Work, success, and meaning at every stage of your career
Do What You Are is one of the books I always reach for when I work with jobseekers. On his website, Tieger says that career advice has traditionally been based on “a good match for the jobseeker’s values, interests and skills.” There’s only one problem with this approach, Tieger says: it doesn’t work.
If you’re still sending resumes that simply re-hash your job duties, it’s going to be hard to stand out in this economy. Your resume pages (usually one or two at the most) should be considered valuable real estate. Any words or phrases that don’t pull their weight should be eliminated so you can fill the space with accomplishments.
Of course you’re on LinkedIn. Every serious job seeking professional is. LinkedIn operates the world’s largest professional network on the Internet with more than 120 million members in over 200 countries and territories. According to the site’s founder, professionals are signing up to join LinkedIn at a rate that is faster than two new members per second. But if you’re like many users, you set up a profile a while ago and haven’t gone back in to update it. The site is adding new features all the time, and if you’ve not been paying attention, you’re missing out on some great opportunities.
Facebook is constantly changing its privacy settings and controls, so your Facebook page may be more visible than you think. Here are some of the bad ideas I’ve seen lately – bad, that is, if you’re in a job search and hoping someone is ready to hire you.
In a tight labor market, there’s only one thing worse than not getting the job of your dreams; not getting the job you could have done in your sleep. There are many reasons that jobseekers consider jobs for which they are overqualified. In a recession, high level jobs may be scarce and competition intense. When you transition from one industry or career to another, you may be forced into looking for entry level jobs in the new field, no matter how far you had advanced in your former career. Baby Boomers are opting for jobs that offer more time for family and quality of life. Others, seeking more meaning in their careers, are looking for opportunities in mission based companies or non-profits, even if the jobs pay less.
Current smartphone models are not just made to call and text; they can also act as your personal assistant. And for users in a job search, well, there’s an app for that. Several, in fact.
Once in a great while, I’ll run into someone who asks for advice, but then rejects every offering. “I tried that once; it didn’t work.” “I can’t do that; I have no (insert resource here.)” “I don’t know how to (find, do, spell; insert another verb here) that.” When I come across these people, their responses are usually immediate and firm. I get the impression that I have not been helpful, and I certainly don’t feel good. Worse, I sometimes hear that other advisors, who I know to be smart and helpful, “were no help at all to me.” I’d hate to think that someone was saying that about me.
Beginning Monday, August 1, 2011, several changes to Florida’s Unemployment Compensation program that were signed into law last month will take effect.
You should expect to be Googled and to Google people you’re going to meet. As Broughton mentions in his post, your conversation will be much better much faster if you can say, “I really liked the article you wrote on…” rather than simply commenting on the weather.
I love hearing from other bloggers – they offer great suggestions for reposts. Many people (including me) are taking time off this week, so I welcome the chance to offer a repost of a list of great reading for people in a job search. These 50 book suggestions come with short reviews and recaps, and all of them will be available at your local library. Enjoy!
