Job Hunting on the Sly – Finding a Way Out of That Dead-end Job
Despite what you tell your colleagues, you’ve looked online for work while at work. It doesn’t matter if you say it’s only happened during your lunch break, sure thing, or you admit to taking an entire morning to peruse the job market. Everyone has killed some time looking for that dream job, while your current one takes a back seat. No one is here to judge you. Instead, why not find some ways to make your job hunt easier? After all it’s your life and if you find a way to make it better, why not leap at that chance?
If you’ve ever looked for a job while at work, it’s probably not the smartest move you can make. You don’t have to be an Einsteinian genius to know that looking for work while on the job is a bad move. But, people do it a lot and employers are not oblivious to it. The key is being able to look for a job and keep it on the down low. You don’t want some work place colleague to go back and spill the beans to HR or your boss.
What are some things you can do to continue your job hunting without getting the hook from your boss?
Maintaining productivity
One of the earliest signs of a distracted employee is loss of productivity. Excessive job hunting on the clock can kill productivity and make managers look for replacements before you’ve even found your new job. Managers can monitor computer habits so make sure that your job search stays within an appropriate amount of time. You don’t want to get fired and your work computer is one hundred percent the property of your employer, so be careful when looking for another gig.
Examining repercussions
Even if you do your search at home, make sure you’re using your personal computer. If you use a work related computer, there could be active monitoring software installed, which is completely up to the company. Make sure that nothing you do can be traced back to you. And always remember that US companies have the right to fire an employee for any reason. If they are not just, then why should you be? There are plenty of opportunities out there and all it takes is you applying yourself to get them.
When is it appropriate?
Even if you’re browsing out of casual curiosity, it can send the message that you’re ready to leave your current job. About the only time it is acceptable to look for work while at work is in the event that you have all ready been terminated and you need the time to look for another job. Employees can spend some time job hunting if they’ve already received a notice saying they will be laid off, just don’t abuse the situation. Know the laws in your state and always have a way to fight your employer.
Is Having the Wrong References Holding Up Your Job Search?
Having many interviews with nothing to show for it can be one of the most frustrating things to have to go through. You’re so close to getting a job offer but it just never materializes. If you can get interviews then there’s probably nothing wrong with your job-hunting strategy, your resume or cover letter. The problem could be related to your interviewing prowess or maybe even your references.
You might need to take some time and evaluate your job interviewing process – from everything to your preparation to following up. How much effort do you put into preparing for your job interviews? Do you do your research before the interview and review questions that you might be asked? Your interviewing skills are important, you have to make a good impression when you first meet the interviewer. You have to have a solid connection – with a strong handshake, solid eye contact, and an inviting smile.
One thing to do is bring in samples of your previous work. A portfolio, with supporting documentation, is an excellent way to sell yourself to an interviewer. Make sure to ask questions about the company and the position, you have to be interested in the position or it will show through to the interviewer. There is a lot of gray area when interviewing. You don’t want to overstep your bounds but you also want to show that you have a personality to match your resume. What about after the interview? Do you thank the interviewer or send out a thank you letter afterwards? Following up was once the key to landing a job – now there are many different factors at play.
There are companies that will call all of your references and there are some that will not think twice to hire your without references. If you think your references are holding you back from finding a job, then evaluate your references and see how you can beef them up. Make sure that you ask someone before you put them down as a reference, the last thing you want is having a supervisor from 3 years ago get a call about you and have no idea who you were. If you have references that are not related to the job you’re applying for, you need to update them to match your desired position. Many of these companies will not hire someone if they have old references or if their references don’t match the desired position. Having your McDonalds manager from college as a reference will probably not do much for you when you’re trying to get that CPA job.
Be smart about your references and only use the ones that will benefit you the most. Think about who’s on your references; would any of them have a difficult time explaining you or your past duties? Your references may be holding you back, so evaluate them and see if you can come up with references who will make you shine.
What are Your Options Once Your Short-term Job Ends?
Is your current contract about to end? Do you have options once it ends? Everybody has things that they believe will happen, but are those options realistic? If not, then you should start to develop some specific options and have them available by a certain date. Your contract is ending so you need multiple options in case one, or all of them, falls apart.
Your career obviously has options if you’re working on a contract basis, so start searching for the options that fit with your skill set. How many working professionals actually have a clear-cut set path that they would like to follow? How many options do your coworkers have after their job ends?
If you do not have any options once your contract ends, then you need to start developing some career options quick.
Why do you need career options? The job market is tough, but there are still other things that you can do to broaden your horizons. When you have a long-term contract it seems like you don’t need a long list of options, but if you’re working on short-term jobs, then you always have to keep an eye open for something new.
Your career is like a long winding road trip. You may not know the destination but you know where you started from, you know where you want to go, sure there may be detours along the way, but eventually you will want to have a clear destination. If you don’t have all of your options mapped out, then that should be your top goal. So, what are some of your options after your short-term job ends?
1. You could get another short-term contract
If you’ve always had short stays at companies for contract work, then you might be more comfortable working in this manner. This can be a great way to make money and still have your freedom…if you have the stomach for it. And sometimes it can be hard to find another job if your contract ends quickly.
2. Go for a long-term company
If you’re tired of looking for work every 6 months, then why not find a traditional 9 to 5 job? Depending on your chosen field, you could have many different options in a lot of different companies. If you have an accounting degree you’re basically set to work at any company, as long as they need someone to do their taxes, then you’re their person.
3. Try a different profession
What if you feel stagnant during your current work? It doesn’t mean you have to swear off that type of work forever, but you might want to consider a change of scenery. Moving to a different position within your short-term contract employer may provide other options.
4. Extending your contract
If you and your contract employer have a solid working relationship and you like where you’re at, then why not stay there? They obviously could use your talents, so talk to the HR manager about what can be done.
How to Take the Plunge and Start Your Own Business
January is the time of year when lots of ambitious entrepreneurs decide to start their business. Starting a business can be a risky proposition, but it’s always exciting to start out on your own and let yourself be the one making the decisions. In order to have a successful business venture you need the right resources and help, including checklists, tools and services you will need.
If you’re ready to take the plunge in the coming new year, make sure you have everything in line before your business is up and running. There is a lot of groundwork that needs to be laid before you can even find your first customer, so make sure you have everything lined up before you start your business.
Create your businesses identity
You need something that sets you apart, and your logo and brand image are what represents your business. They are the most recognizable, tangible part of your business. Before you start a business you need to create a unique, standout logo for your business identity.
Select your legal status
Depending on how your business will be structured, you will need to form a legal structure. Some of the most common legal statuses are incorporated (Inc.) and limited liability corporations (LLC). Decide what type of business model is right for you business before you begin.
Get some customers online
Your potential customers are out there…online. You need to create a solid website, have it submitted to search engines and even start some small advertising campaigns. If you can establish an online presence, your business will see sales in no time.
Paying your employees
There are payroll services available that will calculate checks and taxes; it’s one of the easiest ways to pay employees. You can find plenty of suppliers online that will make it easier to write paychecks all on your own.
Manage your finances, seriously!
Make sure you keep an eye out on your finances, money does not grow on trees but it sure as heck burns like them. You can blow through a pile of cash quickly without even paying any necessary bills or expenditures. Get a solid accountant or software that will manage your finances correctly.
Enable credit card transactions for your company
Look up some merchant services account companies. They enable you to run a credit card online, through you computer or over the phone. It’s a simple process that doesn’t require that much information from you, but really helps out with generating revenue. Most people pay for goods and services online through credit cards, they aren’t shoving cash in their modem, so make sure you have the ability to process their transaction. You might also consider PayPal as they also have merchant services for a monthly fee and a transaction fee. Your bank may also provide a merchant service with less fees (mine does… I just made the switch- what a savings!).
Have a brick and mortar store
If your business requires it, have a physical location, but if you’re starting an online company a website is all you need. Just have point-of-sale equipment so that you can process payments as they come through the store. Tracking and maintaining customer records allow for faster processing times, this allows you to estimate future expenditures.
Having and running your own business has its ups and downs but in the end, if answering only to yourself is a strong motivator for you, then I would say GO FOR IT!
Cover Letter Tips for Success
Cover letters seem to be difficult for people, even resume writers. Why is that? What makes a good cover letter?
Cover letters can be fun to write. There really aren’t many ‘rules’ to writing them. You can let your personality shine through. They allow you to positively present your skills, accomplishments, and credentials in a way that will encourage the reader to want to read even more about you (and then move on to the resume). There are lots of things I can get into in more depth (types of resumes, scope, presentation, who your audience is, etc.) but for now, I am just going to touch on the basics. In future posts, I will dissect cover letters more closely.
Here are some easy ideas to keep in mind when writing your cover letter:
■Make sure your intention is clear. In other words, what is the job you are applying for? Clearly state it. Don’t make the reader guess. You could say something like, “…and this is why my qualifications make me a perfect match for the Sales Management position”.
■Highlight your top achievements. You don’t have to rewrite everything you wrote in the resume, just summarize some of your top accomplishments. Wow them with what you have done.
■Add your relevant skills or qualifications. Let the reader know what you excel at and what you are capable of. This is a great place to talk about any extra credentials or training you’ve had that relate to the position.
■Write toward the position you are applying for. When preparing the cover letter, keep in mind the requirements of the position and add your qualifications that match them.
■Explain what it is you like about the company. Remember, you are trying to woo the company, so tell them what you like about them. Is it the reputation, products/services, location? Let them know why you like them.
■You are not writing your autobiography. Keep it short, simple and factual. You don’t need to go into why the last job didn’t work out, “…my boss had unrealistic expectations of the staff, so I decided to check out my options…:. Don’t air your dirty laundry or obvious dislike of your most recent employer. Keep it professional.
■Double check the entire document for accuracy, errors, and syntax. You don’t want to miss a great opportunity because you wrote, “Dear Hiring Manger”.
Another tip is to save that cover letter, copy and paste it onto a new document, and tweak it for another type of position you may be interested in. I encourage clients to have several “focused” cover letters for different positions they might have in mind. This way, if an opportunity presents itself, you are ready.
Advantages of Focusing on a Specific Type of Position
Once you’re unemployed, it can be tempting to go for that easy job that has nothing to do with your field. But maybe you should not be looking for just any job because the right one could be just around the corner. If you are trained in a certain field, it may be hard to find a position in this economy, but that doesn’t mean there are not advantages to focusing on a specific industry. In fact, you can make a case that if you position yourself correctly, you can find the right job quickly.
So what are the advantages of focusing on a specific type of position?
1. Serious job searches are time consuming. If you are unemployed, you should spend at least 30 to 40 hours a week looking for a position. Some people who are not focused put a lot of time and energy into their job search and end up feeling as though they are doing everything in their power. But, their energy is actually focused in other areas, so they are not putting forth the full effort. Focusing on a specific career will give you a leg up on the competition who are looking into different job options.
2. The more contacts you make in your search, the more likely you are to find a desirable position. The more you concentrate on these contacts, the better it will be for your job search. Putting a concerted effort will give you a better chance of something positive happening. The likelihood will be decreased if you focus on several different career paths.
3. Jobs often appear to those who use most of their energy in a specific direction. It will be difficult for people who are all over the map in their job search. HR managers look at the different careers job prospects have had and weigh that carefully when comparing candidates. Job seekers who are not focused rarely make any significant impact or impression on HR managers in order to attract the right position.
4. A productive job search requires that you present yourself convincingly to your prospective employer. Employers are not impressed by statements like, “I do not care what type of job I do” or “I’ll do anything as long as there’s a paycheck in it.” If you present yourself as professional and are focused in both written and verbal communications, you will give them more of a reason to believe in your skills. It’s important to find the right fit for both you and the company, and if you’re just doing a job for a job, you may be shortchanging yourself and the company.
5. Look at it this way–it may be hard to be enthusiastic and extremely well qualified for a 20 different jobs. So stick with what works for you and find the position that makes you happy and pays you well.
Constructing a Resume that Sells You
Some people think that resumes are nothing more than a list of your accomplishments, the jobs you’ve had, and the number of places you’ve worked. But, it’s not that easy to construct a resume that markets you to your prospective employer. A resume should be designed to sell you and your potential to an employer. That means that you have to make decisions about how to present your traits.
A resume has to be like an advertisement, it needs to catch the reader’s eye and meet their particular needs. If you’re applying for an accounting job, then you wouldn’t need to showcase your creative writing talents on your resume. You would need to show that you have the skills required to perform the duties of the position at a high level. That doesn’t mean putting everything you’ve ever done on your resume, it just means you have to understand your market and how to reach them. Make sure you put your best foot forward.
Look over your work history and pick the selling points that best highlight your value. Depending on the position, you should highlight specific skills that you have. Deciding what makes the most unique selling points can be the hardest part of writing a resume. Here are five basic steps to help design a resume that markets your skills to employers:
1. Choose the most relevant information first. Focus on the skills and experience that are most important to the job you’re applying for. You may have a whole range of skills, but focus on the ones that are most important for your particular employer. Even if you’re qualified based on past experience, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Instead, make sure that you focus on the skills that are going to set you apart from other potential employees.
2. Showcase the cutting edge, without too much emphasis on the outdated. More experienced workers should focus heavily on this. Any professional should continue to update their resume with new talents and show that they can adapt to new challenges. You may know the beginnings of C+ language, but it will help if you know Flash or Linux.
3. Tangible examples are best. Be specific as possible and use tangible evidence of improvements if you can. Just saying that you have an excellent track record of improving sales doesn’t show much, you need to show actual figures.
4. Use multiple resumes to market yourself in a different manner. If you’re applying for several different types of positions or in different industries, you need to have a resume suited to that profession. So create several different resumes that highlight your skills for that particular position.
5. Get a second opinion. This is perhaps the most important thing you can do. It can be hard to be objective about your career. Give your resume to a friend or a family member, or if you have someone in your industry – even better.
Finding that Dream Job – that Doesn’t Support Your Degree
Many people in this economy know firsthand how it feels to have a college degree but no job to show for it. If you went to school for accounting but your dream was always to work in Hollywood, it doesn’t mean you have to settle for being the Tax Attorney to the Stars, no, you can still pursue that dream job you’ve always wanted, even if you do not have the degree to support it. College graduates are finding themselves in this situation across the country, they did what they were told and got a degree and now they have nothing to do.
So how do you make the best out of this situation? The first thing you do is stop crying. It can be a real bummer to realize that your degree does not hold much weight in the job market, but next time you are rejected from that dream job, remind yourself that you have a dream and that you will fulfill it.
You choose your path, not someone else
You can sit around and feel sorry for yourself that your degree isn’t what you want to do or you can move on and get creative with your job search. Just remember that the U.S. Department of Labor still says that college graduates face shorter periods of unemployment and have an overall higher income through their lives.
Time to get creative
As long as you are willing to work hard, there is always a way to find your dream job, even if you have a liberal arts degree. The first thing you need to find out is: What is your dream job? What are the right steps to get there, what can you do to help you get to that position, just how badly do you want this and how hard are you willing to work for it?
You must figure out these questions if you are going to develop a plan of action. The answers may seem elusive but you can find the answers. Admitting that you do not know what you want to do with your life is not a failure, it just means that you have more time to find yourself and find the thing that makes you happy. Dealing with debt can be a difficult task when you are trying to change paths, so make sure your finances are handled before making a big transition. And it’s much easier to make a change now before you’ve trapped yourself in a career.
Work for free
Sounds awful right, but what if an unpaid internship gets you into the position you wanted? It doesn’t matter if you’re 15, 35 or 65, if you decide to change something and you find a way in, go for it. This could be your only opportunity. Sure it might be hard in the interim but you’re life will be enriched from your personal growth. Besides you can always get a second job to supplement your income. It’s your life, so go live it.
How to Handle Not Getting a Raise
OK first off…you know this is a terrible business climate right now, and a lot of people aren’t getting raises, so it’s not just you. The one thing you should absolutely NOT do is get in a snit and go storming out of your boss’s office. That will do nothing for your next evaluation, your next shot at a raise or your standing at the company.
You do, however, have the right to know why your raise was turned down, and there might be a number of different reasons:
Company finances. With things being what they are right now in the business world, there’s a real good chance that this is going to be the case. And if they tell you that, there’s a real good chance that they are being honest with you, especially if nobody else in your department is seeing a raise. If that’s the case, there’s not much that you can do but accept it, get over it and move on. Not much point in getting upset, especially since 1 in 10 Americans are out of a job right now, and 2 in 10 are “underemployed”, with all that entails.
Poor timing. Lots of companies only are allowed to hand out raises once during a fiscal year, or only after evaluations. If that’s the case, once again, there’s not much you can do about it. Of course, that doesn’t do you much good if your own expenses are going up, your spouse lost a job or your kids need braces. Depending on the nature of your job, maybe you can at least see if you can work overtime or get incentive pay of some sort. Unfortunately, if the company is feeling the pinch (as in the above scenario) they may also be cutting back on bonuses, overtime and incentive to scale back on payroll expenses. So…if you’re going to have to wait until the next quarter, next year or next evaluation (and overtime isn’t an option) your best move is going to be to keep the nose to the grindstone and do the absolute best job you can manage so that when the time comes, you’ll get that raise after all!
Poor performance. If your raise was declined due to performance issues, this is when you need to be proactive, stand on your own two feet and find out the specifics. Chances are you’re going to find this out when it’s evaluation time anyway, but regardless, ask your supervisor or department head what areas need to be improved. Find out where your weak points are, and do your dead level best to improve on them. Or, your alternative might be to start looking for another job elsewhere, with better pay and better opportunities. But a word to the wise here: if you’re moving in that direction, keep it to yourself. Nothing can sabotage your future at a company quicker than making it known that you’re thinking about moving on.
How to Stay Motivated at Work During the Holidays
Oh, the weather outside is frightful….but you’re stuck inside an office building collating papers all day while your boss and their family jets off to sunny beaches for the week. It can be depressing, especially when you look outside and see nothing but gray skies.
During the end of the year rush, a lot of employees will save their vacation time to use during the holiday season, and while people are out of the office on vacation, it becomes very important to try and stay motivated in an empty office building.
Here are some ways that you can stay motivated during the holiday season:
Clean your office
Take some time and go through your office area, closet, filing cabinet, desk tops, email inbox, whatever and make sure what items you need or which can be discarded. Cleaning is a great distraction from everyday boredom, so find some time for your office.
Schedule business meetings during slow times
You can invite potential or current clients to your office during the holiday season. The business meeting can be as formal or informal as you like, but make sure you stack the place with plenty of refreshments. You can serve finger foods or have a local restaurant cater the lunch. Whatever you do, do not spike the eggnog.
Planning for next year
A lot of businesses are given a yearly budget to spend before the year is up, and leftover funds cannot be rolled over into next year, so they are lost. If you act quickly you can build relationships with these companies and then hit them up for business as the end of the year comes, they will have excess cash that will not be around for the New Year, so why not spend it now?
Review your marketing or business expansion plan
Take a look at your goals and see which ones have been accomplished and find dates of completion for your other plans. If you have any unfinished goals, you can add them to the list for next year. The end of the year gets many people worried about next year, but this is your chance to be one step ahead.
Go to every networking or holiday event
When the holidays are in season, you can bet there will be holiday parties. But while others are busy socializing, you can be busy building relationships with people you meet at these events. Keep your eyes open because you never know when you’ll pick up a new client.
Offer close out deals
If you are a small business, discount prices and packages for existing clients, or even new clients, as a great way to form alliances with a strategic business. Deals allow you to reach that one tough client you’ve been trying to get and at this time of the year, a lot of bosses want to look good on the bottom line.
Switch it up and do something different every day
Have coffee from somewhere new or just add two sugars instead of one. No matter what it is, just try something new. Break up the monotony.
