Tuesday, January 27, 2015

What Are the Traits Successful Job Seekers Share?


There are 6 traits successful job seekers share!  Read on to discover what they are and what they do that helped them find their new job.
Here are the 6 traits of successful job seekers.

1.  Successful job seekers really, really, really, really want a job  – 
First and foremost, to get a job today you’ve got to really, really, really, really want a job!  Otherwise, you won’t do what it takes  –  putting in the hours, exerting the energy, putting yourself in less than comfortable “networking” positions, and doing the activities of what a job search requires today.

I noticed that those who got a job were single-minded in their purpose of wanting a job.  They didn't dilute their resolve by wanting a job but maybe opening a business or maybe do some consulting or maybe going back to school.  They were single-minded in pursuit of one goal - a job..

I also noticed that for those who landed finding a job was their top priority.  They put job search activities first!  They chose to attend networking events, go to meetings, contact people they didn’t know, develop and then re-develop or refine their marketing materials, apply for positions, and send yet one more resume to a targeted and desirable company, . . .over getting together with friends, seeing a movie, watching TV, taking vacations, etc.  Other things were delayed or put on hold.  They worked at finding a job like it was their “real job”  –  which of course it is!

2.  Successful job seekers want THAT JOB  –
When interviewing for a position, successful job seekers demonstrate in thought, word, and deed that they want THAT JOB!  They focus only on getting that job  –  not why they don’t think they want it.  Why?  Employers seem to pick up on the vibes that you may not really want that job. 

Successful job seekers reserved any judgement and focused their full attention and energy on selling themselves as the solution for the prospective employer’s needs for each position they pursued!  They showed intense interest in the position, and a passion for the role, company, and industry.  They appeared knowledgeable about the role and company, having done their homework in researching the company.  They posed a good argument as to why they were the best candidate for the job.  And, their obvious thorough preparation displayed a willingness to go the extra mile  –  gladly.

Of course, when they went onto their next interview, they displayed the same interest in THAT JOB for which they were interviewing. 

3.  Successful job seekers are persistent  – 
They persist when others have given up, and they do it with high energy and a good attitude.  Easier said than done I know.  Especially when you’ve been working at it for a month, or two, or three and nothing seems to be happening.  But as one old adage says:  “He  –  or she  –  who stops punching first loses the fight !”  In the fight for finding a new position, if you stop searching for a new position, you don’t find one!

4.  Successful job seekers are consistent  – 
Successful job seekers work at their job search consistently.  They treated their searches as their day job  –  and night job too if they had evening meetings, classes, or events to attend.  They worked weekends as well as holidays.  They personified the old adage: “Finding a job is a full-time job”  and then some!

I recalled others who worked sporadically -- even in spurts of brilliance --  at finding a job.  While intermittent efforts might had lead to success in previous employment markets, I observed this method to be far less successful than simply working consistently, day by day, at their searches. 

5.  Successful job seekers stay visible  – 
Successful job seekers found ways to get their names known and their resumes on the top of the stack!  Through diligence and perseverance, successful job seekers found ways to gain visibility inside their targeted firms, and then maintained their visibility through following up. 

How?  By various means of introducing and then re-introducing themselves into the company or organization.  They used multiple media to get their names and qualifications known.
●  Job seekers managed to stay visible by finding a contact inside the firm who sent or carried their resume into the office of a hiring manager, or Human Resources employee.
●  Or they learned the name of a hiring manager and wrote directly to that manager.
●  They attended a job fair, got names and contact information, and followed up with a note and copy of their resume.
●  They attended conferences and association meetings to learn about and meet people from potential employing companies.
●  They used social media, such as Linked In, to learn about a firm or whom to contact within the organization.
In other words, their goal was for “everyone to know their name!”

6.  Successful job seekers follow-up  – 
So many opportunities are lost through lack of follow-up.  Successful job seekers made it easy for prospective employers to not only know their name but see them as a quality candidate by following up in meaningful ways.

Successful job seekers did not consider their job done when they sent off a resume, attended a networking event, had an interview, or met with a colleague.  They followed up each activity with appropriate actions that moved their candidacy forward.  They followed up with a note, additional information, a helpful idea, . . .  and if need be, followed up yet again, displaying their genuine interest, obvious competence, and helpful disposition.  They displayed their willingness to go the extra mile! 

So there you have it  – the 6 traits of successful job seekers in today’s tough employment market! 
For additional information on marketing yourself and your capabilities, please refer to the many articles found under the Articles tabs of the AJC–Career Strategy website. ____________________________________________________________________________
nancy@ajcglobal.com              www.ajcglobal.com             AJC - for Your Career Path
  Linked In:  www.linkedin.com/pub/nancy-c-gober/6/14b/965        
Twitter:  @AfterJobClub

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Looking for a Job – Start at the Beginning


It's the beginning of a brand new year.  And it's also the beginning of a job search for many who will vow to
find a new job in the new year.  To succeed, my advice . . . Begin at the beginning.

The new year is a time for beginnings.  High among the resolutions of New-Years-Resolution-Makers will be to lose weight, to get in shape, and . . . . . to get a new job.     All of these, and more, are worthy goals.  However, most of the resolution-makers lose traction by the second month of the year and the goals go largely UN-achieved.

How do you achieve a different outcome and actually achieve your New Year's Resolutions?  My advice:  "Begin at the beginning!"

As you resolve to make a change in the new year, recognize that you are setting a goal.  To achieve the goal will require following a process. You are embarking on a project and your best shot at success is to understand the process.

Understand the process
Finding a job is a project that requires following a multi-step process.  It requires devoting some time to learning the steps, including planning, creating marketing materials, and implementing your search.

However, many job seekers will want to short-cut the job seeking process  --   jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire!  And, many who do will be back on the market for another new job in a short time.  Understand that the shortest distance between where they are now and their next position is to follow a process.  It may not seem like it, but it truly is the quickest route to the next job or role.

Begin at the beginning
I often liken the search for a new position to taking a trip.  If the traveler is located in Maine and their destination is the mid-west, they don’t start mid-way between the two locations.  They start in Maine.  They begin at the beginning!

They begin by preparing for the trip.  They plan their strategy for traveling to the mid-west.
  • As they do their research, they key in on more specific destinations such as Kansas or Missouri based on their needs and desires.  
  • They prepare their route.  
  • They learn what things - tools - they will need for the trip and go about preparing and acquiring them.  They practice using these materials, such as GPSs, phones, camping equipment, in a safe environment before they venture out on the road.  
  • They anticipate obstacles along the way and strategize ways they’ll overcome them.  
When they finally set out on the road, they are well-prepared and practiced travelers and are almost assuredly going to arrive successfully at their destination.

Prepare for your job search
Preparing yourself for your job search is not really any different!  As with preparing for a trip or journey, preparing for and conducting a job search requires the same attention to strategy, planning, preparation, practice, and delivery.

Figuring out . . . . . . .
  • 1)  What your destination likely looks like - what type of work you want to do.   
    • Be specific.
  • 2)  What capabilities you bring as well as need to develop or acquire --  your skills, knowledge, experience, talent, capabilities, strengths.  
    • Identify them and make a list.
  • 3)  What supportive materials  you will need  --  marketing materials in addition to a strategic resume.
    •   Prepare in advance your resume, marketing plan, personal-professional business card, networking plan, portfolio of materials showing work experience and achievements.
  • 4)  How you will travel to your destination --  how you will implement your search.  
    • Devise a project plan with target points showing what you need to with daily To-Dos. 
. . . . . . . are all part of adequately preparing for your journey to your next position.


Savvy job seekers begin at the beginning.  With planning, preparation, and practice, they embark on their journey with a kind of confidence that only comes from good planning, preparation, and practice.  They put themselves in the position of appearing confident, knowledgeable, and a solution to the needs of potential employers.

Get a better job faster
So, begin at the beginning.  You’ll arrive faster at the destination --  or job  --  of your choosing.  In other words, you up your odds of getting a better job faster.  It’s your choice!

For additional information on marketing yourself and your capabilities, please refer to the many articles found under the Articles tabs of the AJC–Career Strategy website.
 ____________________________________________________________________________
nancy@ajcglobal.com              www.ajcglobal.com             AJC - for Your Career Path
  Linked In: www.linkedin.com/pub/nancy-c-gober/6/14b/965
Twitter:  @AfterJobClub