Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Lost At Sea? Career Search Strategies and Tips for Today's Job Market

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Can you believe it is already August? Before you know it, you’ll blink and it’ll be Labor Day, and the summer will really be over.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of good news in the employment sector. Rough waters continue to prevail, and many may be feeling lost at sea in a turbulent economy. Careerbuilder.com summarized the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which released its monthly summary of job data for July 2008:

  • Unemployment rose from 5.5% in June to 5.7% in July.
  • There were 51,000 fewer jobs in July. Total job loss for 2008 so far is 463,000. That is an average of 66,000 jobs lost per month.
  • The most notable losses were in construction, manufacturing and employment services. The drop for employment services indicates far fewer companies are using temporary help.
  • The report also mentioned that teenagers and young adults who usually take on part-time jobs during the summer have had challenges in finding a job this year.

What does all of this mean to you?

It depends. If you work in one of the harder-hit sectors, it could very well mean that your job is in jeopardy, and you need to start thinking about what you will do if you are out of work.

I’ve written a lot about job seeking in a recession. Some links that might be useful:

You are still feeling lost in a tailspin of negative jobs data? You can’t focus on what to do next? Here is some advice from my friend and colleague, Walter Akana, Certified Personal Branding Strategist at Threshold Consulting:

Stop everything! Evaluate where you have been, what you most want to do and think about where you can do it. Walter suggests answering the following questions from the book Zen and the Art of Making a Living:

  • What work best reflects who I am?
  • Whom do I want to serve/work with?
  • What will I most enjoy doing?
  • To what will I be willing to devote myself?

To help evaluate alternatives and focus, Walter recommends creating a personal career alternatives matrix. List your ideal job criteria, interests and capabilities in the first column, and then three or four alternatives in successive columns. This exercise is designed to help you focus on getting on a track that suits you, which might be a very different track from the one you’ve been on most recently!

Take the plunge and look for a job! Still need a great resume? Some help to write the perfect cover letter? I’m here to help! Write to me.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Photo by Irish Sheep

New Job – Longer-Term Strategies

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This week’s posts have offered tips for starting a new job. From first-day jitters to adjusting to company culture – how you manage your transition will shape your impact at your new job.

To top off the week, here are a few more tips to focus on for the longer term.

These are things to consider to help ensure your success in a new company down the road:

Start trying to figure out who is in charge. You may be surprised where the real power is in your new workplace. Maybe the receptionist holds a lot of authority. Who seems to make the decisions? The quicker you learn, the better off you’ll be.

Ask questions, but keep your opinions to yourself. No one expects you to reinvent the wheel in your first week (or month!)

Volunteer to help. Be a hero – offer to do a job no one else wants to do. There’s no better way to win friends and influence people than by stepping up to the plate. An added benefit? If you wind up solving a big problem, your ability to influence the workplace goes way up!

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Even if there are a lot of expectations riding on you, don’t start a new job expecting to make a lot of changes right away. Learn how things are done and why before you start implementing new policies. Demonstrate that you value what has been done before you got there, even if you plan to change everything! You’ll win a lot more friends with honey than with vinegar!

What tips have worked for you in starting a new job successfully?

Wish you were facing new job jitters? Take the plunge and look for a job! Still need a great resume? Some help to write the perfect cover letter? I’m here to help! Write to me.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

photo by decor8

Starting a New Job? Evaluate and Acclimate Before You Try to Revolutionize Your Work Culture

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Yesterday, I blogged about tips to help you in your first day (or week) of a new job. Today, I’d like to share some of my own experiences starting a new job right out of school. Getting started in a new job is always a transition – no matter how many jobs you’ve had. This is the article I contributed to Dan Schawbel’s Personal Branding Magazine, a publication I help edit…

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My first job out of college was as an analyst on Wall Street. As I recall, from my perspective, our group needed help to become more efficient and comfortable.

Initially, my only suggestion that met with results pertained to our comfort. Our desk chairs looked like they could be props in a 1950’s movie. Our boss ordered new ones when she realized that I was scavenging around the building to find a chair more suitable to a 14-hour day! (This demonstrates that suggesting a change that clearly benefits everyone can be a good starting point.)

I quickly noticed that my other suggestions met resistance. I was too new, inexperienced and unaware of corporate culture to expect changes at my request. I’ll never forget the day my colleague told me that I “asked too many questions.”

Luckily, I realized before it was too late that I needed to slow down, re-evaluate and acclimate before I tried to revolutionize my group.

It is important to learn a thing or two before you can become an effective change agent in an organization not accustomed to transformations.

Make a good first impression. You know that you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Work hard! Get there early. Stay late. Don’t complain. Ever. Demonstrate that you care about a job well done. Offer to help your colleagues when appropriate. Volunteer to take on projects that no one else wants to do. You could wind up a hero by solving an “unsolvable” problem. Bonus: a hero’s ideas are usually well received!

Develop relationships. You’ve heard it a thousand times – relationships are key to career success. Before you try to convince your colleagues that you have a great idea, get to know them. Understanding what makes them tick will make it easier for you to persuade them to your way of thinking down the road.

Stop. Listen. Learn. Take it all in. Ask questions (but not too many!) Avoid jumping to conclusions. Learn about the decision makers and what they value. Try to determine why things are done the way they are. What’s the back-story?

Drink company ‘Kool-Aid.’ Adapt to the corporate culture. Show you’re a team player and that you appreciate what everyone has done before you came on board. Don’t arrogantly expect to change something before you’re invested in it. Demonstrate that you value the work, the people and the organization. Once you’re fully on board, know the issues, the why’s and the how’s, you may be surprised by how easy it is to convince your colleagues to consider changes.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more tips to focus on to build good long-term rapport at a new job!

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Wish you had a new job to start? Get your resume in gear and start searching in a way that will yield results! I can help: www.keppiecareers.com.

photo by Amber Rhea

New Job Nerves – Starting a New Job Scares You to Death?

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Last week, I had lunch with a friend who is about to start a new job. Wow, you’re thinking – lucky duck. A new job. New pens and a clean desk – what could be better?

Think again. My friend, who hasn’t had a new job in 18 years (!) is terrified! She doubts herself…She wonders if she can really do the job. There are parts of the new job description that she hasn’t actually done before. She wonders if she can really do it. What if she fails?

As exciting as a new job may be, this sentiment isn’t unusual. It’s stressful starting a new job. First-day (first-week!) nerves are common.

Here are some ideas to help you get through your first few days:

Think good thoughts. Many swear by visualization and meditation. Try it out…Close your eyes and visualize yourself as confident and prepared on your first day. Calm negative thoughts. Picture yourself going through the day, enjoying the people and taking it all in.

Now, do the following to help ensure that positive visual image becomes reality!

Plan for the day. Set out your clothing, paperwork, wallet, etc. in advance. Don’t wait to the last minute to decide what your first-day outfit will be…What if your favorite suit needs dry cleaning or your “go to” blouse is too small or missing a button?

Make sure you know how to get where you’re going…In this case, literally, not figuratively. You need to be on time! Do you know the traffic patterns, construction issues and parking dilemmas you may face? There is nothing like being late on your first day to start things off badly.

Get a good night’s sleep. This no-brainer may be more easily said than done. If you’re starting on a Monday, consider doing a lot of physical activity on Sunday that will tire you out.

Make a good impression. You look sharp, you’re on time, you’re pushing open the door and let it slam behind you, ignoring the fact that a man with his hands full is trying to catch the door behind you. “Whatever, he can fend for himself, I’m in a hurry,” you think as you rush to the elevator. Turns out, that man is your new boss. So much for good impressions. Even if you are nervous and jittery, make an effort to be extra polite and thoughtful. It will go a long way to easing your first-week transition.

Smile and be pleasant to everyone you meet. Offer a firm handshake. Appear interested in what they say, even if it bores you or you are tired. If you need a break (maybe you’re an introvert and need to re-energize alone), excuse yourself to the restroom for a quick breather.

Observe office culture. Does everyone go to lunch at the same time? Do they eat together? Don’t be the odd person out. If everyone’s going out to eat pizza, and you don’t like pizza, just quietly get a salad and don’t make an issue of it. You don’t want to appear to be picky or difficult. There will be plenty of time for you to choose the lunch spot later!

Pay attention to names. I’ve written about tips to help you remember names here.

NEVER bad mouth anyone, don’t complain and don’t start taking sides in office politics and gossip. You’re a sponge – just take it all in. If Joe starts trash talking Sue, you remain neutral and make mental notes to help you later.

Follow THIS link for more tips about how to be successful in a new job!

Wish you were facing new job jitters? Take the plunge and look for a job! Still need a great resume? Some help to write the perfect cover letter? I’m here to help! Write to me.


photo by susiepie

New Issue of Personal Branding Magazine Available!

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Anyone with an interest in managing his or her own career should keep an eye on the field of personal branding. Dan Schawbel is one of the authorities on the topic, particularly for the Millennial generation. I was happy to join Dan’s leadership team as a co-editor of his Personal Branding Magazine.

The second volume, “Millennials: Changing the Way we Do Business,” launches today. The issue focuses on how Gen-Y is changing and impacting the work place, and features interviews with several Gen-Y entrepreneurs.

It will be of interest to both Gen Y audiences and those who work with them! (In other words, there is something in this magazine for everyone!)

To pick up your free sample:
http://www.PersonalBrandingSample.com

To subscribe to the magazine please go to:
http://www.PersonalBrandingMag.com

Stay tuned for my article in this issue: Starting a New Job? Evaluate and Acclimate Before You Try to Revolutionize!

Have no idea how to “brand” yourself? You aren’t comfortable self-promoting? I can help! From writing a great resume to showing you how to move your career forward – Keppie Careers is here for you.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!