Find A Job That Brings You Joy!

Making A Graceful Exit

Every job seeker needs an Exit Statement. This is a brief, positive-sounding sentence or two that tells another person why you’re on the hunt. Having a prepared Exit Statement makes it less uncomfortable to talk about your search and gives you the opportunity to share information about the type of work you’re seeking.  Here are some examples:

• Acquisition: As you may know, Acme Inc. was recently acquired and more than 300 positions were eliminated, including mine. I am now exploring opportunities to…
• Reorganization: My position, along with ten other people in my department, was eliminated in a company-wide reorganization. I enjoyed my job and am looking for similar work but open to other industries, including…
• Fired: I am no longer with Acme Inc. and I’m taking this time to consider how to get back into the manufacturing industry, where my true passion lies…

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‘Tis The Season To Give!

We’ve all heard this before – but what usually comes to mind is buying presents for family or making donations to charity. Here’s a new gift to pass on: giving job leads and career support!

It’s worth keeping up with your job search despite the slow time of year (see Keep Your Job Search Going Through The Holiday Months, for more on this topic). However, if you’re not finding much that’s a fit for you, consider looking beyond these opportunities. Have you gotten a call from a recruiter for a job that doesn’t meet your qualifications? Did you see an ad for a company you’d like to work for though the open position isn’t a fit? It’s easy to discount these opportunities once we realize they don’t benefit us.

However, I advise you to pass it on! Not only will people be grateful to receive a lead, you’ll be cultivating your network at the same time. And, though it’s a cliché, you’ll often find that this generosity will come back to you. Some ideas:

1)    If you get a call from a recruiter, don’t write them off if you don’t fit their position. Check your database and see if there’s anyone you can recommend. You’ll build goodwill with the headhunter, too, and be remembered for future opportunities!

2)    When checking your dream company’s open positions, you may be disappointed to find out that there isn’t anything that matches your qualifications. Still, see what else is listed – you may actually be gaining an internal contact by recommending someone else for an open job!

3)    Pass on more than just leads: whether interesting articles, industry events, or even just an introduction to an industry colleague, share!

Of course, ‘tis ALWAYS the season for giving. Don’t limit this practice to the holiday months!

Picture: Christmas Warmth, by somadjinn

Tags: building relationships, job search, leads, Networking, recruiters
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Work Your Network!

By now, you’ve probably heard how important networking is to your career. You may even attend industry-specific networking events, speed-networking meetings, or get virtually introduced to new contacts by mutual connections. This is all great, but – what do you do AFTER you’ve met someone? 

Networking contacts come in handy in the most mysterious ways. The person with an “in” at your target company may be someone you haven’t spoken to in 3 years – despite the fact that you’re connected on LinkedIn. If you’re an avid networker, the sheer size of your database may make you feel it’s impossible to stay in touch with everyone you’ve met. This isn’t necessarily true.

The key is staying in touch. This doesn’t mean dinner every month, just a brief “touch” to staying on someone’s radar. Of course, there will be other relationships you’ll want to spend more time nurturing. However, you can keep in contact with most people in your network fairly quickly and easily. For example:

1)    Remember birthdays: It takes about 10 seconds to wish someone a happy birthday online, and Facebook even provides you with an alert. It’s a quick way to stay on someone’s radar AND brighten their day!

2)    Offer congratulations on promotions: Same goes for job changes. LinkedIn sends a weekly update to members, with the career moves of those in their networks. Another 10 second interaction that will put a smile on someone’s face AND remind them about you!

3)    Remember REAP: This acronym – Read, Events, Advice, People – suggests things you can either offer your contacts or ask of them. For example: “I met someone I think you’d find to be a valuable contact (the “P” in REAP). Would you be open to an introduction?” You’re adding value and building a relationship at the same time.

It really only has to take a few minutes each day to maintain your network – but a lot longer to build one from scratch. Cultivate the relationships you already have, and you’ll be more than prepared when opportunities arise!

Picture: chairs & coffee, by Murielle

Tags: building relationships, Networking, relationship building, social media, social networking
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Job Success Spotlight: Kathryn Janicek

Picture it: 2008, during one of the lowest points of the recession. Kathryn Janicek had quit her job in Minnesota to move to Chicago. Though she had grown up in the area, she had been away for more than 14 years and had only a small local network–with very few of those in the highly competitive television industry.  

Fast-forward 6 months. Kathryn bought a condo in Chicago, rented out her place in Minnesota (despite an extremely dismal housing and rental market), and got hired as supervising news producer at WGN-TV in Chicago. How did she do this? Two words: social networking. Read on for some of Kathryn’s tips on how she used Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to find a great job in a city where she wasn’t even living:

1)    She built a network FAST: By getting heavily involved with the three main social media sites, Kathryn quickly established industry connections in Chicago. Building a network this fast and from a different location simply would not have happened without these tools.

2)    She reconnected with former colleagues: Kathryn was able to locate people she used to work with and put the word out that she was looking. This resulted in a friend calling the WGN hiring manager on her behalf – leading to an interview and ultimately an offer.

3)    She created a strong brand: Proud to be from Chicago, Kathryn promotes the city at every opportunity. As one aspect of her brand, she’s seen as someone up to date on area activities – a strong selling point for Chicago news outlets looking for local stories.

It’s no question that social media helped Kathryn’s career, and she recommends staying conscious of the purpose of each site (i.e. LinkedIn is more professional than Facebook). This can help job seekers maintain a positive presence and also make the most of each network.

Kathryn Janicek is currently NBC-Chicago’s daypart manager/executive producer.

Tags: job search, Networking, personal brand, relocating, social media, social networking
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Offline Networking

While the benefits of being able to connect with people online cannot be overstated, it shouldn’t be the ONLY way you spend your networking time. Of course, if you’re conducting a job search within an area where you’re not currently living, it may be the most realistic option. However, it can help to build some phone time into your schedule.

Connections are typically established much more quickly in person than among those that have only interacted online. That’s why so many “fast friendships” develop at conferences. The lead time for building these types of relationships is longer when you have never had that personal connection.

Ideally, online networking would serve as a complement to “real life” encounters. And, of course, sites like LinkedIn help when you have a wide network – there would be no way you could realistically spend the time connecting with so many people otherwise. Social media can serve as an easy way to stay in touch, keep up to date on each other’s lives, and remember exactly who they are and what they do.

Most of us use online networking as our sole source of meeting people, and with good reason – time. We’re simply too busy to go out to events each evening in an effort to meet new people.

Fortunately, there’s a middle ground. Consider building in regular time to connect with people in person (whether formal networking events, lunch or coffee meetings, etc.) as well as phone time (example, two 15 minute calls per week). And, be selective-you shouldn’t spend this extra time on just anyone. Follow the 80/20 rule – 80% of your network will likely stay acquaintances, but 20% have the potential to become very valuable contacts. 

Photo: FOTOCROMO

Tags: building relationships, Networking, social networking
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Following Up – Helpful or Pushy?

In a word – both! Even though following up (whether after submitting a resume or after an interview) is statistically proven to lead to a higher likelihood of an offer, people still resist. Without fail, the number one reason is because they feel they’re bothering the hiring manager and/or HR.

Honestly, you might be. No one relishes being interrupted, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. After all, you’re in sales (selling yourself) and following up is a key part of it.

There are some right and wrong ways to go about it though. Staying on someone’s radar and being a nuisance are two different things. In general, follow the “three strikes” rule. If you’ve reached out that many times with no response or indication of future communication, it’s recommended you move on (though, it’s helpful to leave your final call/email open; for example, stating that you’re still interested in hearing from them, but won’t be calling anymore). A caveat: There are times it’s not recommended to check in – if a job ad says “no calls,” believe them!

When you do call, be thoughtful with your timing. Don’t call first thing on a Monday morning or the day after a holiday. Consider mixing your methods between phone calls and emails, to give the decision maker the option of how to respond. When you reach the person you’re trying to speak with, be prepared and brief. Try and get concrete next steps, such as when you should call back and/or when they expect to make a decision.

Tags: application, Applying Online, follow up, interview, job search
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Your Job Search Spiel

If you’re in job search mode, you have to know what type of work you’re looking for, and you have to be able to articulate it to your friends, peers, neighbors,  former colleagues, even complete strangers. There is no getting around it – you need a one minute spiel… a positioning statement that quickly helps people comprehend what your dream job looks like, and it should roll of your tongue with ease.

I would go so far as to say that if you don’t have your spiel down pat, stop reading this blog right this very minute and go figure it out! Just last week I gave a presentation on personal branding to a room filled with job seekers. As I shook their hands I asked, “What type of work are you seeking?” One man answered by telling me the job he just lost. “I was a General Manger,” he said. This tells me next to nothing. I need to know more about his skills, his accomplishments and what his dream job looks like if I’m going to help him find it.

In another instance, a woman told me that she honestly didn’t know. “I was a pilot and I’d like to find a job that allows me to spend more time with my two young children.” Then she asked me, “Do you know of any career paths that might be suitable for me, or how I might go about researching my options?”

Her answer was perfect! She didn’t know what her dream job looked like so instead she invited me to help her discover it. If you’re fresh out of school, your strategy might be to solicit contacts for informational interviews. “I’m a recent graduate with a degree in political science and researching jobs in the nonprofit sector. I’d ideally like to work for an social service agency that helps rebuild communities… do you know anyone in the nonprofit world that might be willing to spend 15 minutes on the phone with me?”

Consider your spiel. Be able to articulate, clearly and with conviction,  that which you seek so your connections can help you find it!

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