Presentation Counts; Count on It

When getting a job is job one, presentation counts. If you’d like an example of how important that is, read what Linda Stanton, President of Selective Staffing, Inc. writes on the subject:

“Ms. Richman, I am the owner of a local staffing service here in the city. I am amazed at the people who come to us seeking employment who do not see us as an employer. We are, in a lot of cases, the front line to some of the city’s largest employers. However, applicants who come to our location to apply for work do so dressing in shorts, tee shirts, jeans, flip-flops, bedroom shoes, etc. They bring their children, friends and friends’ children to apply. We have to constantly tell them to turn off their cell phones as to not disrupt our office.

I was hoping that in one of your articles or television appearances that you could address these issues. Please explain to job-seekers that Temporary Staffing Agencies are employers. We interview everyone who walks though our door and should be given the same respect as any employer they be applying with.

If applicants do not represent themselves in a professional manner to us then what makes us think they will do it to our clients. Any help you give would be greatly appreciated.”

Thanks, Linda. Your note reinforces what I continue to hear from many employers: that a surprising number of applicants are careless in their dress and conduct when interviewing for jobs. The message they send, and hopefully it is unintended, is that they lack self- respect and respect for others.

When it comes to employment, it’s a buyer’s market. Employers can afford to be selective. They want to make the right choice the first time and are looking at all the information they can gather to help them to succeed in that selection. Help them help you.

Know what you do best. Succinctly describe or bullet point and quantify your accomplishments. Take credit for the victories that are yours and share credit when it’s a team effort, which most successes are.  Own your mistakes. If you spread the blame, you look like you’re making excuses. Not a winning strategy.

Employers want to know how you can benefit them, either by protecting bottom line and saving them time and money, or by driving top line profits with your ability to market and sell their products, systems, and services.

Get to the point. Respond honestly and respectfully to questions you’re asked; keep your responses current, work related and professional in tone and content.  Ask open-ended questions to learn about the (unadvertised) challenges of the job; the (unadvertised) expectations the employer will have of a new hire and how quickly and to what degree of competency the new hire will be expected to perform.

Get into it. Enjoy the give and take of the discussion, and give yourself permission to come across as someone real instead of a cardboard cutout of someone you think you ought to be.

Most employers prefer to hire for the long term, not the short run. Turnover costs time and money and both are in short supply. Therefore, interviewers want to know that you’ve given serious thought to where you want to go in your career; the opportunities and experiences you believe to be important in getting you there; the ways that your strengths and abilities will benefit the company, at every level you serve.

Dress for the next job up the ladder; get comfortable in your skin and in your shoes. If you can lead; set strategy; manage process; organize; create; innovate; or execute, give evidence of when you have and when you will. Demonstrate integrity in all that you do and say. 

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at www.thecoachingassociation.com.

“I can’t find a job! Is it me or the economy?”

A recent caller wanted to know if she could blame the economy for her inability to find work. I told her that if it made her feel better to do so, please, be my guest. She said that it didn’t. She wanted to somehow get past the fact that there were so few jobs and so many people looking for them.

“I’m not a spendthrift,” she said. “I have bills to pay and no way to pay them unless I dip into savings. What can I do to get a decent job?”

We talked about her search and the obstacles she’s encountered. Much of what we discussed had universal application so I asked if I might share the conversation with you. She agreed.

Obstacle: How can high school graduates compete effectively when compared to college graduates?

Key word: Self-confidence. In this market, most companies are under the gun to keep expenses down and production up. They want to hire employees who can hit the ground running, who are as efficient as they are effective. They look for people who can combine strong work ethic with high-octane performance.  In other words, if you can sell yourself as energetic, focused, and flexible, with a track record to match, you are competitive.

Obstacle: How can you overcome a bad case of interview-jitters, particularly when you’ve always been scared of authority figures?

Key word: Focus.  Authority figures scare most of us. The trick is to remember that you’re a responsible adult, not a dependent child. The person sitting across the desk or standing across the room hasn’t the moral or legal authority to judge your beliefs or your behaviors unless you give them that right. They may approve or disapprove of your actions, but you get to choose what to do about it.

Focus on what you’re there to accomplish. Tell your story and don’t get hijacked by your emotions. Ask good questions. The best questions enable the interviewer to describe the challenges the company and department must confront and what they need and expect from their best employees. Then, respond according to your strengths and abilities.

Obstacle: When responding to ads, whether in print or the internet, I know I’m going up against hundreds of people who are as anxious for that job as am I. How can I move to the head of the line?

Keyword: Network. People who position themselves ahead of the crowd rely on and dedicate at least 80% of their search time to networking. Networking contacts can introduce you to decision makers who get you in the side door without your having to wait in line. Here are three examples of how it works: 1. Talk to people who work where you would like to work or know people who work there. If you don’t know who they are, (I realize they don’t walk around advertising the fact) ask people you know to help you find them. Next: tell the person why you’re interested in that particular company (have a few good reasons) and ask who you might speak to, to learn more about opportunities there. Note: you didn’t ask for an interview. You want a “conversation” to determine that there’s a match between what they need and what you do. 2. Talk to people who are supervisors or managers in their respective places of business. Describe what you do best and ask them for recommendations as to where you might look and with whom you might speak. 3. Talk to people you know personally and with whom you have a great deal in common. Describe what you do best, which, to no great surprise, is what they do best. Ask them to brainstorm with you regarding job possibilities and, hint, hint, who would be good personal leads for you to contact.

Obstacle: What can you do when you’re your own worst enemy?

Key word: Affirmations. Negative self-talk does you more damage than what anyone possibly could think or say about you. Believe in yourself, and say so. Believe that each encounter you have, each meeting, each interview, is a positive opportunity for something good to follow, and tell yourself so. 

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at www.thecoachingassociation.com.

Tips for Job Seekers of All Ages

“It’s about time you got a job and earned your keep!”

Now that’s a comment that will get the attention of your children, whether they are fifteen or fifty. And it’s easier said than done, particularly if your youngster of indeterminate age hasn’t had any experience getting a job, has had a bad experience trying to secure one, or hasn’t been able to keep one.  With that in mind, here are some tried and true methods worth trying on and trying out:

Look for a job that enables you to do what you like. Sure, it’s called “work” but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. In fact, your early work experiences, if they’re positive, can help create a framework for a lifetime of positive work experiences.  When you learn from experience you’ll know the kind of boss you like, the co-workers you enjoy spending time with, and the work environment that not only brings out the best in you, it motivates you to keep learning and achieving.

So, whether you’re an avid reader (libraries, bookstores), relationship builder, closer (hospitality/sales), care-taking analytical problem solver (health and human services), computer whiz (designer, trouble shooter, programmer) handyman or woman (building/construction/installation/repair), or whatever else grabs your attention and focuses your energy there’s a job out there that will appeal to you.

Next, you’ll have to appeal to an employer and that happens when you’re willing to do what it takes to be a solid employee. For example:

Employers want employees who keep their word (if you say you’ll do something, you’ll do it), who get to work on time (they like it even more when you get there early), who are positive, energetic, have good people skills, who step up and get their work done, and leave when it’s the right time, not when the clock says it’s time to go.

Employers want employees who look for opportunities to contribute more than they’re asked, who initiate and pitch in, and who are as helpful as they are respectful. They want employees who ask questions when they know they don’t know, and ask for resources when they don’t have what they need. They remember what they’re told, learn from their mistakes and don’t make the same mistakes twice. They share credit for their wins and acknowledge their errors. They look for opportunities to learn, they ask for more responsibility and accept accountability. And they do all that, whether the job is part time or full time, a first job, a means to an end, or the last job they’re likely to have.

To get the job that you want and to be the employee that every employer wants to have, you’ve got to get hired. To make that happen:

Know what you’re naturally good at doing, how your abilities benefit your employer (not how your employer can benefit you), and how to present yourself in a way that demonstrates confidence that’s not arrogance, respect that’s not submission, and specificity that’s not self- limiting.

Provide a resume that’s a track record of accomplishment and a list of references who are as prepared to present your case as you are. Know what you need to earn and what you want to earn so that you can live with the former and set your sights on the latter.

If you’re fifteen or fifty, and have solid objectives, sensible strategies and time tested tactics and if you work your plan, you’ll increase the odds of getting where you want to go.  Armed with a clear direction and a course of action, you can stay on track while staying open and responsive to people and opportunities that align with your skills, intuitive strengths, and intended goals.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Know Who You Are

In your quest to find the right job you’ll need to maximize every interaction and leverage every opportunity. You can do that if you know who you are, what you want, and a good match when you see one.

To know who you are requires an understanding what’s important to you and an inventory of your intrinsic beliefs and extrinsic rewards; what you do best (strengths); what you want to accomplish (potential); and how you’re going to get there (action planning).

You’ll know the viability of a match when you can align what employers value (beliefs and rewards) and need (current and anticipated challenges); where they want to go (strategic vision) and what they expect you to accomplish (near and long term), with what you value, need, and envision for your future.

You can check your interview readiness by answering these questions. Work on them until you own the content and you’re comfortable that you can articulate your responses in meaningful, yet cogent ways. Let’s take it from the top:

Who are you? What do you care about most and value so deeply that if challenged, you would not compromise? What work settings enliven you? What management styles bring out the best in you and what leadership styles engage, challenge, and encourage you to contribute beyond your current capabilities? What intrinsic rewards have greatest meaning to you and what extrinsically, do you require?

What do you do best and most easily? What do co-workers, friends and family consistently ask you to accomplish for them because they know you do it well? What have you achieved that others have acknowledged as having added value to the company’s top or bottom line?

What do you want to accomplish in your career? To what do you aspire and what is your timetable for attainment? What contributions do you want to make? What trade- offs are you willing to accept in pursuit of your goals?

What do you want to accomplish in your life? How do you want to be remembered? What legacy do you want to leave? What concessions, if any, are you willing to make for that to happen?

What’s your strategy for getting there? Are you someone who can envision your place in the future and trust intuition to get you there? Is it easier for you to identify near term objectives and achieve them, one at a time?  Do you prefer to address real- time needs and solve pressing problems by taking life and opportunity as it comes? Whatever your preference, complement your strengths by consulting with your opposites, those who are  adept at seeing what you miss, doing best what you do least well:  Visionaries and tacticians; idea generators and pragmatists; designers and implementers, rule makers and rule breakers.

Ready? As you change focus to what the company needs, be mindful to match your strengths, skills, and potential to the company’s needs, challenges, and direction. What questions should you ask and who’s in the best position to answer them?

Begin with the company’s website and the information that highlights the leadership team’s vision, values and strategy. Check newspaper/trade paper/business journal archives for recent and substantive changes in leadership; news of acquisitions, spin-offs, product line expansions and consolidations; reorganizing, hiring, reductions in force, salary or hiring freezes.

Contact appropriate individuals in your network for information regarding the company’s financial stability, standing in the business community, and reputation among its employees as a strong, supportive place to work.

Proceed to the interview and participate proactively; articulate what you bring to the table, remain open and responsive to the questions you’re asked, and candid in the information you seek, information that enables you to make a sound personal and professional decision.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Cardinal Career Advice

I’ve noticed that people seem to pay more attention to suggestions when they’re offered in a numerical format. With that in mind I thought you’d benefit from a little cardinal career search advice.

Here’s a warm-up: you need to do three things before you leave for an interview:  1. Comb your hair. 2. Brush your teeth, and 3. Take your resume. OK so far? Good, now let’s get a little more complex.

There are three things you need to do before you network: 1. Be sure the person you contact is someone whose opinion and experience you value and trust. 2. Identify individuals with whom you share life values or skills sets, preferably both.  3. Network with people who themselves have networks and are likely to know and are willing to call others who can potentially help in your search.

There are four things you need to do before you interview: 1. You need to know what you do best. 2.You need to provide examples of when, using those core strengths, you protected bottom line or drove the top line of companies for whom you have worked. 3. You need to provide examples of how your strengths can benefit an organization now and in the future and 4. You need to know that what you do best is what they need most.

There are three things you need to know about your references before you put their names on your list. 1. That they are willing to serve. 2. That they communicate clearly and effectively. 3. That they know you and your strengths and feel good about the combination of both.

There are three things your references need to know about you before they are willing to be on your list: 1. They value your work style and strengths, having previously been or are currently your boss, peer, or direct report. 2. They agree that what you seek is what you do best 3. They know your work history and how your experience ties to your ability to contribute to a prospective employer.

Before speaking to a potential employer, you need to do one thing, three ways: 1. Do your research by (a) reading the company website, (b) reviewing current business publications that reference the company, and (c) talking with current or former employees who have worked at a level or position comparable to the one you seek.

There are four things you want to learn about the company as a result of your research: 1.Their profitability, 2. Their competition, 3. Their rate of expansion or contraction and 4. The greatest challenges they face regarding all three.

There are three tests your resume needs to pass before you distribute it:  1. The smell test. Have you told the truth, filled in the blanks, given credit where it’s due and taken it when appropriate? 2. The taste test. Is it interesting and chock full of quantifiable accomplishments that encourage the reader to want to learn more? 3. The touch test. Is it spell checked, grammar checked; are you accountable for everything in it?

What three things do you need to evaluate before leaving your job? 1. The extent to which you’ve been honest with yourself. 2. The extent to which you’ve been honest with others. 3. The extent to which you’ve resolved outstanding issues, challenges, and concerns so that you don’t have to repeat them in the future.

What three things do you need to do when on an interview? 1. Sell yourself and your strengths accurately, without hype or humility. 2. Ask questions about those things that can help you determine fit, both personal and professional. 3. Be realistic and encourage candor; the more you know the better decision you’ll both make.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Tips for your Job Search

“It’s been more than three weeks since I sent my resume to a local company and I haven’t heard a peep out of them. The ad didn’t say whom I should call to follow up so I’ve tried several different departments and I haven’t heard anything.  By now I’ve called several more times and I’ve started leaving messages that indicate how irritated I am at their obvious indifference to my search. Give me a break! They’re the ones who advertised the position and asked people to submit their resumes. What else can I do to get their attention?”

Ouch. I think you’ve gotten their attention. Just not in the way you might have intended. Yes, it’s frustrating to send in a resume and not know if you’ll be receiving a call to interview, particularly if you’re the kind of person who likes closure. And yes, it appears rude to not get a call back if you’re the kind of person who’s always careful to retrieve messages and return calls. But this isn’t about what you would do in a given circumstance; it’s about your ability to correctly respond to the circumstance you are presented.

With that in mind, here are some strategies savvy job seekers have found that work for them and get the attention they want. When they see an ad in the paper, they wait a few days before submitting their resume. That way the resume arrives after the initial avalanche of responses instead of being buried in the middle of them.

They write resumes that are focused, well organized, heavy on accomplishments and light on explication. They write them in easy to read 12 pt fonts that are plain, not fancy. They write resumes that are succinct and get the job done on one page and never more than two.

They pay attention to keywords. They realize that the company’s on-line or print ads contain key words that describe the strengths, skills and abilities the employer has identified as essential for success. They make sure their resumes contain those same key words along with accomplishments that highlight them.

If you want to know your applicant status and don’t want to be perceived as a nuisance, try this strategy that some “need to know” job seekers have found helpful when submitting their resumes:

When responding to print ads they include, along with their resume, a self-addressed stamped postcard that asks the resume reader to check one of two boxes. “Yes! We are interested and you’ll hear from us” or “No, we don’t have a match and will not be in touch”.

Here’s the deal: Resume readers receive hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of responses to their on- line and print ads. It’s unrealistic to expect that they have the time or energy to call or email their notice of disinterest.

You can save yourself needless frustration and aggravation if you embrace the notion that you’ll hear from a company that wants to interview you and you won’t if they’ve taken a pass.

When you do get that interview and after you’ve done your best to present your credentials, ask and answer questions, you’re not quite finished. Write a thank you note that highlights the ways you can contribute to their company. If two weeks pass and you’ve not heard anything, call, and whether voice to voice or leaving a voice mail, say something like, “I want to work for you and make a difference for your company. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”

Then get on with your search. Continue to network and apply for positions until the right people at the right company say you’re the right person for them.

And when you hear that, say yes! Positively.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Sharpen Your Writing and Speaking Skills

Sharpen your writing and speaking skills folks, because the lights are on and they’re shining on you. With every resume, cover letter, telephone call, networking meeting and interview, you’re presenting your skills and abilities in the two ways most of us have learned to communicate; you’re either writing or talking. You better be good at both.

A worried reader comments that, “introverts like me don’t have a chance against extraverted competition.”

Instead of focusing on your fear, level the playing field by focusing on your performance. Your performance will improve when you practice speaking clearly, succinctly, and energetically about what you want, why you want it, and how you can make a difference to the company that hires you.

A female caller whispers, “I’ve been told that I speak with a little girl voice. I need to be taken seriously, particularly when I’m at work and speaking to people I don’t know or don’t know well. What can I do?”

If you’ve received feedback that your pitch, tone or voice quality has gotten in the way of your success get the help you need from a voice coach. If performance anxiety is your problem get additional help from a career coach or psychologist. If it’s a distraction that you want to manage yourself then name it and get it out of the way. For example, if you have a telephone interview, acknowledge early in the conversation that your voice may not be strong but your track record is and you want to describe it. Then do it. Put your energy into the content of what you say and how you respond. The listener will quickly adjust to your tone and hone in on your message.

Let’s move from the subject of pitch and tone to that of accent and pace and the difficulties that sounding “different” can present. If you’ve recently moved here and English is your second language you’ll benefit from learning how to sound as American as you are or soon will be. Get help from articulate native speakers who are willing to take their time to coach you. Ask for their assistance and feedback with your word choices, sentence structure, grammar, pace and tempo; role play networking and interviewing conversations. And in exchange for all these favors, ask how you can be of assistance to them.

Take advantage of the resources available to you in your local community. In Greensboro, the Glenwood Branch of the Public Library offers ESL classes and hosts a ‘conversation club’ that meets twice weekly, enabling you to practice your new English speaking skills with library volunteers. GTCC offers ESL classes through its continuing education program and UNCG offers classes and tutorials in accent reduction. In addition to public resources there are professional counselors, therapists, and voice coaches in private practice who provide these and related programs and offerings.

Now, let’s get real about writing a resume: It’s your work product and you’re accountable for its contents. Be sure that you tell the truth, that your spelling and grammar are correct, that it’s as well edited as it is well organized.  Writing a well- crafted resume takes time, care, and at minimum another set of eyes to check and double check that it’s error free.

Format: Write an objective that states the job you want and how you benefit the company that hires you.  Follow that with a reverse chronology of your experience. Write your accomplishments as bullet-points; make them fact based, specific and quantifiable. Lead with words that project energy and action. Get it all on one page, one and one half at most, and use wide margins, easy to read font, 12- point type, and no hype.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Never Drop the Ball in Your Job Search

This caller wanted to be sure that other job seekers didn’t make the same mistakes he did so he shared his story…

“I’d been looking for work for several months, first staying local, then extending my search well beyond the Triad, all in an effort to snag something, anything that would work. I had just about run out of hope when I got a call, then another, one interview, two interviews, two companies then three! They were coming out of the woodwork and they were all coming after me. Each one sounded more earnest and interested than the other, and all I had to do was sit back, get those offers, choose the one I liked most, and hello, Gravy Train. Three companies, all knocking on my door.

I can’t begin to describe my relief or the resurgence of my self-confidence. I hadn’t felt this good since getting three offer letters from college.

I needed a break, a well-deserved vacation. So I kicked back for several days and popped some beers, caught some rays, hung out at my favorite bars, shot pool, went to bed late and got up later. Ahhhh, such freedom..

Many, many beers, and a very long trip to the beach later and it dawned on me that I had never received any of those offer letters. How could I have spaced like that? I knew I needed to call the employers to find out what was going on but I couldn’t make myself do it. So I waited. And waited. And waited some more. By my bleary calculation, it had been six weeks since those interviews, those heady, euphoric interviews and I knew, just as I knew that day turned into night, I was never going to hear anything more from those companies.

Before you tell me I was robbed and poor me, I can tell you learned plenty from that experience: Lesson One: Be accountable. I dropped the ball, they didn’t. It was up to me to follow up with them and if didn’t hear anything in return it was up to me to keep looking. Lesson Two: Know who I am. I have talent, strengths, and transferable skills. I have values and beliefs. Lesson Three: Get real and get focused: if I job search everywhere for anything I’ll end up nowhere with nothing. Lesson Four: Stay centered. I allowed myself to panic, which was the biggest mistake I made. Instead, I need to hone in on what I want to do that combines what I do best and what I most enjoy doing. Lesson Five: Stay connected. I had lost touch with my friends and had stayed away from my family. I was ashamed to admit that my search was going so badly, embarrassed to admit that I was in a deep funk, and scared to admit that I had lost sight of the horizon. I realize now that I was depressed. I may have sought help earlier had I stayed in touch with people who knew me best and cared about me most.

My story has a positive ending. I’ve found a job that’s a good fit, where I’m feeling reasonably confident, and believe I’m making the kind of difference my boss expects from me and I expect from myself.

There’s a big difference between who I was and who I am now.  I’ve survived my greatest fear; losing my job. I’ve made mistakes and I’ve learned from them. I have goals: I’m planning for the future and saving money for emergencies, two things I had never done in the past. I care about the people in my life and show it, and I always want them to care about me.

That’s my story. Thanks for listening.”

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Stand Out In Less Than 30 Seconds

Earlier I answered questions from a frustrated job seeker who, despite stellar credentials and carpet-bombing the area with resumes, hadn’t landed his first interview. We spent some time together discussing his resume, and I provided the candid feedback he requested. It wasn’t pretty.

His resume was too long, too wordy, and too hard on the eyes. It contained too much jargon, and was written in a format many interviewers reject outright.

Yep, those last five words got his attention, too. What format is routinely rejected? It’s called “functional” and instead of listing companies, job titles, and dates of employment, it categorizes and organizes strengths and experience in topic/paragraph form. It’s an attractive concept, easy to write and easy to understand but most interviewers haven’t taken to it. Here’s why: When employers are pressed for time, which is the norm, and faced with stacks of resumes, they want to be able to take an efficient glance (20-30 seconds) and quickly grasp what candidates have done and where they’ve done it. They want to focus on accomplishments and read them in bullet points. To achieve that they prefer resumes that are uniform in presentation and written in “reverse chronological style”.

The reverse chronology outline benefits job seekers with stable track records. It sheds a negative light on individuals who, for a variety of reasons, have changed jobs more frequently than their potential employers will tolerate. Which is why short timers find comfort in a functional format that enables them to describe their perceived strengths and experiences without having to reference their lack of longevity.

If you feel like a job- hopping resume is getting in your way, you’ll want to reframe your record in a more positive light. That will require getting in front of an employer before your resume does. And that, dear friends, takes networking.

When you network effectively you can proactively sell your attributes and reposition your deficiencies without having to play defense and make up excuses to cover your past. Then, when you’re asked to provide a resume you can say (if appropriate):

“My resume is an outline of what I enjoy most and when I’ve been most successful. I’m a trouble- shooter. I can assist my employer in finding new and creative ways to solve business problems. Once the problems are solved, I’m ready to move on to the next challenge.

I’m looking for that next challenge now. I like to work with companies whose production numbers are slipping, product quality dropping and revenues sliding because I’m able to fix what’s broken and to anticipate what’s heading in that direction. I then replace myself by training others to do the same thing. Who do you suggest I contact who can benefit from what I offer?”

Don’t hide your job mobility, clarify it. If you’ve lost several jobs because companies downsized or went under, say so, and talk about your loyalty, hard work, and determination. If you’ve lost jobs because you were asked to leave, describe your strengths and your commitment to joining companies where you have opportunities to maximize those strengths.

Choose your jobs wisely. If you think you’re gorgeous, talented, and smart and your boss thinks otherwise you have a recipe for dismissal and your resume is chopped liver.

Increase your self-awareness by routinely seeking objective, timely feedback. Ask questions and learn from what you hear and what you see.

Not everyone is cut out to be in management. If you’re a great individual contributor that’s the job you should have. Not everyone is well suited to business, industry, or finance. If your heart is in not-for-profit, that’s what you should pursue. Take charge of your career and you’ll have a resume that does you proud.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

Asking for Honest Feedback

You can repeat your mistakes or learn from them. That’s up to you. Life’s lessons are many and varied. Some are easier to understand than others.

When it comes to interviewing it’s hard to know what comment, question, response, smile, frown, or explanation got in the way of your winning first prize. There are too many X’s and Y’s, too many unknowns, and too little opportunity to find out what worked and what didn’t.

To be or not to be: Interviewers base their hiring decisions on a variety of technical and interpersonal statements and impressions that emanate from the applicants’ ability to present skills, strengths, and contributions in cogent, convincing, compelling sound bites. Those who are selected come across as open, goal focused and confident while not appearing assumptive, arrogant, or overly ambitious.

Hiring decisions can be imprecise and difficult to justify, which is why even the most objective interviewers would rather not get into extended discussions about the finer points of their process with applicants who didn’t make the grade.

So what can you do to improve on your ability to make favorable impressions?  Practice with individuals you trust that are willing and able to provide you objective and subjective, constructive, honest, direct feedback and insight regarding how you can improve the style and substance of your interview.

Before you involve appropriate acquaintances, friends or family in your pursuit, assess your level of openness to different perspectives and your willingness to do something with what you hear. If you’re not prepared, don’t start.

If you’re ready and so are they, establish the ground rules: when you’ll meet and how often, what’s fair game and what isn’t, and if compensation is involved, how much? Establish an exit strategy. A great idea can sour quickly if either or both participants aren’t as enamored with the process as they thought they’d be.

What’s your starting point? Your ability to describe the job you want and the experience, strengths and abilities you have that enable you to be successful doing it. If you haven’t figured that out you’re not ready for prime time.

What’s the responsibility of the feedback provider? To play the role of interviewer, asking direct and probing questions about your current expectations, perceived value and future aspirations, asking you to describe your setbacks as well as your successes.

What’s the process? Feedback providers ask the questions, listen to your responses and feed back to you the variety of impressions they derive from what you say. If their impressions are positive, you keep going; if their reactions are mixed or negative, brainstorm and experiment with better ways to respond to the question. Practice your changes, don’t memorize them, and when your interviewer-coach gives you the thumbs up, move to the next set of questions.

For feedback to be helpful it should be specific, behavior based, and descriptive. In other words, you want to see and hear yourself as you are seen and heard. Here’s an example:

When I asked you to describe your worst boss this is what you said:

“He made me angry”; “he made me feel badly”; “there was nothing I could do”.

As you spoke, you slumped in your chair, looked fatigued, and your face crumpled as though you might cry. I had the impression that in that circumstance you saw yourself as a victim; that you felt helpless and unable to choose differently.

If I were an employer I’d want to hire someone with the experience and capability of making mature choices in difficult situations. Try again: how would you describe your worst boss in a way that illustrates your ability to deal effectively under adverse conditions?

If you want to learn from your mistakes, ask for honest feedback.

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Yes! You may use this article in your blog, newsletter or website as long as you include the following bio box:

Joyce Richman (www.richmanresources.com) has been specializing in executive and career coaching since she started he own practice in 1982. She works in a variety of environments including: higher education, manufacturing, sales, marketing, media, technology, pharmaceuticals, medicine, banking and finance, service, IT, and non-profit sectors. A member of the adjunct faculty at the Center for Creative Leadership, Joyce is certified to administer a number of feedback and psychological instruments. Joyce is a weekly guest on WFMY-TV and the career columnist for The Greensboro News & Record. She is the author of Roads, Routes and Ruts: A Guidebook to Career Success and co-author of Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job. A popular speaker, Richman conducts seminars and workshops throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. Her coaching profile can be found at TheCoachingAssociation.com.

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