Billie Sucher Weblog

The Knowledge Weapon

"Knowledge is a weapon. I intend to be formidably armed." -- Terry Goodkind

My client shared the above quote with me the other day after a long session on life after job loss. How would you describe your current knowledge of looking for work in the 21st century? Are you current with best practices and trends, or do you not have a clue about where to turn or what to do if you lose your job? If you're in the "I don't have a clue" category," don't worry, you're in good company and it is by no means your fault -- it just means that times have changed and now is the time for you to update thyself! Listed below are a handful of questions to help you assess your basic skills in the career management realm:

1. Can you name the 12 P's of career transition management?
2. Can you cite three phases of the transition process?
3. Can you name five core elements that comprise today's résumé?
4. Can you speak with clarity and conviction about your brand, or do you think a brand is something for livestock?
5. Do you know the various types of résumés, their purposes, pros/cons and which one is best for you and your needs?
6. Can you name at least seven different types of interviews with a description of each type?
7. Can you name the most common job search engines, whether or not you would use them?
8. Do you have a minimum of 10 LinkedIn recommendations or do you wonder, what's LinkedIn?
9. Within a matter of minutes, can you craft with specificity your ideal job and what it looks like, on paper?
10. Can you articulate with clarity and conviction five compelling reasons why you will be a valuable asset to an organization, beyond the commonly-cited "I offer good experience and education."

Today's job search market is not for the faint of heart. Take a look at your transition toolbox -- how much ammunition, if any, do you have? If you're running on empty, there is no better time than now to reload. Rest assured, your competition will. Knowledge is a weapon -- are you well-armed?

Like, So Anyway, Whatever Dude...It Is What It Is, You Know

Perhaps you're wondering about the title of today's post? No worries; it's all good; like, I think the title is so awesome...no, make that phenomenal! Irregardless, let me be clear about something!

Well, if you haven't clicked out of this post yet, I am obviously being totally annoying and most days, I don't speak, or write, like this! That said, last week I was reading about Marist Poll of terms "most annoying in conversation" according to Americans surveyed. If you aren't familiar with the results, you can go here and read more. Beyond the terms that appear in their study, I have listed some additional words that my clients have told me they don't like to say, or hear; feel free to add your own most annoying word to the list.

From the Marist Poll of Most Annoying in Conversation, the words include: "whatever; you know, it is what it is; anyway; at the end of the day." Do you say these words?

From my clients, here's a list of some terms I've compiled through the year of words they'd rather not hear, or say, especially in a professional interview or business meeting:

1. Be that as it may; that being said; that said
2. To be quite honest
3. To make a long story short
4. No brainer
5. Awesome
6. Awesome dude
7. Dude
8. No worries
9. It's all good
10. Sup
11. Irregardless
12. Delish (for delicious)
13. Fab (for fabulous)
14. Phenomenal
15. Bottom line (yikes, I say this a lot!)
16. Clearly
17. Talk to me
18. Um
19. Like
20. Look
21. Etc.
22. So forth and so on
23. and such
24. heith for height
25. liberry for library
26. moist
27. sodie; sodie pop
28. young folks
29. youngsters
30. folks (when addressing an audience)
31. supposably for supposedly
32. are you gettin' this?
33. sucks; this sucks; that sucks
34. So
35. and so
36. Altheimers for Alzheimer's

What word or words do you find most annoying in conversation, especially at a job interview or professional networking event?  

Mile Markers and Measuring Sticks

Driving back from Chicago this past weekend, from time to time, I'd check to see how many more miles until we reached home. Mile marker 187, 172, 159...by reading the signs along the way, I could tell where we were and how much farther we had to go before arriving at our intended destination.

Just think about it...wouldn't it be something if a career transition came with mile markers, or even innings, or quarters, or some other definitive form of measurement? How convenient would it be to know how far you'd progressed in your transition and how much terrain you had left to cover before the career journey was over, done, complete and you could breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now?

Fortunately, or unfortunately, a career transition doesn't come with a measuring stick, or a mile marker. I suppose one could argue that a mile marker for transition could be measured in terms of the dollars you have in your bank account reserved for periods of unemployment -- some experts say to have six months in cash reserves; others say nine; and just the other day, I was advised by a financial guru that it was now 12 months. Still, other experts suggest that it takes the average job seeker approximately one month of job search time for each $10,000.00 of salary earned. As a career counselor, I simply tell clients not to dilute their motivation, energy, determination, and perseverance for their job search by a number. Regardless of the numbers, keep rollin'...straight ahead. Recently, a caller shared with me that she had been making "six figures" and wanted to know how long it would take her to find another six-figure job? Another individual said he had been making $72,000...how long would it take him to find a job?

Bottom line...there's no clear-cut, surefire, magical mile marker for career transition, job search, or your next big gig. While there are certain things that are certain in seeking a new opportunity, the duration of your career transition trip is elusive and unknown and will stay that way until such time as you receive an offer of employment. What is known for sure, and what isn't elusive, is that you, and you alone, are in the driver's seat. And, as our youngest daughter constantly reminds me...buckle up!