quickly be looking to move up in the company because you won’t be satisfied in the role, leaving the employer stuck with doing a new job search in the very near future.”

11. ‘Microsoft Word’

11. 'Microsoft Word'

Gvahim/Flickr

Yea, you and everyone else.

It’s assumed that you have a basic proficiency in Microsoft Office, Gelbard says. Unless you have expert proficiency, there’s no need to include it on your résumé.

12. ‘Interfaced’

12. 'Interfaced'

Kimimasa Mayama/Reuters

“Words like this make you sound like an automaton,” Oliver says. “Most recruiters would rather meet with a human being. Keep your verbs simpl

 

13. ‘Hard worker’

13. 'Hard worker'

War Production Co-ordinating Committee

It’s true that a company is less likely to consider you if you haven’t worked hard or don’t come across as someone who will put in what it takes to get the job done, but that doesn’t mean writing “hard worker” will convince hiring managers of your efforts.

“Give concrete examples of how you’ve gone the extra mile, rather than using a non-memorable cliché,” McDonald suggests.

14. ‘Honest’

14. 'Honest'

Screenshot

Honesty is one of those things you have to show, not tell, Friedman says.

“It’s not as if there are some other candidates out there vying for the job who are describing themselves as ‘duplicitous’ or ‘dishonest.'”

15. ‘Punctual’

15. 'Punctual'

Daniel Goodman / Business Insider

Being punctual is great, but it’s also pretty basic to holding down a job. Don’t waste the space on your résumé.

 

16. ‘@’

16. '@'

Flickr.com/IntelFreePress

Unless it’s in your email address, avoid casual texting language like @.

“A resume is a formal document and is often the first impression a potential employer has of you,” Gelbard stresses. “Business language should be used to reinforce that first impression and text-style or casual words should be avoided.”

17. ‘People person’

17. 'People person'

Flickr

Cliches like “people person” are impossible to prove, Oliver says, and recruiters have heard these phrases so many times they’re likely to feel their eyes glaze over as soon as they see them.

18. ‘Hit the ground running’

18. 'Hit the ground running'

Facebook/Baylor-University

“This one is a pet peeve of mine,” McDonald says. “The expression is unnecessary and doesn’t add value. A recruiter isn’t going to be able to place you if you’re not eager to start the j

 

9. ‘I’

19. 'I'

AP Images

Avoid using personal pronouns like I, me, my, we, or our, Gelbard says.

“A person reviewing your resume knows that you’re talking about your skills, experience, and expertise or something related to the company for which you worked, so you don’t need to include pronouns.”

20. ‘Successfully’

20. 'Successfully'

Dogma / Wikimedia, CC

“It’s generally assumed that you were successful at whatever you are including on your resume,” Gelbard says. “There is no need to say that you successfully managed a marketing campaign or successfully led annual budget planning.”

 

Businessinsider.com | July 10, 2015 |  

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/words-to-never-put-on-your-resume-2015-7?op=1#ixzz3fa2ozOJF