24 Feb 12 Are business cards and resumes disappearing?

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Before long we might not need business cards or resumes any more. Or at least in their current forms.

Bye bye, business cards?

Are you carrying any business cards on you right now? When I look back at the past 3-6 months, I think I’ve left my business cards at home more than I have had them with me. Lately, when someone hands me a business card, I enter it directly into my phone, which gets synced to my email account, and hand the card back to them.

Smartphone apps like Bump, Evernote, and Google Goggles can help with this, too. I’ve tried each of them and have had some success. I still like being able to enter the information directly, but that’s my personal preference.

I’ve had a Virtual Business Card on my website for years.

Resume retirement?

Could the resume become a thing of the past? (more…)

Tags: about.me, Bump Technologies, Business, Business card, Business Insider, CardMunch, Evernote, Google, Google Goggles, IPhone, Jim Edwards, Jonathan Lister, linkedin, online profiles, personal branding, resumes, Smartphone, trends, virtual business card

19 Apr 11 How to Find a Job You Love and Where You Excel

Authenticity is key in looking for work. Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, shares about that in this video (click to see embedded video):

Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you like the content here, please use them when purchasing.

Tags: attitude, authenticity, branding, communication, Employment, interviewing, Job interview, Simon Sinek, video

06 Jan 11 How’s Your Job Search Going?

If you ask, most people in a job search probably hate getting asked this question.

I’m currently reading a book called Breakthrough! (affiliate link) by Paul Kurnit and Steve Lance.  It’s more of a business book, but the marketing principles are certainly applicable to those in transition. Chapter 1 of the books is ”How Ya Doin’?”

Job seekers are not alone in their dislike of the question. Paul and Steve say that question is one of the most feared questions people in business hear all the time as well. Without sounding like a complete advertisement for the book, I think there are some great things they share that can transfer to those in a job search. (Note: I originally came up with the idea for this post in the spring of 2010 before I’d even heard about the book.)

It should be easy, they say. After all there are only 5 choices, which I’ve adapted for the purpose of this post:

1. “Terrible.” If your job search isn’t what it could be or your career outlook isn’t what it used to be, what are you doing about it? Take stock of what you already have to offer. Then figure out a new game plan and transition into something else.
2. “Could be better.” This is probably what most of us would say. Whose fault is it that our search is the way that it is? The only one who can change it is you. Time to make a plan to make it better.
3. “Same old, same old.” What?! It sounds like rear-view mirror thinking. This is a dangerous spot to be in, because you could soon find yourself thinking that things will be okay in the future because they have been in the past.
4. “Great! Couldn’t be better!” Maybe things are going well for you in your search. Maybe you feel that everything is falling into place and you can just coast along. The truth is that, just as consumer brands need to develop and grow to stay at the top in their respective industries, so we ourselves as brands need to develop and grow to stay at the top in our respective industries.
5. “It’s great, but it could be better.” You should always be actively involved in creating what Matthew Kelly, author of The Dream Manager (affiliate link), calls “the best version of yourself.”

So, how’s your job search going?

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Tags: big idea, Breakthrough! (book), career development, Dream Manager (book), innovation, job hunt, Job hunting, job search, Matthew Kelly, Paul Kurnit, Steve Lance

26 Feb 10 The hardest part of your job search

What is the hardest part of your job search?

Is it finding contacts to one of your target companies? Is it building a list of companies you’re targeting? How about preparing for interviews?

For me, the hardest part of my job search is also the most important part.  What I’m about to say is echoed time and again from people I’ve interviewed for the How I Got My Job job search success stories podcast. I believe it’s the most important part and most often the hardest. Because it requires so much work up front. (more…)

Tags: 48 Days to the Work You Love, Employment, job hunt, Marketing, Seth Godin

30 Oct 09 Know Yourself. Be Yourself.

Are you applying for jobs you have no business applying for? Are you trying to pass off someone other than YOU as you work toward getting your next job?  Well, STOP IT!

Seriously, watch this short video my friend Kevin Dugan did with keynote speaker Artie Isaac, at SummitUp, a recent social media confab many of us attended in Dayton, Ohio. I happened to stumble upon it while browsing other videos on YouTube.

Know Yourself, Be yourself for better pitches with Artie Isaac.

Authenticity is by far one of the most important qualities you’ll need to get to your next job.  Nearly everyone I’ve interviewed for How I Got My Job has mentioned this trait in some way, shape, or form.  Know who you are and how you fit with the company and position you’re applying for.

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Tags: Artie Isaac, authenticity, bad pitch blog, Dayton, job search, job search strategy, Kevin Dugan, ohio, personal branding, summitup, video

28 Oct 09 Overcoming Rejection

Last night I attended a networking group for job seekers at a local Barnes & Noble. The organizer is an employee there, and each week he plans a discussion around topics that are relevant to other job seekers, with some books he’s found.

Coping with Rejection

The topic for last night was “Coping with Rejection”. Monte, the organizer, described it this way:

Rejection can impede your job search in a number of ways. Some are subtle and some not so subtle. We will look at a number of different authors, books and web sites is seeing what defenses and strategies we can employ in overcoming this major stumbling stone. We’d love to have you join us but we won’t take it personally if you don’t.

To wallow or not to wallow: that is the question

Interestingly, he found that there have not been books written exclusively about how to deal with rejection; most books contain a chapter or a paragraph or two. I wonder if that’s because not many people are interested in buying books on rejection.  We can choose to wallow in the rejection, or we can rise above it.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t take time to figure out what happened and what we can learn from it. And I’m not saying there shouldn’t be time to be sad or down. But I think there needs to be a time when we pick ourselves back up and press on.

Different playing field – different ballgame

Many of us job seekers are finding that this time of searching is a completely different playing field. I imagine hiring managers are feeling the same way. Job seekers wondering why they haven’t even received a rejection letter; hiring managers too busy or overwhelmed with applicants to have time to send them out.

The great supply of labor has some employers on a bargain hunt. If we as job seekers are not willing to come in at a number they offer, they can probably find someone else who will. This is a different kind of rejection, isn’t it? We begin to wonder whether you’re worth what you used to make. If we opt for the lowball offer, that might pigeonhole us at a lower pay range. When the market improves, who’s to say that we won’t jump ship? Chances are that we won’t rise above it at that job.

Know yourself

This is where having a great personal brand, both online and in-person, is key.  We need to know ourselves, communicate who we are and what we’re about, in such a way that shows that we fit with an organization and position.  Doing this means getting out from behind the computer, taking that shower, and getting in front of other people. Learn about yourself and what your marketable skills are. Uncover leads for new opportunities, not only from searching online but also from asking others you know.

The power of a phone call

The phone is still one of the best social networking tools around. One person at the group last night told a story about having an interview one morning about 25 miles from his home. He awoke in a bad mood and wasn’t looking forward to driving in the sleet on the roads that he was sure would be a mess. The phone rang, and he let the answering machine pick it up. He hoped it was the hiring manager, calling to cancel or reschedule the interview because of the weather.  Instead it was someone he’d met from a networking event who knew about his interview. She called, saying she was reminded that he had his big interview that morning and wanted to wish him the best. His mood changed.

This story reminds me that I both need the encouragement and I need to offer it generously.

Another person, who has a background in sales, described his approach in calling on potential customers. He said before he had an intimidating call to make, he’d make a call to his best client.  He said this advice could work for us job seekers. If we have an intimidating call to a potential employer to make, we could first call someone from the group or another friend we know who’ll offer us the emotional support we need.

Prime the pump

Sometime during the evening, I brought up Zig Ziglar‘s story about the water pump.  Since I couldn’t remember all the details, Monte, the group’s organizer, told the group the compact, “Reader’s Digest” version. Through the magic of the internet (*wink*), I’m able to share it with you here:

Zig Ziglar – Prime the Pump.

I’m glad I went to this group and was sad that I had to leave early. Hopefully some of the things I’ve shared here have been valuable to you as well.

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Tags: Barnes & Noble, Job hunting, networking, personal branding, rejection, Zig Ziglar

05 Feb 09 Using social media for a job search | Rachel Levy – Boston marketing pro (social networking, Twitter)

I initially started this blog as a resource for myself.  As I read and consume content that I think would be worthwhile sharing, I often consider it in that frame of reference.

Such is the case with this jewle  jewel from Rachel Levy:

Using social media for a job search | Rachel Levy – Boston marketing pro (social networking, Twitter).

Tags: job search, linkedin, rachel levy, social media, twitter

30 Jan 09 I have a document like this and so should you

A coworker just commended me on something through an instant message (IM):

“Thanks, you saved me today with your help.”

It reminded me that I have a document for comments like this, so I added it to the “Quotes about my Performance” document I have.  You should have one, too.

Why you should have this

A document like this is important for several reasons. I’ll include some ones I have, and I encourage you to add to the list in the comments:

• Credibility of your accomplishments. It serves as a record of your accomplishments in someone else’s words.
• Recommendations. Comments like these can be used in promotional material for yourself.
• Cover letters. Specifically, reinforce a point made in a cover letter with a quote from a coworker or client about what you’ve done.
• Encouragement. When you feel down or discouraged, you can refer to this list and remember that you have done something others have found valuable
• References. Chances are if people have praised your work before, they might serve as references. Feel free to remind them what they’ve said if they have forgotten.

Where to find them

I’ve identified some places where you find quotes from others about you.  Feel free to add to the list in the comments:

• E-mail. If you have worked where you send and receive e-mail, you probably have some messages with morsels of praise within.  Find those messages. I have often forwarded work messages with content like this to my personal account for this very purpose.
• Performance Reviews. Chances are, if your company does performance reviews, your boss or manager has said something nice about what you’ve done, and you have a copy of it somewhere.
• LinkedIn Recommendations. If you’re on LinkedIn (and you should be if you’re reading this blog- we should even be connected!), you can ask your connections for recommendations. Not only are they useful on your profile over there, but you can include them in this list.
• Blog/Twitter trackbacks. If someone whose opinion you value highly has commended you in a blog post, on Twitter, or through some other form of “new media,” you can use Google Alerts and Twitter Search to find those comments.
• Audio. I may be reaching a bit, but, let’s say you listen to a podcast or interview, or have been interviewed by someone else.  Chances are you’re being interviewed because someone finds what you have to say important.

Start creating one

There are a few ways you can start creating a list like this:

• Handwritten. Get yourself a notebook and start recording these comments in it.  I used to have a page in a Franklin Planner many years ago for this. This might get time consuming, though, and you’ll have to be careful not to misplace your notebook.
• Word. Create a document in Microsoft Word or other word-processing software and start adding to the list. But you’ll need to save this document somewhere and hope you’re able to keep track of it.
• Online. I use Google Docs for this purpose, since I’m able to carry my Google account with me wherever I go, even if I leave an employer and have to give the computer back.
• UPDATE: Jason mentions that the JibberJobber Job Journal is a great way to do this, and it’s now available in the free level.

Feel free to share this on Twitter with the following text:

RT @danieljohnsonjr: (via Get That Job!) I have a document like this and so should you: http://tinyurl.com/gtj-doc

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Tags: Franklin Planner, Google Docs, linkedin, Performance Review, twitter, Twitter Search

17 Sep 08 Employers using social networking sites to screen candidates

How is your online personal brand?  According to a CareerBuilder nationwide survey of some 3,100 employers, one in five hiring managers said they search job candidates on social networking sites.  This can be good or bad, depending on the content you have on your various social networking profiles.

Now is a great time to remove any unsavory content you wouldn’t want a potential employer to find.  Check out the article from MarketingCharts.com for more details on the survey.

And if you haven’t already, please watch this 45-minute presentation Mitch Joel gave at Podcamp Toronto 2007 about Building Your Personal Brand.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (73.7MB)

Tags: personal branding, portfolio, social networking