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By rashley, April 1, 2010 7:34 pm

Layoff blues got you down?

You didn’t do anything wrong and there was nothing you could do to prevent it, but you are unemployed. In fact, you know if you had been running the show, layoffs would not have been an option. But, you weren’t and the decisions were out of your control.

Of course you are angry, maybe even a little depressed. For sure your self confidence has taken a hit. You did a terrific job and you still find yourself out of a job. That just doesn’t seem fair.

Do you want them to win twice? Once for getting the company into a spot where they chose to lay you off and again because your anger gets in the way of conducting a compelling job search? Don’t let your anger sabotage your job search.

Take control of what you can control.

Here are a few techniques to let go of some of that anger.

• Make a list of all the good things that occurred for you during your tenure with the company.
• Make a list of all the new friends you made at the job.
• Make a list of the great references you can use from the job.
• Invite several of your direct reports and peers to contribute to your LinkedIn references.
• Contribute LinkedIn references to your direct reports and others
• Help others who were laid off in their job search.
• Do something nice for someone every day, asked or not
• Focus on the people who love you
• Remind yourself of your significant accomplishments. Repeat every time the negative thoughts occur.

Give these things a try coupled with taking excellent care of yourself. Drink plenty of water, take your vitamins and above all else, avoid anyone who wants to discuss, ad nauseum, the plight of the company and those laid off. It changes nothing and puts you in a wrong frame of mind.

Look to your future. You can leverage the experience and new references even in a tight market. Your biggest asset is your self confidence; protect it above all else.

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By rashley, March 7, 2010 7:02 pm

Other’s over 50 are gainfully employed, why not you? What did they do that you didn’t?

Over 50 and looking for work can be traumatic. You are told you are overqualified, won’t fit the culture or just overlooked.

Don’t let age discrimination get you down. Look around. Many people with a bit of grey in their hair and long tenure in the workforce are employed in terrific jobs and valued as members of the business community.

The gorilla in the closet: Please, don’t shoot the messenger on this one. One of the most career-limiting aspects of a job search is your appearance; your energy level and fitness. Employers won’t tell you this, but they rule you in or out almost immediately upon seeing you in person.

If your posture is poor and you are out of breath with normal exertion, it is hard for hiring authorities to see you as hireable. It isn’t about insurance premiums, it’s about stamina and ability to keep up.

If you are overweight, dress to minimize. Men, wear braces to keep your britches from lingering under your belly. Make sure your shirt passes the two finger test.

Women, stay away from loose fitting boxy clothing that masks your curves. Chose instead tailored clothing that has darts and allude to a waist. Watch that hems are just a bit below the knee and be careful how you sit. If a you wear slacks, view yourself in a three way mirror to see if the butt is too tight or sags. Take special care with undergarments and consider shapewear if appropriate.

Overcome ageism with long term planning and short term course corrections.

Branding: Your personal brand is an identity and the story that it tells; it is the promise you make to future employers about what they can expect from you.  An exceptional brand, like a custom wedding dress, is created specifically for its owner and with a particular purpose in mind.

Do you know what your brand is? Are you Superman or Clark Kent. You can’t be both. Chose a competency that distinguishes you from your peers and exploit it. What is your internal brand? Get known internally (current employer) and externally (the business community).

One of my clients, a 48 year old woman, wants to make sure she always has career options. She was known for her efforts in her field and leveraged that to become known globally. Her white papers are often quoted and she is frequently interviewed for podcasts. She is a keynote speaker, an active blogger and has a rolodex of all the shakers and movers in that domain. She reaches out to colleagues and assists them when they have questions about how to sell the concepts internally. Her generosity among her peers is noteworthy. She doesn’t have to look for a job. Jobs come to her.

Another became known for successfully implementing the Agile development methodology without missing any deadlines. He is now the go-to guy on things Scrum and Agile. He took this experience to the blogosphere. He answers questions on other blogs and belongs to LinkedIn groups Agile related. Recruiters and hiring authorities contact him monthly. He built a brand that will reap career rewards well beyond his initial success.

Networking: If you want to overcome ageism, get an introduction to the hiring authority from a respected peer of the employer. Introductions from a respected peer is the oldest and most trusted way to hire executives. If the Vice President of development introduces you to the CTO of the company you want to work for, you will get face time.

Don’t know anyone who can introduce you? Ask the most senior person you know how they would get connected to the hiring authority. Use that company or person as an example and ask if they know others like that. You might be surprised to discover they can help in ways you didn’t expect.

Social Networking: Used sparingly, social networking sites can be useful for creating bonds to people you’d not normally meet. LinkedIn is a business networking site and provides tremendous opportunity to become known to your peers.

Use the groups to ask and answer questions. Be conscious of your brand and participate where it makes sense. Contact people who appear to have the connections and expertise you are interested in. Get to know them, share links, book suggestions and such. Don’t assault them immediately with requests for help in your job search.

Use Twitter and Facebook judiciously. Connect with people and maintain a professional demeanor at all times. Don’t mention what you ate for dinner or the long run you took. Share links, ideas and encouragement. Use these sites to grow friendships. Once you have established bonds, you might mention your job search or people to whom you need introductions. If you do so immediately, you will quickly lose your followers.

Fix your resume: If your resume begins, “30 years experience leading successful teams to produce quality products,” or some other comment that leads with the number of years of your experience, delete it. Employers care about the last three years and what you accomplished, what contemporary solutions you can bring to their company, not history.

What to wear: Wear a very nice, well-fitted suit. Buy a new one if you have to. There is no substitute for a stunning first impression that shows respect for the interview process. It is likely you will be ribbed for it and some comments will be made, the point is clear, you are a serious candidate for the job.

The argument that no one in the company wears a suit is thin. They aren’t interviewing for a job. And nothing stresses age more than someone over 50 trying to dress like a 30 something. Strut your professionalism proudly.

Fix your attitude: If you have been looking for a job for a while and you suspect your age may be limiting your opportunities, it is natural to feel anger and resentment. But you must check it at the door. The interviewer you are about to face is the exact opposite so give that person the benefit of the doubt.

The person interviewing you saw something compelling in your resume and/or responded well to the introduction from a peer. The hiring authority knows you are not a spring chick and still wants to consider you for the job. Now, prove them right.

Avoid giving a history lesson. The interviewer wants to hear about your adaptability to new techniques, processes and solutions. Listen to their priorities and give contemporary examples and outcomes that relate. Don’t preach, give philosophy or lecture.

Ask what has worked before, what metrics they will use for success and refrain from saying anything generic. “I have seen that many times before” is not useful information. “When I solved this last year we xxx. It seemed to work because it increased traffic 50%.” Always mention an outcome for any example you use.

If you implement the advice above, you will rise above the competition and increase your chances of being considered for a job regardless of your age.

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More links on Age discrimination:

Listen to Peter Clayton’s Total Picture Radio podcast with Rita. “Overcoming the ‘grey ceiling.’

Rita’s website for books, blog and coaching information
Solutions to Ageism
Employers Point of view on Ageism
Overqualified? I just want a job.
What keeps you from getting hired? Ageism or attitude?

Combat Ageism. Articles and posts.

Rita Ashley is a career and job search coach for executives. In the last two years, 98% of her clients, even those over fifty, obtained their goals within six months. Is it your turn? For more support, consider career and job search coaching.

Read “Job Search Debugged” for clear and field tested advice to create a compelling job search.

Follow me on twitter.

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By rashley, February 2, 2010 6:14 pm

Stalled out on your job search?  Here are a few links that discuss issues and advice you can use to get the ball rolling.

Do you smoke? Do you know how it affects your career?

Why do companies post executive jobs on job boards?

Are you really overqualified or do you just not know how to work the system?

Can you learn to interview better?

Do you know a proper metric for a good Job Search Engine (NOT job board).

Here’s where you can find links to research tools.

Fed up with recruiters who misbehave?

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By rashley, January 12, 2010 3:43 am

It may be politically incorrect to state, but agism and overqualified labels exist. Here’s what you can do to minimize the affects on your career and job search, especially if you are over 45 years old.

Few comments from prospective employers are so demoralizing to candidates as, “We like you but you are overqualified for this job.” Most people interpret this as, “You are too old.”

Overqualified is the easiest answer to give a candidate when an employer passes on hiring an over 45 year old candidate. It is rarely the real reason; it is the politically correct reason and the safest way to get the candidate to go away. Employers who pass on a candidate don’t want to ‘handle’ the questions and emotions that result from refusal; they want to move on to the next candidate. Same goes for recruiters.

There is never a guarantee, even if you have the right qualifications, that an offer will be presented. Don’t leap to the conclusion you didn’t get an offer because you are perceived as overqualified or too old.

Often the reason seasoned professionals are passed over has nothing to do with qualifications.

If you are invited to interview chances are the employer already knows you exceed their requirements. They saw something of value in your resume and invited you to interview so you could prove why they should hire you. That is what interviews are for. If they pass on you it is because you failed to prove them right.

Before you start writing your flame mail to me that you don’t get a chance to interview, to be tested, because the resume you sent in didn’t generate a response…and you assume it is because the employer sees you as over qualified, I remind you, few executives get the interviews they want by random resume submission. It is the poorest job search technique you can use.

Then there are those who genuinely believe they are or are perceived to be overqualified. The current employees are all younger and it looks like there is a bias. Most companies screen for fit. But fit usually means enthusiasm and energy level; not age. The bias towards younger employees tends to be because younger employees demonstrate an eagerness to succeed and participate.

Do a reality check. Do you come across as weary? Is your posture or tone of voice communicating high interest in the job and company? There are many intangibles that give employers the key to your fit for their team.

Let’s focus on techniques to overcome the ‘overqualified’ or ‘too old’ ageism labels:

ONE: They really want someone younger, cheaper – No employer is going to state that aloud. What every hiring manager wants is a successful hire within their budget. The better able you are to define their needs before you interview, the higher the likelihood of an offer. Interview with their needs in mind and focus on outcomes they need, not your superhero skills.

TWO: The employer fears I will leave for a better opportunity – Employers face turn-over from all sections of the company. Your leaving is no more probable than anyone else’s IF you have discerned you can be successful in that position. Talk about what you will contribute, not what you have done before in excess.  Focus on the job they have open, not all the other tasks you can accomplish. Talk in terms of what you can deliver, give examples.

THREE: They think I will be bored – If you communicate enthusiasm for the market niche and the challenges of that particular job, this goes away. Once you discern their top priority, address that with a sense of creative adventure. Be well prepared on their market and the challenges. If you ask good questions about their plans for the future, such as follow on products or market positioning, you demonstrate a keen interest.

FOUR: They think I will be unhappy – Why would they? If you keep the focus on how you can expand what you do and learn a new approach, employers won’t think of you as a misfit. Let them know what you find desirable about their work environment or market niche. Be specific. Don’t use generalities like, “I’m excited about what you do.” Say, instead, “This opportunity appeals to me because xxx.” And make the xxx about them, not you.

FIVE: I think I need to change my resume to remove my more senior experience – Do you know this is a firing offense? If you are not entirely honest, hide or misrepresent, you can be fired on the spot. Plus, these are lies you will have to maintain. Better to be honest and help the employer see that though you have had more senior responsibilities, there are still things you can learn and contribute that are unique. And this means including months and years of previous employment and date of college graduation.

SIX: The manager sees me as competition – Convey how you can make the manager look good. Ask what their priorities are, what their metrics for judging success in the role are and speak only to those. Mention your job is to make them look good and ask what being part of the team would mean. Be sure you are not conveying superiority or a condescending manner. Give examples without stating, “This is how I made my last manager look good.” Talk about the team success.

Not sure how you are coming across? Invite a younger, trusted friend to interview you using a video recorder for later review. Dissect every part of the interview including attire, tone of voice and body language.

It is my experience that candidates often create their own issues by being patronizing, impatient, and dismissive or even conciliatory or apologetic. Be very critical of your interview style. Be self confident but not arrogant.

As an example: Never, ever say, “Oh, that’s easy, I solved that problem,” or similar responses that dismiss the importance and difficulty the interviewer tries to convey. For more information on how to convey your experience without sounding like you invented work, read, “You have an ugly baby” in “Job Search Debugged.”

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Read previous articles on age on this thread.  For general career advice for executives and technology professionals, use the links on the right side of this page.

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Read the employers point of view on why they are reluctant to hire older workers and Age getting in the way of landing a job?

Listen to a podcast for tips and ideas on how to manage your job search to avoid the pitfalls of ageism.

Rita Ashley is a career and job search coach for executives. In the last two years 98% of my clients achieved their goals within six months. Is it your turn? Contact me directly to discuss a customized solution.

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By rashley, December 30, 2009 12:17 am

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR JOB SEARCH FOR 2010

2010 can be your best year ever.  All it takes is good planning.  Ok, and some luck and the stars aligning.  But do your part.  Plan what you can.

1. My most successful clients are extremely well organized. Few things fall into cracks and they remember names and appointments.  Some tools they use include OmniFocus for task tracking and organization. It’s pricey but you can use it in your job.   Take a look at the functionality to get an idea of what features you might want in other products.
2. You worked hard to get contact information and amass a network. Stay connected.  Know what each person on your contact list might find interesting.  Send them articles, links and announcements relevant to their interests.  Make time to find out how you can help them.
3. Keep your spirits up by doing unexpected good deeds. Make a few unasked for introductions.  Volunteer where you might meet kindred spirits.  And look for opportunities to do good deeds; even something so random and easy as carrying packages for someone or offering a compliment to a stranger lifts your spirits.
4. Clear your desk.  Take care of all that clutter and unattended mail.  Organize your finances for online payments and send your college student an unexpected check.
5. Send all your job search suits to the cleaners and buy a new pair of shoes.  Spiff up your wardrobe.  The better you look the better you feel.  Enjoy the splendor that is you.
6. Revise your resume.  It hasn’t landed you the job you want so something needs to change.  Get the closest job description to the job you want and map your resume to reflect the priorities.
7. Rework your LinkedIn Profile.  It is a marketing document, not a biography or legal document.  Create the most compelling marketing piece you can to entice readers to contact you.  Don’t forget to put your public (as in hotmail or Gmail) email address on your summary.
8. Get a new head shot that shows you in business attire. A high energy, healthy demeanor goes a long way towards convincing people you are worth a second look.  Use the head shot on all profiles.
9. Keep moving. Make some form of exercise part of your daily routine. It’s important to keep your body healthy.
10. Use hand sanitizers constantly. Stress makes you susceptible to illness.  Do what you can to ward off the evil spirits.  Take your vitamins and get plenty of rest. Don’t forget to drink lots of water.
11. Find a friend who will help you record a practice interview.  Debrief and be open to suggestions.  This is a major step in gaining the confidence you need to interview relax for the real thing.
12. Connect with others who are looking for a similar job. Swap leads. Support one another.
13. Ignore bad news.

Best of luck on refining your job search.  Read, “Job Search Debugged” for more details on what works.  If you’d like support in your search, contact me for information on coaching.

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By rashley, December 11, 2009 2:51 pm

‘Tis the Season to be Networking

If songs were much longer we wouldn’t remember them or we’d lose interest.  The format has been tried, tampered with and proven for decades.   Let’s use that characteristic in our networking.

The biggest sin in networking is boring your audience.  How many times have you been asked a simple question, like, “What do you do?” where you launch into a complete history of your employment life?

Folks stop listening after about three sentences.  More than that and whatever you say is lost.  Prepare for any encounter with just exactly the answer to the question you are asked and if you do a good job, your listener will ask you questions; which means you are interacting.

Find that hard to do?  Try repeating the question in your answer.  “I work xxx” or “What do I do?…”

Second Sin: Talking AT people is a horrible way to create a bond. Come prepared with questions and keep eye contact if you want people to remember you.  When you hear yourself TELLING people information instead of SHARING experiences, you are talking AT them.  Don’t do that.

Not sure how to cut down your spiel?  Give your answers to a twelve year old.  If they can tell you what you meant or ask a relevant question, you are on track.  If not, try again.

Learn to answer your questions with relevant stories about your experience and you will be remembered.

Happy Networking.

___________________________________________________

Give a gift that keeps on giving: Job Search Debugged for the job seekers on your gift list.

If you would like support creating your own compelling and expeditious job search, contact me. We can focus on your specific challenges and define a custom program.
My clients get hired; not brag-fact.

Perhaps you feel a proven book with field tested techniques is your first step toward an effective job search. You can download Job Search Debugged for advice that works.

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By rashley, November 8, 2009 9:33 pm

A few reasons some people are still unemployed.

The statistics are horrible.  Over 10% unemployment. Consultants and executives who have ‘aged out’ of the unemployment roles are not included.  Entrepreneurs who don’t qualify and interns who don’t find paid work are not included.  So the number is a lot higher than the statistic reports.

And it is those very executives and consultants who feed the economy. Laborers and hourly people don’t feed the beast.  We must get middle managers and executives back to work and spending money.  Short sales and bankruptcies are still occurring with wretched frequency.

My solution?  Revitalize the job search.  Learn how to do it right.  Stop doing what isn’t working.  I see executives uncovering great leads but shooting themselves in the foot with poor process or blind belief in job search myths.

One sad fellow called me because he had been on five interviews with five different companies and never made it to the second round.  After talking to him for just a few minutes, I knew why.  He couldn’t stop talking.

His desperation was palpable.  He wanted to make sure I knew every possible thing about him in case some one thing would trigger my response to hire him.  I couldn’t even get in a word to tell him I don’t hire people.

He sent me a resume and asked if my clients were hiring.  Bad.  Very bad.  He didn’t even know what I do.  He just sent out blind and random emails with his resume with no regard for the recipient.  His was not the first inquiry that assumed I am a recruiter or hiring manager.

Sending a resume and cover letter when none is requested is a career limiting behavior.  Not having an introduction also hurts.

Another had the opposite problem.  He didn’t ask questions or assert his competency with examples and outcomes.  He used words like, responsible for, led and managed without saying what he actually did and accomplished.

One bloke, at the end of the interview, proposed he would take the job for $50,000/year less than their range.  He was surprised and even a bit angry when they didn’t take him up on his offer to buy the job.  He overlooked that employers want the very best fit for any job opening because companies are fragile.  Clearly, he conveyed he didn’t think he was worth very much.

This horrible job market is not forgiving.  You can’t make any mistakes and you must create the most compelling job search you can.  That requires an assessment of your current method and a review of what others do that works.

• Conduct mock interviews that you can record and review.
• Practice your elevator pitch.
• Rework your resume to reflect the priorities of the job description.
• Spend hours each day in research and networking.
• Use the internet wisely to learn what you can about the company, the job and the opening.
• Reach out to others to see if you can help them.
• Ask for help with specific parameters such as the name of a company, person or domain.

Job search is not easy, but it is simple.  Keep a clear focus and don’t get so wound up attending and writing that you forget to follow up.  Make real connections to people and enjoy the ride.

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If you would like support creating your own compelling and expeditious job search, contact me. We can focus on your specific challenges and define a custom program.

My clients get hired; not brag-fact.

Perhaps you feel a proven book with field tested techniques is your first step toward an effective job search. You can download Job Search Debugged for advice that works.

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By rashley, October 29, 2009 7:37 pm

Krishna P. was set to interview with a major company starting a new group/product line.  As he prepared he had no idea where to focus, what part of his experience would be appropriate to mention and even if the job as group manager was a replacement or new job.

To say he was at a disadvantage for his first interviews is an understatement.  How could he have prevented this confusion? If he wanted to rise above all the competition, he needed to have precise answers to all the interview questions.  He could only do that if he could anticipate their needs.

He could have asked questions of the internal recruiter who first contacted him.  Why didn’t he?  For some odd reason candidates don’t understand they are expected to ask questions about the job so they can prepare for the interviews.

The employer is highly motivated to hire the right person for the job. It isn’t a shell game.  They want you to have all the information you can have to make your attempts at the job spot-on.  It would have been ok to ask the recruiter why she felt he was a good candidate for the job.

It is ok to ask about the organization, reporting structure and growth plans.  It is even more ok to ask if this is a new position and if not, why?  If the person moved up in the company, great.  If they left, it’s ok to ask what they might have done differently to be more effective.

You can also ask the recruiter what the hiring manager considers to be the top three priorities for the job.  The answer may be different from the job description.  If people skills are stressed you know what examples to use.  If technical expertise is their main concern, you know to tilt your answers that direction.

Ask questions and help the employer hire you.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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By rashley, September 24, 2009 1:27 pm

So much thunder and lightening and yet, no rain.

The media are abuzz with new purveyors of social networking schemes guaranteed to grow your business or land you a job.

Anecdotal examples are shared and much is made of the possibilities for using twitter to find jobs and facebook to sell products.  But where are the statistics?

I am gunshy.  I see a lot of community spirit engendered with updates on movies, books and children; but precious little business related programs that can’t be accomplished better in other ways.

Fact is, a few people with whom I am friends on facebook bombard my wall with announcements and plugs.  I hide them.  I am not interested in their promotions.  I am curious to see what my peeps are up to and occasionally click on a link they are chatting up, but in no instance do I or anyone I know ever look to facebook or twitter as a resource, commercial or business.

So if we can hide friends who promote and have no time or interest to read all those tweets, how on earth can we say social media is good for business or job search?

This is an honest question so if you have hard data or experience that contradicts my point of view, please, comment.  But don’t tell me about the myriad twitter tools because executives and technology leaders have better ways to spend their time…such as creating Boolean strings for search engines.

I’m listening…

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By rashley, August 28, 2009 4:12 pm

Executives are used to being in control.  They know the outcome they need and how to get it.  During a job search, there is little they can do to get what they are after.  Sometimes, this results in fatal mistakes.

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