If You Want a Great Job, Tell a Great Story

The film Lincoln is getting rave reviews because it tells a great story in an engaging way. And, it reminds us that the 16th president was most effective at convincing someone to take his side when he was able, without hesitation, to reach into his past and relate a story to the current moment. If you are a job hunter, there are several important lessons you can learn from this movie to aid you in your search.

First and foremost, you need to begin to see yourself as a storyteller. In my article this week in USNews & World report, I explain what I mean by this and offer five other key insights about your job hunt gleaned from this great new movie. Here’s the link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/12/11/if-you-want-a-great-job-tell-a-great-story?s_cid=related-links:TOP

Why Your Networking Isn’t Working & How To Fix It

Thrilled to be invited to return to TENG (Temple Emanual Networking Group) in Netwon, MA to speak at their program this week!

We’ll be looking at common mistakes people make both in person and online… and more importantly what you can do to avoid these mistakes to begin with, or fix them if your networking skills are shaky.

Please join us! This program is FREE and OPEN to all at 6:45pm, Wednesday, December 12th at: Temple Emanuel, 385 Ward Street, Newton, MA. The building is handicap accessible and there is on-street parking.

Who should come: the fully-employed, the business owner, the self-employed, the under-employed, the unemployed or the part-timer, the volunteer and the career changer. Now is the time to reinforce your network and help out others in our community.

3 Things LinkedIn Can Do To Help You Nab Your Next Job

Have you noticed the zillions are articles written about the virtues of LinkedIn and necessity of you getting on board in order to have a successful job hunt? Social media permeates our society, and LinkedIn has become the most fertile hunting ground for talent for recruiters and businesses of all sizes. The buzz about LinkedIn does point to something real, but it often doesn’t clarify, beyond “help you get a job” the three basic ways this business social media site can help you do just that.

Put in simplest terms, you should use LinkedIn in such a way as to:

1. Make you findable by companies and recruiters looking for someone with your talents and experience;
2. Enable you to find employment opportunities worth pursuing; and
3. Help you learn what you need to know about the “latest and greatest” in your field, about companies you want to work for and the people who already work there, especially including the people you want to hire you… and much, much more.

In my latest article, 3 Ways LinkedIn Can Help You Nab a Job, published by USNews & World Report I not only talk about these three things, but give specific tips about how to do so. Here’s the link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/12/04/3-ways-linkedin-can-help-you-nab-a-job

Happy hunting!

 

Are You Ready To Own Your Own Business?

Are you in a dead-end job that is stifling your creativity? Have you had it with your boss or are you just fed-up with working for someone else? Are you coming to the conclusion that you will never be hired again? Have you always wanted to build your own business?

This week I interviewed two entrepreneurs who have opened their own businesses recently. They are “in the trenches” of building their American dream, and offer valuable insights into what it takes to succeed as your own boss.

Suzanne Gray, a small business coach with a nationwide clientele who works with The Entrepreneur’s Source in New Hampshire counsels, “Up front clarity is of critical importance.”

Read their insights about the motivation, skills, and personality you need to succeed, along other issues every potential business owner must work through in my newly published article on USNews & World Report.  Here’s the link to the full article: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/11/27/the-entrepreneurs-checklist-7-clues-youre-ready-to-own-a-business

Don’t Just Find “a” Job. Find the Right Job!

As a savvy job hunter, it is critically important for you to continually research potential employers for two reasons:

1. You can tailor your cover letter and interview performance to demonstrate that you care about the company, and have given serious thought to ways in which you can contribute to it.

2. You can make an educated decision about whether the job you’re applying for is an excellent fit for your experience, skills, personality, and long-term aspirations. Before you make a commitment, your eyes should be open wide to both the challenges and opportunities that come with the job.

In my article on USNews & World Report this week I give concrete examples of how to go about researching potential employers, and what to look for when determining if a given job or employer is a good fit for your career aspirations. Here’s the link:

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/11/13/how-proper-research-buoys-your-job-chances-and-career-path

Put Pizzazz Into Your Job Interview

Chances are good that as a job hunter, you have agonized over dealing with the standard, hackneyed interview questions like, “Tell me about yourself” or “What will you be doing in five years from now?” And so on.

As much as these questions might cause angst for you, they likely create boredom for the interviewer. They read the same articles you do, interview many candidates, and can tell a canned answer a mile away. In my article this week in USNews & World Report I suggest ways that you can reframe questions like these to avoid giving your history and instead focus on your brand and the things that make you truly an exceptional candidate. Click on this link to learn how you can take the initiative at the very beginning of your job interview to stand out from the pack: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/11/06/put-some-pizzazz-into-your-job-interview

Happy Hunting!

For College Grads – Getting a Job Is About More Than Coursework

“What can you say to reassure me, but more importantly my parents, that I will be able to sufficiently support myself after I graduate?” asked 20 year old Jeremy Epstein of President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney at their Hofstra University debate. With this question he put before the nation the worry of today’s college students, plus the reality of approximately half of recent graduates and all their families.

I put the question of how a college student can best be positioned to gain employment after graduation before two top academic career counselors. One of them serves “creative entrepreneurs” – undergrads who aspire to a career in the arts. The other heads the career services department at a top rated southern MBA program. Learn what they have to say in my article published by USNews & World Report. Here’s the link:

money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/10/23/2-crucial-ways-college-students-can-guarantee-they-land-a-job?

 

4 Ways A Thank You Note Holds Sway!

Baseball season is nearing a World Series crescendo, and football season is well underway. Any pitcher or quarterback will tell you that the follow through after they throw the ball is critical to successful execution. The same holds true for you, the job hunter: Your follow through after the interview is just as important as the cover letter and resume that you submitted to get the interview in the first place.

In my latest USNews & World Report Careers blog post, I write about the importance of promptly sending individualized note to every person who interviews you for a job, from HR to the hiring manager. The note can do important things all at once. Click the link and find out more! Here’s the URL: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/10/16/4-things-a-well-written-thank-you-note-can-accomplish

 

THE SECRET OF SUCCESSFUL NETWORKING

 

“I’m out of work, and need a job—fast!” relates a desperate job hunter to his friend.

“So… what have you been doing so far?” she responds.

“I’m networking like crazy! I’m calling everyone I know and saying: HELP ME!”

The friend continues to probe, “And how’s that working out for you so far?”

“Not so well. No one seems to be getting back to me. No one is listening to what I need from them. So much for all this networking baloney I keep hearing about!”

This job hunter isn’t actually networking. He is floundering around and putting his immediate needs in front of building solid relationships, which is at the heart of solid networking. In my article which is published by USNews & World Report, I explain how this job hunter – and you – can succeed in building an effective network that will ultimately lead to a job! Here’s the link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/10/09/the-secret-of-successful-networking-the-informational-interview

Happy hunting!

 

7 GROUND RULES FOR DEALING WITH RECRUITERS

 

Headhunters, or recruiters, are all about finding top-tiered talent to fill permanent, full-time positions for their client companies. But in order to do what they do well, they are in a continuous networking mode. As a job hunter there are ways that you can enhance your own relationship with a recruiter by understanding their needs, because like anyone else they enjoy helping those who help them. In my latest article published by USNews & World Report, I show why it is important for you to share what you have been doing to get a job, open up about your red flag issues, five other ground rules you should follow to make that relationship work for your benefit.  Here’s the link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/10/02/7-ground-rules-for-dealing-with-recruiters