Are you one of the newly unemployed? Have you been unemployed for more than 12 months? This advice is good for both groups- although some may not want to hear it.
There are jobs out there. I have clients getting jobs each week. I have employers coming to me and telling me about jobs they have and asking if I have a client to fill them. So, why are you still unemployed?
If you really want to get a job here are a few tips to get you there:
1. A resume is a good start but not the finish.
You must have a good solid vetted resume ready to go now. Have it ready to email via pdf format and have it ready to go in the postal mail, better yet UPS or FedEx or the ultimate hand-carry to your next job home. Your resume has to tell the hiring party why you are well qualified for the job and that you have skills that they desire. Keep the rest to a minimum and maximize impact by paying close attention to what they want and then addressing how you have all of that in your resume.
2. Don't neglect the cover letter. It's your "IN".
I helped a local non-profit hire for a few positions in the last few months. We had hundreds of applicants for each open position but at least half didn't even care enough to send a cover letter! Read that again. For me, as the hiring party, I put each of those resumes in the trash can (shredder really) without even a second glance. Your cover letter is your first impression and introduction to the hirer to let them know why they should even look at your resume and dare ask you in for an interview. Don't be lazy. Do your homework on the company, the position, key employees and then write a cover to dazzle.
3. Network. If you don't like it. Learn to. If you don't know how. Learn to. The calls I get from employers asking if I know a prize candidate are because of my relationships. You need to have them, relationships, many and strong. Get out of your house. Go to groups, meetings, coffee houses, .... Meet people and get to know them. Let them know you are looking and looking for what. If you do well networking you will have men and women all over the city looking for jobs for you.
4. Review all of my blog postings about employment and looking for jobs. I hate to repeat myself. There is some good and useful information throughout my postings over the years. Timeless information. So, keep reading.
If you want 3 more tips email me (and tell me about yourself in 3 sentences or less).
Showing posts with label employment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label employment. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Friday, April 17, 2009
I'm Quitting! You're Fired! Well, let's be rational.....
Today’s blog is for both employees and employers. The bottom line is that it’s better to work it out and stay than it is to find someone new or a new job.
Employers:
What is your cost for hiring and training a new employee? You will want to do this for each type of employee you have as the costs may be different depending upon training and recruiting. How long do you have an employee before they “paid for themselves”? This could be that their service paid for the cost of hiring, training, and retaining or it could be that they are self-sufficient, bringing in funds to match their own salaries 1:1 or better 5:1. As your employees stay with you over the years, do they become more or less valuable? Evaluate this too.
Make sure you know how much employees actually cost you before you haphazardly get rid of them. Make sure you know how long employee retention benefits you. When is it the easiest time to replace an employee for an equally qualified candidate? How do you put a price on institutional knowledge?
There are all kinds of questions to consider before knowing when to “let go” of employees.
I often see employees released over an improper fit with the workplace climate, or over a lack of communication and mutual understanding. I can tell you this, I’d rather have worked it out to save my company the thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands) that it will cost to have a “poor fire”. (I call a “poor fire” a situation where someone was let go when they could have been saved.)
Take this decision very seriously, more so than you have. And, have the numbers to back it up. Know what the cost is to you, your company and the team the employee worked on. It’s usually easier to let them go- but it’s very costly. With a little work, you could have a satisfied employee, team and company. Try it.
Employees:
If you are dissatisfied at work, I encourage you to work hard to work it out rather than leave. Leaving is the easiest of the remedies but it’s also the most costly to you. How much did you spend on landing and holding this job? Add your hours, your actual costs (mailings, travel, meetings, literature, etc…) and your time spent in the position to understand your investment. Don’t just throw that away- especially if this is a pattern of what you normally do. It will show on your resume and a wise HR person will recognize it right away.
Rather, I suggest you make sure you’ve talked with your supervisor about your professional frustrations. Talk with a nonbiased party to have them look at the situation and offer suggestions. Remain professional at all times and confront the conflict in an open and “solution-driven” way. Don’t just look to fuel conflict. Look to resolve it with the other party/ies. Focus on other things for a few weeks (personal hobbies or throw yourself into a work project) to take your mind off of it. Have coffee with a friendly and open colleague in another company to see that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Every position comes with pros and cons. S/he may have suggestions for you too.
Whether you are the employee or the employer, don’t throw in the towel too soon (as >70% do). Recognize your investment and work on it, like any other relationship. Give it the respect, professionalism and resources it deserves to be wildly successful. Remember, most things can be turned around.
Employers:
What is your cost for hiring and training a new employee? You will want to do this for each type of employee you have as the costs may be different depending upon training and recruiting. How long do you have an employee before they “paid for themselves”? This could be that their service paid for the cost of hiring, training, and retaining or it could be that they are self-sufficient, bringing in funds to match their own salaries 1:1 or better 5:1. As your employees stay with you over the years, do they become more or less valuable? Evaluate this too.
Make sure you know how much employees actually cost you before you haphazardly get rid of them. Make sure you know how long employee retention benefits you. When is it the easiest time to replace an employee for an equally qualified candidate? How do you put a price on institutional knowledge?
There are all kinds of questions to consider before knowing when to “let go” of employees.
I often see employees released over an improper fit with the workplace climate, or over a lack of communication and mutual understanding. I can tell you this, I’d rather have worked it out to save my company the thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands) that it will cost to have a “poor fire”. (I call a “poor fire” a situation where someone was let go when they could have been saved.)
Take this decision very seriously, more so than you have. And, have the numbers to back it up. Know what the cost is to you, your company and the team the employee worked on. It’s usually easier to let them go- but it’s very costly. With a little work, you could have a satisfied employee, team and company. Try it.
Employees:
If you are dissatisfied at work, I encourage you to work hard to work it out rather than leave. Leaving is the easiest of the remedies but it’s also the most costly to you. How much did you spend on landing and holding this job? Add your hours, your actual costs (mailings, travel, meetings, literature, etc…) and your time spent in the position to understand your investment. Don’t just throw that away- especially if this is a pattern of what you normally do. It will show on your resume and a wise HR person will recognize it right away.
Rather, I suggest you make sure you’ve talked with your supervisor about your professional frustrations. Talk with a nonbiased party to have them look at the situation and offer suggestions. Remain professional at all times and confront the conflict in an open and “solution-driven” way. Don’t just look to fuel conflict. Look to resolve it with the other party/ies. Focus on other things for a few weeks (personal hobbies or throw yourself into a work project) to take your mind off of it. Have coffee with a friendly and open colleague in another company to see that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Every position comes with pros and cons. S/he may have suggestions for you too.
Whether you are the employee or the employer, don’t throw in the towel too soon (as >70% do). Recognize your investment and work on it, like any other relationship. Give it the respect, professionalism and resources it deserves to be wildly successful. Remember, most things can be turned around.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Do you Welcome or do you Alienate?
I often talk about some one's "inviting factor" which includes the ways we attract, invite, welcome and include other people.
Today I want to direct your attention to how "welcoming" you or your company is at inviting new hires and ensuring they have a pleasant and productive early experience with you.
How do you attract top talent? (Some companies do a great job at attracting you and post-hire forget to include the welcome wagon.) What do you do for new hires to orient them to you, your company, their teams, the city, etc...? What process do you have in place to ensure they have all that they need to get started on the right foot? Who's in charge of that process? Do you survey them (after hire and at exit) on the orientation and welcome process? You should.
I can tell you from personal experience that less than 10% of companies I've worked for/with and interacted with do a good-to-great job at welcoming new employees. They all think they do- but they don't. Some of the top companies in the world fail to help employees navigate a new city, assign a consultant (not a unmarried employee who is expected to "show them around") to ensure they find everything they need (new house, social activities, etc...), and in general help them to acclimate for the first 90 days.
I encourage you to consider the impression you make on a new hire when you fail to welcome him/her in the best fashion possible. Be the best. Hire the best. And, treat them well. They, in turn, will likely do the same for you.
Today I want to direct your attention to how "welcoming" you or your company is at inviting new hires and ensuring they have a pleasant and productive early experience with you.
How do you attract top talent? (Some companies do a great job at attracting you and post-hire forget to include the welcome wagon.) What do you do for new hires to orient them to you, your company, their teams, the city, etc...? What process do you have in place to ensure they have all that they need to get started on the right foot? Who's in charge of that process? Do you survey them (after hire and at exit) on the orientation and welcome process? You should.
I can tell you from personal experience that less than 10% of companies I've worked for/with and interacted with do a good-to-great job at welcoming new employees. They all think they do- but they don't. Some of the top companies in the world fail to help employees navigate a new city, assign a consultant (not a unmarried employee who is expected to "show them around") to ensure they find everything they need (new house, social activities, etc...), and in general help them to acclimate for the first 90 days.
I encourage you to consider the impression you make on a new hire when you fail to welcome him/her in the best fashion possible. Be the best. Hire the best. And, treat them well. They, in turn, will likely do the same for you.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Are You Interview Ready?
I was listening to National Public Radio (NPR) the other day and they were discussing the number of interviewees who show up dressed inappropriately. It is in fact a huge problem. It prompted me to share some of the things I work with job seeking clients on.
Here are a few essentials:
Why are you targeting your prospective company/position/industry? Nail this down. Win them over with your story on why you want THEM.
Know your strengths and what you’d bring to the table that THEY want. Do your homework by talking to people in the firm. Understand what their model employee looks like (including what skills they have).
Dress for the position. Yes, I know. Your brilliance is not in your dress but in your head. But, at the end of the day you should LOOK like you deserve six figures- or I’d wonder why I’m paying you that.
When it comes time, negotiate your salary and benefits. Ladies, read this again. Negotiate your salary and benefits. Do not accept the first offer. Know your value, industry standards, and their usual pay structure.
Google yourself. They will have done so.
Here are some items that will kill you in an interview:
Talking poorly about your previous or current boss
Being ill prepared (not knowing about their company, people, industry)
Not taking the interview seriously (do you have a pen, notepad or laptop, and are you making them the center of your attention)
Expecting them to ignore your attire or look- or not care
Being too chatty
Dropping your manners
Making immediate friends and telling a non-professional story about yourself
Being too cocky
These things are just the beginning. The basics if you will. If this job is the one you want. Hire a coach. It doesn’t have to be me- just have a right hand in landing this one. Don’t lose it over a few bucks or a poor move that wasn’t planned or executed well.
Good luck. Now, get out there.
Here are a few essentials:
Why are you targeting your prospective company/position/industry? Nail this down. Win them over with your story on why you want THEM.
Know your strengths and what you’d bring to the table that THEY want. Do your homework by talking to people in the firm. Understand what their model employee looks like (including what skills they have).
Dress for the position. Yes, I know. Your brilliance is not in your dress but in your head. But, at the end of the day you should LOOK like you deserve six figures- or I’d wonder why I’m paying you that.
When it comes time, negotiate your salary and benefits. Ladies, read this again. Negotiate your salary and benefits. Do not accept the first offer. Know your value, industry standards, and their usual pay structure.
Google yourself. They will have done so.
Here are some items that will kill you in an interview:
Talking poorly about your previous or current boss
Being ill prepared (not knowing about their company, people, industry)
Not taking the interview seriously (do you have a pen, notepad or laptop, and are you making them the center of your attention)
Expecting them to ignore your attire or look- or not care
Being too chatty
Dropping your manners
Making immediate friends and telling a non-professional story about yourself
Being too cocky
These things are just the beginning. The basics if you will. If this job is the one you want. Hire a coach. It doesn’t have to be me- just have a right hand in landing this one. Don’t lose it over a few bucks or a poor move that wasn’t planned or executed well.
Good luck. Now, get out there.
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