Job Search Advice, Resume Writing Tips from a Career Consultant

(Note from Janice - Featuring the job seeker perspective enables us to realize that in the struggle, we are not alone.)

If you're anything like me at this point, you've sent in your resume to seemingly hundreds of thousands of employers across the world. You've submitted them electronically, in mail, in person, and even called a couple of toll-free numbers to try and get your message across. You've done everything that is reasonably expected of one man to do. Finally, one of those resumes works for you - and you get a call for an interview. Now imagine you do everything right: your best suit is dry cleaned and ready to go, you are 10 minutes early with resumes in hand, and you are confident in what you can offer to the company. You answer their questions professionally, establishing yourself as a leader in your field. That job is practically yours, and in your head you've already engraved your nameplate on the desk.

One week passes by, and you hear nothing from them. 10 days pass, and there's no word from your new employer. Only after two weeks pass do you get notice: "Thank you for your interest, but we have decided to go with a different candidate" (or something along those lines). After all that hard work and preparation, you've been reduced to another name in the circular file.

Believe it or not (as I have survived many of these before), there are healthy ways to deal with continual rejection. First off, breathe: you're not the only candidate that was turned down for this position - and you certainly won't be the last. For every one hire that company makes, several people will be thoroughly disappointed when they find out that, they too, are still without a job. The difference with you is that the company acknowledged your talents and skills, but you didn't fit what they needed. It's not that you're under- or over-qualified, or are not hirable in your industry - you just work differently than what they need. In the immortal words of George Castanza: "Its not you...it's (them)."

If this was your dream job, don't be afraid to pick up the phone and ask for feedback. If this is somewhere you really wanted to work, and make a living and career at, there is no shame in calling back and asking why it didn't work out. By finding out how your performance was (and how it can be improved for the next time), you will be better position yourself for the next dream job that comes your way...or even another opening at that company.

Finally, don't give up. It is going to hurt now - but if it didn't hurt, then it would mean nothing to you, and would have been a flippant job you wouldn't have wanted in the best of circumstances. Remember that you are completely qualified and competent in your field - and job seekers have encountered the perfect storm: a bad economy, combined with an abundance of job seekers in our respective fields. Remember: hard rain doesn't last, and the only way you will keep competitive is if you keep trying over and over again. Believe in yourself, and you will be surprised what you will be able to achieve.

Do you Twitter? Follow Joe @joecortez and Janice @execjobcoach

Hiring managers are in quite a mood and I like it! Right now they are very predictable which makes my Job Search/Interview Coach role fun! If we put ourselves in their shoes, it's a no-brainer. Here goes!

- Hiring Managers like people about whom they won't have to worry. On an interview you can actually tell an employer that whatever else is happening in a department, you can always be counted upon. If morale is low you can uplift others! Give examples in your past employment.

- Hiring Managers like people who know something about and take interest in their industries. You won't get very far on the interview if you don't know what the company does anyway, but knowing about the business and the industry as a whole is a big advantage. Schmooze it!

- Hiring Managers like people who are seasoned, learned and experienced! Because of the economy they don't want to gamble on inexperience and they won't cut you a paycheck for it. Those of us who have been around a couple of decades have been led to believe that we are operating at a disadvantage. Not so! Show your stuff! Be proud of your station in life!

- Hiring Managers like leadership, even if you're not the boss! They trust sensible folks who rise to the occasion should the need occur. There are three kinds of people...those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who ask, "what happened?" You choose!

- Hiring Managers really like pleasant people. It's amazing how much an employer is willing to bend when he believes an individual will be good for morale. I've heard comments such as "we really didn't want to pay this much but we need this candidate," and "we really wanted someone who could, but we can teach him! Our clients will love him!"

- Hiring Managers like support. The feeling that someone will watch our backs is priceless. Enough said. But as job seekers you must transmit this quality. If you are supportive give examples the hiring manager will get the idea!

Notice what all these things have in common? They focus more on the humanity of employment and less on robotic qualifications! Sure we have to qualify for the job but if you received an invitation to interview someone saw something they liked on that resume! Now make sure you let them see not only what you've got but what you're like! Humans hire humans!

The savvy job seeker knows that a successful interview requires more than just providing answers to questions. In today's competitive job market interviewees must clearly communicate the value they can bring to an organization's bottom line. You must develop and deliver your message! Learn the secrets to a successful interview.

Title: The New Age of Interviewing
Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT

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- "I'm a 'Jack of all trades, master of none.'" They wanted an Operations Manager.

- "Whatever is available," didn't really qualify for you for anything!

- "You get what you pay for" told to a retail recruiter for a district manager position when asked a candidate's salary requirement.

- "I can learn anything." Companies aren't paying for what you can learn just for what you know!

- "Your job!" will not impress anyone when they ask where you want to be in 5 years.

- "I'm a workaholic" is an archaic, trite answer to the greatest weakness question. Employers will roll their eyes.

- "I don't take well to being micro-managed," while understandable, may telegraph that you resent authority when you are asked about what you prefer in a boss.

- "I'm seeking opportunity for advancement," is an empty response when asked why you want to want to work for a company. Employers don't pay to fulfill your goals!

- "Better opportunity, more money, less travel" are all red flags if asked why you left your last jobs because the employers will believe you'll abandon them for the highest dollar.

- "Nothing special about my performance; I just did my job." Remember employers can find many qualified folks but he who excels is he who outperforms. This is no time for modesty.

Now Laid-Off? You Feel Rejected - And I don't blame you but I wouldn't take it personally. The millions of folks laid off weren't all under-performers. That is undeniable. You didn't leave empty-handed. No one can ever take the skills and experience you gained. Human nature is negative and we all need to work very hard not to allow outside circumstances define us.

The Waiting is a Killer - One of the toughest parts of job search is the endless waiting. We wait for response after sending out resumes then we wait for face-to-face interviews after performing on the phone. Once we land an interview and do our very best, we wait for those second and third interviews and finally we wait foe the decision. We feel helpless and think we should be doing something to move the process along. Well be careful! This is when we push too hard and can be perceived as a stalker. Never wait for anything. Keep hunting!

You didn't get the Job - Why? You're not qualified. You're overqualified. You're qualified but someone else was more qualified or a better fit. You wore too much cologne / perfume. You wore too much makeup. You were overdressed. You were underdressed. The job was filled internally. The job was put on hold. You look older than you are. You look younger than you are. You're not attractive enough. You acted too desperate. You acted uninterested. You didn't sell yourself. You oversold yourself.

The point of this list is not to overwhelm you with all of the things you might have done / will do "wrong." It is to demonstrate that interviewing is extremely subjective, and if you apply to jobs that you meet the qualifications for, are prepared for the interview, and use common sense, there is no reason to beat yourself up if you did not get the job.

The lesson here? Crank up the job search when faced with self-doubt, impatience and disappointment. Remember that you're not a machine but move on. The better you're able to handle the speed bumps the farther you'll get in the journey and the sooner someone will ask,
"When Can You Start?"

What's all this talk about branding? If you're a job seeker this term can make the difference between who garners offers. Where did this business jargon originate and how do you keep informed? What ever happened to just getting educated, gaining experience and qualifying for a job and just plain getting hired?

Has hiring really become more complicated than before or have we just configured fancy terminology to define standard rules of engagement? Let there be no doubt about the increased competition to stay afloat in business, government and not-for profit these days, consequently Boards and senior-decision makers are far more selective. No one can afford to gamble with their executive decisions.

Nevertheless I maintain that while adorned with fancy verbiage, the demands of executive image have always required clarity in definition to predict future performance. And with three decades as a job search coach I stand witness to the difficulty executives, managers and professionals experience defining who they are, discerning what they've done and discussing what they have to offer. And so we apply new words to old concepts.

When I was in high school we had a delivery driver who wore a crazy red hat. Rain, snow, and on the hottest of days he was known as the guy in the red hat. Years later, there were many who never learned his name but all know which person we meant when we described him.

Your Brand - How do you want to be categorized and identified by employers? What do you want to be known as? Are you the acquisition king, the deal-maker, the turnaround solution? Despite stellar careers, few executives can define who they are when required to package their careers.

All who work are defined by the functions they perform, i.e., financial, operational, administrative, technology and the environments in which they are performed, i.e., manufacturing, financial service, retail, distribution and education. If you have graduated to leadership and you now run the company the definition still applies, but now under the identity of senior management. However when asking an executive who he is, he is more than likely to tell you what he's like. An exercise that will help initiate self-branding is to imagine a prospective Board willing to listen to only one illustration of your success. Your only chance to impress will be to tell a story of your biggest achievement. Your best approach will be to define what you are and then, by example, how well you've done. Companies who need heroes can relate to that! Perhaps you catch the ball before it drops! Without question, that's a brand. Adopt it and tell the world!

1. Consider a Bridge Job. Not immediately finding the career-directed opportunity for which you've been searching? There's nothing wrong with contract or temp-to-hire status in your field. Many turn into great permanent career moves. Don't worry if it's a lower position. Everybody understands the times and a bridge job beats losing the house.

2. Consider a 1099 status. Many of us are so used to being W2 employees that any other arrangement makes us uncomfortable. You can even leverage this late in the interview process. Does your spouse have great benefits? Then you're a great candidate for a 1099 relationship. You'll save the employer money.

3. Consider commuting to another geographical area but do it early in the job search! Don't do this out of desperation. Pursue all of your options simultaneously. We have many professionals who live in Chicago and come home on weekends. We have one who commutes to Florida; she leaves on Monday and comes home Thursday night. Not ideal but not necessarily forever!

4. Start your own business? We have a client who has started a grout cleaning business. Now he won't even go on interviews because he has no time! He also has no time to work on my house! The key here is that he's offering a service so his start-up required little capital investment. And he knows how to promote!

5. Consider approaching companies uninvited! We are doing some real experimentation with companies claiming hiring freezes, and low and behold they are getting excited about bringing two of our candidates on board in July when new fiscal year begins. The key here is to establish communication with folks who work there! Also please have some verifiable experience that immediately established value.

6. Consider and understand why this might not be the time to seek your fantasy career change. Companies are in survival mode and won't take risks! Get back to work and don't give up on your dreams. Economic downturns lead to economic recovery. This too shall pass!