Cover letters are a powerful secret weapon. 

Most candidates don't enjoy writing cover letters, and most recruiters and managers don't enjoy reading cover letters.

Why? Because most cover letters are boring.

In today's episode we'll chat about how to create an attention grabbing cover letter that gives you an opportunity to share your brand and connect - one human to another - before any candidate even schedules an interview. 

This gives you a potential advantage and head start. In the episode, I'll share:

• What to include in each paragraph

Get started:

• Download the Career Transition Checklist here

Get into the mind of the manager on today's episode to learn:

• Why we are all wrong about the job description vs job posting

It's a great episode for anyone who is about to hop into the job search.

1. Listen: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2066194/11501432

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Brian comes to us with a wealth of knowledge:

With 15+ years working in the Fortune 500 and start-up world, Brian has been fortunate enough to gain a tremendous amount of experience in business and people operations. One of his many life-changing experiences was working next to a founder CEO and leading the business from a handful of employees to over 150+ employees and $100MM in revenues. After 5 years of rapid growth, the company failed due to the CEO’s lack of leadership, reckless actions, and disregard for the employees that helped build the company. It is at this reflection point that Brian knew the world of work needed to evolve. 

Leveraging his corporate and start-up experience, Brian launched Scaleocity Works to help businesses transform their cultures into the Best Place to Work environment.  Brian and the team at Scaleocity works provide HR advisory services, and a full suite of HR solutions, including payroll and innovative HR technologies that improve the employee experience. 

Most recently, Brian has launched the Entrepreneur to Employer community for entrepreneurs getting ready to hire employee # 1 and beyond. The membership community is a resource for HR coaching, education, and access to a library of People Operations tools, templates, and workbooks. The Entrepreneur to Employer community has one mission - to help employers Make Mondays Matter! 

Last but not least, in an effort to help employers Make Mondays Matter and change the world of work, Brian is also the host of the Entrepreneur to Employer podcast. Each week, Brian publishes an information-packed episode to give employers actionable insights to help them level up their HR operations and business.

Check out Brian's website here: https://www.scaleocityworks.com/ 

Check out Brian's Podcast here: Entrepreneur to Employer Podcast

In this episode we talk about:

• A quick recap of salary mindset and research

Tune to prepare for your next negotiation.

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Get started:

• Download the Career Transition Checklist here

Where does my money go? How do I get more of it? Christians are to steward our finances well, but sometimes we need a little help. 

If you're asking yourself the "where's my money?" question, this episode is for you! We'll cover:

• Ways to stretch your finances while still enjoying your life

Jenn also shares some great money management tips along the way. 

Jenn Trinidad is the host of Budget Divas podcast and the founder of budget Divas. She specializes in helping women in her membership program to live on a sustainable budget, decrease their expenses and make more income. And, she walks the walk - Jenn and her husband paid off 90,000$ in debt in four years and 40,000 of that amount was paid off in ONE YEAR.

Budget Divas' Mystery Shopping Training:

• https://www.budgetdivas.com/mysterytraining

• https://www.capitalone.com/bank/savings-accounts/online-performance-savings-account/ 

Downloads:

• Download the Career Transition Checklist here

You should never go into salary negotiations without a minimum, fair, and ideal compensation package in mind. In today's episode, I share:

• The 4 steps to identify your minimum, fair, and ideal salary offer

Listen in before you apply, interview and accept a mediocre offer at a "good enough" position. 

Downloadable Resources:

• Career Transition Blueprint: a checklist to cut the stress and simplify your career leap

From a fatherless suicidal young adult to a pastor-podcaster, Eric Stephens's story and guidance is one you're NOT going to want to miss! 

We cover: 

• A give-you-chills, is-God-real? testimony

Eric Stephens, is an ordained Pastor, Elder, Life Coach, Podcast Host and Founder of Redwood Christian Ministries. He grew up thinking I wasn't accepted or good enough, until in 2012, he came to know the love, acceptance and saving power of Jesus Christ. His passion is to see others not just come alive in Christ but live their life FOR Christ. He uses his testimony coming out of addiction, depression, and a suicide attempt to tell others about the endless love Jesus has for them.

Redwood Christian Ministries' mission is to inspire followers of Jesus, who then inspire others to follow Jesus. Their vision is to be the Church. They help churches train their leaders, create community outreach programs that are centered around soul winning, as well as providing life coaching and guest speaking.

Reach out to Eric and Redwood Christian Ministries at the following links:

 Rooted in Christ

• Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rooted-in-christ/id1639759640 

Downloadable Resources:

• Career Transition Blueprint: a checklist to cut the stress and simplify your career leap

You ever feel greedy about negotiating your salary? Well, you can stop feeling greedy, guilty or convicted after this episode. 

If you are a Christian you’ve heard that Jesus wants us to be humble, but humble doesn't mean poor.

In this episode I’ll break down:

The week after next we'll hop into exactly how to calculate the salary range you should aim for during negotiations.

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Downloadable Resource:

Career Transition Blueprint: Grab this checklist to simplify your career search

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🚨THE CAREER ACADEMY IS NOW OPEN! 🚨

Did you know most companies get hiring budgets in January and begin a job posting rush in the first quarter?

That's why now is PRIME TIME to:

Get in now! Click below to learn about all the features, benefits, and course contents:

https://theuncommoncareer.com/academy 

Use code ACADEMYFOUNDER30 for Founder-only 30% off pricing (grab it while it lasts!)  

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Let’s be friends!

Share and subscribe so you never miss an episode. Then, I'd love it if you would rate and review - it’s the best way to support! Click here for the show page to rate/review today.

Let’s be friends!

Downloadable Resources:

Career coaching packages

The Uncommon Career Academy.

Desktop site: https://theuncommoncareer.com

Mobile site: https://theuncommoncareer.com/lib 

Listen in for a career God story from Paul, a Christian Software Engineering professional  who:

• ...had med-school aspirations

Then stay for the second half, where he shares golden nuggets to help you get hired in the tech industry, including:

• Why the job "requirements" aren't what they seem 

This is a great episode covering lots of ground. Tune in to learn from Paul's wisdom and experience in both the Word of God and the hiring process.

Downloadable Resources:

• Career Transition Blueprint: a checklist to cut the stress and simplify your career leap

“I can’t believe I have to start over…”

“I’ve invested too much in this industry to leave now”

“I don’t want to start at the bottom again”

Guess what?! You don’t have to! 

Changing careers can sometimes mean a small dip but rarely does it mean a blank slate. In fact, many times a career change is what makes you exactly the candidate a company is looking for. 

You are like a key they need - the one unique key that can open their lock. 

Listen in for three strengths you can leverage when you change careers:

A skill set no one in the candidate pool has

Leverage your career difference by searching for the gap you can fill in your next season. Are you a teacher hoping to hop into tech? Focus on online education or educational software companies, for example. Are you an engineer switching to social services? Seek out virtual and tech oriented social services companies where you are sure to be an asset and blessing. 

A fresh perspective

We’ve all stared at the same widget for so long, it could be backwards and inside down… and we wouldn’t even notice. Use your resume summary and/or cover letter, networking conversations and interview as opportunities to showcase your fresh perspective. Get curious about the product or service you hope to work with and use your newbie perspective to open the committee’s eyes to a gap, hidden opportunity, or a fix they just hadn’t seen.

Companies like to do things their way

Years ago, I answered an easy industry question with the wrong answer. And I was hired. I knew my mistake after looking it up post-interview, so I was dumbfounded. Their response? “We liked that you were so green. We need someone we can groom into our way of business.” WOW. How do you leverage this?

• Pick up hints in job descriptions

But...remember this is just a starting point - don’t take yourself out of the running, even if you don’t see one of these hints. 

You don’t need to start over. You just need to find the lock your key opens. 

THE UNCOMMON CAREER ACADEMY IS OPENING

Want to get ready for those quarter 1 positions? Let's DO IT!

Did you know most companies get hiring budgets in January and begin a job posting rush in the first quarter?

While everyone else is lounging around all through the holidays, HR departments are getting ready to post positions, start interviewing, and hire great candidates.

That's why now is PRIME TIME to:

• Get Clarity

The Career Academy is now open for Founding Members!

What is a founding member?

• Get the lowest pricing ...ever

Cohort 1 is limited to an intimate group of 10-20 Founding Members and will begin the first week in January. 

Get in now! Click here to join 

Use code ACADEMYFOUNDER30 for Founder-only 30% off pricing (but grab it before it's gone!)  

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Downloadable Resources:

• Career Transition Blueprint: a checklist to cut the stress and simplify your career leap

Career coaching packages

The Uncommon Career Academy 

Desktop site: https://theuncommoncareer.com

Mobile site: https://theuncommoncareer.com/lib 

Struggling to find your next career move? Praying about it but don’t see the answer beaming down from heaven (Would’t that be amazing)? That’s ok! God’s guidance comes in many ways, and often, it’s in the action we take that we see His hand.

Here are the 3 simple and practical steps you can focus on this week to gain clarity on your career direction - more detail is in this week’s podcast episode!

Reflect on your past experience

(start with work, but include personal experience too). What positions did you enjoy most? Least? What exactly did you like/dislike about them? What like/dislike patterns do you see across your positions? In light of this…what do you think God might be preparing you for? There is no right/wrong answer here, just consider the possibilities.

Identify your needs and wants

What are your needs for the salary, location, time commitment, etc.? Needs are “make or break” requirements, so be careful not to mix wants and needs. Once you have your needs list completed, start looking at wants. This is now your wishlist. It can be as big or small as you’d like and can encompass really anything. Your wants list is negotiable, your needs list is not.

Then, build on your natural interests

Look at both big picture interests (faith, technology, art, etc) but pay even closer attention to task and project oriented interests (talking with people, solving short term problems, decorating a room, etc.) Look at your past experience from #1 above (what you liked/disliked) to identify interests but go beyond this list. Ask yourself:

• When do I get so focused I loose track of time?

We are all habitual creatures, and even when we can’t see patterns in our behaviors, the patterns are there. Discover some of your natural career patterns with the three items above.

During this process, ask The Lord to bring you clarity & peace, and to guide your path as you engage in these practical activities.

He cares about even the smallest parts of your life…and your career, where you spend most of your life, is one of the most important ways that God uses you. 

Downloadable Resources:

• Career Transition Blueprint: a checklist to cut the stress and simplify your career leap