Career Hub

Finding Motivation for Your Job Search

There's so much great advice to read on the how-to's of conducting a successful job search. You know about hiring a great resume writer, networking, differentiating yourself from the pack, cover letters, job boards, interview dos and don'ts, and so on.

So how do you get motivated to start all of that? And how do you stay motivated to make it all happen?

I'm inspired today by Larry Hendrick's recent post from his blog,  Motivation on the Run.

There are all kinds of sources of motivation. Maybe you're motivated by other people's expectations of you, the pain of your current situation, an externally imposed deadline, duty, desire, an unstoppable force of exuberance and optimism (lucky you!), plain ol' stubbornness, money, status, necessity or the promise of future happiness.

When I work with career coaching clients, I always ask what motivates them. I also ask how that particular source of motivation helps them or hinders them.

For example, just because fear of a re-org motivates you right now to conduct a job search doesn't mean that it's your most effective source of motivation. When you're feeling stuck and frustrated, you need to be able to turn to a strong motivating force to get you going again. Anger at your negative situation may not pull through for you, but a desire to work in an industry you care deeply about, for instance, can be an incredibly strong pull to keep you moving during your job search process.

Today write a list of everything you can think of that motivates you as you work on your job search. Star the items that pull you toward something positive and consider letting go of the least inspiring obligatory motivations.

While you're at it, write down the names of the people in your life who motivate you to stick with something, try harder, risk more, be great. Remember to call them!

Knowing how to find motivation when you're needing it the most will ensure that you actually execute the brilliant job search strategy you worked hard to create.

Top 50 Companies for Diversity

According to DiversityInc's 2006 survey of the top 50 companies for diversity, these leaders in human capital diversity aggressively recruit and retain a high percentage of women, candidates of a diverse ethnic mix, and candidates with disabilities. They are also more likely to offer benefits to support a diverse workforce including on-site childcare and adoption assistance. As job seekers, remember that you are interviewing a company just as much as they are interviewing you. It is well worth the investment in time to target those companies that match your needs as well as your uniqueness. Take a look at the list...it may help validate what you've heard about these companies or it may give you some ideas on new companies to pursue...either way, surveys such as these are a fun read and can provide valuable job search information.

Interviewing: Integrate, Don't Separate

Coaching and counseling professionals on how to interview is such fun! One of the things that I especially love is helping clients draw a correlation between what's already working for them and then, applying that knowledge, style, and process into their interview presentations. Integrate, don't separate.

For example, the rising star I worked with recently said his greatest fear in the entire job search process was "selling himself" in the interview. Specifically, he indicated that he had little or no confidence when it came to answering questions that he fully anticipated being asked ...since he'd had plenty of experience doing the asking and knew many FAQ's. His confidence level drastically diminished, though, even at the thought of sitting in the hot seat! "It's different when it's me!"

We simply broke things down and came up with a plan "just right" for him by identifying the steps he naturally takes to facilitate presentations around the globe. "Simple" he offered -- assess, develop goals and objectives, set the agenda, put together a game plan, and execute. Be well-prepared to answer questions.

What this client discovered from our session is that he already possessed many of the requisite skills to "sell his product." Integrating his own style and strategy into his self-presentation helped boost his confidence much more than before. Bottom line, tap into what you already know and do well, use it to your advantage in the interview, and outshine the competition -- one word at a time!

Please, please don't blow it discussing salary!

Young workers especially continue to challenge this advice. Even parents think their kids should ask about pay and benefits in the first interview up--and are advising them likewise. As one parent wrote me after I wrote a column saying that wasn’t such a hot idea: “I stand behind the younger work force taking care of themselves first…I caution you to throw away the conventional wisdom used for employees in the 80s & ‘90s. It really doesn’t work today.”
Her comments were based on a previous column in which I cited a report on CollegeJournal.com that stated campus recruiters and researchers say that more than any recruits in memory, this year’s crop is asking employers for assurances of security. Click here for my column in which I talk about why, once again, it doesn’t help, but hurts to bring up salary and benefits in the first interview.

Online Job Search - Success Story!

Well, last night I met the person who embodies successful online job search. At my golf league wrap-up dinner, I chatted with a young woman who, in March, posted her resume on a couple of sites as her first "toe in the water" of a fairly passive job search. By April 1, she was employed by her new company, in a new location. They paid for the move, gave her a nice bump in salary, and put her to work doing stuff she loves.

"Why isn't that happening to me?" you might be wondering? Although it's not scientific, here are a couple of things we analyzed might have led to her rapid success:

• She's a computer engineer in the hot field of environmental engineering and has a couple of highly desirable certifications.
• She most recently worked for IBM (big, respected name).
• She was targeting the Boston area, which has a large number of high-tech employers.
• She's smart, sharp, articulate, and accomplished.

In other words, she had every favorable factor you can think of to draw a lot of interest to her resume and then succeed in an interview.

But - and it's a big but - she was as surprised as I was about her success with this method! When hired, she was in the midst of planning a much more aggressive and targeted strategy to connect with people and companies of interest. Even for the ideal candidate, it doesn't make sense to pursue one avenue and then sit back and wait. Sometimes it pays off, but much more often (as much as 97% of the time, according to some surveys) it delivers no result whatsoever.

The lesson? Pursue a variety of strategies... and be prepared for opportunities that come your way no matter how they find you (or you find them).

Job Search Is Not Plug and Play

Sorry readers. I don't have a whole lot to say in this posting because I think that the title says it all. There is not one single technique, approach, solution or idea that is a universal panacea for everyone' s job search. You have to operate on all cylinders and be relentless in your pursuit.

I do know that personal connections are almost always effective for sourcing a new job.  If anyone asks my advice on how to allocate job search time, I am emphatic that they focus on two steps: choosing their target companies and networking to meet insiders at these employers.  These personal referrals deliver the first scoop (often unannounced or unofficial) about a potential new opportunity generated by internal changes. Be smart and devote your energy to making new contacts. Such connections expand your reach delivering your value proposition to those who need to know how you can make a positive contribution to them.

Posted by Debra Feldman

Back to School: 101

Fresh start ... whether you have kids yourself ... or simply were once a kid some time ago, Labor Day is nearly synonymous with back to school, hitting the books, and learning. Why not vow to learn a new skill this fall?

Over the past year or so, I've been retained by more than a few executives (after assisting them with successful job searches) to help them with putting together PowerPoints. They are now in a new position--new company--and need to deliver a message to their new division or overview their vision for the company or motivate a new sales team. And they may not (yet) have resources available to do this for them.

Now for many who've long since mastered the ability to use the software, I can hear the collective "huh?" But a number of my clients have always had staff--or at least an admin--who did this for them. And so they never had to learn. There's no shame in admitting that.

Let me dispel the myth and share a secret: PowerPoint is a piece of cake. An easier software to learn does not exist. If you can use MSWord, even minimally, you can do PowerPoint. If you're a novice to PP and not traveling over the long Labor Day weekend, I challenge you to take just 90 minutes and sit at your computer. You'll add a new personal competency to your own skill set (no, it does not go on the resume ;). But, for executive job seekers, it's a valuable tool for creating a powerful presentation for that second or third interview.

Are You Prepared for Behavioral Interviews?

According to a recent article on Inc.com a typical interview which lacks focus and structure is a terrible predictor of job success (.2 correlation to be precise). Savvy interviewers are utilizing behavioral based interview techniques which require candidates to prove they possess the qualities necessary for the job by articulating past correlated examples of their success. Examples of behavior-based questions include "Tell me about a recent split-second decision you made on the job" (tells the hiring manager about your  decisiveness) or "What's the last thing on which you and your boss disagreed and how did you settle it?" (helps determine manageability and communication style). When put to the test, will you be able to prove your value add and cultural fit?

Cut Down the Territory

One of the best pieces of advice a friend ever gave me about writing a book is this -- start with one line, any line; just write down something as a place to get started and cut down the territory. I have always valued his wisdom.

Today, my client expressed his new job target. As a part of that discussion, we chatted about his geographical preferences and he said "Oh, that doesn't matter -- I'll go anywhere...anywhere there's a job."

For sure, that is a choice only my client and you, the job seeker, can make -- let the job take you anywhere. What if, though, the anywhere really isn't where you want to be? What if you're like my friend who grew up in the South, went to universities in the Southwest, and took his first job (I'll go anywhere with my brand new MBA) in Buffalo, New York. Want to bet on how long he lasted there? Yep, six months and as he'll tell you "and that was six months too long." He quit and headed back to the Gulf, sunshine, and 80 degrees. While he liked the people, the city, and his job in Buffalo, he wanted no part of the cold, snowy weather.

So while you may think that anywhere is ok, is it really when you're brutally honest with yourself? Be realistic and use your good old-fashioned common sense and cut down the territory. Come up with a short list of Tier I (first pick), Tier II, and Tier III locations that meet your criteria for places to live. Then list one, two, or three cities within each tier where you could explore professional opportunities. That way, you can make up your own mind where you choose to work, live, and play versus letting someone else make that important career decision for you.

To Slack or Not to Slack - That Is the Question

Apparently there's a lot of workplace slacking (work avoidance) going on, and lots of people complaining about it. You know, the co-worker who takes a 1/2 hour coffee break, or plans their wedding for 6 out of every 8 hours at work, or simply plays computer Solitaire for hours on end. Then there are the folks who have made a career out of slacking - for some, just a few years, while others have been practicing slacking as a career for decades.

A special report on CBS News Sunday Morning this past Sunday highlights the pay-offs of slacking, who's doing it, why, and the long history of slacking by very reputable people. You can download and view the 10-minute video clip "Slackers in the Workplace" and then ask yourself the question, "How well do I slack"?

Posted by Susan Guarneri