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

We recorded our 100th episode live in our hometown of Portland, in front of about 100 of our closest friends, and it was a wonderful night. If you were there, reminisce with the full audio. If you missed it, you're in luck - we captured all the audio in this podcast!  Take a listen. 

Jared Mees is cofounder of Tender Loving Empire, a local-focused record label and collection of stores featuring handmade goods. Jared is a musician and art lover who turned his passion into his career.

• Crowd favorite and expert career coach Jenny Foss, a.k.a. JobJenny, spoke to Mac and soundly defeated Ben in a friendly round of career trivia.
• Live music and a chat with Freddy Trujillo, who wrote our podcast theme song.
• Real people got onstage to share their experiences with job searching, job loss, and more.
• The Mac’s List team recalled their favorite moments from the past 99 weekly shows.

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Studies confirm that storytelling is the most powerful form of communication there is. By transforming your career history from a chronological list into a story with personality, you’ll leave a strong impression on the interviewer. Rob shared tips to tell your career story with a strong narrative arc in 5 steps:

Rob Biesenbach helps organizations and individuals capitalize on the power of storytelling.  He’s an award-winning consultant to Fortune 500 companies, an engaging and informative keynote speaker, and a Second City-trained actor.

Rob is also the author of two fun, practical books that use principles from the world of performance to help people communicate more successfully. And he’s now at work on a third book on storytelling.

Recruiters shared the LinkedIn mistakes they see people make all the time. Whether your profile is outdated, you have a lame headline, or you’re not telling a coherent story about your background, this resource shares common mistakes job seekers should avoid on their LinkedIn pages. Read Recruiters Explain What the Worst LinkedIn Profiles have in Common on Fast Company.

This week’s listener question comes via email from Heather Rockwell in Newberg, Oregon:

“I'm young, passionate, fresh out of college, energetic, and ambitious -  how do I get employers to take me seriously? I've had several interviews since graduation, and all of them left me feeling like I was too young, too optimistic, and too inexperienced for them. How can I show my potential as a young, early-career professional? I know I have what it takes to perform the jobs I'm applying to, but I need them to see it.”

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.

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What makes podcasts such a great medium for sharing career advice? I share my love of audio storytelling, conversation, and helping people find great jobs with dozens of other podcasters. On this bonus episode, I talk about how great podcasts are for career development, and introduce you to my new guide, Top Career Podcasts of 2017.

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Losing a job is tough; getting laid off unexpectedly is even harder. It's emotionally devastating when all of the sudden you lose your job, your paycheck, and the vision you had of yourself, all in one fell swoop.

Career coach and guest expert, Sherri Thomas, shares her tips on how to bounce back from such professional setbacks. She recommends:

Sherri Thomas is Founder and Career Strategist of Career Coaching 360. She helps professionals think differently and proactively about careers. She is the author of two books, The Bounce Back: Personal Stories of Bouncing Back Higher and Faster from a Layoff, Re-org, or Career Setback and Career Smart: 5 Steps to a Powerful Personal Brand.

Sherri is also a Huffington Post columnist and keynote speaker. Her career advice has been featured in the WSJ, Time, and other publications. Sherri is offering Mac’s List listeners her video series, 15 Clever Ways to Get More Job Offers free.

Ben’s resource this week is FAQ’s about Termination from Employment from the website, The Balance. It consists of clear questions and concise answers to the most common questions you have if you are departing from a job.

Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to J.L., from Chicago, Illinois. She asks,

“Is it appropriate to ask an employer about their ethics during an interview?”

Be a part of the Find Your Dream Job podcast!

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK, or tweet us @macs_list. If we use your question on the air, you will receive 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.

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Your resume is probably the most important document you use when looking for a job. It offers a great opportunity to tell your story and demonstrate what you can offer an employer.

Guest expert Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter shares her top 6 list of what’s hot and what’s not in creating a great resume for today’s job market.

• Focus — Make your resume format quick and easy to read and keep it employer focused.
• What's in it for the Employer — Research pain points the employer has and integrate your strategic insights about the issue.
• Creative Problem Solving Skills — Use specifics from your background to show how your critical thinking has solved problems.
• Leadership — Display your ability to help other push forward.
• Have a Career Portfolio — Have a skimmable resume, a meatier resume, and professional profiles.  
• Value-Focused Resume — Showcase the core values you would bring to an organization.

• Brain Dump — Unless it directly benefits the employer, leave out the wordy details.
• Me, Me, Me —  Instead of focusing on yourself, look for ways to demonstrate that you work well on a team without minimizing your own accomplishments.
• Followership — Demonstrate your ability to take on the role of a leader when necessary.
• One and Done — It’s important to have multiple ways an employer can access desired information about your career.
• Just the Facts — Instead of listing your history, use storytelling to paint a more interesting picture of your professional career.

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter owns and operates CareerTrend.net. She is one

of just 50 master resume writers in the United States. Jacqui has crafted more than 1,500 career stories. She uses her bachelor’s degree in writing and journalism to apply a reporter’s eye to careers. Follow her on Twitter @ValueIntoWords.

Jacqui is also in the process of rolling out a do-it-yourself resume starter kit.

Ben’s resource this week is Down and Out in the New Economy: How People Find (or Don’t Find) Work Today, by Ilana Gershon, an anthropologist at the University of Indiana. Thanks to Find Your Dream Job listener, Russell Terry.

Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Marcia Callahan from Portland, Oregon. Marcia asks,

“Is it worthwhile to drop off your resume at an office where you would like to work, or is there a more modern strategy to get in front of a hiring manager?”

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!

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK, or tweet us @macs_list. If we use your question on the air, you will receive 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.

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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.

Dressing for work is especially fraught for women. This came to the fore nationally in July when a female journalist in Congress was turned away from the House lobby because her dress didn’t have sleeves. The story reignited our recent discussion about what “professional business attire” really means.

For this bonus episode, we bring back Karla Miller, the Work Advice columnist for The Washington Post Magazine to talk about what Washington dress codes mean for the rest of us. How should business leaders address a vague dress code, and is there a tried and true rule for sleeves in the workplace?

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.

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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.

Informational interviews are a fairly recent strategy in the search for a new career. The application process and job searches of the past were more formal endeavors. As a job seeker, this new adaptation gives you more networking opportunities than were available before.

Consider your existing network and divide it into two categories:

When working to build your network, guest expert Kate Gremillion recommends asking your strong ties this question: “Knowing my interests and knowing what I want to be doing in my career, who would you suggest I speak with?” She says people genuinely enjoy helping other people, so this is a great place to start.

Checking LinkedIn connections of people who have influence at a company you want to work for is another great tip. These “weak” ties can turn into strong connections if you approach them in a professional manner.

Once you’ve landed an informational interview with a contact it’s important to:

• Allow the other person to chose the method of communication.
• Prepare 3-5 actions the person could do to help you if they ask.
• Take a genuine interest in the other person by listening more and talking less.

Kate Gremillion is Founder & CEO of Mavenly + Co.  Her firm offers group workshops, corporate training courses, and coaching programs. These services give young women the tools, resources and mindset they need to create careers and lifestyles with purpose.

Kate also hosts the weekly podcast, Women, Work, and Worth. And her advice has been featured in publications like Forbes, Fortune, Business Insider, and HerAgenda. In her new program, Crafting Your Career, Kate works with clients to make their ideal career path a reality.

Ben’s resource this week is from the job research site The Muse. Here Are the Subject Lines That’ll Get Your Networking Emails Opened — Every Time.

Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Stephen Walden from Salem, Illinois. Stephen asks:

“How do you redo your LinkedIn profile to reflect your new interests without drawing the attention of your current employer?”

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!

• Ask your job-related question! Email it to [email protected], or leave us a message at 716-JOB-TALK, or tweet us @macslist. 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.

Business casual means dressing for business, but in a casual way. Wait, is that a trick question? Clothing choices in the workplace can be frighteningly complex. In this episode of Find Your Dream Job, we tackle office fashion.

Karla Miller writes about dress in the workplace for the Washington Post Magazine. In the episode, Karla shares tips for preparing your outfit for an interview or first day of work. Ask yourself these two questions, then build your outfit:

• What does the ideal worker at this company look like?
• What kind of clothes would they be wearing and how would they be groomed?

Baby boomers and millennials may have a different idea of what dressing for work means. Always check out the company guidelines or employee dress code to get a baseline for what you should wear to work. If there are no specifics, look at how the people who are a level or two above you are dressing.

Karla and the Mac’s List team also get into clothing taboos, including gender discrepancies, tattoos, and more.

Since 2011, Karla Miller has offered advice on workplace dramas and traumas as the at @Work Advice columnist for The Washington Post Magazine. Billing herself as “the smart-aleck down the hall,” Karla tackles questions on annoying officemates, bullying bosses, and getting by in today’s job market. Karla also works full-time at an accounting firm in Washington, DC. And, she volunteers as a wife and mother.

Be sure to check out Karla’s weekly column for the upcoming feature, “Are Dress Codes Unevenly Enforced?” in the June 18th edition. You can follow Karla on Twitter @KarlaAtWork.

Ben’s resource this week is The Pregnancy Pause. Maternity leave is a full time job. So, on resumes and on LinkedIn mothers can cite the Pregnancy Pause as their employer. This tool educates others about the important work parents do when they take time off to raise children.

Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Amber Tyus from Chicago, Illinois. Amber asks,

“How does someone who is a recent graduate with limited experience quantify their experiences?”

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.

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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.

Do you know what is going to make you happy and fulfilled in your next role?

On today’s bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Scott Barlow, Founder of Happen to Your Career and host of the Happen to Your Career Podcast, identifies the four key traits that lead to career happiness. Scott also illustrates how clarity in these areas builds a framework for a successful job search.

The 4 Key Traits you must have to find happiness and fulfillment in your job are:

If you approach your career as if you are putting together a puzzle, and start with your strengths as the corner pieces, and then add the outside pieces, which are your wants and values, you will have the framework of your ideal career profile.

Scott and his team at Happen to Your Career have put together “The Ultimate Guide to Using Your Strengths to Get Hired.” Find Your Dream Job listeners can download this resource for free at Happentoyourcareer.com/macslist.

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

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Do you search online and wait for your dream job to appear? It can be a tedious and unfulfilling task, since up to 80% of available jobs go unadvertised. Most positions today are filled by way of referral. So, get proactive and take control of your job search.

Guest expert Katrina Collier encourages people to perform targeted searches and take a direct approach, by making the most of LinkedIn and corporate websites. She says most companies love being approached directly by people who tell them why their skills are a good fit for the organization.

Companies benefit from your direct approach by saving recruiter fees and seeing your proactive interest.

5 Steps to Take Control of a Job Search

Good old-fashioned networking may be what it takes for you to find your next job, and don’t forget networking includes social networking. Reach out to recruiters on Twitter and start a “get to know you” conversation.

Katrina Collier Bio

Katrina Collier is a global expert on social recruiting. She teaches people at corporations around the world how to use social media to recruit staff.

Katrina is also a keynote speaker and the host of The Social Recruiting Show. You can find out more about Katrina at The Searchologist and follow her on Twitter @KatrinaMCollier.

Katrina will be exercising her public speaking skills in the U.S. and London, training recruiters about candidate engagement.

Ben’s Job Search Resource: LinkedIn for Veterans 

Ben’s resource this week is from LinkedIn for Good Veterans Program and families of veterans. Recent veterans are not always able to do the networking necessary to transition to their next position. LinkedIn for Veterans provides video courses and tools to help veterans translate their military experience into business skills, and includes access to a veterans’ mentor network.

Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Becky, Ben, Jessica, and Mac offer advice to Jason Nieh from Portland. Jason asks:

“What matters most to employers when hiring recent graduates?”

For a deep dive into the topic, listen to our podcast with Don Raskin, Interview Secrets Every New Graduate Needs to Know.  Don is the author of the invaluable resource, The Dirty Little Secrets to Getting Your Dream Job. The Finance Career Launch Podcast from David Mariano is another great resource.

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! Here’s how to 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.