Billie Sucher Blog

The Intermission

In the early 90’s, I discovered a life-changing book written by Dr. William Bridges. If you have not yet read this work: Transitions, Making Sense of Life’s Changes, perhaps it’s a gift to give yourself in the New Year. 

According to Dr. Bridges, transitions are composed of these three phases: 1. an ending, 2. a neutral zone, and 3. a new beginning. Today, I have been thinking about “the neutral zone.” In my work with individuals who have lost jobs, I hear them speak of getting a new job, a new place to work, a new boss, and a new health care plan. All of their emphasis is on the new beginning. While, naturally, finding a new opportunity (hopefully, the right one) as soon as possible is the goal in a job hunt, an equally important part of the transition process is that critical interval between the old and the new.  Listed below are some words clients have used to describe the neutral zone – the space between losing the job and getting on down the road to the next one: 

Confusing.  

Frustrating.

Unknown.  Uncertainty. Unsure. Uneasiness.

Messy. Problematic. Disgusting.

Cluttered.

Discombobulated.

Out of it.

Discouraging. Empty. Disturbing.

Hollow. Lonely. Sad. 

Perplexing. Bewildering.  Strange.

Nowhere Land.

Disorganized. Overwhelming. Disruptive.

Chaotic. Indecisive. Painful.

Clueless. Lack of focus. Directionless.

Uninspired.  De-motivated.

And then one day, the phone rings. Or you see a job of interest as you peruse Indeed. You get a lead from a friend. You get an idea for a new business. You read something that inspires you. Your former co-worker calls you with an opening at his company. You get a thought and a plan. You start putting the pieces of the puzzle together – not in the old way, but in a new and different way that works for you now, at this time in your life. You start feeling more like your “old self” again with a renewed sense of energy, purpose, drive, and determination. And somehow, you know you are well on your way to…

Change.

Transformation. 

Rebuilding. 

Renewal.

A new direction. 

A new start. 

A new you. 

And a new beginning.

Get This Party Started!

The other day, I was helping a client via phone with a review of her career management materials. As the conversation got underway, I offered:

Are you ready to get this party started?

Absolutely, ready to go!

Before we jump in with the review and all, I’d invite you to consider these three variables, factors, ideas – whatever word you wish to affix to them, before we get going.

1.  I would like you to pretend that you are a recruiter, HR pro and/or key decision-maker, okay? Put yourself in that role, see the world – your resume and cover letter world – through their lens, their eyes, their view.

Oh, okay, well why do you want me to do that?

2.  I would like to invite you to ‘Think Tweet’ – 140 characters with spaces, the essence of the message, brevity. Short and sweet. To the point. No fluff, no fluffy.

That’s different – so what does Twitter have to do with a resume and cover letter review?

3.  I would like to invite you to think about The Easy Button – you know, Staples – “that was easy" – that button?

 And I am thinking about the Staples easy button because why?

As we proceeded through the critique session, I could hear the client’s tone change from one of what am I doing at this l a m e party to I get it, I get it, I get it…I so get this now. My client indicated that after our session, she was going to start over in the way she presented her brand on paper.

No more long and boring resume, no more seven-paragraph cover letters. Make it easy for the reader to pick me!

As the session drew to a close, I offered “Any further questions before we part company?”

Yeah, it was a totally awesome party!

Résumés: Words and Worth

When I was writing Happy About the Career Alphabet, I wrote that particular book in a tweet-style format. Each and every one of the 805 entries in the book complies with Twitter’s 140 characters with spaces. There were times when I thought it would be easier not to do the book than to verify, re-verify, check, check and double-check 805 tweets, putting them in the ‘Twitter box’ and then rewriting again and again to ensure preservation of the essence of the tweet.

When the book was finished, I was ecstatic and grateful that I had persevered. Patience. Endurance. Tenacity. And word count. And Twitter. And thinking tweet. Writing that book made me more mindful of how to better serve clients. Whether I am teaching someone how to write a résumé, or partnering with them to build it, what I learned from writing a tweet-style book is that each and every word (and character) counts, matters and is of importance. Brevity works. Less is more. 

If you are writing your résumé on your own, here’s something to consider. How about considering the number of words contained in your résumé document and the dollar value each represents? If you read Career Hub routinely, perhaps you read the post on The Unemployment Line where I did a little calculation. Today, however, I have been thinking about the number of words on a résumé and return on investment (ROI). So here’s my next mathematical calculation… 

I performed a word count of three two-page résumés I had completed for three different clients: 

Résumé 1: 824 words

Résumé 2: 559 words

Résumé 3: 785 words

Average words per résumé (WPR): 722+. For calculation purposes for this post, I used 720 WPR. Let’s say that you are a job seeker, seeking a job that will pay you $55,000.00. How much will each word you put on your résumé matter, if you are measuring it in terms of the green stuff? 

$76.38 per résumé word

Further, for the sake of this exercise, let’s say that you are targeting a $150,000 job, what then will each résumé word be worth to you, based on 720 WPR?

 $208.33 per résumé word

Whether you are writing a résumé with 412 words or 892, each and every word matters – each and every character is important. Before you blast your résumé into cyberspace, drop it off to a recruiter, or submit it to a Hiring Manager, why not do a word count? Why not review each word, each line and each character to make sure it counts, to make sure it is conveying the most valuable, compelling message you can possibly deliver? In the long run, what might it be worth to you?   

Job Interviews and The Rest of the Story

Remember Paul Harvey, an American radio broadcaster and his famous The Rest of the Story? If you are looking for a job, do you freely offer your listeners ‘the rest of the story’ or do you make your listening audience drag information out of you syllable by syllable, word by word, line by line? Is it painful or painless for a listener to converse with you about your product offering? Let’s say you are scheduled for a telephone interview tomorrow morning at 9:00 A.M. – listed below are ten questions for you to ponder prior to that time:

Have you practiced your opening lines?

Have you rehearsed the overall brand message you wish to deliver?

Have you considered your best traits and greatest value?

Have you evaluated your liabilities and weaknesses with responses that sound genuine and credible?

Have you selected three to five of your key competencies (with supporting examples) that relate specifically to the organization’s needs?

Have you thought of your best attributes and thoughtfully crafted examples to support each?

Have you created conversational efficiencies to help the employer get to know you and your brand’s best?

Have you cited specific examples of key portable and transferable skills that align with the employer’s needs or will you be dreaming up answers ‘off the top’?

Have you compiled a convincing body of evidence that you have the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the job of interest?  

Have you contemplated ‘the close’ of your interview conversation?

Knowing ‘the rest of your story’ before you proceed with a job interview will help distinguish you in today’s intensely competitive job market. Make it easy for the listener to pick you to move forward in the interview process.

Do you know the rest of your story – the part that will make you stand out in the listener’s mind?

It's About the "Re's" in My Life

Everything in my life

Starts with a re—

What exactly is going on?

And what is happening to me?

 

The re’s of the world

Are here, there and everywhere

From rebound to revamp to

Restructure and repair.

 

Reboot, reset, reorganize

Reevaluate this and that

Reconsider the strategy

And reduce the corporate fat.

 

Redesign and retool

Reconcile and recommend

Rebuild and rebrand

Will this re- stuff never end?

 

My counselor says to recover

My boss says to resign

My professor says to rediscover

And the tv says to redesign.

 

How can one ever know

Which re- they should pursue

Do you restore your faith in self

When redundancy gets to you?

 

Reenergize, experts will tell you

Refocus, recoup, redo

Readjust your attitude

Realign your view.

 

Recover, rethink, rebuild

Is what a job seeker is coached to do.

What do you need to re-

What re- will work for you?

*With sincere thanks to my client (you know who you are) who made me think (and rethink) about the "re's" of life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Impressions and Your Job Hunt

I stared at the wedding reception invitation wondering what on earth I would find to wear to the event which is going to be held at a lovely country club. My clothes fall into two basic categories:  work clothes or go-to-the-garden clothes. I don’t really have fancy dresses or ‘cute’ as my friend says or ‘hot’ as another offers as it relates to clothing descriptors.  Cute – a cat is cute. A puppy is cute, but an outfit? Really? And hot is exactly what my office has been this week – the kind of hot where sweat blocks my thinking or drips down the side of my client’s face. I mean, that is hot! Cute or hot -- whatever -- off to the store!

I begged (bribed) my youngest daughter to go shopping with me for ideas and inspiration. I did so because I spend more time contemplating what book to buy or what flower to add to my garden than I do on clothes shopping. Plus, I needed her feedback and input which was swift and succinct: 

That’s disgusting.

Don’t ever wear that!

Seriously, NO!

That really sucks.

You look like a ________(fill-in-the-blank)  

Grrrrrrrreeeat! My esteem was soaring, along with the 115-degree heat index permeating the dressing room. Hot indeed!

I hope you will have as much fun selecting your job interview attire as I did searching for a dress. A few “Ps” to consider as it relates to appropriate interview attire and your visual presentation:

Professional – Keep your attire professional regardless of the type of position for which you are interviewing. If the Hiring Manager thinks you’re dressed for the club instead of the conference room, you will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Project a business-like appearance.

Perfumes/Fragrances/Colognes – If the employer can ‘smell you before they see you’, you may give them a headache – seriously!  Be remembered for your sense, not your scents!

Pressed / Polished – A few years ago, a colleague and I were retained to screen / interview three top-level candidates for a VP Sales vacancy. One of the candidates we both really liked kept telling us he was ‘a fanatic about details’. When he stood up to remove his suit jacket, his designer shirt was ironed only on the front – the balance of the shirt was full of wrinkles. His shoes were scuffed and dull. Right – details.

Practice – Whatever attire you select for the big day, wear it in advance. Execute a dress rehearsal. Do a trial run. The most beautiful new pumps in the world will do you in if you have to walk nine blocks off the El stop to your interview in downtown Chicago (or wherever).

Presentation – Carefully evaluate yourself from top-to-toe. As the saying goes:

"You never get a second chance to make a good first impression."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Confidence: How Do You Build It?

Today’s early morning query came from a caller who inquired:

My Mom told me to call you to see if you could help me with getting some confidence.

Confidence, a word defined by Merriam-Webster as: 

a : a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances <had perfect confidence in her ability to succeed>

Listed below are a few ideas I thought of as it relates to boosting confidence. What tips might you offer a job seeker should they ask you how to build their confidence?

Comes from within, by

Overcoming obstacles, fears and barriers, by

Never giving up on yourself (or others) and your ability to change and grow and by

Finding people who ‘act confident’ and inviting them to share any ideas / tips, and by

Investing in a public speaking program such as Toastmasters International and by

Doing one small thing each day to stretch yourself in developing your confidence muscles and by

Expecting to gain, versus never get, some confidence and by

Noticing and noting (tracking) your actions when you feel more confident and by

Creating opportunities to heighten your chances of confidence-building success and by

Educating yourself each and every day, both online and offline, by learning something new to expand your level of confidence.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Trenches With the Unemployed, Anyone, Anyone?

In the 1986 hit movie, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, there is a line that the economics teacher keeps repeating as he is trying to teach his class. The teacher keeps quizzing his students with the tired refrain of ‘anyone, anyone’ to which no one replies. Fast forward to early June 2011 in my office when a client said these words to me:

Is anyone listening to the plight of we the people with no jobs…anyone, anyone?

Though I still don’t know exactly what I want to say, I have wanted to write this post for a while. Usually, I write an educational, motivational or inspirational blog post in minutes – this one (I’m not sure what kind of –al I can affix to it) has been percolating for several days, even weeks. So, I decided to let it flow and however the words roll out, that’s how the post will go. I hope that even one little shred of what I write might strike a chord with anyone, anyone?

As a career management professional, I would love to be so confident arrogant glib as to suggest that I know what to tell you, the person who hasn’t had a job in nine months, 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, or 36 months and beyond, precisely what to do to find one. Actually, I have no clue. I have no clue because I really, really don’t know and quite frankly, I would love to meet the person who claims to know the answers and the solution to this unemployment fix we’re in. Anyone, anyone?

In my 25+ years in the career management industry, I have taken great pains to develop an expansive base of knowledge about the subject of job search. And I have consistently continued to expand that knowledge given my passion for excellence in educating and training job seekers to become efficient and expeditious in landing that next job.  I have studied well…I am a ‘life-long’ learner; I have focused deeply. I have listened intently, I have cared much and served well and I continue to do all of the above…learn, listen, care, focus, and serve. I know more tips, tricks and tactics about job search than you can shake a stick at, so my friends say.

I have written books to help job seekers find jobs. I have blogged and tweeted ad naseum about the subject of careers and job search. I have counseled many, many unemployed people from all walks of life and at all levels of the corporate ladder. That said, sometimes I feel like the words I am saying -- the last few months in particular --  sound shallow, hollow, and empty when it comes to the many unemployed workers.

Do you know what to say to the unemployed, super-talented, well-educated workers with stellar track records of achievement, accomplishment and contribution who haven’t had an interview in over a year, anyone, anyone? Do you know what to say to the unemployed entry-level clerk or the unemployed middle-aged, mid-level manager about what to do to find a job when they have already done all of the ‘right’ things they are ‘supposed to do’ to find a job, anyone, anyone?” Hang in there sounds hollow. Keep your chin up sounds lame. You’ll be fine doesn’t begin to sound credible. Don’t cry over spilled milk doesn’t cut it.

Is anyone listening to the guy who is losing his house because both he and his wife lost their decent-paying jobs, anyone, anyone? Is anyone listening to the single Mom who has 50 grand in college debt, three kids, and no job because it was merged, anyone, anyone? Is anyone listening to the first-generation college grad who went to school thanks to his parent’s second-mortgaged home, and now the home is in foreclosure and the kid with the degree can’t find a j-o-b, anyone, anyone? Is anyone listening to the unemployed people who now find themselves taking multiple medications (which they can’t afford) to cope with the depression and anxiety of being jobless for an extended period of time, anyone, anyone? What words would you choose to console the out-of-work client who claims they’re worth more dead than alive, anyone, anyone?

What might you say to the unemployed person in America today, anyone, anyone?

 

Yet To Be Determined

In my work, I meet so many wonderful people. Some clients I’ve known and had ongoing business relationships with since 1985. Some of my clients have become very close friends. Some of my clients have passed away and left a permanent dent in my heart and in my life. A few of my clients I have written poems for and recited them at their memorial service. 

As a career management professional, I get to be a part of so many interesting career-related things – and sometimes those things make me step up, stretch and grow and get out of the safety of my comfort zone. You know, think about things you’d rather not think about. Or talk about things you’d rather not talk about. But you do, anyway.

Take, for example, one of my long-standing clients -- we’ll name him ‘Jeb’. Jeb has made a coaching appointment with me like clockwork every 4 – 8 weeks since the late 1990’s. He always has a goal he wishes to work on. He is always prepared. He always has a purpose for his visit. Throughout the duration of our business relationship, he has been gainfully employed, yet always invests in himself regarding some career-related matter worthy of his attention.

Our most recent work together is that of writing his eulogy. Previously, in 2010, we wrote his mother’s eulogy in preparation for that day down the road when it will be needed. This is the poem he’ll read when that day arrives to celebrate his mother’s life.

Eulogy, huh? Yes, you read it correctly – eulogy. My client is very much alive, in excellent health and has chosen to get the writing underway for his ‘final story’. In the calm and quiet of my office he ‘thinks out loud’ and I record and ‘fix’ (his word) his thoughts that will be used one day…yet to be determined.

Several years ago, I discovered one of my favorite career books – In Transition from the Harvard Business School Club of New York’s Career Management Seminar. And guess what I stumbled upon in Chapter 5, page 43 of said book?

Your Best-Case Eulogy Exercise

The thing about writing your eulogy while you are living is that it affords you a chance to consider (or reconsider) how you wish to live your present and future.  While there’s no delete button or strikethrough on what’s already happened in your past, (um, I don’t think there’s an app or upgrade for that?) you can indeed rewrite, reshape and rework your future if you choose.  For instance,

Where you were born: Established fact. Can’t change it.

When you were born: Established fact. Can’t change it.

The person(s) who raised you: Established fact. Can’t change it.

The place(s) you grew up. Established fact. Can’t change it.

The schools you attended during your ‘growing up’ years, 5 – 18. Established fact. Can’t change it.

Where you’ve been, what you’ve done to date…done deal; can’t change it.

And then along comes now – the present – maybe you’re at the age of  19, or 28, or 34, 43, 52, 64, 75, 88…how will your present and future life story go? Where are you headed?

Your now: change is possible if you choose…

Your future: change is possible if you choose…

Your final story: waiting for you to you to fill-in-the-blanks…

Homework questions to ponder:

What, if anything, do you know you need to be doing right now that you’re not?

Who or what needs your attention this day, this moment, this hour?

What have you been putting off for another day?

What’s one career step worthy of taking immediately?

What is one slight change you can make for the better?

What do you hope someone will be reading about you one day?

What do you want people to hear when the time comes to celebrate your life?

What, if anything, would you like to change between now and then….a date yet to be determined.

How would you like to be remembered?

Meanwhile, Jeb and I have a good start on his eulogy…the first three paragraphs are written in rough-draft format awaiting his review and approval when we get together next time…

Follow me on Twitter for more career and job search tips

  

42 Ideas When You Have No Idea About What You Want To Be When You Grow Up

Routinely I hear clients say they have ‘no idea’ what they want to do for a ‘next job.’ With much  greater ease, though, they’ll specify what they don’t want to do for employment. If you happen to know someone who has no idea what they want ‘to be or do’ when they grow up, then consider sharing with them some of these 42 ideas.

1. Ask yourself: What is my biggest career problem right now? What am I doing about my biggest career problem right now? How might someone else help me with my biggest career problem right now?
2. Conduct an autopsy of your career to see what, if anything, you might discover.
3. Make a list of what matters most to you.
4. Think of things that interest you.
5. Go to the public library and explore.
6. Pretend that you are advising your best friend who asked you the above questions...what would you say to them? Do that for yourself if you think it is sound advice.
7. Make a list of jobs other people do that interest or intrigue you.
8. Snoop around on O*net to see what, if anything, jumps out at you.
9. Take some career assessments to see what, if anything, they reveal to you. (Go to Google and enter free career assessments if you do not have $$ to pay for same.)
10. Make a list of things that you feel you are in control of right now.
11. Make a list of things that you feel are out of control right now. Carefully review your list...what, if anything, can you do about them?
12. Google something of interest related to jobs, careers and occupations.
13. Be curious and ask career-related questions.
14. Be a good detective and look for clues to help you solve your case.
15. Network to discover information and ideas versus find a job.
16. Speak with a representative at your local Workforce Development Center.
17. Make friends with a Reference Librarian at your local public library.
18. Create a habit of learning one new thing each day.
19. Bing something of interest related to jobs and careers.
20. Visit with people from all walks of life and from all generations...what career wisdom might they share with you?
21. Make a list of your passions; what, if anything, might they suggest for a job or career?
22. Visit with a career management professional.
23. Make a list of questions you would like to ask a career management professional.
24. Check out www.indeed.com to see what possibilities you might glean there.
25. Walk yourself through the Yellow Pages of the phone book -- what categories, if any, strike your fancy?
26. Explore creating a LinkedIn Profile – then create one.
27. Discover interesting ideas, articles and people on #Twitter.
28. Read a career book. Make notes of lessons learned.
29. Read another career book. Makes notes of lessons learned.
30. Read yet another career book. Make notes of lessons learned.
31. Exercise. Take a walk. Work out.
32. Rekindle a relationship worth rekindling.
33. Volunteer to help somebody with something.
34. What do you need to stop doing and start doing to better serve yourself?
35. Forgive yourself and don’t look back.
36. Make a list of what’s right with you instead of what’s wrong with you.
37. Make a list of your liabilities, if any, and what you can do to improve them?
38. Let go of any anger that you may be hauling around.
39. Start a journal and review your writings for themes, ideas and patterns.
40. Peruse career-related blogs for info and ideas; if you don't know where to start, Google "Top Career Blogs".
41. Ask colleagues, friends, and family for their best ideas and input on how to get some ideas when you have no idea about work.
42. Keep an open mind and focus on filling it with potential possibilities and positive thoughts.