PUSH and PULL to Tap the Hidden Job Market

Our friends at Job-Hunt.org offer outstanding advice on using PUSH and PULL strategies to tap the hidden job market through targeted networking activity. "We all hear that most jobs (75% to 85%, reportedly) are not advertised in the newspaper or posted on Web job boards. These invisible jobs are the infamous "hidden job market," and you reach this gold mine of jobs by networking your way into it." PUSH = Reaching Out To the "Hidden Job Market" and PULL = Bringing the "Hidden Job Market" to You!

FREE e-Book on How to Really Use Linkedin!!!

Linkedin is a must for professional networking, career development and a pro-active job search. Don't be intimidated by all the elements and features in a Linkedin profile. Start out slow and consistently build a winning profile to promote your brand and professional presence. Check out the FREE e-Book... How to Really Use Linkedin, 2nd Edition, by Jan Vermeiren and Bert Verdonck

Outstanding Strategies and Tools at CareerTipster!

I encourage you to check out the wealth of information, ideas and resources provided by career coach Robert Starks Jr. at CareerTipster. Thank you Robert for offering this amazing site.

Best~Great Places to Work...with Job Openings

From CNNMoney - These 25 Best Companies to Work For have at least 700 openings each, totaling nearly 137,000 available jobs. What are they looking for? See what their recruiters say.

Look for a new Professional Home by researching organizations that peak your interest using lists and directories. Career coaching can help you identify your career values - what you're looking for in the next better/best fit career role and organization. Check out these resources to jump start your career search:

1. 100 Best Companies to Work For, from CNNMoney
2. Best Places to Work in the Federal Government, by Bestlacestowork.org
3. Top 50 Best Places to Work, by GlassDoor.com
4. 2011 Best Small & Medium Workplaces List, from GreatPlacetoWork.com
5. 25 Best Multinationals List, from GreatPlacetoWork.com
6. Best Places to Work 2011, from the Human Rights Campaign
7. Atlanta's 2011 List of Best Small, Medium & Larges Places to Work, by The Atlanta Business Chronicle

Jump Start your Job Search with Positivity

Author and Speaker Nan Russell offers a simple and inspired recipe to jump start your job search with positive, proactive steps in just 7 days. As Nan states, "Forward action, no matter how small, fuels motivation, builds energy, and ignites job search creativity. It enhances perseverance, and gets results."

I want my clients to consistently combat worry, fear, self doubt, and frustration by making a committment to take action each day to advance your strategy. Whether it's company research, networking, informational interviewing, professional development, volunteer work...the key is to act and manifest positive change.

Check out Nan's full article and take action TODAY: 7 Steps to Re-Start Your Job Search Momentum with Positive Actions

Lists, Lists...and More Lists!

I am such a big fan of researching companies of interest as a strategic approach to the job search. Rather than sitting at the computer hunting and pecking for relavent postings on job boards, why not go to the source. Reviewing the opportunities on the "Careers" page of company websites is the modern day equivalent of pounding the pavement with your resume in hand.

My coaching clients hear me sing the praises of the Atlanta Book of Lists (at your local library or alumi career services office). Check out the Lists of Top Companies at INC. and see who may have your next career position listed on their "Career's" page. The lists are organized by category, including Metro Atlanta.

INTROVERTS and the Job Search

From Psychology Today Blogs: The Shy Job Seeker - Can Introverts Succeed in this Job Market? A great perspective offered by Katharine Brooks, Ed.D., the Director of Liberal Arts Career Services at The University of Texas at Austin.

SEARCH FOR A COMPANY NOT A JOB!

How do most people approach a job search? Well is often goes like this…

As human beings we are subject to emotional reactions and our career can often trigger these reactions. At any given time, we may become frustrated, angry, disillusioned, bored, burned out, etc. with either our employer, our role in the organization, or both. In the “heat” of the moment, we jump on the Internet and resolve to find a new job! We dust off the old resume and start using Internet job boards to look for that new opportunity that will make us feel engaged and energized in our work once again.

If this sounds like you, then you’ve already made three crucial mistakes! First, you are searching for a new job based upon an emotional decision, rather than an informed, creative decision. Second, you've convinced yourself that with a few tweaks your resume will be in grest shape. And third, you jumped on the web to start looking for a job that looks and sounds very close to the job you had.

Your job search should be fueled by a mix of self assessment, information, strategic thinking, and creativity. Invest time, effort, and money if necessary, to develop a targeted, robust resume that clearly communicates the value (skills, strengths, credentials, accomplishments) you will bring to an organization. And I highly recommend that you search for a company, not a job. By seeking out organizations that represent a solid match with your work style, preferences, values, and the type of people you enjoy interacting with, you are setting the stage for a positive job change.

Use lists and directories to ignite and inform your job search. Consider the following resources: (a) web based databases of company information, (b) The Book of Lists for your area of the country, (c) directories from your area chamber of Commerce, plus (d) lists published in magazines such as INC., Fortune and Forbes of Top and Great places to work. When you uncover organizations that you believe are a nice fit, dig deeper. Learn all you can about their culture, how they treat their staff and what openings exist on the Careers page of their website – opportunities for you to add your strengths and expertise.

Get creative and move beyond your comfort zone when searching for the next opportunity. STOP looking for a job and start identifying the new home for your career.

Carry Your Resume in Your Pocket!

Let me tell you about a very simple, low cost, yet highly effective marketing tool for your job search strategy. I call it the ProCard and it is essential for your job search and professional networking activity. Here’s how it works…

After developing a polished resume presenting a solid focus on the career role you are pursuing, you need to add the ProCard to your job search toolbox. I highly recommend that clients add two to three branding titles to the heading of their resume. These titles represent roles that you have served in, roles that you are prepared to assume, or functional areas that represent your expertise, such as Communications Manager (title) vs. Communications and Branding (areas). Two to three of these branding titles belong on your ProCard.

Now let’s talk about Linkedin.com. You should have an eye catching profile on this No.1 professional networking site. If not, sign up for a free account today. Review my previous post on the value of developing a solid Linkedin profile. I cringe when I hear people talk about spending up to $1k or more to have a career services company develop a web based resume/portfolio. Please save your money and create your own web based resume using a free Linkedin account. Linkedin allows you to create a vanity URL, to incorporate your name into the web address for your account, rather than some random string of numbers. This vanity URL belongs on your ProCard - it will give people immediate access to the focused resume content that you have used to build/maintain your Linkedin profile.

Now let’s put the pieces together…

Go to Vistaprint.com to order high quality, low cost business cards. Select a card template that is professional and pleasing to the eye and then start to insert your content into the template. Remember the KISS rule and keep it simple. Start by inserting your Name and any academic/professional credentials (Andrew J. Smith, MBA, CPA). Then Insert a few of your branding titles under your name (Accounting ~ Financial Management). Next, add your Linkedin vanity URL to the card (www.Linkedin.com/in/AJSmithMBA). Finish the card by adding one phone number and your email address.

You’re done! Order your cards and when they arrive you are ready to go. Your ProCard is now a short cut to the resume data and profile you are promoting on Linkedin – a resume in your pocket! Hand your ProCard out at meetings and networking events; to friends, family and colleagues; at interviews…wherever the opportunity presents itself to promote yourself and give people an immediate link to your resume content.

Negotiating Salary with the Job Offer

In the current economy, you might be questioning if there is any "wiggle room" to negotiate the salary level with a new job offer?

There is no doubt that the present job market is extremely competitive. Many companies are taking their time and being very cautious when selecting candidates to fill key roles. The experts can continue to debate whether we are or are not in a recession. But job seekers are well aware that the climate has changed; and it’s natural to question if the rules surrounding salary negotiations have also changed.

If you are a strong candidate for an opening, then your work commands a fair salary. But what is the definition of “fair”? Here are a few core “rules of thumb” to follow concerning salary negotiations:

1. Do your homework before you speak. Many candidates are terrified to answer the “What are your salary requirements?” question. Whenever possible, provide a range which starts at your “rock bottom” number and ends above your expectation. This will give you wiggle room for negotiations. Use web sites and databases, preferably within your industry, to gather targeted salary figures for the positions that you have held and the role that you’re pursuing. Consider information associated with your education level, experience, the size of the organizations you have worked in, as well as your geographic location. You need realistic, “real-world” data to negotiate effectively.

2. Negotiate from a friendly position of strength. You’ve obviously developed positive report with interviewers if you’ve received a job offer, so don’t jeopardize this with an inflated ego. Continue your dialogue in a professional and courteous manner and learn as much as you can about the perspective behind their offer. You can then use this information to respond with quantifiable data to support your request. Discuss/revisit your background and career accomplishments and re-emphasize the contributions you believe you can make to the organization, both short and long term.

3. Carefully consider all the elements of the employment package. Don’t be short sighted and only focus on salary. Keep in mind that the company may also be investing in other very tangible benefits for their staff members, so get a good inventory of these items. Medical, dental and disability insurance, employee assistance and discount programs, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, etc.; these all equate to dollars invested by the company on behalf of the employee. When you’re comparing job offers and salary levels, focus on the entire package being offered.

4. Bargain for added benefits. If during the course of your negotiations, the employer will not budge on the initial salary offer, consider bargaining with them to add a few more items to the total benefits package. Since they do not have to pay matching payroll taxes on non-salary benefits, might they consider an additional 3 to 5 days of paid leave each year, or an annual allowance for association memberships or professional development activity (seminars and workshops)? Maybe they would be willing to add a sign on bonus after the initial 3-6 months of employment or a performance bonus at 12 months. They may say “No”, but it can’t hurt to ask.

5. Be prepared to walk away. If you do not receive an offer that is at least equal to your minimum requirement, a salary level that will allow you to meet your monthly budget, then be prepared to walk away. A new career role offers the opportunity to rekindle your enthusiasm and creative energy for work. But when the pay is too low, your motivation drains pretty quickly. Plus there is increased negative stress associated with your inability to pay monthly bills.

When deciding on your action plan for salary negotiations, consider how the items outlined in the five “rules of thumb” listed above apply to your situation. Then gather feedback from the interviewer and give yourself the proper time to make an informed decision about the job offer. Here are a few resources to use when researching salary data:
Salary.com
Salary Surveys from Vault.com
Salary Info at The Riley Guide

It's Time to Invest!

Maybe you have recently been downsized from your company - or you're worried about the next round of lay offs - or you're thinking it's time for a change. Now is a great time to invest in something that has the potential to pay dividends for years to come. Look it up, the ticker symbol to use is (InsertYourNameHere)! Make a committment to yourself to do something this month/this week, as a solid investment in your career.

What development activites have you participated in lately (and the grumbling begins across cyberspace)? I pose this question to my clients each and every week because I truly believe it is a damn good question. The opportunities are all around us in the form of for-credit college classes (classroom & online), continuing education classes, seminars, workshops, conferences, webinars, teleclasses, audio books...and the list goes on. But time and time again I hear the excuses...My company won't pay for that. Money is tight right now. I don't have the time. Seminars are boring.

If your company won't pay to send you to a class or seminar, here's an idea...pay for it yourself and consider it a great investment. But pick an activity that you are truly interested in and one that has received rave reviews from past participants. It seems that we still have the time and funds for premium TV channels, NetFlix, an upgrade to an iPhone, gourmet coffee, the salon, gym memberships...blah, blah, blah. Here's the reality check people - the way to compete for good jobs at good companies is to demonstrate that your knowledge and skills are current and you can bring new thinking, creativity and results to an organization. Now if you haven't taken a class since receiving that college degree 5, 7, 10 or more years ago...good luck with that approach. And if the last seminar you attended was "Tips for Debugging Windows ME", I suggest you avoid the topic of professional development at your next interview.

My point is this...skip the gourmet coffee, movie theatre or dining out for a month or two, or maybe even cancel HBO for the time being, and use that money to attend a class or a few targeted seminars. Look to professional associations, the continuing ed divison of local colleges, http://www.findaseminar.com/ to target and engage in learning that will peak your interest and give you latest and greatest info for your career.

Set yourself up for success by investing in the skills and knowledge you need to land a better fit, hopefully best fit career position.

Rethink Career & Job Fairs

Have you ever attended a job fair? Whether they are organized as a Job Fair, Career Fair, Career Expo or Career Event, etc., they CAN be worth your effort. Please don't dismiss them as cattle calls. There are some excellent events out there, events that not only truly focus on providing exposure to quality employers, but also on providing on the spot career coaching. The key to participating in fairs is to identify events that will provide you will access to qualified leads with motivated employers seeking new talent. And do your homework to identify specialty events that target specific industries/markets (Bio, MBA, Healthcare, Technology, Green, etc.).

Now don't let the term fair confuse you. You won't be eating cotton candy and riding the tilt-a-whirl...although some days of a job search may feel like you're spinning in circles or on the bumper cars. Remember to dress for success, bring copies of a polished resume and references and be prepared to enthusiasticaly market your skills, strengths and achievements. And no matter how long the day is and how long the lines are, keep smiling and project a professional, winning image. An added bonus - events that are organized by top career related firms, like Women For Hire, offer you real time access to career pros offering resume critiques and interviewing tips.

Check it out: the Women For Hire Career Expo scheduled for the Atlanta market, on 03/31/09 at Cobb Galleria. And it's not just for women - men are also encouraged to attend! I hope to see you there - join me for my presentation on Career Transition Strategies.

Here are links for other quality career events for the Atlanta Market:

CareerEco's Green Career Forum 03/26/09

MetroAtlantaJobs.com Listing of Career Fairs

Still on Target: Let's ReVISIT ~ ReFOCUS on Some Excellent Advice from '08

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: Take a few minutes to review these SIX fundamental Career Lessons from Dan Pink's book, "Johnny Bunko-The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need". It's a fun approach to a serious topic. And while this will probably NOT be the last career guide you will ever need (that comment was in my Career Coach voice) I think it helps to get back to basics! Enjoy

Career Advice '08

View more presentations from garr. (tags: career advice)

Yes...You Should Have a Linkedin Account!

If you're already using Linkedin, great! Now continue to fine tune your content and expand your network. If you don't have a Linkedin account, create one TODAY! Here are some of the PROS associated with building a presence on Linkedin:

1. The basic account is free and comes with a broad scope of features (widgets) to add interesting content areas to your account.
2. Your Linkedin account can serve as your web resume, so don't pay hundreds, even thousands, of dollars to have a web resume or web portfolio created.
3. You can customize the web link (also known as a vanity URL) for your Linkedin account, such as http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnelong, and then list this URL on your resume, business card, professional networking sites. When you don't have a resume to hand out, you can refer people to your URL.
4. By growing your professional network on Linkedin, you create opportunities for future networking, the exchange of ideas with colleagues, expanding skills and knowledge, informational interviews, collecting the inside scoop on companies of interest, job prospects, etc.
5. A growing number of recruiters and executive search consultants use Linkedin as a candidate prospecting tool. A Linkedin account can put you in front of these recruiters.
6. The SimplyHired metasearch tool is embedded into your Linkedin account. So you can search job postings from multiple job boards with one click.
7. Answer questions from Linkedin users to promote your subject matter expertise, which can improve your credibility within your industry.

The CONS to a Linkedin presence may be that it will take time, effort and creativity to maintain a strong account. And don't confuse Linkedin with social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace - make sure the content on your account supports a professional image.

Create a Linkedin account right now and incorporate it into your ongoing career development strategy!

Recent News on Job Search & Career Transition

These articles have some great advice (and action steps) surrounding the JOB SEARCH process and on mapping out a CAREER TRANSITION! Check them out at:

Job Search Strategies in Volatile Times – from Job-Hunt.org

Tool up for Mid Career Job Hunt – from the Wall Street Journal Online

6 Tips on Planning a Second Career – From US News & World Report

And remember you don't have to go it alone. If you believe you would benefit from some objective feedback and targeted input available from a career professional, contact a career coach TODAY!

Job Hunting in a Tough Economy!

This week, a client asked me if he should put his job search on hold until the economy improves. A perfectly legitimate question! Essentially he wanted to know if this is a good time to look for a job. Whenever someone asks me that question, I respond with the same answer...

The best time to look for a job is when you need one (maybe you've lost your job due to downsizing or termination) or when you're ready for a new opportunity (due to burnout, career transition, a desire to master new skills, etc.). Most people underestimate the time and effort involved with a job search, so they put off critical prep work - like updating their marketing materials, identifying and organizing their resources, defining their network, and creating a profile (as a target) of a best fit job in a right fit organization.

Our presidential election may be decided but job seekers are left to conduct their search in an economic downturn or dare I say the "R" word - recession! Each week there seems to be some news story that triggers real anxiety about serious issues like employment, compensation, benefits and retirement. But we must push forward and not allow ourselves to be paralyzed by the evening news. Which means that candidates need to be even more proactive, more creative, more tenacious, and better prepared as they network, compete and market themselves to potential employers.

Let's also not forget about the power of positive thinking and that sometimes we do actually make our own luck. And if you're encountering some barriers and you need a fresh perspective, consider contacting a career coach!

Here are a few resources to review, dealing with job search and recession:

www.hrworld.com/features/top-25-recession-careers-022008/

www.careerhubblog.com/main/2008/01/72-recession-pr.html

www.cio.com/article/327613/_Secrets_for_Searching_for_a_Job_During_a_Recession_