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

If the purpose of networking is to build relationships, then why would you only network when you are job hunting? Guest expert, Angela Copeland says it takes time for someone to get to know you, so start networking now. If you are unsure of  where to find information about networking events, Angela suggests to look online for associations or groups in your field of work, contact the local Chamber of Commerce or go to Meetup.com.

You may feel more comfortable at a networking event that is a good fit for you. It’s advisable to target events where you have a decent chance of meeting people in your field, you can really connect to. Pro Tip — If you are looking to change fields, have business cards made with your contact information, leaving off your current field of work.

It’s okay if you find professional events awkward and scary, everyone else who is there feels the same way. Angela recommends going to networking events alone and being on the lookout for someone who is also there alone. If a person is deeply engaged in conversation with another person, you are less likely to make an impact if you approach. If you do approach someone, ask them personal questions. Personal questions can open people up and help to form a deeper connection.

Remember, the person who lands a job is not always the most qualified. It is the person the hiring manager likes the most or has a connection with.

Networking Event Do’s:

• Do have a pitch about yourself in case someone asks.
• Do make a positive first impression through body language, a smile and being properly dressed for the occasion.
• Do make sure to be pleasant and authentic.
• Do ask personal questions instead of business questions.
• Do learn something new.
• Do follow up with an email or LinkedIn connection with every person you meet.

Networking Event Dont’s:

• Don’t talk about your job search.
• Don’t just talk with the person who attended with you.
• Don’t forget networking and relationship building takes time.
• Don’t get discouraged if you don’t make a connection at the event.

Shake everyone’s hand firmly and be pleasant!

Angela Copeland Bio

Angela Copeland is the CEO of Copeland Coaching. Her firm helps people at all stages of the job search process, including finding the right job, interviewing for a position, and negotiating an offer.

Angela is the author of Breaking The Rules and Getting The Job. She also hosts the Copeland Coaching Podcast and writes a weekly syndicated newspaper column on careers. If you would like to follow Angela on Twitter, @CopelandCoach is her handle.

Ben’s Job Search Resources:

Ben shares a LinkedIn post from Melissa De Witte Do-It-Yourself Headshots - And You Can Even Use Your iPhone. The article includes the exact steps and settings you will need to get a professional looking headshot, which is essential for your LinkedIn profile.

Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Pat Guiles’ audio question — “How should I inform my previous employer about my new job?”

If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.

These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st — Lock in your early bird pricing now.

If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing 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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On July 14, 2016 Mac Prichard, founder and publisher of Mac’s List, talked with Terry Starbucker, cofounder and publisher of Built Oregon, a monthly online magazine that serves to tell Oregon entrepreneurial stories.  Built Oregon also has a podcast called, Making Oregon, this podcast brings you Built Oregon conversations with innovators, makers, doers, disruptors, foodies, dreamers, and groundbreakers from all across the state of Oregon.  These entrepreneurs talk about the inspiration and ingenuity it takes to make Oregon the best place they know to build and sustain a prosperous lifestyle.

In this podcast episode, Mac and Terry talk about the Mac's List story and how to find a career driven by purpose.

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing 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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There is a structure or blueprint to being a successful person but there is no perfect formula. The design differs for everyone, as guest expert Don Hutcheson explains. It is necessary to dig into who you are and what you are supposed to be doing before attempting to be successful at any one thing.

The first quality all successful people have in common is they take full responsibility for their own self-knowledge and self-awareness, and they avoid mindless conformity. If you start with a solid base of knowing who you are on the inside, you eliminate the guessing which leads to reactions and unsatisfactory career choices.

Other things successful people have in common is they are all on a lifelong journey of learning, and they surround themselves with like-minded people. They read educational resources about how to use their individual talents and how to strengthen their emotional intelligence. People go through what Don calls “turning points” every 6 or 7 years. If they have a continuous mindset to keep getting better, these turning points will enhance their already honed abilities.

To be successful:

• Do research about yourself and your abilities
• Set goals for yourself
• Surround yourself with the right people
• Accept failure and learn from it
• Be disciplined
• Trust your instincts
• Make strategic decisions, not knee-jerk reactions
• Don’t be miserable
• Journal about your experiences
• Seek out people who have the same values!

Book Resources from Don:

What Should I Do With My Life? by Po Bronson

What Color Is Your Parachute? by Dick Bolles

Don’t Waste Your Talents by Don Hutcheson & Dr. Bob McDonald

Don Hutcheson Bio

Don Hutcheson is a lifelong entrepreneur, inventor, author and coach. He hosts the daily podcast, Discover Your Talent — Do What You Love and has interviewed over 350 successful people. By the end of 2016, he will be offering membership groups and courses, which will include experts on topics such as emotional intelligence, salary negotiations and exposing natural abilities.  Don has never had a boss. Instead, he has created six companies in advertising, publishing, coaching and career planning over the last 40 years.

Ben’s Job Search Resources:

Ben shares the blog post How to Tell People What You Do—and Be Remembered by Alexandra Franzen on TheMuse.com. The post is about how you can communicate what you do in simple terms, which begins with the Maya Angelou quote “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Sue Black’s question - “Is there a great career coach for young, recent college grads?” Jenna recommends career coach Satya Byock from Quarter-Life Counseling in the Portland area and Stacey Marie Ishmael’s BuzzFeed podcast, Another Round.

If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.

These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st - lock in your early bird pricing now.

If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes (http://www.macslist.org/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.

Did you know 90% of women who opt out of the workforce will return at some point? The most common reason women decide to opt out is to take care of their children, and in the case of the Generation X-ers to care for elderly parents.

While most companies are keenly aware of the necessities of a family, a woman  who is planning to take a career break should plan for her future. Guest expert, Jennifer Gefsky, advises women to start a log of everything they do during their time off. This planning will make the process of reintroducing themselves into the workforce easier.

Women do a lot of unpaid work and gain skills, which can be used when transitioning back into the workforce. It’s important to document any work or accomplishments earned in Mom’s groups, in their children's schools or from  volunteering in their communities.

Tips to make a transition back into the workforce easier:

• Keep your professional network alive
• Strategically consider what you want to do
• Educate yourself towards your passions
• Dive into your personal networks
• Learn to brand yourself

The resume gap scares many people. It’s best to own the gap! Don’t explain it away―address it up front because when you show the employer how it can translate back into their business, it won’t need to be justified.

Do not be afraid to fail!

Jennifer Gefsky Bio

Jennifer Gefsky formerly worked as deputy general counsel at Major League Baseball, where she was the highest-ranking woman on the “baseball” side of the business. Jennifer left baseball to raise her three children, and after her career break, she decided not to return to the business of baseball.

Jennifer co-founded Après, a digital recruiting site that connects high-caliber women, who want to re-enter the workforce, with great jobs. The website is full of information and you can find @AprèsNYC on Twitter and on Facebook at Après.

Ben’s Job Search Resources:

Ben shares an amazing online resource this week. Skillshare is an educational site that job hunters can use to acquire additional technical skills. These skills can be used to enhance a current skill set or as a resume filler―to help you get the job you want. There is a cost for courses but many are priced as low as $.99. There are thousands of courses available, along with a global community of learners and teachers who are pursuing work they love.

Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Erin, from Oregon, on her question - “What is the best way to present her time off to raise her children on her resume and in person? ”

Watch the Mother’s Job Description Hallmark Video Jenna refers to in the podcast.

If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.

These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st - lock in your early bird pricing now.

If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes (http://www.macslist.org/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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On July 14, 2016, Ben Forstag published a blog post on Mac’s List, “Why Employers Don’t Include Salaries in their Job Posts (and What You Can Do About It).” This sparked a lengthy and lively discussion in the comments section. We decided to continue the conversation on this week’s Find Your Dream Job podcast.  Mac, Ben and Jenna discuss why employers don’t post a salary range in a job posts and share tips on how you can work around this all-too-common practice.

Our tips include:

• Researching other job postings by the company.
• Using Glassdoor.com to come up with an estimate.
• Asking the hiring manager, recruiter or personal contact you know at the company.

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing 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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Keeping a record of career accomplishments is an employee’s own responsibility. If a manager is accountable for ten people, they may not remember the special thing one team member did ten months ago. A person can make it easier on themselves and on their manager by keeping track of their accomplishments, and by letting managers know, specifically, what those accomplishments are. This becomes a powerful tactic when a juicy promotion becomes available.

Self-promotion and managing your career is part of your career. An employee should want to gain as much as they can during the course of their career, says guest expert Dan Rust. Self-promotional strategies should be genuine, positive and occur during the course of a normal workday.

Tactics to help you toot your own horn at work:

• Have a response for your boss when they ask how things are going.
• Make the most of your annual review.
• Make them see you sweat, BUT meet your deadlines.
• Offer to help others and tell your boss about it.
• Promote others.

The key is to not be anonymous. Make your ideas or insights known, during a conference call or meeting, even if the idea is incomplete. A study found that those who are willing to step forward with an unpopular idea, leave other people with a higher perception of them.

Furthering your career path is a game you can win!

Dan Rust Bio

Dan Rust is the founder of Frontline Learning, a publisher of corporate training resources. He regularly speaks on employee engagement, productivity and career management. Dan is also the author of a new book, Workplace Poker: Are You Playing the Game, Or Just Getting Played?, and more information can be found at his website Workplace Poker.

Ben’s Job Search Resources:

Keeping track of accomplishments is useful for many reasons, including resume creation or updates, annual reviews, and for realizing one’s value. Finding the time to pull all of your accomplishments together can be a difficult task in itself. This thorough article, Tools and Techniques for Brainstorming and Tracking Accomplishments from Livecareer.com includes information on journaling techniques, organizational apps and third-party validation ideas.

Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Ben, Jenna and Mac provide feedback to Brenda Somes’ question - “How does a super-qualified candidate get a serious employer to even talk to her?”

If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, email it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you’ve found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.

These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course. The course launches November 1st - lock in your early bird pricing now.

If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes (http://www.macslist.org/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.

Does your manager fail to notice your accomplishments at evaluation time? If so, it is because “managers are busy” says salary negotiation expert Josh Doody. In addition to managing people, managers are also responsible for running the business and making a profit. Many companies only consider giving employees raises during a focal or anniversary period which can be the most politically challenging time for an employee to ask for a raise.

The best way to get a raise or to maximize your salary is to start by doing your homework. Employees should start building their case for a raise 30-60 days before a review and make the process as easy as possible for a manager.

To build the best case when asking for a raise you should:

One:  Have a target salary in mind which is based on your market value.

• Use online resources such as Payscale.com, Glassdoor.com or Salary.com.

Two:  Put a case together with proof you deserve what you are asking for.

• Ask for a specific raise amount.
• Outline the quantitative accomplishments since your current salary was set.
• Show which activities you have performed and the result they have made to move the business forward.
• Prepare a list of accolades or social proof from others who have recognized your work.

Three:  Show how you are improving the company and how your results align with the goals of the business.

When building a case employees should not include reasons which do not carry a positive result for the business such as, buying a new house, kids in college, etc.

Remember to make the process as easy on your manager as possible!

Josh Doody Bio

Josh Doody is an author, consultant, MBA, and engineer who writes about salary negotiation, career management, business, job interviews, and self-publishing.  He is the author of Fearless Salary Negotiation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Paid What You’re Worth. His current focus is in reaching people directly through one-on-one coaching programs and his Free 7-day course on how to get promoted quickly. You can follow Josh on Twitter @JoshDoody.

Ben’s Job Search Resources:

Anyone can use Payscale.com to way to find out what jobs are worth based on job title, location, company and experience. Advantages to using the site are targeted salary research, such as, how your salary compares with others who have the same job title and nuanced information on how individual skills can affect your salary. It also includes a comprehensive compensation review so job perks can also be added to the equation. The site is user-data-driven so you may want to limit the amount of personal information you supply.

Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Ben, Jenna and Mac provide detailed, honest feedback Shannon Cleary’s situational question - “There is a philanthropic organization that I have applied to 2 jobs to over the last 10 months. I am about to apply for my third. After my last application, I had a phone interview. When I got the rejection email, I replied and asked for time to chat (with my interviewer) or suggestions for things to work on for my next application. I never heard back from her.  So my questions: Should I reach out directly to her and ask for coffee again OR just send in my application as directed by the job post?”

If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, send it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.

These segments are sponsored by Hack the Hidden Job Market Course, which starts November 1st. Visit the link above to lock in early bird pricing now.

If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing 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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On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jenny Foss, owner of JobJenny.com shares her tips for how to touch base with potential employers (without being a pest) after you’ve had your initial interview.   She reads “The Best Ways to Follow Up After The Interview”, her contribution to our book, Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond).

Here are Jenny’s top tips to stay top-of-mind with employers:

Thank you for listening to Find Your Dream Job. If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing 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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Did you know that your body language is responsible for 60% of your communications and that first impressions are nonverbal? Vanessa Van Edwards, from Science of People, shares some best practices for acing a job interview based on her team’s scientific research.    

Body language research shows us that the first thing an interviewer sees is called a ‘glance test.’ Humans used to use this first glance to determine if an approaching person was a friend or foe. It is an instinctive response we still use today, even though we may not be aware of it. To make the most out of our time in front of an interviewer Vanessa offers up these tips...

During a job interview applicants should:

• Nail the first impression by using expansive body language and making their hands visible.
• Shake the interviewer’s hand at the beginning and at the end of the interview.
• Demonstrate competence by aligning your body with the interviewer's body, nod to show you are listening and speak naturally.
• Use your portfolio or leave behind a document to open up an interviewer's closed body language.
• End the interview with a lean-in handshake and good eye contact.
• Walk side by side with the interviewer on your way out of the office.

If you feel like a winner and have a winner’s posture you will come across as a winner!

Vanessa Van Edwards Bio

Vanessa Van Edwards is a published author, behavioral investigator, and Huffington Post columnist. Her specialty is science-based people skills. Vanessa runs the Science of People, a Human Behavior Research lab and her unique approach has been featured on CNN, Forbes, NPR, BusinessWeek and in the Wall Street Journal. You can help further Vanessa’s research experiments by visiting the website and clicking on something that interests you.

Ben’s Job Search Resources:

The free, online tool Apply Mate is Ben’s job research tool of the week. This tool allows job applicants to enter details about jobs which interest them and the Apply Mate database keeps track of the entire process in an intuitive and useful manner.

Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Ben, Jenna and Mac provide detailed, honest feedback to answer Haley Twist’s question - “Should job hunters ever consider applying for positions they don’t necessarily want, but are qualified for, to get their foot in the door at a company they really respect?”

These segments are sponsored by Hack the Hidden Job Market Course, which starts November 1st. Visit the link above to lock in early bird pricing now.

If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, send it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.

If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing 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.

It pays off to prepare yourself before asking an employer to make your job virtual. Most employers will want to know what’s in it for them before allowing an employee to work from home full-time. A professional way to address your employer’s possible questions and concerns is to make a list of the objections you think they will have, and then build a mini business case around each issue. Showing an employer a value proposition is your quickest way to a yes.

Employers appreciate when you can show them:

• How your productivity will be increased
• How you plan to hold yourself accountable
• How your creativity may be sparked
• The absence of workplace distractions
• Logistical cost savings

When your employer agrees to your proposal of setting up a virtual office, you need to start preparing yourself for success. Melissa says that it is best to be honest with your work style and be sure you can spend long periods alone. Also, you should not consider working from home a substitute for child care. If you want to continue working virtually, you should have other means for your child to be cared for during your work hours.

With focus and determination, you can do this!

Resources for virtual office information:

• Harvard Business Review Blogs
• Fast Company
• Mashable
• Virtual Agency Realities Group on LinkedIn
• FlexJobs

Melissa Mathews Bio

Melissa Mathews is the founder and president of The Mathews Group, a strategic communications agency built on an entirely virtual, flex-work model. The Mathews Group supports Fortune 100 corporate clients, with a team working from home offices, coffee shops, horse barns and soccer sidelines across the U.S. and international time zones. Melissa believes that if you hire great people and give them the freedom they need to live and work, they’ll exceed your expectations. Learn more at Mathews Group.

Ben’s Job Search Resources:

This is a simple and free online tool which has revolutionized the ability to connect with people by email. Job seekers can use this tool to contact with hiring managers, to bypass Human Resource Departments or to make sure their email goes to the intended party. Email Address Verifier is very simple to use and allows the user to know if the email address is valid.

Jenna’s Find Your Dream Job Listener Question:

Ben, Jenna and Mac provide detailed feedback to answer Eric Stachon’s question―“Is it possible to make a great second impression if your interview didn’t go as planned?”

These segments are sponsored by the 2016 edition of Hack the Hidden Job Market Course and Land Your Dream Job in Portland (and Beyond).

If you would like the team to answer a job-related question, send it to [email protected] or call her at 716-JOB-TALK. Or if you found a job resource you think everyone should know about, send it to [email protected] and tell him how it has helped you find your dream job.

If you like this show, please help us by rating and reviewing 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.