4 Reasons You’re Still Un- (Under-) Employed (And What to Do About Them)
August 31, 2010
Discussions on one of the many LinkedIn groups dedicated to connecting job seekers and those in career transition are changing tone as it’s taking some job seekers longer than expected to land in their next position.
One in particular asks, “Job searching without success?” The reasons given by job seekers for being overlooked and remaining un-(and under-) employed are many but a few clear themes stand out. Here’s what they’re saying… and what to do about it… starting with your resume.
“I’m Not Getting Called for Interviews.”
IYRS… It’s your RESUME, silly. The sole purpose of your resume is to ensure you survive the automated keyword search, make it past the HR department screeners, land on the hiring manager’s desk and have her think, “WOW… I HAVE to call this one in for the interview.” Then, of course, the trick is to impress the hell out of ‘em in person.
If your resume reads like a job description of your current and past positions, you’re sunk. Likely the 100s (if not 1000s) of other applicants applying for the exact same position can claim the same experience in the same tasks. Sorry, but it’s true. What the potential employer actually cares about is whether or not you can produce results. Specifically results that will make or same her money. Demonstrate the VALUE you will bring to the next job by articulating results you’ve produced in the past while a showing a bit of your personality to help them understand if you’re a good cultural fit.
[Stay tuned for a follow-up post outlining How to Avoid 3 Big Resume Mistakes.]
“I’m Too Old.”
Ageism is alive and well in this economy despite what all my HR friends are saying. I know too many Boomer s(and older) seekers who complain about being overlooked. So, unless the dates of your education are recent and important (you just received your PhD in Organizational Leadership, your MBA in Marketing or your BS in Information Systems), leave dates off that point to your age or a professional career that is more than 20 years old. Same goes for certifications and awards. List them, leave off the dates.
“I’m Overqualified.”
Position your experience as a Unique Value Proposition to the employer. Show them that you can produce results the day you step foot in the door and connect those results to their future success.
You also do not need to give the history of your professional life back to the first job in high school, college or post-graduation. Dedicate the precious real estate on your resume and LinkedIn profile to the MOST RELEVANT experience. And, yes, it’s OK to tone down your past job titles. I know many a returning-to-corporate-American entrepreneur who list themselves as “Director of Business Development” or “Operations Manager” in companies they’ve owned.
“I’ve Had Too Many Jobs.”
Job hopping is somewhat expected for Gen X- and Yers though Boomer hiring managers still roll their eyes if you haven’t managed to stay in one position for more than 2 years. Minimize the appearance of job hopping on your resume by eliminating the months and taking out any insignificant positions you were in for only a fews months especially when that position has no relevance to the position you’re going for.
Try It And…
Report back. If making these simple changes continue not to get you noticed, I want to know so we can delve deeper and get you The Job, not just another paycheck. ASAP.
10 Commandments of Personal Branding
August 17, 2010
If “branding” for a company refers to how it differentiates itself as well as its products and services from the competition by articulating its unique selling proposition (USP), then what is this business of “personal branding” all about? You’ve no doubt heard the term and I hope to provide clarity around its meaning and, more importantly, about why you should care.
What Is A Brand?
A brand is so much more than your logo, your signage, your tag line. A brand is a promise… It is the promise put forth by a company, product, service or individual to key stakeholders as to what they can expect from said company, product, service or individual. In short, it’s the sum of all experiences a “consumer” has with the entity that produces the emotional and psychological relationships between the entity and its “consumers.”
So, that said…
Do You Have a “Personal Brand?”
The answer is always yes. Whether you have been intentional or not about creating it, you do have a brand. You have a reputation, something or several that you are known for whether you want to be known for them or not.
The key to effective personal branding is to be intentional. You must know who you are, what you stand for, what value you offer then demonstrate that promise to the world.
And as with company, product and service brands, your personal brand is best built on your UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION (UVP). That is, the unique value only you bring to any situation — on the job, in volunteer capacities, at home — that no one else can offer. What place do you own in the minds of your key “stakeholders?” What do you want to be known for? What promise do you make to your “consumers?”
Your UVP.
You add the most value when you are true to what you do best: your innate strengths, your natural talents, your unique instincts that make you YOU.
Once you understand these things about yourself and are ready to embrace them fully and shout your UVP from the mountain tops, the next step is to demonstrate that you are in fact already that person.
For a business owner, your UVP to your customers might be that you are easy to do business with, especially compared to your competitors.
For a leader or manager, consider creating your UVP for your employees as one who empowers your people to focus on their strengths to add the most value to bottom line results.
For an employee, your UVP ought to be that you are The One to turn to for those things you do better than anyone else on the team.
For a career changer 0r job seeker, focus your UVP on the value you will bring to a potential employer by doing what you do best naturally. It’s just what you do and you’re really good at it!
So What?
Why care about personal branding? In this day and age of faster-than-the-speed-of-light, reputation-demonlishing social media (did you hear about the fake BP Twitter account?), you have to own and manager your brand as fervently as you would your teenage daughter’s reputation. Seriously. Because if you aren’t intentional about it yourself, someone else will undoubtedly manage your personal brand for you. Why leave it to chance?
Here are some ideas on “how to.”
10 Commandments of Personal Branding
10. Own Your Brand
- Be intentional about developing your personal brand or others will create it for you.
9. Be Consistent
- Facebook or face-to-face, send the same message.
8. Appearance Matters
- Don’t dress for the position you have. Dress for the position you strive for. Same goes online, too.
7. Stand For Something
- The most memorable brands have a point of view. What’s yours?
6. Stay Focused
- Act in alignment with your values and your ultimate vision and goals.
5. Do Unto Others
- Demonstrate how you wish to be treated and do for others what they need from you. You go first.
4. Create Brand Champions
- Equip your network to advocate for your brand.
3. Keep It Personal
- Face-time and other personal touches earn the most points and show you care.
2. Don’t Tell. Do.
- Demonstrate your brand in your words and actions. Walk the talk.
And the #1 Commandment…Authenticity. Authenticity. Authenticity.
Be true to YOU: your strengths, your values, and the value only you can add.
JOB SEEKERS Do You Have What It Takes?
May 26, 2010
Whether you’re looking to find a new position all together or “upgrade” to a different position with your current employer, the results of the National Association of Colleges and Employers Job Outlook 2010 survey may surprise you… and your resume.
The Job Outlook 2010 survey of employer organizations holding NACE memberships was conducted from mid-August through October 2009.
Run Your Resume Through the Filter
The Job Outlook 2010 study’s Top 5 Candidate Skills/Qualities summarize the skills employers report as essential for candidates to possess. Does your resume demonstrate these characteristics that employers report are essential to on-the-job-success?
First, review your resume. Think it sells all you offer? Presents a compelling “hire me” story?
Now run it through the Top 5 list below as a filter. Is your resume too focused on technical skills and industry-specific knowledge without spending enough time on these skills employers are looking for? Have you linked these Top 5 skills to tangible results that demonstrate the value you bring to an organization?
To say that you possess “excellent [fill in the blank] skills” is not enough. To set yourself apart from the hundreds of other candidates applying for the same position, you must demonstrate your unique strengths in these Top 5 areas through real examples with successful, measurable outcomes.
When your resume answers “what’s in it for me if I hire you?” in these five areas, your resume is more likely to land at the top of the pile of candidates to call for in-person interviews.
Top 5 Candidate Skills/Qualities
The Top 5 along with a few action phrase starters as examples of how to prove your skills in these essential areas:
1. Communication Skills
- Facilitated group discussions…
- Detailed accurate information…
- Delivered engaging presentations…
- Summarized plans concisely…
2. Analytical Skills
- Strategically considered options…
- Interpreted data to back up…
- Surveyed target audiences…
- Validated through trend research plans to…
3. Teamwork Skills
- Collaborated with colleagues to…
- Fostered a culture of… in the team by…
- Participated as member of…
- Built trust within team to accomplish…
4. Technical Skills
- Engineered new unit…
- Installed hardware…
- Programmed customized IT solution…
- Integrated systems…
5. Strong Work Ethic
- Businesslike
- Dependable
- Flexible/adaptable
- Productive
Match Them to Your Strengths
Yes, ideally you will prove your worth to a new employer by including these Top 5 throughout your resume with strong examples of measurable results.
CAUTION: Be aware that you are always selling YOUR strengths, talents and abilities vs. simply saying what you think they want to hear. If you’re an introvert with excellent written communication skills tout that not your “powerful public speaking presence.” That’s not you. If using your analytical skills means you gather information by interview and talking with members of the right audience, don’t spend time talking about your preference to be closed away for hours at a time hunkered over spreadsheets.
Well, you could do the opposite (any Seinfeld fans out there?) of what is true to you, and yes you may even get that job. But I guarantee misery will set in right about that 90-day “probationary period” deadline.
Bottom line: Include these Top 5 while making sure they are authentic to your personal brand.
Need Help?
Don’t fret. Doing your own resume, unless you’re a professional writer with no qualms about tooting your own horn, is one of the single most difficult documents you can develop on your own.
MPOWER can help. If you’re getting plenty of resumes “out there” but with little response, it’s time to have another look. Let’s work together to sell all the value you can bring to a new employer so YOUR resume is at the top of the “to interview” list. Let’s set up a time to talk.
February 9 Chamber U
February 4, 2010
Click the image below to go the Colorado Springs Chamber website to register!
Lessons from the PICU
January 5, 2010
AJ & Dr. Jon who was instrumental in saving AJ's life
My son came home with a runny nose and scratchy throat on a Friday in late September. After two trips to the ER over the weekend, he was admitted to The Children’s Hospital in Denver on Monday, and by Wednesday morning he was on life support (heart-lung bypass and a ventilator) with multi-system organ failure. All from severe complications caused by H1N1. It wasn’t until we were through the worst part of the crisis that my husband and I realized (or allowed ourselves to consider) just how close we were to losing him.
Fast forward to today: AJ is a healthy, normal, funny and often schizophrenic now-6-year-old. In fact if you didn’t know our story, you would be hard-pressed to believe it when see him now.
A few simple but hopefully provoking ideas have shaped my experience over the past three plus months. I hope that what I learned through near personal tragedy provides some inspiration and offers perspective on the truly important things on which to focus in 2010.
Life Lessons from the PICU
Waiting is not your enemy. Time is your friend. Time heals. Patience is not a virtue. It must be learned, intentionally practiced and consciously applied.
Always accept support in all its forms from others. If nothing else, it relieves the helplessness they feel. You might get something out of it, too.
Hug. Every chance you get. A hug will soften even the most seemingly gruff personality, and those are the ones who probably need one most. If you’re not a hugger, then at least learn to touch someone on their arm or shoulder.
Focus on the good. Of each day. Every situation. And always look for the good in others.
Care like no one is watching. No matter how uncomfortable you may feel in saying the words, suck it up and say “I love you” to your family and friends. At work, give genuine praise when work is done well and be a “coach” when it’s not.
If you need a good cry, let ‘er rip. Holding it in is not good for your health, both emotional and physical.
Do what you do best. Collaborate on the rest. Delegate. Find partners. You are not and cannot be an expert on ALL things. And no one expects you to be. Rely on the strengths, knowledge, skills of others. In the end, the results will always, always, always be better than if you tried to go it alone.
Find something to laugh about every day. Especially yourself.
Give it up to a higher power. Truly when it all just seems like it’s too much to bear, give it up to God…your Creator… the Universe… Buddha… Nature… whatever you call Your Higher Power. Embrace your spiritual source and give over your worries, anxieties and fears. Believe things will work out for the best and ask everyone around you to believe it with all their hearts, minds and souls.
Believe that miracles will happen. ‘Nough said.
The New Rules of Leadership and Management
August 12, 2009
Today I bought and started reading The New Rules of Marketing & PR. Yesterday I attended a talk on “Generations in the Workplace.” And now you’re thinking: What the &#@! does one have to do with the other?
The Connection
The last sentence on page 26 of The New Rules gave me an a-ha that made that connection for me:
Content drives action.
The sentence prior to that reads:
Great content in all forms helps buyers see that you and your organization “get it.”
If we replace just a couple of those words and put the two back together:
Great content in all forms helps employees see that you and the organization “get” them. [Leadership] content drives [employee] action.
The New Rules of Leadership and Management
Here’s where the generational thing comes in.
It’s the online Gen-Xers and Millennials who are driving that “content” also be the new rule of leadership and management.
The old rules of one-way “push” marketing and advertising aren’t working with these generations of consumers who demand informative, authentic and interactive content to make buying decisions. Just as the old rules of management and leadership won’t work with these generations as employees. Maybe it’s because the one-way “my way or the highway”/”because I said so” management style reminds questioning (sometimes referred to as cynical) Gen-Xers of their mothers who didn’t care if their children had opinions. And, the Millenials won’t even hear these managers because as kids these employees grew up with constant “Good jobs!” and getting trophies even for coming in last. Where’s the praise in “Do it or else.”?
Content is King
So, the “content” of successful leadership according to these generations, to which they’ve grown accustomed as online consumers, is treating them as unique individuals who demand interaction and authenticity. So to paraphrase the New Rules of Marketing and PR in the context of New Rules of Leadership and Management, I offer:
Inspire Millennial and especially Gen-X employees to design the content of their individual work, empowering them to do what they each do best every day. That’s strengths-based management!
Engage these employees in the content of the organization’s vision, mission and objectives. Help them see how essential their individual role is in achieving organizational goals to give them the meaningful work these generations crave.
Individualize communication content so these employees know you are speaking directly to them. That’s when they’ll know you appreciate them for what they bring to the game.
That’s when they’ll take action and follow you. Because content drives action.
ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? (or “Communicating So They Will”)
July 15, 2009
“TO WHOM AM I SPEAKING?”
With a background in marketing, communication and branding, I’ve been programmed in the cardinal commandment of the trade: KNOW THY AUDIENCE. Resistance was futile. But I learned that the only effective marketing messages are those specifically written for the exact person they know is listening and who will act on the information presented. The messages are carefully crafted to meet the potential customer’s needs… to help them hear… to make them WANT to listen.
What if we applied this same thinking when communicating with our colleagues… significant others… employees… kids… bosses…? Would they listen and hear us if we tailored our messages in the same way a marketeer crafts unique selling propositions? “So simple!” we rejoice! But is it that simple? Perhaps it can be…
The challenge is, life is busy, chaotic, complicated. I know what you’re thinking now, “There’s no time for the art of messaging in real life. Why can’t people just get it the first time? Sheesh, I hate having to repeat myself. Pay attention! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?” Ahhh, and so, we tend to communicate in a style that is natural for us… in the way that we need to hear information. Trouble with that is the receiver of our intended brilliant information has tuned out in 3.2 seconds… or less… if they don’t need to hear it in the same way we do.
So, how do we get them to really listen?
For starters, put on the empathy hat and take some notes. Pay attention to how they communicate for clues on how to get them to listen to you:
The Detailer
Know someone whose powers of observation amaze when they can report back the last detail of a report presented in yesterday’s staff meeting? The remember and want to discuss the intricacies of the data and why the suggestions will (or won’t) help the team reach it’s goals. The also tend to ask lots of questions, especially “Why?” When communicating with this curious fellow, give them all the details, data points, facts and figures you can come up with. Cite sources whenever possible to build credibility. End every interaction giving them an opportunity to ask you as many questions as they need to to fully understand. You may be surprised at how many more details you actually did know once they ask the right questions.
The Systematizer
Know someone who will not jump around or ahead when reporting the details of any event, big or small? They will probably also have the closet organized by season and color and the alphabetically arranged spice rack. When communicating with this person, understand that sequenced information helps them follow what you’re saying. Take a breath, and start from the very beginning (a very good place to start), give the events in exact order in which they have happened or are intended to. They may have some keen ideas on how to make that process even better.
The Improvisor
You know the one… Tangent is her middle name. Wings every conversation, every meeting, every interaction. Reports thoughts as they come… and oh boy do they come. Capture their attention fast and get to the point ASAP! Tell them the end first then give them a chance to ask a few questions about why and how you arrived there. And for sure never leave out what you predict will happened next. Then be ready for a brainstorm of ideas, thoughts, suggestions from them in return.
The Builder
Remember your friend who, after surviving a minor collision earlier in the day, reported the event back to you over dinner at your favorite eatery… “OK, so this pink sugar packet is my car… this blue one was the guy behind me… the salt shaker is that tree, you know that one at that intersection? So I’m driving along and stop at the light [drives pink packet close to the salt shaker] and this guy slams right into me [rams blue sugar packet into the back of the pink one]. I skidded and came this close [pink packet now dangerously close to the salt shaker] from hitting that tree!” Draw this one picture, maps, anything to model the “thing” you want them to understand. In this case, a picture is worth many more than 1000 words.
WHY BOTHER?
Number one, they might actually listen. And, frankly, it’s always nice to be heard.
Then they might actually engage in the conversation, and you may just be amazed at what you can come up with together. Ideas, solutions to problems, improvements… the sky’s the limit!
For me the most important reason: When you speak to another human being in a way that is relevant and meaningful to them, they know you really care. Maybe not on a conscious level. But they know.
