If you are looking for work, you need to be sure about the kind of job you want. This is key to success. The clearer you are about what you really want; the more chance you have of making a good decision. Follow the link for ideas to help you make the right choice http://www.lifecoach-directory.org.uk/lifecoach-articles/looking-for-work-some-things-to-consider
Re-Entering the Game of Job Hunting in Your Later YearsIt will come as a shock to many individuals between the ages of 40 and 60 just how much job hunting has shifted in the many years since they last put out their applications. Some 20+ years ago, it was often as simple as showing up to a location, dropping off a resume, and waiting to hear back from the business.
Today, the game of job hunting has gone high-tech and may surprise you with its options (which can be simultaneously overwhelming):
…and the list goes on and on.
Much of the process is the same as it ever was, though there have been many advancements in technology and how we submit our applications. The cover letter, resume, and follow-up are still the main assets to use when seeking a job through an online platform. In reality it’s not nearly as scary as it may seem even if you have some trouble navigating your way around the Web.
Here are some of the key actions to consider (and employ), when online job hunting, after you’ve had a lapse in needing to do the activity:
Information is your ally in this process of job hunting and it just so happens that you’re, right now, staring at the best tools for the job: the Internet.
There are thousands of great articles that can aid your understanding of how these newer websites and platforms work when submitting your applications.
Take a few days to begin learning about the various online platforms like the job search engines (like Monster), creating and networking through a LinkedIn profile, or seeking reputable online recruitment services which can guide you through the process.
Those three things we talked about?
The cover letter will come naturally because it’s mostly telling the who, what, and why for sending in the application. The resume, however, has changed over the years so it would be within your interest to mull over a few various tips for writing resumes to bring yours into the 21st century.
The follow-up is quite crucial to the matter (as you could expect) because many businesses advertising a job listing will be bombarded with applications, yet only a few may take the time to show action which often tips off the job listing business that you’re going the extra mile to gain the position.
The job you may have originally landed 20 years ago may have come through association with a friend, family member, or a friend of a friend – referrals were (and still are) very powerful. The associations you built were generally through school or other early work opportunities.
Today, we have shifted to using social media as one of the main forms of reaching out and building a network because so many of us are on there using it each and every day.
There are many others but these would be the ones you’d want to hone your focus on. This new process has become such a norm that you’ll have no trouble finding great articles on using social for job hunting.
The main things to remember/do are:
What’s in your favor is the amount of work experience you have which automatically gives you the perception of being an authority figure for that industry. All that’s needed now is tapping into the technology, finding the right people, and making the pitch.
The big thing is not to get discouraged.
The technology is there to help you and it’s quite easy once you understand the process but there will be a learning curve in the beginning. When you’re stuck you should seek help from those that are literate with using the Web to mentor your process and show you the ropes (even your children or grandchildren could probably help in this regard).
It’s going to feel different but much of it remains the same; you’re still mostly submitting the traditional assets but through a new medium.
Good luck out there, hold your head up, and keep at it!
Let us take as read that employers expect to be asked to give a reference.
Don’t feel diffident about asking others who can vouch for your work or your character. People usually feel flattered to be asked.
Don’t give their names until they have agreed. Then let them know each time you mention them. Tell them a little about the vacancy and why you think you are a good fit. Make it easy for them to help you.
Don’t feel offended if they say no. Perhaps they just feel they don’t know you well enough.
Beware the Interview Bully!As a career coach, I hear all kinds of stories about the whims, fancies and bad behaviour of employers/managers. Often, the lack of imagination or self-interest exhibited appalls me. Why having taken the trouble to seek out a good employee, would you not want to manage them in a way that allows them to give their best?
Unfortunately, employers/managers can be as troubled as the rest of us by lack of confidence or self-esteem and the need to prove our power at the expense of others.
Often, people find themselves working for a poor boss in a job they otherwise love that pays well. And advising them is one of the greatest challenges I face as a coach. Leaving a good, well-paid, job to face unemployment isn’t the first choice for anyone.
I do think, though, you should think carefully about taking a job for an employer when it has been clear at the interview that there are may be problems.
Some potential bosses behave so badly during the interview that I don’t understand why more candidates don’t walk out there and then.
I hear a lot of stories about interviewers performing dubiously. The interviewer who doesn’t listen to your answers, may be the least of the challenges. Questions can verge on the edge of illegal discrimination, sometimes crossing the line. I have had heard reports of questioning so insistent and aggressive, it amounted to bullying.
In my view, in those circumstances, not only don’t you take the job, it is reasonable to quit the interview at that point.
I understand that people may be desperate to find work. But a potential employer, who behaves badly at an interview, is unlikely to turn into a good boss once you start the job. Think carefully before you decide the package is so attractive, you will take a chance you may live to regret bitterly.
You might want to see also my post on the jealous boss at this link
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Below is a link to a very useful post for the job seeker from Jennnifer L. Beightley, MNM, CFRE which appeared yesterday on LinkedIn
… I want you to think about why a company would be asking for your salary history. They do this for two reasons, that I can tell. First, they want to use your salary history as a way to weed you out if you are asking far above what they are willing to pay, thinking that you overvalue yourself, or they want to weed you out if you are asking far below what they are willing to pay, thinking that you undervalue yourself and therefore are probably not up to snuff. Second, if you are close enough, and they like you, and you get to the offer stage, they will base the offer they will make to you on your previous salary.
So what is the problem with this?…”
Find Jennifer’s answer at this link; http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141006135152-41404808-should-you-reveal-your-salary-history
Treat your CV/Resume as a living document. Don’t let its usefulness whither with neglect.
Even when you are in work, review your CV regularly. Take pride in what it says and bring it up to-date with new achievements. Take time to read it again for possible improvements.
Do the same for you LinkedIn profile – you never know when a headhunter might spot you for that special opportunity.
The time you invest won’t be wasted – you will find there is always an improvement to be made.
The Job Interviewer’s PerspectiveI’ve spent a fair amount of time being interviewed but I’ve spent a lot more time on the other side of the table. As a civil servant I sat on old style promotion boards for very large departments. Sometimes that meant two and, occasionally, three weeks interviewing from nine in the morning until 5.30 at night. More recently, I’ve also done my fair share of recruitment interviewing and interviewing people on promotion to particular jobs. The experience has been enlightening.
I’ve learned for example that it isn’t only the candidates who need to prepare for the interview. Of course, like candidates, not all interviewers do prepare. But it wise to do so if you and your organization are likely to suffer the consequences of a poor decision.
I didn’t expect so many interviewers to suffer from performance nerves before the interviews. Most interviewers are concerned to do a good a job and no one wants to look incompetent to candidates or fellow interviewers.
There is a unique internal dynamic to each interviewing panel. If the panel, and the candidates, are lucky there is an experienced panel chair who knows how to get the interviewers working together as a team. Chairing a panel requires leadership and management skills. Sadly, of course, many panels don’t have the benefit of good leadership. Individual panel members come to the interview with their own perspective on what is required. Good leadership means achieving a common view. It is almost inevitable though that there will be some differences of opinion.
So, now, there you sit, having had a discussion with your fellow interviewers about the competencies required for this role and how you will test them. In comes the first candidate and you get to work. What is it that marks someone out as special?
Well, if you ask the right questions, you’ll have the facts you need about competence. But there is something else. What you remember afterwards are the candidates who engaged with you and showed a real interest in the work and the organization. And, of course, they had done their homework. If you are serious about being good interviewer, you prepare for the interview, so, naturally, you expect the candidates to show that they have done the same.
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Do you know a job seeker? Would you like to help them?This is a request for your help!
First, here is an extract from the introduction to my new job search pocket book. It is more of a work book really!
“So what is it that marks out the successful job seeker?
Successful job hunting today takes commitment, confidence, flexibility, resilience and technique. And you’ll find tips on all those things in what follows.
Commitment
You’ll need to commit time and energy to your job search. Many successful job seekers spend 36 to 40 hours a week looking for work. Sounds just like work doesn’t it? But keeping a regular routine and having structure pays great dividends.
Confidence
If you are not already a very confident person, or the experience that brings you here has knocked your confidence, the work we will do to help you understand and appreciate your past successes can help you to feel confident again.
Flexibility
Being willing to adapt and to accept change opens up all kinds of possibilities. This is certainly easier with more confidence. You’ll explore flexibly meeting the needs of a potential employer in the pages that follow.
Resilience
Resilience, like confidence, is something you may have to work hard at. Finding work may take longer than you expect and you will probably have to bounce back from some knocks on the way. You will be in good company, though. Lots of good people have suffered the same kind of knocks only to bounce back and be very successful at their next attempt, or the one after that.
Technique
If you have been out of the job market for a while, there will be new techniques to learn and some you need to refresh. From writing a modern CV to wowing them at the interview, all the tips are here.”
The little book I’ve produced is based mainly on the experience of my successful coaching clients.
I believe working through it really can make a difference for any job seeker. It is concise, practical and very inexpensive. That means that neither I, nor my publisher, have a huge budget to spend on publicity. So, I’m relying on you, dear readers, to pass the message onto anyone you know who is looking for work and could benefit from some useful tips.
You can find “The WiseWolf Job Search Pocket Book: How to Win Jobs and Influence Recruiters” on my Amazon page at this link; http://ow.ly/BRSAL . You can find out more about it on the publisher’s website http://bluebirdhousebooks.com .
Thank you for your support.
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Dealing With Conflicting Priorities When Job SearchingWhen working with clients looking for a role. I usually ask them to work out a basic budget which covers how much money they would need to feed and house themselves and those who depend upon them. I ask them then to consider what resources and options are available to them to meet their financial commitments. Is there enough? If not, then earning more money quickly becomes the top priority. This might mean taking a part time or interim role in the short-term while they work on their career aspirations outside work.
But these conditions do not provide the optimum for successful job search.
Looking for work is best treated as a full-time occupation. And it needs to be at the top of your agenda. Sometimes even for those with enough financial resources can find this a challenge. While friends and family accept the priority you give to your job when you are in work, they are less likely to accept that you have the same level of commitment to looking for a job.
“Why can’t you come along to support my charity event now you are at home all day?”
But if you want to have the best chance of finding that special new job that is just right for you, or even one close to it, taking time out to please friends and family may not be your best choice.
If you do have to compromise make sure it is for the very best of reasons. Yes, that does include your kids’ sports’ day. But recognise that anything less than top billing for your job search gives you a lesser chance of successful job search.
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Pre-order “The WiseWolf Job Search Pocket Book: How to Win Jobs and Influence Recruiters” from my Amazon page at this link http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-Mason/e/B00BEV22L4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Job Search Tips to Help You Stand OutApplying for work? Here are some tips to help!
1. Read the job description. Oh so many people don’t do this. Or, they don’t do it with sufficient care. When you have read it decide carefully whether you can actually do the job before you apply.
2. Accept the gift of Key Words. Incorporate Key Words used in the job description into your resume and cover letter so that you make the right bells ring. But, again, do it with care – sprinkle rather than bombard.
3. Talk about what you have accomplished. Do this in your resume and during the interview. Illustrate answers with your achievements. Show how you can do the same good job for the potential employer.
4. Create your resume first even when filling in an online application form – then you can cut and post from it. Please check it very carefully for typos.
5. Research, research, research; the company, the people (you can used LinkedIn) and the position. If you are called for an interview, you need to able to show you understand what they are about and what they need.
6. Prepare, prepare, and prepare for the interview. Have a battery of descriptions of what you have achieved, and how, lined up to demonstrate how you fit their needs. Think through your attitude to past employers and emphasise the positive – never be tempted to be critical – they’ll worry you will do the same to them.
7. Remember your manners and send a thank you email afterwards offering more information if they need it. The thank you note may be the thing that marks you out if they are wavering.
I wish all those starting out on or a continuing a job search this week every success.
If you are thinking about coaching, and we coaches really can add value to your job search, I would love to talk to you.
Warm regards
Wendy
wendymason@wisewolfcoaching.com
http://wisewolfcoaching.com
UK: +44 (0) 2081239146
US: +1 262 317 9016
Mobile: +44 (0) 7867681439 IM: wendymason14 (Skype)
Pre-order “The WiseWolf Job Search Pocket Book: How to Win Jobs and Influence Recruiters” from my Amazon page at this linkhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Wendy-Mason/e/B00BEV22L4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Wisewolf Talking - Leadership and Change 