Of course you’ve read the vacancy announcements. In today’s economy employers can afford to be choosy. They can afford to take their time and look for the perfect candidate—someone who has all the certifications and just the right amount of experience.
So what if you don’t meet all of the qualifications listed in the advertisement? Should you not bother to apply?
First of all, keep in mind that employers often put out a wish list for the vacancy announcement. They would like to have someone with all of the requirements. However, they will often go with the person who comes closest to having all of the requirements. It is best for job seekers then to apply for jobs even if they don't match up with everything listed on the ad.
The next step is to try to network one's way into the job. Employers generally prefer to hire someone that they know something about, so if a job seeker comes highly recommended by someone that the hiring manager knows, that recommendation goes a long way. Job seekers should try to find out who they know in their networks who can put in a good word for them. LinkedIn is very useful in this regard. You can search for jobs on LinkedIn, and the software will automatically tell you whether or not you are connected to anyone who works at the organization that has the opening.
When you get to the interview level you should come prepared with specific examples that demonstrate how you have used the skills that are listed in the ad in the workplace. You will come across as a credible candidate if you have stories to share with the interviewer of how you have successfully used your skill set instead of simply saying that you have X, Y, or Z skills.
And of course you should continue to use your network throughout the job search process. If you have someone in your network championing your cause with the hiring manager, you can come across as the best candidate even if on paper you’re not the perfect candidate.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
What If I Can't Quantify My Accomplishments?
Many job seekers know that in order to write an effective resume, they need to focus on their accomplishments for the different positions that they have held. Numbers look impressive on the resume, and salespeople usually find it easy to quantify their results because their work is so numbers driven.
But what if you’re not a salesperson? How do you show that you made a real contribution to the bottom line of your organization?
Let’s start with what you can quantify:
Time or money saved. If you instituted a process improvement that saved time and made a procedure more efficient, you can estimate the amount of time saved by comparing the amount of time that the procedure initially required with the amount of time it took after you improved the process. This can be stated in units of time (i.e., hours, days, or weeks), or it can be stated as a percentage (i.e., time for monthly close was reduced by 40%). By the same token, you can quantify the amount of money you saved for your organization. For example, you might have saved $1 million by switching vendors and negotiating a better price. You can state the dollar amount or the percentage of money saved (i.e., decreased expenses by 60%).
New business for the company. Even if you are not in sales, you may still have contributed to the bottom line by referring new business. Again, you can estimate how much money you earned for the company. Or perhaps your work led to more sales. If you are in marketing, you may have created materials that were used by salespeople to increase sales. Quantify the sales that were generated after the marketing collateral you created was implemented.
Increase in customer satisfaction. You may have been in a position to directly impact customer satisfaction. If your company measures satisfaction through customer surveys and you know that there has been a significant improvement in the customer satisfaction scores as a result of your intervention, you can quantify that increase and write it as an accomplishment on your resume. For example, you could say, “Boosted customer satisfaction scores by 30% in six months by instituting a process that resolved most problems with one call.”
Staff retention rates. Instead of saying something generic like, “Increased morale in the office,” you could talk about the fact that you initiated programs that boosted staff retention rates. This is significant because it is very costly to replace staff. You can either mention the decrease in turnover or the increase in staff retention. Human resources should have data on staff turnover that you can use to compare what the turnover rate was before you came and what the turnover rate has been during your tenure.
But what if you have some accomplishments that are significant for someone in your field, but they just can’t be quantified? Should you omit them because they are not quantifiable?
The answer to the questions above is no. There are ways to show the importance of your accomplishments even if you cannot put a number to them.
Mention awards. Awards speak objectively about the importance of your achievements. But don’t simply list the awards. Include a short descriptive phrase explaining what the award was for. The names of many internal awards are only meaningful to people inside the organization. A brief explanation of the award and why you were given it can give the reader a better understanding of why that award is important.
Talk about the impact of your accomplishments to the organization. Many people when writing their resumes make the mistake of stating what they did without painting a picture for the reader of the results of their action. For example, you might have written a manual on standard operating procedures that was initially produced for your department, but after upper management saw the quality of it, they decided to implement the manual company-wide. Letting the reader know that upper management thought so highly of the manual that they started to use it throughout the entire company shows the impact of your work.
State that your work was recognized outside of your organization. If you presented the results of your work at a professional conference or you were quoted or highlighted in a periodical or professional journal, definitely mention that on your resume. It gives you added credibility in your field and positions you as an expert.
The bottom line is that those who are able to show their contributions to the organization are more likely to attract the attention of the hiring manager. Showing that you have made significant contributions in the past gives hiring managers good reason to believe that you are worth calling for an interview.
But what if you’re not a salesperson? How do you show that you made a real contribution to the bottom line of your organization?
Let’s start with what you can quantify:
Time or money saved. If you instituted a process improvement that saved time and made a procedure more efficient, you can estimate the amount of time saved by comparing the amount of time that the procedure initially required with the amount of time it took after you improved the process. This can be stated in units of time (i.e., hours, days, or weeks), or it can be stated as a percentage (i.e., time for monthly close was reduced by 40%). By the same token, you can quantify the amount of money you saved for your organization. For example, you might have saved $1 million by switching vendors and negotiating a better price. You can state the dollar amount or the percentage of money saved (i.e., decreased expenses by 60%).
New business for the company. Even if you are not in sales, you may still have contributed to the bottom line by referring new business. Again, you can estimate how much money you earned for the company. Or perhaps your work led to more sales. If you are in marketing, you may have created materials that were used by salespeople to increase sales. Quantify the sales that were generated after the marketing collateral you created was implemented.
Increase in customer satisfaction. You may have been in a position to directly impact customer satisfaction. If your company measures satisfaction through customer surveys and you know that there has been a significant improvement in the customer satisfaction scores as a result of your intervention, you can quantify that increase and write it as an accomplishment on your resume. For example, you could say, “Boosted customer satisfaction scores by 30% in six months by instituting a process that resolved most problems with one call.”
Staff retention rates. Instead of saying something generic like, “Increased morale in the office,” you could talk about the fact that you initiated programs that boosted staff retention rates. This is significant because it is very costly to replace staff. You can either mention the decrease in turnover or the increase in staff retention. Human resources should have data on staff turnover that you can use to compare what the turnover rate was before you came and what the turnover rate has been during your tenure.
But what if you have some accomplishments that are significant for someone in your field, but they just can’t be quantified? Should you omit them because they are not quantifiable?
The answer to the questions above is no. There are ways to show the importance of your accomplishments even if you cannot put a number to them.
Mention awards. Awards speak objectively about the importance of your achievements. But don’t simply list the awards. Include a short descriptive phrase explaining what the award was for. The names of many internal awards are only meaningful to people inside the organization. A brief explanation of the award and why you were given it can give the reader a better understanding of why that award is important.
Talk about the impact of your accomplishments to the organization. Many people when writing their resumes make the mistake of stating what they did without painting a picture for the reader of the results of their action. For example, you might have written a manual on standard operating procedures that was initially produced for your department, but after upper management saw the quality of it, they decided to implement the manual company-wide. Letting the reader know that upper management thought so highly of the manual that they started to use it throughout the entire company shows the impact of your work.
State that your work was recognized outside of your organization. If you presented the results of your work at a professional conference or you were quoted or highlighted in a periodical or professional journal, definitely mention that on your resume. It gives you added credibility in your field and positions you as an expert.
The bottom line is that those who are able to show their contributions to the organization are more likely to attract the attention of the hiring manager. Showing that you have made significant contributions in the past gives hiring managers good reason to believe that you are worth calling for an interview.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Preparing for Interviews
How should you prepare for an upcoming interview? How can you make the best impression on interviewers so that they can see that you are the right candidate for the job?
Here is some advice on how to proceed.
Research companies
You should research the company before going to the interview so that you can speak to the company's needs. Check out the company website as well as any press releases or periodical articles to find out what issues they are facing. You can also use Standard and Poors as well as Dun & Bradstreet to find out about the health of the company. Try to weave some of this data into your answers early on in the interview process so that the interviewer(s) will know that you have done your homework.
Research the interviewer(s)
Do your due diligence before going to the interview, finding out as much as you can about the interviewer(s) through ZoomInfo and LinkedIn. On both ZoomInfo and LinkedIn you can find information about the interviewer’s background, including positions held and education. On LinkedIn you can view the groups the interviewer is a part of as well as the questions that this person has responded to. This research can really pay off as you establish rapport with the interviewer(s) based on the information that you have about them.
Practice interviewing
Practice your answers to commonly asked interview questions so that you come across as a well-prepared candidate. Interviewers usually start with the statement, "Tell me about yourself," so you should be prepared to speak about your qualifications as they relate to the position. Let the interviewer know from the start that you are right for this position.
Questions to anticipate
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
How would your former boss/co-workers describe you?
What interests you most about this position?
What do you know about our company?
Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer.
What would you do if you were asked to do something unethical on the job?
Why should I hire you?
Do you have any questions?
These are commonly asked questions that you should prepare answers for before your interview. You do not want to go to the interview and then have to think of an answer on the spot.
Questions you can ask the interviewer
Could you please describe the ideal candidate for this job for me?
What are the company's strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition?
What would you consider to be the most important aspects of this job?
What types of skills do you NOT already have onboard that you're looking to fill with a new hire?
What are the next steps in the interview process?
You should always have questions for the interviewer. These are some sample questions, but it is also a good idea to come up with questions of your own that show that you have done your homework on the company.
At the interview
Arrive early so that you can check your appearance before meeting the interviewer(s) and make the best first impression. Convey confidence but not arrogance as you greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and comfortable eye contact.
Here is some advice on how to proceed.
Research companies
You should research the company before going to the interview so that you can speak to the company's needs. Check out the company website as well as any press releases or periodical articles to find out what issues they are facing. You can also use Standard and Poors as well as Dun & Bradstreet to find out about the health of the company. Try to weave some of this data into your answers early on in the interview process so that the interviewer(s) will know that you have done your homework.
Research the interviewer(s)
Do your due diligence before going to the interview, finding out as much as you can about the interviewer(s) through ZoomInfo and LinkedIn. On both ZoomInfo and LinkedIn you can find information about the interviewer’s background, including positions held and education. On LinkedIn you can view the groups the interviewer is a part of as well as the questions that this person has responded to. This research can really pay off as you establish rapport with the interviewer(s) based on the information that you have about them.
Practice interviewing
Practice your answers to commonly asked interview questions so that you come across as a well-prepared candidate. Interviewers usually start with the statement, "Tell me about yourself," so you should be prepared to speak about your qualifications as they relate to the position. Let the interviewer know from the start that you are right for this position.
Questions to anticipate
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
How would your former boss/co-workers describe you?
What interests you most about this position?
What do you know about our company?
Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer.
What would you do if you were asked to do something unethical on the job?
Why should I hire you?
Do you have any questions?
These are commonly asked questions that you should prepare answers for before your interview. You do not want to go to the interview and then have to think of an answer on the spot.
Questions you can ask the interviewer
Could you please describe the ideal candidate for this job for me?
What are the company's strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition?
What would you consider to be the most important aspects of this job?
What types of skills do you NOT already have onboard that you're looking to fill with a new hire?
What are the next steps in the interview process?
You should always have questions for the interviewer. These are some sample questions, but it is also a good idea to come up with questions of your own that show that you have done your homework on the company.
At the interview
Arrive early so that you can check your appearance before meeting the interviewer(s) and make the best first impression. Convey confidence but not arrogance as you greet the interviewer with a firm handshake and comfortable eye contact.
Monday, May 25, 2009
WHAT TO DO AFTER A LAYOFF--QUICK TIPS
You’ve just been laid off. What should you do next? What first steps should you take towards finding new employment? Here is some professional advice:
Put your profile on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a valuable job search tool because thousands of recruiters regularly search this social networking site for candidates who meet their criteria. Put yourself in a position to be found by a recruiter by placing your profile on this site. An added benefit of LinkedIn is that you can search for jobs on that site and immediately see who you are connected to who works for the company that has the vacancy. This allows you to network your way into a company instead of simply applying for a job online and hoping to hear from them.
Distribute your resume to people in your network and tell them what you are looking for. Particularly for people who you may have a worked with a few years ago, you need to give them a resume so that they can see what you have done most recently. This is also critical for references so that they can speak knowledgeably on your behalf.
Join/become involved in a professional association. A professional association is the best place to find people who are already in your field who have connections to organizations that hire people in your field of expertise. You can raise your visibility in an association by taking on a leadership role. Virtually all associations are looking for people to volunteer to serve on committees. Taking on such a task gives you deeper connections with others in the association that go beyond merely passing out a business card at a monthly meeting. People have an opportunity to see your work ethic and will be more inclined to recommend you for openings that they know of.
Put your profile on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a valuable job search tool because thousands of recruiters regularly search this social networking site for candidates who meet their criteria. Put yourself in a position to be found by a recruiter by placing your profile on this site. An added benefit of LinkedIn is that you can search for jobs on that site and immediately see who you are connected to who works for the company that has the vacancy. This allows you to network your way into a company instead of simply applying for a job online and hoping to hear from them.
Distribute your resume to people in your network and tell them what you are looking for. Particularly for people who you may have a worked with a few years ago, you need to give them a resume so that they can see what you have done most recently. This is also critical for references so that they can speak knowledgeably on your behalf.
Join/become involved in a professional association. A professional association is the best place to find people who are already in your field who have connections to organizations that hire people in your field of expertise. You can raise your visibility in an association by taking on a leadership role. Virtually all associations are looking for people to volunteer to serve on committees. Taking on such a task gives you deeper connections with others in the association that go beyond merely passing out a business card at a monthly meeting. People have an opportunity to see your work ethic and will be more inclined to recommend you for openings that they know of.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Do's and Don'ts of a Job Search Using Social Media
Do’s
Have a complete profile for all of the social media sites that you participate in. It is a good idea to have a blog or other URL that you can refer people to. If you don’t have a blog, you might create a web resume and use that URL on Twitter and LinkedIn where hiring managers and recruiters can learn more about your background.
Learn about the etiquette that is expected on each different social media site. LinkedIn is a professional site, so you should conduct yourself accordingly. Facebook is often a mixture of personal and professional, and because of the brevity of your posts (or tweets) on Twitter, you can use a lot of abbreviations.
Give as well as get. Be willing to share your expertise so that social networking is a two-way street. For example, if someone posts a question that you know the answer to, respond to the question so that you can be generous with your knowledge.
Be open to connecting with a lot of different people to extend your reach on social networking sites. The more people who know about you and what you have to offer is the more that you open yourself up to potential opportunities.
Don’ts
Don’t expect to find a job immediately just because you are using social media. You have to build relationships with people, and that takes time.
Don’t simply fill out your profile and expect to be found by a hiring manager. Get involved with each site that you are a member of so that you can get the most out of it.
Don’t wait for people to connect with you. Connect with them. Actively seek out people in your field that you can connect with. Most people will connect with you because they are on social media sites to network.
Find groups of likeminded people that you can join. Groups are a good way to find out what people are talking about and join the discussion. Participating in groups can raise your visibility.
Have a complete profile for all of the social media sites that you participate in. It is a good idea to have a blog or other URL that you can refer people to. If you don’t have a blog, you might create a web resume and use that URL on Twitter and LinkedIn where hiring managers and recruiters can learn more about your background.
Learn about the etiquette that is expected on each different social media site. LinkedIn is a professional site, so you should conduct yourself accordingly. Facebook is often a mixture of personal and professional, and because of the brevity of your posts (or tweets) on Twitter, you can use a lot of abbreviations.
Give as well as get. Be willing to share your expertise so that social networking is a two-way street. For example, if someone posts a question that you know the answer to, respond to the question so that you can be generous with your knowledge.
Be open to connecting with a lot of different people to extend your reach on social networking sites. The more people who know about you and what you have to offer is the more that you open yourself up to potential opportunities.
Don’ts
Don’t expect to find a job immediately just because you are using social media. You have to build relationships with people, and that takes time.
Don’t simply fill out your profile and expect to be found by a hiring manager. Get involved with each site that you are a member of so that you can get the most out of it.
Don’t wait for people to connect with you. Connect with them. Actively seek out people in your field that you can connect with. Most people will connect with you because they are on social media sites to network.
Find groups of likeminded people that you can join. Groups are a good way to find out what people are talking about and join the discussion. Participating in groups can raise your visibility.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CAREER DOESN’T GO AS PLANNED
Many people who have put an incredible amount of time and energy into their careers find themselves frustrated when they are confronted with career setbacks. It could be that your career is stalled. You find yourself unable to move any further up the corporate ladder. Or your career may temporarily be in neutral. You may have been laid off or downsized, and you are now involuntarily unemployed.
What’s the best way to handle these career setbacks? Here are some tips to get you back in gear:
Stalled Careers
People who do not get promoted in the time that they thought they would usually either react with anger or with self blame. Those who react with anger often refuse to give their best to the organization after being met with this type of disappointment. They look at those who have been promoted, and if they sense that the process has been unfair and that their hard work has gone unrewarded while others who, in their opinion, have not worked as hard have moved on to higher positions, they usually either start looking for other positions or stay and refuse to do any more than they have to.
Those who blame themselves may work even harder and try to assess what other people did right that they did wrong. They are not as likely to look outside of their current situation for another job.
You should look both internally and externally for reasons to explain why you did not get the promotions that you were seeking. Particularly in a bad economy, it is often the case that employees were not promoted because there was nowhere for them to go. Many people are delaying retirement, and that leaves fewer positions up the ladder to aspire to. But at the same time you should be objective about your own job performance to make sure that you are not sabotaging your own career and derailing your own promotions.
Objectively weigh your options at your current place of employment. It could be that simply moving to another department may provide you with more career mobility. Maybe a mentor could help you navigate the landscape and help you continue to move up. If you realize after your objective assessment that there simply aren’t any more opportunities for you at your current company, decide whether or not you want to find an opportunity elsewhere or if you prefer to make the best of it. If you decide to make the best of it, you might think of ways that you can increase your job satisfaction where you are, such as mentoring someone junior to you in the firm, participating on organization-wide committees, or volunteering in a company-sponsored community service program.
Being Laid Off, Downsized, or Reassigned
People who find themselves laid off, downsized, or reassigned run the gamut of emotions--fear, anger, shame, revenge, disappointment, relief, and even joy. The people who bounce back from such situations are successful because they have a network of supportive people that they can vent to and rely on for practical assistance in their job searches.
If you have lost your job, you should make the best use of any resources available to help you find new employment. If your employer offers outplacement, as a newly laid off worker, you should definitely take advantage of it. If this is not available, you should take advantage of state resources through the Office of Employment Services. In the case of employer-sponsored or state-sponsored resources, you can obtain assistance with your resumes as well as access to online resources to find jobs.
It is also critical that you keep a positive attitude even when the job search drags on. Many people give up and stop looking for a job. And some who do continue looking having a defeatist attitude which comes across during the interview process. Those who eventually land good jobs are realistic about the job market, but they also are able to convey an upbeat attitude to employers.
The bottom line is that you do not have to let a career setback stop your career. Use it as a steppingstone instead of a stumblingblock.
What’s the best way to handle these career setbacks? Here are some tips to get you back in gear:
Stalled Careers
People who do not get promoted in the time that they thought they would usually either react with anger or with self blame. Those who react with anger often refuse to give their best to the organization after being met with this type of disappointment. They look at those who have been promoted, and if they sense that the process has been unfair and that their hard work has gone unrewarded while others who, in their opinion, have not worked as hard have moved on to higher positions, they usually either start looking for other positions or stay and refuse to do any more than they have to.
Those who blame themselves may work even harder and try to assess what other people did right that they did wrong. They are not as likely to look outside of their current situation for another job.
You should look both internally and externally for reasons to explain why you did not get the promotions that you were seeking. Particularly in a bad economy, it is often the case that employees were not promoted because there was nowhere for them to go. Many people are delaying retirement, and that leaves fewer positions up the ladder to aspire to. But at the same time you should be objective about your own job performance to make sure that you are not sabotaging your own career and derailing your own promotions.
Objectively weigh your options at your current place of employment. It could be that simply moving to another department may provide you with more career mobility. Maybe a mentor could help you navigate the landscape and help you continue to move up. If you realize after your objective assessment that there simply aren’t any more opportunities for you at your current company, decide whether or not you want to find an opportunity elsewhere or if you prefer to make the best of it. If you decide to make the best of it, you might think of ways that you can increase your job satisfaction where you are, such as mentoring someone junior to you in the firm, participating on organization-wide committees, or volunteering in a company-sponsored community service program.
Being Laid Off, Downsized, or Reassigned
People who find themselves laid off, downsized, or reassigned run the gamut of emotions--fear, anger, shame, revenge, disappointment, relief, and even joy. The people who bounce back from such situations are successful because they have a network of supportive people that they can vent to and rely on for practical assistance in their job searches.
If you have lost your job, you should make the best use of any resources available to help you find new employment. If your employer offers outplacement, as a newly laid off worker, you should definitely take advantage of it. If this is not available, you should take advantage of state resources through the Office of Employment Services. In the case of employer-sponsored or state-sponsored resources, you can obtain assistance with your resumes as well as access to online resources to find jobs.
It is also critical that you keep a positive attitude even when the job search drags on. Many people give up and stop looking for a job. And some who do continue looking having a defeatist attitude which comes across during the interview process. Those who eventually land good jobs are realistic about the job market, but they also are able to convey an upbeat attitude to employers.
The bottom line is that you do not have to let a career setback stop your career. Use it as a steppingstone instead of a stumblingblock.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
On Being Jobless
With unemployment at a record high, many are finding themselves jobless, and they are wondering what to do with this unexpected gift of time.
Here are some suggestions for using this time wisely:
Assess your marketability. Have your skills fallen behind? Are you on the cutting edge as far as your chosen profession is concerned? If you find that you are not as marketable as you would like to be, this period of joblessness can be put to good use to sharpen your skills so that you are attractive to a potential employer. Attending professional association meetings can bring you up to speed with what's new and what's hot in your field. If you don't know the latest software packages, now is a good time to take a short course.
Use the time that you are unemployed to explore a new field or industry. Having worked in outplacement for a number of years, I know that often people who would have never considered doing anything different feel a certain sense of freedom to pursue other options once they lose their jobs. In many cases people find something that is much more fulfilling than they were doing before. For those job seekers who are fortunate enough to have severance packages that will tide them over for several months, this is an opportune time to do some exploration.
Expand your network. Most people find themselves too busy with work and family to devote much time to networking. But unemployed job seekers have time on their hands, and it is up to them to use it wisely. As a career coach I suggest to my clients that they join professional associations and get involved on LinkedIn to expand their network beyond the people they knew on the job.
Enjoy your family. Use this gift of time to participate in activities with your family that you didn't have time to do when you were working. It's a worthwhile investment.
Here are some suggestions for using this time wisely:
Assess your marketability. Have your skills fallen behind? Are you on the cutting edge as far as your chosen profession is concerned? If you find that you are not as marketable as you would like to be, this period of joblessness can be put to good use to sharpen your skills so that you are attractive to a potential employer. Attending professional association meetings can bring you up to speed with what's new and what's hot in your field. If you don't know the latest software packages, now is a good time to take a short course.
Use the time that you are unemployed to explore a new field or industry. Having worked in outplacement for a number of years, I know that often people who would have never considered doing anything different feel a certain sense of freedom to pursue other options once they lose their jobs. In many cases people find something that is much more fulfilling than they were doing before. For those job seekers who are fortunate enough to have severance packages that will tide them over for several months, this is an opportune time to do some exploration.
Expand your network. Most people find themselves too busy with work and family to devote much time to networking. But unemployed job seekers have time on their hands, and it is up to them to use it wisely. As a career coach I suggest to my clients that they join professional associations and get involved on LinkedIn to expand their network beyond the people they knew on the job.
Enjoy your family. Use this gift of time to participate in activities with your family that you didn't have time to do when you were working. It's a worthwhile investment.
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