Five Things You Can Do This Week To Improve Your Job Search

Happy Sunday. I hope you're taking some time off today from your job search (well, except for reading this blog). Sometimes, a job search can feel like a lot of waiting around. Waiting for that perfect job lead to land in your lap. Well, to have a more successful job search, you need to take action. So, here are five things you can do this week to improve your job search.

1. Edit your resume to one page. Some of you can skip this because your resume is already on one page. Many, however, can not. Your resume is a marketing document with only one goal. For 99% of you, that means one-page.
2. Identify five companies in your target geographical area that you have not already contacted. Prepare a cover-letter and resume for each.
3. Have coffee (or lunch) with one person. This does not mean have coffee with someone from whom you can get something. Building your professional network isn't something that happens in one day. Start this week.
4. Schedule coffee or lunch with someone for next week. Get it on the calendar this week. Don't rely on spontaneity. Relationship building is too important to leave to chance.
5. Join one LinkedIn group and join a discussion that interests you. Search for Groups on LinkedIn that are specific to your industry or your location. If you can't find one that matches your interest, join Linking209 (additionally, our monthly get-together is Monday, 8/27 at Pizza Plus in Ripon).

Success in any endeavor takes planning. So, if you do just one thing today, take 10 minutes and schedule time to complete these things this week.

Don't Use Your Smart Phone To Take Notes

I love new technology. I love mobile. I love apps. I'm sure you do, too. But most job-search activities are not the time to geek out with your smart phone. It's best that you don't use your phone (at all) while in the presence of interviewers or potential employers. There are two important reasons:

• Perception - the person you are talking with will have the same physical and emotional reaction as if you were texting. When people see you take out your smart phone and start typing they think you're texting or playing Temple Run. No one thinks, "Wow, this person is being productive!".
• Distractability - you may, even though your fully-aware mind thinks it's ridculuous, open up Facebook, Twitter, or Angry Birds. Don't tempt yourself.

And you don't want the reputation of being one of "those guys" that always has his face buried in his smart phone.

Carry a note pad and a pen with you. A small pocket notepad will do. If you need to take notes at the end of an interview, or while meeting for coffee with a potential hiring manager, you won't have to pull out your smart phone.

10 Job Fair Tips

The Central Valley Job Fair is coming to Turlock on August 22. The event takes place at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, 900 North Broadway, from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm. You can pre-register for the job fair and find out more information at stantogether.com. A job fair can be a good way to meet hiring managers and recruiters in your community. Here are ten tips to help make your job fair visit productive.

1. Dress professionally. The best advice is to dress as you would for an interview. Men and women should wear a suit.
2. Bring more resumes than you think you'll need. Many times, candidates will ask if they can fax it or e-mail their resume later. It's always better to hand someone an actual resume.
3. Bring a pen and an extra pen. And a notepad to jot down notes.
4. Bring a small bag, briefcase or purse to keep your resumes nice and un-damaged. You can also stash away all of the little things from the booths - flyers, business cards, pens, mints, notepads and other information. Make sure you have a place to put all of those items so you keep a hand free for handshakes.
5. Bring all of your application information. You should have all of your reference information with names, addresses, phone numbers, etc. and also all your past employment information.
6. Always introduce yourself with a hand shake. Remember, keep your right hand free.
7. If employers are not hiring for anything that you are qualified for, ask about other opportunities and who you may contact.
8. Respect employers' time. Be brief. Stick your hand out and introduce yourself. Ask a few questions. Get your skills and experience across quickly. Look for cues that you have over-stayed your welcome. Job fairs can have a lot of attendees and the booths can be pretty busy. Keep it short. Make an impression, just not by being the one that won't stop talking.
9. Research the job fair before attending. Find out what employers will be there and do your homework.
10. Follow up with everyone you met by sending a thank you card or email.

Best of luck to you at the job fair.

Google Alerts Can Help Your Job Search

Google is not just an internet company. It has become a verb. Sure, they offer lots of different products... but they are likely most known for their search engine. But how can you use Google (or "the Google", as some of my older friends like to call it) to help you in your job search?

The answer is Google Alerts.

Not sure about Google Alerts or how it can help you in your job search? Don't worry. You are not alone.

Think of Google Alerts as a robot that spends the whole day sitting in front of your computer, continuously googling the same thing over and over. And when ever a new item comes up - a news article, blog post, particularly negative customer review - you'll receive an e-mail. Just fill in the fields and make your selections and that little robot goes to work!

You can use Google Alerts to stay up-to-date on the company you are researching. Of course, if the company you are researching is large or has a common name, you may want to refine your search. Consider using special operators to narrow your search. For instance, if your Google Alert for "Acme Corp." is giving you too many results about Road Runner and his nemesis, Wile E. Coyote, you can update your search criteria to: "ACME corp." -"road runner" -"wile e. coyote".

Companies hire people to solve a specific problem. If you stay current on what potential problems face the company, you are in a better position to market yourself to them.

Some examples of things you might learn from staying current with Google Alerts:

• The company just signed a deal with a software company with which you have extensive experience
• An up-and-coming blogger writes a strongly worded piece, critisizing the company for recent company changes that have resulted in less responsive customer service agents
• The company's primary competitor announced it is closing one of its divisions, which could increase your target company's market share
• The company has hired a new CEO, and as luck would have it, you worked for a previous company of theirs in the past

You may not be the only one setting up Google Alerts. I have, on many occasions, set up a Google Alert for candidates applying for work in my organizations. So, you should also create a Google Alert for your full name and any other names by which you are known. Keeping up with the Google Alert of your name can help you better respond to potentially negative items.

Five Job Search Myths You Should Stop Believing

It's easy to understand how negativity creeps into the minds of jobseekers. Looking for a job can feel like, well, one long job interview. So, to start your weekend, it's time to stop believing these negative job search myths.

1. "There are no jobs out there." Well, only 69,000 new jobs were created in May, which sent the stock market downward today. Do not get hung up on the macro environment. Truth be told, if you're looking for a job, you have no business looking at unemployment figures. You already know how tough it is out there, you don't need more negativity. All you care about is one job. Someone starts a new job every day. All you care about is that. You're one person, all you need is one job. Ok, some need two jobs, but you'll start with one job. Somewhere out there, every day, someone is hiring someone. Let that second someone be you.
2. "It's all about who you know." The implication with this one is that no one hires strangers, "off the street", even if they are the most qualified. I hear this despondent claim a lot. While getting a personal introduction to the hiring manager will sure make it seem easier, jobs do get filled by candidates completely unknown to the company before the candidate applied. The flip side to this one is simple: meet more people, build more professional relationships.
3. "I don't need a resume." Yes you do. Trust me, you really do.
4. "A resume will get me a job." This one may come as a surprise given what I just wrote. A resume will not get you a job. Nor more than your car keys will put breakfast in your cereal bowl. Your resume is a tool. Its purpose is to get you an interview. If you want to increase your odds of getting great jobs in the future, perform today. Be the best employee you can today. Achieving great results is the best insurance policy against unemployment.
5. "I need an MBA." Not only do you not need an MBA, you probably don't need a college degree. Of course, there are jobs where you will need a college degree, like being a school teacher or doctor. And there's no doubt that having a college degree will likely present more opportunities, but the vast majority of jobs don't require a college degree.

Don't let negativity prevent you from learning more about a career opportunity. Hold your head high.

Not Working? Volunteer.

Looking for a job can be stressful. Looking for a job while being unemployed is doubly stressful. Actually, it is probably more like stressful squared! Without a strong plan, your job search can quickly take over your life, and consume every waking moment. It can alienate you from your friends and family. Why not carve out some time to help your community?

This might sound completely insane but if you are not working, you should spend some time volunteering. That's right, working for free.

Volunteering can be a great way to learn a new skill, introduce you to new people, or just give you some productive time away from the house, all with the added benefit of doing something good for a worthwhile organization.

If you'd like to volunteer some of your time but aren't sure where to start, visit the City of Stockton Volunteer page. There are plenty of great organizations in town that are looking for volunteers.

It's Sunday

Good morning and happy Sunday. What are you going to do today to aid in your job search? How about relax? Watch a movie with some friends? Read a book? Bake a cake? Chase ducks?

Job seekers know that looking for a job is a full-time job. And even those with full-time jobs take breaks. Give yourself permission to take "time off" from your search. Re-energize yourself by doing something you enjoy. Don't let your relationships with your friends and family suffer because you are spending every waking moment looking (or stressing about looking for) a job.

The best antidote for guilt from taking time away from the job search is a well thought out plan. Spend a few minutes each Sunday to plan your job search activities for the coming week. Use this time to come up with some goals. How many jobs will you apply for? How many new companies will you identify? How many thank you notes will you mail out?

Six Ways To Research A Company

I have asked many job seekers how they spend their time, specifically, what job search activities take the most amount of time. Inevitably, job seekers will say that they spend the majority of their time "researching". Ask what that means and you'll likely get as many answers as people you ask.

So, here are six things you can do in your research of a prospective employer:

1. If the company is publicly traded, review their filings and earning reports
2. Call their customer service or technical support department. Call several times, at different times of the day, and ask the same question. It's amazing what you can learn about the organization doing that.
3. Follow the company on LinkedIn. Find out who does what at the company.
4. Talk to your friends. Use LinkedIn to find out who you know that works there currently and who has worked there in the past.
5. Have lunch, or grab a coffee, at nearby establishments. You might be amazed at what "chatter" you hear.
6. Identify their competitors, and repeat the same steps.

Take notes on each company and prepare a SWOT analysis for each. Do this for a few companies and see what comparisons you can make.

Now that you know a little more about the company it's time to ask yourself if your skills can benefit the company, and is there an opening?

What Do I Want To Do When I Grow Up?

The question, "What do I want to do when I grow up?" and its brother, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" are usually asked tongue-in-cheek. Adults that are clearly old enough to be considered "grown up" are said to be "not sure what they want to do when they grow up" by friends and family when they describe why they made a job or career change. I grew up in a household where I wasn't often asked what I wanted to be, or do, when I grew up. And I don't remember having a passion around any specific job when I was a young child. When I got older and started working I learned there were jobs that I loved and jobs that I didn't love. Inevitably, there would be parts of every job that I loved, and parts of every job that I didn't love. There was no job that I loved 100% of the time, and none that I didn't love 100% of the time.

As adults, especially those in a job or career transition, we are trained to think of work in terms of a job. Instead, we think of tasks. Work is, after all, the sum of many tasks.

What tasks truly energize you? Jot down a list of these tasks.

Need some help identifying what those things are for you? Ask yourself these questions:

1. What tasks bring you the greatest sense of job satisfaction?
2. What tasks are you never late on?
3. What tasks or talents do others say you are an expert in?
4. What tasks seem less like work and more like play?
5. What were you doing the last time you totally lost track of time?

Once you know what tasks you really enjoy, it's time to assess your job-search. Are you applying for jobs where these tasks are present, where the skill to do these tasks are needed? Use your list as a guide. Look for jobs that have more of the skills you enjoy.

The Case For The Resume

We are not in the "post-resume" era. By the way, it's 2012. Where is my jetpack?!?

There is no shortage of bad advice out there. The article, "Are social media making the resume obsolete?", on CNN.com, does not necessarily give bad advice. But, it can easily lead job seekers down the wrong road.

For the vast majority of jobs out there, you still need a good ol' fashioned resume. A one-page, results oriented, reverse chronological, resume. And to be more specific, a resume written in Microsoft Word.

There certainly are jobs out there for which sending a resume is no longer the norm. And I'm sure, over time, the process of we find work will continue to evolve, just as work itself, yet the resume is still important today.

Even if you don't print and mail your resume, you still need to format your resume for printing. I fully acknowledge that the days of printing and mailing resumes are nearly gone, that doesn't mean that the recipient won't print yours.

Still waiting for my jetpack.

Change of Scenery - the Einstein Test

Albert Einstein said that insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results. I remind myself of this when I get in a rut. Or, anytime I don't get the results I want. If your job search isn't going as well as you'd like, perhaps it's time to change up your routine. I realize that sounds simple, but it can be a challenge.

A change of scenery might re-invigorate your search. Ask yourself, with every job search action you take,  "Have I done this before?". If you have, don't do it. No matter how successful you think it will be this time.

That's the Einstein Test. Are you doing the same thing, over and over again, expecting the results to be different?

We are all, at some level, creatures of habit. You go to the same websites and job boards, maybe even from the same spot at the same coffee shop while drinking the same iced white mocha.

Try something different today, something you've never done.

LinkedIn Does Not A Network Make

Just because you're on LinkedIn doesn't mean you're building your network or even "networking".

I have been on LinkedIn for a few years now and have found it to be a very helpful tool in keeping track of all of the career movement out there. When I am looking to hire someone, or want to make a referral to a hiring manager or recruiter, LinkedIn is often the first place I visit. On many occasions, I have also been able to connect with people with whom I had lost track.

LinkedIn is a tool for gathering your contacts' information. It is not, however, the only one.  I use an application on my Mac that has proven to be a great tool for maintaining contact info.  Nothing high tech here. It's called Address Book and comes, with little fanfare, on every Mac.  For those on Windows machines, I guess you could use Outlook or build your own in Excel or Access. I maintain my address book with religious devotion. People are, after all, how and why the world works. I treasure my family, my friends, my colleagues and people in general. I keep up to date contact details and reach out to everyone I know every few months or so. It is a practice that has given me great joy through the years.

I take great pride in maintaining my professional relationships. Staying in contact with people has proven valuable many times. Add to that the fact that most would call me a pretty “social” person; I genuinely enjoy meeting and spending time with people. Every success I have had in my career is thanks to the help from, and lessons I have learned from, other people. Learning new things and growing starts with building and maintaining strong relationships.

To help you build your network, here are my five tips for using LinkedIn:

1.Shareyour contact information. I am happy to share my work and personal e-mail addresses, work, home and cell phone numbers with anyone in my network. If you are not willing to share all of your contact details with someone, you have no business sending them an invite on LinkedIn.

2.Don’t discriminate. LinkedIn represents only a small percentage of what would be considered my professional network. I believe in building my professional network indiscriminately; I don’t just focus on those that are on LinkedIn, thus my reason for using Address Book. As a rule, I never send a “join LinkedIn” invite to people that I know that aren’t on LinkedIn. Chances are, they know about it already and I don’t need LinkedIn to stay in touch with them.

3.Personalizeyour introduction and invitation request. “Because you are a person I trust...” and “I'd like to add you to my professional network...” is code word for “You’re not important enough to me to take the time to write a personal note.” Okay, I admit, that’s a bit much, but is it really that hard to customize that message? If you get a link request from me I promise you’ll get a customized note!

4.Buildingmeaningful relationships starts byadding value. Your professional network is not there for you to feed upon. Look for ways you can contribute to others.  Check in with people, ask how you can help. Make meeting new people a priority. And please, when you do, stick your hand out and introduce yourself.

5.Stayin contact. My Mother, being in business for herself most of her life, planted the seeds for this practice early in my life. She taught me that staying in contact is the most important rule in building relationships. Make a point to reach out to your contacts regularly. My goal is to reach out to everyone every three months. Admittedly, I fall a little behind from time to time but would never dream of letting six months or more go without sending out a quick e-mail, phone call or card (yes, hand written cards rock). If you value your relationships, stay in contact. My trick: schedule time on your calendar to follow up. After years of doing this, it comes natural and the rewards are immense.

Networking, as a term, gets a bad rap. Building relationships is about sharing and adding value.

If you want to link with me, you know where to find me.

this post originally posted on mattbeckwith.com April 14, 2009

A Great Job Advertisement!

My very first "job" was Advertising Clerk for Catalyst Personnel. It was my responsibility to read the classified ads in our local paper, the Stockton Record, and cut out the ads taken out by my employer. That was when I picked up the early habit of reading the help wanted ads, and I read them regularly for decades. Reading ads through the years has turned me into quite a critic. Oftentimes, ads lack specifics or have too much fluff. How many times have you read "shift paradigms while creating value-add"?

Well, every so often I read a very well put-together job advertisement.

I recently came across this advertisement for a position with 37signals, the company with web apps such as Basecamp, Backpack and Campfire. Compared to many job postings, there were a few things that caught my eye.

1. There is no job title. Really, they are looking for a teammate, but they didn't post a job title. The headline simply says, "Help us significantly improve conversion and retention."

2. The goal is simple: double sales in the next 12 months. How's that for clear?

3. The posting does not ask interested candidates to send in their resume. They didn't prescribe how you should apply, just that you should send an e-mail telling them why "you're the one". I'm still going to bet that those that focus on actual accomplishments will get more attention.

4. The comments remind me that some people enjoy being negative, even when it comes to a job search. I was shocked at some of the comments. From the nay-sayers proclaiming ... to those that are already asking about authority and, gulp, compensation. Clearly, an intelligent and talented job seeker will laugh at these comments and just apply for the job. All of those are questions they can bring up at a more appropriate time.

Best of luck to 37signals in their search for a new teammate!

Stockton Leads The Way In Job Growth

It's always great to read positive news. The Business Forecasting Center at the University of the Pacific released the “California and Metro Forecast: April 2012.” today.

The Stockton MSA continued job losses in 2011, but will make a strong return to job growth in 2012 with a 4% increase.

Click here to read the story from Central Valley Business Journal and download the report.