At an event I recently attended, the program speaker, who was from ComedySportz, asked the audience to pair up with someone else at their table and ask, “What's NOT wrong with your life?" Once the partner responded, the questioner was told to repeat the question over and over after each answer was given. This went on for about 30 seconds, and then we reversed roles. Nervous tittering trickled across the room. It was an unusual question aimed at provoking thought. Personally, I found this exercise incredibly difficult…my brain struggled to provide a new answer, and the funny thing is, I consider myself a positive person, and try not to dwell on the negatives. I have lots of things to be happy about. But why was this question so tough? Most of us could probably tick off (without batting an eye) a list of things you wished you could fix such as: need to clean house more often, lose weight, take that class you never have time for, or find that right person to date. But why is it so easy to rattle off the bad things but when it comes to quickly pinpointing the positives, we are reluctant to mention them? Credit our parents. “Be modest" was drilled into our heads. “Don't boast" is another social rule we've been taught. These are all admirable etiquette tips to follow, but have we also lost something else along the way? Are we afraid to be centered and happy about our accomplishments? One of the biggest concerns I hear from clients is they are wary about claiming any kind of positive contribution at their employer when detailing their accomplishments on their résumé. There is a fine line between being a braggart (ME! ME! ME!) and someone who has positively contributed to society, community, or business. Oftentimes during résumé consultations, someone will tell me, “I haven't really done anything." – which tells me they haven't been able to embrace the value that they have contributed to an organization. Wrong. Everyone contributes something. Case in point: Who is the most important PAID person in any company? (HINT: It's not the CEO) Give up? It's anyone who has the first point of contact with a customer. Without customers, the company is dead in the water. So while the CEO may get paid more, the person on the front line is actually holding the future of the company in the palm of their hand by how they interact with the customer. That's a positive contribution. An important career management tip for everyone (myself included) is to take a deep breath, do an inventory on your positive contributions, and accept being centered on those things without being ashamed. You aren't boasting. You're simply balancing the negatives with positives. Similarly, you need to be in the moment to celebrate the things that aren't wrong with your life. Remembering and cherishing those positive things will help you get through the bad times and give you sustenance to make it out to the other side. Be connected and celebrate the things that are going right…it's okay, and it will help make your life more fulfilling. And believe me, I am thinking a lot about my experience so I can also be in the moment with the things NOT wrong in my life! [This article was originally posted on an earlier date] Dawn Rasmussen is the chief resume designer and president of Pathfinder Writing and Career Services.
The leaves are changing, the kids are back in school, and that familiar chill is in the air. You think it's the perfect time to look for a job, and it is! But are your job search fears preventing you from making that leap?
It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?
Are you feeling spooked yet?
Believe it or not, there's no need to be afraid of the job search process! You can land your dream job with the right tools and strategy. You can find a job that won't give you nightmares. Here are three spooky secrets every job seeker should know as they look for a job this fall.
1. An Effective Job Search Starts With An Interview Bucket List
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Despite your fears, you've decided to take the plunge and look for a new job. You might be asking yourself, "Where do I start?" The answer is simple: start by creating an interview bucket list.
An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Are you passionate about a company's products or services? Do you feel connected to its mission? Can you relate to its values and beliefs as an organization? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, that company probably belongs on your interview bucket list.
Once you create an interview bucket list, you'll be able to conduct a targeted job search, one with direction and a foundation upon which everything else will be built. An interview bucket list helps you focus your job search and networking strategies on the right opportunities, making it easier to get your foot in the door at one of your dream companies.
2. Your Job Application Needs To Disrupt Hiring Managers
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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers. You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter.
A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience—adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview.
Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter. To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.
3. Employers Hire You Based On 3 Things
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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).
Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer.
Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.
Want To Learn More Job Search Secrets?
As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.
We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.
The competition is fierce, and there are a lot of factors that are out of your control. But the one factor you can control is your job search strategy, the tools and tactics you use to land a job.
If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp, a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.
In this video workshop, you'll learn:
- How to use backchanneling to get directly to hiring managers.
- The secret to using a connection story to stand out against the competition.
- How social media can be your secret weapon to get job interviews.
- The resume format that is getting job seekers more job interviews.
- And, a lot more hacks for job search success!
Let us show you the secrets to getting a new, better-paying job you actually love. Sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp today.
Are you ready to land the job of your dreams (and leave the job of your nightmares)?