Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips for Finding Work, Advancing your Career, and Loving Your Job

Do you think it’s a best practice to never call or write a hiring manager? Or that you should only apply for jobs where you meet 80% of qualifications? How about the notion that you must tell a hiring manager what you earned at your last job? Our guest Clark Finnical debunks these jobs search myths and unlocks the keys to finding more career satisfaction.

About Our Guest: Clark Finnical

Clark Finnical is the author of “Job Hunting Secrets (from someone who's been there)”: https://amzn.to/2MPx1PN. Clark worked in the corporate world for 30 years. And he knows firsthand what it’s like to look for a job. He’s done five successful searches himself. Clark is passionate about dispelling myths that put a job seeker at a disadvantage. He shares his career advice in frequent articles for LinkedIn. He also volunteers as a career coach.

Resources Shared in This Episode:

• Get Clark’s book: “Job Hunting Secrets (from someone who's been there)”: https://amzn.to/2MPx1PN

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If you're in the midst of a long job search, it can feel like you've exhausted every possible avenue to find a new job. Consider taking a closer look at your LinkedIn profile and connections, and revising your cover letter to find more success in your job search. On this bonus episode of the Find Your Dream Job podcast, I chat with Zerline Hughes Spruill, who is the Managing Director of Communications at the Advancement Project in Washington, DC about she used LinkedIn as a platform to grow her professional brand and attract attention from potential employers, and how she used her cover letter to refine her job search. Learn more about Zerline's career history below, in a Q&A featured as a part of our Success Stories series.

 

What do you do for a career? Who do you work for?

I am Managing Director of Communications for Advancement Project. I manage the strategic communications and outreach for a mid-size nonprofit that is dedicated to racial justice, particularly as it relates to voting rights, immigration and education.

How long did it take you to find this job?

Though I wasn’t actively looking for full-time employment, the process from start to finish took two months during the summer.

How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most?

LinkedIn really works! I wasn’t looking for a job, but heard with regular updates to LinkedIn, including weekly posts, comments and keeping your profile updated, that other users will notice you. This was the case with a headhunter who apparently found me on LinkedIn.

What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge?

Because I wasn’t actively searching, there was no difficulty in the hunt. However, being patient over the two-month period with the one employer was difficult. As a contractor, I was squeamish about taking on new contracts in the event I was, in fact hired. But I understood that the process was going to take time because the organization wanted the right person for this leadership role; it was summer and staff wasn’t readily available for panel interviews and they didn’t want to rush into such a big decision.

What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers?

When working with a search firm, ask them questions. Let them truly guide you by asking for their input on your resume, cover letter, interview input. They want you to succeed as much as you do yourself.

Why do you love your job?

I love my job because after only two weeks, I feel valued, appreciated and needed. I also love my job because I know what I’m doing – what we’re doing – makes a difference. Finally, I love my job because they hosted a staff retreat where staff really got to “retreat,” and relax, and team-build.

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If you find yourself experiencing doubts about your current job position, look for warning signs that it’s not worth sticking it out. A toxic workplace culture, stagnant company growth, no room for career development and other indicators can be clear signs that it’s time to move on. Our guest expert Jessica Hernandez shares how to overcome obstacles as you face a career change.

About Our Guest: Jessica Hernandez

Jessica Hernandez is an executive resume writer and President and CEO of Great Resumes Fast.

Resources Shared in This Episode:

• Go to https://www.greatresumesfast.com/
• Fifteen Keys To Get Your Resume Through Applicant Tracking Software Systems: https://www.greatresumesfast.com/macslist

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Today, the Mac’s List team marks a major milestone. This month marks the third anniversary of the Find Your Dream Job podcast. We’ve now recorded more than 160 weekly shows. Add the more than 50 bonus episodes, and that makes more than 200 podcast programs. To mark the occasion, the Mac’s List team gathered in the podcast studio to share their favorite career lessons learned and most impactful job seeker advice they’ve discovered along the way. Here’s a few of the big takeaways the team shares:

• Why taking action and making a commitment is an important first step
• How to ask your network about your strengths
• The importance of having focus in your job search
• Why you should always write a cover letter
• How to pay it forward and keep your career development moving even when you’re not actively job-hunting

Listen in to this bonus episode as the Mac’s List team celebrates how the podcast has grown and looks forward to what’s next.

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In order to find a job where you will thrive, it’s essential to determine if the company’s work culture is the right fit for you. Do you thrive in structured work environments or do you need to work remotely? During the interview process, ask tactical, specific questions about the company’s culture and determine if it fits your needs. Dorianne St Fluer, HR practitioner and diversity/inclusion enthusiast joins us to examine how to identify if a company’s culture is a good fit before you accept a job offer.

About Our Guest: Dorianne St Fleur

Dorianne is a HR practitioner, Diversity & Inclusion enthusiast and career and salary strategist based in New York City. She is also the creator of the online career coaching boutique, Your Career Girl as well as the host of the weekly career podcast called, Deeper than Work. Dorianne coaches, speaks and podcasts about how women of color can leverage their unique strengths to decrease the leadership gap in Tech and Finance.

Resources in this Episode:

• New tool: Keep in mind these 7 warning signs before you accept a job offer, from Fast Company: https://www.fastcompany.com/40585779/7-warning-signs-that-you-shouldnt-accept-a-job-offer
• Listener question: Alex Franklin, Portland, OR, is passionate about politics and frequently uses social media to discuss political issues. He asks, is it okay to be politically active when looking for work?
• More from our guest:
• • Go to yourcareergirl.com
  • Subscribe to Dorianne’s podcast, The Deeper Than Work Podcast: https://yourcareergirl.com/podcast/

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It’s a common phrase when you’re looking for a job, “keep your options open.” However, keeping all of your options open and applying everywhere is typically not the best approach. Career coach Caroline Adams reveal why it’s in your best interest to be strategic, intentional, and laser-focused with your job search.

About Our Guest: Caroline Adams

Caroline is a career coach, writer, and business owner, helping millennial women design careers with purpose.

Before becoming a coach, Caroline had a 20-year corporate career focused on organizational change. She began as a management consultant at Accenture and ended up as a Director of Anti-Money Laundering at Citibank, making some pretty cool pivots along the way.

What she’s always loved most is helping people define their careers. She’s made it her mission to help people grow, contribute, and ultimately get wherever they want to go.

Resources in this Episode:

• New tool: Explore two new tools from LinkedIn that can help you make new connections ‒ Find Nearby (https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/75689?trk=tos-email-2017?trk=li_corpblog_TOS_Privacy) and QR codes (https://blog.linkedin.com/2018/june/27/turn-your-offline-conversations-into-onine-connections-with-linkedin).
• Listener question: Wayne Cramer, Las Vegas, NV

“Is there any advantage to being one of the first people to apply for a job? When a new job listing pops up on LinkedIn or Craigslist, I sometimes feel the urge to apply as soon as possible. Does getting your application in early make any impact?”

• More from our guest:
• • Visit Caroline Adam’s website: https://carolineadamscoaching.com/

Ask Caroline about any of your job search challenges - https://carolineadamscoaching.com/ask-me-anything

Additional blog resources:

• 4 Steps to Take Back Your Life and Design a Career With Purpose (https://carolineadamscoaching.com/subscribe)
• The Right Way to Plan Your Career: A Roadmap: https://carolineadamscoaching.com/blog/the-right-way-to-plan-your-career-a-roadmap-for-millennial-women
• The Golden Rule of Career Change and Advancement (https://carolineadamscoaching.com/blog/millennial-women-golden-rule-career-change-advancement)
• Exponentially Increase Your Career Options With This Simple Improv Trick (https://carolineadamscoaching.com/blog/millennial-women-yes-and-career-options)

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Every interview typically includes the classic opening line: "Tell me about yourself." Your answer to this introductory question can be a gamechanger. Career coach and job search strategist Kerri Twigg shares why your response needs to be prepared in advance to ensure that it’s conversational, enjoyable, and strategic.

About Our Guest: Kerri Twigg

Kerri Twigg is a Certified Resume Strategist with more than 15 years experience as a consultant and workshop facilitator. She holds an M.Ed in Humane Education and works with clients in industries that don't harm people, animals or the environment.

Resources in this Episode:

• New tool: The Verge interviewed social psychologist Heidi Grant about why it’s so important to ask for help when you’re struggling: https://www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2018/6/22/17475134/heidi-grant-reinforcements-help-social-psychology
• Listener question: Shiva Acharya from Albuquerque, New Mexico recently graduated from college and is frustrated by the number of entry-level jobs that require 2-5+ years experience. Shiva wonders if employers will still consider him despite his lack of experience.
• More from our guest:
• • Get Kerri Twigg’s full guide on how to answer the question Tell Me About Yourself in five simple steps: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tell-me-yourself-preparation-tips-kerri-twigg-m-ed-crs-/
  • Visit Kerri’s website: http://www.career-stories.com/

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With today’s competitive job market, submitting your resume online to recruiters can sometimes feel like throwing it into a black hole. However, there’s a better way to highlight your skills, select strategic keywords, and build a better resume that will attract recruiters who are hiring. Tarunum Khan, certified career strategist shares how to get started.

About Our Guest: Taranum Khan

Taranum Khan, Ph. D is a Certified Career Strategist and Ambassador, Career Professionals of Canada. In 2017 she received the nomination for Award of Excellence as an "Outstanding Career Professional.”

Her passion is creating a positive impact on career and academic journey of the lives she touches, locally and globally. Every conversation with her is uplifting and inspiring as she inverts the focus for you to rediscover the strengths within you!

Resources in this Episode:

• New tool: False expectations can be holding you back from finding your next career. The Ladders shares 8 unrealistic expectations that smart people ignore: https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/8-unrealistic-expectations-smart-people-ignore
• Listener question: Terry Williamson from Eugene, Oregon asks “Here's my job search pet peeve: When you're applying for a job online and they ask you to upload a resume. But then they also ask you to re-enter all of the information from your resume into separate ‘work history’ fields. Why do companies do this?”
• More from our guest: Connect with Taranum on LinkedIn (https://ca.linkedin.com/in/taranumkhan) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TaranumNKhan).

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Job searching can feel difficult if you’re approaching it alone. One way to go farther in your job search is to team up with friends, coworkers, and mentors to lighten the load, get their advice, and make your job search journey more bearable. On this bonus episode of the Find Your Dream Job podcast, I chat with Mariana Lindsay (LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariana-lindsay-2582a71a/) who is the the urban rural connection coordinator at the American Leadership Forum of Oregon. Learn more about Mariana’s career and get her job search advice in her Q&A below, part of the Mac’s List Success Stories series.

What do you do for a career? Who do you work for?

I’m coordinator of American Leadership Forum (http://www.alforegon.org/) (ALF) of Oregon’s new Urban Rural Connection Program.

At a time when our communities and nation feel acutely divided, ALF is leading dialogue and helping foster collaboration across differences. Throughout the 30-year history of ALF Oregon, the urban-rural divide has been a part of every class and it is an issue that affects each of our local communities. Through gathering community partners, funding, and staff capacity to bring together a diverse cohort of leaders to explore what’s causing the divide and what solutions can be generated, ALF works to better understand how the divide is defined, how it impacts communities, and when the divide is used as a weapon or as a tool.

How long did it take you to find this job?

2.5 months

How did you find your job? What resources did you use? What tool or tactic helped the most?

I previously spent nearly 5 years at the Center for Women’s Leadership (CWL) in Portland, and served as interim Executive Director during my last year. Once we announced new Executive Director, Traci Rossi, I felt comfortable scheduling coffee with colleagues to discuss my job search and what opportunities might be available. It’s easy to get stuck in a professional bubble, so having those conversations re-opened my perspective on the types of positions and sectors available. I’ve always been a believer in reaching out to people who I’ve worked with and learned from to get their best thinking and advice. And, on the flip side, I believe in trying to always be open and ready to return the favor when they reach out. There is so much that can be learned, accomplished, and built through relationships. I think we often times are discouraged from reaching out to learn from others (see: fake it till you make it), but we can’t be perfect at everything and by asking for partnership, we give another person the chance to shine and teach.

ALF Executive Director, Kendall Clawson, has been a mentor and friend for 7 years, and we’d collaborated on projects and shared more time over coffee than I can count. Our history meant we’d developed a good sense of each other’s passions and professional backgrounds. She approached me about the new Urban Rural project and it being a fit for my skillset. I applied, and was fortunate enough to get the job, partly in thanks to some of my professional contacts (including the former CWL Board Chair Martha Pellegrino) who were ALF Senior Fellows and were generous enough to vouch for me.

What was the most difficult part of your job search? How did you overcome this challenge?

Above is the short and sweet version, but it doesn’t encompass the parts of the job search that weren’t slam dunks: applying for jobs that I didn’t get, contemplating moving to another job market, and the self-doubt of starting a new chapter.

You can’t pursue it all, no matter how much you want to. There are only so many hours in the day, and not every job is right for you.

Sifting through job announcements and figuring out which ones really fit my professional experience, values, and ambitions was time-consuming and often exhausting. I tried to go on a run most days and check in with friends – the time to reflect internally on a run and externally through friends helped me distill where I should be putting my energy. During the in-between time, I pursued contract work, which helped me stay active in my professional networks and eased my financial concerns.

What is the single best piece of advice you would offer other job-seekers?

It’s hard to know which meeting, application, or random conversation will be the door that opens to the next career chapter. So be present where you are and with who you’re with in the moment. Job-seeking is usually a stressful season, so it’s easy for the mind to drift to the long to-do list and the seemingly omnipresent worries, but you can only be in one place at a time and you want to get the most out of the now.

Why do you love your job?

I love the daily chance to collaborate with leaders across regions and sectors who believe in an Oregon that thrives because diversity is welcomed, communities are heard and supported, equity is paramount, and the state is bursting with thoughtful innovation.

My job affords me the chance to think deeply, feel passionately, and work with people who inspire me.

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You might think that every job posting is a list of facts about the position. That’s a mistake, according to Justin Dux, CareerCloud Radio podcast host. If you learn to read between the lines you can become a more competitive candidate and stand out from dozens of other applicants.

About Our Guest: Justin Dux

Justin Dux hosts CareerCloud Radio, a podcast for job seekers that began in 2007. He regularly interviews job hunting experts who offer useful and actionable tips. And he is proud graduate of the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota.

Resources in this Episode:

• New tool: Vermont is offering $10,000 to remote workers who move to the state: https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/vermont-is-offering-remote-workers-10000-to-move-to-its-state
• Listener question: Leonard Bryan from West Linn, Oregon asks: “A lot of people talk about finding an employer that offers a good work-life balance. How do you define work-life balance? What is your advice for finding employers who match your definition?”
• More from our guest:
• • Go to careercloud.com

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justindux/

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