#JobSearch : Job Interview Preparation Tips to Help You Stand Out. Be Prepared to Address your Biggest Weaknesses, such as Gaps in your Résumé.

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You have put time and effort into your job application, perhaps polishing up your résumé and crafting a well-constructed cover letter, earning you a coveted interview. Now is your chance to show why you are a great candidate and how you would fit in with your potential team.

If you do your homework, you will be prepared for anything the interviewer throws at you.

1. Study the job description and the employer’s mission statement.

Get into the right mind-set by reminding yourself what the job entails and reading the employer’s mission statement, if it has one. Make a list of reasons why this job may be the right fit for your career journey, such as the skills, experience and network you would gain. Focusing on how this job will help you achieve your career goals is a good way to get excited about the role—even if it is not your dream job. This will help you to express why you want the job and to convey enthusiasm during the interview.

Think about what makes you the best candidate for this job. Look at your résumé, and pick out which parts of it align with the job requirements. Write down examples of how you tackled particular projects or problems in your previous experience at work, school or elsewhere in your life that demonstrate you have the skills the employer is looking for. As you work through the job description and mission statement, make a list of your proudest accomplishments that could be used as examples. If you are suffering from imposter syndrome, this can also help you recognize why you are the right person for the job.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

2. If you are nervous about the job interview, prepare answers to tough questions about gaps in your résumé or background.

Make a list of anything in your background or résumé that makes you feel nervous and prepare explanations for gaps you may have in your experience. “If there’s something that freaks you out, sit down and…think about how you’re going to present it in the best possible way,” says Pamela Skillings, chief executive of BigInterview.com, an interview training website.

If there is a gap of time in your résumé when you weren’t employed, think about what you gained during that time. Perhaps you learned important life skills or experienced personal growth, which you can present as assets. For example:

  • If you were traveling, you could talk about what you learned from exploring new cultures, and how you would bring those insights into your job.
  • If you were caring for a child or a loved one, you could discuss how the experience shaped you and gave you fresh perspectives.

“If there’s something that freaks you out, sit down and…think about how you’re going to present it in the best possible way.”

— Pamela Skillings, BigInterview.com

Prepare to address any gaps in your knowledge or experience. If the job description mentions anything that you are not fully familiar with, read up on the subject until you are comfortable discussing it at length. If there are requirements in the job description you don’t have direct professional experience with, think about what you have done at work or elsewhere in your life that demonstrates you have the skills required. If a job requires previous management experience and you have never been a manager in title, perhaps you have led a project, mentored and trained colleagues or filled in for your boss while they were away.

If, after carefully considering your work experience, you still have a gap you can’t fill, acknowledge it and prepare to talk about how you would learn this skill on the job.

3. Practice your interview question responses ahead of time.

Study some of the top interview questions that may be asked of you.

“Practicing is key,” Ms. Skillings says. “A lot of smart people don’t do it because it feels awkward, but it makes such a huge difference.” Practicing talking about yourself is important at any level of your career. Even senior executives who are “great communicators” sometimes struggle to talk about themselves, she says.

You have already compiled a list of all of the reasons you are a great fit for the role. Now it is time to synthesize and communicate them. If you can’t find someone to practice with, do it in front of a mirror or record a video of yourself. If you don’t like to talk up your own accomplishments, focus on communicating, clearly and efficiently, why your skills and experience meet each requirement of the role. Practicing helps you to identify anything that might distract from the substance of what you have to say.

Top tip: Observe the way you present yourself. If there is anything you are not fully comfortable with, now is the time to address it. If it is your posture, practice sitting up straight. If you notice a distracting habit, like playing with your hair or fidgeting, be aware of it and try to avoid it. Find an alternative place for your hands, such as on the table.

Be authentic. A May 2020 study found that people who behave authentically during a job interview do better overall than those who try to cater to an interviewer’s interests and expectations. This is because it takes a lot of mental energy to try to be someone you are not, which ultimately increases anxiety and could ruin your efforts to create a positive, authentic connection with your interviewer.

In brief
  • To prepare for an interview, study up on the role so you can explain how you meet each of the job requirements.
  • Be prepared to address your biggest weaknesses, such as gaps in your résumé.
  • The best way to learn how to interview is by practicing your Q&A with someone you trust, on camera or in the mirror.
4. Make your final job interview preparations.

Write down some thoughtful questions, and be prepared to ask them during or at the end of your interview.

To help combat nerves, visualize a successful interview. Many top athletes use this technique before a big game to focus and reaffirm their positive outlook. Some CEOs have also credited the technique with helping them achieve their goals.

Resources
  • WSJ Jobs Summit on March 4, 2021: Register for this free online event that provides recent graduates and workers looking for new opportunities with practical strategies and insights to navigate the competitive job market.
  • Mindset: The New Psychology of Success In this book, Carol S. Dweck describes the power of mind-set in unlocking success in work, school and life.
  • Biginterview.com This website offers video training and AI-driven virtual interview practice tools.
What to read next

 

 

WSJ.com – February 19, 2021 – Deborah Acosta

#JobSearch :High Salaries Haunt Some Job Hunters. Recruiters Increasingly Ask about Pay History Early in the Hiring Process, putting High Earners in a Quandary.

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After more than 20 years as an electronics engineer, Pete Edwards reached the low six-figure pay level. Now, as he looks for a job following a layoff, he finds that salary success a burden.

Although his experience includes the sought-after field of 3-D printing, the 53-year-old hasn’t been able to land a permanent full-time job. Time and again, he says, employers seem to lose interest after he answers a question that they ask early on: “What was your last salary?”

That question comes up sooner than ever nowadays. Hiring managers used to broach salary history or requirements only in later stages, after applicants had a chance to make an impression and state their case.

Today, pay increasingly is mentioned early in the process, either as a required field in online applications—which are used more often—or during initial interviews, say recruiters, compensation consultants and job seekers.

The shift is vexing applicants, mostly those of a certain age and pay level, who are concerned that a salary they worked to attain now gets in the way of having a job at all. “I’m unemployable now as a result of getting to the top of the tree,” Mr. Edwards lamented.

Josh Rock, a recruiter at Fairview Health Services, a 20,000-employee health system in Minnesota, said that during the last recession, recruiters used compensation queries as a quick way to cull the large numbers of candidates for open jobs. The habit has stuck, he said. “Why not figure out what’s going on sooner in the process than doing a dance?”

Human-resources executives say asking about pay right off the bat helps contain compensation costs, ensures that candidates have reasonable expectations and spares recruiters from chasing prospects they can’t afford.

“Unfortunately, some clients use salary as a pre-screening question,” said Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer at iCIMS Inc., a provider of recruiting software in Matawan, N.J. “So if the role tops out at $55,000 and they say they want $60,000, it might knock the candidate out of consideration” even if the person would be open to salary negotiations.

Screening candidates this way may be a factor in wage stagnation, some analysts suggest. Average hourly earnings rose 2.5% in 2015, modest by historical standards. Wage growth has averaged only about 2% for the past five years.

Focusing on compensation history “holds down wages because now the jobs are being filled by people with lower salary expectations,” said Thomas Kochan, a professor of employment research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. “We have a whole generation of people who are permanently adversely affected.”

Though hiring tactics have received little attention in the economic debate about wage stagnation, Mr. Kochan said they could have profound effects: “The decisions of firms individually are…creating collectively this macro phenomenon of stagnation,” yet are hard to measure because they are shrouded in secrecy.

U.S. employers continue to hold the line on wages despite six years of economic recovery and an unemployment rate of 5%. Finance chiefs are “probably looking ahead and saying they want to keep the escalation of labor costs from going up in a way that will put pressure on earnings,” said Ajit Kambil, global research director of Deloitte’s CFO Program.

In Deloitte’s most recent quarterly survey, 47% of chief financial offers said they plan to work to lower or control labor costs this year, by taming compensation growth, reducing benefit costs or other means. Moreover, employers may feel they can lowball applicants because they believe there is still a surplus of qualified candidates.

“Workers are still a little discounted” in most fields, said Linda Barrington, executive director of the Institute for Compensation Studies at Cornell University’s ILR School. “Employers won’t pay what the last person in the job was paid because labor is now on sale.”

Steve Carpinelli recently applied for a public-relations position with a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. The role called for a minimum of five-to-seven years of experience. He has more than 14.

RELATED

 

Mr. Carpinelli’s pay reached high five figures before the 45-year-old switched to the generally lower-paying field of nonprofits. While preparing for a phone interview with the Washington organization, he discovered that the last person in the job earned $101,000. So when asked early on about his salary expectations, he put his range squarely around what the last employee earned, seeking $85,000 to $110,000.

“After that, the conversation was very robotic, not a two-way conversation about what they’re truly looking for,” Mr. Carpinelli said. “I definitely got the impression that I’d priced myself out.”

In his experience, “there has been a definite shift or emphasis on beginning the conversation with: ‘What is your salary range?’” Mr. Carpinelli said. “I was always told you never talk about salary until you’re given an offer. But I’ve noticed the salary-range question comes up far earlier in the conversation.”

The organization ultimately hired a young woman with five years’ experience. Mr. Carpinelli is still looking for a permanent job.

Older job seekers sometimes see such outcomes as evidence of bias. But “employers can make financial decisions and it’s not necessarily age discrimination,” said Raymond Peeler, a senior attorney-advisor at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. “What an employee would have to prove…is that the employer is using the salary level as a proxy to disqualify all the older applicants.”

A majority of workers take a salary cut when they get a new job after a stretch of unemployment, but those over 45 usually take a bigger hit than workers under 35 years of age, according to research from Ms. Barrington and a Cornell colleague, Hassan Enayati.

A survey by AARP last year found that of job seekers between 45 and 70 years old who found work after a spell of unemployment, nearly half earned less than before.

Some employers hesitate to hire at far below a past salary, concerned that the employee would resent earning so much less. “If someone wants $100,000 and settles for $75,000, they’re not going to be happy,” said Steve Gross, a compensation specialist and senior partner at consulting firm Mercer.

Workers, however, say they would like the chance to decide for themselves.

“The presumption that I would walk into a job and get $150,000 is not there,” said Rosemary Lynch Kelleher, a baby boomer who has earned at that level during her 25-year career in international trade policy, and has been looking for a permanent job for several years.

“I realize very clearly that it’s not there. And I would take something for $100,000 or $75,000.”

In Austin, a woman who lost her six-figure position as a data architect in 2014 but recently landed a job, said she had been tempted to say she earned $60,000 to improve her chances of getting hired.

While she was searching, the 63-year-old said: “I hate putting down what I want” in salary. “If you put down too much, they think you’re expensive. If you don’t put down enough, they think you’re undervaluing yourself.”

Much of this ambiguity could be avoided if employers published a pay range for positions, but they don’t want to tip their hands. So experts suggest job seekers research market rates for particular positions and try to finesse salary questions.

“Say, ‘I’m open to a salary commensurate with the job,” recommended Blake Nations, a former recruiter who was laid off and then founded Over50JobBoard.com. “And if they keep going, ask: ‘What do you expect to pay someone with my experience and education for this position?’ ”

Some applicants, faced with a salary-history question they fear would exclude them from the start, have toyed with putting a bogus number in a required field in an online form.

Mr. Edwards, the electronics engineer, says he tried that once. Not hearing back from the company, he contacted its HR department and was told he was too expensive. That baffled him because he had listed $1,000 as his previous pay. It turned out HR had changed that to $100,000, assuming it was a mistake.

Author: Lauren Weber at lauren.weber@wsj.com

 

WSJ.com | February 4, 2016

#JobSearch : No Application Necessary- 5 Tips For Using Social Media To Land A Job In 2021. “It’s not that you should NEVER apply and optimize your resume – it’s about focusing more time on networking,”

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Millennial entrepreneurs Jonathan Javier and Jerry Lee learned the hard way that the traditional career search process rarely works, particularly when you’re searching in the ultra-competitive high tech company landscape. By the age of 25, they’d both landed offers (and worked for) tech giants Snapchat, Google, Cisco and Lucid even though they didn’t graduate from any of the typical coveted target schools. They soon left corporate America to found career search consulting firm Wonsulting with a mission of “turning underdogs into winners.” Their programs are based on a carefully curated strategy that they’ve used to help job seekers land those hard-to-get job offers.

Their techniques are based on the general premise that traditional application processes almost never work, and the smartest path to the job you want is through social media. During this particularly challenging job search market, they offer five specific steps for landing that lucrative dream job.

Their recommendations are based on what they call the “4-tiered job search strategy”—focused on elevating candidates from applying amongst thousands to being referred by someone in the hiring organization’s team or applying directly to the hiring manager (whom you’ve hopefully established some level of connection with already). With this ultimate goal in mind (which virtually anyone would agree would improve success odds dramatically), they offer five specific tips for landing a job in 2021.

Job Search Tip #1 – Develop an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Friendly Resume

The Jobscan article “8 Things You Need to Know About Applicant Tracking Systems” explains that the vast majority of large (and even some smaller) companies use these systems to scan incoming resumes. The article explains, “Whether that human recruiter ever sees your resume could depend on how well your resume is optimized for ATS algorithms.” Wonsulting advises candidates to develop a resume that is specifically tailored to the job description and offers this template as an example of how each section should be defined. In an ideal world, a candidate would develop a warm connection with someone within the hiring organization and share their resume directly, but the ATS is such an important part of the process that skipping this step would be fools play. “It’s not that you should NEVER apply and optimize your resume – it’s about focusing more time on networking,” explains Lee.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Job Search Tip #2 – Utilize LinkedIn Search Functions

Boasting over 760 million users (and 260 million active users) reportedly, LinkedIn is a powerhouse social media platform for job seekers, but Javier insists that many don’t fully utilize its capabilities. “One easy way to connect with people on LinkedIn in your dream company is utilizing the LinkedIn search functions specifically connecting with alumni from your university or organizations you’re a part of,” explains Javier. He advises candidates to filter their connections search by company of interest, their location and their alma mater to find specific contacts at their target company with whom they already have points of commonality. With this newly customized listing, job-seekers are now positioned to send personalized invitations to connect.

Job Search Tip #3 – Send a Personalized Invitation to Connect

When sending invitations to connect, Javier warns against doing what everyone else does—sending a connection request without a personalized note. “By sending a personalized invitation, you stand out from the crowd,” insists Javier. He advises job seekers to customize the content of the invitation based on the point of connection or commonality. For example, he suggests this type wording for sending an invitation to connect to an alumnus from your college.

Sample 1 – Hi (Name), hope you’re well! I saw that you graduated from UC Riverside and currently work at Google as a Data Scientist. I’d love to connect with a fellow Highlander!

Sample 2 – Hi (Name), hope you’re well! I saw that you graduated from UC Riverside and currently work at Microsoft as a Product Manager. I also love your story about being a first-generation graduate coming from a POC background. I’d love to connect with a fellow Highlander who shares a similar story!

He also recommends referencing articles or posts they may have written, shared interests or other points of commonality in your personalized invites. The key is finding genuine points of commonality or shared interest and using that as a basis for connecting.

Job Search Tip #4 – Make “The Ask”

One of the benefits of focusing your energies on LinkedIn is that it’s viewed as a networking tool for business, and people often anticipate some sort of “professional ask” so don’t be shy. After all, it’s not Tik Tok or Instagram—people aren’t swapping recipes or posting kids’ cute dances (generally)—so don’t make the mistake of putting in all the effort of getting connected to the right people and then not asking for what you want. “Have an ask, but do it during a coffee chat,” suggests Javier. He encourages job-seekers to decide in advance what they’re really seeking—whether it’s mentorship, honest feedback on a company or a professional recommendation—then make that specific ask towards the end of the coffee chat.

Job Search Tip #5 – Check-In and Stay Connected

As much as we’d love to think that making a connection and maintaining or nurturing a connection are the same thing, they’re not. Don’t make the mistake of going through all the effort of finding the right people to network with only to let that relationship die a slow, virtual death. “The most important part of networking is staying connected with those who have helped you,” insists Javier. Wonsulting even recommends using a spreadsheet (like this sample reach out sheet) to keep track of your outreach—ideally every three months per their recommendation.

With unprecedented unemployment levels, 2021 for many will be their time to pivot into a new role, company or even industry. Finding a new job in this ultra-competitive environment isn’t just daunting but ridiculously stressful too. Indeed, t

Millennial entrepreneurs Jonathan Javier and Jerry Lee learned the hard way that the traditional career search process rarely works, particularly when you’re searching in the ultra-competitive high tech company landscape. By the age of 25, they’d both landed offers (and worked for) tech giants Snapchat, Google, Cisco and Lucid even though they didn’t graduate from any of the typical coveted target schools. They soon left corporate America to found career search consulting firm Wonsulting with a mission of “turning underdogs into winners.” Their programs are based on a carefully curated strategy that they’ve used to help job seekers land those hard-to-get job offers.

Their techniques are based on the general premise that traditional application processes almost never work, and the smartest path to the job you want is through social media. During this particularly challenging job search market, they offer five specific steps for landing that lucrative dream job.

Their recommendations are based on what they call the “4-tiered job search strategy”—focused on elevating candidates from applying amongst thousands to being referred by someone in the hiring organization’s team or applying directly to the hiring manager (whom you’ve hopefully established some level of connection with already). With this ultimate goal in mind (which virtually anyone would agree would improve success odds dramatically), they offer five specific tips for landing a job in 2021.

Job Search Tip #1 – Develop an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Friendly Resume

The Jobscan article “8 Things You Need to Know About Applicant Tracking Systems” explains that the vast majority of large (and even some smaller) companies use these systems to scan incoming resumes. The article explains, “Whether that human recruiter ever sees your resume could depend on how well your resume is optimized for ATS algorithms.” Wonsulting advises candidates to develop a resume that is specifically tailored to the job description and offers this template as an example of how each section should be defined. In an ideal world, a candidate would develop a warm connection with someone within the hiring organization and share their resume directly, but the ATS is such an important part of the process that skipping this step would be fools play. “It’s not that you should NEVER apply and optimize your resume – it’s about focusing more time on networking,” explains Lee.

Job Search Tip #2 – Utilize LinkedIn Search Functions

Boasting over 760 million users (and 260 million active users) reportedly, LinkedIn is a powerhouse social media platform for job seekers, but Javier insists that many don’t fully utilize its capabilities. “One easy way to connect with people on LinkedIn in your dream company is utilizing the LinkedIn search functions specifically connecting with alumni from your university or organizations you’re a part of,” explains Javier. He advises candidates to filter their connections search by company of interest, their location and their alma mater to find specific contacts at their target company with whom they already have points of commonality. With this newly customized listing, job-seekers are now positioned to send personalized invitations to connect.

Job Search Tip #3 – Send a Personalized Invitation to Connect

When sending invitations to connect, Javier warns against doing what everyone else does—sending a connection request without a personalized note. “By sending a personalized invitation, you stand out from the crowd,” insists Javier. He advises job seekers to customize the content of the invitation based on the point of connection or commonality. For example, he suggests this type wording for sending an invitation to connect to an alumnus from your college.

Sample 1 – Hi (Name), hope you’re well! I saw that you graduated from UC Riverside and currently work at Google as a Data Scientist. I’d love to connect with a fellow Highlander!

Sample 2 – Hi (Name), hope you’re well! I saw that you graduated from UC Riverside and currently work at Microsoft as a Product Manager. I also love your story about being a first-generation graduate coming from a POC background. I’d love to connect with a fellow Highlander who shares a similar story!

He also recommends referencing articles or posts they may have written, shared interests or other points of commonality in your personalized invites. The key is finding genuine points of commonality or shared interest and using that as a basis for connecting.

Job Search Tip #4 – Make “The Ask”

One of the benefits of focusing your energies on LinkedIn is that it’s viewed as a networking tool for business, and people often anticipate some sort of “professional ask” so don’t be shy. After all, it’s not Tik Tok or Instagram—people aren’t swapping recipes or posting kids’ cute dances (generally)—so don’t make the mistake of putting in all the effort of getting connected to the right people and then not asking for what you want. “Have an ask, but do it during a coffee chat,” suggests Javier. He encourages job-seekers to decide in advance what they’re really seeking—whether it’s mentorship, honest feedback on a company or a professional recommendation—then make that specific ask towards the end of the coffee chat.

Job Search Tip #5 – Check-In and Stay Connected

As much as we’d love to think that making a connection and maintaining or nurturing a connection are the same thing, they’re not. Don’t make the mistake of going through all the effort of finding the right people to network with only to let that relationship die a slow, virtual death. “The most important part of networking is staying connected with those who have helped you,” insists Javier. Wonsulting even recommends using a spreadsheet (like this sample reach out sheet) to keep track of your outreach—ideally every three months per their recommendation.

With unprecedented unemployment levels, 2021 for many will be their time to pivot into a new role, company or even industry. Finding a new job in this ultra-competitive environment isn’t just daunting but ridiculously stressful too. Indeed, the key to success may not be searching harder but instead searching smarter.

Forbes.com | February 10, 2021 | Dana Brownlee

#BestofFSCBlog : #JobSearch -The 8 Best Online Tools For Your Job Hunt In 2021. A MUst REad!

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I’ve always been a lover of history. I think the past offers something beautiful and mysterious, a connection to those who came before us and their ways. I sometimes catch myself daydreaming about what things were like many years ago. And as a career coach, I inevitably drift over to wondering what it must have been like to look for a job in the past.

Many things about the job hunt haven’t actually changed much with modern technology. Networking and developing your skills have always been integral to finding the right job. Networking, after all, is just a version of cooperation or helping one another out. These types of social supports date back to ancient times to when the stakes were much higher than a salary negotiation. Many experts believe that our social structures have not changed all that much since we were living in small communities as hunter-gatherers, fighting for survival. Networking is part of that survival process, and the desire to connect is hardwired inside all of us.

But obviously new technology has afforded job seekers infinitely more potential to optimize their searches and find the perfect job. While a select number of remote jobs posted in 2020 were location-specific, 80% were available to workers in any location.

I’m sure we’re all grateful that we don’t have to circle classified ads anymore. But what are the best tech tools at your disposal for finding the perfect job?

Here are 8 of the best online tools to help in your job search. 

1) LinkedIn

This is almost such a no-brainer that I didn’t include it. But then I had a thought: how many job seekers are really utilizing LinkedIn to its fullest? LinkedIn offers some amazing features that may not be known to most users.

For a lot of people, LinkedIn is kind of a weekly check-in type of site. You might log on, scroll a bit, give a quick “like” to your middle school friend who got promoted, check your messages, do a casual job search, then migrate over to something more stimulating, like a Buzzfeed listicle or the latest celeb gossip.

If that sounds a bit like how you’ve been using LinkedIn, it’s time to step your game up.

To start, did you know that you can add media to the “Featured” section of your profile? Creators, I’m looking at you. Maybe you’ve done a killer brand video, or you want to share a reel of media appearances you have made. Or perhaps a photo from a keynote you made at a conference.

All of these will make an impact and boost your LinkedIn profile up from being a dusty online billboard of your resume, to a compelling advertisement for your skills and accomplishments.

Having trouble uploading a video because it’s too long? You’re in luck, there’s a work-around for that.

Are you wishing there was a way to combine your networking connections from LinkedIn with your other work contacts? Did you know that you can export your LinkedIn connections as a spreadsheet?

Most people who are doing job searches on LinkedIn just plug in relevant keywords and locations. But the search features on LinkedIn have much more to offer. You can save searches and set up alerts for relevant postings.

If you feel that searching for jobs on LinkedIn is turning up results that are too general, don’t match your specific skills and desires or don’t relate to your connections, you can utilize the LinkedIn advanced search features to filter for much more precise searches for listings.

Even if you treat LinkedIn as your first and last stop in your job search journey, it is worth spending a little more time on the site to really get comfortable with the ins and outs. It can truly be your most valuable online tool.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

2) Glassdoor

Glassdoor is another immensely valuable asset to anyone in the job search, and I absolutely loved my recent interview with their CEO right here. This tool is especially useful when researching potential jobs and employers, or when entering into the interview stage and considering offers with a certain company.

If you are unfamiliar, Glassdoor is a database for jobs listings and applications, as well as a portal where current and former employees can anonymously rate their experience in working for a certain company across many metrics, and provide information like salary and potential interview questions. Through analysis of this data, Glassdoor creates ratings and metrics on specific companies.

If you are interested in the company culture, revenue or size of a potential employer, or you are looking for an inside perspective on what it’s like to work for a certain company, Glassdoor should be your first stop.

In recent months, Glassdoor has also risen to the challenge of addressing the very pressing issue of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. With new products and features, Glassdoor has begun allowing users to share demographic information and rate a company based on its handle of issues of diversity within the workplace.

This is such an essential issue, and Glassdoor is a leader in creating greater transparency and accountability when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion in the job search and in the world of work.

Large influencers like Glassdoor have the power to change workplace culture, and establish new norms in society. It is fun to see them caring about these big issues and taking action!

3) Jobscan Resume Scanner

If you’re reading this article, I have a feeling you’re someone who has put a lot of time into your resume. But did you know that often, when you’re applying for a job, your resume may not even make it to a real person?

This is because many recruiters and hiring managers are utilizing an application track system (or ATS). In my recent book You Turn, I actually refer to applicant tracking systems in a header called “Applicant Tracking Hell”—and there’s a reason for this! Navigating the ATS is challenging, and knowing your resume may never even encounter a human being is disheartening. As a matter of fact, data shows that up to 75% of resumes never make it to a hiring manager.

You may have done a great job of highlighting your professional experience on your resume, but you’re just using the wrong words or formatting. This is where Jobscan comes in. Jobscan uses algorithms and AI to scan your resume and compare it to a specific job listing, giving you feedback on how to best tweak your resume to work well with an ATS.

Here are some things that you might find out have been preventing your resume from getting through the ATS filters:

  • Descriptions of your work experience do not match up to the job descriptions.  Even if you are super qualified, if your resume doesn’t match up with keywords in the job description, you could be preemptively disqualifying yourself. I tell job seekers in my online courses to make sure they sprinkle terminology from job descriptions as though it’s fairy dust throughout their resume. Sprinkle away!
  • You’re not using standard formatting. While clever and inventive ways of formatting your resume may show off your aesthetic acuity, and your creativity with design, they may also prevent your resume from making the ATS cut. Non-standard formatting can confuse the AI, and lead to your resume being processed incorrectly, or not at all.
  • Too much flowery language. You may think that using headings like “Selected Professional Engagements” and “Secondary School and Collegiate Alma Mater” makes you sound smart. But, I hate to break it to you, complicated and word descriptions are not working in your favor when it comes to ATS. Stick with standard headings that will ensure that the ATS processes your resume correctly. Think: “Work Experience” and “Education.”

Trust me, Jobscan ATS will definitely give you a better shot at acing your resume for a specific job description. They even provide excellent resume templates for various careers and roles.

4) Slik email finder

Slik is an amazing AI-based service that was originally designed for those working in sales as a tool to find leads and connect with prospective clients. Slik has become a major asset for many sales professionals, including those on sales teams from Dropbox, DocuSign and Slack. And if the major players in tech-based work solutions are using it, you know it must be good!

Slik offers a range of data-finding services, but one that I’ve found particularly helpful, and is certain to be an asset for you in your network, is their email finder tools.

Gosh, I just love a quick little email finder. I must be a career coach, huh?

Slik allows you to search emails and other data sourced from LinkedIn profiles. You can save searches and compile data. This information can be extremely valuable if you are a salesperson, but also fantastic for anyone who is hoping to connect with a specific person or department while doing exploratory networking or in the hopes of sending a letter of interest.

5) Shapr

One of the hardest things about networking is that you never really know if someone you are reaching out to will be happy to connect, or if they’re truly interested in making the connection and lending a hand in your career journey.

Shapr is an amazing social networking app that takes the guesswork out of networking. It’s designed to connect professionals and help users network in their field with others that are excited and willing to connect.

What makes it so valuable for networking is that all of its users are opting in with the intention of meeting new connections and sharing their ideas and insights. So no more wondering if the person on the other side of the LinkedIn chat is rolling their eyes and exhaling deeply. On Shapr, everyone is there for the same reason: they are excited to network.

Shapr works kind of like some of the major dating apps. Don’t get too excited, this one is for professional connections only! You create a profile that highlights your interests, skills, location and relevant information about your career. You can browse other profiles or search for people that match specific criteria.

From there, a connection is made in a way that will be quite familiar to a lot of folks. You swipe on profiles that you are interested in connecting with. If there is mutual interest, you have a match! From there, you can chat with your new connection, and see if a great professional relationship blossoms.

Shapr is a fresh and modern take on networking, and an excellent way to bolster your professional network.

6) JobSeer

Are you tired of pouring through page after page of jobs that are close to what you want and qualified for, but just not quite right? Well, Jobseer will help you pinpoint the right jobs for you, cut through the wrong ones and stand out from the pack. And, bonus: they help you easily get access to people’s email address!

JobSeer is a free Extension app for Google Chrome that is compatible with most of the popular online job boards. The beauty of Jobseer is that it uses AI to streamline your online job search.

Once you’ve created an account, you can input information into your Jobseer profile that will help you find jobs that are a good match. The first step is your resume. You can upload your resume, or even multiple resumes, that will be scanned by Jobseeker for relevant skills, experiences and qualifications, and compared to relevant job listings to help you find the perfect fit.

Your resume will be utilized in a customized “smart search.” You select job titles that are relevant to your search, and input your skills to help with the specificity of your job search. Jobseer also recommends skills that are matched with the job titles you are searching. You also select other parameters such as location, experience level and job type.

All that sounds pretty standard, but once you start searching, you’ll see the magic of Jobseer.  For each job you select, Jobseer will give you a customized score based on how well you fit the job description. Additionally, you can look at which skills are aligned with the job description, and areas in which you do not fit qualifications.

The information you gather from Jobseer will be relevant not only to help you find job listings that are a great match, but also in tweaking your resume to fit specific job descriptions.

As if that wasn’t enough for incredible features, Jobseer also gives you insightful information about the job and company, including insights on the companies’ size and revenue, as well as a projected base salary for the role that you are exploring.

Jobseer also offers you access to five free email addresses per day, attached to their insights on the job listings, which will allow you to reach out to recruiters and even employees that you already have a connection to.

Check out this quick video to see how Jobseer works, and I’m pretty sure you’ll be quickly adding it to your browser. It will definitely level up your job search game and help you optimize your chances of matching with the right job.

7) Idealist.org

These days, it feels more important than ever to be working for a company whose values reflect your own. If you’re someone who is hoping to work within the nonprofit sector, or to find a mission-driven job, Idealist is a great place to direct your search.

Idealist is a nonprofit organization founded in 1995 with the goal of connecting individuals to jobs and careers at nonprofit organizations that focus on charity work and social impact.

Their site functions much like other job boards, however, all of the listings they post are from verified nonprofit organizations. You can search for listings based on keywords or get more granular with specific metrics about what types or listings you are interested in.

Idealist also offers resources for those who are hoping to level up their career goals within the social impact space with a higher degree. They have resources for those exploring graduate school, with information to help candidates navigate the application and selection process, and details of programs to assist individuals in finding graduate schools that fit their interests and aspirations.

Idealist is also a great site to visit if you are not necessarily looking for a new job, but want to get more involved in community work or contribute to a cause. They also have many listings for volunteer opportunities, with many options to meet you where you are in your desire to commit time and energy to volunteering. You can even find remote or virtual volunteer work.

Idealist also helps connect users to mutual aid networks. While you might have been hearing this term a lot more over the last 12 months, the spirit of mutual aid goes way, way back. In a sense, it’s about neighbor helping neighbor. There are many different types of mutual aid networks, but this is the common thread: they are spaces for people to connect and share resources. You might financially contribute to a fund in order to support those with need or who have been affected by a crisis, or you can find information on how and where to make helpful donations. Given the challenges of the past year, we would all be served by lending a helping hand to one another.

8) Google

I saved the most obvious one for last. In fact, Google is so obvious, that I think its features are often overlooked in the job search.

To start off, when you enter the job market, you have to be aware of how you appear on a search engine. You should expect that a hiring manager will look you up online, especially your social media. Data shows that 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates. Coming across badly online can really hurt your job prospects, with 54% of hiring mangers admitting that they eliminated a candidate based on their social media presence.

But if you think plugging your name in the Google search bar, like we’ve all done more times than we’d like to admit, is enough, you had better think again.

To start with, you should log out of your Google accounts, and go into “incognito mode,” or a similar private browsing option on your preferred web browser. Google saves your search data, and will give you a specifically tailored Google search based on your past searches and location. You want to see what a stranger would see if they put your name into google.

According to online presence management specialists at ReputationDefender.com, you should Google yourself once a month—that way you can keep track of your online presence, and if something should appear that reflects you in a less than positive light, you can get on it quickly.

Beyond keeping track of how you appear online, Google can actually be a great asset for staying organized and on top of your job search. Google Jobs is actually a super functional job platform that allows you to search for jobs, save specific listings and searches and even set alerts based on job criteria. Google Jobs aggregates listings from most other job platforms, making it the best of all worlds.

However you choose to go about your job search, I hope this brings you up to date on the latest resources to help you put your best foot forward in the brave new world of online job hunting. Dive on in, and happy hunting!

 

Forbes.com | February 9. 2021 | Ashley Stahl

 

#JobSearch : How This Millennial Skipped Applications, Landed His Dream Tech Job Using Social Media. “I would apply to 50 companies a week, and the outcome for each was the same: rejection”

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As Jonathan Javier approached graduation, he knew he had an uphill climb landing his dream tech job. He wasn’t graduating from a top target school and didn’t have the traditional academic background, so he decided to try a radically different approach. He’d already tried the traditional method—applying like crazy and interviewing like your life depended on it, but the response was beyond dismal. “I would apply to 50 companies a week, and the outcome for each despite tailoring my resume to the job description was the same: rejection,” reflects Javier.

“This is when I realized that traditional approaches wouldn’t work. Simply applying to roles when thousands of others were doing the same wasn’t going to cut it, especially with popular tech companies.” So, he abandoned the job boards completely and instead curated an innovative social media strategy instead.

His strategy took some time, but after a year or so of persistent focus, he landed his first tech job at Snapchat, then later used the same strategy to secure interviews or offers from Google, Cisco, LinkedIn, Facebook, Electronic Arts, and more without ever applying. There were three key elements to his social media job search strategy: curating customized connection requests and posts, adopting a humanistic, friendly demeanor and relentlessly following up.

Curating customized connection requests and posts

Once he decided to move his search onto social media (specifically LinkedIn), he knew he had to roll up his sleeves and build the right network. He realized pretty quickly that randomly sending connection requests was a waste of time. In fact, his response rate was less than 5%, but when he pivoted to sending personalized invites, his acceptance rate soared. “I would send a personalized invite to 100+ potential connections weekly from those who shared common ground with me, whether it was the same university, organization or ethnic background,” shares Javier. “Out of those 100+ I sent almost 60% added me back because I’d thoroughly researched how their background related to mine.”

Javier also posted weekly on LinkedIn about events he planned to attend (related to his target companies). “I did this because my strategy was to meet professionals from my target companies and then tag them in LinkedIn posts,” explains Javier. “When they liked and commented on the posts, my hope was that their network would see it, and it worked.” Indeed, fully leveraging LinkedIn features like messaging, content creation and branding were key to his success.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Projecting a friendly demeanor

Making initial contact was critical, but Javier quickly realized that developing real rapport was quite another challenge—one more reliant on EQ than IQ. Indeed, he understood that projecting a friendly, affable demeanor rather than a transactional one would be key not just for prospect cultivation but also for his own mental health during the sometimes-arduous process. “I knew that the more people I reached out to with a humanistic, friendly approach, the more responses I’d get,” explains Javier. “Instead of focusing on those who didn’t respond, I focused on those who did and who supported me.” Javier explains that he’d ask new connections about their story, their experience with their company, and then follow up. He also made sure he maintained a healthy mentality throughout the process. “The job search is a mental game; rejection is redirection as long as you react to it in the right way,” insists Javier.

Relentlessly following up

Virtually any professional who has cultivated strong business relationships through social media will attest that you have to prepare for the long game, and they key to success is really the ability to follow up so that you can move from connection to relationship to opportunity. Javier developed a fairly regimented approach to nurture these important relationships. He explains, “Every 3 months I’d update them with my progress regarding my career and would ask for an update regarding theirs.” Here’s a sample message he would send to a connection to follow up.

Hi (Name),

Hope you’ve been well since we last spoke in (month). Thanks again for all your help throughout my career.

I wanted to give you a quick update on what I’ve been doing for the past 3 months:

·      Update #1

·      Update #2

·      Update #3

It would be great to hear from you (call to action). Thanks, and have a wonderful day.

Certainly, he learned that while social media is powerful, it’s not magic and turning a LinkedIn connection into a job offer requires relentless (but not annoying) follow up and persistence.

Javier had so much success using his method, that in 2019 he teamed up with Jerry Lee (first intern at Google from his alma mater, then hired as the youngest analyst in his organization) to turn their strategies into a business. He and cofounder Jerry Lee developed Wonsulting to teach unconventional methods for landing a dream job using social media. Their motto “turning underdogs into winners” reflects their desire to create new professional onramps for some of the best and brightest who may not have the rare academic pedigree and experience traditionally required for the most competitive positions.

Landing positions at Snapchat, Cisco and Google by the age of 24 is an admirable feat by any standard, and it’s certainly not “the norm.” Perhaps Javier’s smartest move was deciding to stop trying to win a game stacked against him from the start and instead find a way to reinvent it.

Stay tuned: My next article will reveal Wonsulting’s 5 tips for getting a job in 2021.

Forbes.com | February 8, 2021 | Dana Brownlee   Senior Contributor Careers

#YourCareer : Personal Branding – Are you an Authority if Nobody Knows it? You May be the Best at What you Do, But if No One Knows it…You have a Problem.

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As an executive, the assumption is the higher you climb the corporate ladder, the more expertise you have in your field. You may be the best at what you do, but if no one knows it…You have a problem.

People have to realize you are an expert. Your plan for your business, career, or any type of future acknowledgement needs to include ways to show the world you know what you are talking about. It’s all part of branding yourself. The good news is that today, it is easier than ever to establish yourself as an authority: an expert in your field!

Four(4) Ways to Establish Your Authority as an Expert: 

1- Write a book. This is so easy with e-books, because you can self-publish right away and update as needed. And the benefits are huge: you “must be an expert” because you wrote a book or two. It’s also a good way to let potential employers know what your expertise is, and it looks impressive on an executive resume.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

2- Be a great blogger. Writing consistent and useful content builds up an audience of readers who welcome your next post because it helps them somehow. If you are sharing your insights and making a difference in your reader’s lives, you are building a reputation for expertise. You are proving your expert status with every post.

This isn’t as difficult as it sounds:

  • Link to content that you found helpful and make some comments then ask for opinions
  • Write a short (250-500 word) post every few days about something in your field
  • Have a mix of news items and evergreen content that is always useful

 

3- Utilize online networks. Whether it’s LinkedIn profile development and posting regularly, guest blogging, or taking thoughtful part in online discussions, there’s an impression being made about who you are. Find niche communities of your peers and connect, offering expertise. Make it a positive and authoritative impression, and there will be lots of good reasons to see you as an expert in your field. Be sure to ask for comments and opinions of others. This should be a dialogue, not a lecture.

 

4- Curate content carefully. Link to authoritative sites or articles, find news in your field, and share your expert opinion on the information. Create a reputable source for research in your industry.

If you do a little bit every day, it slowly builds into an impressive, authoritative presence that gives weight to your online brand. When potential employers look you up online, your expertise comes through. Many people actually are hired based on internet activity that created a relationship and developed respect for the knowledge displayed. The job offer came as a result of the added authority of their online presence. When you think about it, this is marketing. You are in the business of selling yourself as an authority in your field by getting the message out to the people who need what you offer. Anyone who aspires to become an executive or any type of professional needs to be seen as an expert.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:   Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

FSC Career Blog – February 6, 2021

#YourCareer : How to Build a Career Path in 3 Steps. Got Kids? MUst REad!

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Whether you are looking for a job for the first time or seeking to make a move in the middle of your career, having a plan is the surest way to find fulfillment and happiness in your professional life. It is better to forge a path than let yourself get too comfortable and complacent where you are, according to career coach Tracy Timm and recruitment trends expert Tony Lee. That can be a “recipe for disaster,” says Miss Timm.

“If you and I want to bake a cake, we wouldn’t just haphazardly throw ingredients into a pan and put it all in the oven,” says Miss Timm. “We would look up a recipe and then we would follow the recipe to a tee to get to the outcome that we want.”

1. Begin to build your career path by identifying your core values and skills.

Do some self-discovery. Identifying your nonnegotiable core values is one of three categories Miss Timm recommends evaluating as people start to build their career paths. Perhaps family commitments would make it difficult to work on weekends. Or if you love where you live, you may not be willing to relocate. If you are a caregiver, working from home with flexible hours might be a good fit.

Write down answers to these questions before you start:

  • What are your values? Identify what is most important to your lifestyle, such as income, faith, the ability to go on vacation or meeting new people.
  • What are your attributes? Think about the personality traits, professionally and personally, that have stayed constant throughout your life. Are you a team player? Do you prefer to work alone? Are you a fast learner?
  • What are your skills? This section is a list of what you have “learned and earned,” says Miss Timm. Write down what expertise you have developed over the course of your academic and professional life. These could range from using specific software to interpersonal skills.

Starting by identifying your core values is a foundational step, but people tend to skip it.

“I think we’re afraid to question where we are at any given time because we don’t want to be wrong,” says Miss Timm. “That is why we get into situations where maybe your work pays you really well and it has great status and you have great health care and dental for your children and your family, but you never see your children and your family.”

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

2. Seek advice on your career path from people you admire.

It can be difficult to be objective about our own situations, which is why it can be helpful to get external opinions. “As one of my mentors says, it’s such as asking a surgeon to do her own surgery,” says Miss Timm. “We’re just too close to the problem.” Talk to a boss, mentor, professor or friend you trust and have good rapport with. This person should understand your professional and personal strengths. Ask them for introductions, guidance and recommendations based on their expertise.

Three things you should ask: 

  • How did you get where you are today? What you learn may surprise you. A successful person may have changed roles many times or stayed at one company for 30 years. They may have several degrees or might have skipped college altogether. Asking other people what their career paths were can help you form your own.
  • Can you recommend programs or training? Big companies might offer internal mentoring programs, formal career-development training, rotational programs and even tuition reimbursement. If you are unemployed, working gig jobs or a student, consider applying for fellowships and grants that align with the kind of training you are looking for.
  • How can I better contribute? Some employers may not have the budget for training programs, but there could be other opportunities. A small company may offer a more direct path to senior management, for example. Ask for a meeting with a senior manager and let them know you are ready to take on more challenges and responsibilities.

If you are concerned about discussing your career path with a manager or HR representative, remember that you have more power than you think. If you have been in a role for some time, it is unlikely your boss will view it as a betrayal that you are interested in exploring opportunities. Having a clear idea of your career goals demonstrates ambition. If you are a good worker, your employer will probably want to keep you around. The cost of hiring and training a new employee to replace you greatly outweighs the cost of keeping an existing one.

HR professionals are measured on their ability to keep the turnover rate low, says Mr. Lee, who is vice president of editorial for the Society for Human Resource Management. “If you have high turnover, you have problems—probably culture problems,” says Mr. Lee. “A lot of employers would do pretty much anything they needed to do to keep a good employee from jumping ship.”

3. Identify your transferable skills to broaden your career options.

The ability to identify and articulate your skills and knowledge may help you to take the next step in finding a career path that suits you. You might be surprised to learn that a skill you acquired in one industry can be applied in another. Learning to frame your experience as an asset to potential employers can help you to map out your options.

For example, employers value flexibility and adaptability, while Miss Timm says being a hard worker or being kind and generous to your colleagues will serve you in any role.

“Until you get a good sense of your strengths and weaknesses and how they play in an environment, you’re operating in a deficit,” says Mr. Lee.

If you aren’t sure where to start:

Try sending a message to five people in your life asking: “What are my three biggest strengths?” It helps if your five recipients know you from different parts of your life, for example, a roommate, a romantic partner, a former boss, a current colleague and a family member. Often, says Miss Timm, the overlap in the responses can help narrow down your universal skills.

 

WSJ.com | February 4. 2021 |   

#JobSearch : How To Identify Your Next Career Move. Very Few People are 100% Sure of What They Want to Do Next.

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Very few of my career transition clients are 100% sure of what they want to do next. Most people either take their transition as an opportunity to take a step back and explore what would be a more meaningful or fulfilling career for them or they come to the coaching with a few potential paths in mind, unsure which would be best for them.

If you fall into either of these categories, there are several exercises you might do to help point you towards the right path. Among these is conducting a “mini-360” to get feedback from friends and colleagues who know you well. Keep in mind that no assessment—including this one—will ever provide the ultimate answer to the question “What should I do next?”

Instead, this exercise will give you data to consider and incorporate with all of the other data that you are collecting that may highlight certain themes for you to explore further in determining what might be next for you. I often compare the career transition process to a treasure hunt, and the answers to this mini-360 can provide both interesting and compelling clues to help you get more clarity and move forward in your search.

This is an easy but powerful exercise you can do in requesting feedback from as few as 3-5 people or 10-20 or more with a brief email. Recognizing that some people will not reply, I recommend reaching out to at least 10-15 people. The more responses you have, the more likely common themes will emerge.

To be clear, I am not advocating letting other people decide your professional path for you—in fact, you want to stay away from what my colleagues and I call “the should’s.” For example, “My parents say I should find something more stable than a startup,” or “I got a law degree, so I should really do something in the legal field since I spent all that money on law school.”

Feedback from others can be helpful since they are likely more to be objective in identifying your gifts and talents that you have either taken for granted or have a blindspot around and don’t recognize the extent to which you are really good at something in particular, whether that’s communication, creativity, or coaching others. This might help you identify jobs or career paths that play to your strengths.

Below are some questions to ask in your mini-360. You can, of course, customize this as you wish.

What three adjectives would you use to describe me?

If most people mention adjectives such as “creative, innovative, and forward-looking,” one might infer that data analytics might not be a good career for you, but perhaps product design or marketing might be. Likewise, if the adjectives are along the lines of “caring, compassionate, and helpful,” perhaps something in the helping professions like teaching, medicine, counseling, or coaching would play to your strengths.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

What do you see as my greatest strengths or talents?

Answers to this question will either make you feel seen, understood, and appreciated or they may shed light on strengths you didn’t even realize you had. For example, someone once told me that I was a risk-taker. I looked at them very puzzled, as I didn’t think of myself that way. I asked them what it was about me that had them see me this way. They responded with actions or decisions I had made that I had never thought of as risky, because they were things that I wanted to do. But they were, in fact, risk-taking. They pointed out that I moved to a foreign country not knowing anyone with only a rudimentary knowledge of the language and left a high-status job in investment banking to do so. I also co-founded a leadership development firm two decades before that was a popular thing to do, while taking zero salary each year, relying solely on my business development skills to earn a living. Sometimes, it takes someone else to show us what we can’t see. We can have blind spots around strengths as much as development areas. Given my appetite for risk, I probably wouldn’t be happy in an opportunity that had limited financial upside.

What competencies, if acquired or developed further, would most benefit me in my career?

Sometimes, a fulfilling career is just around the corner, but there might be a competency—defined as an area of knowledge, a skill, or a trait—that is underdeveloped or missing, the presence of which, would expand your options and make you a more compelling candidate for a particular role or career path. This might involve learning a software program, understanding the regulatory environment in a particular sector, or learning to speak up more. These competencies may also be driven by market trends like digital transformation and the increasing applications of artificial intelligence across sectors.

In what types of situations am I at my best?

Getting feedback on the situations where you are at your best is also helpful to know in thinking about what’s next. Are you at your best presenting to small groups, solving complex problems, or when you’re engaging with clients? The answer to this question can also inform the type of work that would allow you to be in these situations most often. For example, if you’re at your best when engaging with clients, this might point to the professional services sector or a business development or client service role.

What have you seen me get most excited about?

To be fully engaged in your work, it needs to align with your values and interests. If others see you get excited by projects that are global in scale and the latest consumer technology, these interests may point to various target employers. Likewise, if you value collaboration and variety, these values may point to careers in consulting where the work is typically project-based and done in teams.

In what types of jobs or careers would you see me thrive the most, and why? Which ones would I not enjoy, and why?

These last two questions asks the feedback provider to “put it all together” and suggest positions or career paths that might (or might not) be a good match for you based on what they know about you. Hold these suggestions lightly—this is where some projections or “shoulds” may emerge, or if it’s a longtime contact or close family member, they may be stuck in an old image of you. But there can be some good ideas found among these answers for you to explore as well.

The benefit to asking a number of people these questions is being able to step back and identify the patterns and themes that emerge. Notice how they resonate with you. Do they intrigue you, excite you, or repel you? Which ones warrant further exploration? And what additional questions do these responses raise for you? The data you collect here can inform the next step of your exploration that ultimately leads you to your next career move.

Author: Rebecca Zucker

I am an Executive Coach and founding Partner at Next Step Partners, a global leadership development firm that provides Career Transition Services, Executive Coaching,

 

Forbes.com – February 3, 2021

 

#JobSearch : How Does Your Brand Stand Out on Your Resume? Accurately Reflect your Expertise? Most if Not All, the Answer is NO.

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One question I get asked every single week by clients is if their resumes have enough branding–specifically, executive branding. Does their resume accurately reflect their expertise and what they are recognized for? Can I tell what their brand might be? Usually, my answer to these questions is NO.

 

Your executive brand doesn’t always speak for itself, especially if your resume is basically a job description of what you’ve been doing. No, you have to sprinkle aspects of your brand throughout your resume and let your reader know who you are.

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Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

A brand is an evolution of where you are today. It communicates your value to the reader. Have you Googled yourself lately? What comes up in the searches next to your name? That will help you realize your brand.

To represent your brand on your executive resume, make a list of 5-10 strengths and personal attributes that describe you. Are these strengths and attributes on your resume? If a reader were to glance at your resume, would they be able to tell within 10-20 seconds what your brand is, who you are, and what you bring to the table? Is the first half of your resume selling the reader on your brand?

This may sound like a difficult task to do. We aren’t very good at evaluating ourselves. Many of our clients tell us they have this information but are unsure of how to incorporate that into their resume. There is help for that. There are many talented executive resume writers who specialize in executive branding and can walk through it with you. Whether you hire someone to help you with that or do it yourself, the most important thing is that your resume is infused with your unique brand.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – February 1, 2021

#YourCareer : Avoiding A Hard Conversation? How To Have That Brave Conversation You’ve Been Putting Off. A MUst REad for All!

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As the Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to connect from behind our screens, it’s also made it all the more convenient to avoid tough conversations. You know the ones… where emotions can run high and sensitivities deep.  Too awkard. Too risky. Too difficult. 

Alas, the most important conversations are often the least comfortable. Easier to simply smile politely and put it off until we’re all back in the office. Whenever that is.

Yet our conversations form the life blood of our relationships, forming the currency of influence in any team or organization.  Engaging in conversations about sensitive issues require self-awareness, emotional intelligence and a solid dose of courage. Mustering up that courage takes getting real about the price we pay when we don’t. On our stress levels, our relationships, our influence and our ability to achieve what we want and change what we don’t.

If you’re in a leadership role, this is amplified further. After all, ‘people are the project.’ If you’re not managing the people issues, you’re destined to fall short on every other outcome.

In short, sticking to only the ‘safe conversations’ can exact a steep hidden tax on individual wellbeing, team productivity and bottom line performance. Research by VitalSmarts found a strong correlation between the span of time it took for a problem being identified and it being raised with team performance. Before Covid-19 this averaged two weeks. Right now, it’s likely considerably longer.

So if there’s a conversation you’ve been putting off, here’s a few ideas to help you address whatever issue’s been on your mind (and likely others too!).

-1- Clarify your highest intention 

It’s easy to communicate from a reactive, defensive, frustrated or fearful place. Many do. Doing so gives a temporary sense sense of gratification. Bam, got em! But it rarely lands a positive outcome.

So before entering into potentially sensitive conversation, get clear on your positive intent. What positive intention are you trying to serve? For you, for them, for your relationship? So be honest about where your ego might be driving you to prove you’re right or make another wrong and connect from the highest part of you, not the lowest.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

-2- Check your story

You don’t see problems as they are, but as you are…filtered through your lens, your fears and your experiences, past and present. Often the story we creat about a problem (or ‘problem person’) is the root of the problem, roadblocking our ability to resolve it and chart a better path forward. So think about where you’ve caste someone as a villain, yourself as a victim or applied labels (it’s pointless, they’re a lost cause, I’m hopeless at… ) that limit new possibilities.

-3- Listen beyond spoken concerns

Even when we can see someone on the other side of the screen, technology has a way of disconnecting us from the human element of our interactions. Connecting with the humanity of the person behind the image on your screen will lead to a far better outcome than simply going through your check list.

Before you unload what’s on your mind, step into their shoes and genuinely try to see as they see and feel as they feel. What’s the deeper, unspoken concerns that might be at play here? The very act of genuinely seeking to understand makes a huge deposit into the relational ‘trust account’.

So ask them how they see and feel about the issue. Then…

Listen.

As you do, resist the temptation to fill any awkward silences. It’s in the pauses between thoughts that the real issues often rise to the surface. Listening is the singular more powerful and under-used communication skill.

-4- Keep it real

If you feel awkward about a conversation, just say so. You’re human. This is vulnerable territory. Own that. If it’s why you’ve put off having this conversation, share that too. This pandemic has been challenging for most of us. Be humble and take full responsibility for your part in this issue including not having raised the issue sooner. Then share why you feel it’s important to do so now (see point #1).

-5- Be truthful, but in a way that elevates, not denigrates

Behavioral scientist Dr. William Schutz once said that “If people in business told the truth, 80 to 90% of their problems would disappear.”  People can intuitively tell when you are being sincere. They can also tell when you’re not.

Be mindful to distinguish the problem (behavior or issue) from the person themselves. Just because someone did something stupid doesn’t make them stupid. Give them space to be otherwise.

Invite their input in how to address the issue, and use language that convey’s your belief in their ability to respond well. Talking down to people will never lift them higher but reinforce the very beliefs that are driving the behavior.

The above said, don’t sugarcoat the truth in disingenuous flattery. That doesn’t build trust, it undermines it. People often respond defensively to implied criticism.

-6- Consider time and place

If you’re working across global time zones, make sure you have the call at a time of day that is thoughtful for the other person. Don’t leave a tough conversation for 5pm Friday and be sure you allow enough time for a meaningful exchange. Likewise, if you’re prone to speaking too much or belaboring points, write down your key points ahead of time.

As for place, well… you may not have much choice but to connect from your home workspace right now. However if you can get outside and go for a walk, changing your physical space can be a powerful way to shift the emotional space of a conversation. Consider both of you going for a walk and talk… even in different places. Just ensure you can stay focused on it.

-7- Set and keep the right emotional tone

Emotions are contagious. The more sensitive an issue, the more rapidly emotions can escalate and highjack rational dialogue. Rehearse the conversation ahead of time, thinking ahead about how you want to respond should they have an emotional highjack. If they get furious, get curious, and avoid getting pulled into a downward spiral of stone-throwing. If things get over-heated, call time out.

-8- Separate fact from opinion

Before you launch into your opinion of a situation, be sure to clearly state the facts as you see them. It’s possible you may have incomplete information.So use language that leaves open the possibility of another interpretation of the situation. E.g. I appreciate I may be missing something, but it appears that …

Who knows, maybe they have some important piece of information you’re unaware of that will make all the difference. Facts first. When you present your opinion as though it’s the truth, you’re guaranteed to get people off-side.

-9- Make clear requests and commitments

A client recently told me how frustrated she is with a colleague. I asked her if she’d been specific about what she wanted this person to do. ‘No, they should just know,’ she replied. And therein lay the problem. They did not know! So never assume people just know what you want or don’t want. Make clear requests,  with specific, unambiguous and measurable expectations – for them and yourself. Only then can you ever effectively manage any accountability.

-10- Focus forward with a soft front, strong back

 It’s easy to descend into pettiness and stone throwing about what woulda-coulda-shoulda happened. To what end?  This doesn’t negate the need for managing accountability. Rather, stay focused on what needs to change and don’t lose sight of the end game.  Most of all, never let someone else’s poor behavior be an excuse for your own.

The quality of your relationships is determined by the quality of the conversations you have in them… in your home, in your office and in virtual teams operating across global time zones.

Don’t let the inability to meet in person stop you having important conversations. And don’t let the screens that separate you be an excuse not to speak to that person as you would if they were right in front of you.

Most of all, don’t let your fear of what could go wrong keep you from speaking up to make things more right.

If there’s something you genuinely want to say, chances are someone genuinely needs to hear it. Adopt the Buddhist principle of “soft front, strong back” and stand firmly in your truth… with courage, candor and kindness. bGo bravely.

Author: Margie Warrell is a speaker on leading with courage and creator of the Courageous Conversations Masterclass.

 

Forbes.com – January 31, 2012