Billie Sucher Blog

Thinking Errors

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." Shakespeare, Hamlet

Are you familiar with the term “thinking errors?” If not, you can read more here about how common thinking errors can “skew your judgment and make it hard to appraise your situation realistically.” When I heard the term used earlier in the week, my mind immediately shifted to thinking errors as it relates to job seekers and job search. Here are a few “thinking errors” to ponder if you are in the midst of a job search in today’s uber-competitive market:

►That the place to start a job search is by whipping up a résumé when you have no clue what you want to do occupationally. Reality check: Develop a professional résumé once you have explored realistic career options.

►That a cheap résumé will open doors for you. Reality check: If you are really lucky and the moon and sun and stars all align in your favor, then maybe, just maybe  a ‘cheap’ résumé will open doors for you. However, if your lucky charms are failing you, consider investing in a well-built résumé that reflects quality, compelling evidence and your remarkableness. 

►That looking for work requires a little bit of effort a few hours per week. Reality check: Value your job search with deep regard, steadfast commitment, and an ongoing investment of your time and talent to produce the best R.O.I.

►That hopping online and blasting your application and résumé into cyberspace is the w – a – y to get a j – o – b.  Reality check: People hire people.

►That a Hiring Manager/recruiter/HR pro will spend 10 or 15 minutes absorbing your résumé. Reality check: If you were a Hiring Manager/Recruiter/HR pro, how many seconds would you devote to a 2, 3, or 4 page résumé?

►That “copying and pasting” a résumé from a “free sample” you found online is a good idea for you. Reality Check: Invest the time it takes to copy and paste into creating a unique, distinct résumé document that is a one-of-a-kind, amazing original creation that captures the essence of you in support of your candidacy.

►That “just because” you are a good talker you don’t think you need to practice prior to a professional employment interview. Reality check: While interviewing is a business conversation with a purpose, for many job seekers -- of all ages and abilities – practice pays in many ways!

►That “going to market” before you are ready will result in a desirable outcome. Reality check: Know with clarity and certainty your product’s most valuable features and benefits to derive the greatest return on your product offering.

►That “more is better” – more words in your emails, résumés, and interviews will deliver more of an impact. Reality check: Less is more. Think: tweet.

►That a prospective employer will listen intently to a protracted explanation of your work history, starting from 1978 forward. Reality check: Compress your words into bite-sized chunks of solid evidence directly aligned with your target job to keep the listener engaged and the conversation flowing.

What, if any, “thinking errors” have you experienced only to discover that your thinking wasn’t working to your advantage in this competitive job search world? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

 

 

 

 

Drip Dry

Wouldn’t it be nice if there existed one universal hand-dryer system?  I was in a beautiful new office building yesterday and for the life of me, could not get the towel dispenser to work. No matter what I tried, nothing happened.

Have you ever noticed the many types, styles, makes, models and solutions for drying your hands? Pull the paper, motion the paper, roll the paper, touch the paper, do not touch the paper, extreme air, warm air, jet air, hot air.

My hands were dripping wet and finally, after several seconds, I gave up and let them drip dry. Seriously, I could not figure out how to make the system work. And then I laughed at myself, recalling the conversation that had taken place with a client earlier in the day.

When everyone claims to be an expert on résumé writing these days, who  really knows the right  way to write a professional resume?

Wonderful question! And here’s my answer:

The right way to write a résumé is to write it in such a way that generates an interview for you, the job seeker.

What one person thinks is an amazing, awesome, top-notch, state-of-the-art, best practices 2012 résumé may very well get ripped on by another set of eyes.

What one person thinks is a horrible résumé may in fact be the one that lands you an interview.

What one person thinks is a terrible résumé may in fact be a terrible résumé.

While I have written hundreds and hundreds of résumés with and for my clients, that doesn’t mean that my way is the one way, the right way or the only way any more than it means that your way, or someone else’s way is the one and only way.

What it means for you, the job seeker, is that you will find as many opinions, thoughts and ideas about résumé writing as there are hand-drying systems. And what really matters is this:

Does your existing résumé work for you?

Does your existing résumé help you get your foot in the door?

Does your existing résumé get noticed by the people you want to notice it?

Does your existing résumé result in a call or an email from a decision-maker, recruiter or HR Manager?

Does your existing résumé deliver your best skills, credentials, relevance and value for the job?

Résumés. Hand dryers. Find one that works.

How To Find a Job When There Are No Jobs, According to Someone Who Found One

For nearly six years, I have been a contributing blogger over at Career Hub, and more recently, here at my own blog. During this time, I have shared oodles of “free advice” to help job seekers. Today, though, I wanted to share a job search success story in the words of one of my clients. “Ben” was kind enough to accommodate my request for his thoughts on “How Did You Land Your Dream Job When There Are No Jobs?”  Ben has an inspiring story to tell and I found his words worth sharing. I hope they will make a little dent in your life as a job seeker.

Snapshot of Ben:  Male, Gen X, Supervisor / Team Lead level; resigned his job after 20+ years of employment with a market leader.

How did you find the courage to “quit” your job after so many years of employment in a supervisory / team leadership role? 

After my mother’s death, family became especially important to me. I wanted to see my son play baseball and football. I wanted to have weekends off and be with my family on holidays. In retail, you work when everyone else is off. I did not feel appreciated at work. Every year, you worked harder and you received less. 

How long did it take you to find another job in a job market where there are no jobs?

I started looking for a new job at the end of September 2011. By mid-October 2011, I found a new job and gave notice. By mid-November 2011, I knew I had made a big mistake with the new job I started. I came to the reality that for the last two years, I hated my job. On December 23, 2011, I decided I would put myself first before everyone else. This was the first time in my life that I was going to quit a job without having another. On 01/26/12 I found my dream job, Monday – Friday 7am. to 4pm.  

What job search strategies worked best for you?

Your résumé is an investment. Invest in yourself and your future. Spend the money on your résumé to display the real you. The way the résumé is written in 2012 is totally different than in 2000.  Have four great professional references. You need to network with your friends and family. The last two jobs I found, I sent my résumé to someone who knew someone. In my new job, I let my present employer know that I just dropped my wife off at the airport. My new employer noticed that my wife worked for the same company and asked what she did.  

What is the single-best-piece of advice you would offer today’s job seeker to do?

I have a super résumé. I have a personnel endorsement on page one and two of my résumé.  I had my second interview on a Monday and on a Tuesday, I received two emails that my personal references were contacted by my new boss. My personnel reference knew I was looking for a job but I never contacted them to let them know that my second interview was a homerun.   

What was the defining moment of your job search?

The position I applied for had a reference number. For this position, I noticed there were four different references numbers. I applied for each position, even though the only difference was the reference number. In my last interview, I had asked why all the different reference numbers for this position.   

What did you do on the days if and when you felt like giving up on the search, got discouraged and/or lacked motivation to look for work?

Call a great friend, pray, cook, take a walk, clean and re-clean house or car.   

What do you think today’s job seeker could do to enhance their chances of standing out from the crowd?

Take the time to research the company you want to work at. If you get a phone interview or an in-person interview, make sure you have six great questions to ask the interviewers. Wear your best business suit. Get a business card so that you can send a thank you email. Make sure you have copies of your résumé on quality paper. Wow your interviewers. Interviews are hard to get. First impressions are huge.   

What other words of wisdom might you offer to job seekers today?

Don’t give up. On a daily basis, keep track of who you sent a résumé to and rate yourself from 1-10 on your job search performance.

Anything else you learned about finding a job in a competitive market that would be of value to job seekers?

It is not fun not having a job. Make sure you do not take it out on your family. I sent out over 40 résumés.  I had three phone interviews and three in-person interviews. I received 15+ decline letters and the rest of the résumés I did not hear back from. Keep your chin up. Some résumé and application forms took four hours to complete. After you fill out the application, some companies have you take timed tests and ask how you would handle a certain situation, math and computer skills. Many companies you send résumés to go to a third party to sort. I would call the local HR office and they did not hear of the position that was open. HR is a 24 hour operation. Many times I would receive decline letters in the middle of the night.•

Seven Questions for Today's Job Seeker

As a career management professional, I love to ask questions of clients. And the reason I love to ask questions is that I almost always get answers that reveal important information to help me better serve them. Take, for example, my recent interaction with a job seeker who had lost his job and wanted to update his resume. When I asked him this basic question:

What is your new target goal work-wise?

he indicated he had "not a clue" what he wanted to do in the future. Armed with this single bit of information, we quickly shifted from resume-writing to a career transition conversation. The client, by his own admission, was nowhere near ready to write a resume, yet that's what he thought he was "supposed" to do because he didn't know where else to start. When asked about his overall job search strategy, he said his search so far had been one of "Throw some mud and see what sticks."

At the conclusion of our coaching session, he offered "For the first time in months, I feel like there's some hope for me." Hope, indeed! As a job seeker, if you have "not a clue" what you want to do regarding a job or a career, do yourself a favor and take a few steps back before you try to go forward and write a new resume. As a way of getting started with that process, listed below are some questions for you to ask yourself. Take some time to craft your answers. You will then be much better equipped to move forward in the various job search phases, including resume writing.

Question 1: Who are you?

Question 2: What do you want?

Question 3: When you consider your greatest achievements, accomplishments and successes in the last five years, what five come to mind?

Question 4: Where do you want to work?

Question 5: Why are you the best candidate for the job?

Question 6: How will you add value to an organization?

Question 7: How much money do you expect in exchange for your talent?

Homework Exercise:

To get started with this activity today, pick one of the questions from the above list. Do your very best to come up with thoughts and ideas to help formulate answers to each respective question. Tomorrow, pick another question and the day after, yet another. Within a week's time, perhaps you will have compiled some solid information about the who, what, when, where, why, how and how much of an amazing job seeker named Y-O-U!

Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming

This is not a test. For each of the movie lines below, can you name the movie associated with each quote? Who knows, maybe one day in a job interview you will be asked to cite your favorite movie line of all time. (Answers at end of post.)

A. “Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?” 

B. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” 

C. “You’re either in or you’re out, right now.”

D. “My Mama always said, 'Life was like a box of chocolates; you never know what you're gonna get.'" 

E. “When life gets you down, you know what you gotta’ do? Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”

The other day, someone mentioned “Keep swimming, keep swimming” and it has stayed with me since. I like that line. I especially like it for job seekers and job search…and life in general.

When things don’t go your way, just keep swimming.

When the phone doesn’t ring, just keep swimming.

When the eighth rejection letter arrives, just keep swimming.

When the voice message announces that you are the #2 candidate, just keep swimming.

When your resume is ripped on for the fourth time, just keep swimming.

When no one returns your phone calls or emails, just keep swimming.

When the bank says you can’t get the loan to start your small business, just keep swimming.

When your immediate supervisor says we need to talk, just keep swimming.

When your appointment cancels on you 20 minutes before the scheduled meeting time, just keep swimming.

When you are advised that your position has been eliminated and that a box and a security guard are waiting by your desk, just keep swimming.

When you go to an interview and a representative informs you that the position has been put on hold for now, just keep swimming.

When you have submitted numerous applications and heard back from no one, just keep swimming.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

Answers to this is not a test.

A. from What A Girl Wants movie.

B. from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off movie.

C. from Ocean’s 11 movie.

D. from Forrest Gump movie.

E. from Finding Nemo movie.

Job Seekers: Here's to You and Fresh Starts in 2012!

Looking forward to 2012, my friend and I were chatting about words that end in –al and how they seem to provide a launch pad for goals, changes, fresh starts and dreams for a new year.  As you peruse this list below, perhaps you will contemplate how each of these –al words might play a part in your job search, career and professional life in 2012:

Analytical – When a hiring manager scans your career marketing materials with an analytical eye, what conclusion might they draw?

Controversial – What controversial subjects do you plan to avoid in job interviews and at networking events?

Conversational – How might you enhance your conversational abilities in 2012?

Denial – What, if any, 2011 issues have you brought forward to 2012 and what, if anything, will you do to deal with them in the immediate future? 

Economical – What one thing will you do in 2012 to contribute to the economical betterment of your community and world?

Educational – What one educational goal do you intend to pursue this year?

Emotional – What, if anything, needs some attention with regard to your emotional well-being?

Essential – What are the most important matters that will demand your full attention in 2012?

Financial – What are your financial goals for the coming year?

Impractical – What decisions did you make in 2011 that may now be impractical in 2012?

Individual – What, if anything, could you do to improve the individual Brand You 2012?

Influential – What subjects would you like to become more influential about in 2012?

Inspirational – From what sources and resources will you derive your inspiration in the New Year?

Intellectual – How can you better share the intellectual abilities and gifts you have been given?

Intentional – What good things do you plan to do with intention and purpose in 2012?

Interpersonal – What, if anything, can you do to refine your interpersonal skills in 2012?

Managerial – In managing your career transition project (or work projects) what can you do this year to improve upon last year’s performance?

Mental -- How would you best describe your mental toughness should you find yourself in a state of career transition?

Motivational – What are three specific motivators that you plan to maximize in 2012?

Occupational – Are you working in or working toward an opportunity that holds interest and passion for you?

Organizational – What steps can you take today to better organize your job search activities to produce more desirable results in 2012?

Original – In what ways are you original and how can leverage that originality to better serve your job search efforts and outcomes?

Personal – What one thing would you like to change, add to, or delete from your personal brand in 2012?

Physical – What, if any, physical goals do you have in the works for the New Year?

Potential – If an organization asked you to describe your potential in 2012, what would you say?

Professional – When December 31, 2012 arrives, what is the single best thing you will have achieved professionally?

Psychological – If you have been struggling with a particular issue or concern in 2011, what plans, if any, do you have in place to address this matter in the New Year?

Relational – As you review your relationships and connections in your life, do those on your list have a habit of ‘building you up’ or ‘bringing you down’ and what, if any, improvements could be made as you move forward in 2012?

Social – How would you best describe your social life / network (both offline and online) and what, if anything, might be enhanced in 2012?

Spiritual – What, if any, spiritual goals have you thought about for 2012? 

Survival – If you lose your job in 2012, what plans do you have in place to maneuver through and manage the transition phase?

Testimonial – Have you considered how the voice of others can leverage your candidacy for a job, interim assignment or independent contracting opportunity?

Transformational – If you could transform one thing about yourself in the next 90 days, what might that be and how would it be of value to you, or to others?

Transitional – How can you more effectively manage each 2012 ‘work day’ as you explore new career options?

Verbal – How would your most recent supervisor rate your verbal skills and what might you do to improve them in 2012?

Vital – No matter what else you do in the New Year, what three to five things would you most like to accomplish by the time the ball drops in 2013?

Vocational – What, if anything, would you like to do differently this year regarding your employment situation?

Happy New Year to You! Wishing you good health and much happiness in 2012 with a sincere thank you for reading this blog!

With Bad Advice, Do You Pay the Price?

“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.” ~ George Bernard Shaw

Remember the last time you randomly asked someone for directions to get to a place? Remember how they told you to go down there a couple of blocks, then turn left at the light, go a couple miles that way, make a sharp right and that should do it? Remember how you did that and ended up more lost than ever?

Reminds me of bad directions for a job search. Unfortunately, I have heard quite a few bad directions from job seekers who tell me that their well-intentioned neighbor, friend, cousin, roommate, or stranger told them how to write a resume or told them this or that about finding a job. Some would argue that it really doesn’t matter who tells you what, as long as it works to find new employment.

However, if the counsel you have received doesn’t, didn’t or hasn’t worked for you and you have been between jobs for six, 12, 18, 24, 30+ months or longer, perhaps you might consider the accuracy of the information you’re getting. While it is important to reach out to people to support you, guide you, help you and be by your side in your quest for new employment, it surely doesn’t do you much good if you wind up at the rest stop of the job search trip because you took an exit based on bad directions and/or just because they were free.  

If the directions, free advice, free counsel, and job hunt input you have been given by countless caring people simply isn’t working for you, here’s some more advice and yes, it is also free:

Ask five people for the name of a career management professional in the community / country that (in their opinion) has a good stellar reputation in the industry. If you do not get any names, ask five more people and keep asking until you get a name.

Go to LinkedIn and see if that person has a LinkedIn profile. Read about them. Read their recommendations. Contact someone you may know listed in the pro’s  recommendations; call them and listen closely to their response when you ask them the following questions:

• What did you like best about your experience in working with So and So?
• What, if anything, did you not like about your experience in working with So and So?
• Would you still recommend So and So and would you work with him/her again if you had a career need?
• On a scale of 1 – 10, what number would you give So and So with 1 being very poor and 10 being over the top good?
• Is there anything else about So and So that would be of value to know?

Call the pro(s) whose name(s) you have been given and ask the following questions, well before you ask them about their professional fee structure. (Something to consider:  Would you call a brain surgeon if you desperately needed brain surgery and start the conversation with : “Hello there, how much do you charge?” Probably not, though it happens frequently in the career management industry). Instead, you could engage the pro by asking the following questions before inquiring about their respective fees. It doesn’t take but a few minutes to run through the questions listed below and it could save you precious time (and money) in the long run.

1. What is your background?

2. When did you get started in the business?

3. What population do you serve?

4. What qualifies you to dispense career information?

5. What is your level of success?

6. How will we work together: via phone, IM, in office, Starbucks?

7. What can I expect from you and your services?

8. Why should I choose you over Brand A and Brand B?

9. Help me understand your fee structure and payment requirements.

If you find yourself sitting at a career crossroads still contemplating which road to take next, how about the possibility of seeking professional help, guidance, direction and support? To discover more information about how to find a career coach/counselor in your area, consider reading Appendix B: A Guide to Choosing A Career Coach or Counselor in the book What Color Is Your Parachute – Pages 288-303 in the 2011 Edition.

“The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten.”

Gerbils and Job Search

Have you ever watched a gerbil running on a wheel? Although I haven’t owned any gerbils, I have learned that if you can get them to run on a wheel when they are young, they will spend much time exercising on it - going around and around and around in a circle. Never really going anywhere, mind you, but around and around and around to absolutely nowhere.

As a job seeker, has it ever occurred to you that perhaps you are running around and around, not really going anywhere? Maybe you are, maybe you aren’t. Perhaps you are familiar with the following Albert Einstein quotation:

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

If you are looking for a job in today’s intensely competitive market, how long have you been doing the same job search activities over and over, but not yet achieving the type of results you desire? Here are a few questions to ponder:

1.      What, if anything, can you stop doing that doesn’t seem to be working in your favor?

2.      What, if anything, can you start doing, that you haven’t yet been doing?

3.      Have you drafted (and practiced, practiced, practiced) solid answers to these specific questions:

a.      How does your brand differ from 14,000,000 others, or even 50 others?

b.      Can you name five specific reasons an employer ‘should’ hire you and can you provide proof / direct evidence for each reason cited?

c.      Can you name five of your best work skills (with supporting examples) that you feel passionate about applying in the market place?

d.      Can you name five words that do not sound the same (or similar) to those articulated by 14,000,000, or even 50  other job seekers?  (Hint: name qualities that align with your specific target goal for optimum brand alignment.)

e.      Can you cite three specific examples of how you will contribute to an organization’s bottom line.   (Hint: do not say “Well, because I have a great track record and successful experience”;  get specific, not generic to distinguish yourself from the competition.

As 2011 draws to a close, now would be a good time to consider how you would like your 2012 to take shape regarding your job hunt. What strategies need your immediate attention? What practices can you improve? What small steps can you take today that will result in your ability to run a better job search race tomorrow?

 

We Can Work It Out

You can get it wrong and still you think that it’s all right.

~ John Lennon, Paul McCartney

Are you looking for a job? Are you holding on to the job you have, yet can’t stand going to work? Did you get fired from your job recently? Have you been unemployed for two months or maybe even two years? 

When I listen to people, be it my clients, a speaker, a colleague, a friend, or one of our children, I am always listening for the essence, the takeaway, the nugget of what they are saying. The other day, I was listening to a speaker talk about working things out, whatever it might be in life. And the main message I took away from his presentation: “We can work it out.”

What in your job search would be well, wise and worth it for you to work out?

Do you need to work out how you are going to pay your bills to keep things afloat until you can find new employment?

Do you need to work out how you are going to start that business you’ve always talked about doing?

Do you need to work out how you are going to interact with a boss or co-worker you do not like until you can find a new job elsewhere?

Do you need to work out how you are going to write a résumé when you have held seven different jobs in the past five years?

Do you need to work out how to speak about yourself and your brand before you go to market and explore new opportunities?

Do you need to work out how to stay motivated and energized, up and on after being rejected 15, 20, or more times?  

Do you need to work out how to learn more about social media and how it could be another valuable tool for you?

Do you need to work out how to juggle unemployment and part-time work and who will watch the kids?

Do you need to work out how to talk to your spouse, partner or loved one how you’re going to ‘get through this’ together instead of apart?

Do you need to work out how you are going to explain to a Hiring Manager why you are between jobs?

Do you need to work out how you are going to tell your family that you are really struggling with being out of work?

Do you need to work out how to renew, rebuild and repair relationships with the people in your life who really matter?

Do you need to work out a way to forgive yourself, stop blaming yourself and resist the temptation of seeing yourself as a failure?

Do you need to work out a way to let someone know that you are sorry for what you said?

Do you need to promise yourself that you will do whatever it takes to hustle, to stay focused and to leave no stone unturned in making changes that need to be made to work out your life?

Do you need to work out in your mind and heart that you buy-in to the concept of we can work it out?

Life is very short, and there’s no time

For fussing and fighting, my friend.

~ John Lennon, Paul McCartney 

So How's That Résumé Working for You?

Looking for a job with a résumé that isn’t working to your advantage?  

How about applying the genius of Steve Jobs’ brilliant thinking to it?

Simplify, modify and beautify the design.

Ask yourself these three simple questions:

Does my résumé contain relevant content to provide evidence that I am qualified without question to do the target job? Yes___ No___

Has my résumé been modified to meet the specific needs of the employer?  Yes___ No___

Is my résumé beautiful, stunning and eye-catching? Yes___ No ___

While you may not be a legendary designer, marketer  or visionary, you are indeed a valuable product for sale in an intensely competitive market.  If you are not happy with the results your existing résumé is producing, here’s an idea to consider: 

SIMPLIFY:  Design an efficient, easy-to-read résumé that users will want to experience first-hand. Integrate simplicity into its form and function to deliver value and excellence at first glance.

MODIFY:  Create a branded story that will entice your reader to connect with you immediately. Write your résumé using compelling content to prove how your unique credentials align with the buyer’s distinct needs.  

BEAUTIFY:  Build a résumé design that delivers an attractive, inviting look to the stranger who knows nothing about you. Do your best to capture and keep the attention of your audience. Convince them the first time that you are the one and only brand of choice.  

Simplify, modify, beautify.

iYou.