How Students Can Leverage Part-Time and Volunteer Work – Guest Post by Gary Ryan

June 17th, 2013
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The following is a guest post by Gary Ryan, founder of Organisations That Matter. Edited by Brenda Bernstein, The Essay Expert.

 

Leverage Part-Time and Volunteer WorkSummer vacations (or “holiday seasons” as they say Down Under), are terrific for many reasons. They present an opportunity to catch up with friends and family as well as to relax. For many students, summer means a chance to earn money and/or volunteer (especially if you aren’t taking extra classes).

Unfortunately, many students don’t take full advantage of their holiday work. Too often I hear things like, “I’m just a check-out operator,” or “I just work at a café,” or “I just provide meals to homeless people.” There is no such thing as “just” a part time job—not if you are prepared to consider the employability skills that you are developing while doing your work! Below is a short list of ten employability skills that part time / volunteer work develops:

1. Communication skills
2. Problem solving skills
3. Initiative
4. Teamwork
5. Technology skills
6. Planning and organizing skills
7. Service excellence skills
8. Leadership skills
9. Learning skills
10. Self-management skills

Let’s look at some examples of how you might develop these skills:

1. Communication
If you communicate with your boss, other team members and/or the general public, then you have the opportunity to develop communication skills. Here’s a tip: Good communicators are good listeners … which also means that you are good at asking questions. So, develop your questioning skills and your communication skills will skyrocket!

2. Problem solving
Problems occur all the time. In every job. A computer won’t work. Another staff member didn’t turn up for their shift. The delivery hasn’t arrived and customers are waiting for their orders. The list goes on. Each of these examples is a wonderful opportunity for you to consciously practice your problem solving skills. Not only that, but you can create a bank of stories about how you solve problems. Can you imagine any of your future employers not wanting a problem solver? Neither can I!

3. Initiative
Showing initiative is doing something helpful without having been asked. Every time you see that something could go wrong (like someone slipping on a banana peel) and you take action to stop that from happening (like picking up the banana peel) you are showing initiative. Opportunities to demonstrate initiative are everywhere. Keep your eye out for them and grasp them with both hands when they pop up. They also create great stories that can be used in interviews.

4. Teamwork
There is hardly a job that exists that does not involve teamwork. Even if you work alone, you are probably still part of a team. Imagine an interview when you are asked about your experience of working in teams. If you’ve covered a shift for a teammate, taught someone something, or helped out in some other way, you will have a great answer to this question!

5. Technology
Technology skills don’t just include using electronic devices such as computers and scanners. Using technology can mean writing on whiteboards, driving forklifts (providing you have a license) and whatever else you have to use to do your job. If you volunteer planting trees, the shovels, picks and other tools that you use are all forms of technology. By having a range of stories about your technological capacity, you can demonstrate your adaptability and ability to learn quickly. Most students don’t even think about these things as being relevant to their future. But, they are!

6. Planning and organizing
In whatever work you are doing, show up on time and meet your deadlines. Employers expect it. Practice it and practice it now.

7. Leadership
For those of you who have responsibility for a team or other staff, how do you treat the people you lead? What are your mental models about leadership? How are your personal values reflected in how you lead? Conscious thought about these questions can create wonderful leadership experiences for you as well as the opportunity to make relatively “safe” mistakes. Think about your personal theory about formal leadership. Try it out. See if it works. Learn how to lead by doing it when the opportunity arises.

8. Learning
Part time and volunteer work always involves learning one or more of the following:
• technical skills
• policies and procedures
• cash management processes
• customer service procedures
• people’s names
• how to work in a team
• how to communicate the company mission / vision
This list could go on. The point is, notice what you have to learn to do your job. You’ll have a mountain of examples to share in an interview!

9. Service excellence
No job is worth its salt if you aren’t able to practice developing your service excellence skills. Quite simply, service excellence is like oxygen. In any job, we can’t live without it. The simplest and best practice to adopt is, “Everyone is my customer: my boss, my colleagues and my customers.” If you wouldn’t choose to be a customer of yourself, then you need to improve your skills in this area or you will likely “suffocate” your career.

10. Self-management
In order to consciously practice the above skills you have to practice self-management. You will have all had a challenging on-the-job experience. How did you handle it? How did you overcome any negative experiences? Challenges at work require a significant amount of positive self-talk, time management, problem solving and communication skills. Develop them now!
Part-time and volunteer work are goldmines as far as developing your employability skills. Take full advantage of your opportunities. The gold in this sense will come in the future when you get the job that you really want. So, enjoy your time off this “holiday season”—and make it an even more valuable summer by developing yourself in the workplace!

 

Gary Ryan is the Founder of Organisations That Matter, author of What Really Matters For Young Professionals! and creator of the Yes For Success online platform for creating and executing a life of balance and personal success!

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10 Job Search Strategies from Recruiters

June 11th, 2013
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Recruiter job search adviceWhen it comes to tapping into best practices in the job search process, recruiters tend to be experts. Therefore, even if you’re not working directly with recruiters in your job search, it’s advisable to pay attention to what they are saying! This week I’ve compiled advice from recruiters that I recommend you follow. It could make the difference between being employed and remaining in job search mode.

  1. When you invite a recruiter to connect on LinkedIn, don’t use the generic “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” In fact, whenever you connect with anyone, personalize it and provide value. See Recruiter: Stop making this mistake on LinkedIn.
  2. Craft your LinkedIn profile to contain the best / most relevant key words, job titles and industry names. Recruiters and hiring managers spend significant time sourcing prospects on LinkedIn and you must key your profile to the searches they are performing. See Recruiters Reveal Their Secrets.
  3. Tailor your resume. You must at least appear as if you have a target and are sticking with it. If you have two targets, tailor a resume to each. See What Recruiters Want Candidates to Know and 100 Job Search Tips from Fortune 500 Recruiters.
  4. Write a cover letter that helps the recruiter or hiring manager envision you in the open position. Technical recruiters might not read cover letters, but recruiters in other industries do. See Recruiters Reveal Their Secrets.
  5. Apply for jobs you are qualified for. Look at the job description carefully; if you can’t state examples in your resume of how you have already succeeded in the required duties for the position, you are probably not a fit. See What Recruiters Want Candidates to Know.
  6. Prepare for your interview by researching the company and having specific examples of your accomplishments and previous experience at your fingertips. You *will* be asked for examples of how you approached situations in the past! See What Recruiters Want Candidates to Know.
  7. Write a thank you note—and send it by email in addition to snail mail! One candidate snail mailed a note, but someone else emailed a thank you which arrived at the employer’s office before the snail mail; guess who got the job? See Recruiters Reveal Their Secrets.
  8. Don’t make typos!! See Recruiters Reveal Their Secrets and What Recruiters Want Candidates to Know.
  9. Network, network and network! See 100 Job Search Tips from Fortune 500 Recruiters.
  10. Tell the truth. Getting caught in a misrepresentation, including a “harmless embellishment,” will kill your chances of getting a job. See 100 Job Search Tips from Fortune 500 Recruiters.

All of the above tips are in line with what a resume writer or job search coach will tell you… but isn’t it great to hear it from people with decades of recruitment experience? If you said yes, you might want some more tips from this valuable source. Thankfully, they’re not that hard to find. For a wealth of advice from recruiters on how to succeed in the job search, I recommend 100 Job Search Tips from Fortune 500 Recruiters.

Did you learn anything? Did you get confirmation that you’re doing something right? Please share in the comments!

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Posted in Articles by Brenda Bernstein, Cover Letter Tips, Interview Tips, Job Search, Networking, Resume Tips, Thank You Letters | 1 Comment »

Remembering Life – Creating Wholeness from Loss

May 28th, 2013
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It’s Memorial Day and I am remembering. Remembering those who have passed in various ways throughout the years. Those who have touched me personally.

Remembering, etymologically, is a putting back together of parts. When someone is torn from us, we naturally perform this reconstruction through our thoughts.

The most recent lost in my life was my friend Nikk, who died unexpectedly two weeks ago. He was 33. His family has chosen not to request an autopsy, so we don’t know how he died, whether it was an aneurysm or a tumor or a heart attack. I have a compulsion to understand, to know the reason. His family, understandably, believes that the final result is the same so why put their son’s body through invasive procedures?

What’s important is not how it happened but how we choose to remember.

And so we remember. The music, the love, the funny things he said and did. The contribution he made.

In Memory of Nikk C.

In Memory of Nikk C.

These are the sorts of things we are called upon to piece together about all our loved ones who have passed on. I remember these things about my father who died of pneumonia at age 57; my college roommate who was killed in a car accident in the prime of her life; and my grandmother who lived to a ripe old age. What of my high school classmate who was hit by a bus? Or the professor who was going to be my thesis advisor until he was in an accident on his way home one night?

We experience painful loss, and in the same transaction we are gifted with memories that repair the rift. What will we choose to remember? And what can we learn from those memories about how best to live our lives?

I asked some of Nikk’s friends what message they thought he would want to send to the world. Some words and phrases that came up were were joy, spontaneity, embracing who you are, connecting closely with others, believing in others even when they don’t believe in themselves, and being a force for positivity, inspiration and love. Recently he had completed a huge web development project for the Rainbird Foundation, whose mission is to end child abuse. He definitely made his mark. The pieces come together.

I had a brush with possible death when I was in a car accident four weeks ago, and I have been called to consider what people will remember about me. I want to be thought of for the creativity I have put into the world, for the ways I have expanded and progressed other people’s lives, for my spirit and my contributions. I hope that many people’s lives have been made better because I have touched them.

Celebrating Life

The phrase “Memorial Service” has rather somber connotations, and so Nikk’s family gathered people together for a “Celebration of Life.” Whatever the title, what we all did there was scroll through our memories. We experienced joy, we connected with each other, and we appreciated all that Nikk had created.

We say “Rest in Peace,” and we want the souls of our loved ones to be at peace if that is our belief. I believe that with that phrase we are seeking peace and wholeness in ourselves as we adjust to life without the person who passed. I also believe it’s the remembering, and the inspiration that springs from it, that will get us there.

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The Anatomy of a Winning Resume

May 21st, 2013
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A few weeks ago one of my writers sent me a link to an infographic by www.TopCounselingSchools.org entitled The Anatomy of a Great Resume. The similarities between dating and job search are often highlighted by job seekers, and this infographic is rather explicit in milking the similarities, beginning with the question, “Does your resume get hit on all the time?”

The Anatomy Of A Great Resume
Source: Top Counseling Schools

It may be true that the competition for great talent is at least as fierce as the competition for a great romantic partner, and the above infographic provides some interesting statistics and advice. Some of it is rather surprising, and I thought I would pass it along. I’ve picked just a few salient points; take a look at the infographic for the full report!

1. 77% of HR Managers say they are looking for relevant experience. 48% say specific accomplishments. 41% say whether or not the resume was customized to the open position.

Really? I wonder how the HR Managers define “relevant experience” – It seems like a no-brainer that if a hiring manager receives two resumes for a position, both of which contain the relevant background but only one of which contains quantifiable achievements, the person who listed quantifiable achievements will be the more attractive candidate.

I’m not surprised to see the preference for customized resumes–customization shows that you are willing to go the extra mile. If you do it in the resume, you will do it in the workplace.

I believe a winning resume will do all three things: state relevant experience, highlight specific accomplishments, AND be customized to the position. Do it all and you will have the best chance of getting an interview.

2. Keywords:

56% say “problem solving” is a keyword they look for and 40% say “oral/written communication.” Really?! These are overused buzzwords; so probably an equal number of HR Managers will say NOT to use these words! To be safe, if you choose to use these buzzwords, tie them to specific problems solved and specific communication skills and you will be ahead of the game. Other top keywords: Leadership (44%), Team building (33%) and Performance and productivity improvement (31%). Again, ALWAYS include specific achievements to support the keywords.

3. Write a Summary!

Yes HR Managers like seeing a summary that conveys your unique value. Emphasis on unique. If you sound like everyone else, the summary will not help.

The infographic recommends that you tell employees “who you are” and that you talk about your “skills and qualifications.”

Watch out for dangerous pitfalls! In saying who you are, you must include specifics about your background that other candidates don’t have. List names of companies or sizes of budgets. Or write about your unique passion or style. In enumerating your skills and qualifications, don’t make them generic. Tie all your skills to an accomplishment or capacity. That way you can truly grab attention in the summary and get the HR Manager to read more.

4. Don’t use an Objective. Objective statements are focused on what you want rather than what the company wants.

I’ve been surprised to hear some support for Objective statements in resumes lately. I don’t buy it. I think the people advocating for Objective statements are behind the times and in the minority. Use your Summary to state what you have to contribute to an organization. Use a title at the top of the resume (generally under your name and contact information) to state what position you are seeking.

5. Proofread! Spelling and grammatical errors are a deal-killer.

These could be deal-killers in the dating scene too!

Although the cardinal rule of resume writing is “There are no rules,” it’s always useful to hear what hiring managers are saying. Still, surveys are inherently faulty since people often misjudge their own actions and opinions. The Anatomy of a Great Resume infographic provides food for thought, so take it as such. And remember, no two people will have the same opinion about your resume, so get the best advice you can get and “Be Yourself,” i.e. write a resume that expresses who you are–and that you are proud to send to your connections and prospective employers.

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The Gifts of a Car “Accident”

May 13th, 2013
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Ignoring MessagesLife coaching

A couple of weeks ago, three friends asked me for life coaching one after the other. It was an unusual string of requests, coming years after I completed my life coach training; and it made me think that maybe I should consider taking on a couple of life coaching clients to insert variety and heart-centered work into my business. I coached the friends who asked; the coaching gave them clarity and inspiration. I was left energized and clear that I was making a contribution not only to them, but to the many people that they touch. I was in my element.

Yet I didn’t take any further action.

Wake-Up Call

If you read my newsletter last week, you know that I was in a car accident on April 28. I was traveling home from a weekend about Purposeful Living and Spiritual Development – part of a year-long training where I get to immerse myself in the world of coaching and transformation. Driving on I90 from Chicago to Madison, I must have missed a signal that my lane was going to end. To avoid hitting a car to my right, I braked (hard I imagine), spun around and crashed into the dividing wall of the highway at a speed unknown to me. I did not hit any other cars.

It was all very movie-like, with the EMTs coming and taking me out of the car onto a stretcher. Fortunately, the only casualties were a couple of my ribs (broken through) and a totaled car. I was able to go home that night from the hospital. It is clear to me that things could have been much much worse.

Ever since, I have been reflecting deeply on the gifts of the “accident.” First, noticing how blessed I am to have emerged with relatively minor injuries. Second, acknowledging the difference I make for others. And third, tapping into the gift of ribs: creation/creativity (Adam’s rib) and expansion (breath). My broken ribs, the casualties of a moment of inattention, indicate to me that I have not been truly listening to some messages calling me to expand in new and creative ways.

New Action, New Creation

Remember all those messages coming to me about doing life coaching?

It’s time to pay attention.

I am a highly trained coach. I have gone through 5 weekends of training with the Coaches Training Institute and assisted at all of those weekends as well. I’ve participated in courses with Landmark Education for 7 years, including The Landmark Forum, The Advanced Course, The Self-Expression and Leadership Program, the Introduction Leaders Program, and multiple seminar series. I have started a business and participated in business coaching for the past two years, and I write resumes for top level executives.

I have spent my last 7 years preparing for this moment when I step up to the plate to do life coaching for real. The accident made that very clear, and I am grateful.

I was also inspired to write some short couplets to a song/rap structure provided during my Purposeful Living weekend. I’ve copied them here and hope they inspire you to live into your creativity too!

Note: “CHOOSE it” means choose between living powerfully and being a victim. “SHARE it” means share with as many people as possible!

 

When a universal call

Sends you crashing through a wall,

…then you gotta CHOOSE it…

…then you gotta CHOOSE it…

 

When you’re feeling pain and fright

That keep you up at night,

…then you gotta CHOOSE it…

…then you gotta CHOOSE it…

 

When you’re at a loss for words,

Take a listen to the birds.

…then you gotta SHARE it…

…then you gotta SHARE it…

 

When the morning comes about,

Just breathe in and then breathe out.

…then you gotta SHARE it…

…then you gotta SHARE it…

 

You don’t know what you don’t know.

So create, expand and grow!

…then you gotta SHARE it…

…then you gotta SHARE it…

 

What couplets might you write to this song? What signals in your life have you been noticing and then ignoring? Are there actions for you to take? Please share in the comments. And of course if you’re seeking a life coach, please contact me. Short-term or long-term clients are welcome. I’m ready.

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Posted in Articles by Brenda Bernstein, Life and Leadership | 3 Comments »

Job Search Strategy: Get 3 Offers

April 30th, 2013
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After doing a radio interview for WPR, I received an email from a listener containing some great job search advice. Her message reminded me of the success story I shared last week from one of my clients who was homing in on three job offers at once; this week’s story is from someone who set that as her goal. Together with the Job Search Success Survey Results from two weeks ago, they make a complete package! Here’s what Mary Beth, WPR listener, has to say (can you spot the empowering self-talk and empowering actions throughout?):

Mary Beth’s Story

One trick I used early in my career to motivate myself was to adopt the goal of getting three attractive job offers at once. This may sound preposterous or ludicrous, but here is why I found it worked for me and others with whom I shared the idea:

  1. The job hunt becomes a game… Instead of feeling desperate like “Oh man, I really need a job” … it was more like “Can I possibly do this?  It seems challenging, but I won’t know if I don’t try. Let’s just see!”  It is more motivating to try to get three attractive job offers than to shoot for just one.
  2. It offers a position of strength at a time when you might feel vulnerable. Even when you are unemployed, you will feel much less dependent upon any one job opportunity if you are trying to find three attractive opportunities. This stretch goal encourages you to keep building momentum even when you have one or two good prospects, because you really don’t know if they will pan out. You won’t allow yourself to “coast” with a few good leads if you are pushing for three attractive offers.
  3. It allows you to objectively know your worth. If you can bring multiple job offers to life at the same time, you are in a much better bargaining position.  Maybe one employer offers less money, but benefits you really value (flexible hours, more vacation time, an office vs. a cubicle). You can always use the terms of one offer to ask a prospective employer to enhance either the benefits package or the salary offering. Sometimes employers don’t have flexibility, but often they do.
  4. It leads to bigger salary increases. Early in my career, I was able to increase my salary $20-25,000 from one job to another using this strategy. This was much better than 3-5% annual raises one usually receives while waiting for managers to decide to promote you.

Is looking for three job offers more work than looking for a single job? Probably. Is it more fun? Absolutely.

To be honest, I never was able to bring three offers to life simultaneously, but frequently I was capable of bringing two to life at the same time. Sometimes the third opportunity turned into a viable offer down the road.

I learned to target my resume for the next step up and truly LOVE the job search.

MORE Empowering Self-Talk

Did you hear that folks? It is possible to LOVE the job search process! If you don’t, it might help to try Mary Beth’s strategy of seeking three offers instead of one. This strategy was underlying the success story last week as well. Or, engage in more of the empowering self-talk and empowering actions outlined in the Job Search Success Survey Results.

There are limitless resources available to you – both your own internal resources and supportive external ones. Are you making the most of both of them? If you are, keep it up! And if not, consider that it might be time to start.

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Job Search Success Story – This Could Be You!

April 23rd, 2013
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In my last blog post, Job Seeker Success Survey Results Are Out!, I reviewed some of the most and least effective thoughts and actions taken by job seekers. As promised in last week’s article, here’s a story from a client who turned his thinking around from negative to positive and took actions that quickly led to a highly desired job offer. You can create a similar success! Here is his story, as he relates it:

Commitment, Investment, Learning

My job search began in May 2012, and kicked into high gear in July 2012 as my MBA degree was imminent. As the search began, my thoughts wandered at my current position, admittedly at the expense of my work production; I knew the end was near and this was NOT the company I wanted to build a career with. I had waited patiently for almost 4 years for my opportunity to jump into something I love. I was not going to find a quick fix and take anybody who would have me. I was willing to wait and find the perfect job with the perfect company.

I began to devour any and all reading material regarding job searching. I happened upon How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn® Profile and read it on the plane to my wedding in Florida. I enlisted the help of The Essay Expert and things got really serious. Not only did I feel I had responsibility to myself, my family, and my new bride, but now I was even more heavily invested, emotionally and financially, in finding that “new beginning.” I received a LinkedIn® makeover, resume makeover and two cover letters that were easily customized to any job I was applying for.

Challenges Arise – and Some Disempowering Self-Talk

I figured I’d be hired in no time with the perfect company. Nobody had a better LinkedIn® profile, nobody had a better resume, nobody had written a more perfect cover letter. I do sales for a living, so thought interviews would be a BREEZE for a charismatic guy like myself. I was wrong. Those perfect jobs I found? … I received rejection emails without even an interview. I complained, “Don’t they know how hard I’ve worked and all the years I’ve put in to making myself the ‘perfect candidate’?”

Empowering Self-Talk

After suffering for a few weeks, I wrote to Brenda Bernstein, The Essay Expert, who suggested I hire a career coach. She connected me with Kristin Johnson. At this point I had a choice: continue to invest in myself or do it on my own and get the mediocre results I was already getting.

I decided to invest in myself because in this job search process you begin to really doubt yourself. With Kristin’s help, I began to figure out who I am and what my brand is. I had heard the term “branding” before and thought it was a junk statement made by airheads in Hollywood. Then I came to a realization: I don’t know how to express who I am! I could sell anybody on anything but I couldn’t sell myself. I again began to devour literature on interviewing. Working with Kristin I learned how to sell myself to achieve my goals.

Empowering Action

I put my nose to the grindstone. I gained 20 pounds, refusing to go to the gym in the effort to squeeze out more job searching time [Editor's note: I do not necessarily recommend this strategy! Many people succeed because they DO go to the gym!]. I emailed, called and met with anybody I could to get connected with a potential job. I was always looking for an angle to make a connection. I poured more hours into my job search, and what were once great cover letters became one-page works of art that took hours for me to construct. Miraculously, doors began to open. I started getting calls for phone and in-person interviews. By trial and error I began to learn how to navigate these encounters.

With every interview I felt myself improving and gaining confidence. I dedicated myself to reading self-help books, mostly from Dale Carnegie, and took this knowledge to interviews. Doors began to open wider–companies were offering me jobs! I went from praying for an interview to turning down positions because they just didn’t fulfill all my needs. I was being looked at by one of the most luxurious and iconic hotels in New York City. A leader in the online travel agency was flying me out to their headquarters to meet with a panel of interviewers. A company I had turned down for a lower position offered me a management position. A complete 180 occurred!

Winning the Game

The search finally concluded in November 2012, after 6 months of relentless searching and networking. I accepted a position at a hospitality organization that is worthy of my talents and skills. A tremendous amount of time and effort was poured into this process and I got by with a little help from my new friends.

Do you have a successful job search story to share? Please leave a comment below!

 

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Job Seeker Success Survey Results Are Out!

April 15th, 2013
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This week the Career Thought Leaders Consortium published the results of a survey, conducted by Susan Whitcomb of TheAcademies.com CTL Most Effective Job Search Strategiesand Caitlin Williams, PhD of DrCaitlinWilliams.com, entitled Job Seeker Success Survey Results. Today’s blog will summarize some of the main points of the survey; next week I will publish a story from one of my clients who succeeded in his job search because he did just about everything in this report as he conducted his job search.

Three of the main topics covered in the survey were job seekers’ empowering self-talk, empowering actions, and effective job search strategies. These are areas where more is definitely better! Below you will find what worked for job seekers; I invite you to take on these practices and thought patterns if you haven’t already.

EMPOWERING / MOTIVATING SELF-TALK

“I can do this!” “I am perfect for this job!” “My current situation does not define me!”

One of the most important factors in a successful job search is optimistic self-talk. The job search can be a daunting process, and job seekers need their own support to get through it. Telling themselves they are worth it and deserving, that there are positive aspects to their situation even if it’s challenging, and that they are a great fit for the jobs they’re applying for makes a big difference in mental mindset and ultimately in the results they get!

Of course job seekers did have some disempowering self-talk as well, including doubting their abilities and believing they would fail, either because of their own perceived problems or the state of the job market. It is natural to have some negative conversation in our heads, and it’s important to become aware of it, bring it out into the open, and take any action possible to manage it. If you find yourself mired in negative self-talk, consider hiring a coach to help you pivot toward the positive.

EMPOWERING / MOTIVATING ACTIONS

“Talking with my coach.” “After the interview, I kept looking for a job even though I felt like the interview went well.” “Practice my 1-2 minute success stories that match the company’s needs.”

Even more important than what job seekers said to themselves was what they DID. Of course the two are intimately intertwined, as positive thoughts often breed positive action. Successful job seekers took on the job search with gusto. They prepared thoroughly for each interview. They hired coaches. They focused on finding the best fit for their skills—not just on getting any job. Many leveraged their professional and social networks. A good percentage considered staying healthy and fit to be an essential component of their success.

The least empowering job search activities included procrastination, stopping the search altogether, withdrawing from connections, making errors such as showing up late for interviews, and generally focusing on the negative. Again, having a coach on your side to help you turn around any negative job search patterns can be extremely valuable.

MOST EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH ACTIVITY

Network, Network, and Network!!

A significant 67% of job seekers indicated that networking and communicating with key contacts was their most effective job search activity. Of those who reported their job search took as long or shorter than expected, close to 80% said networking was their most effective activity. Are you getting the point?

20% said working with a coach or improving their skills in other ways, including enhancing their resume and cover letter writing abilities, was key to their success.

ENCOURAGING NEWS FOR OLDER JOB SEEKERS

Of those in the 56-60 age range responding to the survey, 64% had recently landed a new opportunity! Furthermore, age did not appear to have any relationship to how long it took to find a job. I see this as very encouraging news for this demographic. For more tips for older job seekers, see 17 Tips for Older Job Seekers – Follow in the Footsteps of Winners!

READ IT AND SHARE!

If you are feeling stuck or discouraged in your job search, please take a few minutes to read the entire report Job Seeker Success Survey Results. You will likely learn something about your own mindset—and maybe even get inspired by the people in the survey group.

Do you have success stories to share? I’d love to hear them! And be sure to tune in next week for a story of success from one of The Essay Expert’s clients.

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Perfectionists Read This! There is No “Getting It Right”!

April 8th, 2013
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You can please some of the people some of the time.the perfect resume?

A few months ago, I received a call from a potential client who told me he had almost decided not to call me because he did not like my website. My immediate response, as a lifelong perfectionist, was to think, “I need to fix this!” I asked him to tell me more about what he didn’t like. I looked at some other web sites he said he did like. I even spoke to my web designers about what it would take to redesign my site to be more Web 2.0.

Then I took a step back. This was one person. One potential client. I have no way of knowing exactly how many other people are not calling, which is what scared me and made me think I should make changes. But other people were calling me and telling me they chose my company over many others on the web because they were so impressed with my web site! Some of them even purchased my highest-value packages.

Given these realities, my business coaches suggested that redesigning my site was not the best choice of investments right now. With the benefit of wisdom and reason, I decided to wait before making any major changes and to make some minor tweaks to my existing site instead. My site is performing just fine, imperfect though it is.

If you are a job seeker, take this story to heart.

On a conference call this month entitled “Debunking Resume Myths,” one of the participants, a resume writer, shared an enlightening story about one of her clients (I’ll call him Jim). Resume in hand, Jim began applying for positions locally. One company, which was not well-regarded in the area, criticized the resume for being too polished.

Jim was undeterred and kept applying for positions using his spiffed up resume. Not long after the first company’s criticism, another company, with a reputation as an excellent place to work, complimented Jim on his decision to invest in a professionally-written resume. This company ultimately hired him, and he remains in his new position today.

If Jim had spent his time trying to get it “right,” changing his resume every time anyone did not like it, he might have missed out on applying for a job he wanted.

We have a winner!

These stories prove that no matter what decisions you make with your resume, personal statements or written documents of any kind, some people will like the finished product and some will not. The best advice I can give is to create a document that you feel best represents who you are; the right company, school or client will appreciate the way you present yourself and act on their opinion!

Sometimes sticking to your guns–and not striving for impossible perfection–takes courage and patience. Sometimes you might discover after a period of time that you truly have missed the mark and need to do something differently. But if you give your best shot a chance to reap rewards, you have an excellent chance of coming out a winner.

Do you have a story of a time when one person criticized your document or presentation and another person (besides your mom) loved it? Please share below.

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Posted in Articles by Brenda Bernstein, Job Search, Life and Leadership, Resume Tips | 2 Comments »

Are You Up on the Top Resume & Cover Letter Trends of 2012-2013?

March 25th, 2013
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Are you up on the top resume & cover letter trends of 2012-2013? Many articles posted on line are old and outdated. Thankfully, each year Career Thought Leaders releases an up-to-date report on current job search trends… and the 2012 report has been released!Resume and Cover Letter Trends

Findings of 2012 Global Career Brainstorming Day: Trends for the Now, the New & the Next in Careers covers topics including Career Marketing Communications (my focus), Job Search, Career Planning & Management, Career Counseling & Coaching, The Changing Employment Landscape, and Challenges for Career Professionals. I invite you to read the full report to get a picture of job search trends in all these areas. What follows is a summary of top trends in Resumes & Cover Letters, LinkedIn® Profiles and Video/Multimedia presentations. The Essay Expert will be following these recommendations and I hope you will too!

Resumes & Cover Letters

Resumes are not dead, despite the fact that some people do get interview offers based solely on their social media profiles and video presentations. In most fields, resumes remain the central career marketing document, around which all other materials (LinkedIn® profile, networking resume, bio, etc.) revolve.

  • Ideal length is two pages for most mid- to senior-level professionals; the presentation must be such that the information is readily absorbed in 6-10 seconds.
  • A portfolio of additional, consistently branded materials, including an Executive Summary for senior players, is welcomed by decision-makers; this compilation paints a full picture of what an accomplished applicant offers.
  • An exact street address is no longer necessary, but a LinkedIn® URL is recommended.
  • Numbers speak louder than words, so include any you can! Also include CAR (Challenge-Action-Result) or STAR (Situation-Task-Action-Result) stories to demonstrate your value.
  • Each resume must be tailored to the job description. You will need multiple versions to be truly effective.
  • Quotes/testimonials are becoming more and more accepted—and perhaps even expected—on resumes.
  • Photos are still a no-no in the United States for anyone looking for full-time employment; in Europe and the UK, however, photos remain standard.
  • Document Format requirements vary depending on your audience. Some organizations and job search sites accept fully formatted resumes in .doc or .pdf format; others require Word documents or text-based files.
  • Gmail addresses are the standard, and aol addresses are seen as antiquated, especially for tech jobs.
  • Brief, tailored cover letters are still welcome by some HR and hiring managers, so best practice is to include one that makes you stand out.
  • The old “snail mail” tradition of sending a resume on nice bond paper is also not dead! You can make an impression by doing so and get some attention.
  • If you are working with a recruiter, do whatever the recruiter directs you to do. You can use your more highly formatted resume when interacting directly with hiring managers.

LinkedIn®

LinkedIn® is absolutely essential to your job search strategy. Sure, you can be on facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, but LinkedIn® is the one non-negotiable. Did you know that recruiters will often accept LinkedIn® connection requests even though they will not read an unsolicited resume?

Once on LinkedIn®, recommendations are as follows:

  • Prioritize keywords and recommendations (vs. endorsements).
  • Update your profile and activity status regularly.
  • There is no need to purchase a Premium account in order to get value from your LinkedIn® presence.
  • LinkedIn® is not a silver bullet! Simply having a great profile does not guarantee success; you must participate in discussions and “take it off line” to get full value from the site.
  • Your LinkedIn® profile should complement, not copy, your resume.

VideoBios, Web Portfolios, Visual CVs & Other Multimedia Tools

  • Web portfolios are becoming common, especially for those in the graphic arts field. A web presence may soon be expected for job seekers in some fields! Consistent branding is key.
  • Video resumes are more accepted and utilized on the West Coast than elsewhere, but they have not taken off as anticipated. It seems social media profiles such as LinkedIn® are still winning out.
  • Some recruiters like video resumes/bios and Skype. Word to the wise: If you choose to present yourself through video, make sure you use high level technology! A poor quality video image, whether in a video or a Skype conversation, can be worse than no video at all.

I hope the above “hot-off-the-press” advice from top career professionals supports what you’re already doing or encourages you to head in a new direction. Read the full report here. If The Essay Expert can help, let us know! We are available at 608-467-0067 or through our Web Form.

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Posted in Articles by Brenda Bernstein, Cover Letter Tips, Job Search, Resume Tips | Leave a Comment »

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