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

On this episode, guest expert Mandi Woodruff highlights the common mistakes she sees during a hiring process, illuminating innovative ways that job seekers can impress hiring managers and secure an interview from the first interaction.

Mandi Woodruff is the cohost of Brown Ambition, a top 20 career and money podcast.

She is also executive editor of Magnify Money, and has spent her career covering the ins and out of personal finance. Previously, Mandi served as a correspondent at Yahoo Finance and editor at Business Insider. She is a graduate of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at The University of Georgia.

What is your opposite job?

This week’s question comes from listener Leah Pancheri in Portland, Oregon.

“Oftentimes jobs will have a salary posted, but then they will ask either on the application or in the interview about salary "requirements" or ‘expectations’... how do we best answer this question when we clearly know what they posted? What if we feel we are worth a little more, or that the job sounds like it's worth paying a little more after the interview? I'd love some suggestions/insight on the most tactful and respectful way to answer the question.”

These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free.

Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in:

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.
• Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.
• What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big risks can deliver big rewards for your career, whether it’s switching industries or asking for more money. While change is scary, it’s worthwhile to take smart risks in your career if you have a goal in mind.

Joymarie Parker says you should be taking risks in your career, but only when you’ve done your research and have a solid plan. One risk you should definitely take: ask for more money when you know you’re worth it. Joymarie

Joymarie Parker is a marketer and the founder and co-host of Joblogues, a podcast and platform that offers candid career conversations with multicultural professionals and entrepreneurs.

Originally from Maryland, Joymarie now lives in Brooklyn where you can catch her exploring the restaurant scene or planning her next vacation.

Are pain letters on the way out? A pain letter is a different approach to a cover letter that addresses the employer’s pain point and outlines how the applicant can solve it. But Alison Green of the Ask a Manager blog says the pain letter is a “cover letter but with lots of added salesiness and a serious dose of presumption.” Read the whole post: Do Pain Letters Really Work?

This week’s listener question comes from McKenzie O’Malley of Portland, Oregon, via email.

“I would love to explore the possibility of potentially working at Under Armour’s recently established Portland-based office in some kind of administrative role (of which I have 3+ years of experience, primarily in nonprofit settings), but do not have any direct contacts or even potential connections via LinkedIn.  I was wondering if you had any additional advice, insights, or individuals in mind that I could possibly connect with to see if I could even get a small foot in the door with the company.”

These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free.

Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in:

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.
• Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.
• What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dawn Rasmussen, President of Pathfinder Careers shares her contribution to Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.

How effective is networking? If you apply for a job online you have a 2% chance of getting an interview. If you apply through someone you know you have a 50% chance of getting an interview. Direct networking is that impactful.

Are you thinking, “but I’m not a type ‘A’ networker. How do I practice?" You should be proactive and put yourself out there by:

• Growing an informal connection with someone through continued follow-up.
• Taking the fear out of talking with unknown people by making them a known quantity.
• Getting involved or volunteering with a business or organization that interests you.

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you're considering a career change, play to your strengths. Highlight what you’re already good at - those skills that will help you contribute right away - and show people that you’re willing to learn the rest! Guest expert Danna Redmond encourages career changers to create a plan, but also be open to opportunities that come up naturally over time. It’s important to be ready to go into something new without every step clearly outlined.

Start with a couple best practices:

• Network! Let people know you’re interested in a new career path, and ask questions.
• Assess your skillset. Don’t pigeonhole yourself into your existing area of expertise. Think about the skills that make you an expert, and ask how you can apply those in other areas.

Danna Redmond is hosts the podcast, The Career Cue. She has a passion for helping people turn career goals and dreams into reality. Danna is an accomplished business leader. She worked for almost 20 years for Fortune 50 Companies.

Did you know that 93% of people who wanted to change roles ended up leaving their current employer to do so? Check out this research from Gallup: When Making Career Moves, Americans Switch Companies. And if you want to switch careers without switching companies, read the tips from Forbes in Career Change By Staying Put: How To Make A Lateral Move Within The Same Company.

This week’s question is perfect for the subject of today’s episode. It comes from Nick Macchio of Holtsville, New York:

“I listen to a lot of career podcasts and read a lot of articles and the one thing that's always missing is: how do you make that career change/pivot when you're established and have a family to support but can't afford a pay cut. I think that's one of the biggest challenges. It's actually the ONE thing that prevents me from switching careers in hopes of finding work I enjoy.”

These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free.

Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in:

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.
• Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.
• What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many people take breaks during their career. People take breaks for childcare, elder care, travel, health, and more. When you’re ready to return after a multi-year break from work, it can be hard to make a plan to relaunch your career.

The first step is to figure out what you want, according to career expert Carol Fishman Cohen. “From there,” she says, “everything else flows.” In this episode, Carol shares her personal experience with relaunching her career, and gives advice for job seekers who need a plan to reenter the workforce.

One great tactic is to use strategic volunteering to beef up your recent experience. Carol shared a few resources to find opportunities, including Idealist and Catchafire.

Carol Fishman Cohen is the CEO and co-founder of iRelaunch, a pioneering company in the career reentry space. She contributes regularly to the Harvard Business Review and her TED talk on relaunching has been viewed over 1.5 million times. Carol also hosts the 3,2,1 iRelaunch podcast.

Volunteering abroad isn’t just for church youth groups and just-out-of-college peace corp cadets. There are a lot of opportunities for people with professional level skills to make a difference through volunteer work. You can use the education, training and experience you have to help people where such skills are less common.

This week’s question comes from Wendy Lynn of Talent, Oregon.

“I'm wondering to what extent job openings are seasonal? Are there better or worse times to look for a job?”

These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free.

Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in:

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.
• Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.
• What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A career in the public sector can be incredibly rewarding. But government hiring processes from the local level to the federal level are often complicated and outright byzantine.

This podcast listener exclusive bonus episode features Kirsten Wyatt, co-founder of Engaging Local Government Leaders, reading her contribution to Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s a lot to learn when you’re a young professional just getting started in your career. Blogger Kayla Buell wrote the book on climbing the corporate ladder during your early career, and she joined the podcast this week to share her advice for young workers.

The key for professionals in their 20s is to show their boss that they’re ready to learn, willing to work hard, and answerable for the work at hand.

Don’t be over-confident:

• Ask questions and offer help to your older colleagues. It’s up to you to reach out and get to know your new co-workers.
• Be willing to take on menial tasks for the good of the team. You’ve got to prove you’re not too proud to get coffee and make copies early in your career; it will show your boss you’re a responsible team player.

Do speak up:

• Communicate with your teammates about your work. Let them know what you’re doing and that you’re delivering on promises.
• If you’re not feeling challenged, look for avenues to offer help. Once you’ve earned trust, it’s OK to tell your boss you’re ready to take on more responsibility.

Kayla Buell publishes Gen Y Girl, a career and lifestyle blog for millennials. She is passionate about helping people in their 20s learn how to have thriving careers.

Kayla is the author of Corporate Survival Guide For Your Twenties. And she uses her writing and social media skills at an advertising agency in Florida.

Need inspiration for your next cover letter? Ben has you covered with 12 Great Cover Letter Examples for 2017. No matter where you are in your career, The Interview Guys share a dozen unique examples to help you write a more effective cover letter.

The Mac’s List team answers a question listener Lori Bonante, from Washington, D.C.:

“I’m interested in finding a career coach but I’m finding them all to be very expensive and it’s something right now that I just can’t seem to afford. So what I want to know is, what are your suggestions for doing similar things that you would get from a career coach that you can do on your own.”

These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free.

Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in:

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.
• Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.
• What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When you submit a job application, you could be up against hundreds or even thousands of others. It’s hard to stand out in the crowd, but there are things you can do to improve your chances of getting an interview.

This week’s guest expert is Jenn Swanson. Jenn reminded us of simple mistakes that can sink your job application: if you missed key details, didn’t follow instructions, or submitted your attachments in the wrong format.

There are many reasons you didn’t get an interview. The top two:

• You’re just not qualified.
• You didn’t customize your resume and cover letter.

Jenn also shared advice for applicants to figure out what the hiring manager really wants, how to write your resume to get through automated applicant tracking systems, and land an interview for your dream job.

Jenn Swanson is the host of the Communication Diva podcast and the author of What They See: How to Stand Out and Shine in Your New Job. Through her podcast, online courses, coaching, and book, Jenn helps you get the job, love your work, and  advance your career.

Jenn also shared a discount for our listeners on her Resume Short Course! Get the discount here.

Resume formatting is tricky. You want to show off your creativity and personality, but your resume also needs to be easy to read and scannable, both by human reviewers and applicant tracking systems.

Ben recommends checking out The 41 Best Resume Templates Ever from The Muse to find resume inspiration and find a customizable template.   

This week’s question comes via email from Juan Llera of Jersey City, New Jersey:

“My question: do you know of any resources that you can share that can assist me in rewording my resume. I had a long career in the insurance industry and most recently with their IT department. I would like to look for a position in the non-profit organization. I would like to revise my resume from an insurance-IT to a non-profit focus.”

These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free.

Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in:

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.
• Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.
• What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you fantasize about reinventing your career? On this episode of Find Your Dream Job, we find out what it takes to completely change your career path, and why so many people want to give up on corporate life and open a bed and breakfast. Guest expert Kathy Caprino shares a roadmap for finding the right direction for your career.

Kathy takes a holistic approach to career change, encouraging people to understand themselves and their motivations, and to be patient. She shared 5 steps to a successful career change:

Kathy Caprino is a career and personal success coach, writer, speaker and leadership developer dedicated to the advancement of women worldwide.

She is the author of Breakdown, Breakthrough, and the founder of Ellia Communications, Inc. and the Amazing Career Project.  Kathy is also a contributor to Forbes, Huffington Post and LinkedIn.

Everyone has a different way to describe themselves and what they like to do. The  Career Cluster Interest Survey, created by Minnesota State University, lets you rate activities you enjoy, your personal qualities, and school subjects you like. Then you can see which career clusters are a match for your interests.You’ll answer 152 different yes/no questions about specific interests, activities, personal qualities, and education. It only takes about 10 minutes to complete because all you’re doing is checking off boxes for traits that relate to you. This process can help you get clear on the right career - or type of job - that works best for you.

This week’s listener question is a relatable one for folks looking to relocate. Becky and the team address this question from Seth Richardson, of New York City:

“Hi, this is Seth from New York City. I am in the process of relocating to Portland. Can you give me some advice on how to get my resume noticed from across the country when I can’t always be there in person to make the face-to-face connection?”

These segments are sponsored by Mac’s new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. The book offers practical, actionable, and proven tools to help you get clear about your career goals, find hidden jobs, and ace your next interview. Get the first chapter of this useful resource free.

Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast! Join in:

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK. If we use your question on the air, you will receive either a copy of our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.
• Share your best job resource with our listeners! Send your resource to [email protected], and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.
• What do you think of our show? Rate and review our podcast on iTunes. We appreciate your support!

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this bonus episode, Don Raskin, author of The Dirty Little Secrets of Getting Your Dream Job reads his contribution to Mac's book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere.

Knowledge is power and the key to interview preparation is research. You must do these three things before your next job interview. 

• Go to the company’s website and social media profiles. Collect information you can use during your interview.
• Look for recent news items about the company, its competitors and the industry at large.
• Use this information during the interview to help you look in the know.  

• Review the job description to understand the duties and responsibility of the job.
• Search Indeed.com and look at similar positions from other companies to compare job requirements and responsibilities.

Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.