Getting a Job Offer

An interesting phenomenon occurred with two clients over the past 2 weeks: both got job offers they were not ecstatic about.

One decided to take the position, with trepidation. The other is still deciding.

Huh??? In this economy, after searching for about a year, they aren’t ecstatic about getting a job? What’s up with that?

In the first case, the hesitation has to do with the company culture. She wonders if she will fit in and whether the company will truly accept her. On the face of it, this is her dream job: exactly the kind of work she wants to do, the role she wants to play (at a higher level than ever before!), the money she wants, the location she wants (local), and the kind of company she wanted to work for. Plus the company, in meeting all her requests, has shown great enthusiasm for her, her skills and abilities, and her Core Value Proposition.

Yet she hesitated to accept the job. It’s a company based in another country with a culture based in that country’s culture. It’s different from US-based companies, and she’s nervous about whether there will be a true fit.

It turns out that “culture and colleagues” is an extremely high priority on her Must Have List. So high, in fact, that it almost outweighed the other 5 items on her List.

She decided to take the job because it does meet so much of her Must Have List…and she needs a job and the income it provides. She can’t wait any longer. So she’s decided to give it a go, trusting that she’ll be able to cope. Oh, and she’s going to continue getting coaching to help her make the transition to a new culture. Yes, asking for help is definitely a coping mechanism.

My other client was offered a job that also meets virtually all of her Must Have List, with one major exception: location. She and her family will have to relocate from one coast to another. It’s almost a deal breaker for her.

The lesson of these two stories is that a Must Have List is an essential guide to what you want in a job, and one of the items almost always outweighs everything else. In a perfect world, you’d get everything you want. This isn’t a perfect world, though, so people are having to make some very hard choices. Including giving up something that they now realize mattered more than they expected.

The Law of Attraction and Job Search

Most people have heard of the Law of Attraction, made famous by the book The Secret. I was fascinated to learn that there is such a "Law" because it's exactly what I've advocated for years: be specific about exactly what constitutes your "right fit" work and job.

Here's where the Law of Attraction comes in. When you can picture the job, you send a message to the universe that you’re open to this exact opportunity -- and that allows the Law of Attraction to start working. You attract the exact vibration job that you’ve envisioned.

What this means is that you are starting your job search with what you want -- your goal. With a goal, you can create a plan to reach it. This is starting with the end in mind. Specificity really helps in job search. When you know the specific kind of job you want,

* you know what to look for on job sites
* it’s easy to explain why certain jobs are the right ones for you
* people will quickly understand how to help you when you network
* you’ll immediately recognize job opportunities when they appear

And job opportunities will appear. There’s a very interesting alchemy that happens when you get specific. To paraphrase a quote attributed to Goethe, “when you fully commit to something, the universe steps in to support you.”

Once my clients know exactly what they want to do -- by developing their “Must Have List” of things they must have for a job to be the right fit for them -- it seems almost magical how opportunities begin to appear that are aligned with your goal. The Law of Attraction does work in job search.

Expand your Job Search Network

A very simple way to expand your job search network is to use LinkedIn. If you don't have a LinkedIn profile, get one fast!

The kind of resume I help people develop is LinkedIn-friendly. Your resume Profile turns into your LinkedIn Summary, your Core Capabilities turn into your Specialties, and your jobs easily fit into the LinkedIn space. Education comes after Experience in both places. I'll write more about an ideal LinkedIn profile, but back to the topic of networking now!

Once you have a good LinkedIn profile, it's time to connect with people. You want to connect with

* former colleagues
* current colleagues (if you're working)
* people at your house of worship
* other volunteers (if you volunteer)
* neighbors
* friends
* college classmates
* high school classmates
* your professional service providers (doctor, lawyer, accountant)
* your kid's friends' parents

Basically, you want as broad a network as possible. The idea is to have as many "First Degree Connections" as you can get for a couple of reasons.

1) More people will see your profile and updates, and have you in their mind. That makes it much easier for you when you contact them for help with your job search. You will be "top of mind" because they see you making changes to your profile, adding connections, making updates.

2) You have a much larger extended network. All those first degree connections have their own networks, and their networks have their own networks. You have access to these second and third degree connections. So the more first degree connections you have, the wider the reach you have for introductions to people with a 2nd or 3rd degree connection. Chances are that there is at least one person one or two degrees away from you who works at a company you have targeted.

You can find people to add to your connections by following these simple steps.

** To use your e-mail address to find people, go to your main page and click on "Contacts" and "Import Contacts."

** It will prompt you to enter a password if you need it, and then you hit enter and LinkedIn comes up with a huge list of people.

** Those who are on LinkedIn will have a little blue icon with "in" on it, indicating that they are on LinkedIn.

** The default is to check every box, so click on "select all" to UNselect all.

** You will then sort through to see who you want to add to your network. Click on the box next to those you choose.

** The box on the right will list all those to whom you want to send invitations. Click on "send" and the invites will be on their way.

Once you have connections, you can ask for recommendations. To have a complete profile, LinkedIn wants you have at least 3 recommendations. And recommendations are used more and more for "soft reference checks."

You can ask for recommendations on the site itself from people in your network. That's a topic for another day, and a VERY important one.

How to Answer "What Are You Looking For?"

When you network, you will be asked "so what do you want to do?" Here's a simple formula for answering it in a sentence or two.

Write an "intention statement" that describes those skills and talents you love to use, the challenges you love to solve, and the value you can deliver to an employer in your field in such and such a role.

Write it down and then practice saying it - editing and practicing until it comes really naturally to you. Ask a professional friend can give you feedback on this "intention statement." Do they know what you want to do? Do they understand the kind of value you can provide? Do they have any ideas of where you could look, who you could talk to, the kinds of jobs you could seek? If not, refine it even more.

This format is used very effectively by MANY clients, because it starts with you, travels to the employer and then focuses on some specific types of roles that will spark people's brains to think of positions they may have heard of.

Appearance Matters

I Googled the phrase "appearance matters" and came up with 6,520,000 results. Then I searched for "appearance matters job" and got 43,400,000 results. The first several pages are devoted almost exclusively to the topic of how appearance matters in job interviews.

One study showed that appearance mattered even more for applicants with less-than-stellar resumes. Here's a quote from the abstract:

Results indicated that attractiveness had no impact when the quality of the application was high but that attractiveness was an advantage when the application was mediocre. When the résumé quality was average the attractive applicant was evaluated more positively than the control, no photograph, applicant; an attractive photograph boosted the evaluation of a mediocre application. (emphasis added)

The lesson? Do the best you can with what you have. Use the various tools to help you put your best face forward.

* Dress professionally. Suits. Ties. Pressed shirts. Pantyhose - without runs - with a skirt (unless it's summer, and then shaved legs - if you don't want to shave your legs, wear pants!). No stains. Demure colors. Check to see how people in your industry dress, especially the people you admire in top spots.

* Be well groomed. If you can, get a professional haircut. If you color your hair, get a touch-up. Eat a breath mint before the interview. Some makeup helps women. If you have dry or flaking skin (man or woman), use some moisturizer. Give yourself a manicure - men included (polish optional).

* Have a professional-looking photo on LinkedIn. You can take your own photo or have a friend do it. A face shot, full-on preferably, with a plain background is best. This is critical because employers and recruiters often look at your LinkedIn profile before deciding whether to interview you.

These simple things will help you make a positive first impression.

Source: Watkins, L. M. and Johnston, L. (2000), Screening Job Applicants: The Impact of Physical Attractiveness and Application Quality. International Journal of Selection and Assessment, 8: 76–84. doi: 10.1111/1468-2389.00135

Social Media Musts for Job Finding

Everyone says that networking is the best way to get a job. I agree. And social media is a critical part of networking in today's job market. Here are the ones my clients find most useful:

1) LinkedIn. Your profile is critically important to your search.

Recruiters use LinkedIn so much these days. LinkedIn actively markets its search capacity to recruiters inside and external to companies. Using specific criteria and key words, a recruiter can narrow the pool of potential candidates from thousands to 20 or 30 people who most closely meet the employer's needs.

If you know what you want to do, makes sure your profile reflects this. Use key words that match:

* your core skills and abilities
* the impact you've had
* your special expertise including language skills or global experience
* relevant certifications (LinkedIn just added that area to profiles)
* training
* charitable work

- basically anything that makes you stand out.

To know what key words are in vogue, read as many job descriptions as you can for jobs you might like, and pick out the phrases and words from the "Responsibilities" and "Qualifications" sections. Include those words and phrases in your profile.

NOTE: make sure your LinkedIn profile matches your resume in every respect. ANY misalignment can be read as lack of integrity by a recruiter or employer.

Recommendations are essential for a complete LinkedIn profile. There is some consensus that these are valuable "soft references" even though it's clear that you'll only put up positive ones. The reality is that if enough people say enough of the same kind of things about you, it's likely to be accurate. The general idea is "if it walks, talks and acts like a duck...chances are it's a duck."

2. Facebook. Facebook is a double-edged sword, in my opinion.

Most people use Facebook for personal connections - old high school and college buddies, far-flung family and friends, etc. That makes it a great place to do personal networking - telling your network that you are looking for your "right fit" job. Periodically post what you're looking for, updates on your job search, and ask for specific help ("does anyone know someone who works at this target company?").

Because it's such a personal networking site, I believe the best kind of Facebook profile is a private one, where you are circumspect about what you put up. There are true stories of people who didn't get jobs because of Facebook content, and there is growing concern that advertisers and enterprising people can get to your Facebook profile despite privacy settings. So make sure you would be proud to show your boss anything that is on Facebook. Delete possibly damaging posts and pictures. Start an account that is purely personal under a nickname if you must put up random, odd, or questionable things.

I'm aware that there are a lot of entrepreneurs and companies who are using Facebook to promote their businesses, using the business pages now available on Facebook. If you start your own business page, keep in mind that it is linked to your personal account, which makes it difficult to separate business and personal.

3. Google Profile. This emerging forum is gaining traction as Google moves farther into Facebook and Twitter-like applications (like Friend Connect and Buzz).

You need to control what is in your Google profile, because that profile will show up when any employer does a Google search for your name. I say "when" an employer does that search because they will do it as a part of their search process. It's quick, easy, costs no money, and captures a ton of information about you very quickly. They may do it before deciding to interview you or after they've seen you in person, as a reference check.

Google yourself and see what comes up. If you have a Google account, you might see at the bottom of the page your name and a profile link. Click on that and you can see what is in your profile and you can edit it. You also can search for http://www.google.com/profiles/YOURNAME and see what comes up. If you don't have a Google account, you might want to get one so you can create a profile.

4. Twitter. Twitter is definitely useful for job seekers and people navigating the world or work and careers, as a source of great current career and job search advice. I suggest as a rule to create an account with your own name; it's digital real estate and as such you should claim it.

Follow people who provide content you find useful. They may or may not follow you back; it doesn't matter. There are also some job posting services connected with Twitter including TweetMyJobs. you can find job postings by searching the hash tag #jobs, #tweetmyjobs and #jobangels.

If you post on Twitter, make sure you are tweeting professional-sounding messages. This is an amazingly public forum and you need to present yourself as someone who provides value, learns the "rules of the road" and abides by them.


These are the big social media forces today to be concerned with, as far as I can see from my work with clients and what's current in the blog and Twitter worlds.

Guest Post: Hop Aboard the Slow Career Movement

I'm thrilled to have Noël Rozny from myFootpath.comdoing a guest post today. She touches on very relevant points and provides good guidance. Enjoy!

There was a lot of unpleasant fallout from the recession: people lost their jobs, their retirement savings, their businesses, and their homes. But even as the economy and the work force are still struggling to their feet, workers across the country are benefiting from an unexpected by-product.

In her article, Some Workers Moving Off the Career Fast-Track, Eve Tahmincioglu describes what she calls the “Slow Career Movement” that has sprung up as a result of the recession. Similar to the Slow Food movement—which prompts individuals to think more carefully about what they eat, where it comes from, and what impact it has on the environment—the Slow Career movement is a trend that Tahmincioglu says gives workers a chance to re-examine their work/life balance.

The result, she says, is that many who were laid off during the past two years are using the opportunity to chase long-forgotten dreams, open their own businesses, and redefine what career success means to them.

Did your ears perk up when I said “long-forgotten dreams?” Is there a passion or drive you’ve hidden away somewhere that is screaming for attention? Now may just be the time to explore it. If you’re not sure how to get started on the road to a “slow career,” here’s how.

Step #1: Identify Your Passion
The first step to a slow job is figuring out what truly makes you happy. Forget what you went to college for, what your parents told you is a respectable profession, and your 20+ years experience as an accountant manager. What do you really want to do? If you could go back and start over again, what dream or career would you pursue?

Step #2: Set Expectations
As Tahmincioglu described in her article, many slow job-seekers are leaving corporate America because they’re tired of long hours, unbearable stress loads, and a complete lack of free time. So as you consider making a switch, write down a concrete list of what you’re looking for and what you’re willing to sacrifice. Are you looking for flexible hours, a more creative career, the opportunity to work from home, a chance to be with your family? What are you willing to give up to get these things: a guaranteed salary, paid vacations, and other corporate perks?

Step #3: Perform a Self-Evaluation
Ok, so now you know that you really want to open your own art gallery or start a gourmet pie company. What are your skills in this area? Have you been working on your knowledge and expertise through side projects or freelancing? Do you need to take some classes to get yourself where you need to be?

Step #4: Start Researching Your New Industry
If you’re thinking about dipping your toes in an entirely new industry, you need to do some research first. What are the industry trends? What’s the average salary for the position you’re seeking? What’s the business climate like for your new profession?

You can find out by embracing social media: look up your industry leaders, find their websites, read their blogs, and follow them on Twitter. See who’s on their blogroll, who’s commenting on their posts, and who’s following them on Twitter (and who they follow). Before you know it, you’ll have all the information you need to get started right at your fingertips.

Step #5: Establish Your Identity
Ever heard the phrase “fake it ‘till you make it?” If you’re going into a brand new industry, you need to start building a brand for yourself within this field. Even if your work experience is in something completely different, you can start making a new name for yourself by building a blog, setting up a LinkedIn profile, and getting some business cards made. Use these tools to showcase your expertise and passion for your new field. Trust me, they’ll come in handy as you start looking for jobs or to build your client base.

Step #6: Go!
Once you’ve got the right job skills, industry knowledge, and personal brand, it’s time to jump into your new career with both feet. Start knocking on doors: network, make connections, and job search. Yes, it’s scary, but so was the recession, and you survived that, didn’t you? What do you have to lose besides your own happiness and personal fulfillment?


Noël Rozny is the web editor and content manager for myFootpath.com. She’s thrilled to be in a position where she can help students of all ages find the degree program, career or “slow job” that’s right for them. To read more, visit the myPathfinder career and education blog.

Job Search is Emotional

Every day, I talk to people who are coping with the emotions of job search. It helps them to acknowledge their feelings about the search. And there is a lot to get emotional about!

Here are some common emotions and causes:

* you get excited about a conversation, a job possibility, a posting that seems exactly the job for you

* you get depressed because you didn't get an interview after working so long on that cover letter

* you are hopeful because you sent in a great cover letter, you have a contact at one of your target employers, you finished your resume, someone gave you a great recommendation on LinkedIn

* you are frustrated by how long an employer takes to get back to you, that you haven't found more jobs that appeal to you, that you have to personalize every bit of correspondence, that you missed a typo in a cover letter or your resume

* you are happy because you nailed that interview, you got called for a second interview, you applied for a great job, you know what your Core Value Proposition is

* you are afraid to apply for a job, of running out of money, of having a phone interview or an in-person interview.

The list could go on and on. The point is that many emotions come up during this process. In my own job searches and now that I coach people, I find it very useful to express those emotions. Through experience, I have come to firmly believe that unexpressed emotions are blocks to our reaching our goals. And it's SO easy to remove those blocks, simply by talking about them with someone trusted.

For me, the primary issue in my job searches was that I often was down on myself and my abilities, yet had to present myself in the most confident, upbeat way to convince an employer that I was exactly the person they wanted. So I talked to people about it. I didn't keep that inside. I exposed it to the air and came to see that my self-doubt was a lie and I didn't have to believe it.

With coaching and support from friends, I became very good at presenting my best self - first by "acting as if" and later by focusing in on what I was most passionate and enthusiastic about. By paying attention and getting feedback from friends and coaches, I found that I got energized and therefore contagiously convincing when I was talking about my successes, focusing always on positive aspects of even my weaknesses, and relating my experience to the vision I had for the position and the company.

Emotions happen. Express them and then let them go, so you can get on with the process of finding your "right fit job."

What Employers Do With Your Application

So many recruiters and HR people blog about what they look for when someone applies for a job. It is a great source of information for the determined job seeker who wants to be a job FINDER.

I read those blogs and I talk to people who are hiring. Of course, different companies and different industries have their own processes, and recruiters play a key role in shepherding candidates through the process. Yet there is a lot that is common.

1. Hundreds of people apply for a single job. Most of the applications will be ignored because a) the person sends a form cover letter instead of personalizing it; b) the applicant does not have the required skills or experience; c) there are typos in the cover letter and/or resume.

The remaining resumes get a more careful read. Most people separate them into three piles: Yes, Maybe,and No. "Maybes" only get considered if enough of the "Yeses" turn out to be duds - or you have an insider tell the reviewer that you are amazing and they need to talk to you.

2. A small number of applicants are worth talking to on the telephone. These are people who, on paper, appear to have the basic qualifications. Perhaps they also have a little something extra - a compelling cover letter that explains why they want to work for the company and what they will deliver, a resume that presents their abilities really clearly, a great LinkedIn profile with a number of recommendations that hit consistent themes, or an insider who pulls them to the top of the pile.

The phone interview is pre-screening for the real interview and is intended to weed people out. Most employers do phone interviews now. It saves a lot of time and resources, because they will know who is worth bringing in for a fuller conversation. Often, someone from HR or administration will conduct the phone interview. Rarely, the person to whom the position reports will do these interviews. Most phone interviews cover these basics:

a) do you know your resume and your own qualifications?
b) do you know what the job is and who the company is?
c) can you speak intelligently about yourself, your experience, and why you are right for the position?

There sometimes is a question or two that screens for culture fit, particularly if you are switching from a large to small company and vice-versa, or from one field to another (e.g. for-profit to non-profit).

Sometimes the phone interviewer will ask about your salary range and rarely, will disclose the salary range for the position. This is intended to eliminate people who want "too much money."

3) Employers invite a small number of people in for in-person interviews. The number can range from as few as three to as many as eleven or twelve. It depends on the quality of the applicant pool and the degree to which the job requires a great personality fit. If the position is one that has to interact with lots of people, internal and external, it's likely that the employer will want to see more people.

In-person interviews can take a few forms. Usually, the position's supervisor is the primary interviewer. It can be one on one, or sometimes the HR person sits in. At times, it is a group interview with other members of the work team.

This is the interview where you will be carefully questioned about your skills, experience, understanding of the position and company, desire to work there, and how you would handle certain scenarios. People who haven't done their homework will generally be eliminated at that point. The "chemistry" is important at this stage, as well, and people are eliminated who really don't "click" with the interviewer or don't seem able to adapt to a new culture.

4. A much smaller number of people get one or more follow-up interviews. These are the people who meet all or most qualifications, sound like they could hit the ground running and deliver value quickly, who appear to be suited to the organization and its culture, and who are most enthusiastic about working for the company. It is generally at least two and no more than five people.

Follow-up interviews are intended to find the person who will get an offer. At this point, the company wants to hire someone so they are looking for someone to rise above the other candidates. Perhaps they already have identified a front-runner and want to validate the choice.

There can be some intermediate steps, especially in large companies, where candidates are invited to take personality or technical skill assessments or to meet potential co-workers. If money has not yet been discussed, it is usually brought up during this period following a successful in-person interview.

The person to whom the position reports will almost always be in these follow-up interviews. Often there will be others from the team. The final interview usually is with a very senior person, who needs to sign off on the hire. At this point, the candidate(s) are already completely acceptable to the person hiring.

5. It's expected that the job offer will be accepted. In today's economy, employers expect that they can get their top candidate, without giving a lot on salary or other compensation.

I hope this is a helpful outline of the general hiring process in today's job market. Please feel free to add your own observations!

"Must Have" List

I created this list to help people zero in on what they want in a job or work. When you know what you want, it is far easier to develop a plan to get there.

This is a list of 5-6 aspects of a job or work that you MUST have. This is not “want to have.” This list is of the things that you must have in order for you to be satisfied and content in your work, the things that will make it possible for you to be excited to start the day when you wake up every morning.

You’ll want to have a “must have” in most or all of these categories:

1) Work you will do
2) Role you will play
3) Impact of your efforts
4) Physical environment
5) Colleagues, culture, emotional environment
6) Compensation


1) Work you will do

What do you like doing? What gives you great satisfaction? What industry or subject area do you love, care about? In what field does your expertise and talent lie? What do you want to occupy yourself doing for work? What are your skills, talents, preferences, likes and dislikes? What brings you joy? What can you lose yourself in so time flies? Do you prefer to have a single focus or are you happier with a variety of tasks?

2) Role you will play

What position will you have in the organization or company? Will you work for someone? For yourself? With others? Be a leader or a follower? Do you like working alone or in a team? Being visible or behind the scenes? Playing the same kind of role consistently, or do you like to move around? How much time do you want to spend working? Do you want to be someone others depend on or free of responsibility for others?

3) Impact of your efforts

Does your work need to matter to anyone other than yourself? Do you want to make a difference? If so, what difference do you want to make? Does it matter what kind of company or organization you work for? If so, what kind of company? And what impact will it have? Is there anything that will make it worth doing drudge work?

4) Physical environment

What do you need to be at your best and do your best work? Do you need privacy, light, quiet, noise, open floor plan, a desk and comfortable chair, no desk and always being outside? There are many variations – only you can decide what kind of physical environment you thrive in. Also can be about location, commuting, hours.

5) Culture and colleagues

What kind of emotional environment do you want? What kind of people? Do your values need to mesh with the values of your workplace and colleagues? What kind of atmosphere helps you do your best? Fast-paced or laid-back? Lots of deadlines or little pressure? Competitive or supportive, or a little of both? Structured or flexible? Formal or casual? 9-5 or varied? Task or mission focused? Start-up or established organization/company? Close supervision or self-direction?

6) Compensation

What’s the bottom line dollar pay or salary that you can live with? A figure that covers your basic needs and then some? You can have a figure you request that’s higher than your “I can live with it” figure. Are there other ways you can be compensated, such as time off, benefits, recognition, or travel? How much compensation do you need to reflect your value to your employer, or to quit a temporary or maintenance job to work full-time for yourself?

After answering these questions, try to boil down your responses to short phrases of one to five words. You know the intention behind each phrase, and can explain them to people when you tell them what you want.

As you go forward in looking at potential jobs, it is probable that one or two of these items will rise to the top of your list as the most important variables for you to have your best work experience. That will help you decide whether to accept a job or not – if it doesn’t meet those top “must haves,” it’s likely that you won’t last there very long.

In a tough economy, it's great to have 51% of your "Must Have" List met. Employers have their own "must haves" and they are more likely to demand that potential employers meet 100% of their list - no matter how unrealistic that is. In a good economy, we can aim for getting 75-80% of our "must haves" - the same as an employer will get.

The goal, after all, is for your "right fit" work to be the fit of your skills, abilities and talents with the needs, requirements and opportunities of the job or work you get.

Leave No Stone Unturned

I hear some people saying they don't want to apply for a specific job because they don't think they really want to work at the specific workplace. Maybe they've heard negative things about it from former employees, or they think it's too big or too small, or for some other reason.

Yet they identified the job as something of interest. There was an element in the title or job description or both that attracted them.

Now, if someone says they don't want to apply for a job because the pay is much too low or it turns out that they don't have at least 50% of the required qualifications, or it's in a city to which they will not move - then by all means, don't apply. That wastes your time and the employers'.

However, if there is no concrete reason not to apply, then I urge people to go ahead and apply.

Applying for a job is beginning your end of the conversation. It is not a commitment to accepting a job. It is simply the start of a possible longer communication and maybe relationship. Your application is your expression of interest in what the employer has to offer, and indicates your willingness to engage with them.

It is helpful to think about the reasons you ARE interested and focus on those. If you get an interview, you will have an opportunity to gather more information about the job and employer. Prepare for the interview by creating your own "must have list" of what you must have in order to do your best work. Most people "must have" a certain role and perform specific kinds of activities, work in a specific kind of culture and physical environment, get a definite compensation. Having your own sense of how and where you do your best work - meaning where you are happiest - allows the interview to be two-sided. You are checking out the employer just as they are checking you out.

You won't have that opportunity if you never apply. So go for it! Make your application the strongest it can be by following recommendations on preparing a fantastic marketing-style cover letter and resume. The worst that can happen is you don't get called for an interview. In that case, the job wasn't for you anyway.

Leave No Stone Unturned
Today's economy is relatively uncharted territory for most job-seekers, so abandon the idea that your road map is sufficient. It is NOT. So get off the beaten path, venture into the unknown, try something a little beyond your comfort zone. My philosophy is that if something comes up in your path - whether someone suggests doing something or a wacky idea floats through your brain - it is there for a reason. So take a couple of steps to follow up on it. You'll know soon enough if it's right or not for you - either because you get a big fat "no" or because the path turns too rocky and difficult (a sure sign it's not a road to keep following), or because you gather enough information to see that your minimum "must haves" won't be met.

Engage in what I call the "leave no stone unturned school of job search." Do EVERYTHING that occurs to you and is suggested by others. This is not the time to say "oh, I don't think that will work" or "I don't think I'll like that job." How do you know, until you get the interview? And you don't know where an opportunity or idea will lead you.

Resumes that Market You

Your resume is a marketing document. Its job is to market YOU and your abilities to a prospective employer. The goal is to position you to get your "right fit" work. Your resume must convey to potential employers exactly what you have to offer them, and the results you are likely to produce for them based on your past record of accomplishments.

Different industries have preferred formats and content, including academia, IT, business consulting and engineering. Yet much of what makes a compelling resume is common across all fields. The format and content I suggest can be a starting point for everyone, even if you later need to customize your resume or CV for a particular industry or job.

To begin, I advocate putting a PROFILE at the very start of the resume, just under your name and contact information. A profile is not an objective (of course you want a job), nor is it a litany of your skills (boring!). A profile is a succinct description of who you are in the workplace.

Your profile presents your unique value proposition – what you love to do and are good at doing, the skills you want to use in the future, and the attributes you want to highlight. Your profile also will capture your personality through a judicious use of adjectives. In sum, your profile conveys the substance and flavor of who you are in the workplace.

In some ways, the process of creating the profile is more important than the final product. Developing it gives you the chance to think carefully about your "unique value proposition." In fact, the reader will usually catch the first five or six words of the profile and then move on to Experience. They might come back to it but even if they don't, the profile will make an impression. It says that you've thought about and know who you are.

Everything you say in your profile must be backed up by your accomplishments, which are listed under each employer and job. Essentially, the profile is the thesis that you then go on to prove with concrete examples. It also is useful as a way to ensure that your resume is internally consistent in terms of the message you intend to convey.

Some people include CORE COMPETENCIES. This section summarizes your tool box of skills,expertise and specialized abilities or knowledge. It needs to contain key words common to your industry and your target positions so your resume will be selected by any computer program searching for key words (e.g. on LinkedIn or within a company). You can use bullets or not. It looks pleasing visually when they arranged in 3 columns. I suggest limiting the number of items in each column to 5 or fewer, to make it readable.

Some senior level people have a section called KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS. These are stories that highlight and summarize some of your major achievements, and indicate the scope and impact of your work. Identify three or four accomplishments of which you are really proud. They need to show different aspects of your ability. For example, one story could show your facility with numbers or complexity, another could showcase how you work well with others and team, another could demonstrate how you deal with crises, and the last could focus on long-term payoff of your planning and disciplined execution.

Write out each story and then come up with the headline or punchline. This is the core result and the behavior that led to the result. The best headlines tell a pretty complete story even if someone doesn’t read the whole story. When you write your story, remember that numbers really help tell the story. And the shorter and pithier the story, the easier it is to get someone to read it.

Usually, reviewers find it much easier to read a chronological listing of your EXPERIENCE. Sometimes a functional resume makes sense if your industry is more focused on your technical abilities, as in IT. Yet most people will want to connect what you did with when and where you did it. Do the work for them by providing a chronological resume.

Most readers go through the entire resume once just glancing at employer, years and title. If all seems to be complete and consistent, then they glance at education to see if you have any degrees. So make sure you have no huge holes in time, and no major typos!

For each job you've held, include a brief JOB DESCRIPTION that indicates the scope of your responsibilities, and then bullet points that highlight your ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

The job description takes four to six lines to summarize the company you work for, your job responsibilities, and the scope and depth of your position. Say "Led all communications and marketing efforts for Fortune 1000 technology firm (STOCK SYMBOL)" or "Oversaw day to day operations for 45 year old non-profit that teaches literacy to adult New Yorkers" or "Managed entire recruiting and on-boarding process for 300 person homeless services agency." Use numbers when possible. For example, say "oversaw $3.5 million advertising budget" or "supervised team of 12, with four direct reports."

Bullets are ONLY for accomplishments. ACCOMPLISHMENTS are the results of your work, the impact you had, the "so what" of your responsibilities.

* Ask “so what” to get to the impact of whatever activity you want to include. If you want to include it, it’s probably important but only if you can somehow tie it to an impact that is measurable and/or directional – as in “increased” and “improved” and “enhanced” and “expanded” – or gives clear evidence of major responsibility, as in “directed,” “led,” “managed,” “launched,” and “created.”

* You can have 5-7 bullets for your most recent job, 4-5 for your next most recent, maximum 2 for the next most recent and none for the oldest ones.

* Use active, directionally positive words like "increased," "improved," "advanced," "optimized," "enhanced" and "expanded."

* Use numbers as much as possible, especially with dollar signs and percentage signs; they are real eye-catchers and speak to many employers' focus on the bottom line.

* Split the accomplishment into "what" and "how": the impact or result, and how you achieved that result. For example, "Increased revenue year over year by 80%, through redeploying sales team."

* Be brief. Limit each bullet to one, maximum two lines.

* Give leading information to cause the reader to ask a follow up question. Remember, the point of a resume is to get you an interview. The interview is where the reader can ask you to explain how you redeployed the sales team and why that resulted in 80% revenue increase.

* Only include things you really want to do again – similar or greater scope of responsibility, the type of work or project, specific skills you really want to use again, or attributes you want people to notice.

EDUCATION comes after EXPERIENCE. List the most recent degrees first. Any continuing education comes after the degrees.

Other sections that can be useful in positioning for a position are:

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY - especially helpful if you want to work for a non-profit organization or a civic-minded company.

AFFILIATIONS that show you active in your industry, community, and profession.

PUBLICATIONS if you have published anything relevant to your desired work.

PUBLIC SPEAKING or PUBLIC SPEAKING/MEDIA APPEARANCES - a useful section for anyone with such experience who wants a leadership or spokesperson position.

Which sections to include depends on what your target job is and what will best build the case for you as highly qualified to do that job. So use your core value proposition and your Must Have List to guide what you include in your resume.

Manifesting Your "Right Fit" Job

I believe that you can find your "right fit" job when you know what that is. When you know what you want, it is so much easier to get it.

Every time I wanted a new job or area of responsibility, I did the work to specify what I wanted to do. I created a "Must Have List" specifying the skills I wanted to use, the area in which I wanted to work, the role I wanted to play, the impact I wanted to have, the culture and environment (including physical) I wanted to work within, and the compensation I wanted.

Every time I did that, I got what I wanted. It usually didn't come in the form I expected - it was usually better!

Some think of this as manifestation. Here are 5 steps to manifestation that I have found to work all the time.

1. Clarify your intention. (Your Must Have List)

2. Make sure it is unencumbered by conditioned responses. (Any doubts or fear)

3. Begin to take action in the direction of your intention. (Align your resume & cover letter with your Must Have List)

4. Properly manage thoughts that are contrary to your intention. (Banish doubts and fear when they arise)

5. Allow the Universe to arrange the details. (Detach from any specific outcome)

Give it a try and see what happens.

The Power of Your Attitude

Today, I was speaking with someone who has a voice inside her head that questions whether she'll ever find that "right fit" job. She also has a voice that compares herself negatively to other people.

These are the voices of fear. And they are lying to her.

She can choose to believe them and feel terrible, or to shut them off and feel better.

At a conference this weekend, a speaker suggested that when we feel fear, we instead say: "No, no, that's not fear - that's excitement!"

Fear is about wanting to return to the past, to the comfortable and familiar, to survival. It says "the future is unknown and therefore scary. I can't control it. So let me just stick with what I know."

Excitement is about looking forward to what is to come. It says "I wonder what's coming up? I'm curious and interested. I know it will be good!"

Looking forward feels so much better than looking back. Notice how your body feels when you're in fear or looking forward. How would you rather feel?

Focusing on your own path and what you can do feels way better than focusing on what other people do.

Comparing myself with other people usually makes me feel worse about myself.

Focusing on my own actions, abilities, contacts, possibilities - well, I just feel so much better and more powerful.

William James, the pioneering psychologist, said "The greatest discovery of this generation is that a human being can alter their life by altering their attitude."

I have so much experience with how changing my attitude both makes me feel better and produces better outcomes.

If you're feeling terrible about your job search, look at your attitude and how you talk to yourself. You DO have the power to change that, and that can make your job search so much more successful.

Determination to get Your "Right Fit Job"

What if you were absolutely determined to get that one job? The one that sounds so great in the ad and posting. The one that appears to be exactly what you want - using your unique combination of skills and abilities. The one that would pay enough. The one that could put an end to your job search and begin your next phase of work.

If you were totally determined to get that job, what would you do differently than you are doing now?

Maybe you'd put your heart and soul into writing a cover letter, doing everything you can to convince the reader that YOU are the exact person they seek.

Maybe you'd ask your best buddy to look over the letter to make sure there are no typos or grammar errors.

Maybe you'd double check your resume to make sure it is exactly what you want to represent you at your very best.

Maybe you'd leave no room in your brain for a "well, it's OK if it doesn't come through" - because it isn't OK. It stinks, really. And you can survive that feeling. You also can take comfort from the FACT that, if you don't get an interview, it's really NOT your "right fit job." Because if it were, you would have gotten the interview.

Maybe you'd be confident and comfortable in the interviews, because you really know it's exactly the right job for you. Maybe you'd envision yourself in the job already.

Maybe you'd have some ideas about how you'd tackle the job, and your vision for what you could make of the job, the impact you'll have in and on the company. And maybe you'd tell them those ideas in the interview.

I've had several experiences where I've been completely determined to get the position I wanted. The first time was freshman year in high school, when I was determined to win a spot on the flag twirling/color guard squad. And I did. The next big time was when I wanted an internship for the Smith Project on Women & Social Change. And I got it. Then I wanted to be a teaching assistant my first year in graduate school, even though it would be a first. I had no option: either I got the TA position or I couldn't afford to go to graduate school. So I pushed and persuaded and came up with all sorts of extremely logical and artful reasons I could do the job and they should give it to me. And I got it.

I took those early experiences into the work world and succeeded in getting jobs that were exactly right for me. I put myself in my cover letters and engaged in conversation in the interviews.

I can also tell you that there were times when I initially thought it was the perfect job and got myself interviews - even to the very last round - and then something didn't sit right or I got some doubt in my mind. Needless to say, I didn't get those jobs. And that's OK, because something better was on its way every time.

So...what if you were completely determined to get that job? What if there were no option but to get it? What would it feel like? How would you behave if you weren't afraid of going for it?

Checklist for Job Applications

Speed and anxiety are the enemies of accuracy in any job application. I hear from people all the time who have applied very quickly for a job, only to find a typo or incorrect grammatical phrase in their cover letter, transmittal e-mail and even their resumes. "What can I do?" they want to know.

Unfortunately, there is no good solution in these cases. A first impression is almost impossible to change, and recruiters get a negative first impression from any error in your initial application. I've suggested both leaving it alone if it's not a huge error, and sending a corrected version that says "I inadvertently sent an earlier draft." Neither has been effective, based on the fact that the person didn't get an interview - even when they knew someone at the place. (BTW, if anyone has other suggestions that have worked, please let me know!)

The goal is to send documents that are proof-read, corrected, and read well - the first time. I suggest three steps:

1) slow down
2) ask for help
3) follow a checklist

Slowing down is essential. People make mistakes when they are so focused on getting an application by a certain time. The goal becomes getting it delivered, instead of on delivering something terrific. Quality needs to come first! So take a few extra minutes to read through your letter. To proofread your letter or e-mail, read it backwards. You'll catch more typos that way.

Even better - ask someone else to look through your materials. Why someone else? Other eyes will usually catch more errors than you will. They are reading with fresh eyes. When we've worked with material for a long time, our eyes and brain can fool us into thinking something is spelled or written correctly because we meant to say it that way. An outsider reads it as it actually is written, instead of how we assume it is.

And finally, use a checklist. My checklist includes the following:

RESUME

1) Ask people in my desired field to review my resume, to make sure it makes a good case for my ability to do the job I am seeking. Also check to make sure my resume includes some keywords from the job posting, so it will stand out in the pile.

2) Run spell check and grammar check over my resume.

3) Ask one or two people to read the resume ONLY for typos or grammatical errors.

COVER LETTER

1) Do a simple grid to make sure I build a case for why I can do the job, based on my past experience. Write down every responsibility in the job posting on the left side of the paper, and on the right side, describe how I've done each of those responsibilities. Have a couple of examples that could be the basis for stories I'll use in the interview.

2) Use the grid as the basis for crafting a cover letter tailored to the specific job and company. Give one or two examples in the cover letter, to make the connection for the reader, and to make myself more human.

3) Make sure you answer all the questions in the posting (e.g. for compensation range, salary history or references).

4) Personalize the letter to the extent possible. Use the contact person's name if you have it. Name the position and company at least once and preferably twice in the letter (in the beginning and at the end).

5) Include your telephone and e-mail contact information in the body of the letter near the end of the letter.

6) Ask a friend to review the cover letter to see if it makes a compelling case, and rewrite based on those comments.

7) Run spell check and grammar check on the cover letter.

8) Ask one or two people to review the cover letter ONLY for typos and grammatical errors.

E-MAILS

1) Decide the purpose of the e-mail. Is it to transmit the resume? Is it a request for or thank you for an informational interview? Draft the e-mail to fulfill that purpose.

2) Personalize the e-mail - use the person's name. Mention the position or company or purpose for the e-mail.

3) Send it as a draft to a friend FIRST to check for typos, grammatical errors and whether it makes sense.

4) Check it once again when you think it's ready to go.

5) Make sure you have attached anything you intend to attach, such as your resume and cover letter.

6) Check the attachment to make sure it's the right attachment. If it's not, attach the right one and delete the bad attachment.

7) Hit send.

Addresses - or not - on Resumes

A recent college grad wanted to know what address to put on her resume. Here's the situation:

She has an address in Georgia on her resume but she staying with her father in Northern Virginia, and looking for work in Washington, DC. She wondered if she should change her address on her resume to VA, leave it as GA, or leave off a street address altogether? Her phone number has a (703) area code which is Northern Virginia.

My response:

If she intends to work in DC, she should use the VA address or leave off an address all together. It's great that she has the VA area code, and that alone with an e-mail address will convey that she is from this area. It's important to signal that she is from the area, which implies that she knows the local environment, vibe, politics.

The GA address would be a hindrance in this instance and economy. People in DC are just as bad as folks in NYC (and other major cities) - if you're not already from here, you can't possibly know how things work here, be as good as we are, or get up to speed fast enough. So you start off with a disadvantage.


In this economy, with so many great people looking for work, an out-of-town person may not even get an interview. And that's the point of a resume and cover letter - to get you an interview. Once you get in the door, you have a better chance of impressing people and moving along in the hiring process.

Of course, it's also possible to be considered, through some serious networking. A recent client of mine relocated to NYC from Portland, Oregon. His resume didn't have a street address, just his cell phone number, e-mail address and LinkedIn profile link. It was impossible to hide where he was from, however, because he worked for the county and that was throughout the resume. So he networked his way into informational meetings and interviews for posted jobs, and eventually got a great job.

The twist was that the job he eventually got was for a higher level job than the one for which he was initially considered. We believe it's because he was from Oregon that New Yorkers had a hard time believing he had the high-level skills he really does have. Once people met him, they realized how great he was. He was willing to take the lower-level job to get a foot in the door, and that attitude opened some doors for him. Fortunately, the person interviewing him recognized his expertise and ability and proposed him for a new, as-yet unposted position.

Contact information can deliver subliminal messages to those who read your resume. So think about the message you want them to receive.

Interview Techniques

Here are some ideas about preparing for any interview:

1. Consider each job requirement and responsibility in the form of a question regarding your experience and ability in each area. Come up with a general answer to the question and one example. The general answer should be one to two sentences. Then you say, "for example,..." and you go into a two to three sentence description of the example project or responsibility.

2. End a few of of your answers with the question "does that answer your question?" Not every answer, because that can make you look insecure. But one or two, so they get the sense that you want to make sure you heard them and that you are responding to their needs.

3. When they ask followup questions, limit your answer to two or three sentences. I suggest writing down the question as they ask it - so have a pen and paper with you from the beginning. Writing down some part of the question will help focus your mind and start you formulating the answer - it will also help you answer JUST the question. Rein yourself in from going into other areas. When you hear yourself saying "and" - it's time to wrap up your answer.

3. When asked about your past, give short, simple answers. Write down what you want to say about past employers - why you left, what you did. The answers should be one sentence - the bottom line, said in a completely positive way. Examples: "The company had four projects canceled and there was no longer enough work for my position." "I had an opportunity for a promotion and exposure to some new skills, so decided to take it." "I accomplished a great deal there and it was time for me to move on to something different."

Use those notes as your guide to help you say only the minimum. Then immediately move into talking about how your experience there prepared you to handle the responsibilities at the prospective employer. Examples: "The experience made me realize that I love doing xxx, which is why I am so interested in this position." "I now see that all the skills I developed have prepared me perfectly for this position."

4. Remember that you do know what you know, you have amazing experience, and will be a great asset to the employer. To help with that, remember your own Must Have List. Listen for clues that this IS the right place and position for you. You don't have to ask them specific questions about the job unless they invite that. What's going to be communicated subliminally is the attitude you will have of checking them out at the same time they are checking you out. It makes for a more even conversation and should give you more confidence as you speak to them.

Good luck!

Networking

Networking is the single most effective way to find a job. 60-90% of people find jobs through personal connections of some kind.

Even if you don't know the hiring manager somewhere, a recommendation from a colleague can put your resume at the top of the pile. That's crucial since resume review is the first and most important step in any hiring process. If your resume isn't seen, it's all over.

A personal recommendation also ensures that your resume will be read a little more carefully, which is excellent. We want the reviewer to take more than the usual 8-10 seconds to look at your resume. (Of course, the format will be such that it is easy for the person to see the relevant information and gain a positive impression of you.)

Creating a networking plan.

Think of a network as a system of concentric circles. You will start with your “natural network,” people you know really well or interact with regularly. This will be a relatively few number of people. You will then reach other people through them and then reach a greater number of people over time. Most jobs come through 2nd and 3rd degree connections, not your natural inner network.

LinkedIn is a great networking tool. Add to your contacts to expand the number of 2nd and 3rd degree connections you can access. You can find people you know via companies you've worked at, your e-mail lists, and the connections of your friends and colleagues. The more people you add, the better. LinkedIn will start to suggest people, also.

Interviewing When You Feel Discouraged

I realized many years ago how very difficult it is to be "on" for an interview during a long job search. I had to be at my best just at the time when I was feeling worst about myself and my abilities! It was such a challenge to present myself with confidence and strength, when inside I wondered why no one had offered me a job yet. If I was so great, why wasn't I getting offers?

One of my job searches lasted two very long and painful years. It was then that I learned how to dig deep inside and latch onto what I knew I was really great at doing, knew to my core, deep in my gut and heart. Absent external validation, I found that I could only refer back to what I loved to do, what I was enthusiastic about, what brought light to my eyes and started my brain working feverishly, what made me happy about work.

Using what I loved to do as the starting point, I began to approach each potential job through the lens of how it would allow me to use those abilities and skills. When I did that, I didn't have to "perform" because I had no trouble getting enthusiastic about what I'd done before and the possibility of doing it again in a different arena or context.

When I was discouraged, it was tempting to think about all I lacked that seemingly caused me not to get a job I wanted. Yet that further discouraged me. I swear that recruiters can smell lack of confidence a mile away in a resume, cover letter, telephone call or in-person interview. And they turn away, moving on to the next candidate. I learned that I had to summon up my enthusiasm from deep within at each step in the job search process.

During an interview, it's especially important to focus on the job challenges you love and how much value you bring to the position. If an interviewer asks about anything you don't know, say you can learn. Don't dwell on your lacks - bring it right back to your abilities, strengths, and value-added. Confident enthusiasm is the attitude I recommend.

Employers are looking both for a specific skill set AND an attitude of someone who really wants to do the work. So allow yourself to show that you really want to do the work, and that will go a long way to getting them to make you an offer.

Deciding Whether To Apply For A Job

I hear some people saying they don't want to apply for a specific job because they don't think they really want to work at the specific workplace. Maybe they've heard negative things about it from former employees, or they think it's too big or too small, or for some other reason.

Yet they identified the job as something of interest. There was an element in the title or job description or both that attracted them.

Now, if someone says they don't want to apply for a job because the pay is much too low or it turns out that they don't have at least 50% of the required qualifications, or it's in a city to which they will not move - then by all means, don't apply. That wastes your time and the employers'.

However, if there is no concrete reason not to apply, then I urge people to go ahead and apply.

Applying for a job is beginning your end of the conversation. It is not a commitment to accepting a job. It is simply the start of a possible longer communication and maybe relationship. Your application is your expression of interest in what the employer has to offer, and indicates your willingness to engage with them.

It is helpful to think about the reasons you ARE interested and focus on those. If you get an interview, you will have an opportunity to gather more information about the job and employer. Prepare for the interview by creating your own "must have list" of what you must have in order to do your best work. Most people "must have" a certain role and perform specific kinds of activities, work in a specific kind of culture and physical environment, get a definite compensation. Having your own sense of how and where you do your best work - meaning where you are happiest - allows the interview to be two-sided. You are checking out the employer just as they are checking you out.

You won't have that opportunity if you never apply. So go for it! Make your application the strongest it can be by following recommendations on preparing a fantastic marketing-style cover letter and resume. The worst that can happen is you don't get called for an interview. In that case, the job wasn't for you anyway.

Leave No Stone Unturned
Today's economy is relatively uncharted territory for most job-seekers, so abandon the idea that your road map is sufficient. It is NOT. So get off the beaten path, venture into the unknown, try something a little beyond your comfort zone. My philosophy is that if something comes up in your path - whether someone suggests doing something or a wacky idea floats through your brain - it is there for a reason. So take a couple of steps to follow up on it. You'll know soon enough if it's right or not for you - either because you get a big fat "no" or because the path turns too rocky and difficult (a sure sign it's not a road to keep following), or because you gather enough information to see that your minimum "must haves" won't be met.

Engage in what I call the "leave no stone unturned school of job search." Do EVERYTHING that occurs to you and is suggested by others. This is not the time to say "oh, I don't think that will work" or "I don't think I'll like that job." How do you know, until you get the interview? And you don't know where an opportunity or idea will lead you.

Keep In Motion!

In a job search, it's tempting to focus on one area - looking for jobs on web sites, for instance. Or networking to see who has a job for you.

Focus can pay off, yet you'll get a bigger payoff by being active in a number of areas.

* Keep fine-tuning your resume in light of "market response" that helps you get clearer about what you want to do and what kinds of things employers are looking for - especially key words.

* Keep building your network for informational interviews and people who may know other people. When you connect with people, assure them that you are not looking for a job, instead you want their advice and guidance.e

* Do some volunteer work. It will give you something to do, help you get out in the world with other people, and show potential employers that you are out and about. One person is being considered for a job in the health care industry because she volunteers at a hospital and thus is presumed to have a way to reach decision-makers. If you volunteer at a place where you might like to work, you usually will get at least a courtesy interview when jobs open up ad that's good practice.

* Apply for jobs that come up on websites or through contacts. Search many different websites, including Indeed.com and other job posting aggregators. Then find someone who works at the place, who can get your resume picked out of the pile.

* Develop a great LinkedIn profile, and build your LinkedIn network. The more people you have in your 1st degree network, the more people you can network with via 2nd and 3rd degree connections. Then begin connecting with people to tell them what you are looking for, and ask for their feedback and help. Update your LinkedIn status at least once a week, to stay visible with your network.

* Contact your references to tell them what you are looking for, and preparing them for the kind of questions an employer may ask them. Refresh their memories of you!!

* Consider doing consulting. Prepare a simple on-line brochure listing the services you provide and the impact you have produced. Take pieces of your resume as the start. Then send the simply -formatted piece to all your friends and colleagues to launch your consulting business and asking them to keep you in mind.

* Attend industry events if possible to keep current with developments and people.

* Read everything you can about your industry and send articles and references to people you've contacted - to provide them with value, and keep yourself "top of mind."

* Network with other job seekers for two reasons: find out what methods and tactics are working for them, and practice your "elevator speech" about what you want to do.

* Talk about your search and what you hope to do, with everyone. A neighbor walking their dog or gardening may be the very person to lead you to a connection who has a job for you.

* Rehearse interview answers. Anticipate difficult questions - "tell me about yourself" and "explain this gap in your resume" are two examples. Have a friend do a mock interview of you, using your resume as a guide. It's the only way to get comfortable with your answers.

There are plenty of other things to do. Some people start blogging on their industry or profession, others write a book, while others become great gardeners or cooks.

The point is to stay busy. There is never "nothing more" to do in a job search. If you are not getting the results you want, try something else!

Staying busy keeps you engaged in your search, and can keep your energy and spirits up. Plus I see that the rest of the world responds really positively to constant intentional activity. Opportunities begin to appear, nd pretty soon, you're in a job.

Inspiration for Sticking With Your Search

A rare and inspirational piece, this interview with David Horvath, the creator of Ugly Dolls offers truth about sticking with a dream, a project, a passion, anything that means something to you.

I say the truth because Horvath clearly describes exactly what it took for him to realize his dream of building a company around a product that not too many people understood at first. He has gone through the mill, been ground down, and come out finer for it. He is grounded in reality.

The truth is there is no "easy way" to be successful. Success comes from hard work and perseverance, persistence, stick-to-it-iveness, "never give up even if you need to take a short break to rejuvenate."

It doesn't matter that Horvath was building a business while you are searching for your "right fit" work. The same lessons apply, because you are engaged in a quest to do work that matters to you. His work took the form of his own business. Yours takes the form of a job. Searching for a job requires just as much perseverance as does building a business.

Discouragement and seeming dead ends abound in a job search. What are you supposed to do when you feel like nothing you do works? Take a page from Horvath and all the job seekers out there: try something else. If you can't think of anything, ask someone else and be open to their answer instead of resisting it by saying something like "I already did that!" Whatever you did was done in the context you were then in. Things are different now, even if only slightly. Most importantly, you know how NOT to do it and so perhaps can be more effective this time.

Here's an example: you contacted someone from your old job for help and got nothing but "I'll keep my eyes open." Now, go back to that person. This time, though, go back to update them on your search. Tell them how you've learned from your experiences. Let them know what exactly you are looking to do - what challenges you love to solve for a company and what impact you know you can have on a business or organization. When you're more specific, you might get more specific help.

It's worth a try, isn't it?

When all you see are dead ends, take a little break. Go to a museum. Cook something delicious. Walk in the park. Ride a bike around the block. Play with a child or cat or dog. Get out of your head! I'll bet you come back refreshed and with a new idea for how to progress.

The point is to understand that this search is worth all the effort, and that it does take continuous effort. Focus on what energizes you in the world of work, what makes you want to get up in the morning. Leave no stone unturned. And be kind to yourself in the process. Know that you will be successful in reaching your goal. When you are doing everything right - once, twice, three or more times - the question is not "if" but "when" you will land your "right fit" job.

How to Answer "What Are You Looking For?"

On WNYC's HelpWanted Facebook page, someone asked this excellent question:

When thoughtful people ask "What kind of work are you looking for?" is it wrong to ask "What have you got?" in return? I'm passionate about my field but I'm also open to new things.

Here's my thinking about this:

With people you know well, that response may work fine. With people you meet via networking, I'm not sure it's all that useful. You've put the ball in their court, making it their responsibility to do your work for you. And even if they want to help, most people don't want to do your thinking for you. They want some guidance, and they want a sense that YOU know what you want to do.

It's very hard for people to know how to help you when you don't know what you want - specifically the kind of challenges you love to tackle, the problems you love to solve, the skills you love to use. So it doesn't have to be occupation or field specific (although that does help). Also, remember you have 5-10 seconds to capture someone's attention, so your answer does need to be concise.

It's really helpful for people to know that you are confident in what you can do and to have some kind of direction for how to think about you. You do know yourself, so let others in on it. I like people who say "I'm looking for a chance to use these skills, hopefully in this field or in this kind of role. I've worked in xyz field and am interested in abc as well. That said, what is it that you had in mind?" ... See More

Specificity also sparks people's imaginations. If you say you want to use your planning skills, someone might think of city planning while someone else might think of strategic planning. Those may or may not be up your alley. If you say you love helping an organization identify and achieve its goals, especially using your planning, management and leadership skills - well, that makes it easier for someone to say "hey, I know of a job as a COO or as a project manager."

The bottom line is that your job is to make it as easy as possible for people to help you.

Resumes That Work

Here's how to make your resume an effective marketing document - marketing YOU and your abilities to a prospective employer.

Your resume is a marketing document. Its job is to position you to get your "right fit" work. Thus, its content and format is crucial. It must convey to potential employers exactly what you have to offer them, as well as the results you are likely to produce for them based on your past record of accomplishments. Focus on ACCOMPLISHMENTS! Here's how to do that.

PROFILE

To begin, I advocate putting a profile at the very start of the resume, just under your name and contact information. A profile is not an objective (of course you want a job), nor is it a litany of your skills (boring!). A profile is a succinct description of who you are in the workplace.

Your profile presents your unique value proposition – what you love to do and are good at doing, the skills you want to use in the future, and the attributes you want to highlight. Your profile also will capture your personality through a judicious use of adjectives. In sum, your profile conveys the substance and flavor of who you are in the workplace.

In some ways, the process of creating the profile is more important than the final product. Developing it gives you the chance to think carefully about your "unique value proposition." In fact, the reader will usually catch the first five or six words of the profile and then move on to Experience. They might come back to it but even if they don't, the profile will make an impression. It says that you've thought about and know who you are.

Everything you say in your profile must be backed up by your accomplishments, which are listed under each employer and job. Essentially, the profile is the thesis that you then go on to prove with concrete examples. It also is useful as a way to ensure that your resume is internally consistent in terms of the message you intend to convey.

OPTIONAL SECTIONS

CORE COMPETENCIES

These are bullets that cite your core skills, industry-specific skills, and specialized abilities or knowledge. If you can, match your skills with key words from the job description so your resume will be selected by any computer program searching for key words (e.g. on LinkedIn or within a company).

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

These are stories that highlight the impact you have had on companies or organizations. They emphasize measurable accomplishments and briefly describe what you did to produce the result. The stories can elaborate on an accomplishment you list further along in your resume. There needs to be a headline that encapsulates the accomplishment, and hopefully entices people to keep reading.


BODY OF RESUME

The first thing read by a prospective employer is the name of the company for which you worked. Then they usually will glance at the title and years worked - some will read title first while others read years worked first.

Here's the order of information that I recommend for the basic information:

* Employer's name first, in bold, followed by its location, not in bold. Use the city in which employer is/was located. Only include the state if the city is not immediately recognizable e.g. Wareham, MA, or is easily confused with something else, e.g. Springfield, MO vs. Springfield, IL vs. Springfield, MA. Otherwise, New York or Boston or Chicago or Los Angeles is sufficient.

* Dates of employment, not in bold, on the same text line as the employer's name and location. The dates should be tabbed over so they are on the far right of the page, preferably lined up with the right side of your address block.

If you worked at the company in more than one position, put the complete block of time over the far right. Next to each position title you can put in parentheses the dates you held that position. For example, Vice President, Sales (3/02 to 7/05).

Job titles can either be grouped together if your job responsibilities were substantially the same with the most recent encompassing the previous responsibilities plus more. If the jobs were substantially different, I treat each one as a separate job under the same employer.

* Title of your position, in bold and italics, directly underneath the employer name and location.

My experience is that most readers go through the entire resume once just glancing at employer, years and title. If all seems to be complete and consistent, then they glance at education to see if you have any degrees. So make sure you have no huge holes in time, and no major typos!

Only after that first quick read will they go back to look at individual jobs, starting with your most recent one first. After rereading your employer's name and title, usually readers will move to the body of the entry.

Here's what the body of your resume should contain:

* a brief paragraph describing your job
* bullet points that highlight your accomplishments

JOB DESCRIPTION

Briefly describe the company you work for and your job responsibilities, in a four to six line paragraph that starts on the line directly underneath the title of your position. Say "Led all communications and marketing efforts for Fortune 1000 technology firm (STOCK SYMBOL)" or "Oversaw day to day operations for 45 year old non-profit teaching literacy to adult New Yorkers" or "Managed entire recruiting and on-boarding process for 300 person homeless services agency."

Use as many numbers as possible to give readers a good idea of the scope and depth of your responsibilities. For example, say "oversaw $3.5 million advertising budget" or "supervised team of 12, with four direct reports."

Readers' eyes are drawn first to numbers, then to CAPS, then to bold. Italics are rarely an eye-catcher, so use them only to indicate the title of an article or project, not for anything substantive.

BULLETS

Bullets are for accomplishments. I recommend limiting yourself to 5-7 bullets for your most recent job, 4-5 for your next most recent, maximum 2 for the next most recent and none for the oldest ones. Quantifying these bullets is important. Those are the things that will get you the interview. The interview allows you to fill in more detail and also to talk about accomplishments that weren't listed.

Here are my tips for great accomplishment bullets:

* Lead with the results and impact of your work, when writing accomplishments. Use active, directionally positive words like "increased," "improved," "advanced," "optimized," "enhanced" and "expanded."

* Use numbers as much as possible, especially with dollar signs and percentage signs; they are real eye-catchers and speak to many employers' focus on the bottom line.

* Split the accomplishment into "what" and "how": the impact or result, and how you achieved that result. For example, "Increased revenue year over year by 80%, through redeploying sales team."

* Ask “so what” to get to the impact of whatever activity you want to include. If you want to include it, it’s probably important but only if you can somehow tie it to an impact that is somehow measurable – as in “increased” and “improved” and “enhanced” and “expanded” – or gives clear evidence of major responsibility, as in “directed,” “led,” “managed,” “launched,” and “created.”

* Brevity is best. Limit each bullet to one, maximum two lines.

* Give leading information to cause the reader to ask a follow up question. Remember, the point of a resume is to get you an interview. The interview is where the reader can ask you to explain how you redeployed the sales team and why that resulted in 80% revenue increase.

* Only include things you really want to do again – similar or greater scope of responsibility, the type of work or project, specific skills you really want to use again, or attributes you want people to notice.

Show Your Impact

It's critical to include accomplishments in your resume. Here is a simple way to identify them.

Make a four column, four row table. On top of the columns, list these questions across the table (one per column).

* What did you succeed at or accomplish?

* When, where and with who did you do this?

* How did you do this? What actions or steps did you take?

* What was most satisfying about it and why?

Remember that accomplishments are about impact - on the job, the field, the world, your life. Ideally, impact can be measured with numbers (e.g. percentages, dollars, amounts) and is directional, meaning you moved something from one place to another (increased, improved, raised, launched, etc.)

I like to use positive words because people usually like to be associated with something growing, expanding, opening up, happy and forward-looking. In some cases, words like "reduced" and "decreased" are appropriate.

Improving a Good Cover Letter

Last week, I read a cover letter that was pretty good at explaining the applicant's credentials for the position. While I didn't see the job description, I presumed that the specific job called for the various skills and experience the person cited. That's good, because key word searches use the job description as a starting point. So definitely list those skills you have that also are called for in the posting.

You can strengthen the letter by stating the very obvious fact that your experience does match, as in "My experience matches the requirements in the job description." And after you state your experience, say something like "this is the kind of work I'll do for you." Employers care whether your past experience is going to help them achieve their future - that's the only reason they will interview you. If they think your experience is exactly or mostly like what they need, employers are much more likely to pull your resume out of the pile and at least have a conversation with you.

Some people have taken to putting together a brief chart that shows that match. They list the four to five top responsibilities and skills called for in the job and in the next column, indicate how they have used that skill or had that experience. It's one step further in doing the work for the employer so it is easy for them to see how well you fit their requirements. I don't know if it's appropriate for every situation, however. It's probably most appropriate for:

* entry-level jobs where someone is screening quickly and a table will stand out

* administrative jobs that require organization and use of Microsoft office (you demonstrate mastery right in your cover letter!)

* quite technical jobs that require very specific skills and experience.

(Another way to highlight your match for specialized jobs is by adding a "Core Capabilities" section to your resume that lists the things you do really well, including industry- or job-specific skills, technology, software and processes. It doesn't make the marriage between you and the job in question, though.)

The main thing I'd add to any letter is the impact of your work. You say you have experience; what was the result of your experience? What did you achieve? What was the outcome? Employers won't take your word for it that you are experienced. They are looking for evidence that you can stick with something and produce results similar to the results they want.

Lastly, I suggest talking a bit about the company itself. What does it do? Why do you want to work there? Use language from the job description, from the website, to show that you are familiar with the company and its work. State that you want to be part of helping it achieve its goals or mission. Flattery definitely works! And companies now can choose who they want to interview and hire - they usually choose people who say they want to work for the company and give a reason.

In this competitive job market, it pays to give yourself every advantage. So tell them about why you want to work for THEM, how you can solve their problems, and the kind of impact you'll help them have. Ordinary cover letters talk only about your needs; superlative cover letters focus on the employer's needs.

What Are the Right Jobs for You?

What if you have lots of skills and abilities? How do you get specific about what you want to do?

Instead of thinking about the kind of job you want, think about the skills you love to use and the impact you want to have.

You can do lots of things. However, there are some things you like to do more than others. What are those? What are the things you do that make you lose track of time? That bring a smile to your face without your even knowing it? That you always gravitate to, and do even when you seem not to have time or patience to do some other things?

Then, think about the impact you want to have with your work. You've identified the skill syou want to use. Now consider what those skills will do. What effect will you have? What's your purpose in using these skills, talents and abilities?

One great exercise is to write your own elegy, in the voice of someone who loves you. In other words, what would someone who really loves you say about you at your funeral? What will be your legacy in all aspects of your life? When I did it, I found the elegy incredibly revealing about what matters to me and my life purpose.

Taking these two threads together - skills and impact - it's possible to search for occupations that use those skills and aim for that impact.

* When you know your purpose and what you love to do, you can ask people at informational interviews where you might fit given those parameters.

* You can search job boards for job descriptions that contain YOUR keywords.

* Search the web for companies that focus on the kind of impact you want to make, and see if there is someone there you can talk to about the skills you want to use.

* Use LinkedIn to search for people who might be in your extended network, either at relevant companies, or who are using the skills you have. See what jobs they have or had.

This way, you begin to form a sense of the kind of jobs you could apply for. And when you find those jobs, you can compare them to your skills "wish list" to see if there really is a match.

Now Available: Free E-Book to Finding Your "Right Fit" Job

Now available is my e-book Your "Right Fit" Job: Guide to Finding Work You Love.

The guide is like having me coach you through your job search process. You will follow the same step-by-step process I use with people who get the jobs they really want.

Your "Right Fit" Job is based on two main premises.

The first is that you can get work you really love to do. If you're already searching for work, you know that job search is a long and sometimes painful slog. I say that if you are already working hard, you might as well devote that energy to getting the best possible outcome.

That leads to the second premise: job search is essentially a marketing campaign, where you are the "product" and the specific kind of work is your "market." Successful marketers know their product and target market really well. Using Your "Right Fit" Job, you will get to know yourself extremely well, including your "core value proposition" - what you offer employers that is unique to you and very valuable to them. You also will know what kind of job or work you want - where and how you will do your best work and be happiest. Being very specific will help you find a job.

Then I will help you develop really effective marketing materials (resume, cover letter, 5-second intention statement aka "elevator speech")and a networking strategy to help you get interviews. The guide gives great advice on how to handle interviews, especially difficult questions. I also include suggestions for how to battle "job search fatigue."

I believe that when you do your "right fit" work, you will be happy at work. And when you're happy at work, you'll be happier in life. Use Your "Right Fit" Job: Guide to Finding Work You Love to direct your job search efforts most effectively and find the "right fit" for you.

To get your FREE copy of Your "Right Fit" Work, put your e-mail contact information in the comment section. It won't show up on the blog; I moderate comments so have to view it first. I promise not to publish it on this blog, but simply to use it to send you your copy of my e-book.

If I don't have your e-mail address, I can't send you the book. So remember, put your e-mail address in the comment section!

Gather Information to Improve Your Job Search Results

You had your heart set on getting that job! It was your dream job. And they turned you down.

Disappointed? Yes. Crushed? Probably. Deflated? In all likelihood. A little despairing? Maybe. Curious? I urge you to adopt this attitude even as you are having all the other feelings. This might even be good news!

While you're searching for your "right fit" job, you can gather useful information. Every interaction with the job market contains riches, if you know what to look for.

* If you apply for lots of jobs and get no response, that is a "market response." The job market is saying "this material isn't compelling enough to warrant further investigation." It may also be saying "you are looking in the wrong area." And it definitely is saying "Focus on making a match. Tell us why we should talk to YOU."

I read about people who are unemployed for two years, who've sent out hundreds of resumes, with no response. That is inaccurate. They got a response, just not the one they wanted. The response of resounding silence tells me, and could tell them, that they need to use a different approach, or target different jobs. If your approach is not working, change it! One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Stop the insanity!

The goal of a resume is to get you an interview. Period. If you are not getting interviews in response to your resume, you need to redo your resume. And redo it again, until you start getting interviews.

Similarly, a cover letter's job is to make the case for why you are a good match for the job in question. If you don't get called for an interview, your cover letter may need to be rewritten. Every cover letter needs to be tailored to the specific job. Generic "to whom it may concern" letters DO NOT WORK.

* If you get interviews and no offers, the market is speaking loudly.

One possible message is that you need to improve your interview skills. That means:

1) Getting fully prepared. Do you have ready answers for common and difficult interview questions? Do you know a fair amount about the company that's hiring? Do you have questions for the employer? Have you practiced answering challenging questions until you are comfortable and confident in your answers? Do you have stories ready to illustrate your relevant experience and skills?

2) Practicing being interviewed with someone who is kind of tough on you. It's far better for you to be uncomfortable with your friend than to be surprised and flustered at an interview.

Practice really works. It gives you a chance to think through your answer before the interview, instead of at the interview. In my experience, unrehearsed answers are too long, rambling, off-point, and unimpressive. What employer will hire someone who doesn't even do their homework for a job interview - arguably one of the most important events of their present life? If you don't prepare for interviews, why would an employer think you'd be prepared at work?

You may also need to look at why you don't interview well.

* Are you really nervous? Lack of preparation eats away at one's confidence. It's impossible to be confident or exude confidence if you don't know why you would be perfect for the job before you go into the interview. It helps even more if you know why the job may be perfect for you. And practice helps.

* Have you applied for the wrong job? Sometimes, you can make the case in your mind and on paper, and then realize during the interview that this is not a good match. That's excellent information to have. It means that you can refine your job search to jobs that more closely match your "must have list."

* Do you not like the interviewer? Culture is a critical aspect of any workplace, and your chances of being happy at work are often determined by the culture of the place. An interview is a fantastic place to gauge the culture. If you find yourself getting flustered or uncomfortable, that's your gut telling you that this is not the right place for you. Pay attention!

These last two options are REALLY useful information. They mean that you can be thankful that you didn't get an offer.