Archive for job search coach
How to spice up your job search today!
Posted by: | Comments
A key element to spicing up your job search is to ask for information. After working with many career coaching clients recently, I’m finding that people aren’t using the right networking strategy for their job search. Here are some key tips to spice up your job search:
- Informational interviews are resonating and helpful in your jobs search. Talk to the people in your network who work in an industry you want to be part of. Ask them for 15 minutes of their time to learn more about what they do. Don’t ask for a job, ask for information.
- Go places where people are, such as professional associations. Instead of going to job fairs and places where people are unemployed, this can be a great way to make connections and learn more about your preferred industry.
- A good networking strategy is critical and includes LinkedIn. Update your LinkedIn profile right away if you have not done so in the past 3 months. People still don’t get on LinkedIn and use it effectively. 80% of recruiters are searching here. We have a career coaching client who upgraded her account to paid and is reaping the rewards of seeing the actual traffic to her account. There are many ways to use this actively to run your search.
- Soft skills are important, and another area that job seekers often don’t fully understand. Soft skills are skills that an employer can’t teach you like work ethic, management skills, or your ability to work in a team.
I hope these tips are helpful to you. If you are motivated and want to spice up your job search more, contact us today to set up a complimentary consultation.
Hallie Crawford
Ideal Career Coach
P.S. A great way to receive free help regarding your career direction is to our Free Monthly Newsletter. Check it out today!
Applying for jobs? Remember QUALITY versus QUANTITY
Posted by: | Comments
This is a great article from a Google recruiter. One of the points I want to highlight is quality versus quantity regarding the number of applications you send out.
It is much better to spend more time applying for positions you truly want and that you are most qualified for. This should be done in addition to submitting your resume and spending time networking your way into the organization. It is much better to take extra time making your application the best it can be, than sending out a mass of resumes that aren’t tailored to the positions, and for which you may not be a fit.
Yes the job search game can be a law of numbers, but you’ll increase your odds if you spend more time on each one.
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
P.S. Are you in the ideal career for you? Find out if you are on the right track with this quick Ideal Career Quiz!
Check out this great career search tool
Posted by: | Comments
We just came across this interesting tool on LinkedIn.com that can really help you with your job search:
http://www.linkedin.com/careerexplorer/dashboard.
I highly recommend you check this job search tool out. It’s another one of the valuable resources online that can help you with your career change. This will also help you leverage the power of LinkedIn.com. Remember, being on LinkedIn.com is a must in your job search. If you don’t have a LinkedIn.com profile create one today. Be sure to fully complete your profile so that you can use this resource to its fullest potential in your job search.
Also, be sure to check out my YouTube Channel and follow the current series, “Get Your Foot in the Door.” This 4 part video series gives basic tips to getting your foot in the door with companies during your job search. Here is the latest video: Get your foot in the door: Mail in your resume
What are you missing by not networking?
Posted by: | Comments I’m so excited! One of my clients in our coaching groups just got an awesome job that he loves! How did he, at 22, a new college grad in this economy succeed so well?
Here’s his story:
Before he graduated he joined one of our coaching groups. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do with his career and he needed some direction. He understood the importance of not only finding a job after he graduated but spending time to find one that he would really enjoy. One that would bring him fulfillment and purpose. Once he narrowed down what he had in mind he started networking with everyone he knew.
He was discussing his career with a family member and they told him about a friend of theirs that might know of a job for him. After some back and forth, he found out about a career opportunity through that guy and his family member. And guess what he did next…he contacted the company directly, mentioning the guys name and simply asked if there was a position available. They said yes there was an opening. After the initial application and resume he was offered an interview…via Skype. He did great on the interview and was offered a second interview. A couple days later the job was his!
I wanted to share this story with you because I can’t stress to you how important networking is in your job search. It is much harder to find a job from online job directories. You can’t just sit behind your computer and expect to have your dream job land in your lap.
And even more important than networking is having the right attitude. Be positive and believe that you can do this. Get out there and network. Having the right attitude is key to finding your dream career.
Yes, unemployment is high. Yes, it isn’t as easy to get a job (in some industries). So are you going to walk around with a negative attitude and complain to anyone who will listen? OR, are you going to network and get moving like my client did? Are you going to take action?
Remember, successful people didn’t AVOID obstacles; they learned how to overcome them and learn from them.
Here’s to having a career you love!
Hallie Crawford
Career Counseling Coach
Create Your Career Membership Program - $1 Two Week Trial!
Finding your hidden talents and skills from others
Posted by: | CommentsI had a group coaching client recently say to me she didn’t know what her challenges were or things she had to improve. And, she wasn’t sure what her talents were either. I’ve been there, done that! Until we know what our talents are, it’s hard to define what career is right for us-and know how we stand out from the crowd.
Here are 2 great ways to get answers to these questions-by seeing ourselves through other’s eyes. This is a blurb from DailyOm on learning more about yourself: “Being with others is a wonderful way to learn more about ourselves. When we see the world through the eyes of other people we become more open to new ideas as well as differing viewpoints, since we are sometimes bound to our own opinions about how the world should be. This sense of blindness lifts when we are with other people, for the more open we are to them, the more we are able to see the various parts of ourselves that we have covered up. Others become a mirror reflecting parts of ourselves back to us and allowing us to see what is both wonderful about ourselves and what we need to improve.” DailyOm.com
Here are 2 examples of how you can effectively learn more about yourself:
1) A great way to uncover hidden skills or talents you don’t realize you have is to ask people who know you well. Ask them this week, what is my greatest strength or what do I do better than most people you know? Listen closely to what they say. Take it in and don’t argue with them.
2) Also, don’t brush off compliments. We tend to do this in an effort to be humble. Guess what-you can be humble and also graciously accept a compliment. Let it in, say thank you when someone says they’re proud of you, or when they say you have a talent for something. Smile and truly accept it.
Here’s to having a career you love!
Hallie Crawford
Career Counseling Coach
http://halliecrawford.com/careermembershipprogram.html- $1 Two Week Trial!
Effective Job Search While Still Employed
Posted by: | CommentsIn one of our coaching groups last week, a participant was concerned with being active in his job search while currently employed. He joined the group to help him get clear on his ideal career because he was not in a career he enjoyed. However, he still needed the dollars from his current job until he could land a new one. His company has a policy where they generally fire someone on the spot if they find out that person is searching for a new career. He wasn’t sure, but he thought some of the higher-ups even checked social networking sites, every now and then.
The sensitivity of job-hunting while employed–and keeping the process under wraps–varies from industry to industry and from employer to employer. So, if you’re looking for a new job while you’re still employed (like the gentleman in ours): I’m going to share some tips to avoid being caught by your employer.
I found this article, “Eight Tips for Stealth Job Hunters” in Forbes.com yesterday about this topic: http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/17/job-employment-career-forbes-woman-leadership-hiring.html . All the tips are really helpful in this article. I especially liked the “Eight Tips for Stealth Job Hunters” slideshow. Be sure to check it out: http://www.forbes.com/2010/08/17/job-employment-career-forbes-woman-leadership-hiring_slide.html
As a certified career coach, I frequently advise clients how to best seek out new opportunities while holding a full-time job. Here are some tips I want to highlight:
- Do your job searching on your own time as much as possible, not your company’s. Do it during lunch brakes or evenings.
- Never use a business phone number, email etc. Use your personal cell phone – if possible, use a smart phone with email and other job search applications will make job searching easier during the work week.
- Don’t work on your resume at work – save that for your home computer.
- Network, network, network. Networking is good whether employed or not. You should always be networking; particularly if you are trying to find job quietly. Spread the word that you are in job search mode among your friends, family, former co-workers — anyone that you know who could help with your job search. Dig up names from internships or summer jobs and reach out to those people.
Yes, job-hunting and interviewing for new positions while still employed full-time can be tricky. But, by following these helpful tips you can search for your ideal career and not get busted by your current employer.
Hallie Crawford
Career Transition Coach
What to know about the hidden job market
Posted by: | CommentsI found a column posting that helps to answer a very common question amongst career seekers: “Why is there such a thing as a hidden job market?”?
The author, Matt Krumrie, has a great answer. Here’s the first part of his answer:
“Recruiters certainly want to find the best fit for the jobs that are available, but the last thing they want to do is sift through 200 to 300 résumés by advertising every position they have open. Human resources departments are no different than other departments within an organization. Many are often understaffed, and many human resource personnel wear multiple hats. Hiring is only one aspect of their job.”
Read the rest of his answer here: http://www.startribune.com/jobs/career/96832544.html
He gives advice on how to get in front of the hiring manager: “Find out who the hiring manager is at companies you would like to work for – even if they aren’t hiring for positions that fit your skills and experience. Try to make contact with them to introduce yourself and let them know about your background and experience.”
I have a client who recently found a company he really wanted to work for. At the time they weren’t accepting applications but he introduced himself to the hiring manager and spoke with her for a few minutes. A month later they had an opening and he filled out an application. He brought her coffee when he went in. She had remembered him from a month previously when they met, looked over his application and set him up for an interview. She also appreciated the extra touch of the coffee and they spoke a little about his application as they both drank coffee (pre-interview). Now when he goes in for his interview next week, he has already made a good first impression.
If you need help with your job search, I recommend that you check our our Job Search Program for Professionals.
Here’s to having a career you love!
Career Fair Dos and Don’ts
Posted by: | CommentsI came across this video from Job Link Career Center on how to succeed at your next career fair and some dos and don’ts – press play to watch it below:
Need help with your job search? Contact us to find out if a job search strategy session would be a fit for you.
Here’s to having a career you love!
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
