Job Search That Works

Today’s episode, is about Changing Careers the SMART Way. We are talking with someone who did just that. Holding nothing back, our guest shares his struggles, successes and techniques. If you are in the middle of a career change or even thinking about one, you will want to take notes for sure.

Highlights From the Previous Episode

But before we do, in our last show, episode 013, we talked about how your appearance can make or break you in an interview. Cheryl Dougan is an Independent Senior Sales Director for one of the largest image consulting companies in the country. She shared her insights into making a great first impression. If you missed it, you can listen by going to JobSearchThatWorks.com/013.

On This Episode

We are speaking with Robert Reedy, a Certified Epic Ambulatory Systems Analyst and Instructional Designer. It sounds like something he could have been doing for years. But Robert went through several downsizings in his previous career and shares how he reinvented himself. By not using today’s conventional methods of job hunting, he discovered effective methods that have helped him strategically move into a new career and systematically progress to positions of greater responsibility and reward in his new career. Let’s listen  in on the conversation.

 

(For your convenience, I have included the time stamps for the major topics in the interview.)

11:00 – SMART Goals are those which are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely

12:05- Soft Skills deal more with sensitivity to what others are dealing with, their cultural differences and contextual norms. These are in contrast to the technical knowledge and skill sets.

14:57 – Research the company you are interested in. Make certain they are a good fit for you and you for them.

16:00 – The time to begin your next job search is the first day on your new job. Whether that job is within your new organization or with a new company. Start you looking!!!

17:57 – Gap Analysis

18:25 – Commute and Relocation

28:15 – Articulating Transferrable Skills on your resume.

30:15 – Connections on LinkedIn helped with the transition.

31:57 – Establishing relationships on LinkedIn

33:35 – Selecting and working with Recruiters on LinkedIn

38:16 – Overcoming fear in contemplating a career change

40:30 – Job Boards vs. Networking

45:00 – Most of positions are filled through word of mouth. In fact 80% of all positions filled are never advertised.

 

Recap

Robert shared his secret sauce for making a career change. He understood that 80% of all positions are filled without ever being advertised or posted on job boards. Robert is progressing in an amazing career that he loves and every one of his positions have come as a result of SMART networking for changing jobs.

Something to Ponder

“The currency of real networking is not greed but generosity.†– Keith Ferrazzi   Thank you for spending time with me today. I truly appreciate it. You can find the show notes including any links and references mentioned today at www.JobSearchThatWorks.com/014.

What are your thoughts?

What would you like to know about networking? Share your thoughts in the comment section of the show notes.

FREE Access to our
Career Portal

When you subscribe to our mailing list.

- Access to more than 1000 job boards

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The post 014: Changing Jobs the SMART Way appeared first on Job Search That Works.

Knowing what to wear to an interview can really improve your chances of getting that new job. But if you make some common mistakes, you could be out of consideration before you answer the very first question. Your personal appearance doesn’t necessarily reflect who you are on the inside or guarantee you will get hired. However, being well groomed can keep the employer from being distracted by an unacceptable appearance and help them focus on the value you bring to their organization. That’s what really counts!

Highlights From the Previous Episode

In our last show, episode 012, we talked about the 13 rituals that will put your job search into overdrive. It was a continuation of episode 011 where we covered in detail the 20 steps to lay a solid foundation for your job search.. If you missed it, you can listen by going to JobSearchThatWorks.com/012.

On This Episode

Today, were addressing how your image can really make or break your chances of getting that job you are interviewing for.

Let’s face it, we don’t interview every day. It’s difficult enough to prepare the right answers and now you have to worry about how to dress. We don’t even know the employer’s expectations. So let’s take the edge off and explore reasonable ways to present a professional image.

On the show, we are interviewing a professional that can give you tips from head to toe!

Cheryl Dougan, an Independent Senior Sales Director for one of the largest image consulting companies in the country will be sharing her insights into making a great first impression.

Let’s get started.

Since Cheryl gave us so many great image tips, I have listed the time stamps on the podcast where you can go directly to the ones that interest you most.

 

• Attitude is the foundation of your image. (5:52)
• Great Attitude (9:30)
• Outer image is often a reflection of an inner attitude. (10:00)
• Outer appearance. (10:30)
• Hair (12:22)
• Ear Hair and Nose Hair (12:50)
• Facial Hair (13:15)
• Cleanliness (13:50)
• Makeup (13:58)
• Clothing (14:18)
• Colors (15:10)
• Nails (16:25)
• Shoes (16:45)
• Jewelry (17:55)
• Earrings – Men and Women (18:50)
• Tattoos (21:16)
• Dressing professionally on a tight budget (26:00)
• Picking the right clothes to combine clothing for variety and stretch your wardrobe (28:30)
• Matching Shoe/Accessories to clothing color. (30:05)
• Fragrances (31:24)
• Ask for an opinion about how you look for the interview. Especially if you are not sure. (32:36)
• Grammar and language (34:05)
• Let your voice mirror the person you are speaking with. (36:22)
• Balk at the responsibilities of the job once you start the job. (37:30)
• Desire for and willingness to do the job. (39:10)
• Turn around an initial rejection. (40:15)
• Make sure that what you are wearing and how you present yourself is removing potential barriers to getting hired. (22:30)

Assume that the company is conservative. You can’t go wrong showing some effort. Show that you really want the job, even if you are overdressed.

Cheryl Dougan
Independent Senior Sales Director
937-239-5235
[email protected]

Recap

Well, we covered everything from attitude to image … head to toe as I promised. In fact, I time coded most of the points we discussed today, so you if you would like to find a particular topic you can fast forward to that spot in the show. Even with image and presentation being as important as it is, I want to go a little deeper and share a quote with you today.

Something to Ponder

“A beautiful person is not defined by a hair style, a pair of shoes, it’s not the logos on the T-shirt, the sport’s team on a hat, the designer’s name on a hand bag, or even how you smell. Instead, beauty lies in who you are when no one is watching, the person you are when there’s nothing to hide behind. No amount of concealer can cover up a cantankerous heart, but all the make-up in the world can’t add a single lumen to the brightness of a beautiful soul.â€Â  ― Justin Young

Thank you for spending time with me today. I truly appreciate it.

 

What are your thoughts?

What questions do you have about your job search? Are there any particular challenges you are having difficulty with? Share your thoughts in the comment section of the show notes.

FREE Access to our
Career Portal

When you subscribe to our mailing list.

- Access to more than 1000 job boards

- Weekly FREE Job Seeker Webinars

- Library filled with Audios, Videos and Webinars

SUBSCRIBE! You have successfully subscribed. Remember To check your email for the link to your Career Portal. We hate spam and will never share your email address.

The post 013: Your Image Can Make or Break Your Chances at a New Job appeared first on Job Search That Works.

Today’s episode, is the second of a two part series on how to organize your job search step by step by step. Part 2 is about the 13 daily rituals that will help put your job search into overdrive.

Highlights From the Previous Episode

But before we dive into those 13 daily rituals, Last week’s show, episode 11,  covered the 20 Steps to take in sequence at the very beginning of your job search. These steps help you assemble the tools you will need to keep your job search running smoothly. Without this foundation, your search will be a frustrating series of starts and stops. If you missed it, I highly encourage you to go back an listen to it before continuing because this week’s episode picks up where last week’s episode left off. You can find it at  JobSearchThatWorks.com/011.

On This Episode

Now … let’s pick up where we left off last week. We have covered the 20 steps to lay a solid foundation for your job search in quite a bit of detail, and now it’s time to examine 13 rituals that will put your job search into overdrive.  In order to get our momentum for today’s show, I think it will be helpful to at least briefly list the 20 sequential steps we covered last week,

1. Pick a quite place to work without distraction.
2. Play instrumental music in the background to enhance focus.
3. Write a personal appraisal.
4. Write a professional appraisal.
5. Compile your complete work history.
6. Write your resume and cover-letter and resume cards.
7. Write your 30 second pitch or elevator speech.
8. Write your voicemail script.
9. Identify your network and your target list of companies.
10. Compile a list of networking events, such as job fairs and business expos.
11. Create a Google alert to be notified of upcoming networking opportunities. By the way, you can also use Google alerts to be notified of any news on companies you are targeting.
12. Make a list of job transition groups that meet in your area and put them on your calendar.
13. Compile a list of recruiters that work in your field.
14. Compile a list of temporary employment agencies.
15. Compile a list of contracting firms.
16. Select a job board service like Indeed or Simply Hired that aggregates postings from hundreds or thousands of job boards.
17. Select a planner to keep yourself organized.
18. Build a master marketing list from the list of companies you compiled in your target list of companies and from the people you listed in your network list.
19. Fill out your planner the night before.
20. Purchase envelopes, stamps and thank you cards.

Responding to Postings on Job Boards vs. Calling the Hiring Manager Directly.

Back in Episode 3, we talked about the Ten of the Ways to Look for a Job and Why I Really Like #10. If you are wondering why I think you should be making direct contact with the hiring managers in companies you are interested in working for, go back and listen to the episode at JobSearchThatWorks.com/003.

In the beginning of your search I recommend making phone calls. This is a much faster way to get feedback and will put you in a position to have conversations with people working inside the company. Without question, it is the quickest and most effective way to make rapid progress. One of the first questions asked by coaching clients in this phase of the job search is, “How do I get past the gatekeeper?”. I cover that topic in episode 008. You can find it at www.JobSearchThatWorks.com/008. I have also shared a sample script in the show notes to episode 008.

The next question that usually follows is, ” What do I do if I get the hiring manager’s voicemail?”. Great! Leave a message. You have already planned ahead and wrote your voicemail script. Just have it handy while you are making your calls. Remember to include a time and date you will call back. Consider making your next call two or three business days in the future and put it as an appointment on the calendar in your planner. I recommend putting the time of each call in your contact’s notes so you can change up the time of the call in the future. Jot down the names of everybody you spoke with while getting to the hiring manager, i.e. the front desk receptionist or administrative assistant, extension numbers, etc.

Okay. Let’s step back and take a look at all the tools you have created for yourself. this is an amazing amount of progress. You have set the stage for your success.

It is time to speak about a few daily rituals that will enhance your search and are often overlooked. But trust me, they make all the difference in the world.

1. Plan the night before
2. Get to bed at a reasonable time
3. Wake up early
4. Reserve the first hour of the day for you … no technology, no telephone calls, no social media, NO EMAIL! Spend this time praying, meditating, taking a walk, exercising, or appreciating nature. This time is just for you … do something that nourishes your soul.
5. Get cleaned up and dress like you are going to work. You are! Your are working for yourself and that’s the best person to work for that I can think of.
6. Set normal work hours. Just like your job, and eight hour work day. with breaks in the morning, for lunch, and in the afternoon.
7. Set an alarm once an hour to get up and stretch. Take a four deep slow breaths and then get back to your plan.
8. Schedule a specific time or two for email. Otherwise, don’t look at it!
9. Quit working at quitting time.
10. Spend time with family and friends.
11. Eat will and avoid too many carbohydrates. They tend to make us tired. It’s hard to get anything done when we are nodding off.
12. Celebrate your accomplishments.
13. Rinse and repeat.

In closing … if you find old habits beginning to creep in, here are a few suggestions.

• Become aware of that you are doing in the moment.
• Don’t judge yourself or beat yourself up. Simply acknowledge that it is happening.
• Ask yourself if what you are doing is in your best interest and helping you progress toward your objective.
• If not, what action can you take that will help you reach your goal faster?
• Do it!

Today we covered the 13 recommended rituals to put your job search in overdrive. This built on the 20 step foundation we laid in last week’s episode. Something to Ponder “The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.†– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank you for spending time with me today. I truly appreciate it.

What are your thoughts? When trying to organize your job search, what are you having trouble with? Share your thoughts in the comment section of the show notes.

 

FREE Access to our
Career Portal

When you subscribe to our mailing list.

- Access to more than 1000 job boards

- Weekly FREE Job Seeker Webinars

- Library filled with Audios, Videos and Webinars

SUBSCRIBE! You have successfully subscribed. Remember To check your email for the link to your Career Portal. We hate spam and will never share your email address.

The post 012: Organize Your Job Search Step By Step – Part 2 appeared first on Job Search That Works.

Welcome to the Job Search That Works Podcast. I’m your host, Ray Gooch. We will answer your questions about how to navigate the challenges of looking for new job landing you quickly and safely into a career you love with a bright future.

In today’s episode, we are talking about  How to organize your job search step by step by step. Looking for a new job can be so overwhelming that it helps to know what to do every step of the way.

Highlights From the Previous Episode

But before we dive into today’s topic, I wanted to remind you of what we covered in our last show, episode 010.  We explored the common mistakes and misconceptions about the right way to interact with recruiters. We found out what they can do to help us advance in our careers in the long term. But we also found out that they weren’t usually the right place to focus our attention if we need immediate results. We interviewed Steve Darby, a veteran recruiter. He gave some great advice on developing a good relationship with recruiters. One valuable takeaway from the conversation was that when a recruiter calls you, it’s probably a good idea to take the call. You never know when something wonderful is about to happen. If you missed it, you can listen by going to JobSearchThatWorks.com/010.

 

On This Episode

I have some really BIG projects on my plate. In fact, I feel like I have backed myself into a corner. There is no time to get distracted or fall into deeply ingrained unproductive habits. Every minute needs to count. Do you feel like that? Can you relate?

As with any project, a plan is needed to move from concept to completion. No matter how large or small, each step can be mapped out in its proper order, so when the time comes to begin assembling all the pieces, they fit together seamlessly.
Let’s take a look at some of the big pieces to the job search puzzle.

1. Pick a quite place to work without distraction.
2. Play instrumental music in the background to enhance focus. Try calm.com or foucsatwill
3. Write a personal appraisal.
4. Write a professional appraisal.
5. Compile a work history including:
   – Title
   – Company
   – Dates of employment
   – Education
   – Certifications
   – Volunteer activity
6. Write your resume and cover letter
   – Decide the type of resume that best fits your situation
   – Chronological
   – Functional
   – Combination
   – High Impact
   – Make two resume templates. One for face to face interviews and one for online submission.
   – Design and order resume cards.
7. Write your 30-second pitch or elevator speech
8. Write your voicemail script.
9. Create Call List
   – Identify your network
   – Identify your target list of companies (150 contacts = 7 interviews = 1 offer)
10. Compile a list of networking events, such as job fairs and business expos.
11. Create a Google Alert to be notified of upcoming networking opportunities. Here is the link to Google Alerts.
12. Make a list of job transition groups that meet in your area and put them on your calendar.
13. Compile a list of recruiters that work in your field.
14. Compile a list of temporary employment agencies.
15. Compile a list of contracting firms.
16. Select a job board service like Indeed or Simply Hired that compile the postings from hundreds or thousands of job boards. Subscribe to www.JobSearchThatWorks.com and get free access to our Career Portal that gives you access to such a service. NOTE: This is NOT with the intention of applying. Listen to this section of the podcast for the proper use of Job Boards.
17. Select a planner to keep yourself organized.
18. Build a master marketing list from the list of companies you compiled in your target list of companies and from the people you listed in your network list.
19. Fill out your planner the night before. Make sure it includes:
    – A prioritized task list
    – Calendar
    – Diary with notes
    – Expenses
20. Purchase
    – Envelopes
    – Stamps
    – Thank you cards

 

Recap

Today we covered the 20 Steps in an effective job search. And remember, next week we will continue this topic in Part 2 covering the 13 recommended rituals to put your job search in overdrive.

Something to Ponder

“Planning is a process of choosing among those many options. If we do not choose to plan, then we choose to have others planned for us.” – Richard I. Winwood Thank you for spending time with me today. I truly appreciate it.

What are your thoughts?

When trying to organize your job search, what are you having trouble with? Share your thoughts in the comment section of the show notes.

FREE Access to our
Career Portal

When you subscribe to our mailing list.

– Access to more than 1000 job boards

– Weekly FREE Job Seeker Webinars

– Library filled with Audios, Videos and Webinars

SUBSCRIBE!

You have successfully subscribed. Remember To check your email for the link to your Career Portal. We hate spam and will never share your email address.

 

The post 011: Organize Your Job Search Step By Step – Part 1 appeared first on Job Search That Works.

Welcome to the Job Search That Works Podcast. I’m  you host, Ray Gooch. We will answer your questions about how to navigate the challenges of looking for new job landing you quickly and safely into a career you love with a bright future.
In today’s episode, we are talking about  some things to consider when selecting a recruiter to assist you in your job search. Just how much should you rely on recruiter for the next step along your career path?

 

Highlights From the Previous Episode

But before we do, in our last show, episode 009, we talked about The impact that negative emotions can have on getting into your next position. We talked about being honest with yourself about your wounds, acknowledging the impact they have had on you and realizing that you have the ability to choose how to interpret the situation. It is a great session to help you move past those road blocks.. If you missed it, you can listen by going to JobSearchThatWorks.com/009.

On This Episode

I am interviewing Steve Darby, owner of Searchlight Career Consultants. Steve is a seasoned recruiter about utilizing recruiters throughout your career.

Contingency vs. Retained Recruiters

A recruiter will commonly withhold Information about the client company on the first conversation. Candidates need to be patient and understand that recruiters will initially be guarded until there is a clear understanding that candidate is a true match for the position.

Additionally, it is in the candidate’s best interest for the recruiter to take the time to understand the wants and needs of the candidate.

Networking, Social Media, and Database. We do not advertise in Job Boards. Recruiters have to deliver candidates that are happily employed rather than those that are actively applying on Job Boards.

Even when employers are running ads, a recruiter is thoroughly screening candidates and even surfacing passive candidates that employers will not find on a Job Board.

• How a good recruiter finds candidates.
• The greatest misconception candidates have about recruiters.
• Reasons recruiters may not return your phone calls
• How a good recruiter can keep an candidate from feeling like he or she is being used to earn a commission.
• Why it can be a good idea for candidates to proactively contact recruiters to be represented.
• A recruiter’s perspective on resumes.
• Placement frequency using a recruiter.
• Appropriate expectations for working with a recruiter.

Recap

We heard from a veteran recruiter about the best way to interact with recruiters. They are a valuable resource from a long term perspective when you are contacting them.  However, when they contact you, take the call.  You never know when something wonderful is about to happen.

Something to Think About

“When everything seem to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.†– Henry Ford   Thank you for joining me today, I really do appreciate it.   You can find the show notes at http://www.JobSearchThatWorks.com/010.

What Are Your Thoughts

Share with me any experiences you have had with recruiters. If you have any questions about working with recruiters, I’d be happy to get back with you. Share your thoughts in the comment section of today’s show notes.

FREE Access to our
Career Portal

When you subscribe to our mailing list.

- Access to more than 1000 job boards

- Weekly FREE Job Seeker Webinars

- Library filled with Audios, Videos and Webinars

SUBSCRIBE! You have successfully subscribed. Remember To check your email for the link to your Career Portal. We hate spam and will never share your email address.

The post 010: The Role of Recruiters Throughout Your Career appeared first on Job Search That Works.