And this got me thinking!

During a recent “Personal Branding” session with a job seeker we were looking at creative ways to get noticed in the marketplace and then it struck me! What if a job seeker created a professional newsletter updating agencies and employers on their latest activities? You could include interviews you have attended, any courses you have signed up for or completed, what books you have been reading, a link to your online cv, articles you have read and recommend reading and links to your latest blog articles etc. This would be a super way to demonstrate how proactive you are and that you have been busy up skilling over the last month and not busy watching Ricky Lake and other day time TV cancers!

The newsletter should be send to companies you have applied for positions with, recruitment agencies , business contacts and friends and family.  A really good site to build a newsletter on is Mail Chimp.

My client has had twice as many interviews in the last two months, since he has started his newsletter than he had in the previous 6 months.....So maybe there is something in this approach?

Try to sing Bon Jovi’s “Living on Prayer”, but replace the lyrics to “Leaving on a High” should you need motivation to follow through on the advice below.

For many of us one of the most stressful and traumatic things that can happen in our life is being made redundant. Particularly when you have been working for a company for a long time and quite frankly been a hardworking loyal employee. Shock, depression, anger and resentment set in. All understandable feelings and reactions....however I am going to suggest that one thinks before one lets these emotions explode. Maybe a controlled explosion is the way to go to release these feelings?

Very often I see great candidates with super experience destroy their relationship with a company when they are made redundant. This is a real shame and it is important to note that it may have taken you 5 years to build your reputation, but it can take less than a week to destroy it. When we leave a company we want to missed, we want our absence to be felt and we want people to remember us for our great work.  So make the conscious decision to leave on high and be missed when you leave your job.

Here are some tips for leaving on a high:

• Try keep your activity levels high....hold on scrap that - Try to work even harder than you have been, when working your notice period. This may even make your employer feel even more guilty about letting you go and therefore more motivated to help you.
• Start to consciously build a network at work. Don’t go into a shell; communicate with staff and management more than you ever have. Ask them to keep an eye out for job opportunities for you and if they know anyone that might be able to help you find your next opportunity.  Do the same with your clients, suppliers etc.
• Make sure you leave no loose ends and that you leave a comprehensive handover.
• Let your customers know you are leaving, don’t complain about the company or your redundancy, but if possible make them aware that you will be looking for a new opportunity. Hopefully they will keep you in mind should they hear of any opportunities.
• Try not to get caught up with “the negative crew”.  Usually found huddled around a canteen table ranting about how badly they have been treated, how bad the company is, how there are worse people in the organisation that should have been let go before them and how doomed their future now is due to redundancy.  Wow, nearly got  depressed writing those last two lines. Negativity breeds Negativity.
• Where possible team up with other “positive” redundant staff and support each other.  This can be very comforting.  Share suggestions, information and contacts with each other.
• We you leave.....stay in touch with key personnel. Keep them updated and tell them what you are up to and what you are looking for.

We must remember before we burn our bridges that we never know when our paths will cross with an ex-manager or co-worker in the future.  And I have not even mentioned the reference about you that your ex- employer is liable to give your future employer.

So why not leave your job on a High?

I had a recent conversation with two recruitment managers who work for leading multinational companies on what separates a great from a good candidate. Both mentioned that for every role they have to fill they will have at least 5 excellent candidates that are equally strong on paper. Very often after interviewing they are still faced with a dilemma of who is the best candidate for the job.

So how do they decide? Here are 3 things they look for:

#1. Passion

This can be difficult to get across in a CV or cover letter, however it is vital that you demonstrate enthusiasm for both the company and position at interview stage. Many recruiters have mentioned to me that they have been very disappointed with the attitude, poor body language and a lack of eye contact that many candidates display at interview. Often the candidate with the strongest cv loses out to a more enthusiastic upbeat candidate. So, go to an interview with a smile and with the same excitement as you would have if you were off to see your favourite band or football team play! It’s not a funeral folks; this could be the beginning of a new beginning!

#2. Cultural fit

Companies have become increasingly aware of the importance of looking after their existing staff and ensuring that they nurture and retain their top talent. For this reason companies are taking a lot of care in recruiting candidates that will fit in and add value to their existing teams. The last thing a company needs is to hire a super candidate on paper that upsets the “apple cart” and destroys the productivity and morale of an established team. So find out who is working in the company and where possible try to talk to staff about the company culture prior to interview. It is no secret that the first place many companies look for new staff is through staff referrals.

#3. Personal Blog

A personal blog can be a really super way to demonstrate your knowledge and skills. Very often a blog can give an employer an insight into your personality and your sheer passion for the subject matters you blog about. A good relevant blog can be the difference between an interview and an unsuccessful email. Many job seekers have time to invest in developing a blog and starting a blog can be extremely liberating for a job seeker.

Job seekers I have spoken to feel that writing a blog gives them back their voice, reconnects them to their industry and more importantly gives them back some control. So a good idea is to experiment with a blog and take some time to feel comfortable with your content about what you are doing before you broadcast your content to the world. I would recommend wordpress.com , as a great site for setting a free blog. If you are not technically minded, do not be put off writing a blog, it is as easy as producing a word document. If you are not a great writer take note that the vast majority of the 250 million blogs out there are not written by literary geniuses. So no excuses and as the Nike slogan says... Just Do It.

Thanks for reading my post. Do you think you can be too passionate about your job search? What are your thoughts on company culture and would you pursue a position if you thought you would not fit in to the company culture? Do you think that a more detailed blog on “Blogging as a job seeker” would be a good idea or have I got my point across?

It has been a few years since I heard a good “Knock Knock” joke but having recently uncovered some research statistics I realised that I have been the butt of the “Knock Knock” joke for the last decade. It is with much regret I inform jobseekers and business owners that it's highly likely that many of you fall victim too.

A big part of successful job hunting and business development in this market requires proactive strategies like networking, cold calling and speculative approaches. Proactive strategies involve knocking doors in the hope of uncovering new opportunities and I think we can all agree that these are activities most would try to avoid. For those of you who engage in these activities I ask the following questions. How many times have you knocked a door and received an undesirable response? Quite a few I assume. How many times have you gone back and knocked that same door again? Very few I assume.

Are you the butt of the “Knock Knock” joke?

Research by Notre Dame University uncovered some interesting findings that may surprise many readers especially those selling a product or service. I believe jobseekers should stand up and take notice because you are sales people too and your product or service - yourself!!

44% of sales people quit trying after the first call (first knock)
24% of sales people quit after the second call (second knock)
14% of sales people quit after the third call (third knock)
12% of sales people quit after the fourth call (fourth knock)

This means 94% of sales people have quit after the fourth call. You will be interested to know that 60% of sales are made after the fourth call. This means that 94% of salespeople don’t give themselves a chance of getting 60% of prospective sales.

What lesson can we learn?

We can all argue about the accuracy of the above figures but for me the key lesson here is that persistence pays. A rejection or receipt of a “NO” is par for the course when job hunting or in business. Rather than accepting and moving on we should consider reengaging the potential opportunity. We must keep knocking new doors but not forget to return to those already knocked. When I look back over the years I can find many examples when persistence paid off – my wife is one good example even though there are times I wish I was less persistent – joke!!

To become more successful we must develop and practice persistence. We must return to potential employment or business opportunities because circumstances can change very quickly – a change in mood, a change in business conditions or just a more suitable time to talk. Revisiting canvassed opportunities will enable us to stay on the radar but it also demonstrates valued traits like persistence and determination.

As always I would love to hear your views and opinions. Feel free to share positive stories when persistence paid off and if these don’t spring to mind then share a “knock knock” joke to distract us from banks and the volcano.

My ability to ask for directions when travelling has helped me in life and business as I don’t have hang-ups about asking for directions here either. I don’t know everything but I do know that I am always one or two questions away from knowing it. Asking for direction is important in job hunting and business but ignored by too many professionals and business owners. Why would you waste time and energy going around in circles when a few questions can deliver results quicker? Our four lettered friend FEAR stems the flow of requests for help. Although I feel I am good at asking I still have to face down and overcome fear.

Fear of looking stupid – I guess we all carry this baggage. I always start by looking within my immediate network as it is less daunting to ask people I already know. When moving into the unknown I remember the Chinese proverb - “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever”.

Fear of rejection – I tell myself that if I get a “No” it brings me one step closer to “Yes”. I remind myself of previous experiences - people are very helpful, people love talking about what they do and people love talking about their successes. Yes I have met the odd Victor Meldrew who won’t help BUT SWSWSW (Some Will, Some Won’t, So What). Research by Journal of Personality & Social Psychology indicates that we grossly underestimate just how willing others are to help.

Fear of showing weakness/vulnerability – I fear that asking for help shows weakness or admittance to lacking in my own ability. I have to remind myself that not even I know everything .

Fear of being indebted to others – I don’t like owing people or feeling like I owe a debt. To overcome this I pay for advice, offer my skills/expertise in return or offer a simple lunch or breakfast.

So start asking your way to success today. Whether you are job hunting or in business this strategy can pay great dividends and help provide a roadmap to achieving goals. Remember the saying - “To know the road ahead, ask those coming back”.

Love to hear your thoughts and views about the post ……

Life is tough, business is tough and in this marketplace job hunting is especially tough. Rejection, heartbreaking obstacles and the word NO have forced many individuals to veer from their path to success. The side of this road is littered with the rubble of broken dreams, great ideas and hope. The sad thing is that many of these individuals were within touching distance of their goals.

So how can I succeed where others have not? How am I going to achieve my goals when others tell me it is not possible? Here are some of my thoughts on persistence and rejecting rejection.

“Fall down seven times, get up eight times” – This Chinese proverb is one of my favourite quotes. There will be many falls along the way but it is important to pick yourself back up. When you have a set back or face an obstacle ask yourself the following questions. How can I get around this? What can I learn? What can I do differently? Or if all else fails - What would superman do? There are many great motivational  stories and examples of persistence that can help inspire you. Feeling beat then read these stories/examples to help get you back on the saddle.

“No is a word on the path to Yes” – You should expect to hear the word “No” but this should not deter you or stop you. Two great examples from my past inspire me. There was the impossible task or persuading my mother to let me go to teenage discos. There was also the impossible task of persuading my school principle to let to train/play for the U12 Gaelic team when I was 9. With both examples I received hundreds of “No’s” until guess what? I was throwing my moves at the teenage disco and starting out my competitive GAA career.

“Measure what you want, not what you don’t want” – Keeping records of positive success will help motive you to deliver more of the same. Record and review every positive success no matter how small. Celebrate every success not matter how small.

As with all challenges in life I have to see the sunny side. I have set myself a very difficult task and I will face the temptation to quit throughout the next 40 days and nights. Having said this I can give myself a boost with a chocolate/sugar fix, drown rejection with alcohol and run around town like Gordon Ramsey with things are not working out as planned….

Remember NEVER QUIT & NEVER GIVE UP .......

Comments and views welcome …..

Here is what they were asked.

As a Job Seeker what assistance you would like to get from a Career Guidance expert?

• Help with your cv or resume
• Help with confidence and self belief
• Advice on what type of job is suitable
• Interview preparation and techniques
• Networking and Proactive job seeking
• Other – Please state

Only one answer could be selected.

The Results:

1. Networking and Proactive job seeking  - 37%
2. Advice on what type of job is suitable – 21%
3. Help with confidence and self belief – 17%
4. Help with your cv or resume – 10%
5. Other – 9% (Help and advice on starting up a business 6%, Advice on education and up skilling – 3%)
6. Interview preparation and techniques – 6%

So what do you make of the results?

I was surprised at how few respondents chose cv and interview help. After all that is the main focus of many Career Guidance companies.  Many job seekers I spoke to felt disarmed by the current economic market, they did not feel in control of their search and were frustrated awaiting feedback from companies and agencies. Most people I talked to had become very aware of the importance of networking, but genuinely had no idea of how to go about building a network.  They could see how networking could aid their job search, but the very thought of actually networking sent shivers down their spine!  On reflection “Networking and Proactive job seeking” may have been too broad a choice. Many respondents chose it because they physically did not know how to network, whilst others were thinking social media as the networking and proactive tool they wanted help with.

Many people have lost their jobs having worked in the “boom industries” of yesterday.  Job opportunities are “scarce” in certain industries for example construction and banking. Many job seekers are forced to change careers, but find themselves unsure what type of job is suitable for them. As one gentleman said to me during this study – “A cv is the least of my worries, I have no idea which direction to look in for a job”.

I was also very interested that 17% of respondents openly stated that “confidence and self belief” was what job seekers wanted from a Career Guidance expert the most.  This is something every one of us can help job seekers with.  We should all spend a bit of time spurring each other on and offering encouragement during these challenging times.  People I spoke to had received the exact opposite and been greeted with “doom and gloom” stories when talking to recruitment agencies and career guidance experts.  Now I am not suggesting we mislead job seekers with”pie in the sky” optimism, but that we offer support, hope and most of all listen.

One of the first things I ever learned when I studied marketing was “find out what the customer wants and then give it to them” - Valuable advice. So do Outplacement companies, Career Guidance counselors, recruitment consultants’ etc .really know what help job seekers want? Or do they just offer what they have always offered?

Maybe the time has come to change?

MBA Association of Ireland

The MBA Association of Ireland would like to invite you to join them at this event specifically developed for MBA students which will take place on Saturday, February 27th 2010 at Dublin City University.

This morning event is designed with you and your future career hopes and aspirations in mind.
You will have to opportunity to listen to the real career stories of MBA graduates in the last few years.  Men & women, young and not so young, will outline their career paths, what job search strategies worked for them, and how it did (or did not) meet their expectations.

You will also have the opportunity to meet with and talk to other MBA graduates and learn from their experiences.   Graduates will be from a variety of schools, working in varied fields and industries in Ireland, although not all will have started their career journeys in Ireland.

In addition, the event will also have some practical job searching tips.

Please click here to find out more and register

LinkedIn is without doubt a very valuable tool.  In the US over 80% of employers are now using LinkedIn as part of their recruitment process. In Ireland LinkedIn has really taken off in the past 12 months. There are over 8,000 new members in Ireland monthly.

My Tips for job seekers using LinkedIn include:

• Add a quality photo
• Add your contact details – make it as easy as possible for employers to contact you.
• Make sure your profile is 100% complete.
• Add your work history and your qualifications- LinkedIn in many ways is like having your CV online.
• Update your status regularly. Remind your contacts that you are there and tell them what you are looking for.
• Write a brief summary highlight your unique selling points, your achievements and your business goals.
  
• Join Groups – Search and join groups relevant to your industry. Also look at career guidance and job seeking groups.
• Ask and answer questions. The more active you are the more you will get noticed.
• As LinkedIn is global there is a super opportunity to communicate with experts worldwide.
• Build up your network - Invite ex colleagues, school and college contacts, old business contacts and even friends and family to connect on LinkedIn.
• See what networking events are on in your local area.
• Try to meet a contact in person weekly.
• Keep adding to LinkedIn even after you find a job. It is an invaluable “Talent Bank” of contacts.

Good Luck and let me know how you get on using LinkedIn.

Please leave a comment and share your LinkedIn tips with us.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/gregfry

Whilst I can understand this approach, I think the month of December is a fantastic opportunity to plan for the New Year and put yourself in pole position for a job in 2010.
Treat yourself right this Christmas and look after yourself. I tried to rewrite the “Twelve Days of Christmas” song, but it read and sounded awful.

So instead of giving you a headache here are 12 presents you should give yourself this Christmas:
1.    Take time out to review your cv. Spend time making it look as enticing to employers as you can.
2.    Give yourself an upbeat and positive attitude this Christmas. You will no doubt meet many friends and family during the festive season....be the shining star and not the Bah Humbug! You will feel happier and people will gravitate towards you.
3.   Set Goals for 2010. Look at what you want to achieve in the next year and commit your thoughts to paper. Write goals in many areas of your life – work, family, social, educational, money etc.  Commit to reading your goals every week in 2010.

4.   Throw out as many limiting beliefs over the Christmas period as you can.  Change those beliefs into new empowering ones. “I believe I will get the job that I have always wanted and that I will have more money than ever before.”
5.    Give yourself a LinkedIn makeover. Make sure your profile is 100% complete.  Ask contacts to recommend you and join relevant groups.
6.    Make a list of companies you would like to work for and decide how you can proactively approach them in the New Year. Research them on the internet and see if anyone in your network can give you advice.
7.    Network - Use this festive season as an opportunity to convey in an upbeat and positive manner what you are looking for work wise and ask friends and family to keep an eye out for you.
8.    Give yourself some business cards this Christmas. Never miss an opportunity to make a connection again. Business cards should include your name, area of expertise, telephone number, email and LinkedIn url. Business cards can be purchased for as little as €20 for 250 from companies like vistaprint and moo.com.
9.    If you do not have it already get yourself a good Broadband connection. The job market is challenging enough out there, so ensure you have the right pc tools for your job search.

Set goals in many areas of your life.

10.    Make sure that you have a phone with a good call plan or plenty of call credit this Christmas. You will need it to be a proactive job seeker in the New Year.
11.   Update your business wardrobe.  If you have a few pennies left in your pocket, hit the sales and get yourself some new clothes that will “wow” at interviews. If you don’t have money to splurge on the sales, take all your business clothes to the Dry Cleaners and have them cleaned, pressed and ready for interview.
12.    Get yourself a good inspirational book this Christmas. Take the time you have to read something inspiring and get in the mood for success in 2010.

What action do you think should be embraced this Christmas? Or do you think it should be a time for a job seeker to take a complete break?