Get Your Head Back in the Game!

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Sometimes, you need to give yourself a little space to “Get your head back in the game.” Did you take some time off during the holidays – and now you are trying to get up and running again but it’s not working so well? It’s okay to take that step back sometimes to make a plan, so you can gain your foothold and move forward.

 

It’s kind of like that overwhelming feeling that you have when you return to work or a project after taking some time off.  Especially when it’s Monday morning. You are swamped with email, voicemail, social media messages to go through and you do not even know where to start.  How do you begin so you feel you are making progress and addressing priorities?

 

My favorite way to tackle this is with good, old-fashioned lists.  I actually start before I take time off….really. I create a “to do list” of the most important things I should check for upon my return. I also try to avoid any appointments on the morning of day 1 to get organized and allow time for any crisis that may have arisen. Next, I create a 3-column list as I do an initial scan of messages: top priorities go in the “A” column, medium priorities in the “B” column, and not urgent in the “C” of course. Then, I go back to column A and start addressing those high priority items.

 

Do it one step at a time and try not to skip around so that you can complete tasks.  Schedule break time to take a deep breath. Now – slowly go grab some coffee (or your favorite drink!) and you will be back in the game in no time!

Job Hunting during the Holidays?! You bet!

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Do you tend to stop all job search activity from Thanksgiving to the New Year? If so, you may be missing out on job opportunities. Many people think that hiring stops during the holiday season, so they halt all searching. While recruiting does tend to slow down during this time, open jobs are out there and there is less competition since so many people believe this myth! So your odds of being noticed actually increase! Even more importantly, there are extensive opportunities to network with the right people and to do so while they are in a holiday mood of helping others.

 

Holiday parties abound and while you may not feel in the party mood, the inside scoop is that this is an opportunity to develop relationships that can foster job leads.  Here are some ideas of things you can do:

 

  • HOLIDAY PARTIES: Be a “detective” learning about what others are doing and what is going on at their company. Maintain your professional demeanor in your attire and be careful to lay off drinks so that your behavior is appropriate. Use the opportunity to introduce your expertise, but do so in a nonaggressive way. Find out what you can do to help others, as you will be remembered for this. 
  • PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS: Are you a member of these live / face-to-face groups? If not, find out about them. You should be attending their holiday meetings (and regular programs!) as well as using the opportunity to grow and deepen your network. Get involved on committees and projects – demonstrate your value to other professionals in your field.
  • FAMILY EVENTS: Do family members really know what you do and that you are exploring your options? Be sure key people are aware, though again, be appropriate and non-pushy at holiday time.
  • CONSIDER SEASONAL OPPORTUNITIES: These temporary positions bring in extra income when finances are tight and provide opportunity to show recent employment experience if you have not worked in a while. Sometimes, such opportunities can lead to additional work or leads.  
  • SEND HOLIDAY CARDS: Remember to keep in touch with your existing network and send out cards that help them keep you in mind.

 

 What else should you do? Try to relax and do things that you enjoy. This will rejuvenate the way you feel and will help you to exude positive vibes and self-assurance when you meet others. Employers love candidates who seem high energy and confident about their abilities. Happy Holidays!

 

 

Do Recruiters discriminate against the unemployed?

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Scary…but true. Job seekers tell me they have been told that being unemployed was a reason for being eliminated from the process. And within the last year, a job ad got a lot of press for specifying that “…the unemployed need not apply.” Ahhh!! In a good economy, there is an assumption that those who are out of work were not good performers. However, it is hard to understand why this bias remains true in a tough economy when so many top performers are out on the street as well. So, I recently chatted with several local recruiters to ask about this bias and what can job seekers do about it.

 

Recruiters responded employers have a preference for the employed. Some companies feel that those who are employed “made the cut,” so they must be more valuable than those who were downsized. According to Rachel Evans, Managing Partner, AgentHR Recruiting Group, employers are also legitimately concerned that someone who is unemployed is a “flight risk.”  They worry that a desperate job seeker may accept a position if they have been unemployed for quite some time, and accept a job since it is a “paycheck” to them. That is, the job will help with their current financial difficulties, but the job or company are not really a good fit, and the job seeker will flee when a better position comes along.

 

So, if you are not employed, how can you overcome such biases out there? One thing you can do is to demonstrate that you are not just sitting around unemployed by getting involved in some type of work or professional activity. See if you can obtain temporary work – especially if it is related to your field. You can also try to get involved in various professional activities – this can be taking courses, earning a relevant certification, or becoming involved in a professional association and contributing to their committees and needs. These efforts should be noted on the résumé and in your cover letter to demonstrate that you are currently involved.

 

In submitting your résumé, the most important thing you can do is to be sure your resume stands out and matches job-specific keywords, according to Lynn Parker, CPC and Director of Talent/CEO of Guy-Parker and Associates. Lynn says that most employers are relying on applicant tracking systems (ATS) that search for keywords most closely matching their job description. She recommends that candidates (1) select positions that are relevant and match your skills (2) ensure your résumé includes keywords that reflect your skills (3) tailor your résumé and cover letter to the keywords of the job ad or position description.  Lynn also cautions that you check to be sure that your cover letter is addressing the position you are applying for and that all names are correctly addressed to the right person or company.

 

Another thing Rachel recommends for most unemployed candidates is not to go the route of 3rd party recruiters, except for contract assignments. They are better off targeting the in-house recruiters. If companies are to take the chance on someone unemployed, they certainly would be reluctant to pay an agency fee. In addition, sometimes accepting contract work, even with a lower salary and no benefits, could be a ticket into a permanent position within a company. If you are somewhat venturesome, you might want to consider some form of entrepreneurship–just be careful of scams out there (you can check via the BBB and sites like “ripoffreport.com.”)

In terms of your job search plan, Lynn advises that you avoid getting overwhelmed by setting priorities. Take some time to rethink your goals, identify companies that you want to work for, and do your networking to get to the right people. All agree that social media, like LinkedIn, provide excellent tools to support a job search with effective networking capabilities. Participating in discussions on LinkedIn groups, can give you exposure and demonstrate your knowledge…..so that eventually, employers and recruiters may start coming after you!

Career Fairs…are they worth it?

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Career Fairs can be very overwhelming and time-consuming. How many should you go to? Which booths should you visit? Do people REALLY get jobs this way? Some people do – just as they do from Internet career boards (monster, hotjobs, etc), networking, or ads in the paper. The key to making the most of any career fair is to do your homework. First, be selective about which career fairs you attend.  Find out which companies will be there. Decide if you have any interest in working for them and see if you can find out whether there are any openings in your field.  Second, develop a target list of companies to visit. Then, go to their websites and do some research. Third, be thoroughly familiar with your résumé and be prepared to answer on the spot interview questions. On the day of the Career Fair, be dressed professionally and have résumés ready to give out. Be sure to prioritize which booths you visit and let the interviewer know why you are interested in that particular company. Ask about current possibilities and what their timing is. Thank the interviewer and ask for a business card. Promptly follow up with a thank you note. Oh…remember to wear a smile!

Are you making some big mistakes on your interviews?

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Everyone makes mistakes, right? But you may not be aware of some of the interview mistakes that may cost you a job offer! So what makes employers crazy? Here are some of the top responses that consistently pop up in surveys as well as from recruiter feedback: Being late for the interview (with no good reason); poor personal appearance;  overly scented perfume or poor hygiene; distracting jewelry (jangling bracelets, overly fancy jewelry in the workplace, or too many piercings); untidy facial hair; overbearing personality or a “know it all.”;  inability to express oneself clearly; poor grammar; over- emphasis on money or benefits not the job; bad-mouthing a former employer; no eye contact; expressing that one wants the job just for a short time; knowing nothing about the company; asking no questions about the job; poor listening skills.

 

Review these top items and see if there are areas you need to work on, such as:

  • Are you offending an interviewer with your perfume? Most recruiters will tell you not to use perfume at all, since so many people have allergies or just may have different tastes on what scents are pleasing.
  • Have you done your homework in preparing for the interview? You can read the company website, google press reports or business journals, or dig for information from someone you may know who already works there. If a recruiter is sending you for an interview, ask the recruiter for any info about the company or the position.
  •  Check out your mode of dress and jewelry in relation to their culture – are beards or facial piercings acceptable or frowned upon? Is business casual appropriate in that environment?
  • Are you asking about company benefits at the beginning of the interview? Try to focus on understanding the job itself and emphasizing your enthusiastic interest in the position. Let them hear what you learned about the company from your research and why you are so interested in working there.
  • Be sure you leave the interview on a note that highlights your skills and how you are going to add value.  Ask questions you have about the job, the department, the company, and of course, then feel free to ask a about the benefits and the potential salary range.