2 hours + 2 networking opps = 7 great leads!

I’ve read surveys and polls, and talked to people, who have put the percentage of jobs landed by networking as high as 85%.

It is true it’s important to reach out to as many people as possible when looking for a job. Networking helps you get that proverbial foot in the door, many times, even before you’ve thought of a particular company or industry.

Recently, as I continue my job search, I had two great networking opportunities that yielded some great ideas and company leads.

The first was a director who I recently interviewed with. I didn’t get the job, but she was gracious enough to meet with me to help interpret how the interview process went, where I could improve and provide some leads.

The second networking opportunity was with a long-time professional in the radio business, who wanted to catch-up and also offer some ideas on job leads, things he has seen recently in the industry and ways I could get a leg-up on the competition in future interviews.

In looking at my notes (always take something to write with and write on, when meeting!), we discussed seven solid ideas or leads related to job opportunities:

1. My first contact knows the partners of a Detroit-area PR firm and will provide contact information.
2. A communications contact at a major auto company in Detroit.
3. A contact at a major hospital group.
4. My second contact suggested I contact the State of Michigan, based on my ongoing saga with the unemployment office.
5. A financial services company.
6. A general manager at a local TV news affiliate in Detroit.
7. Discussing ways to harness video more related to the interview process and suggestions.

So, in the space of two hours over two days, I landed seven new contacts and ideas that I didn’t have last week.

I’ve always said that networking is key to landing that next job. But, even more so, it can help you uncover new techniques and communications to use, keep the friendship line open, and allows some frank discussion on ways one can improve their chances for getting an interview.

This is how we get things done now. Keep those lines of communication open, ask for advice, and listen!

 

A Few Words on Making Your Resume Pop Without Blowing It

I recently read an article in the March 2017 issue of MONEY magazine, on “How to Get a Better Job in 2017.” Part of the story covered tips on putting together a professional resume. Overall, it has some good tips on promoting your own brand and providing key metrics.

I have personally seen the evolution of resumes over the past ten years. Gone is  the objective, replaced by a  summary. Today, it’s important to consider personal websites and video resumes to help support your chances alongside your resume.

TIP: I encourage anyone in the job hunt spend part of their day reading up on current tips and skills needed. It can really help in updating your resume and getting it in front of the right people.

Over the years, in a hiring role, I have seen resumes on colored paper, resumes with photos, 1/2 page resumes, 3 page resumes, job experience with huge gaps in employment (without explanation), resumes with typos, some on heavy card stock, it goes on and on. It is important to get noticed in that big pile of paper, but, nowadays, you FIRST have to get the electronic hiring program to notice you.

TIP: Many companies utilize a specialized online program to “sniff” out potential candidates, looking for keys words reflected in the original job posting.

PERSONALIZE TO FIT THE ROLE

So, it is vital that you personalize your resume to the job description. Gone are the days of “one size fits all” with your resume. Reflect those job description key words in your resume, adjust where necessary, all the while keeping it accurate. There is nothing worse than misrepresenting yourself of stretching the truth on a resume. If you have the qualifications, great, apply! If you don’t have the necessary experience, keep looking!

MONEY SUGGESTS…

The MONEY article talked about how your resume layout should have your name in a huge font at the top (maybe with a bit of color) followed up with key examples promoting yourself. The rest should include the traditional professional experience, skills, highlights and education.

In my opinion, that’s all fine and dandy, if you are presenting this resume at a job fair or physically delivering it to a prospective employer.

As I described above, and in my own experience, many job programs will now populate from an uploaded resume, saving you time filling out all those text boxes. You want to make sure that the program will be able to load the pertinent data from your updated resume, that is usually found on a more traditional resume (name, address, phone, e- all in one section of your more traditional resume.) I will do some more research to see how the newly suggested layout will work with an online content populating program.

It is true that all of us need to stay current when it comes to our resumes, cover letters, job searching and more. Experiment a bit on your resume layout and get noticed!

 

Sharing information online – how it can affect your job prospects

Recently, I came across an article in Crain’s Chicago by Freddie Laker with a group called Sapient, Inc.

Titled “What social media will look like in 2012”, he lists 11 predictions about changes in social media.

While the list is interesting, the first prediction really made me take notice. In its entirety, it reads:

1. Privacy expectations will (have to) change
There will be a cultural shift, whereby people will begin to find it increasingly more acceptable to expose more and more of their personal details on different forms of social media. Sharing your likes, dislikes, opinions, photos, videos and other forms of personal information will be the norm and people will become more accepting of personalized experiences, both corporate and personal, that are reacting to this dearth of personal information.

The part that jumped out at me was the passage: “people will begin to find it increasingly more acceptable to expose more and more of their personal details on different forms of social media”….

Now, I advocate giving social media a big hug. You have to embrace it, whether you are looking for work (either unemployed or working) or simply just trying to be a better communicator (professionally and personally). But I want to warn you about being TOO acceptable when it comes to sharing information online.

MORE COMPANIES DO THEIR HOMEWORK…

More companies are doing their homework before hiring someone today. It is becoming commonplace for companies to require drug screening, criminal background checks and even credit checks before having you sign on the dotted line. However, you can also know that companies can and do “Google” potential employees as part of their background check.

And that’s where I differ with the second part of his first prediction…

“…people will become more accepting of personalized experiences, both corporate and personal, that are reacting to this dearth of personal information.”

COMPANIES SCRUTINIZE MORE THAN EVER…

In my opinion, companies scrutinize candidates more than ever and will continue to do so. The competition is fierce, especially in SE Michigan and companies are investing time and money to make sure they have the right candidate for the job.

You really need to audit yourself online when looking for a job. Set aside your vanity and type in your name into a search engine and see what pops up. If you list your social media on your resume, make sure it is current and innocuous as possible.  You need to curtail the kegger pictures from years back or anything that casts you in a negative light. Now, I’m not saying you need to be as pure as the new fallen snow, but you do need to make sure you are putting your best foot (URL in this case) forward.

While social media may continue to explode in 2012, I just don’t see companies relaxing standards when it comes to doing reference and background checks on individuals. So likely could be best to err on the side of caution when job searching…once you are in, well, you can post those pix again!

First week back at work reflections

I started back to work this week as PR/Communications manager for GreenPath Debt Solutions, headquartered in Farmington Hills.
What a great group providing debt counseling, foreclosure and bankruptcy education to those who need it. A dedicated group of individuals. I’ve posted the URL on my page here.
My first week was a whirlwind of in-house interviews, training, shadowing counselors on calls.
Yet, my biggest growing pain was just the idea of going back to work and getting into the groove after being out of work for nearly a year.
My boys (ages 4, 6, 8 ) certainly missed having me around and in all honesty, I missed them terribly too this week.
My wife is doing some subbing at Grosse Ile schools as a stand-in para-professional and well, the dog, is spending most of the days in the basement while we are both working.
But I feel blessed to be back at work while unemployment still rages at about 15 percent here in Michigan.
I’m going to continue my crusade of providing unemployment and social media tips on my blog in the hopes of helping and inspiring others in their search of employment.
It is a tough time but we will make it. This job came like a bolt out of the blue. I really believed that I would be going into 2010 without employment. But as the saying goes it’s when you least expect it.
So let’s go on together and make the best of it all! Come on along!

The Coping List continues to get coverage

“The Coping List” appears in the downriver newspaper the News Herald, a division of Heritage Newspapers.
You can click on http://www.newsherald.com then click on Opinion to see it or simply scroll down on this page and see the list for yourself.
Thanks for all the great feedback. It is most appreciated!

The Coping List (unemployment check list) has its first hit!

“The Coping List” my unemployment checklist got its first hit today in the Southeastern Michigan newspaper “The Ile Camera”, serving Grosse Ile, Michigan.
To see the entire list here on my WordPress site, scroll down a few stories. Please leave me feedback and thanks for looking!

The Coping List: Unemployment check list

THE COPING LIST
-reflections on unemployment

Michigan’s fifteen percent unemployment in July continues to lead the nation. While it is indeed a turbulent time in the Great Lakes state and the Midwest in general, I, (an unemployed southeast Michigan public relations professional), have compiled a list to help those who are laid-off or for those knowing of a loved one affected by unemployment.

I was laid-off in October 2008 and, while searching for work using traditional and new technology, he continues to network and volunteer in his community.

I believe it’s important to stay engaged while conducting your job search. Some people feel hopeless about losing their job, but they have to realize they are not alone. It is imperative that you network and volunteer to get your name out there while you job search.

I started to compile the list shortly after my layoff last year and continue to add to it. Topics range from networking (early and often) to looking at the positive (I have saved more than 10,000 miles of wear and tear on his car without a daily commute.)

While I am not an employment expert, I believe that my own experiences and observations through “The Coping List” will help people better accept and understand their own unemployment situation.

I currently volunteer with Opportunity: Grosse Ile, a new marketing committee aimed to promoting the downriver community to prospective home buyers, and also volunteers with the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. In addition, I serve as senior warden and newsletter editor at Saint James Episcopal Church on Grosse Ile.

THE COPING LIST
-reflections on unemployment

NETWORK

• Network – the hardest thing in the world to do, but it must be done early and often.
• Tap your old employers and employees. Drop an email to see how they are doing.
• Watch for related career events and attend.
• You have to extend that ask for help. Everyone is so busy they are not going to stop for you unless you initiate the ask.
• Join career peer groups, if economically doable.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

• It’s not your fault that you were laid-off (provided it wasn’t!)
• It’s okay to feel bad. Validate that emotion.
• No Monday morning quarterbacking: I shoulda, coulda, woulda.
• Have mental down days. Realize that days will be up and down. It’s a rollercoaster ride.
• It’s okay, too, to feel happy. Really count the blessings that you DO have (family, friends, health).
• Get out of the house when you can. Do not camp out in front of the computer 24/7 looking for jobs.
• Turn off the news from time to time. We know unemployment is rampant and our 401ks are shrinking. Don’t remind yourself of this all the time!
• Look at the positive. I’ve saved more than 10,000 miles of wear and tear on my vehicle since I was laid-off ten months ago.
• Realize that friends and relatives have your best interest at heart. They are going to ask you how your job search is going…a lot. Remember to count to 10 if you need to before responding. (But count silently. Counting out loud might make you look a bit sinister).

VOLUNTEER

• Volunteer. More and more companies are being inundated by volunteer requests. It only needs to be a few hours a month, but by getting out there, once the economy turns around, the employer just might remember you for an open position.
• Put your volunteer work in your updated resume. Show prospective employers that you are staying engaged during your downtime.
• Volunteer to help out your fellow unemployed. Everyone has potential leads, tips and talents…share them!

WORK OUT THAT RESUME (AND YOURSELF)

• Clean up and update your resume frequently.
• One resume does not fit all: Adapt your resume to specific jobs, utilizing key words in an advertisement.
• More companies don’t use human contact when making the first reviews of resumes. Computer programs “sniff” out key words and save the ones that meet keyword criteria.
• Keep up your exercise routine or start one (see your doctor first!). While it is important to find a job, you need to blow off steam and get in a routine.
• Don’t overmedicate, whether it’s working out, drinking, watching TV, or eating .
• Try and keep a sleep routine. Don’t become a night owl and miss those opportunities found early in the day.
• Carry pen and paper. Jot down email addresses, job leads from people you run into. Remember, finding a job is now your full-time job.
• Print up inexpensive business cards w/ key accomplishments, careers, email address, phone number, website, blog address, to hand out to prospective employers, family and friends.
• Make a list. What do you want to do? Is it possibly time for a career change?
• Research. Check Crain’s Detroit Business Book of Lists. Lots of good company info w/ website, addresses, etc to help you understand what companies do in SE Michigan.
• Make yourself stand out. There are websites where you can post video bites of yourself touting your accomplishments. Allows decision-makers to see you up close and personal in 3D instead of through a 2D resume.

GET ONLINE

• Get online – Facebook, Myspace, Linkedin, twitter. While catching up w/ old friends and work associates, you can see what sort of jobs or job leads may be available.
• Prospective employees may “Google” your name. Make sure you are in the best light possible. Delete the party pictures from Mardi Gras and college from your accounts.
• Set up a separate email address through hotmail or yahoo for job searches to keep everything in one place.
• Do not use questionable email addresses when job searching (papasmurf or hotmamma as screen names will turn off prospective employers).
• Were you good at your job? Got an interesting hobby? Then start blogging! WordPress.com is a great place to start. It’s easy to set-up, it’s free and you can choose themes for your page. By getting your name and ideas out there, you are staying in touch w/ what’s important to you and showing future employers that you are staying engaged during your unemployment.
• If you don’t know how to get started, ask someone who does!

SCALE BACK

• Apply for whatever government support you can. Unemployment, Bridge Card, free/reduced school lunches for your kids.
• At the same time, get your finances in order. Pay down high interest credit cards the best you can.
• Talk about finances w/ your significant other.
• Clip coupons. Stock up your pantry w/ sale items w/ long shelf life.
• Get a discount card from your grocer. Many offer gas discounts for purchases!

UTILIZING JOB SITES

• Take job sites w/ a grain of salt. Apply through them, but realize the competition is brutal.
• I received in-person interviews at five companies over the past few months. Two had 500 apps the other three had 300 apps.
• Use more than one job search site and job description. I use monster.com, simplyhired.com, indeed.com. I adjust descriptions for each one slightly (communications, media, writer,) to get a good representation of possible jobs out there.
• Jobsites can rehash old job descriptions and openings. Crosscheck with the company career section before filling out an application through a job website.
• Be wary of ads that sound too good to be true. Blaring descriptions of making money fast, usually costs more money than you could make. Don’t let your emotions get caught up in such ads.
• When possible, apply through the specific company site, not the generic job search site.
• Make a list of companies that interest you. Bookmark their career sections and look frequently.
• More and more job openings are only posted for 1-2 days to get in a manageable amt of resumes w/o overtaxing the HR department. Watch the web frequently.
• Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t hear back from an employer. You may believe you are the best fit for the job opening, but the competition is fierce. Keep on keepin’ on!

KEEP IT ALL TOGETHER

• Keep it all in one place – my wife bought me this 20 section accordion briefcase.
• Keep all your career site/company website passwords in one place.

SAY THANK YOU AND FOLLOW UP

• When you do land that interview, remember to thank via email or phone afterwards. Don’t leave the interview w/o a business card of the person you interviewed with.
• Utilize that contact even if you don’t get the job.
• Bookmark the company website and check back in their career section frequently. If a similar job opens up, contact the company with an inquiry. If you made it that far the first time, you may already have a foot in the door the second time.