Success . . . It's In the Company You Keep

The people around you can make or break your job search.  

“Success . . . is in the company you keep.”
 It's an old saying.  But old sayings are around for a reason . . . They make sense. It is true for practically any task or challenge you undertake, and searching for a new job is no exception.

• In fact, it is an understatement to say that the people around you – and their attitudes about you and your search – will have an effect on your search.  
• It is not overstatement to say that they can make or break your search!

So, take a good, lo-n-n-n-n-ng, hard look at the people with whom you surround yourself and ask yourself this question:  “Are they helping or hindering my job search?

If your answer is that those, or some of those, around you are hindering you from achieving your goal of finding a new job, you have some thinking to do and decisions to make: 

You have to decide 
how you will conduct and control your interactions 
with these folks during your search.

How do you tell if someone is helping or hindering?  Well, think about it. 
If you are surrounded by naysayers and people with negative attitudes:

1. Don’t you find your energy level drops and your confidence wanes? 
2. Interactions with this type person leave you doubting yourself.  
3. Your thoughts go to what you can’t do.  Your self-talk sounds something like: “Who am I kidding?  There’s no way I can get a job at _______________ or doing _____________."

Conversely, if you surround yourself with people who are generally positive about things:

1. Don’t you find the opposite occurs?  Your energy increases, and so does your confidence. 
2. Interactions with this type of person leave you thinking that you may be able to achieve your goal, and your thoughts go to what you can do to achieve it.  
3. Your self-talk sounds more like: “Maybe I can do this.  They have to hire someone, and I have a pretty good background and a lot of the qualifications.  Let me see what I can do to get an interview.”

“Surrounding ourselves with the right people,” writes Brian Hullette, Co-Publisher of VIP Seen, a southeastern lifestyle magazine covering Tennessee and Virginia, “. . . most often sets the stage for true success.”  He goes on:  “When we surround ourselves with positive people we clear away the negativity that exists around us and create more room to welcome nurturing and renewed energy.  Doing this, not only enriches our lives, but also envelops us in a supportive and healing space that fosters greater growth, understanding, and love of ourselves.”

Now, being successful in any of life’s undertakings requires a multitude of things to go your way!  No one thing is going to get you there.  Hard work, knowledge, technical know-how, strategic planning for and tactical application of your knowledge . . .  and a little luck . . . . .  are among those things that will get you where you want to go and what you want to achieve.  This is true for most things; your job search is no exception.  

But you can not underestimate the impact of the people who surround you during your search.  Their attitude WILL affect you.

• It will color how you see opportunities and whether you choose to pursue them.  
  
• It will color how high, or low, you aim . . . . or if you aim at all!
• It will affect the decisions you make and how you market your capabilities.
• It will affect the risks you take or don't take.

If you are saying "Not me.  I'm not all that influenced by what others think," I'd ask you to step back and think about the role of the job or career in our U.S. career-oriented and work-driven culture.  We define ourselves by our jobs.  For most of us, a great deal of our identity lies in our work.  Think about it:  When asked to introduce ourselves, we say things like, "I'm an engineer with ABC Company," or "I'm a 20-year veteran of the FBI, and now I work as head of security for  . . .."  That’s who we are.

But, loss of a job can shake that identity.  Loss of a job is a significant loss to most people-- it can feel like the rug has been pulled out from under us and can leave us feeling a little shakey.  Normally confident individuals lose some of their confidence and security in knowing who they are.  When that happens, others' opinions and attitudes are more apt to influence us in ways they might not when we feel secure in our jobs and ourselves.  (For additional reading, visit Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html.) 

The people that you surround yourself with can’t achieve success for you.  It's a myth to say, "Who you know can get you a job." But, they can greatly influence you and affect you.  They can help or hinder you in achieving your goal.

They know what's best for you
This is not to accuse the folks around you of sabotaging your search.  Their influence is apt to be far more

Everyone's got an opinion!

subtle, and driven by genuine caring.  It’s just that they believe that because they know you, they know “what is best for you.”  And, for those close to you, what’s good for you can also be “good for them.”

This is not to say that these people who are integral to your life don’t have your best interest at heart.  It is to say that their interest in you is co-mingled with their own self-interest, and therefore it is hard for them to be completely objective about what truly is best for you.  It’s hard for them to see you through an objective lens.

Ever heard any of these comments from those around you when you were making a decision?

    ●  I only want what’s best for you
    ●  If your ( Mom, husband/wife, best friend, aunt, boss, partner, fill in your own blank___________)  won’t look out for you, who will?
    ●  Do you think you’re really up for that?
    ●  I don’t know if you have the experience to . . . . .
    ●  Oh, (Alaska, Vegas, Boston, Rome fill in the blank _____________) is so far away.  We'll never see you.
    ●  What will I tell my friends? . . . That you're working for a _____________ company.
    ●  It’ll mean we’ll have to take the children out of their school and . . . .
    ●  I'm only trying to help.

And so it goes . . . 1,000,001 reasons why you shouldn’t go for the opportunity, take the job, or take a risk.  As a Career Transition Expert, coaching 1000s of job seekers over the years, I've heard all of the above comments, and many more.  These well intended and important people in our lives are “only trying to help.”  But their help often comes with a price; for job seekers, that price can be they won't seek out and go after the opportunity to truly excel, or don’t get the job they really want!

Getting advice? Ask yourself WIIFT?

Note too, that often, it is hard to argue with or see beyond these well-intended people's advice, because it often makes sense, sounds logical, seems valid.  However, the cue and clue, as with any advice someone is giving is to ask yourself “What’s In It for Them - WIIFT?” as well as "What's In It For Me? (WIIFM)".

So take a good, long, hard look at the people with whom you surround yourself during your job search.  Be very intentional about it.  Choose with great care those with whom you intend to share your job search plans and concerns. Here’s how:

    ● Be very cautious and intentional about with whom you share your hopes, dreams, goals, plans, strategy, frustrations, disappointments, fears, anxieties, and activity.  These should be reserved for one or two of your most trusted friends, colleagues, mentors, or members of your network who you know "have your back."

1. You do need someone to talk with and express your honest feelings, fears, and doubts.
   
2. You do need honest and realistic critique; look to those “who have your back.”  
3. But, making your true feelings or displeasure known casually to too many people who "may NOT have your back" can come back to bite you in the form of lost opportunities.  I've seen it happen too many times.

    ● Exert Extreme Caution when it comes to social media.  When you post it, it's there . . .  forever.  

1. Privacy screens have been known to be penetrated, and confidences revealed. 
2. Be very careful what you write in e-mails for the same reason.  
3. Try the old practice of picking up the phone, or meeting over a coffee, when you have something to say that you don't want written for all to see.   

    ● Develop a circle of trusted advisers during your job search.  Remember, it’s a small circle - could be one or two or three folks - that you know who:

1. Understand your job search goal,
2. Understand the job search process you are using,
3. Can see you realistically and objectively, and 
4. Have your best interest at heart!

    ● “Choose your friends with care - They create the environment in which you will either thrive or wilt,” writes Brian Hullette, Co-Publisher of VIP Seen.  “Give everyone the opportunity to be a friend, but share your dreams and goals only with those who value them as much as you do.” 

    ● Don’t presuppose that members of your family, or very close friends, should be part of your inner circle.  Remember, these are the folks that have a vested interest in you for their continued well being.  It doesn’t mean they can’t see you objectively, but more often than not they don’t.  Decide ahead of time "who you will tell what and how much." 

1. Sure, understand their concerns and fears for you, and 
2. Offer assurances to them that you'll find a job.
3.  Keep them informed –  at a 20,000 foot level  – with your main message being that you are making progress.  Skip the detail for the most part.
4. Look to them for sympathy and compassion.   
5. But look to your trusted advisers and/or inner circle (can be the same individuals or different people) for empathy, advice, critique, and to serve as your sounding board.

    ● Join a Job Search Work Team.  This is one of the best things you can do to go the distance during your search.  The team will keep you motivated to work at your search, especially important when you are feeling discouraged, as well as supplying leads, ideas, and critique.  

1. Find a group, or start one of your own, of fellow job seekers with whom you can meet, network, share leads, talk over strategies, and get empathy.  They truly walk in your shoes.  
2. Keep in mind that this is not a weekly “pity party.”  It is a working meeting with your fellow job seekers.

    ● Keep nurturing and growing your network.  You need to get out there to meet new people, and to meet with people who are already part of your network.  Sitting at a computer 12 hours a day, filling out applications, is not the quickest or best route to your new job.

    ● If  you have the means, working with a Job Search Coach, i.e., Career Transition Specialist, can provide you with a confidential source to share your information, a sounding board, and real objectivity, as well as current and accurate job search training in how to penetrate the marketplace.  It is the job of the coach to tell you what you’re doing right, what you’re doing wrong, and how to maximize the former and improve the latter. 

Choose wisely

Managing your job search is managing a complex project to say the least.  A lot of things need to go right for you to find a truly wonderful next opportunity.  Managing the people aspects of your search is one of those things that you need to control and do well during your search.  The people you choose to surround yourself with can help or hinder you in achieving your goal.  Choose wisely because . . . . . Success is truly in the company you keep.

"Author's Note.  I was traveling south in January of this year and happened to find this beautiful lifestyle magazine displayed in the hotel lobby of a hotel in which I was staying.  I opened it to find a Letter from the Publishers, written by co-publisher Brian Hullette, VIP Seen, about achieving success in life, and the importance of the people in your life in achieving it.  I found myself re-reading it many times, and it influenced me to write this article.  With Mr. Hullette's permission, I have quoted him in this article.  Thank you Brian."
 
____________________________________________________________________________

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

"What Will Get My Resume Read?"

What will get your resume read?  What are some key things that it may be missing, or "missing the boat" on that are contributing to a lack of interest by hiring managers and few call backs from recruiters?

Here are some questions from active job seekers that may also be questions that are on your mind.  What they boil down to is this:  What will get your resume read?   Translated, this question really boils down to this one:  What makes a resume effective?

A resume should tell the reader
if the job seeker is a possible fit
without too much work on the reader’s part.

A resume is effective if it is relevant to the job applied for.  To do this, a resume needs to focus on the applied-for job’s requirements, and show instances of the job seeker utilizing the required skills and knowledge with results, i.e., AccomplishmentStatements.  If it gains enough attention from the recruiter or hiring manager to get them to want to learn more about you, and results in an e-mail or call, it’s done its job.

However, saying that and doing that are 2 entirely different things.  Here are some of the job seekers’ questions that drill down to revealing HOW to produce a resume that gets read.

Question: “How do I make my resume ‘pop’?”

This was the most FAQ at a recent Resume Review, so if you’ve been wondering the same thing, you have lots of company.  What job seekers were really asking was how to make their resumes stand out, get noticed, get read, and get call backs. 

The Answer:  Show results.

Showing the results of your efforts in the jobs you’ve held is a major differentiation between resumes that read like job descriptions and those that “pop.”  Showing outcomes of duties you performed and tasks you did in your previous [and current if you are employed] positions distinguishes your resume from the masses. 

Showing outcomes to your tasks becomes an attention grabber.  Showing outcomes of your efforts is a way to “put your money where your mouth is.”  In interviews, employers hear continuously from candidates who say that they have the skills, knowledge, abilities, aptitudes and attitudes that the employer is looking for.  Showing outcomes or results offers substantiation to your claims of competency.  It offers proof that (1) you are what you say you are, and (2)  that you can do what you claim because you have done it before, and . . . .”Here are my results.”

So, the answer is to make your resume more than a “laundry list” of duties you performed.  Offering proof via showing the results of those duties, called Accomplishment Statements, is a way to not only get your resume to “pop” but get it read.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Question:  “I’ve spoken with 10 different people and gotten 10 different answers about what my resume should look like.  Why is that?”

The Answer:  There’s no one way to write a resume.

Writing an effective, attention-getting resume is an art, not a science.  Just as there is no one way to perform any art, there is no singular way to write a resume. 

However, . . .  And it’s a BIG “however,” . . . there are “tried and true” techniques, or guidelines, for producing a resume, that tell the story of your career in a succinct, orderly, and persuasive-enough way to get recruiters to read it, pass it along to hiring managers, and gain interviews.  These techniques include:

- Using an easy-to-read format that includes the following standard components:  career summary, professional experience, education & training, and professional associations

- A Chronological approach that makes it easy for the recruiter to gauge if you meet the job requirements

- Career or Professional Summary that makes the reader want to know more.  If this doesn’t grab their attention, they won’t read on further down the page

- Using Accomplishment Statements that show not only what you did but what you achieved.  This also “subtly” shows cause and effect thinking - a desirable attribute.

- Giving the reader - your customer - what they want.  An example:  Education generally goes on the 2^nd page of an any experienced job seeker’s resume.  However, if an employer wants to see Education up front, put it up front on the front page. . . . . Remember, your  resume is nothing more than “your sales brochure,” designed to sell the prospect on the idea that you could be the one!  If you show enough of what they are looking for, they may be sufficiently interested to decide they want to learn more about you in an interview.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Question:  “Should my Career Summary be a paragraph or a list of bullet points?  What goes into it?”

The Answer: Either a paragraph or a bulleted list works - your choice.  The Career Summary is your “L”vator speech.

The Career Summary is that paragraph or bulletized list that appears on the top half of the front page of your resume - right underneath your header.  It provides the reader with an Overview of you as a candidate.  It should tell the reader:

- What you do, i.e. your title: “I am a _____________.”

- The area of your expertise: Your track record

- Skills and strengths - And what you achieve because of them

- Unique attributes (degrees, certifications, experience, languages) relevant to the job you are pursuing


The key to producing a Career or Professional Summary that employers, recruiters, and network contacts will want to read is to make it:  (1) Relevant to the type of job you are seeking, as well as (2) Relevant to the employer’s interests and requirements

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Question:  “How do I show 20 (25, 30, 40 . . .) years of experience on 2 pages?”

The Answer:  You don’t.

I’m beginning to sound like a broken record here, I know, but . . . what you show is experience that is relevant to the type of job you are seeking, and the type of industry & employer you have targeted. 

(1) Select from your own comprehensive “laundry list” of duties those that are relevant to each position you apply for. 

(2) Be sure you have shown results for each of these duties, i.e., Accomplishment Statements.

(3) Tweak your Career Summary to overview those selected Accomplishment Statements.

A Bonus Question: What do you do with those early jobs that relate to the position you are applying for but go back more than 10 or 15 years? 

The Answer:  Include a category with these early and relevant jobs called “Other Relevant Experience.”  List jobs with title, and relevant Accomplishment Statements.  Leave off dates.

Remember, when you are looking for a job, you are in sales  – selling the most important product or service you will ever sell . . . .YOU!  You are selling your abilities as potential solutions to employers’ problems and needs.  By identifying what makes you desirable as a potential candidate, and showing this on your resume, you “up the odds” that your resume will be read and you’ll get a call back inviting you to tell the hiring prospect more about how you might be just who they are looking for.

Best of luck with your search,

Nancy

 ____________________________________________________________________________

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

Nancy Gober

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

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

The Holidays Are Here - So Change Your Search Strategy

The holidays are here, but don't stop your job search.  Just change it!

The holidays are in full swing and that puts a different twist on your job search.  It is true that the holidays are a hectic time of year.  And that puts extra challenges on your job search.  It seems that . . . .
    - no one will take your calls
    -  you don't hear back from employers, and
    -  you can't get network contacts to commit to a meeting with you.
So . . . . you may be tempted, in fact very tempted, to alter your daily job search routine, and let holiday shopping, baking, entertaining, etc.  replace sending letters to potential employers, following-up on applications you submitted, attending job searching networking groups, etc.  And, if it feels no one is getting back to you, then you might as well just shut down your search for now and pick it up sometime in the January.  Right? 
     Wrong.
Why?  
     This ill-advised strategy will cost you time and can cost you missed opportunities.   It's a bad decision, based on a misunderstanding of how hiring happens.

Misunderstanding of how hiring happens
Many job seekers mistakenly believe that employers stop hiring during the last couple months of the year.  Not true!  My best and most poignant example is a client who received their job offer on the afternoon of December 24 - it was around 2:30 pm.

Sure employers become busy with not only holiday company events, but end-of-the-year tasks and requirements that must be accomplished before they can call it a year and go home for their own holiday break!  So hiring may slow.  But, if they have open positions that are critical to performance in the new calendar year, they will want to fill these before December 31.  They are concurrently looking ahead at the upcoming year’s workload and the staffing requirements to fulfill the anticipated workload.  With those tasks behind them, they can hit the ground running on January 2.

Add to job seekers’ misunderstanding of end-of-the-year hiring the fact that job searching is hard, and, well  . . . .  job seekers think they have a case for postponing their search until the new year.  Let’s face it:  If you’ve been working hard for months with no job offer to show for it, and feeling pretty discouraged, if not defeated, taking time off from your search during the holidays can seem like an attractive option.  But, don't do it.  

You will benefit by maintaining your search right through the holidays.  Here's how:
    ●  Advantage:  You have a slightly more open playing field during the holiday season, extending into the first and even second week of the new year.  Due to the fact that many of your competitors will drop out of the race due to their mistaken belief that employers don't hire during the holidays, you have less competition.
    ●  Advantage:  By maintaining your job search momentum and staying visible inside your network, you keep your own pipeline open and flowing with leads, ideas and opportunities that may just lead to an interview and a job.  It takes time to build a pipeline; don’t let yours shut down and face re-building it in the new year.
    ●  Advantage:  Following up on positions and opportunities that you pursued can lead to an interview.  You may even be able to move the action forward.  Your pro-activity may influence a recruiter or hiring manager to take your call, provide additional information,  meet with you, or even interview you.  You can push the action forward!
    ●  Advantage: Previously hard-to-reach folks may now have time to meet with you.  The time is coming soon when employees begin to take their holiday and end-of-the-year “use it or lose it” leave.  Without a full complement of team members in place, progress on work projects slows just because everyone whose input is needed isn’t there.  So you may be able to schedule networking talks and employer talks with those previously unavailable.

Strategy 1 - Be empathetic with employers at this time of year
    My grandmother used to say: “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.”  Snarling at recruiters, HR reps, and hiring managers won’t get you very far.  Demanding that recruiters update you on what has happened to your application, or expressing frustration about why it is taking so long to decide between the other candidate and you won’t work.  Instead, empathize with employers, understanding that they’re not all that different from you; this is a busy time of year for them too.
    ●  If you are following up on an application or interview, empathize by being helpful.  Offer to do whatever you can to provide additional information or materials in order to make their task easier.
    ●  If you are trying to talk with one of your targeted employers for the first or second time, empathize by being sensitive.  State that you know that is a busy time of year for them too, but you are (remain if a second conversation) very interested in the firm and believe you have a lot to offer.  Inquire if they might have some time in their schedule to meet with you.  The key is to emphasize you won’t take more than 20 minutes of their time.  Many fear an hour-long meeting and they just don’t have the time!

Strategy 2 - Change your game plan.
Continue to contact employers, but change your game plan.  Continue to target employers that are likely buyers of your skill and experience set.  Contact them by both letters with your resume, and applying for opportunities you learn of.   BUT, understand that the holidays offer challenges to employers too (as described above).  Understanding how can allow you to interact with employers in such a way that can work to the benefit of you both.  Understand too that the status of your search - ongoing or just beginning - will determine the progress you can make at this time of year, as illustrated in the 2 scenarios below:

Scenario 1:  Your search is well underway
    If your search is well underway, and you are engaged in pursuing jobs for which you have networked or interviewed, you may be able to be able to turn the opportunity into an offer by the end of the year.
    ●  Be proactive in following up with the employer, offering to supply any additional information, to update them on additional credentials you have attained, to meet other members of the staff, or to inform them of your availability for a final interview.
    ●  Express your continued interest in and “great enthusiasm” for the firm and for the position.  Stating that this firm is definitely your first choice of employers may gain you some points!

Scenario 2:  Your search is just getting started
    Just beginning?  Beginning your search activity near the end of the year will put you ahead of the crowd who plan to begin their job searches in the new year - a really popular “New Years Resolution.”  However, you can get ahead of the crowd by doing your prep work now!
    There is a lot of preparatory work in getting a search underway and these last couple months of the year are a good time for a job seeker to do that.
    ●  It takes a month or two to prepare your marketing materials - Resumes being one of these.
    ● It takes time to re-connect with your network, update them on your status and plan to seek a new opportunity, and to request/gain referrals to new network contacts.
    ●  It takes time to get applications submitted.  In sales jargon - it takes time to “open and feed the pipeline.”  
    You can accomplish all this and more if you begin now.  Doing so means you will be well positioned to hit the ground running in the new year.

Strategy 3 - Network, Network, Network!
    Holiday get-togethers abound! Take advantage of these networking opportunities to meet everyone you can possibly can.  Don’t prejudge their usefulness.  You never, never know where an opportunity will come from.
    ● Attend  –  “business cards in hand”  –  and get known!  You can gain visibility and add to your list of network contacts.
    ● Go to everything you’re invited to, and even things you’re not.
        •  Wrangle an invitation to a holiday party, association event, and even a company holiday party.
        •  Friends, families, neighborhoods, and groups hold parties and events.  You may be surprised who your family and friends know and can introduce you to.
        •  Professional organizations and professional societies substitute holiday parties and networking events for their regular monthly program format.

Strategy 4 - Send greeting cards!
    Don’t overlook this simple avenue to remain visible.  For the price of a stamp, you remain visible.  Yes, you can send e-cards, but take advantage of this one time of year where it is appropriate to be seen in a more personable way as you send a hand-written card via the USPS.
    ●  Send holiday cards to everyone in your network, including employers.
    ●  Make them generic:  Select cards that are appropriate and non-offensive to your audience.  Select cards that say, for instance, “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings.”
    ●  Include your business card.
    ●  Write a few words to personalize the card.  Get the biggest bang for the buck by personalizing your greeting; they'll remember you!  For instance, you can say you enjoyed meeting them at the (be specific) meeting, or thank them for the benefit you derived from attending their presentation.  You can state that you were impressed by them and even though you did not receive an offer, you hope your paths will cross again. . . .  You get the idea.  Close by wishing anyone you send a card to a happy holiday season and/or a wonderful new year.

Strategy 5 - Re-group
    If you’ve been at your search for a while, “Audit your own performance” to see how you’re doing and what you can change about your approach as you go into the new year.  If you have been searching for 3 or more months, take some time to corroborate what you’re doing well and look for areas for improvement.
    ●  Set aside a block of time in which you can devote your total attention - NO INTERRUPTIONS!
    ●  If possible, find a “job search buddy” with whom you can talk through your review.  It’s best if it’s someone who understands the process of what it takes to find a job today, and the way you are going about your search.
    ●  Review your Career Strategy - Marketing Plan.  What responses have you received from your target companies?   It's not a bad idea to again look up your target companies; revisit their current work as well as to learn about any new work areas or directions projections, etc. that might be in need of your skills.
    ●  Review your resume  -  Not a quick read but a through review.   Read it out loud, and take a step back and view it from the perspective of a target company or employer.  Use what you’ve learned from your search to gauge if it . . .
        •  REALLY shows what you want to do and
        •  “Sells you” as the candidate to do it.  If not, revise and refocus.
    ●  Review your interviews; serious networking meetings count as interviews.
        •  Note the top 5 or 10 questions you have been asked and make note of your answers.
        •  Gauge if your answers were the best responses in order to showcase your skills and experience, if not, decide how to best word them.

Strategy 6 - Change those holiday traditions that make you crazy!
Change doesn’t make you popular.  But, it can make you saner.  Think of all those holiday traditions in which you feel forced to participate and that you’ve come to resent.  This is your golden opportunity to change them!
Choosing to stop, or change your degree of participation in, long-time family or friends’ traditions is hard.  But, as a person looking for a job, you have the best excuse, actually a sound reason, to beg off of holiday events:  "You can’t afford it.  You don’t have the resources - the money, time, or energy - to participate this year - that’s it!"  It’s time for you to start some new ways of engaging in the holidays. Here’s how:
    ●  Think about what you really like about the holidays, and identify what you don’t.
    ●  Don’t suddenly spring your new-found knowledge on family and friends.  Talk it over with your own nuclear family or close friends with whom you will be spending the holidays, and inform them of what you would like  – and plan  – to do.
    ●  Now this is the hard part - Inform those family members, friends, and acquaintances whose expectations you will not be able to fulfill this year of your situation.   You might say, “You will not be able to participate this year due to your job search and your limited resources."  And . . .Stand firm.  Use the broken record technique:  No matter what Aunt Susie or Uncle Stan says, your response is: “I can not afford it this year.”  “I can not afford it this year.”  “I can not afford it this year."

Now, . . . .
With these “Holiday Job Search Strategies” in mind, you may find you are able to keep your search going  – or take steps to begin one  – and enjoy your holidays all at the same time.

I wish you great success and a Happy Holiday Season!

                                                                                          Nancy

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

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