Posts Tagged ‘personal branding’

Phew, 2010 is here, and its  time to call for an END to Job Searching. Yes, that is what I said.  An interesting statistic was brought to my attention this week by my blogger friend, GL Hoffman: The average unemployed person spends 18 minutes a day hunting for a job. Gleaned from the current issue of Harper’s Index, this Labor Department research  fact came via Toby Dayton of  diggings, another interesting blog to check out.

Sacré bleu, how can this be, you must be thinking! Has all my work been in vain? …I thought at first. This is no doubt a shocking number to see, particularly for all of the job seekers who know they have put in hundreds of hours towards their search, but to no avail.

My hunch is that a good number of job seekers give up in frustration. I certainly see a lot of discouraged people that have by the time they come and see me. Trying to make sense of this crazy statistic, GL wonders whether it might be laziness or ignorance and yes, that does sound harsh, considering that we are facing the worst job market since the depression. My take on why this number might be so low: Confusion, Paralysis, People are adrift in the job market void? The techniques and strategies for finding that elusive position have changed, and the work of finding a job has never been more demanding or more sophisticated. The job hunt process of 2009 and now 2010 looks nothing like the job search of 2001 or any other time before this.

So here is my recommendation for the New Year: STOP JOB SEARCHING. And before you protest, let me tell you why, and what you need to be doing instead.

The job search of this last decade was made ‘easy’ by the “job boards” that brought opportunities straight to us via email. It doesn’t get any easier than that, and in fact, I personally benefited from this having learned of my last 2 positions when they landed in my mailbox. So what happened?   Dare I say that we got a little complacent?  Have the job boards turned job seekers into passive participants in their search for gainful employment?

Fast forward-> 2010. The job market is improving, but there is still not enough to go around. Not much happening on the job boards, and yet that is where most people still hang out “searching” for that next gig.  No wonder people give up so quickly. They don’t hear anything back, and feel the whole job search is futile. So what’s the deal?

2010 Realities: Along with telephone landlines, the fax, and dial-up Internet connections, could job boards, at least the big “monster” boards becoming obsolete?

5 Strategies for Finding a Job in 2010

1. In 2010 finding a job is about REsearch, it’s not just a search. Job seekers need to, first and foremost, think of themselves as detectives because finding a job today is akin to a murder mystery and you need to solve it. You have to research the different roles that could benefit from your skills and the companies that would value your expertise. You need to research where do working professionals in your field or desired career convene and you need to find out when is their next meeting. You need to research what are the industries that are hiring, and the names of companies in your targeted geographic location. You need to research who are the thought leaders in your (desired) field, and reach out and talk with them (and I’ll talk more about that in the networking)

You need to think of yourself as Scientist, dissecting your field and the people and you will find the clues to guide your way. Without these, you won’t know what you are searching for, and you may be wandering in a desert, waiting for those elusive jobs to appear, for a long time.

2. Finding a job is about assessment and a level of self-exploration that you may not be used to. Lets call this research on yourself. With the fierce competition, you have no choice but to help others see your value, because nobody is going to take the time to look for it. This involves a process of self-assessment and evaluation. Ideally, this is something you would do with a career coach, who as an objective observer and trained professional, who can help you articulate your strengths and value in the most compelling way.  This is exactly where so many job seekers get stuck because this is not easy.  Every client I coach answers a long list of questions and self-exploration questions, that challenges them to dig deep into identifying what is the most important part of who they are, what they do, and what they love.  The goal of this process takes us to the next tenet of the 2010 Job Search.

3. Finding a job today is about self- branding 20 years ago, Tom Peters,  was bold enough to suggest that branding wasn’t just for corporations or products, but was an imperative for the individual to survive in the marketplace. He could not have been more accurate, and today, more than ever, if the job seeker does not heed this advice, they will remain lost in the ocean swell of job seekers. Defining and refining who you are so others clearly understand what you can offer, and how you differ from the next person with the same skill set, is what you need to be working on. As Peters wisely advocates:

“Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You. It’s that simple — and that hard. And that inescapable.”

By clearly identifying your talent and your passion, it’s that much easier to get others on board with you.  But what are you supposed to do once you have this brand?  You shamelessly promote it.

4. Finding a job today is about Marketing – Once again Peters couldn’t have said it better, and this applies to every one: “…our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.” Along with establishing your personal brand, marketing oneself is a central tenet of the new job search paradigm. Now, understandably if this is your first time looking for a job in 5, 10, or 20 years, you may not know where to begin, but that doesn’t mean you cannot learn. In fact, marketing oneself has never been easier or more accessible with the growth of Web 2.0 and the social networking sites. Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook, if used strategically, all enable you get your message out to your target audience. Not only can you market yourself via this medium but they allow you to put your networking on steroids, if you will, and that takes us to the last and most important element of what it takes to finding a job today.

5. Today, finding a job is about Networking. Okay, I know you have heard this a gazillion times (almost, right?) and that is because, ultimately networking done right has always been the most successful route to finding your next opportunity.  The problem is that the process of networking is far more complex than meets the eye and with the advent of social networking sites like Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook, networking takes on a whole new dimension.  If done right, and you integrate networking activity into your daily life, if it is consistent, and strategic and it is about building relationships, your networking will work. I have to admit however, that I am constantly amazed how limited most job seekers networking efforts are, which is why I started a monthly speed networking program at my local library. I called it the Art of Networking although networking is really both an art and a science; and if you don’t practice it,  find your rhythm and a mode that is comfortable and manageable for you it will not work. Once again, because so many job seekers, either don’t do it, or don’t do it properly, or enough, they lose faith in the process and give up… and land up with a statistic next to their name.

So, the 2010 challenge is on: Whether you are a job seeker, career changer, or hard working individual looking for a better gig, the goal is to limit yourself to one hour a day, if that, on a job board, and work on getting your head around these five strategies.  As you can see, they are not about “searching” and will take more than 18 minutes a day, but you can do it and it might be a lot easier than you imagine.  Call me to find out how I can help you embrace this new job search paradigm.

Fashion is not the only thing that suffers from the ebs and flows of economics. There are resume trends too, and the 2009-2010 Resume has a whole new look.  In this recession, the rules & tools of the job search have changed and that includes the resume. For many job seekers thrust into the hunt after a long time of steady employment, these trends are not very obvious. And, there is always that familiar refrain, “…but I was told to do it this way.”  Confusion reigns and simple ignorance is evident(no offense, it’s hard to keep up with all the changes) .  This is apparent from the hundreds of “old-school” cookie-cutter resumes I continue to see.  While the traditional format may have worked in the pre-recession economy, don’t expect too much traction with it today. That is, unless you have a unique skill set that is well highlighted through out the document and is the EXACT match for what the hiring manager, your resume is most likely not going to bring you the attention you want.   So, if you think its time for a resume makeover, learn what’s in and out of vogue for resumes this season.

1. OUT: Objective IN: Clear and compelling Positioning Statement / Value Proposition/ Job Title

The top ¼ of your resume is the most prime resume real estate. I see too many resumes squander the opportunity to catch the attention of the person perusing/ skimming/ eyeballing your document. Telling a recruiter “what you want” by way of the ubiquitous Objective does nothing for your cause and the statement became obsolete at least one recession ago.  A recruiter or HR professional is going to spend approx 5-10 seconds scanning your resume for all the right KEYwords. Not only do they need to be up front and center, but so does your immediate value proposition.  How will the recruiter be compelled to place your resume over all others onto the “call” pile? It doesn’t matter what you name this top section, what does matter is that it includes ideal job titles you identify with and your value proposition. Going for the old cliched statements don’t work any more either. This Positioning Statement has to be unique to you, and convey exactly why you are so well suited for the position.

2. OUT: One style fits all IN: A style that’s appropriate to you, your career history, your industry

The days of the traditional and boilerplate chronological resume are no longer. This format does not lend itself to presenting your most valuable skills or experiences in the most convincing or strategic way.  Today, I mix and match various formats and sections to highlight each individual’s attributes, accomplishments and experiences that are relevant to the position they are seeking. While there are many pre-determined sections of a resume, every job seeker does not fit into the same mold, neither should the resume.

3: OUT: One Dimensional   IN: Multi-Dimensional

Your resume can now be a dynamic branded online message conveying who you are on many different levels.  The social networks such as Linkedin, VisualCV, or Facebook, not only allow you to outline your experience, but are also able to highlight your portfolio of work- and I don’t mean just for artists. If you are proud of a PowerPoint, articles your have written, or a blog, it should be up on LinkedIn at the very least. The quality of your posted recommendations and, in some fields, the extent of your visible network, go far in aiding you become a more viable and visible candidate.

4. OUT: Traditional personal contact info only   IN: Linkedin/ VisualCV/Website/ Blog URL, Twitter handle, etc.

If you still just have your traditional contact info, and that means the old fashioned means of communicating such as telephone, mailing address etc., think again. By not including your Linkedin/ Website/ Blog URL or Twitter handle, you are missing out on the opportunity to share that whole other dimension about you we talked about in #5.

5. OUT: Only paid work is legitimate experience IN: All experience (including unpaid, volunteer, and internships) that is relevant can convey value.

I’m constantly amazed by the interesting things people do and yet they don’t consider including it on their resume because it doesn’t fall within their traditional notion of “work experience”. Yet, if articulated well, such information can and should be strategically blended into the resume to not only demonstrate a job seekers depth of capability but also to highlight their unique experiences.

6. OUT: Black font only IN: Careful use of color

The use of color on a resume was once only the purview of artists and designers. But the need to help your resume stand out trumps that idea. A subtle use of color to help your document catch someone’s attention (and brand you as someone who is willing to take a risk) can be very compelling.

7. OUT: List of responsibilities IN: Accomplishment-based statements

No recruiter is going to get excited about reading a job description regurgitated back to them on a resume. Accomplishment-based resumes are the foundation of your Value Proposition and helping set you apart from your competition. Creating a value-packed resume requires an assessment of how you made a difference in any/all experiences you deem relevant, and the outcomes accomplished, hence the name.

8. OUT: Paragraphs IN: Bullets

Bulleted statements have been around for a long time, but it seems that some may have missed the moment when they came into fashion. If you want someone to actually read your resume, spend time carefully constructing accomplishment-based, bulleted statements under each job title. The bullets serve a critical function in leading the eye to each sentence. They make a resume easier and quicker to read.

9. OUT: “References available by request.” IN: Personal testimonies

Definitely obsolete in the 21^st century resume. It’s a given today that you will provide references if asked. Space on your resume is at a premium, so you want to make every word count. Instead, give the recruiter a chance to have direct access to your personal testimonials, (recommendations) on Linkedin (and you should have a minimum of three) by including your Linkedin URL in your contact section. In addition, there is no reason why you cannot add a short quote or two from a previous superior or colleague who sings your praises. No doubt, formatting, length and placement is key.

10. Out: One general resume IN: Multiple resumes to target different roles.

With the unambiguous demand for resumes to be highly focused and a direct match to the job requirements, there is little room for ambiguity surrounding your skills, experience or career goals. Since most professionals have a range of transferable skills that can be reconfigured for a host of different positions, creating individualized resumes, each with a clear and distinct focus is essential to be considered for a position today.

Creating a resume that meets the high expectations of today’s job market is no simple feat. Have questions about your resume, please comment below, or send me a copy for a Free Resume Review. While there are some steadfast rules regarding resumes, it is important to take artistic license to make you stand out where necessary. Most job seekers struggle with how to make the most of this, so lets talk about what your resume needs to really stand out. Just like I don’t try and cut my own hair, let a professional provide you with some real, constructive feedback, and don’t let your resume get caught out by the Resume police! Email me Donna@careerfolk.com

In the words of Zig Ziglar, American writer, “Stop staring at the steps and start stepping up the stairs.”  Call or email Donna (at) careerfolk.com

If you read my previous post on updating your resume, you’ll see that you can get a lot more out of the process than you realize.

It’s September—and that means it’s “International Update Your Resume Month,” as proclaimed by one of the professional organizations I belong to, Career Directors International (CDI). The idea:  To prompt professionals to keep their resumes fresh.  Why?  Well, there are some obvious and not so obvious reasons.

First, what’s top-of-mind: The job market no doubt, and if you are a job seeker, I don’t have to mention what the competition is like, so the questions comes down to: Is your resume telling the most compelling story it can? Does it look like it did 5 or 10 years ago? And probably the most difficult question to answer: “Is your resume going to jump off the pile, and be the “most attention-grabbing document” it needs to me?  I’ll leave that for you to decide.

For those currently employed, let’s face it:  The harsh realities of company downsizing are still there.  You might also be growing disillusioned with your current position, and/or are seeking a career change. So, if a recruiter called you today with the perfect new position would your resume be updated and review-ready?  Are you prepared and ready for new opportunities?

In my opinion, as a resume writer and as a career counselor, “updating your resume” particularly now, is about much more than just that. The resume development-process lends itself to an opportunity for self-assessment. In fact, I see this as imperative for those in any kind of career transition. With the harsh competition out there, job seekers have no choice but to create the most compelling and coherent professional picture. Your resume needs to convey, in very clear terms what is your value proposition and what is truly unique about what you bring to the table?  Some people can articulate this fairly easy, but from my experience, most people cannot. And most resumes I see today do not do this!

The foundation for a great resume, and ultimately a successful job search is knowing yourself. When was the last time you gave any thought to your professional identity and what type of image you present?  Many of the newly unemployed have been thrust into a situation where they are forced to re-evaluate their career path. Is this you? This assessment self-exploration process is crucial to helping you position and market yourself.  When you go through the motions of re-assessing your professional (and personal) experiences, there’s often a deep self-analysis that happens—and not only can it transformed into a stronger and more compelling resume, but you will develop a greater facility at articulating who you are and what your value proposition is. It also helps to have an objective voice facilitate the process of recognizing and recording what are the most important elements that should be used to convey your value.

So, does your resume need a makeover, a “facelift” if you will? The 2009 job search is about standing out of the crowd. Maybe its time your resume got the attention it deserves, and you’ll be amazed at what you learn about yourself in the process.

In my work with clients to enhance, re-brand and re-position their resumes, most clients go through a comprehensive self-assessment process, to find out more, contact Donna@careerfolk.com

5½  TIPS TO BRAND YOURSELF & STAND OUT

Here they are, finally, the next 5 tips and some! No one can afford to sit back and be complacent about what it takes to stay on top  of Career Management 2.0.

6. Brand your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is one of the largest “social networking” sites, where one of the primary purposes is professional networking. With over 40 million professionals utilizing it, polishing your brand on LinkedIn is essential in order to stand out.  You can do so by keeping your text short but lively descriptions (like “Business Jump Starter” rather than “consultant,” for example), and conveying your passion & humor when describing your skills & experience.  Another great tool is LinkedIn’s “Answers” feature, through which you can answer other users’ questions in ways that showcase your expertise, build your credibility and raise your “go-to” stock on the network.  It’s all about what you put into it.

7. Brand your Facebook profile. With your friends and family, that is—a valuable group that we often tend to overlook. Do they know what you do? Are you engaged with helping them whenever available?  Building a strong network is about supplying it with quality resources, information and content—your friends & family included!   If you’ve written them off as “just” that, revamp your thinking and see them in a new light—a group of allies who know you and your great qualities more than anyone else—thus, the perfect ones to refer you to new contacts!

8. Brand your blog. When people visit your blog, do they get a real sense of who you are, what your passion is and how you can help them?  Or do they just get generic words on the same old topics?  Interestingly, one of the main ways to connect with your blog readers & subscribers is quite simple, doesn’t require a bunch of bells and whistles—and it’s as close as your digital camera.  That’s right—simply adding personal pictures to your blog can foster a better connection with your audience.  That, along with your useful content, goes a long way in establishing yourself as a trusted expert.

9. Brand your public speaking. This is one of the most effective ways to brand yourself, as your audience connection is face-to-face–something I can’t stress the importance of enough!  People love information, but when it’s delivered by a “real” person, in person—it makes the message that much stronger and more memorable.  If you’re just getting started, approach associations & organizations and volunteer to make presentations.  It might not be a paying gig at first, but the contacts you can make are invaluable—the experience will hone your public speaking skills and possibly lead to paying engagements down the line.   If you need to, consider taking a public speaking seminar, hiring a coach or joining Toastmasters to polish your skills and jump-start your brand.

10. Brand your clothing. Okay, be honest with yourself:  What message does your wardrobe send out to people you come in contact with?  If your overly-casual jeans, track pants, sneakers or t-shirts scream, “I’m a little too laid-back & don’t take my business or clients seriously”(which it probably does), then you need to revamp!  I’m not saying you need to wear a suit every day, but even a little goes a long way in conveying a neat, organized image.  Whether your personal style is conservative or a little funky, you can brand yourself and give it a professional edge without being “stiff.”  Groomed hair & nails, tasteful makeup & jewelry, and properly fitted/tailored clothes can boost your self-confidence & let those around you see you in a great light!  If you need ideas, consult an image consultant or stylist for tips.

To sum it all up, and this is probably the most important one on the list—yet, it’s the simplest!  Branding yourself is all about what you believe in—your talent, your ability and your skills—and if you truly believe in something, it’s that much easier to get others on board with whatever your passion is.  For jobseekers, that means convincing hiring managers that you’re the perfect person for that position.  And for entrepreneurs, that means customers and clients believing in you enough to give you their business.   Once you’ve established your personal brand, use that to define what it is that you stand for in your particular field—and who can benefit from that.  Once you get your message out to your target audience through various media methods, people will see you as a go-to expert based on your experience and expertise.

Here’s to making your brand work for you!

One of the areas I see current job seekers struggling with is the notion of Personal Branding. Yes, it’s probably becoming a little cliched at this point, but at the same time, it is also essential in today’s job market- How else can you stand out in the most overcrowded job market in decades?  So, in an attempt to help break this concept down into very concrete steps, I have come up with 10 steps to branding yourself? I start out with five today,  and will followup up with the next five. I want you to give these all a little (if not a lot) of thought! and let me know what you think, and where you realize there is room for improvement.

1. Assess yourself. Take the time to identify what’s unique to you—for example, your strengths, skills, values, passion and style.  It’s not as hard as you think, either—to know yourself is to brand yourself!  Assess what these things are.  What events have shaped or changed your life?  What’s your true passion?  What makes you special and interesting?  How have you overcome challenges?  What kind of effect have you had on others and your surroundings?   But most of all, how can you use your passion to make a difference, in whatever it is that you set out to do.

2. Brand your resume – Most resumes I see are generic laundry lists of duties that have been assigned. What does that say about you? Not much.  Throughout your resume, there should be words and phrases that tell the story of you doing what you love.  The best way to do this is to track your accomplishments, reached goals & challenges overcome —jot them down in a notepad or type them in a simple Word document.  When the time comes to update your resume, review your written accomplishments and add them to your resume in a concise, colorful way, and if you get stuck, reach out for help! (Seth Godin has an interesting, if not controversial view about resumes in an older blogpost called “Why Bother Having a Resume?” http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/03/why-bother-havi.html- Definitely good food for thought)

3. Brand your emails. Do you have a signature at the end of your email?  I’m constantly amazed at the number of people who waste valuable advertising real estate at the bottom of their emails!  Never mind the folly of having no contact information at the bottom of their email—but what about all that FREE advertising space to let people know what you do & what you can do for them?  If you have a LinkedIn profile (a rhetorical question at this stage, I hope), why isn’t your LinkedIn button–or at minimum, your URL–there so that someone can instantly access your profile and get to know everything about you?

4. Brand your volunteering.  A recent client of mine, Cheri, didn’t just go to her volunteering site and wait to be told what to do. She was a proactive diva— suggesting new projects, and regularly coming up with alternative ways to do things. Another client, Leslie, a docent at Carnegie Hall, had years of experience helping her company save money. In her volunteer capacity, she has kept her eyes open for various ways that Carnegie Hall’s decision makers could improve their bottom line.  Both of these women have made themselves known as insightful, proactive and creative professionals that have a lot more to offer than what meets the eye.

5. Brand your networking endeavors. What type of networker are you?  As intimidating as it may seem, you can’t afford to be a reluctant one any more, so here’s a way to embrace this daunting activity: Start out by asking questions and instead of focusing on yourself, focus on the other person. Become a giver first, not just a receiver.  Give some real thought to what you can do to help this person, or what resources you may be able to pass on.  That way, you forget about the oh-so-counterproductive (and ultimately disappointing) “what’s in for me” mentality.  Another reason focusing on others is so important: Not only will you start to develop a relationship with the person you’re helping, but you never know what might valuable piece of information that person may pass on to you.  So the next time you’re mustering up the motivation to attend a networking event, stride into the room with an updated attitude and goal: To help as many people that you meet as possible. Wouldn’t you like to be remembered as someone who is out there, giving?  Your turn to be on the receiving end won’t be far off!

Could you be making a few changes in the way that you present yourself to the world? Share your thoughts here. Also, if you tweet, Feel free to share this article on Twitter, and if you don’t tweet yet.. Then its time you gave it a second glance.. There is a lot going on there!..  follow me on twitter @careerfolk.

For the next 5 1/2 steps to Personal Branding click here