Do It Before Breakfast

I recently read the short book, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam. It reminded me of a common concern I hear from employed job-seekers: there's not enough time in the day to actively look for another job. There was nothing scientifically groundbreaking in her book, but it is still a great reminder that the most successful people take advantage of the early hours to work toward their goals. Oftentimes, we hurry about our day, saying we'll spend any left-over time at the end of the day working on our goals. Well, we know how that story ends... with no left-over time.

If finding a job is important to you, give it time at the start of your day. Set your alarm clock an hour earlier on work days and spend that time researching companies, practicing how you'll answer tough interview questions, or working on your resume.

You may be amazed how quickly you get used to a new morning routine.

Pls Don't Use Abbrev.

I started typing on an old typewriter. Electronic typewriters, what we called word processors, were already commonplace but I didn't know how to use all of the functions. What I did learn at an early age was how to abbreviate. And looking back at things I typed as a child, I abbreviated a lot.

But then I grew up and learned that abbreviations can hinder communication. As can acronyms and initialisms.

Just like buzzwords, abbreviations work best when both the reader and the writer share similar backgrounds. Although you might think some abbreviations may be universal, it is best to keep them off your resume and cover letter.

That means spelling out Street, Avenue, and California. Some abbreviations and initialisms I've seen a lot of recently:

• Admin. Ass.
• MS
• Cust. Svc.
• BS
• UOP

Job search documents that have no abbreviations leave far less chance of being misunderstood. Spell out each and every word, every time. If it is exceptionally difficult to spell out an abbreviation, re-write the sentence or bullet and select another word.

Your resume and cover letter can only help you if they are read. Don't take a chance that any portion of yours won't be clear.

What The Presidential Debate Can Teach Us About Interviewing

Now that the first presidential debate is a thing of the past and out of our minds (yeah, right) it seems safe to tackle the debate performance of President Obama and Governor Romney. To begin with, I am not taking sides here. The point I am going to make has nothing to do with what either of the men said last Wednesday at the University of Denver.

So, politics aside, let's talk about body language.

Most of the headlines I read in the days following this debate seemed to declare Romney as the winner. If you read below the headlines you'll see there was a lot of commentary about the two men's body language.

Obama did not smile as much, and at times seemed to avoid eye contact with Romney. Comparatively, Romney smiled more and seemed more confident throughout the debate.

Body language isn't just important to those vying to be the president of the US, it's important to you during an interview. Keep these thing in mind:

• Smile. Not just with your lips but with your eyes. Smiling with your lips only, and not raising your eyebrows, gives that "fake smile" look.
• Sit up straight. As my 91-year-old grandmother still tells me, don't slouch.
• Breathe. Don't let challenging questions rattle your cage. Taking a couple of extra seconds can help you prevent you from getting heated and coming across as negatively emotional.
• Use hand gestures. Generally speaking, it is best to keep your hand gestures between your shoulders and hips. Use bigger gestures sparingly.

Interviewing for a job is nothing like squaring off against an opponent in a political debate, but last week's performance should be a good reminder of the importance of body language.

If you're eligible to vote but have not yet registered, there's still time. Visit registertovote.ca.gov.

A Year Without Steve Jobs

One year ago today, Steve Jobs passed away. For me, it will forever be one of those moments frozen in time.

At 56 years old, Jobs lived a very short life. Having been diagnosed with cancer eight years before his death it didn't seem possible that he could actually die.

Steve Jobs loved his work. He loved creating Apple. He loved building NeXT and Pixar. He loved his products and even though he had a famous temper, I think it's safe to say he loved the people he worked with.

Much has been written about his ouster from Apple, the company he built from the ground up, and then his eventual return to build one of the most successful companies ever.

Perhaps we can't all be as successful as Steve Jobs, but we can, in the face of adversity, remember that success is still possible. It was said that Jobs operated in a "reality distortion field", able to convince people anything he wanted to.

Never underestimate the power of thinking positively. We should all operate in a sort of reality distortion field. It's easy to get discouraged, searching for a job can be a stressful time. Hold your head high. Keep smiling, keep shaking hands and introducing yourself, and keep going after great opportunities.

Look for work that you can love. The best manager I ever had reminded me that "all work is noble". Find work that makes you happy. Find work that makes you excited to get up on Monday morning. Money is important, but chase the money after happiness.

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. - Confucius

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking. Don’t settle. - Steve Jobs, Stanford commencement address June 15, 2005

Best wishes to you.

Early Is Best... But Not TOO Early

I grew up hearing "early is on-time and on-time is late". So, if that means it's best to show up early to an interview, then showing up really early is even better! Right? No, not at all.

Unless you have been specifically instructed to show up earlier, 10 minutes early is fine, never more than 15 minutes.

When you show up earlier than that, you might actually be a disruption to the the people with which you'll be interviewing. Additionally, the recruiter may be spacing candidates so they don't meet in the lobby.

This does not mean that you shouldn't arrive at the location of the interview earlier. Always make sure you leave in plenty of time to get their early, accounting for any traffic issues. If you planned on traffic and there was none, you'll likely get there earlier than the recommended 10 minutes. If that's the case, stay in your car until it gets closer to your scheduled interview time.

A Tool Seldom Used Becomes Dull

Today's post is written by my friend Wes Johnson. Wes has been a Toastmaster since February 2011. He continues to sharpen his skills through participation in a weekly morning club in Tracy.  He is chartering an evening club that meets in Manteca at 7 PM on the first and third Mondays of each month.  

The newly unemployed have a few challenges before them.

• Process the loss of their job
• Identify any obstacles to re-employment
• Resolve or minimize these obstacles
• Develop personal networks
• Market your abilities
• Finally, ace the interview

Every day Matt has a blog post that covers one of these areas.  Some of these challenges may take a little time to achieve.  So, what are you going to do in the meantime?

I’m going to use the analogy of a precision cutting tool.  A tool designed to cut material should be straight and sharp.  If that tool is not kept sharp, it will eventually become dull and perceived as useless.  Does that mean it’s useless? No, it’s a tool that could still be useful, if only someone would sharpen it and start using it again.

You are that tool.  You need to ensure that your edge remains sharp.  One aspect of employment is communication.  No matter what your position was, communication will always be an important aspect of the job.  Employers love employees or perspective employees who communicate well with all levels of staff as well as their customers.

So, how are you going to sharpen your communication skills?  Let me share my story with you.

A few years ago, I found myself unemployed in the middle of the Great Recession.  I felt like a tool that was left out in the rain; neglected, and without a place to stay sharp.  I found a group to network with, which was nice, but I was still missing something.  It seemed like there was no challenge or purpose in my life.

Fortunately, a networking connection introduced me to Toastmasters, a non-profit educational organization that was committed to helping people improve their communication and leadership skills.  They help their members improve through constant practice and feedback.

From day one, I felt at home with the group.  In the program you receive two project books. One book covers communication projects and the other book covers leadership projects.  Each project is intended to teach or sharpen a skill.  With each project completed, you receive an evaluation and suggestions for improvement.

Once you complete the basic projects, there are many other project books that focus on many different aspects of communication. (Speaking to Inform, Technical Presentations, Facilitating Discussions, Communicating on Video, Interpersonal Communication, etc.)

After I had been in the program for a few months, fellow members shared with me that they noticed a remarkable improvement in my listening and speaking skills.  When your skills are sharp, you naturally have more confidence in yourself and your ability to communicate with others regardless of the situation.

Several months after joining Toastmasters, I was given a chance to interview for one of two open positions.  It was not a one-on-one interview but a panel interview.  The interview wasn’t easy, but all the practice and feedback I had received through Toastmasters prepared me to respond to their interview questions in a brief and organized manner.  The day after the interview they offered me the position.

I know without a doubt that if it hadn’t been for Toastmasters, I would probably not have landed the job.

I will be a Toastmaster for life.

That’s a great story, but how will that help me in my situation?

The employers are looking for sharp and useful tools. They’re looking for someone with excellent communication skills.  You need to be better than your competition.  Train yourself for when the opportunity presents itself.  The time to do it is now.

Toastmasters International helps the job-seeker practice/develop skills:

• Ability to think on your feet – Interviewing, Communication
• Leadership roles – Interpersonal Communication, Management
• Time management / Organization – Interviewing
• Networking – develop professional relationships

To find a club near you visit http://reports.toastmasters.org/findaclub/.

For more information, e-mail wesley.johnson@district39.org.

Leave Your Message After The Tone...

I realize this is going to sound obvious, but based on a couple of examples recently, I have to say it. If you're leaving a voicemail message for a hiring manager or recruiter, be brief, speak slowly and clearly.

• Say your full name. Even if you're following up after an interview, don't assume they will remember you.
• State your business. Don't leave the hiring manager wondering why you called. Tell them you are calling to see if there is an update, or that you wanted to thank them for the interview.
• Leave your phone number, all ten digits. Even if the number you called has the same area code as yours, always give your complete number. Speak slowly and give an
• Be brief. Be respectful of the hiring manager's time. If your message is more than 30 seconds it is likely too long.

Twice in the last few weeks, I received ineffective voicemail messages from two different job seekers. In the first one, the caller said his first name but did not leave his phone number. The second one started off great. First and last name? Check. Brief and concise? Check. Full phone number? Yes, but at that part of the message she turned into an auction caller.

Follow our advice for phone interviews... stand, and use hand gestures. You only have seconds to make a good impression. Don't blow your chances of getting a call back by leaving an unintelligible voicemail.

Terrible Advice Masked As Good Advice About Bad Advice

I don't like quoting bad advice, and I really don't like linking to bad advice. But this is a common piece of bad advice and I'm afraid that some job seekers may actually believe it. Want to improve your odds of getting a job offer? Help a prospective employer solve their problem. That means what the interview wants is more important that what the interviewee wants.

Yet still, an "expert" actually wrote that what the hiring manager wants is less important than what the candidate wants them to hear.

You also need to shift from what a hiring manager wants to hear in an interview to what you want the hiring manager to hear in an interview.

This is not only patently offensive to the hiring process, but, can hurt your chances of getting an offer. Part of the problem with this advice is that it can lead job seekers to focus all of their preparation efforts on getting their message across. Recruiters and hiring managers want to learn about you, so you should have some key points you'd like to get across, but your priority is still to answer the questions asked of you.

Trying to outsmart the interviewer may just tick them off. Not a good strategy for trying to get a job offer. What the interviewer wants to hear is important. Answer their questions first.

What Replacement Refs Can Remind Us About Answering Questions In An Interview

We all make mistakes. Some mistakes can cost us our job. Many do not. But very few of us ever have the opportunity to perform our job in front of millions of people.

There can be many opportunities to talk about prior mistakes in an interview. Sometimes it comes in the form a question that sounds like, "Tell me about a mistake you've made at work..." Chances are that the interviewers only know what you tell them about these mistakes (unless you were a replacement official in the NFL). Don't try to outsmart them by saying you have made no mistakes. That sounds a lot like saying you have no weaknesses.

Of course you've made a mistake. Own up to it. You'll need to describe what you've done differently since making that mistake. In other words, what you learned. Don't get caught off guard by a question about a prior mistake. Prepare a list of mistakes you've made before your interview.

Thankfully, the official debacle in the NFL is over. It was announced late last night that the replacement refs have called their last game. Tonight, when the Browns take the field against the Ravens, the boys in black and white will be the regular ones. I wonder how long it will be before we realize that even the pro refs make mistakes.

Increase Your Bandwidth To Grow Eyeballs And Value-Add

What in the world does that even mean? Who knows. But if you're a desk-jockey, it is likely that you  have heard these terms. It is also possible that you have drank the kool-aid and actually used them.

Alright, enough of the buzzwords.

I've seen many cover letters and resumes lately full of buzzwords like the ones in the title of this post. I've even heard quite a few during interviews.

Buzzwords, idioms, and metaphors, can help us communicate. To be most effective, however, you need a commonality with the person you're talking to. And that's where the problem is. Most of the time, you don't have the familiarity with the interviewer to use buzzwords.

The greater risk is that the hiring manager may think you're using creative language to hide the fact that you have no idea what you're talking about. Use everyday language during the interview. For me, I use the teenager test, since we just happen to have a 13 year old in the house. I asked her if she knew what "low hanging fruit", "herding cats", and "mindshare" were. Of course, she did not. But when I described what they meant in regular language, she completely understood.

So, dump the buzzwords.

There can be an exception to the rule.

If you're interviewing with someone that uses a lot of buzzwords, not just an occasional one, then it might be okay to use them sparingly. Even then, it is still better to avoid buzzwords altogether.

Getting Laid Off? Now What?

Today, Comcast announced it would be closing three northern California call centers. The closings will impact 1,000 employees who have been working in Sacramento, Livermore, and Morgan Hill. I have friends and former colleagues at Comcast, in the call center, and in roles supporting the call centers. I worked with many of these people at WaMu, where four years ago today, the federal government shut us down and sold us to Chase.

I hope none of our readers ever have to go through a layoff. If you do, here are some tips:

• Start looking now! If you have not started looking for another job before the announcement, start now. I know it is an emotional time right now, but timing is important, especially when hundreds of people with similar skills as yours are entering the job market. Even if you're given a termination date that is months away, start looking now. Don't wait.
• Get help. Take advantage of any outplacement services your company offers. Take as much of their help as they will give you, but be careful that you are not being led on a cattle call. Oftentimes, the "resume experts" that work at these outplacement firms have never actually hired someone. Your resume might end up looking a lot like everyone else's. And since your co-workers are likely using the same service, their resume could look exactly like yours. You want to stand out.
• Stay positive. It's easy to get caught up in the negativity, especially after a mass layoff at a large employer. Avoid the commiserating around the office when it turns negative. Hold your head up and keep smiling. It'll be easier to stay on your A-game during an interview if you're always on your A-game.
• Help others. You are not in this alone. Be supportive to your co-workers. Offer to role-play an interview with someone who might be nervous about re-entering the job market, or read over their cover letter and resume. If you hear about a job that doesn't interest you, make a referral to a colleague.

We wish you the best of luck!

Skate To Where The Puck Is Going...

Another one of my favorite quotes comes from hockey legend, Wayne Gretsky.

Skate where the puck's going, not where it's been.

With 20 years in the NHL and over a thousand career regular and post season goals, he is the highest scorer in the history of the league.

What can Gretsky can teach job seekers? The most successful job seekers look at where jobs are going to be. What does that mean exactly?

Don't only do what most job seekers do... only wait for a position to open up. Identify a need within a company and sell your skills and experience. This doesn't mean that you find something you hate about a company and call them up and tell them you can do it better. Do you believe you have the skills or experience that can benefit a company? If so, tell them.

What are the trends in the industry? In the area? There are hints all around you. Read local newspapers, blogs, magazines. Is there a local company announcing an expansion? What are you hearing from your friends and family? Anyone talking about a job change at their company?

Sure, it takes longer to target a company but it can lead to good results. This doesn't mean you can't apply for jobs using a more traditional approach. Mix it up. Spend some time researching and targeting companies where jobs are going to be.

Oh, and speaking of hockey... go Thunder! Opening night is in less than three weeks!

How To Move On After Rejection

Some job seekers hate writing resumes. Others really hate interviewing. Nearly everyone hates rejection. Hearing "we have decided to move in a different direction" or "there were other candidates with experience that more closely matched our needs"  from a prospective employer is not something everyone wakes up excited to go through. As unpleasant as a rejection can be, how you handle that rejection can impact the success of the rest of your search.

If you get the news over the phone, graciously thank the messenger with a smile on your face.

It is far more likely that you will get the rejection via an e-mail or an actual letter mailed to you.

Either way, send an e-mail or thank you note to the hiring manager thanking them for the opportunity to interview for the position. Wish them success without being sarcastic.

Don't expect to get feedback about what you could have done differently. Also don't expect to learn in what direction the hiring manager went. From their perspective, they have no responsibility to tell you anything more than the fact that you didn't get the job. They could have hired someone else or just not hired anyone at all.

Sometimes you didn't get the job because someone else did. Sometimes, however, it's because you are just not a good fit.

Through the interview process, the hiring manager will need to evaluate your experience and skills to determine if you can do the job. Equally as important, they will evaluate you to see if you will be a good cultural fit. You will likely never know if you didn't get a job because the hiring manager thought you weren't a good fit. Sometimes you need to trust that you might not have done well in that position.

A "no" now, can sometimes turn into a "yes" later. As a hiring manager, there have been several times when, after selecting a candidate, there has been a reason to hire an additional person. Handle the rejection poorly (aggressively asking for feedback, speaking negatively about the company or hiring manager) and you can be sure you will never get a chance to interview there again.

If you performed well in the interview and you are still looking 90 days later, you can follow up with the hiring manager. Again, it is important that stay positive and professional.

Bounce back. Don't let the rejection hurt your momentum. Keep your head up and keep working at it. Take out the emotion. Don't be upset. Don't take it personally.

Remember that every no is just a portion of a yes.

6 Steps To Succeed In A Panel Interview

Few things can frighten a candidate quite like the words "panel interview". A typical panel interview has three interviewers and one candidate. Of course, there can be other variations, but it is nearly always one candidate in front of multiple interviewers, which is why it can sometimes feel like standing before a firing squad.

threehandchair

Performing well in a panel interview is a little different from performing well in a regular, one-on-one, interview. Here are six keys to remember:

1. Greet all of the panel members individually and get each of their names. Using the interviewers' names is much more important in a panel interview. You may need to reference something one of the panel members said. That's easy to do if you say something like, "Similarly to what Robert had mentioned earlier about process improvement...".  Sometimes, you are given the names of the people that will be interviewing you. And sometimes there is a last minute substitution so be sure you know exactly who you're interviewing with.
2. You should expect to get some very tough questions. The most challenging interview questions I have ever been asked have all been in panel interviews. Sometimes, the interviewers want to impress their colleagues, or there can be political undertones you may not be privy to . Some interviewers (wrongly) equate the success of an interview with how much they make the candidate squirm. Don't get blindsided by a difficult question.
3. There is usually one person on the panel that has the greatest influence. Sometimes it's the hiring manager, but other times it's not as clear. If you are being prepared by a recruiter, or have a contact at the company, ask them about the relationships between the panel members and if there is one particular person you need to impress more than others.
4. Answer each question to the entire panel and not just the individual that asked the question. Make eye contact with all of the interviewers during each question. It is vital that the panel members feel connected to you. Don't try the trick of only looking at a person's face when they've looked down at their notes. If you do that throughout the interview, each of them may feel that you couldn't make eye contact with just them.
5. Enthusiasm is important in any interview, but it is much more important in a panel interview. There is always a chance that one of the panel members can become distracted (another reason for #4). Show your personality, and keep your energy level high throughout the interview.
6. When it's your turn to ask questions, be very specific about of whom you are asking. If you mean to ask the question of just one of the candidates, ask them specifically by using their name. If you want to ask all of them, you may want to ask, "I'm interested in hearing from each of you about...".

Of course, as with any interview, you should follow up with each of the interviewers individually to thank them for the interview.

Good luck!

Start On Friday

You know you need to start your job search. And as you read this, you might be thinking what most people think.

"I'll start on Monday."

Don't start on Monday.

Start today.

There's always the possibility that you are one of those people (that one person) that loves starting something new on Monday. If so, feel free to skip the rest of this post. For the rest of you (us), read on.

Looking for a job, or any action, is rewarded by motion and consistency. Start today. If you have done nothing before today, put in some time today. It will do wonders for your self-esteem. Not sure what you should do to actually start? Start with the five things you can do this week to improve your job search.

There is one important element to starting something on a Friday. You have to keep it up on Saturday and Sunday. Yes, that's right. I'm suggesting you spend some time on your job search over the weekend. Maybe not every weekend. But certainly this first one. Getting through Friday, Saturday and Sunday will make Monday a snap. And if you're employing the Seinfeld trick, starting on Friday will give you the momentum to blast through that first dreadful Monday.

What Recruiters Look At On Your Resume

This story came out several months ago and keeps popping up. The Ladders did a study of 30 recruiters and found that, on average, they take just six seconds to determine if the candidate is a good fit.

The heat map shows where the recruiter concentrated as they reviewed resumes.

When I review resumes, I tend to follow the same basic pattern. I have named my review style the ""C" see" because it follows the shape of the letter "C". Starting at the top, I look at the name and contact information. Then I look at the current job, followed by education.

It's not perfect, and it's arguably more art than science, but it works.

And keep in mind, your resume isn't going to land you a job, it's role is to get you an interview.

Four Simple Ways To Bomb In An Interview

You have worked hard to get an interview, don't blow it by making these common mistakes.

1. Use your cell phone. Turn your phone off. Completely off, not just silent. Several years ago, a candidate's phone rang during an interview with me. He answered the phone and had a minute long conversation, which was about as long as the rest of the interview.
2. Speak negatively about your current or former boss. Hiring managers want someone who can behave professionally. And the interviewer is likely thinking you are hiding something.
3. Divulge confidential information about your current job. You may think this will get you extra points, but giving up company secrets in an interview can backfire. The interviewer will likely assume you will inappropriately share anything you might learn from her company.
4. Not answering a direct question. Don't try to outsmart your interviewer. If you are asked a reasonable question, answer it. Don't beat around the bush or try to get something else out before giving your answer. On a side note, if you are asked to "tell me about a time when...", your answer should sound more like a story than an advertisement about how good you are.

Commit one of these mistakes and your interviewer may immediately decide you are not the right candidate.

Avoid them and you can then focus on impressing the interviewer and getting that offer!

Don't Hide From Recruiters

What do you do when a recruiter calls you? What about when you get an unsolicited e-mail from a recruiter you've never met? Although most out-of-work job seekers jump at the chance to talk to a recruiter, these same people often avoid building these relationships before they're in need.

Regardless of your job search status, recruiters can help broaden your search.

Here are a couple things to keep in mind.

First, take their call. Even if you're at work. Take their call. Of course, you can simply say that you can't talk at that moment, take down their contact information and call them back. Even if you're not looking right now, there is no good reason to turn away an introduction to a recruiter. If it's via e-mail, you can still call the recruiter.

Offer a referral. If the position is not what you're looking for, or you're simply not looking for a change, offer to refer someone you know. Make a qualified referral and that recruiter will likely never forget you. That doesn't mean you have to give up your co-worker's phone number and e-mail address. Talk to your contact and give them the recruiter's information. Follow up with the recruiter in a few days and see if your referral made contact.

Too many people ignore recruiters as they would any other salesperson (and in a future post, I'll try and convince you why even that is foolish). Get to know recruiters in your industry before you need them.

The Importance Of Context

I recently had the pleasure of working with a recruiter from out of the area who was looking for a dozen temporary employees. We  reviewed many resumes and, big surprise, many were bad. Not terrible, but difficult to follow. For a lot of them, it seemed all of the right info was there, it was just poorly arranged. This type of resume lists experiences apart from the jobs where those experiences happened.

Most "experts" call this type of resume "functional".

Trust me. Functional is anything but functional. Catchy name. It's supposed to highlight the work you've done. But if it's harder for the reader to follow, how functional is that?

Ninety percent of resumes (and 100% of the ones I reviewed recently) would be more effective if the writer ditched the functional format in favor of the traditional reverse chronological format.

Why?

WHERE and WHEN you did the work (the context) is as important as the fact THAT you did the work. With a functional resume, you can easily hide the fact you have only one month of experience in a skill that is important to the hiring manager. That means, even if you have nothing to hide, it's still a red flag.

Remember, you want the hiring manager to visualize you doing the work. It's easier to do that if they can see the company name in their mind.

What A Slinky Can Teach You About Your Job Search

I am a big fan of Radiolab. The popular NPR show and podcast produced by WNYC is a great mix of story telling and science. In their recent "short", What a Slinky Knows, the hosts, Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, discuss what happens when a slinky is dropped.

For a fraction of a second, something amazing happens: the bottom of slinky hovers in midair, seeming to defy the laws of physics, while the top collapses toward it.

So how does that apply to a job search? Well, momentum is your ally. Keep moving, even when you think you should be falling.

Stay positive. Don't give up.

In addition to the podcast, check out Krulwich's blog, The Miracle Of The Levitating Slinky.