Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

After a Lay-Off – Don’t Fall Into these Traps

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One constant in job seeking is that there is no ONE “right” way to do anything. For example, some recruiters don’t appreciate thank you notes. Others require or expect them. (I maintain that it is safest to send them!)  There is, however, advice that seems to be ubiquitous. If you are job hunting as a result of a lay-off, Sarah Needleman offers some terrific, always relevant advice in her article for the Wall Street Journal. To avoid putting your foot in your mouth, keep these tips in mind! (Tips are from the article; commentary is my own.)

When applying, avoid expressing bitterness or self-pity. There’s no need to be specific about the circumstances of your job loss in your initial communication. While you should have an answer to the question about how and why you left your job for an interview, being laid off is not as much of a stigma as it once was, so don’t get too worked up about it. Focus on the positives – that you still have great skills to offer and are looking forward to using them for a new company.

Signal Confidence. Don’t be overly thankful! The article suggests that it isn’t a good idea to include lines such as, “Thank you so much for giving me consideration” as this may be a signal a lack of confidence. Don’t be overly self-confident, but make it clear what you have to offer instead of groveling and begging for consideration.

Be flexible and not fussy. There’s no question that employers will prefer candidates willing to do what it takes to get the job done. Demonstrate that you are a team player who is willing to hit the ground running.

But, don’t be TOO accommodating! Needleman reports that Russ Riendeau, a senior executive recruiter, does not believe candidates who say they are willing to go anywhere, travel all of the time or make other difficult concessions.  “When I hear that, I know it’s not true,” he says. “I know I’m dealing with a desperate candidate.” So – be flexible, but don’t come off as desperate!

Some unemployed job hunters also hurt their chances by volunteering to take a significantly lower salary than what they earned in their last job. Some recruiters will hold it against you if you offer to take a pay cut of more than 20%. I always suggest waiting as long as possible to discuss salary. Focus on why you are a strong candidate for the job and indicate what aspects appeal to you beyond salary. (Maybe the company specializes in an area where you know you can really contribute.) If you have good reasons for being willing to take a pay cut (beyond the fact that you will take any job to pay the bills), you’ll be more competitive.

Don’t forget – recruiters need to be sure you’ll stay in the job, or they may lose their fees or their credibility with their clients. If you seem like the type of candidate who will leave at the first opportunity, you aren’t going to be considered particularly desirable!

What other ideas do you have? I invite recruiters and candidates to share experiences in the comments!

Don’t forget that Keppie Careers can help you find the job you’ve been seeking, no matter what your circumstances: www.keppiecareers.com.

photo by g-hat

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How to Get Hired By a Great Employer

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As more and more people are looking for work, knowing how to approach your targeted employer is key. Award winning employers share some characteristics, and you’ll want to be prepared to be competitive.

For tips on looking for a job with an award-winning organization, read the blog I wrote for GreatPlaceJobs HERE!


It’s always important to know how to target an employer. We can help you stay competitive. Contact Keppie Careers to learn how we can help with you search!

Worried About Finding a Job? Keep Things in Perspective

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Looking around, it may seem like getting a job in this economy is about as easy as climbing Mount Everest. Unemployment is up, more talented people are losing their jobs and the thought of a job hunt is pretty daunting for most professionals, especially those who have not needed to look for a job in a long time.

However, I believe that keeping a positive attitude and taking advantage of all of all available tools at their disposal can help job seekers be successful, even in seemingly bleak times. In her blog for Examiner.com, Heather Huhman reports some heartening findings.

For example, news isn’t all that bad if you have a college degree. Rob McGovern, CEO Jobfox says the unemployment rate is only 3.1 percent for professionals with college degrees.

Heather reports on McGovern’s recommendations for students and recent graduates looking for work. I think these tips apply to all job seekers. (Commentary is my own.)

1. Listen to feedback. Read your past employment reviews and ask people what they think you should highlight as your best qualities. Ask friends, but also ask colleagues and people who know you in a variety of different personal and professional settings. Take their suggestions to heart and think about what you have to offer.
2. Stay on top of emerging trends in your industry of choice. Set “Google alerts” for your industry and organizations you are targeting for your search. Keep your eyes and ears open for information that you can use during networking conversations and interviews.
3. Work on basic people skills. McGovern notes that, “Study after study suggests that warm smiles and firm handshakes go a long way in creating lasting first impressions.” I’ve written about the importance of “soft skills.” Don’t forget that getting a job isn’t only about the sum of your skills, but the way you present them! (For a list of soft skills, click HERE and scroll to the bottom.)
4. Attitude adjustment. A positive personality can go a long way. Be confident and able to concisely describe what you have to offer. You’ll be surprised how important your attitude is in your job search.
5. Keep your perspective. Everything I read reminds me that, even in a recession, jobs still need to get done. There are jobs out there. Be sure you are well prepared to compete for them!
Many clients come to me after a long, bleak search that resulted in no interviews. They are surprised to realize that their lack of success was not due to factors beyond their control (such as age, experience or the job market itself), but because they were not marketing their skills properly. We can help you shorten your search! Learn more about Keppie Careers at www.keppiecareers.com.
photo by bartamimi

Holiday Networking – Free Ebook

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Am I the only one who can hardly believe we are quickly approaching the new year? Did 2008 fly by or what?

Here’s hoping that 2009 turns into a much better year for our economy and  the job market. To get you started on the right foot, I put together the first in my “Drive Your Own Career Bus” e-Series on Holiday Networking. It is specially designed to help those of you who are about to embark upon the (sometimes dreaded) holiday party networking circuit.

With the right preparation and follow-up, in-person networking events offer unmatched opportunities to broaden your networking circle and to connect with people who may be in a good mood!

Don’t miss out on all of the great opportunities awaiting you! Pick up your copy of Drive Your Own Career Bus – Holiday Networking for Success. It is full of advice, tips and tricks to get you through this holiday season in good networking shape.

How do you get your copy? For a limited time, it is yours free when you subscribe to Keppie Careers.

All you need to do is enter your email in the navy box on the right side of your screen. That’s it – enter your valid email address and press “Subscribe Me.” You’ll receive a free subscription to my blog (a weekly email) and we will email you a copy of Drive Your Own Career Bus – Holiday Networking for Success.

What a deal!

Don’t delay, this offer is limited. My marketing team thinks I should sell this report, but I’m in a giving mood, so I decided to make it free for a limited time!

If you are already a subscriber, just send an email to [email protected] from the email address where you are already subscribed and we’ll be happy to forward you a copy.

Don’t forget that Keppie Careers offers many services to help you get your job hunt on track. Stop wasting your time! Visit the OUR SERVICES link for more information about how we can help you.


photo by smaku

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Use Twitter for Your Job Search

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Twitter is a great tool to leverage for your job hunt. You can tweet yourself to a job opportunity 140 characters at a time! It’s been done!  Statistics show that job search networking is much more effective when you make “loose” connections – touching base with people beyond your immediate circle whose networks and contacts are much different from your own. As an open network, Twitter offers an unparalleled opportunity to create an extended network.

Not convinced that Twitter is actually a high-powered job search tool? Read on to learn how Twitter can uniquely position you for job-hunting success!

What Can Twitter Do For You?

  1. Afford access to other professionals in your field. When you follow industry leaders, you’ll know who spends time with them, what conferences they attend (and what they think of the speakers!), what they’re reading and what is on their minds. This is great information to leverage for your search.
  2. Provide exposure and credibility as well as personal and professional relationships when you connect to others in your industry.
  3. Offer you a venue to demonstrate your expertise and share information in quick, pithy bursts of wisdom. This is perfect if you don’t have the time or energy to create a blog.

Unique Aspects of Twitter

  1. It is casual and immediate and a great place to “meet” informally.
  2. You’ll find an array of people on Twitter, including CEOs, top-level executives, hiring managers, recruiters and everyone in-between! It’s one-stop shopping for your networking needs. You’ll be surprised to find that stars in your field (mentors) may follow you if you reach out to them!
  3. Unlike Facebook, where it is kind of creepy if you start trying to “friend” people who are connected to your contacts, it is acceptable (and expected) to follow people on Twitter because another friend or colleague does.
  4. It forces you to be brief. Coming up with your “Twit-Pitch” – what you have to offer in 160 characters or less – will help you clarify your value proposition. Remember: less is more!

Convinced? What To Do First?

  1. Brand yourself professionally. If you are planning to use Twitter for a job search, set up a designated profile and account. Choose a professional Twitter handle using your name or some combination of your name and profession that sounds good and is easy to remember. For example, JaneSmith or PRProJane.
  2. Take time to create a professional profile that will attract your target market. If you don’t have a website, link to your LinkedIn profile.
  3. Before you follow anyone, start posting some tweets! Don’t succumb to the temptation to share your lunch menu…Tweet about an article, an idea or share a link of professional interest to your targeted followers. Do this for a few days. It may seem strange to be tweeting when no one is following, but you may be surprised to gain an audience before you even try. Once you have a great profile and a set of interesting tweets, start following people in your industry. Aim high! Follow stars – some will follow you back.
  4. Continue to build your network by using Twitter Search and Twitter’s Find People tool. Manually review profiles and use Twubble to help you find new people to follow. Use directories such as Twellow and TwitDir. Grow your network slowly – you don’t want to follow 1000 people and have only 30 following you. That makes you look spammy, not professional.
  5. Another tool to use to learn what is going on in your area of expertise is Monitter. (Hat tip Steve Cornelius.) Steve used it to look up information about a company where he was interviewing. It is also great to see what people are talking about and to find conversations to join on Twitter.
  6. Use hashtags (the # sign) to “tag” your posts and to search for tweets about subjects of interest to you. These tags make it easy for people to search for your content. Cision Blog explains this well:
    “Hashtags are used on Twitter to create groupings around a particular topic, event, community, industry, location, etc. By using a hashtag, tweeters can follow an entire conversation chain uninterrupted by other tweets.” Tagalus is a service that provide the definition of  hash tags, so take a look if you are following people and have no idea what their tags mean! For additional resources about hashtags, follow THIS LINK.
  7. Give, give, give! Think about what you can do for others. Don’t blatantly self-promote. Instead, help promote others. “Retweet” (pass along information someone else shared, giving them credit) – you will earn followers and friends this way. Those who know (and like) you will become part of your network and will be willing to help you. (See picture for an example of a retweet.)

 

Sustain Your Twitter Network

  1. Twitter doesn’t have to be very time-consuming, but if it’s going to be part of your job search strategy, make a point to keep up with it by sending out something useful every day.
  2. Read what other people write and respond. Join conversations and start your own.
  3. Don’t be afraid to send a message directly to a star in your field. Simply address your tweet to @their Twitter name, and they should receive it. (Be aware that Twitter isn’t 100% reliable, so feel free to try again if you don’t hear back or have reason to believe your message wasn’t delivered.)
  4. Feel free to tweet that you are looking for an opportunity. (See below for a success story!)

People Who Found Jobs and How!

  1. Jessica Smith found her current “dream job” as Chief Mom Officer simply by tweeting to approximately 400 followers, “Anyone looking for a marketing or biz dev person?”  Within minutes, she received a DM from the founder of Wishpot.com, asking for a phone interview that resulted in a perfect position!
  2. Kyle Flaherty used Twitter to find a job that moved him and his family to Austin, TX from Boston. He tweeted to approximately 650 contacts that he had left his job. He included a link to a blog post outlining his interest in connecting. He explains, “Within hours I had several emails, IMs, phone calls and tweets about the topic and it actually ended up that I took a new job.” Follow this link for an interview with Kyle’s new boss, Pam O’Neil, who explains how she and Kyle used Twitter to fill the position.
  3. Heidi Miller, the “Podcasting Princess,” found a freelance project using Twitter by tweeting updates about her job hunt. Many of her colleagues questioned the wisdom of being so open about her search; they worried she look desperate or foolish. However, the ends justified the means.

 

As more and more get involved (dare I say addicted?) to Twitter, opportunities to leverage this tool for job search networking will grow exponentially. Don’t be the one left behind! Get on board and start connecting for success.

How are you using Twitter for your job hunt? Share in the comments section below!

A version of this blog was posted on Problogger’s new site about Twitter.

Keppie Careers is a one-stop shop to help you get your job search on the right track. Need a resume? Help getting going? We can help!