Staying Positive In Your Job Search

It goes without saying that a job search can be an act of frustration.  You send out tens if not hundreds of resumes without getting much more than a computer-generated response, and in the few instances where you do get to speak with a live person, typically you have one 2-minute conversation, and then never hear from them again.  Throughout this all you've got bills to pay, so you need a job right now.  But you don't want to go through this exercise again in a year, so you want a job that you can be happy with for the long term. 

On top of these common frustrations is one of the most trying & competitive hiring environments in recent U.S. history. 

Want one easy way to separate yourself from the majority of people looking for work?

Being positive.

I know there's many books & seminars about the power of "Positive Thinking" and embracing "The Secret" and while each of us may have their own beliefs about this, I think it's important to be upbeat and try your best to be genuinely positive when you are called about your qualifications and search for a few simple reasons:

1. Hiring Managers immediately imagine you in their work setting, and if you seem like a pleasant person to be around, it's going to help them paint a positive mental picture of you in their workplace environment.
2. You can extend a first interview by being cheerful- it's human nature for people to want to be around happy people, and many times the longer you can speak to someone the better a connection you'll make.
3. Winners want to surround themselves with 'winners.'  When I speak to a job seeker, I generally have a favorable impression of someone who is upbeat and positive about their future (even if they're not working, but just seem to be winning at life.)

Now I know it's not easy, but I think it really might be the thing to separate yourself from another candidate.  Don't be fake, or over the top, but do your best to stay positive.

If you're out of work

The saying goes “you always want to look for your next job, while you’re still at your current job.”  While this is ideal, most of us are going to have a less-than-ideal experience at least once in your life, either intentionally, or through circumstances beyond our control.  Finishing a job without having your next career opportunity lined up can pose a challenge for many.  

I offer a few ideas in this situation in order to help those people that are looking for their next position: 

1. You are now a Sales Professional – What I mean by this is that whether this is your profession or not, you are now in the business of selling yourself.  Thus, you need to treat your job search as if you are a Rainmaker trying to hit your sales quota.  It will help you if you understand some of the key rules of sales. 
•  Develop a target list – Research, brain storm, and write down specific companies that you (realistically) would like to work for.  Build a list of these companies, as a starting point for researching and gathering information on potential connections that you might have at these companies.  
• It’s a numbers game, so the more people you ‘sell’ to, the better opportunity you will have to make a sale.  So how to make sure you are hitting your numbers?  Here are a few more ways to do it-
2. Treat your job search like it’s your job- Yes, I’m suggesting that you spend 8 hours per day looking for work.  The more structure and discipline you can work into your day, the better chance you’ll have to accomplish what you’d like.  A great way to do this is by setting daily goals for yourself, and then working to accomplishing those goals.  Examples of this are “I’d like to send out at least two resumes a day directly to a hiring contact, and make at least 2 phone calls to people that I’ve sent my resume to.” 
3. Follow up on your resumes- Submitting your resume online now feels like it’s a black hole for most people.  You spend time to complete the online application as best as you can, and then never hear from the company again.  I don’t have a magic solution for this, but I do recommend that everyone at least spend the extra time to put in a phone call to follow up on your submittal.  I know that when I was in a hiring role, I was twice as likely to call someone back if they followed this procedure.
4. Network Network Network- Here’s my take on networking: meet with as many people as you can in order to discuss your situation, what they are doing, and ways that you might be able to help each other in the future.  Notice I said each other.  Meeting with a friend or colleague isn’t a chance for you to recite your resume and ask for their help.  Ask questions, and be generally curious about what the person across from you does.  How can you help them?  Think about reciprocity, and it will pay dividends back to you.  You’ll be looked at as someone who generally can help other people (and who wouldn’t want this reputation in your career?)
5. Let the internet work for you – Set up several keyword searches on www.indeed.com that match the types of positions that you’re looking for.  Do the same thing on www.linkedin.com, and then do your diligence on finding out who the hiring manager is (I talked about this at length in another article.)
6. Do not lose a job – One of the most common things seen are candidates that lose a job after their first interview.  When walking out of an interview, confirm the next step with your interviewer.  I find that the majority of the time a candidate will be asked for some type of action step to test their follow up skills.  Make sure you know what this action step is, and do it in a timely & professional manner, whether it’s a thank you email or a specific date/time you are asked to call to schedule a 2^nd interview, etc.  Do not miss a date & time that this company.

If you're caught in this situation, it can be a stressful time.  With a little planning and know-how, you can minimize the time that you're out of work, and even land an opportunity that will be a better fit for you in the next phase of your career! 

Always, Always, Always...

If you've made the decision to begin your job search, you're going to be contacted by Recruiters & Staffing Firms looking to represent you for positions that you're interested in, it's inevitable in today's job market.  The #1 rule that you must follow if you plan on working with these outside recruiters:

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS know where your resume is going.  You never want to give a particular recruiter "free reign" to present your resume to any company they see fit.  When a client company receives your resume from multiple recruiters, it not only looks bad on the recruiter; but it reflects poorly on you, as the candidate.  When this occurs, I've seen companies complain that it seems that a candidate is not able to manage their job search.  If you're having trouble managing your job search, how efficient will you be at managing your job?

Secondly, if a resume is presented by multiple recruiters, there will be a dispute on which recruiter is representing you (and owed the fee for finding you.)  Companies often times decide to take the path of least resistance - move on to the next candidate in line, rather than deal with the headache of playing referee on who is owed a fee.

A simple way to address this is to ask nicely when a headhunter or recruiter contacts you to conduct an initial interview: "Can you please discuss with me any company that you are interested in presenting me to?  I like to keep track of these companies, and would like to know where my resume is being presented PRIOR to you doing it."

Interview Preparation Guide

In this ultra-competitive job market, the key to setting yourself apart in once you have secured the interview is preparation and practice.  Good interviewing is a skill that gets better, so the more that you can do; the more confident you will be when you walk in to greet your interviewer.  Here are some key steps for you in your interview:

Before the Interview

Research

1. Review your resume- Re-read your resume so you know and remember everything that you’ve documented, and be prepared to discuss every detail.  Many times people will update an oldver version of their resume and forget about the ‘why’s’ and ‘how’s’ details of previous positions.  Employers like to ask about early career moves, so having stories and examples fresh in your mind will be vital.
2. Research the Industry- A website as simple as Yahoo Finance can give you an industry snapshot, and trade magazines can give you an idea about what the newest trends and external forces are that your potential employer are dealing with.
3. Research the company- Get online and read the company website, while taking notes.  Write down key statistics and dates in the company’s history.  Look at all the job openings that the company has open.  Write these things down
4. Research the people that you will be interviewing with- LinkedIn.com is an excellent tool for you to research the profiles of the people you are meeting with.  This will give you a good chance to see their career paths, any external organizations that they are involved in, and causes that they may be passionate about.   Write down reminders in your interview book!

 Write Down

1. Questions- All of your research should be a way for you to generate questions that you have prepared prior to your interview.  Write these questions down in clear, spaced handwriting so you will be able to refer to them quickly when you’re in an interview.  I typically recommend having 10-12 questions prepared.  90% of these will probably be answered during your conversation, but you always want to have a question ready when you get to that point in the interview (more on this later.)
2. Examples & Stories- The things an interviewer remembers are examples and stories to back up any attributes that you use to describe yourself.  It will benefit you to brainstorm a few of these prior to your interview.  It will give you a chance to say “I am like this, and an example of when I showed this was here.”  The key to a good example or story is specificity and brevity: Give accurate details and paint a picture of what you did, without getting too long-winded.
3. Accomplishments– Think of ways that you’ve saved your past employers money, or made them money.  Be ready to paint a clear and concise picture around this. 

Rehearse

1. "Tell me about yourself"- This question is asked in most interviews, so rehearsing your answer to this should always be a priority.  You want to be able to give a brief description of your career-to-date, which help clarify the reasons that you’ve made the decisions that you have.  Highlight any exciting things that you think are relevant, and what they taught you.
2. Rely on a Friend- Have someone you trust ask you a series of interview questions so you can practice answering them.  I think it’s more important for you to hear yourself answer the questions and practice than to actually solicit comments or criticism, but do your best to self-evaluate your answers.  You can even take it a step further and record yourself in this practice to hear how you sound.
3. Match your criteria to your company- Since you’ve done your research, you know what kind of company you’re meeting with.  Therefore, if you’re asked “tell me what you’re looking for in a company” you can describe their organization.  When I was interviewing & hiring for a boutique firm (ie; small business) I couldn’t believe how many candidates told me they wanted to work for a large organization where there was room for rapid growth.  It just showed me that they didn’t prepare properly.

During the Interview

1. Research and understand the location of your interview.  Do a ‘dry run’ if possible to know where you are to park and how long the commute will be.
2. Bring an interview folder- It’s just plain weird to walk into an interview with nothing in your hands.  My recommendation is to bring a notebook folio, with at least 5 copies of your resume with you.  You’ll have all your questions and notes written down here, and you can refer to it when needed. 
3. Dress appropriately- You can ask a Recruiter or HR Assistant what they company dress code is, and always dress a notch above it.  Always err on the side of a business suit with conservative colors.
4. Arrive early, but not too early- Arriving 5-10 minutes is appropriate, but not much more than that.  You don’t want to throw off your interviewers schedule by arriving too early, and waiting too long in the lobby doesn’t help your cause.  I would recommend giving yourself plenty of time to arrive, but then either wait in your car or sit at a coffee shop nearby before heading in (You can always use this time to brush up on your research, right?)
5. Treat everyone you encounter with respect & friendliness- Even before you enter the building, you never know who you are passing on the sidewalk.  You might be next to your boss in the elevator.  The receptionist is usually the first person asked for their impression of you.  For this reason, be polite and professional with everyone you encounter.
6. The interview is a two-way conversation- I’ve found that the best interviews turn into professional discussions, and not just a question and answer period.  For that reason, don’t be afraid to ask questions if they are relevant during the interview, you don’t need to save them all until the end.  That being said, you should ALWAYS have a question at the end if the interviewer asks you “do you have any further questions?”  (Remember, this is why you did all of that preparation…)
7. Take some notes- Many times I’ve seen interviewers gauge interest on any notes they witness you write yourself, based on what they’re saying.  You don’t have to dictate every word, but when they tell you about their future plans or an objective, that is always a good time to open up your folio and jot a word or two that will help you remember what they said.
8. Confirm the next step in the process- This can be as easy as saying: “I’m extremely interested in the position, what is the next step in the interview process?”  You don’t want to leave without a clear path as to who should be contacting whom.
9. Ask for a business card- Ask everyone you are meeting with for a card, you’ll want to have their email addresses and correct spelling of their names.

After the Interview

1. Write a thank you note- I believe email is appropriate in this day and age.  Remember the principle of specificity and brevity?  Use it in your thank you note.  You don’t want to cut & paste a generic thank you, add a personal touch “I’m even more interested after learning about your international expansion plans, and look forward to taking the next step in the process.”  You also don’t want to write a story- keep it to 1-2 short paragraphs that show them you appreciate their time.  A thank you card mailed is a good touch, but you don’t want to delay if you’re sending one.  Get it in the mail that afternoon.
2. Follow up when you say you will- Many companies will put the onus of following up on the candidate, to gauge their interest and follow up skills.  If a potential employer says “call me on Tuesday” then you make a note and call them on Tuesday!  Even better, reference their request when you call them.  “I know you wanted me to call you today to discuss next steps.  I’m interested in moving forward, where do we go from here?” 
3. Be persistent but not overbearing- Hiring Managers are human, so they might not call you back.  My recommendation is to wait a day, and then try again.  If they tell you to ‘call them on Tuesday’ and Thursday rolls around and you haven’t heard from them, give them a second call and perhaps follow up with an email.  It’s fair and reasonable for you to get feedback after the interview, even if it’s a ‘no thanks.’  Companies that simply ‘go dark’ aren’t showing you professional respect and courtesy.  That being said, this will happen, and you never want to burn a bridge, so always be respectful when reaching out.
4. Don’t let your guard down on subsequent interviews- After the 3^rd or 4^th interview you may feel that you ‘have it in the bag’ but I’m here to tell you that this isn’t so.  I’ve seen a lot of companies bring people back many times so they can see who they really are, not just that they are good at interviewing.  Use these same principles each time you’re meeting with someone from the organization, and maintain professionalism the entire time.

Rufca Recruiting principles

As I began the company, I sat down with a pad and paper and wanted to write down the key "rules" that I wanted our company to follow, regardless of our size.  Since the company now starts with me, these are the key things that I remind myself and follow every day:

1. Do everything with energy & passion.
2. Don't shy away from honest and tough conversations.
3. Work harder than you think you can.
4. Celebrate big and small victories.
5. Constantly create better ways to do things.
6. Form meaningful relationships.
7. When in doubt, remember that you have nothing to lose.

 Nothing groundbreaking here, but a checklist that will keep me pushing to build something that can be a great company.
 

Silicon Valley

I was in the Bay Area this past week for business, spending time visiting both clients (hiring companies) and candidates.  It's always great to see things with my own eyes, and meet people face-to-face that I've been speaking with for the past several weeks. 

I'm always extremely impressed with vibe & feeling when here.  Driving from company to company allows me to see a lot of the area, and see firsthand the Silicon Valley heavyweights that we read about all the time.  Each of these massive companies seem like huge planets, with a lot of smaller tech companies orbiting like moons around these huge company campuses.  Everything also seems so...new.

The people that work at these tech firms also all seem so energized by their companies, and I can't blame them.  Many of these companies are competing for the same talent, so the perks seem to be one-upped at each company I meet.  Full service cafeterias, nap rooms, exercise facilities on campus.  It's amazing to compare across companies. 

Seeing it in person makes me believe that this is the industry that is driving our economy.  There also is a need for top talent at all these companies, which bodes well for all of us.

3 Steps to Keeping your Options Open

Regardless of your comfort level at your current job, you never know when you might suddenly be looking for a new career, sometimes unexpectedly.  Your company might get purchased, you might lose a huge client, you could get fired, your boss could get replaced…the possibilities are endless.  There are a few easy steps you should take to keep your career network open, regardless of your current status, since it could change tomorrow:

1. Build & update your Working Resume - Use this ‘working resume’ as an opportunity for you to keep yourself updated on what you’re doing & accomplishing at your job.  Too many times I’ve seen candidates stay at a company for years and years, but when it comes time to build their resume, they’ve forgotten all of their major accomplishments!  Were you the top biller in the 4^th quarter of 2011?  Go into your working document resume and write a short bullet about this.  Awarded good citizenship award in August?  Make a note.  If it comes time to actually begin looking for a job, it will be extremely easy to go in and clean up this version of a resume, rather than having to write one from scratch.
2. Build a relevant LinkedIn profile.  The phrase “If you build it, they will come” was made famous in the movie Field of Dreams, and it’s relevant to your online profile as well.  Upload your experience, education, and activities onto LinkedIn, and use LinkedIn as your professional network, only including things that you would want a potential employer to view. (I discourage you from connecting your twitter feed, especially if you’re updating twitter on a Friday at 1 in the morning)  Include a professional profile picture, and join several LinkedIn groups such as your school’s alumni group, or any professional associations related to your chosen field.
3. Reply to any headhunter that contacts you.  LinkedIn is the lifeblood of recruiters, and they will find you online if you’re visible.  My advice is to reply to them all, even if you are not willing to interview for a job.  Letting them know that “you’re not ready to actively interview, but would love to find out about the type of positions that they specialize in, and keep in contact for future opportunities.”  Many (good) recruiters appreciate this, and would be willing to have a 5-10 minute conversation about your dream job, so they could keep you on file.

That’s it!  By taking these three simple steps you’ll keep opportunities open for without exposing yourself to your current employer as someone wanting to leave your current position.  By taking these easy steps you won’t be too far behind if you all of a sudden you find yourself in need of your next opportunity.

Resume Tips

I’ve recruited for almost ten years now (dear god I’m getting old…) and over the past year of reading more resumes than ever before, I thought it might be good to try my own hand at writing a quick help guide for people that are trying to get responses on their resumes and applications.  Now, I can’t promise that you’ll get the job or anything like that, all I know is that there are things that compel me to call a candidate, and there are things that turn me off from calling a candidate.  Here’s my advice:

Make sure your title matches the description of the position that you’re applying for.  Now, I’m not telling you to lie about what your title was at the company, but if you’re applying for a “Technical Analyst” position, and you are a “Desktop Analyst” then do yourself a favor, and change the title to Technical Analyst, you’re not lying and it will help your cause.  Same with “Sales Executive” and “Account Executive” etc.

Your cover letter should only be used to answer any questions that will be addressed instantly from your resume.  For example, if you’re applying for a job out of state, explain why/how you’re going to get there (although I’m currently living in NY, I have family in Los Angeles and a place to stay once I arrive.)  If you’re applying for a job that isn’t even close to what’s on your resume, at least acknowledge it in the cover letter (Although I don’t have experience as a food scientist, etc etc.)  If nothing else, you might at least get a second look at your resume.

Find out the name of the person handlng the hiring.  While most companies don’t publicize who is the person quarterbacking the recruiting, you can usually call the main number and get transferred to someone’s voicemail, and hence, have a name to address when you email.  (LinkedIn has made this even easier.)  I almost always respond to someone if their email starts “Dear Mitch” vs. “To whom it may concern,”  Which leads me to next point.

Whenever possible, email someone directly with your resume, and send your resume as a word attachment vs. pasting it in the body of the email.  Nothing can be more frustating for a candidate is if you actually get a response, but find yourself in a vicious game of phone tag with the recruiter.  If this is the case, it always helps to leave times that you can be available to speak.  A lot of Recruiters will just add you to their calender at the time you tell them.  Also, if contacted, respond in kind.  If someone calls you, call them back.  If someone emails you, then email them a response.

If you do get a response on your resume with questions, do your best to respond from a computer.  It doesn’t look professional to respond to an inquiry with a quick statement from your phone.  I hate it if I send a professional inquiry, and get an instant response that looks like “sounds great!” –sent from my iphone.  It’s just a turnoff for me.  No smiley faces in any emails or correspondance (but you knew that…)