Career Hub

Narcisurfing

What a great new term! Combining "narcissism" with "websurfing," it means to plug your name into search engines to see what comes up. Because I have a unique last name, I can simply enter "kursmark" and find all of my books, articles, etc. - plus my husband's long-ago master's thesis, my daughter's med school listing, and my son's band info and golf competition scores!

For job seekers, however, this is more than a game. According to a post at CareerMastersTalk, 63% of recruiters Googled a candidate's name prior to talking to him or her. Increasingly, the sentiment seems to be that if you don't exist online, you don't exist... or you don't matter.

Don't let this happen to you. Be sure the right stuff comes up when you plug your name into the search engines. You can easily find lots of great tips for creating, boosting, and improving your online image. Start right here on this blog, in the "online career marketing" category.

Then go ahead and narcisurf to your heart's content.

Posted by Louise Kursmark

What you think about career change is probably wrong

If you think "no one will pay me to do that!" (fill in the blank), or that you're too old to switch gears, others will think you're ridiculous, you can't afford to change or the economy is not right for changing your career, you're wrong. You don't have to be young, carefree, independently wealthy or living in the right economy--whatever that is--to make a change. There's only one thing you need. Please read my column
to find out what that one thing is. You can also take my test to see if you've got what it takes to change careers. My column can be found in various papers around the country. Here's a link to one of those papers: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070316/BIZ/703160351/1005

Snack Culture and Resumes

Wired Magazine hit the nail on the head with its mini cut-out section called "Snack Attack." Whether reflected in food (mini Oreos, tapas bars, tiny burgers) or entertainment (iPods, 30-second Nintendo games, blogs), the trend towards delivering product and content in small bites for our time-challenged lives is spreading and here to stay.

Can we think of anyone more in need of the "snack benefit" than an HR manager or hiring authority who has to review hundreds of resumes? How can job seekers help them out and themselves too? Why not use the bite-sized idea to get a strong marketing message across in the top third of page one? Just because most people use paragraphs in a professional summary, it doesn't mean you can't depart from tradition and stand out visually in the flood of other resumes.

If you play with formats, you may be able to get across your field, level, and function, your personal brand, a tagline, value proposition, value adds, and differentiators in a fast, 10-second read. It seems to me that, if you grab attention right off, the rest of the resume can put the legs under the profile by going into more depth, just as you can decide to view the whole movie after watching a catchy trailer.

"Snack sizing" worked big time for Apple. Why not you?

March Madness

What is it with this basketball stuff? Millions of Americans are now obsessed with obscure colleges, filling in the brackets, rooting for their teams to advance to the Final Four. Makes me sorry I don't work in an office to get into the pool. I think I'd fit right in with all of the other participants who have little knowledge of the game or the teams but get swept along in the inexorable tide

My favorite outcome of the craze is the new book The Enlightened Bracketologist: The Final Four of Everything - "the new science that makes opinion a sport."

Hmmm.... Korn/Ferry or Christian & Timbers? Career coach or career counselor? Netshare or ExecuNet? Retained or contingent? Employer A or Employer B? Networking meetings or internet surfing?

Fortunately, in career management choosing one doesn't eliminate another... you can keep your Sweet Sixteen alive from first tip-off to final basket.

Good luck with your pool!

Posted by Louise Kursmark
 

Career Management Deficit Syndrome

Many people that I’ve come into contact with lately have some sort of bug. No it’s not a stomach virus, cold, or flu…it’s what Gerry Crispin refers to in his recent post as Career Management Deficit Syndrome. This frequently occurs when professionals fail to pay attention to their own career development because they are too immersed in their current job to think about what lies ahead. They don’t return calls from headhunters, fail to renew memberships to professional organizations, or ignore the signs of a pending downsizing within their organization. Many of the people I meet have had a bad case of CMDS for years and their professional network is practically non-existent. After their company goes through a major restructuring and they are out of a job, they are reluctant to build relationships with people who can help lead them to decision makers. Here are the most common objections I hear regarding networking and my remedies for each. 

I think that my resume alone will get me an interview.

People generally do not get interviews by just submitting a resume. They get interviews because they build relationships and couple that relationship with a resume that clearly communicates their accomplishments and value add. 

I don’t want to ask for a favor.

Many people think that when you network you are asking someone for a job. But this is not the goal of networking. When you network, you never ask for a job. You ask for information about an industry, company, or position. 

What if people think I’m bothering them?

Many people fear that if they ask for information the other person might not be willing to talk to them. While it is true that not everyone will agree to meet with you, many people will extend help to you and you have nothing to loose by asking. 

Why should I network when I can find jobs online?

Most people in a job search spend too much time canvassing the open job market, the market everyone gets to see through job posting boards and recruiters. Far fewer explore the hidden market; the jobs that are never posted, but instead are filled through connections. The odds of finding a position through the smaller, hidden market are greater than those in the open market. 

I don’t like to talk to people I don’t know.

60% of the population believes they are shy. This perception leads to less networking. If the prospect of speaking to someone you don’t know is overwhelming right now, start to build your network by talking with people you do know such as friends, family, and neighbors. If they can lead you to others who can help you gain necessary information for your search, your network will grow in a steady, comfortable way. 

I want to do it on my own.

When you are selected for a position, it’s because you have the skills to support the needs of the position. You showcase your individual accomplishments and differentiate yourself from the competition. But in order to tell your stories to the right person, you need to cast a wide net. You leverage your network to find the right audience, not to get the job. 

It feels strange to talk about myself.

Many of us were raised to be humble and not to brag. Networking and interviewing requires that you talk about yourself and your accomplishments. When you talk about your skills, you are not bragging. It’s only bragging if your discussion contains hyperbole, half truths, or lies. 

I don’t want other people to know my situation.

Feeling too proud to tell people you are in a job search? Examine the cause. Have you assumed that networking is asking for a job? Next, examine the consequences. If you fail to incorporate networking as a method of search, it may take you much longer to find a job. 

I doubt that networking will make a difference.

If you don’t understand networking, now’s the time to learn. To be an effective networker, you need to be willing to share information, build relationships based on trust and reciprocity, leverage existing relationships to create new ones, and create ways to stay in touch to continue giving. Those who don’t understand the process, who use people for information and never build the relationship or return the favor give networking a bad name and loose credibility in the eyes of others. 

Networking will take too long.

Networking is an ongoing process. Like a child, your network needs time to grow and you need to nurture it along the way. You must pay attention to your network to keep relationships strong. Many contacts are not able to lead you to the person capable of making a hiring decision. You must constantly “stir the pot” to effectively network. Take care of your network and it will in turn take care of you.

 

The Power of Nice - and your career search

Check out this quiz and see how nice you are. Click here.

So, are you naughty or nice? Why am I asking? When you're in career search mode, nice finishes first. People love helping people who are nice. Nice is not sappy, smarmy, or in-authentic. Nice can be:

1. Sending an article to a friend related to his/her career.
2. Referring a friend, if the job's not right for you.
3. Connecting two people you know in complimentary busineses so they can team up on sales calls.
4. Asking good questions and listening to how you may help.
5. Volunteering for a favorite organization or charity.

When looking for a job, it's sometimes hard to remember to be nice. Trying a few of these ideas can lift your mood, put you back on track, and increase your network connections. Networking's a two-way street. If you help enough people get what they want, you'll get what you want -- a job.

Are You an Expert?

I remember the first time someone referred to me as an expert. I was  absolutely stunned! Actually, I thought they were talking about somebody else! I always thought that an expert was...well, you know, somebody that was the best of the best of the best in the entire Universe or something! And that the word expert was reserved for only a handful of people worthy of such distinction. So much for my thinking!

Right or wrong, today the world is full of experts. In fact, according to Google, there are 205,000,000 results for the word experts. Anyway, this particular post came to mind because of what my client said to me yesterday -- "who do you trust when everyone in the career business claims to be an expert?" Everyone? She said she had looked on the Internet and there were millions of experts in the career business. Millions? That many?

So I checked for myself. According to my unscientific research, (sitting at the computer on my lunch break today googling different word combinations) here are search results for each category listed below:

• Career Coaching Experts: 1,670,000
• Resume Experts: 4,270,000
• Career Counseling Experts: 1,090,000
• Career Transition Experts: 1,140,000
• Job Coach Experts: 1,390,000
• Cover Letter Experts: 4,620,000
• Interview Coaching Experts: 1,330,000
• Job Search Experts: 78,000,000
• Outplacement Experts: 493,000

No wonder my client asked me about who to trust and who's good! As a job seeker, if you are overwhelmed by search results when you're trying to find help, or beleaguered by the vast number of experts, ask around. Get referrals. Tap into your network. Ask tough questions. Do some digging. Just because a person claims to be an expert, it doesn't mean they are. Maybe it just means they've jumped on the bandwagon of dubbing themselves an expert! Buyer beware!

Worker Shortage Looming?

A new report issued by the Boston College Center for Aging & Work bolsters the rumors we've been hearing for years: There will be a serious shortage of employees in most professions beginning about 2012, due to baby-boomer retirement.

And yet, according to a story in the Boston Globe, only 12% of the 578 companies surveyed have planned in-depth to prepare for this shortage.

The good news for job seekers is that - according to the law of supply and demand - most workers should find it easier to get jobs, and top performers will command top compensation.

Also of interest to baby boomers who DON'T intend to retire, smart companies are rethinking their strategies for retaining and even recruiting older workers. Sadly, most haven't done much about it yet, but at least the issue is on the radar screen.

The not-so-good news appeared in an adjacent article: Apparently most people haven't saved enough for retirement! So it may not be pure love that keeps people working. But whatever the reason, it's good to have a positive work environment and solid career options, whatever your age.

Posted by Louise Kursmark

Young Professionals Look for Fulfillment Outside the Office

A recent study conducted by The Conference Board, a market information company, deterermined that young Americans hate their jobs more than ever before. Less than 39% of workers under 25 report being satisfied with their current position. When the same study was conducted 20 years ago, 61% of all participants were satisfied with their employment situation.

Perhaps the reason so many young professionals are unhappy with their careers is because they are more concerned with being happy outside of the office walls. The 2001 study, "The Next Generation: Today's Professionals, Tomorrow's Leaders," directed by Paulette Gerkovich of Catalyst, a leading research and advisory organization, found that 79% of respondents said that it was extrememly important to enjoy life. Only 22% rated having a variety of responsiblities at work as extrememly important, and just 16% of respondents stated that it is extrememly important to become an influential leader.

And can you really blame us? Studies show the older we get, the more we regret the fun we misssed out on. In the words of former Massachusetts Senator Paul Tsongas, "Nobody on his deathbed ever said, 'I wish I had spent more time at the office.'"

Cross Posted on JobHelper.com

The Five Golden Rules of Resume Writing for 2007

Recently there's been a lot of discussion on the CareerHub blog, and over at Jason Alba's Jibber Jobber blog on resumes in general, on using resume professionals, on writing your own resume, etc.

As someone who's been in the career profession for nearly 20 years and seen resume styles come and go, I feel compelled to jump in with my list of what job seekers absolutely need to do to outcompete on paper on 2007.

Bear in mind that this may not be what's needed in 2008, and it's not what was needed a few years ago! Resume styles change because the market changes, ways of receiving information change, ways or perceiving information change, and ways of sourcing change.

So here are Deb Dib’s five golden rules of resume writing for 2007, 5 bonus rules, and the one best thing you’ll ever do for your career…

1. FORGET almost everything anyone has ever told you about writing resumes. There are only five things you must have in your resume: Value Proposition - Differentiation - Proof - Brand - Passion! Hit these five areas if you truly want to get that resume read, get interviews, and get on the short list.

2. Know your VALUE - Compose a one-sentence value proposition that will not just capture the interest of a recruiter or decision maker, but absolutely compel them to action. Without this, you cannot write a great resume. In fact, you should be able to put this in the middle of a blank piece of paper and get your targeted decision-maker interested in you.

3. Write your PROFILE as though your entire resume is only four inches long. It has to be that strong! Use your value proposition as the key driver of your profile and resume message. Infuse the profile with a bit of your brand and then slam it home with some brief bullets of your best-of-the-best impact accomplishments. Write the profile FIRST, not last  - it focuses your resume and if you don’t know the focus, you’re not ready to write the resume ‘cause you sure won’t know your strategy!

4. Show them the MONEY! Aim for a big, dollarized impact. Doesn’t matter if you’re a CEO, a VP, an analyst, a manager, work in a cost center like HR or IT, or sweep the floor of the pizza joint. Everything you do makes money for the company or supports the way the company makes money. Figure out how you impact the bottom line and clearly show when and how you’ve done it.

5. Make almost all content ACCOMPLISHMENTS - Your contributions get interviews. Job descriptions are close to worthless. Who cares? Give the stats - budget, reports, territories, etc. - enough so the reader knows your scope, and be done with it. Then go back to rule #4. 

6. Bonus rule #1: EDIT - ruthlessly, strategically, courageously. Edit out anything that doesn’t support your candidacy. Your resume is your advertisement. Sell ‘em by being the best fit you can be. This is not a job history for Pete’s sake; it’s an ad! Go for the gold and dump the junk.

7. Bonus Rule #2: DIFFERENTIATE  - If everyone else does it, it’s not going to get you a job. Mark Hovind of JobBait and CareerHub says this all the time. (He also says the 'generalist' is not a good adjective for an executive - and he's right.) Get specific! Doesn’t every executive create growth and profit? Who cares? But the WAY you create growth and profit, and the circumstances in which you’ve done it may be very intriguing to your target.

8. Bonus Rule #3: IMPACT - think about how you impacted your company, division, department, whatever, by being there. If you could only write ONE accomplishment under each job, what would it be? What was your overall value and strategic impact - what got done because you did it that wasn’t done before and that is now part of the company’s best practices or corporate DNA? What will be there long after you’ve gone?

9. Bonus Rule #4: Keep it SHORT. No one has time to read a wordy resume. And no one has time to read junk. Make every word count. And plan on spending many, many, many hours to do it. Because if you know your value proposition, you know your targets, and you know your differentiation and strategy, this will be HARD to do. It’s a lot easier to write a lot about yourself that says little. It’s far harder to write a little and make it say a lot!

10. Bonus Rule #5: Read CareerHub and other career blogs every day for great information that will keep you ahead of the trends and above the competition!

11. The ONE BEST THING you can do for your career!  - Plan to spend hours determining your branded value proposition (your personal brand, executive brand, and the monetized value you bring to your target company - you can read more about this in CareerHub's downloadable Guide to Resume Writing' - see the article 'The One Thing Your Resume Must Say to Win".)

Once you know your branded value proposition and write a tightly strategized, over-the-top-with-value resume around it, you will be ready to go for the gold - to play in the big leagues where only the most prepared and talented careerists compete. You’ll make it easier for companies and recruiters to know that you are among their best candidates, and that you are their most desired commodity - top talent!

Posted by Deb Dib