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Over the last month, I have been an advisor in a Media Bistro Job Search Boot Camp. I have received some version of this question many times: “How do we present a terrific background for a profession we’re trying to get into, as opposed to a terrific background for a profession we’re trying to leave?”

Career changes are a process. They involve quite a lot of reflection, research, and a comprehensive assessment of what is important to you. When you come to a point when you’re ready to act upon a career change, the resumé is traditionally the tool you use to make your first impression. Representing your skills and experience on a resumé in a career change situation becomes an art as well as a science.

If you’ve devoted serious time to the first part of the process—reflection, assessment—then this part of the process should come more easily. If it doesn’t, take a few steps back and consider again the skills and experience you can take with you.

Many years ago, I learned from one of my mentors, Carol Anderson, three avenues to making a career change; I believe that this advice is directly applicable to the resumé as well.

1) If you want to continue working in the same functional role, but need or want to change industry, you will leverage your functional skills. A marketing person for a financial services company will perform similar tasks and have similar responsibilities to a marketing person in the nonprofit sector. Those skills should take center stage on your resumé.

2) If you are trying to change your functional role within the same industry, leverage your industry knowledge. Maybe you’ve been an editor for years, but secretly developing your design skills after hours. Now you’re ready to make the switch from words to art. Showcase your understanding of the big picture of publishing.

3) If you want to change careers altogether, and find a different function in a different industry, you will need to leverage your transferable skills and untapped talents. For example, if you have experience successfully managing a team of people and expect to do so in a different industry, highlight your management experience on your resumé.

When you work on your resumé, be sure you understand which avenue you are pursuing, and what skills you plan to utilize and experiences you will draw upon to move you toward those goals. You can start to paint the picture of that ideal future in your resumé.

If you have a career conundrum or job search question you need answered, please write to us at Info (at) careerfolk.com or post it on our facebook page and let me help you figure out your future.

How do you pursue multiple avenues at the same time and keep it all straight on paper?  The question I received this week from one of the job search bootcampers was How do I effectively highlight my work experience … without looking like I am all over the place?” Guy has had more than six years of accounting experience, and has spent two and a half years working part-time in television production. He’s still interested in pursuing both avenues, but ultimately wants to focus on production.

So, how do you do it?  Very carefully of course {Smile}. Resumés and careers are not the same as they were 10 or 15 years ago. Today, there is a concept of “slash careers,” as documented in a great book by Marci Alboher called One Person/Multiple Careers.  And you need to have multiple versions of your resumé.  You may be pursuing more than one career, either out of necessity or out of an abundance of interests and opportunity. In this economy, I encourage people to embrace the idea of multiple streams of income. Chef/journalist. Designer/teacher. Accountant/production assistant.

In Guy’s case, he should be selective about what he puts on his paper resume depending on where he’s sending it. In the case that he chooses to showcase all his experience he should create two separate sections of his resumé: one that is titled Accounting Experience and one titled Television Production Experience. Highlighting both is fine, unless he is only applying for an accounting job, that has no relation to TV production. The key is also to focus on highlighting your areas of expertise and transferable skills within each experience.

Guy is lucky in that every single business in every industry needs an accountant, so he can always take these skills with him. Luckily, these two careers are not in conflict with one another; he could easily moonlight in the TV production business without affecting the accounting business, if that is what he chooses to do.

Guy is certainly well positioned to take on an accounting role within a production company. If he decides he wants to focus solely on television production, he may want to focus on making this lateral move. Once into the industry where he wants to be, he can then show his enthusiasm for helping out after hours on production gigs. When an opportunity opens up, he has already sold himself. Everyone in the department will already know his enthusiasm and skill for production.

“Since there are overlapping and gaps in time with my production experience and accounting job, how do I overcome this when setting up my resumé/LinkedIn profile?” he asked.

My suggestion is not to worry about the gaps. The secret behind a strong and compelling LinkedIn profile is to include everything that you have done in your life that you have enjoyed, felt passionate about, or succeeded in. Conveying these stories is what is important; you want to sound interesting so people will want to read more. The Summary section is the perfect place for you to share your story, and your interests. You can also include a portfolio of your work on LinkedIn for example.

The rest of the work you need to do is networking. Looking for a job while making a career change adds an extra dimension to the challenge. The real emphasis needs to be on networking, both virtually through social networks including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and in person. Good luck Guy. It’s time to make your move.

Have a career conundrum or job search question that needs answering? Write to us at Info @ Careerfolk.com or drop in on Facebook and let us know where you need help.

1. Fear of being your own boss: You have no choice to face this fear, because it is right there already. You are your own boss, whether you like it or not. Due to the trend of shrinking job tenure, everyone needs to think about what their next step is going to be, on a regular and strategic basis. Long gone is the lifetime career working for “the Man”.  People need to consider not just one, but multiple sources of income and manage their career like a business.  As such you need to become your own Chief Marketing officer.  This requires you to be more proactive than ever before in your own promotion process. In addition to the traditional job search methods, and the obvious fall back of seeking jobs online, you need to think about how you can develop a professional online presence, that it is branded and compelling, enough so that people will be intrigued to click on your profile if it comes in a Google search.
 

2. Fear of social media  - There are valid reasons to be a cautious about increasing your social networking activity. Feelings of being exposed, and the fear of compromising your privacy are the most common ones I hear. The reality is that there probably is more information about you on the web than you are aware of. When was the last time you did a Google search of your name? By setting up your own social media profiles, you can start to control what comes up if someone searches for you. If you don’t come up at all, not only does this represent you in a   negative light to recruiters (According to Execunet, 70% of hiring managers rejected candidates due to little or no information about you online or if there is digital dirt, unsavory and inappropriate material online). In fact the saying goes, if you can’t be found on Google, you don’t exist. By establishing your presence online via various social networking sites, you are leveraging your voice and taking control of your brand and message that people will find. Inversely, without using these tools, you can do little to manage the information that might come up in a Google search.  The numbers speak for themselves: 86% of hiring managers said candidates with a good online reputation can positively influence their application

3. Fear of putting your photo on LinkedIn: In almost every group I present to on LinkedIn, there is always a small, but diverse group of people who are leery of putting their photo up.  Underlying your fear of putting a photo on LinkedIn is possible fear of discrimination, lack of confidence, or heightened self-consciousness, or strong preference towards privacy. Well, if it’s any of the last three, I say, get over it. Regarding fear of discrimination, whether it’s race, gender, age or ethnicity, while these are certainly all prevalent to degree in our society, I don’t believe it will be the only reason you didn’t get the job. I have a number of successful 60+ clients who have landed work, simply due to their level of persistence and the fact that they were the best people for the job.  If you aren’t convinced yet, read this: having a photo on LinkedIn is essential to getting to 100% (critical for a truly optimized profile that lead to you coming up in more searches). In fact, according to LinkedIn research, your profile is 9 times more likely to be viewed if you have a photo of yourself. Just smile, and you’ll look beautiful.

4. Fear of reaching out. Social networking sites have transformed the job search process. The potential to reach out and connect with relevant people in your field that you would not normally connect to is possible via LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, as well as many other forms of social media. So why are so many people not doing it?  It seems to be well understood that job searching is about networking, and here the opportunity to network is offered up, ostensibly free of charge to connect to almost anyone you want to. If referral is the most successful form of getting you hired today, then every job seeker or career changer needs get over this fear of reaching out and work on expanding their networks with key people who can help them land their next job. It is simply a matter of making the effort to find those people on these networks, and then crafting a short and compelling note asking them for some quick advise. It can be as simple as this:

“Dear Michael,
I was intrigued by your background and experience and I was wondering if you could spare a few minutes to give me some advice about your industry/ company etc.
Thank you,
Donna
If you are writing to them via LinkedIn, they can take a look at your profile if they want to know more, which they most likely will.
 

Ok. Done!… Are you cured of your fears now?

It’s Martin Luther King Day on Monday, and there are a lot of events to recognize this day, especially, service related events. I am reminded of the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam. If you haven’t heard of it before, it means healing the world.  I definitely believe we can all play a role in this, especially during these difficult times where there is so much need. Martin Luther King day offers you a chance to volunteer (if you aren’t already) and  do something meaningful for your community. For job seekers, this might be a chance where your good Karma could come flowing right back to you. You never know what might happen by putting out some positive energy into the universe.  There are so many good reasons to volunteer, in fact, I was just able to rattle off 15! Volunteering your way to your next job is definitely amongst the many good reasons to get out there and be useful. I have many stories of clients who have landed a job through their unpaid service.

Below, I have listed a couple of  websites that provide information on what type of volunteer opportunities are available this weekend in lieu of MLK day, but you also might find other opportunities for a longer term commitment.  Do you have any plans to do something meaningful this weekend?

Here are 15 great reasons to start volunteering today:

Make a positive and meaningful contribution to a cause that you value and care about.
It will get you out of the house.
You’ll feel better about yourself and get a shot of confidence if that is what you are missing after having been unemployed for a while

Start Volunteering today:

Careerfolk Resources to Volunteer Opportunities

US Government Website for MLK Day information and service opportunities
Drop us a line if you have some positive experiences to share from your volunteer roles. Thank you!

Don’t underestimate how you might be able to help someone by inviting them into your network. A Linkedin invitation is ideally a mutually beneficial experience; assuming that both parties are equally invested in their professional networks and they both use Linkedin. So, when you are enjoying the holiday parties of the season, go armed with your business card, and if you don’t have one, now is the time to invest in one. Vistaprint is relatively inexpensive, and easy to design online. This is one present you need to give yourself and the most important piece of information you can have on it is your Linkedin Profile URL. Before you leave, ask others if they have a business card, or give yours card to every person you have talked to, and invite them to connect. You might be the link to helping someone else find a job, and that’s priceless, and not just for the lucky person. Being the essential connection in that process will pay long-term dividends back to you.

So, pay-it forward and put some good will out there this holiday season, everyone will be very grateful and you won’t be forgotten.  A win-win for all. Cost:  Priceless

I invite you to share your thoughts about networking during the holiday season. Have you met any interesting people? Did you invite them to connect? Its not too late. Please comment below or on our facebook page, click here

Curiosity is, in great and generous minds, the first passion and the last. – Samuel Johnson

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. – Carl Sagan

For better or worse, I have always been intensely curious. I say “for better or worse” because curiosity has been known to get people into trouble, (poor cat!)  but I feel quite grateful for my innate sense of curiosity because without it, I am sure there would be a lot I wouldn’t know, and people I would never meet. I can’t imagine where I would / or WOULDN’T (for that matter) be now!

What about you? Are you naturally curious? If not, here are some tips on how to take advantage of this busy holiday party time, and use curiosity to max your time networking. How can you use curiosity to benefit you while you are in job search mode? Here are some suggestions so that you can leverage the holiday parties over the next week. Find out who is going to be at your various networking events by calling your friends, perusing the evite invitations, or Meetup.com RSVP’s, and then select 1 or 2 acquaintances (or more, per party) who you have always wanted to get to know better but haven’t had the chance. You’ve seen these people at networking events before and you know a little about them and want to know more because they do something you are interested in, worked a company you are exploring, or they are just interesting. If you know they will be at a party you are going to, do some research (No this is not snooping, just a little networking preparation). This way, you will be able to engage in some meaningful conversation, and be ready with some strategic questions that might help you learn more about a company you are interested in, or about their particular expertise. By having learned a little about them, make your acquaintance feel special, and interested in what they do and have to offer, without asking too many questions. Most people loved to be asked advice, and are generally very willing to share their knowledge with interested parties. So, show your genuine interest, and you just might reap the rewards of a more fulfilling conversation.

I would love to hear if you use these suggestions and they work! Drop us a line.  Even better, give us a thumbs up (Like) on Facebook. Thank you!

3. The Gift of a Positive Attitude: You may be in a difficult place with your job search, and understandably so– an ongoing job search, being stuck in a job you hate, or chronic underemployment are all very demoralizing, but an optimistic outlook (ok, not that easy to find at times, but dig up whatever you can), can be beneficial on a number of levels.

Positivity is infectious and the more positive energy you exude, the more others will be inclined to want to talk with you and help you. Taking along your positive attitude might also help someone else who isn’t feeling so good. And if you need a little pick me up, see how other people do it at the Happiness Project or the Positivity Blog. Sometimes, it’s just getting out of the house and being around others that can help you forget about your woes for the time being.

A holiday party, for instance, is a time to put aside those anxieties, relax and make the most of being around old friends, new friends, fellow job seekers and who knows who else, right? Make the decision to show up with the most positive and open mind because the chances of you leaving feeling even better is directly correlated to your positive approach.  Alternatively, take a friend or two to your next party, particularly if you know someone who does not get out enough right now and needs to do more networking, because, the more the merrier when spreading good cheer.

The Gift of Positivity – Cost:Priceless

Who do you know you can share this gift with? Please share with us. Thanks

Listening is the greatest gift you can give.  By engaging in the act of listening you are giving someone the chance to tell their story. So, in order to really engage with someone, the best thing you can do is listen. I learned this after a powerful experience with master storytellers from the organization Narativ, that there is no story without a listener. However, we humans are easily distracted, and considering these stressful times, we tend to get caught up in our own thoughts, concerns and anxieties that prevent us from listening fully. It has also been found that, despite conventional wisdom, introverts do a better job at “networking” in the long term, because they tend not to talk as much and are therefore, better listeners.  So if you can work on putting those anxieties aside, stop talking for a while, and practice the art and skill of listening, you might be amazed at what you will hear.

So, pay-it-forward (where you can) and put some good will out there this December, everyone will be very grateful and you won’t be forgotten.  Two gifts for the price of $0.

For those reading this, who live close to my office in Stamford, CT I invite you to a lively and hopefully engaging discussion on the mindset of Networking. I know so many people still need to work on this, I hope you will join me. Read more about the Careerfolk Cafe on Tuesday 12/13 at 9.45. Networking and coffee at 9.30. I hope you can make it.

The holidays can be stressful at the best of times, but these economic times present both a challenge and an opportunity. We’re all getting used to the New Normal, or New New, as one of my friends like to call it.  The one consistent is that networking is the most valuable action you can take to help yourself in your job search or in your business.  Two years ago I was inspired to think of networking from a different perspective in the face of the harsh new economic realities we faced. Reflecting on the act of networking during a period of time where a lot of opportunities present itself  for engaging with new and old friends and colleagues, family and acquaintances, seemed pretty obvious. So, to get you inspired, here is the first of my series of GIFTS you can give to yourself and others, this December.

1. A Mindset of Giving

Networking is about building relationships, meaningful conversation, asking questions and listening. Engaging with purpose and intention. What a gift. Seems obvious, right,, but one of the biggest mistakes people make when networking is going into it with the mindset of “what can I get out of this?” No doubt, having a clear set of goals and what you want to gain from your networking efforts is very important, but that is not what it’s all about. A common assumption is the thinking that you don’t have anything to give back, particularly if you are not working. This is not true at all and in fact if you go into any environment where you are going to have the opportunity to connect with people, focusing on how you might be able to help someone else is what can really propel your networking efforts forward.

A mindset of giving is the foundation of truly successful networking. Developing your reputation as someone who is interested, helpful, and trustworthy will lead the way for others to willingly and generously want to help you in times of need. If this was not your understanding of networking before, what better time to start.  Two Gifts for the price of $0. Priceless.

Can you think of gift you would like to share with others this December? Please comment below, or if you would like to email me your thoughts – I would be happy to publish them here.  I welcome your contribution to my 21 days of creative giving this December.

For those reading this, who live close to my office in Stamford, CT I invite you for a lively and hopefully engaging discussion on the mindset of Networking. I know so many people still need to work on this, I hope you will join me. Read more about the Careerfolk Cafe on Tuesday 12/13 at 9.45. Networking and coffee at 9.30. I hope you can make it.

It’s hard to get excited about a job search. Even less so about job search tools.  Well, I have something that I think you’ll really be grateful for if you give it a chance.  You can be thankful for Twitter for being Twitter. Rather than being the frivolous waste of time you think it might be, Twitter is in fact your Swiss army knife of Job Search tools. Here are my top 10 reasons to be grateful for Twitter.

1. A “Micro-blogging” platform. Allows you a chance to share your thoughts in a novel, quick way. It allows you to build your brand, to stand out and to conduct “Knowledge-Powered Networking”, connecting with people through sharing knowledge.2.  An instant messaging system. Yes, you can send a private message (a DM or Direct message in Twitter speak. A quick way to connect  with someone you are following (but they must be following you back) especially if you don’t have their email address! Imagine that?

2. A source for finding answers. Since Twitter is a real-time instant messaging system, you never know who might receive your request to find the answer to something, or your help with finding a job. A case in point, Brandon Savage. When he lost his job in 2009, he let his Twitter community know immediately. One month, and two hundred Tweets later, he credits Twitter with his rapid success, in the midst of the worst economy ever.

3. A source for finding and creating community. No matter what your interest or field, I guarantee you that you will find others with the same background and interests as you on Twitter. In fact, if the US Association of CPA’s is on Twitter, and you are not, then I’d say you better get cracking. Them CPA’s are Tweeting, and so could you. Your long term career insurance is built on a growing and robust network- Twitter is the ultimate access to the Twitter Network. You would be amazed.

4. A Dynamic, real-time job board. Twitter is the Classified Ads 2.0. It is the conduit for jobs beyond Monster and CareerBuilder, and if you haven’t figured out how this works, It is time!  In addition to the 1+ Million job tweets that flow down the stream  via TweetMyJobs.com, there over 11,000+ Recruiters (I’m sure that number has grown since I last checked.

5. A No barriers networking Tool. One of the simplest  and genius aspects of -Twitter is that there are no barriers to connecting (unless you decide to “lock” your profile in the beginning, as you get used to it, most people do not and you can just about “Follow” anyone on Twitter. Tonight I heard about a ex-corporate career changer launched her career change by reaching out to people in the field she was exploring via Twitter. She launched into a new career thanks to Twitter.

6. Builds Online Credibility. In the new “work order” where web 2 meets our flailing  economy.“Your Google Results are your new resume” says Richard Bolles , author of What color is your parachute. With Twitter’s very high SEO capability, and your chance to share what you know, and how you think, Twitter is the place to build your G-Cred (Google Credibility) or reputation as a thoughtful contributor.

7. A Marketing and PR platform. I tell my clients every day that the job search is no longer just a “search”. In a competitive market such as this,  the job search”, should be more like a “self-promotion process”. Your own personal PR campaign, with a little help from Twitter, and of course some daily search could go a long way very quickly. What better place to be than on the free social media super tool, that has a penchant for going viral in seconds. Just remember, Tweet smart and you might become Twitter Famous. You don’t want to become Twitter Infamous, which has become somewhat common these.

8. A dynamic database. Probably unbeknownst to most, Twitter is a huge dynamic goldmine of career and job search information. By tapping into Twitter, you can learn about companies you’ve never heard of, position openings hot off the press, names of people in the company where you want to work, or doing what you want to be doing, and a direct way to connect with them.

9. An open chat-room. Technology is a truly remarkable thing that we must be thankful. The nature of twitter allows for open, real-time chats between 2 or more people. In Twitter language, these are called Twitchats. You can follow  the #jobhuntChat live every Monday night at 10pm.

So what do you think? Going to give it a try? You just might just have a new job to thank Twitter for!

Drop me a comment below, I would love to hear about your successes with it!

Happy Tweeting,

Donna