Attitude during a job search.

Attitude

A job search can be very draining, particularly when the labor market is tight. To succeed, you must keep a positive attitude. That is easier said than done, and here are some tips to help you stay on course.

Set realistic, consistent goals and write them down.

Assuming that you already have your tools (resume, cover letter, etc), define what you can realistically do in terms of quality job applications each day or week. Write this down. Heck, make a calendar and post it on the wall. Check off successful days with a green marker,and reward yourself in some small way. If you live with others, they may use this to encourage you too. The mechanism doesn't matter. The point is to set, write down, and check progress toward your goals.

Take and give yourself a break.

A job search is a stressful grind. Don't get so wrapped up that you forget to live life. Work is an important part of life, but it shouldn't be all that there is to life. Even if finances are limited, find a reasonable amount of time to do something enjoyable. The job search will go better if you are not exhausted.

Also, give yourself a break. Many long-term job seekers feel guilt about why they are out of work, or view themselves as a damaged product. “If I had worked harder, they wouldn't have laid me off.” “Nobody will hire me because I'm too _________ (Fill in the blank). “If I had only (Fill in the blank), I wouldn't be in this mess.” . In reasonable doses, guilt and shame can be great learning and behavior improvement tools. Excessive (or undeserved guilt) can be corrosive and destructive. Be kind to yourself.

Take care of your health.

Eat right, exercise, get the proper sleep (in a normal routine), don't use alcohol or other substances as a crutch, and do the things you know that you should. Take care of yourself.

Get support.

Human beings are social creatures. In an ideal world, we support and help each other. This is important when we reach stress points, such as a job search. Reaching out to loved ones, friends former co-workers and others can be difficult. Do it anyway. If nothing else, it is a good way to network. If you think that you may need professional help with issues like stress, depression, or finances, there is a very simple diagnostic tool: Ask a professional. Please don't be afraid to reach out for help if you think you need it.

Look on the bright side.

I know it' an old, trite idea, but problems can often be opportunities. I have worked with many consumers who worked through a career problem, and later said “Getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Since I am using hackneyed phrases, there is a silver lining to every cloud. Be determined to succeed, and you will.

Be ready for rejection.

Many of the folks I work with last sought jobs during the 'Roaring '90's”. Employers competed for potential talent, or even just a warm body. They offered fabulous benefits, and would be very accepting of many things. The applicant ruled. Those days are gone. This is likely going to be a difficult marathon for you. This is not about you, except in the sense that you have to out-compete many others.  Do your best.

Last but not least, decide to have a good attitude.

Often, we are not in control of circumstances. You may not have controlled the decisions that caused your former employer to close. You are certainly not in charge of the economy. However, you are in control of how you act (and to a certain extent how you feel) in response to events. You are in charge of yourself. I hope that you choose to take a positive, hopeful, determined approach to what may be a bad situation.

Good luck and best wishes,

Chris

Links to my work, “Beyond a Career Crisis”:

Kindle Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Find-ebook/dp/B0058TTCG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-1

Paperback Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Choose-Love/dp/1463683537/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-2

Job Search Tips-Listen to Bad News, and Find the Good.

“Unemployment claims rise.” “Unemployment numbers fail to meet expert expectations.” The Great Recession Continues.”

Yadda. Yadda. Yadda. Blah Blah Blah. It's all over the news-you have NO HOPE. Tune in at 11:00 and we'll tell you WHY. I call these people 'Ratings Whores'. Please stop paying attention to them. If we all just stopped “tuning in at 11:00”, they would pack up and go away.

The old saying goes “Misery loves company”. Bad news makes ratings. Nobody tunes in to see “Katie draws pony, gets 'A+ in Kindergarten. Details at 11:00.” No, we tune in to see the incredible small plane crash that kills five people. It is human nature.

Please resist the temptation. It is harmful in a job search. It is discouraging. Job searches are difficult enough, without adding personal responsibility for the ENTIRE NATION. “Unemployment claims rose 5% last month, and YOU are screwed. Details at 11:00”.

Here is a reality-someone is making money every second of every day. Unemployment rises? Career Counselors like yours truly find job security. So do auto mechanics. OK, Career Counselor is easy to see, but what about auto mechanics? Well, people are driving older cars. They fix them up instead of replacing them. Bad time to be in new car sales. GOOD time to sell at a used car lot, or fix the old cars.

“Scrap metal thefts on the rise”. Good time to be a bookkeeper at a scrap yard. Or the guy who runs the crane. “Housing starts at historic lows” means that it is a GREAT time to be a Used Housing Inspector, or Rental Unit Manager, or something. “America downsizing their housing” means that storage unit sales are UP.

Please consider the housing market. I have two clients who have been Mortgage Brokers. One always focused on the lower-income client (we'll call him Jim). One helped higher income people (We'll call her Jill). The higher end person (Jill) is just fine, there is a HUGE sale on real estate right now, if you have the cash. The low end guy? Not so much. Jim is hosed.

But wait. If Jim took his knowledge and skills, he might make a pretty good Credit Counselor, helping lower income folks fix their problems. There is hope for everyone after all.

So, when the 'Ratings Whores' tell you about that massive pile-up on the highway, think about all the Insurance Claims Adjusters, Auto Body Repair Specialists, and Tow Truck Drivers who just got overtime.

There is work in the BAD news too. You just have to look for it a little harder.

Good Luck and Best Wishes,

Chris

Job Interviewing from the Dark Side

At least locally, it seems that the past several weeks have resulted in an uptick of job interviews and offers for my clients. That's good news, and has prompted me to write this article. Many of the folks with whom I work have been unemployed for quite some time, and this situation leads them to be a bit desperate now that employers are calling.

While I understand the cause of that desperation, my task sometimes becomes one of reminding them to take a deep breath, calm down, and re-engage the thinking parts of their brains. It is true that being out of work can cause people to go into 'survival mode' career-wise. I get that. Sometimes you have to take whatever job you can to put milk in the refrigerator. Carnation powdered milk is not tasty.

All that said, when YOU get the call for an interview, please remember that job interviews are two way streets. The meaning here is that you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. I realize that in a down economy, the EMPLOYER 'holds all the cards'. That is, the perception is that they have stacks and stacks of applicants from which to pick and choose (while eating chocolate covered strawberries, sipping Mimosa's, and giggling to the other HR staff about resume mistakes).

HERE is your trump card...wait for it...It is all about the needs of the employer...interviews are a continuation of your Core Sales Message...and here it it...your questions can close the deal (Trump!).

This is how that works as a Trump card (for those who do not know, a trump card is one which during certain card games is of a designated suite, and overpowers other cards of seemingly higher value, i.e. a 2 of clubs can 'trump' an Ace of spade in certain situations).

Back to how it works: At the end of the interviews for the other 99 candidates, the interviewer asks “Do you have any questions for me?” The other 99 answer with “No”, “When do I get paid?”, or “When do I start?” YOU continue to sell yourself, and learn about the employer in a collaborative fashion. THEIR goal is to get a paycheck. YOUR goal is to find the right solution to the needs of the employer-and show where you are the best candidate.

For example, a job interview often starts out with “Hi, I am Susan Browne, and I am the HR Director at ABC company. (Pleasant smile, firm handshake, appropriate eye contact, etc.) “ABC is a company with a rich history of blah blah blah...and our mission is to produce the finest blah blah in a cost effective and customer service oriented manner..blah blah”. The other 99 brains zone out at this point, or worries about fight or flight responses. Your brain listens.

At some early point, you ask a question such as “That's terrific. I know that ABC has been known as a (blah blah) Customer Service Leader in the industry for years. What does your ideal candidate look like?” THEY THEN TELL YOU (take notes). And you find the things that match your strengths. Now you know what to talk about for the rest of the interview. Their needs, as defined by the 'Ideal Candidate' and your strengths.

At the end of the discussion, you will be in better shape. The other 99 candidates were interviewed like criminals under the glare of a high intensity light-”What is your greatest accomplishment?” “We demand answers!. Tells us NOW so that we may score you! Our jobs depend on finding the best 'fit!'”

On the other hand, YOU had a discussion that focused on their reported needs, and your ability to fill them. You presented yourself calmly, and from a problem solving perspective-THEIR problem, not yours.

Good sample questions to work from (notice how the 'question' also sells):

“I have a history as a top producer, and a working environment that lets me do that is important. What sort of support do you offer to those in my position?” (For a sales job, perhaps)

“Career growth in a customer service environment is critical to me. What career paths does ABC offer?” (A young worker interviewing at a company that advertises upward mobility)

“The relationship with my direct supervisor is very important to helping me reach my goals. Who will be my boss?”

“I strive for excellence in everything I do. What are your indicators of excellence?”

“I love what you have told me about ABC. What is the next step in the hiring process?”

“I never want to cause problems for my boss. What are your pet peeves?”

“You mentioned goals earlier. They are important. I like to reach goals in my work. Could you expand on that, please?”

Good luck, and best wishes,

Chris

Link to "Core Messages":

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2984986710960551587#editor/target=post;postID=8079644645614089158

Links to my work, “Beyond a Career Crisis”:

Kindle Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Find-ebook/dp/B0058TTCG6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-1

Paperback Edition

http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Career-Crisis-Choose-Love/dp/1463683537/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329102151&sr=8-2