Critical Next Job Tips: Key Job Search Advice -- #1

Q-Tips: Critical Next Job Tips
Key Job Search Advice -- #1

These job and career-related tips -- for all job-seekers looking at changing jobs (by choice or rightsizing) -- have been gathered from numerous sources throughout Quintessential Careers and organized here for your convenience.

"If you want to be a job seeker in this new millennium, then use a visual medium, a portfolio," advised teacher and writer Martin Kimeldorf in the Q&A interview he did with Quintessential Careers. "A resume is from the last millennium. Both resumes and portfolios will help you focus your job search and provide you with the language you need during networking and interviewing. But please take a portfolio to the job interview," urges Kimeldorf.

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With the job market cooling off, it's helpful to know that more corporate employers seem to be turning to temporary workers to fill their unique, project-specific jobs and partnering with staffing firms to make that happen. Thus, if you're having difficulty finding full-time employment, you can continue to build your resume, your skills, and your network through temping. A record 3 million temporary workers were hired by staffing firms on an average day in 2000 in spite of labor shortages throughout the year and an economic downturn during the last quarter. "Staffing firms created 100,000 new jobs last year and more than a million during the past six years," says Richard Wahlquist, executive vice president of the American Staffing Association. "Temporary work provides a bridge to permanent employment. On average, seven of 10 temporary employees go on to permanent jobs within a year. However, for a smaller but growing group of workers, staffing firms are becoming their long-term employer of choice."

Read more about the value of temping

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Columnist Jane Bryant Quinn advises a number of steps to prepare workers in case the axe falls:

Network like mad by going to trade shows and conventions and collecting business cards.
Make sure all your personal information is off your office computer since you may have very little time to vacate the workplace if you get pink-slipped.
Evaluate your skills and their marketability. Take some courses if you think your skills could use updating.
Jump back into jobhunting right away if you're downsized; don't waste time feeling sorry for yourself.
Change careers if it's realistic to do so, but don't assume a career change will be a magic bullet.
Have some cashed stashed to see you through your time of unemployment.
Don't panic.

Our own suggestion: Check out our employment resources on temping. Temping has seen many a laid-off worker through to the next job.

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What does the future workforce hold in store? The U.S. Department of Labor has published a report full of all kinds of interesting information about what we can expect.

Among the findings:

The U.S. population is becoming larger and more diverse
Educational attainment is rising
Women are working more; men are working less
Workers with disabilities are an underutilized resource
Young people are already a substantial part of the labor force
Employers are demanding higher skills
Work reforms can increase productivity and reshape workplaces
Nontraditional workers are an important part of the workforce

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Next step up from simply marketing yourself to get a job? Becoming a "career activist." An activist is, according to career counselor Barbara Moses, "vigilant, sometimes cocky, maybe even a little paranoid." Fast Company magazine quotes Moses as characterizing career activists this way: "They define themselves independently from their organizations and take charge of their own career choices."

Some tips to help you become a career activist:

Engage people by expressing who you are. Don't be phony or play a role -- just be dynamically yourself.
Network!
Don't rule out your current company as the source of your best new career opportunity.

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A valuable resource for black women is National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., a nonprofit, volunteer organization involved with community service, leadership develop and enhancing career opportunities through networking and programming. For information on NCBW chapters and programs in your area, contact the national headquarters at 212-947-2196, 38 West 32nd Street, Suite 1610, New York, New York 10001-3816. E-mail: NC100BW@aol.com.

See also the Professional Women of Color (PWC), a non-profit organization that provides workshops, seminars, group discussions as well as networking sessions to help women of color manage their personal and professional lives. Contact PWC at: PO Box 5196, New York, NY 10185, 212-714-7190.

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Don't overlook university career-services offices as resources for career help, even if you're out of college. Most career-services offices offer services to alumni -- sometimes for a nominal fee. Many career services offices have reciprocal arrangements so that if you don't live near your alma mater, the closest university career office may offer services to students and/or alumni of your school. It can't hurt to ask, and you may find a wonderful and inexpensive resource open to you.

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Interested in locating headhunters (executive recruiters)? Contact the Recruiting & Search Report (904-235-3733) for its inexpensive directories covering 5,600 headhunters classified by industry/functional specialty. Consultant News (603-585-2200) publishes annual editions of The Directory of Executive Recruiters, which is available in bookstores or from the publisher.

Check out also one of our favorite resources on the Web to find recruiter, Oya's Directory of Recruiters, with recruiters organized by specialty and by location. It's an extremely useful service. You can also try the National Association of Executive Recruiters, where you can also search by specialty and location. Offline sources of recruiters include your network of friends and colleagues (especially those with personal experience), your industry's professional association(s), and even a phone book or chamber of commerce directory.

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Worried about the effects holding a job will have on your teenage children? Just about all the research supports the idea that part-time employment for teens can be very beneficial in building important time-management and life skills. These part-time jobs help teens experience and prepare for the workplace, build a sense of self-worth and pride, build and strengthen money management skills, and develop key project-management skills. As long as their grades or social lives do not suffer, these part-time jobs all seem like great experiences for young people. Make sure your children know that you expect school to come first and that any sign of weakening grades may result in the loss of their jobs.

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To maximize your experience with recruiters, seek out specialists in your industry/profession. Check out Oya's Recruiter Directory, which you can search by specialty, for leads on specialized recruiters.

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Virtually everyone -- at least once in their career -- has been promoted, but without an increase in salary or even a better title. It's baffling why so many employers have not realized that promoting someone without giving them a new title or a raise is really a de-motivating factor. It's like the employer is saying, "we really like you. In fact, we like you so much we want you to work harder and longer, but for no more pay and no more prestige." If you find yourself in this situation, you can try to build a case with your manager. But failing that, the unfortunate truth is that it may be time to polish that resume and start looking for a new job with a different company. Don't give up on your current company, but start talking with the people in your network, and start planning a job-hunting strategy. If the situation does not get resolved with your current employer, begin job-hunting at full speed.

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If you've been at your first post-college job for just a short time but are unhappy and ready to seek new employment, be assured that job-hunting after a short stint is not as much of an an issue as it might have been in the past. Employers recognize that the reality of the current job environment is that most people need to move around to advance in their careers. Furthermore, many of the entry-level jobs that college graduates fill can be mastered in about a year, so some employers expect that these employees will be ready for advancement. Focus on the positive when interviewing for new jobs. Stress that you have mastered the skills required for your current job and are looking to make an important contribution in a new job for a new employer. For a refresher on interviewing techniques and questions, take a look at Quintessential Careers: Interviewing Resources.

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When you're planning to relocate, submitting your resume with a cover letter to various companies in hopes of establishing a relationship and inquiring about employment opportunities is a great idea. A cover letter is an extremely important part of your direct-mail campaign, but also be sure you've devised an overall strategy about relocating. Research companies in the new location, decide which ones to target, and identify key people to contact. Our Quintessential Careers Directory of Company Career Centers can help you reach major targeted companies. And once you've sent out your cover-letter and resume packages, make sure you follow up and contact these people to try to get some interviews, either by phone or as soon as you arrive at your new location. For help with your cover letter, visit Quintessential Careers: Cover Letter Resources, which includes a link to our Cover Letter Tutorial.

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If you are an older worker who has been downsized and are having trouble getting interviews, you may be concerned about finding a new job. Don't be discouraged. Being downsized hurts the ego; there's not doubt about it. It's a blow. And no matter how much we try to convince ourselves that we were not fired and that there is no stigma, sometimes we carry that issue with us into the job search and into interviews. Try to find a neutral party, such as an associate, and ask that person to evaluate your approach and style. Make sure he or she is totally honest with you. Make appropriate changes.

The next issue is networking. Because of your level or experience and expertise, networking is crucial. Again, networking will only work for you if you have overcome the first issue. You cannot appear downhearted, discouraged, or desperate. For your network to work, you need to spin your situation as an opportunity for a new direction and new challenges. Work your network -- friends, family, associates, former coworkers, etc. The third issue is your level of expertise and salary. Downsized managers, especially middle managers, can be the hardest to place because the flattened business model has less need for them; thus, make sure your resume stresses quantified accomplishments -- that you were an active participant in your past company.

The salary issue may be a little harder because some companies may eliminate you from consideration based on an assumption of affordability. You might also contact a headhunter. Keep in mind that headhunters work for hiring companies. It will take some time, so be patient. Build that network and focus on the positive.

For more tips and advice, please read our article, The Impact Of Getting Fired.

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Most companies with various divisions and subsidiaries have very specific guidelines regarding the process for applying for a job outside one's current subsidiary/division but within the corporate umbrella. In some cases, the policy treats the process as a simple job transfer, but in others, the policy treats the process as a full-scale job search. At one corporation we know of, the policy is that you must inform your current manager that you are interested in an internal position (transfer). He or she then has the power to approve or disapprove the interview and possible transfer. If you are interested in moving within the parent company, speak to a human resources person at your parent company, and determine, in general terms, the process that your company wants its employees to follow. Failure to follow this policy could be disastrous.

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Earned an MBA but having trouble finding a job? Get your entire job-hunting technique -- including resume(s) and cover letters -- evaluated by a professional, such as the career placement office from the college where you received your MBA -- or use our professional service http://www.resumesandcoverletters.com/. Once you know that your job-hunting tools and techniques are sound, try the following plan:

Use the career placement office to locate leads.
If possible, look beyond your immediate location, especially if it is a small town.
Join one or more industry associations and network, network, network! For more tips on networking, visit Quintessential Careers: General Professional Organizations and Associations.
Join one or more Internet discussion groups related to your professional interests and goals and network there. Check out Quintessential Careers: Places to Network on the Web.
Visit, search job openings, and post your resume at one or more of the top job sites. Check out Quintessential Careers: Top 10 Job Sites for a list of the 10 best.
Visit one or more of the MBA-specific job and networking sites. You can find a list of them at Jobs for MBAs.

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The stigma of being downsized or fired has been greatly reduced thanks to the numbers who have been through it in the past decade. If it happens to you, your focus should be putting a positive spin on the departure -- that the decision was mutual because both you and the company were going in different directions, then change the subject and focus on your strengths and the many benefits you can bring to your prospective new company. When you are asked about the job from which you were let go, don't make excuses, prolong the discussion, or blame the person who terminated you. These kinds of actions will immediately end your interview. Read our article The Impact of Getting Fired: How to Pick Up the Pieces and Find an Even Better Job.

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Worried that your current boss will find out you're job hunting? It is not always a bad thing that your boss knows you have outgrown your current position and are seeking new challenges and responsibilities. People are not supposed to stay in the same jobs forever; you are expected to grow and develop as new challenges change the way you do business or as you move up the management chain into higher management positions. Having a supervisor know you are ready for such a change can be a signal for that person that he or she should be ready to move up as well. Of course, it's true that being honest could also backfire -- yet still have a good outcome. We know of someone who told her boss she wanted to interview for another position within the firm. The boss turned her down and blocked the transfer, citing her as too valuable to his department. Though she did not get that initial transfer, she did receive more training and responsibilities in the department she was in, which later helped her transfer out when an even better internal position became available.

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If you're planning to relocate, will it enhance your chances of being interviewed if you state in your cover letter that you will relocate at your own expense? No. In fact, just the opposite may be true. Stating at that early a stage in the job-hunting process that you will fund your own relocation makes you sound a bit too desperate, and employers tend to shy away from such people. Instead, focus your efforts on building a network of people in your desired new location through professional associations, friends, colleagues, alumni associations, etc. Consider taking a working vacation there and schedule interviews -- job or informational -- during that time. Before you go, set up interviews with potential employers and a few recruitment agencies. Being available for interviews is what is important at this phase; moving expenses don't enter the picture until a job offer is in the making.

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You're barely into your first job out of college, but you already realize it's not the right job for you. Perhaps it's a dead-end and not challenging at all. Do you stick it out so you'll have a longer period of employment to list on your resume -- or do you leave? A lot depends on whether you have a probationary period, how often you are being reviewed, and your relationship with your supervisor. If you are in a probationary period in which you will have a 3-month or 6-month review, you might want to wait for the next review period and raise your concerns about the job and express your interest in doing something more challenging. If you have only an annual review process, consider raising your concerns after the probationary period unless you have a very strong relationship with your supervisor. Once you make your desires known, there are two possible outcomes. In the better one, your boss will take your concerns under advisement and help you find more challenging ways to use your skills. In the other scenario, your boss will either ignore your concerns or think you are rushing things, in which case the ball is then in your court to stick it out or start looking for new employment.

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If you quit a job voluntarily, is it okay to ask your former boss for a letter of recommendation? It totally depends on whether you left your old job on friendly terms and your relationship with your old boss. Have you been keeping him or her informed of your progress? Did you leave on good terms? Did you have a good working relationship with your old boss? Assuming a "yes" answer to all these questions, definitely contact your old boss about a recommendation. There is no time limit or expiration on recommendations.

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Job satisfaction comes from many sources, so decide what the most important factors are to you for job satisfaction. A good book on the subject is Career Satisfaction & Success: A Guide to Job and Personal Freedom, by Bernard Haldane, Ph.D. He writes from his many years of experience helping people make the most of their careers and lives.

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You want a better career but haven't attained a college degree -- and you don't feel you are in a position to attain one. Try to find a way to complete the degree anyway -- part-time at night, on weekends, or through one of the growing number of universities that offer courses via distance learning. Our society increasingly requires a college degree for almost any job, much as the high school diploma was required 20 to 30 years ago. Taking courses and finishing your degree is long-term. In the short-term, design your resume to emphasize the transferable skills you have developed from your previous employment. Check our article, Transferable Skills: A Vital Job Search Technique.

The final step is finding those few enlightened employers who realize that experience is at least equally important with education. Even for positions that require a college degree, these employers have a formula in which "X" number of years experience is equivalent to a college degree; however, you should know that these formulas usually end up requiring quite a few years of experience to compensate for the lack of a degree.

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Making a geographic move to enhance your career should not too much of a hassle if you do some planning before you move. Determine your job opportunities in your new location, which you can do in a couple of different ways. First, go to a library get a phone book for your new city. Develop a list of possible employers. Write (and then call) hiring managers at these organizations and ask about job openings and possibilities.

Second, go on the Web and check out a few geographic-specific job sites, which you can find through Quintessential Careers.

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Headhunters (also known as recruiters or executive-search firms) want to package job-seekers in the best light so that they can place them in client companies and earn their commissions. If you find that recruiters are shying away from you, try to set up an appointment with one of them and have a frank discussion about your resume and your market potential. Get their evaluation of your situation. Oya's Recruiter Directory is a great place to start.

Also read our article, The Care and Feeding of Headhunters.

Find even more job-search advice and tips in Critical Next Job Tips: Key Job Search Advice -- #2.

Review all our Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips.

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

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Q-Tips: Critical Next Job Tips Key Job Search Advice -- #1

These job and career-related tips -- for all job-seekers looking at changing jobs (by choice or rightsizing) -- have been gathered from numerous sources throughout Quintessential Careers and organized here for your convenience.

Review all our Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips.

Maximize your career and job-search knowledge and skills! Take advantage of The Quintessential Careers Content Index, which enables site visitors to locate articles, tutorials, quizzes, and worksheets in 35 career, college, job-search topic areas.

Q-Tips: Critical Next Job Tips
Key Job Search Advice -- #1