Do you keep track of your online profile? Just as tracking your credit rating is key for learning what people might uncover about your financial history, it’s also important to know what people may find out when they Google your name. Consider tying it all together with a site such as Flavors.me. [Read more…] about With social media, you decide what others find when they Google your name
Job seekers and motivation – things to consider when job hunting
The following is a guest post by Miri Zena McDonald, an organization development and communications strategist on a quest to help companies thrive by engaging employees, improving culture and promoting wellness. She tweets at @miri_orgchange.
Have you ever really thought about what it takes to motivate you? I think job seekers have an obligation to themselves and the companies where they would like to work to determine what really motivates them. Why do I say this? Gallup has been studying employee engagement over the past decade. Their latest data (July 2009) from a longitudinal study of over 7000 employees shows that:
- 30% of respondents are engaged
- 52% are not engaged
- 18% are actively disengaged
Meaning, about 70% of employees are not engaged at work! To be honest, that depresses me because I think we should be proactive in determining what environment and characteristics engage us. I also think learning what motivates us is key to being engaged and new research makes it even easier for us to do so.
Daniel Pink recently spoke about motivation at The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). RSA produced an engaging video of the talk. It’s a bit long (about 10 minutes) but in my opinion worth viewing because it provides some actionable data for job seekers:
The first two findings that kind of blew my mind were the ones about money:
- Money is a motivator but not in the way we might think. If you don’t pay people fairly, they will not be motivated. Fair compensation takes money off the table and people are freed up to think about work.
- When tasks involved even simple cognitive ability, monetary rewards didn’t work. They actually had a detrimental effect on performance. Meaning, offering a big bonus is not really the best way to get the best thinking and solutions.
So if money doesn’t do it, what does? The data pointed to three factors that lead to better performance and personal satisfaction: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.
- Autonomy allows employees to be self-directed.
- Mastery is working to get better at what you do.
- Purpose helps people feel they are part of something bigger.
Job seekers can use this information in a few ways.
- Review Salary Data: Research salaries to determine fair pay for your field and geographic location. Prepare to negotiate what you think is fair given your skills and experience to know what salary offer will “take money off the table” in your mind.
- Ask Questions: During your interview, tactfully ask questions about management style and the company’s overall mindset regarding self-directed work. Ask about formal and informal growth opportunities. What about the ability to create your own special projects?
- Review Corporate Websites: To learn more about whether the company will inspire your purpose motive, read mission statements, look for community outreach initiatives, and other clues for a higher purpose other than revenue!
I think it’s easy to get lost in the “I hope they like me” mindset when looking for a job and after the thrill of getting that offer, we can forget that we actually have to come to this place every day and work! Wouldn’t it be much more fun if we could be motivated and engaged and as a result happier while we are there?
photo by sarkasmo
Revisiting LinkedIn – new features for job seekers and networkers
When is the last time you spent time in LinkedIn? I know, it’s not *fun* like Facebook, and it doesn’t provide the instantaneous thrill of Twitter — sending out a message and immediately receiving a reply. [Read more…] about Revisiting LinkedIn – new features for job seekers and networkers
Twitter users are more likely to get job interviews
Do you think of Twitter like this badge describes – as a pointless exercise? It may be time to rethink! Have you ever considered the skills you use to leverage Twitter well? It is not rocket science, but it does require key abilities, and not everyone has them. [Read more…] about Twitter users are more likely to get job interviews
What is the best way to follow up with a job lead?
Sometimes, I receive questions via my contact form from people who are not interested in a quote for a resume transformation or coaching services. Some people just have a job search question and want an answer! Since I cannot respond to each inquiry individually, I decided to start answering some of the questions that are of general interest here. You are welcome to submit a question via my contact form, and please note that I am more likely to be able to respond via the blog if the question is relevant to many job seekers and is not a totally unique situation.
Here is a question that is useful for most job seekers:
I recently applied to a job at ( —–) and I am extremely interested in the position. However, I do not have any contacts and keep thinking this is the best way to land a job, or even an interview. Do you think it would be okay to do a search on LinkedIn and then proceed to message someone at the location who specializes in (my industry)? If so, what is the best way to go about communicating with them that I applied for a job there recently and would love an opportunity to launch my career there? Thanks for your help!
This is a great question and raises an important point about networking. When I coach my clients, I explain that it is important to look for a company instead of a job. What does that mean? You want to network and ask for informational meetings for informal chit-chat before a job ever becomes available. The goal is to share your ideas and credentials with people at your targeted organizations so you are the first person they think of when a job does come up. This helps you take advantage of what is generally labeled the hidden job market, and gives you a leg up when it comes to applying. Think about it — if you are the one who comes to mind when they visualize the job, clearly, you have a much better chance of landing the opportunity.
That said, you want to use every tool at your disposal to follow up after you have applied for a job. If you can find people via LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or any other social networking tool who are connected to an organization where you have applied for a position, absolutely reach out to them.
What is the best way to approach these contacts? First of all, make sure you do not make the interaction about you and your goals. (So, focusing in on the fact that you would love to launch your career at the company is a misstep.) Don’t ever make your networking strictly about YOU!
It is important that you make a point to illustrate why you are a good match and what you offer. Research the organization as much as possible. Identify their successes and where their problems may lie. Think about how your skills and experiences may be able to help them solve a problem or overcome a hurdle. What do you offer that makes you special and uniquely suited to the job? (This may seem like a difficult assignment, but if you do not know, how will you be able to convince them that you are the best one for the job?)
Don’t be surprised if you find potential contacts unwilling to talk to you under these circumstances. The fact is, it may feel to them like cheating — speaking to an applicant about a currently open position…However, you may find that your pitch resonates with someone. If they like what you say, you may be lucky (actually, you may have created some luck for yourself) — and have an opportunity to both share what you have to offer and learn something about the organization at the same time!
photo by purplemattfish