How Does the Job Search Pyramid Work? Step One

Let's first look at how to use the Pyramid to manage your entire job search from beginning to end. Then, I'll walk through it step by step, just as you might look for a job.

Before starting your job search, you need to know what type of job you want to pursue. So, you decide to explore several areas, both inside and outside the industry in which you've been working. First, you research several industry trends using the Internet, newspapers, and trade journal articles. Then, you look at job listings to help you understand what challenges these industries currently have and who is hiring.

The word "industry" refers to an industry, a job field, or both. For example, you may define the type of work you are looking for by naming an industry such as health care or food service. Or it may make more sense to describe it by naming a job field that exists in multiple industries, such as information technology or accounting. In some cases, you will narrow your definition to include industry and job fields, such as health care accounting. Think of your industry as being the phrase you use to complete the sentence, "I'm looking for a job in…"           

You contact professional associations that support the industries you are exploring and arrange for informational interviews with people experienced in those fields. Conversations with people in your current sector point you toward an area where they need people with your experience. But you also discover through researching some specialized job listings that your skills would easily transfer to a completely different industry, which interests you more. So, you decide to pursue this new career change when looking for your next job.

My favorite way to help know what you want is to use one of the O*Net Interest Profilers at MyNextMove.org. The Occupational Information Network (O*Net) is a free online database that contains hundreds of occupational definitions to help students, job seekers, businesses, and workforce development professionals to understand today's world of work in the United States.

Using the interest profiler at MyNextMove.org is free and straightforward to use. It helps you identify where your career interests lie, then points you directly toward career paths that might match those interests. 

Are you ready to graduate from Knowing what you want to Finding contacts and opportunities? Then, watch for our next post!

Hire Power - The 6-Step Process to Get the Job You Need

Twenty-nine years ago, Irv Zuckerman published a marvelous book, Hire Power - The 6-Step Process to Get the Job You Need in 60 Days - Guaranteed! He made a book purchase money-back guarantee that a job seeker will get a job offer within 60 days if they followed the fool-proof Process in his book.

A lot has changed in those 29 years, certainly not the least of which is the advent of internet job boards. I don’t know how many readers got a job offer in 60 days by following the Process outlined in his book or how many job seekers tried to get their book purchase returned.

What I do know is his 6 step process is as relevant today as it was in 1993.

Step 1:  Learn how to create a word bank of 200 words that best describe your most significant achievement and demonstrate your skills.

Step 2:  Learn how to use your word bank to create the kind of self-presentation that will initiate professional discussions with people who can help you match your skills to the criteria of the job you want.

Step 3:  Learn how to ask the one question that best initiates a contact conversation from which you learn the criteria you must meet to get the job you want.

Step 4:  Learn how to create a competitive resume that draws on your word bank to match the job criteria you want.

Step 5: Learn how to conduct a competitive job interview that demonstrates your ability to meet each of the job criteria best

Step 6:  Learn how to develop a post-interview procedure that keeps the odds in your favor despite other candidates or interviewers.

Any omission alters the Process, and when you change a process, you naturally alter the results.

Organize Your Job Search and Manage a Network

One of the essential elements of finding the job you want quickly is organizing your job search and managing a network. Here’s a great tool to do just that, JibberJobber. 

JibberJobber.com is a freemium tool that you can use for your career management. Job search experts tell you to do many things, and anyone in a job search knows it’s hard to do everything AND keep track of it all. JibberJobber doesn’t do it for you, but it might be the most valuable tool you use to help you in your job search. 

JibberJobber is the tool that will help you: 

• Manage and keep track of network relationships. It is your relationship manager for your career.
• Organize and track target companies you apply to or want to apply to.
• Track jobs you apply for. When did you interview, send a thank you letter, what is the next step, etc.?
• Prepare for interviews. Create and store elevator pitches, responses to questions, your 30-second pitch, etc.
• Store essential documents like résumés, cover letters, reference letters, etc. Track where you use these and who you send them to.

 There is a lot more you can do in JibberJobber. One of the essential things JibberJobber helps you do is follow-up. JibberJobber believes that follow-up is a critical part of networking and your job search, as do I. JibberJobber has various tools to help you remember to follow up, which is one of the challenging things a job seeker gets to do. 

If you are seeking employment now, subscribe to JibberJobber.

No, I’m not an agent of JibberJobber. Just a fan!

Working the Hidden Job Market - The Basics

Everyone you meet is a potential lead when actively looking for work.  Since you rely on friends and acquaintances to help you locate work, make sure you handle yourself well. This means that you develop and maintain a reputation as someone that does excellent work, is reliable, trustworthy, punctual, etc. Your friends will have a hard time recommending or asking questions on your behalf if you are not someone worthy of working with.

Volunteer. Many organizations rely on volunteers, and this can be an excellent way for you to become known in the community and expand your skills at the same time. The added benefit is that you get to give back to your community.

Do Your Research. Read the news, investigate companies, and do your homework to learn about companies that interest you or are in your area. Check their websites (and their career postings on those sites) while you develop an idea of what they are like, who their clients are, or why you would want to work for them.

When you are working the hidden job market, you are promoting yourself. Do it happily and shamelessly to get the job you want. Take advantage of publishing software to create a business card or postcard (because you won't be carrying your resume everywhere you go, but you could manage a postcard). Imagine a postcard that advertises who you are and what you can do. Make sure you aren't shrinking your entire resume onto the card; leave plenty of space.

Work Satisfaction is Vital!

"Vocation" is the word we use to describe a calling or work where you find purpose. Working within your vocation means it is much more likely to enjoy your work. Work satisfaction is vital as you look in terms of the next job that you want to do. 

That may sound vague, so let's flesh it out a little. Your vocation, or purpose, is a theme for your entire life, not just work. The type of service you are here to provide is the aspects of life that you will serve, protect, or heal. 

Your purpose is present in every area of your life. It is:

• Fun
• Absorbing
• Energizing
• Fulfilling
• Something that fits you absolutely 

You know you are living your purpose when:

• You like getting up in the morning (or at least most mornings!)
• You can see the contributions that you are making through work
• Your income meets your needs and goals
• Your relationships are satisfying
• You feel healthy and energetic
• You feel good about yourself

Support for Your Job Search

A job search buddy is a friend or colleague who also wants help to get into action and stay on track with his or her job search. The two of you assist each other in reaching your goals by setting up a regular check-in, with each of you reporting on progress, announcing successes, and stating challenges. The buddy’s job is to listen, celebrate, commiserate, and be a brainstorming partner.

Job search support groups serve the same function for a group of people who wish to work together. Again, there’s a wealth of information Online about job search support groups. Or, you may be able to find an existing support group for job-seekers through career centers, schools, and industry associations.

You can also hire your coach or life coach, a professional trained in assisting people in setting and achieving goals. Some coaches specialize in career transition and working with job-seekers. They may call themselves career coaches, job coaches, or career consultants. Ask your friends and colleagues if they have worked with a coach to whom they could refer you or perform an Internet search.

Keep in mind that support from a buddy, group, or coach does not involve in-person meetings and travel time. Many groups meet via telephone conference lines or live online chats, and your buddy or coach can work with you by phone, e-mail, or an online chat service or all three.

Where Do You Think Your Job Search Needs The Most Work?

If you are still seeking employment? Where do you think your job search needs the most work.

 

• Knowing what you want. Determining the industry, field, and type of job you are going to pursue.
• Finding opportunities and contacts. Seeking out new people to contact, companies to approach, and positions for which to apply.
• Applying to employers. Applying for the openings you already know about; approaching the people and companies you have already found.
• Getting interviews. Turning your applications and approaches into interviews.
• Landing the job. Converting your interviews into job offers.

 

Do you already know where you are stuck or lost? If not, try asking yourself the following questions:

 

• Are you newly entering the job market or re-entering after a long absence?
• Are you uncertain what you want to do next?
• Have you been applying for a wide variety of jobs?
• Do you find yourself constantly revising your résumé?
• Are the job opportunities in your field extremely limited?
• Are you thinking of changing careers?

 

If you answered Yes to the questions above, you probably need to focus on knowing what you want.

 

Or:

• Are you just beginning your job search?
• Does none of the opportunities you are finding seem right for you?
• Is your personal network very small or nonexistent?
• Are you relying on the Internet to find open positions?
• If you sat down to contact every lead you currently have, would you be done before it was time for a coffee break?
• Have you already followed up with every one of your contacts or leads within the past thirty days?

 

If you answer Yes to the questions above, you probably need to focus on finding opportunities and contacts.

 

Or:

• Do you have a stack of leads and opportunities on which you haven’t followed up?
• Have you been in the habit of applying only for posted positions or only by contacting human resource departments?
• Have you applied for positions for which you did not receive a response?
• Are you wondering how to go about pursuing opportunities you’ve uncovered?
• Do you struggle with composing cover letters or what to say when you phone a prospective employer?
• Do you give up when an employer doesn’t respond to your first letter or call?

 

If you answered Yes to the questions above, you probably need to focus on applying to employers.

 

Or:

• Have you applied for a number of positions for which you felt well qualified, but didn’t get an interview?
• Are you following up consistently on y our applications and approaches, but interviews do not have positive results?
• Are you relying on your qualifications alone to get you in the door?
• Do employers refuse to take your call or brush you off when you do get through?
• Are the companies you’re approaching telling you they don’t have any openings?
• Are you approaching only companies in which you have no contacts?

 

If you answer Yes to the questions above, you probably need to focus on getting interviews.

 

Or:

• Are you getting preliminary interviews but neither second interviews nor job offers as a result?
• Do the jobs for which you’re being interviewed seem off-target or too low level?
• Do you feel awkward or wonder what to say during an interview?
• Do you walk into interviews knowing little or nothing about the company?
• Do you get the feeling your interviews aren’t going well?
• Have you gotten job offers that you couldn’t take because the salary was too low or there wasn’t much opportunity to advance?
• Do you feel your only option is to “do nothing but wait” once an interview is over?

 

If you answered Yes to the questions above you probably need to focus on landing the job.

 

Wherever you feel stuck or lost, there is an approach and an action plan that will help you get you back on track to a successful job search.

 

Let me know where you think you need the most help and we can discuss what success ingredients will be most helpful to develop a job search action plan.

 

Caring for your success,

 

Lee Gamelin 

Don't quit your job if you can't answer these questions

Before quitting your job, ask yourself whether your position allows you to continue learning, writes Kirsten Helvey. Furthermore, you need to decide whether you're on the right path to reach the level of success you've aimed for. Finally, determine how your personal life may be affected by what you do next.

Full story here.

Headhunter explains how to avoid career mistakes

Maintaining an overly long resume, sleeping in and downplaying previous career mistakes in interviews are common mistakes made by professionals, according to recruiter Mark Jaffe. Instead of trying to sell yourself during interviews, pretend that you're a hired consultant having a conversation with a client, he suggests.

Read entire article here.

How to develop a healthy appetite for risk

Overcome the fear of taking risks by developing a personal road map for where you want to be in five years, capitalizing on opportunities to take small chances and finding a mentor, writes Meg Duffy, citing the book "The Confidence Gap." "If the opportunity intrigues you, don’t count yourself out of the game before you get involved," she writes

Read complete article here.

 

How to organize a job search

Create a spreadsheet to track all the companies you've applied to, and use it to track follow-up correspondences, writes Hila Mehr. Use Evernote to save interview notes, and use Boomerang or Assistant.to for scheduling reminders to follow up, Mehr suggests...

Read more here.