Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Lost Your Job? What to Do Next

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I’ve written about jobs predicted to have a rosy future in 2008 and offered suggestions of what to do if you think that your job is in jeopardy.  But, what approach should you take if you have lost your job and you (and many, many others) are now seeking work in a flat economy?

The first thing to do is stop and get a handle on your job search materials.  Do you have a resume that represents you and all you have to offer?  Have you brushed up your job seeking skills (networking, cover letter writing, interviewing)? It’s not like riding a bike – you CAN forget how to look for a job.  Worse, you may never have really known how to job search in the first place.  Keppie Careers offers an array of services to help get you prepared.

Sarah Needleman addresses the topic of job searching in a recession in the Wall Street Journal Online.   Gary Rich, president of Rich Leadership, an executive advisory firm in Pound Ridge, NY, believes that selling and servicing jobs are more resilient, as they impact the bottom line.  He says:

Less durable jobs are those in human resources, public relations, finance, strategic planning and other non-vital business functions.

Needleman’s article also suggests that if you don’t work in a promising sector, focus on your transferable skills  and consider switching industries.  Plan your transition.  Network and research organizations and industries and learn how you can best use your skills to benefit them.  Consider volunteering with organizations on special projects to demonstrate your added value.

Keppie Careers can help tailor a transition resume to highlight what you have to offer.  We recommend focusing on your skills and accomplishments rather than “what” you have done in your jobs to help potential employers envision you working for them.

Don’t forget that, even in a recessionary economy, some jobs and skills are still invaluable and sought out.  So, just because you may work in an industry that is experiencing a lull, if you have prepared and positioned yourself to have the skills and training needed to fill management gaps, you’re in good shape!
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www.keppiecareers.com
We advise, encourage and enlighten job seekers.  We offer resume writing, mock interviews, coaching and more to position you for your future.

To thine own self be true…

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It’s more than just a line from Shakespeare! Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone who worked had the luxury of spending their work hours doing something that they enjoyed and was true to their values and skills? If you are considering a new career, have you done any thinking about how that career intersects with who you are (or want to be)?

Focusing your your values is one way to help direct your search.  Check out the University of Minnesota’s Values Inventory to get you thinking about your values and what you really want in terms of work.

Another strategy is to focus on skills.  So many job seekers can’t really identify what they have to offer in the way of skills.  This is a real problem when it comes to the self-marketing, self-selling and interviewing aspects of the job search.  I’ve said it before:  If you don’t know what you have to offer, who does?

There are many ways to approach figuring out your skills.  There is a basic one that I advise my clients to consider:  look at a skills list.  Highlight all of the skills you’ve EVER used or could remotely be related to you.  Then, go back and check off the skills that really resonate and feel like “you.”  This is a basic, not time consuming and free way to get you thinking about  your skills.

Another suggestion is to use an on-line skills profiler tool.  This instrument  allows you to identify and match skills used in a variety of different jobs with specific occupations.  You can search by skills or start with occupations.  This tool may give you some new ways of thinking about how you can use your transferable skills.

Personality and occupational tests are tools to help focus your plans.  John Holland’s Occupational Test functions on the belief that people who have similar interests may prefer the same types of work environments.  It aims to categorize your interests, abilities and personality into themes that may then be grouped to target careers.  This is one of many personality driven assessments available that may help focus your goals.

Transferable Skills

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It is so important for you to know what you have to offer when you are looking for a job!  Transferable skills are a great avenue for marketing yourself into a new job or career.  These skills, when used to your advantage, can open doors and present opportunities that may have seemed unattainable.

Keppie Careers’ “Free Career Advice” has an article that describes transferable skills and offers a link to an assessment to help you figure out what you have to offer.  I hope you’ll take a look!  You may be surprised to realize all that you have to offer.

keppiecareers.com…We advise, encourage, enlighten!

Know Yourself to Sell Your Skills

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If you were hired to sell something, an HDTV, for example, do you think that you would sell very many if you couldn’t describe what makes that particular TV special or useful?  The customer doesn’t want to spend a lot of money without knowing what she is going to get in return.  If you couldn’t quickly convince the client that YOUR TV offered the most features and the clearest picture, customers would nod and smile at you as they moved on to see what the next guy offered.

You see where I’m going with this? In job search, you are selling yourself!  If you don’t know what you have to offer, what makes you special and unique, you aren’t going to get very far.

To write a strong, active resume (your job search calling card),  you need to evaluate your skills and make a connection to the employer’s needs.

You’re thinking that you don’t have any skills?  Many of my clients underestimate what they have to offer an employer.  I once worked with a woman who spoke several languages fluently, but didn’t think it was worth writing on her resume (which targeted an international position).  She believed that “everyone” was multi-lingual.  As a result, the hiring manager may assume that she was unqualified for the job.

Don’t underestimate what you have to offer!  Spend some time thinking about your qualifications. Review a skills list to get you thinking.  List every word that describes you.  Think in terms of what makes you distinctive.  Think about how you would sell yourself.

Why a mentor helps your job hunt

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There is so much to do when you’re starting your job search. Where should you start? Hannah Morgan (@CareerSherpa) and I have coached and worked with many job seekers just like you. We decided it would be useful to create a guide to help job seekers cut through all the confusion and approach job search with a laser focus. [Read more…] about Why a mentor helps your job hunt