Your career clean-up
Summer and the living is easy. Yet it’s not easy to get motivated about job searching, to say the least.
The you know that the average job tenure in North America is 3.7 years? Or that North Americans change careers up to seven times in a lifetime? Time to renew your career or start a new one.
Here’s a career check-up list designed to refresh your professional goals:
1. Do a self-assessment. The first step of career planning is to analyse your interests, skills, personality (work & personal) and values (work-related & personal). At the KMFRC, we have a wonderful resource that focuses on identifying your values: a deck of cards! We also have a wealth of resources, including quizzes to highlight your USP (unique sales propostion). Unless you have determined your USP, your cover letter is incomplete.
2. Show employers value. Employers do not like to hire strangers, therefore, you must deliver a “return on investment.”
3. Establish your personal brand: What are you known for? Or what do you want to be known for?
What is your reputation? What are your unique skills and qualifications.
4. In comfortable surroundings, sit down at the kitchen table and focus on your “career milestones.” What accomplishments did you make in the past year? What problems did you overcome? How did you make a difference for your employer?
5. Develop a short-term and long-term career plan. Certain age groups generally involve particular life decisions & life stages: if you’re between 25-35, career visualization is beneficial; the 36-45 age group are reckoning with the baby boom and “multiple career” paradigm. They are well suited for reconstructing successes, building on best practices and engaging in exercises. The next age group, 46-65 usually focuses on whether professional expectations have been met and whether they should re-define themselves in the new world of work.
6. Practise interviewing with a career coach. In a recent Canadian survey of employers, job candidates were 5 times more likely to get hired based on how they answered the opening interview question (60 second opening pitch).
7. In any economy, employers hire talent. Yes, the job search is longer, but once you polish tip # 2 and #3, you will be confident to deliver your USP and ROI with potential employers.
8. Give your resume a facelift. Fill your résumé with accomplishments & achievements. For maximum impact, 70-80% to have an impact on employers. Résumés are neither obituaries nor boring job responsibilities but “living documents” about how you can contribute to an employer in the present and in the future. Downsizing, globalization and outsourcing all changed the complexion of the new economy. Permanent jobs are almost non-existent, but work is plentiful. Don’t be caught off guard with a pink slip without updating your sales document-the resume!
Career planning, career visualization and “career mapping” represent only a fraction of job search activities.
Pick up the phone and give your career a facelift by booking a session with a trained career coach.
877-621-3141 or email me at teacher10@hotmail.com
WEBINAR CAREER COACHING career/social media coaching; social media strategies for job search; classes by phone; webinars
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
How the recession creates opportunities
Finally, in a sea of grim news in the down economy, an optimist emerges.
I haven't finished listening to Howie Schwartz' podcast on "Hot Markets To Tap Into And Others To Avoid..." ( I heartily recommend IMmarketing.com and Howie's "money pulling businesses" for the entreprenurial-minded. The PDF file is free).
Howie commented: 'Fortunes are made in times of turmoil."
So true.
This reminds me of the Chinese translation of crisis; one translation is "opportunity."
Howie, also observes, that "old wealth was created after the Depression."
True again.
If you are looking for an opportunity, whether you are contemplating a home-based business or entrepreneurial endeavour, Howie's observation that there is "no excuse to sell information products."
People do need extra dineros.
Even in a recession.
Go out and find the opportunities.
In this morning's paper, I read about a young man who used eBay for personal profit.
He auctioned his forehead for 30 minutes to represent a stop-snoring company! His last bid? Over $37,000! (www.thewhig.com)
Previously, I left a permanent f/t position to work with military clients.
Previously, I launched my career coaching business and I haven't looked back since.
Contemplating a home-based business?
Melissa Martin has taught home-based business seminars at St. Lawrence College.
Email me with your idea at teacher10@hotmail.com
Or are you still treading the waters in your job search? Check out http://bit.ly/vA8v2
I haven't finished listening to Howie Schwartz' podcast on "Hot Markets To Tap Into And Others To Avoid..." ( I heartily recommend IMmarketing.com and Howie's "money pulling businesses" for the entreprenurial-minded. The PDF file is free).
Howie commented: 'Fortunes are made in times of turmoil."
So true.
This reminds me of the Chinese translation of crisis; one translation is "opportunity."
Howie, also observes, that "old wealth was created after the Depression."
True again.
If you are looking for an opportunity, whether you are contemplating a home-based business or entrepreneurial endeavour, Howie's observation that there is "no excuse to sell information products."
People do need extra dineros.
Even in a recession.
Go out and find the opportunities.
In this morning's paper, I read about a young man who used eBay for personal profit.
He auctioned his forehead for 30 minutes to represent a stop-snoring company! His last bid? Over $37,000! (www.thewhig.com)
Previously, I left a permanent f/t position to work with military clients.
Previously, I launched my career coaching business and I haven't looked back since.
Contemplating a home-based business?
Melissa Martin has taught home-based business seminars at St. Lawrence College.
Email me with your idea at teacher10@hotmail.com
Or are you still treading the waters in your job search? Check out http://bit.ly/vA8v2
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The psychological trigger in your cover letter
Employers are bombarded with the same haggard cover letter formats.
Marketing experts such as Yanik Silver will tell you that a "psychological trigger" leads to sales. In this case, the sale is YOU. You are the product.
Your USP (unique selling points), talents, qualifications and reputation.
Think of why you were hired in your last job . (No, being the most qualified doesn't get you hired....necessarily).
One keyword in the psychological trigger of making any sale (potential employers) means that you need to convince them to hire you as a stranger. (After all, that is the exact opposite hiring method that most employers have at companies).
The word because triggers a psychological response.
In your cover letter, use this formula:
Make your claim (your are the best person to hire to solve a problem).
Or make an special offer (refer back to your USP).
Think of an honest reason why they would hire you (as the stranger, outside of the hiring manager's comfort zone, who usually prefers to hire otherwise).
State sincerely why you are applying to that company or organization. Because you:
had a track record of making or saving money
improved something
increased efficiency
solved a problem
This "psychological trigger" (saying because) has proven to increase sales.
Need help in writing a compelling sales letter?
A career coach can guide through through your job search in a tight economy.
Email me at teacher10@hotmail.com
Job search not getting results? Check out http://bit.ly/vA8v2
Melissa Martin
Bilingual career coach 1-877-621-3141
Marketing experts such as Yanik Silver will tell you that a "psychological trigger" leads to sales. In this case, the sale is YOU. You are the product.
Your USP (unique selling points), talents, qualifications and reputation.
Think of why you were hired in your last job . (No, being the most qualified doesn't get you hired....necessarily).
One keyword in the psychological trigger of making any sale (potential employers) means that you need to convince them to hire you as a stranger. (After all, that is the exact opposite hiring method that most employers have at companies).
The word because triggers a psychological response.
In your cover letter, use this formula:
Make your claim (your are the best person to hire to solve a problem).
Or make an special offer (refer back to your USP).
Think of an honest reason why they would hire you (as the stranger, outside of the hiring manager's comfort zone, who usually prefers to hire otherwise).
State sincerely why you are applying to that company or organization. Because you:
had a track record of making or saving money
improved something
increased efficiency
solved a problem
This "psychological trigger" (saying because) has proven to increase sales.
Need help in writing a compelling sales letter?
A career coach can guide through through your job search in a tight economy.
Email me at teacher10@hotmail.com
Job search not getting results? Check out http://bit.ly/vA8v2
Melissa Martin
Bilingual career coach 1-877-621-3141
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Strategy # (?): Reinvent the wheel in your job search
You know me as a career coach who endorses a multiple level method of job searching.
Truth be known, conventional job searches aren't working any longer with the same effectiveness.
You can reinvent the wheel to stand apart with employers.
If your job search is in dire need of repair (no response from employers, at a standstill, no new job leads, no interviews on the horizon, etc), it's take to take action.
1. Seth Godin, marketing expert, who enjoys a following of a quarter million on the internet recommended this-don't job search! If the income has dwindled completely, do something to earn money.
2. Ditch the resume and establish your personal brand with employers. Your personal brand is why you were hired in your current or last job; what sets you apart; your USP (unique selling points) to sell to employers; your qualifications and last but not least, your reputation.
Establish your personal brand with profiles
Google just launched google.com/profiles. You can create a profile to potential employers and claim your personal brand. It's free from Google!
Do an identify search on your name. Type in your name on Google with quotation marks and your community. Calculate how many times your name appears. Then calculate how many times your actual name with your community appears on the first two pages.
William Arruda has a wonderful free tool to calculate your online identity.
Use linked.com. Invite contacts. Ask 3 of them to write you a recommendation. Put your linked.com link into your resume. Voila! An instant testimonial.
The resume is too conventional. Reinvent the wheel with your job search.
Need help with developing your personal brand?
Send me an email at teacher10@hotmail.com
Have a burning job search question? Contact me.
Melissa Martin
follow me on twitter.com /ravingredhead
Truth be known, conventional job searches aren't working any longer with the same effectiveness.
You can reinvent the wheel to stand apart with employers.
If your job search is in dire need of repair (no response from employers, at a standstill, no new job leads, no interviews on the horizon, etc), it's take to take action.
1. Seth Godin, marketing expert, who enjoys a following of a quarter million on the internet recommended this-don't job search! If the income has dwindled completely, do something to earn money.
2. Ditch the resume and establish your personal brand with employers. Your personal brand is why you were hired in your current or last job; what sets you apart; your USP (unique selling points) to sell to employers; your qualifications and last but not least, your reputation.
Establish your personal brand with profiles
Google just launched google.com/profiles. You can create a profile to potential employers and claim your personal brand. It's free from Google!
Do an identify search on your name. Type in your name on Google with quotation marks and your community. Calculate how many times your name appears. Then calculate how many times your actual name with your community appears on the first two pages.
William Arruda has a wonderful free tool to calculate your online identity.
Use linked.com. Invite contacts. Ask 3 of them to write you a recommendation. Put your linked.com link into your resume. Voila! An instant testimonial.
The resume is too conventional. Reinvent the wheel with your job search.
Need help with developing your personal brand?
Send me an email at teacher10@hotmail.com
Have a burning job search question? Contact me.
Melissa Martin
follow me on twitter.com /ravingredhead
Monday, July 20, 2009
Guerrilla job search
With the financial crisis spilling over from Wall Street to Main Street, more people are chasing fewer and fewer job openings.
And it's only going to get worse before it gets better -- that's what I just read on CNN.com.
That's why I wanted to share a story with you ...
It's about how people are finding jobs right now, using proven, highly unusual ways to get hired.
And when I say *unusual* here's what I mean:
Why a half-naked stripper's mistake on Facebook can actually help your job search.
How a Guerrilla Resume ethically "tricks" employers by making them want to meet you -- before they've read a single word.
How to send a "cup in a box" to get job interviews, even when you're competing against hordes of job seekers for advertised positions.
An easy way to know -- with certainty -- that employers will read a specific part of your cover letter ... and what to put there. (This 97-year-old tactic is brand new to job search and gives you an instant, almost-unfair advantage over ordinary job seekers.)
How to legally "hack" into Monster.com and clarify your employment goals in only minutes -- with almost no effort on your part.
Finally! How to *really* prepare for a job interview. Tip: You can banish the jitters, walk calmly into almost any hiring manager's office, and blow them away if you do one simple thing before your next interview. It lets you take control of the entire conversation.
Want to learn more?
David Perry and Kevin Donlin, two of the world's top job-search experts (just Google their names) have just released a new "job finding" system on DVD that is guaranteed to get you hired ...
Get the whole story here - http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=1024065.
(If that link is dead, it means that all available DVDs have been taken --- sorry in advance.)
And it's only going to get worse before it gets better -- that's what I just read on CNN.com.
That's why I wanted to share a story with you ...
It's about how people are finding jobs right now, using proven, highly unusual ways to get hired.
And when I say *unusual* here's what I mean:
Why a half-naked stripper's mistake on Facebook can actually help your job search.
How a Guerrilla Resume ethically "tricks" employers by making them want to meet you -- before they've read a single word.
How to send a "cup in a box" to get job interviews, even when you're competing against hordes of job seekers for advertised positions.
An easy way to know -- with certainty -- that employers will read a specific part of your cover letter ... and what to put there. (This 97-year-old tactic is brand new to job search and gives you an instant, almost-unfair advantage over ordinary job seekers.)
How to legally "hack" into Monster.com and clarify your employment goals in only minutes -- with almost no effort on your part.
Finally! How to *really* prepare for a job interview. Tip: You can banish the jitters, walk calmly into almost any hiring manager's office, and blow them away if you do one simple thing before your next interview. It lets you take control of the entire conversation.
Want to learn more?
David Perry and Kevin Donlin, two of the world's top job-search experts (just Google their names) have just released a new "job finding" system on DVD that is guaranteed to get you hired ...
Get the whole story here - http://www.kickstartcart.com/app/?af=1024065.
(If that link is dead, it means that all available DVDs have been taken --- sorry in advance.)
how to respond to being rejected from a job posting
For those of you who have felt the "sting" of getting one of those rejections, which usually take the form of emails (company letters are almost extinct for this purpose), check out Suzanne Lucas' advice to a job seeker: www.usanews.com/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2009/2/index.html
My response to the lady who was rejected:
Salient points and savvy advice from Suzanne.
Two points:
1. Don't take this personally.
Did you know that 30% of successful job candidates do not last the typical 90 day probation. The reasons are numerous.
2. If you TRULY want(wanted) this position, why not write a response to the letter, gently saying to the HR person that if the hired candidate does not work out, that you would like to be considered. State your USP (unique selling points) and your personal branding.
In any business, there is at least a 24% turnover each year.
Keep going forward in your job search.
Melissa Martin
Bilingual career coach
MC Martin career coaching and teaching
webinarcareercoach.blogspot.com
and Kingston Military Family Resource Centre
www.kmfrc.com
My response to the lady who was rejected:
Salient points and savvy advice from Suzanne.
Two points:
1. Don't take this personally.
Did you know that 30% of successful job candidates do not last the typical 90 day probation. The reasons are numerous.
2. If you TRULY want(wanted) this position, why not write a response to the letter, gently saying to the HR person that if the hired candidate does not work out, that you would like to be considered. State your USP (unique selling points) and your personal branding.
In any business, there is at least a 24% turnover each year.
Keep going forward in your job search.
Melissa Martin
Bilingual career coach
MC Martin career coaching and teaching
webinarcareercoach.blogspot.com
and Kingston Military Family Resource Centre
www.kmfrc.com
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Torn between two job offers? Decision making tools
Kevin Donlin, job search and co-founder of the simplejobsearch.com gave some salient advice to a job seeker (thesimplejobsearch.com. Check out Kevin's blog). The job seeker was torn between two job offers in two communities.
Good advice Kevin! The Ben Franklin approach makes perfect sense.
On Kevin Donlin's blog, I added my take on deciding between two job offers:
An alternative is SWOT. When making a decision to accept or to not accept a job offer, keep this in mind:
S=strengths in accepting the position
w= weaknesses in accepting the position ie Will accepting the position propel your career or set you back? Your core values will assist you with the latter question.
O= opportunities in accepting the position or working for the company
T= threats, as in uncontrollables ie short-term contract with little possibility of renewal
Some of the best (career) decisions one can make occur in moments of serendipity and we step out of our comfort zone and invite risk into our lives. We ultimately have choices.
With clients, I also use Cartesian Cordinates, which I learned during my training with Marcia Bench, founder of the Career Coach institute:
Theorem: What would happen if you did choose to apply for XYZ job or company.
Converse: What wouldn't happen if you did?
Inverse: What would happen if you didn't?
Non-mirror image reverse: Example: What wouldn't happen if you didn't?
Once you use these techniques, do nothing, as Kevin suggested, ruminate for a while and then evaluate your criteria, consult your inner self (where solutions lie), decide on the right options and then make your decision.
(Certified in solution-focused interviewing and counselling, I believe that most people can use their inner resources to arrive at solutions).
Fortune favours the bold, Virgil, ancient Roman writer
Melissa Martin, Bilingual career coach
webinarcareercoach.blogspot.com
MC Martin career coaching and teaching
Kingston Military Family Resource Center www.kmfrc.com
twitter.com/ravingredhead
Good advice Kevin! The Ben Franklin approach makes perfect sense.
On Kevin Donlin's blog, I added my take on deciding between two job offers:
An alternative is SWOT. When making a decision to accept or to not accept a job offer, keep this in mind:
S=strengths in accepting the position
w= weaknesses in accepting the position ie Will accepting the position propel your career or set you back? Your core values will assist you with the latter question.
O= opportunities in accepting the position or working for the company
T= threats, as in uncontrollables ie short-term contract with little possibility of renewal
Some of the best (career) decisions one can make occur in moments of serendipity and we step out of our comfort zone and invite risk into our lives. We ultimately have choices.
With clients, I also use Cartesian Cordinates, which I learned during my training with Marcia Bench, founder of the Career Coach institute:
Theorem: What would happen if you did choose to apply for XYZ job or company.
Converse: What wouldn't happen if you did?
Inverse: What would happen if you didn't?
Non-mirror image reverse: Example: What wouldn't happen if you didn't?
Once you use these techniques, do nothing, as Kevin suggested, ruminate for a while and then evaluate your criteria, consult your inner self (where solutions lie), decide on the right options and then make your decision.
(Certified in solution-focused interviewing and counselling, I believe that most people can use their inner resources to arrive at solutions).
Fortune favours the bold, Virgil, ancient Roman writer
Melissa Martin, Bilingual career coach
webinarcareercoach.blogspot.com
MC Martin career coaching and teaching
Kingston Military Family Resource Center www.kmfrc.com
twitter.com/ravingredhead
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