Don’t get lost in transition

Today’s post is courtesy of Tim Baker from Markham Ontario, I “met” him on the Twitters and found that he always has something interesting and challenging to add to the conversations. Make sure you connect with him. Thanks for the post Tim!

Recently, during a Twitter chat (apologies for not remembering which one) someone mentioned that “everyone should go through a layoff at least once – to really understand the experience”. There probably is some truth to that. But it’s not something anyone wishes for themselves or anyone else.

I told Melissa that I would share some of what I learned from my layoff experiences. I told her that a couple weeks ago.

Ironically, this past week, I was laid off again. Yup, that’s 3 times in the last 7 years. Some may say (myself included) that you get used to it. But it’s not really about “getting used to it”…it’s more about knowing what to expect and how to manage the situation…and how to look after yourself. I know exactly how I will react in certain situations and what my stress indicators are.
The experience of losing your job, whether expected or not, is similar to the stages of loss or grief (I won’t name them…you can Google that). We all will go through them to varying degrees. It’s all about recognizing them, letting them happen…and then moving on. Don’t get stuck in any of the stages.

Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way. We’ll start with a couple of obvious ones…

Update your “resume”

If you haven’t done it already, update your resume. And by “resume” I don’t mean only the traditional paper resume…that’s just one small piece. Do it now while everything is fresh in your mind.

If you haven’t been job searching recently (last 3 years or so) it is important to explore the new ways that job seekers are marketing themselves, and where employers are looking. Much of it has very little to do with the traditional “paper resume”. Your online presence has a much bigger impact these days. LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Blogs…just to name a few. These are the new resumes. It all about marketing yourself. The resume is a marketing piece. The cover letter is a marketing piece. Each and every one of these marketing pieces should be able to stand alone and entice a potential employer to bring you in for an interview.

That being said, you have to be careful of your online presence. There’s no question that a potential employer is going to “Google” you to see what comes up. They can’t use the information they find against you when making a hiring decision (technically). But let’s be honest, it will influence their decision.

Here’s a great blog post from April 11, 2013 by @YouTern, “Drop the Resume Shotgun Pard’ner: A 12 Step Targeted Job Search”…amazing information.

Practice your pitch

Nope…not talking about baseball. And I’m not talking about a sales pitch…or am I?
One of the best pieces of feedback I ever received after interviewing for a role was “You have to sell yourself better”

This is so true. However, this does not mean that you put together the “used car salesman” routine. Be genuine and authentic…but be sure to really sell yourself. To do this really effectively, you will want to practice it. Ultimately, do it with someone else that can give you feedback. You have to be open to criticism in order to make improvements. Another really great way to practice is to take a video of yourself and watch it. You’ll be surprised that sometimes what you think you are saying, is not really how it’s being received.

Staying positive

Right…easier said than done. We will hear people say:

“Something will come along, don’t worry”
“When one door closes, another one opens”
“Better things to come, right?”

If you have been searching for a while, it can get frustrating…seriously. However, it is all true. That next great opportunity WILL come along, it’s just a matter of time. The great Albert Einstein once said “Nothing happens until something moves.” This is the key. We have to keep moving forward, be proactive…but mainly just “be active”. Keep our minds and bodies active. Search out new ways to connect with people, and not just the job opportunities we find when conducting our search. Sometimes the greatest opportunities are found in the most unlikely places.

Look after yourself

What happens to many of us in career transition is we forget to look after ourselves. The only thing on our mind is finding a job, and spending all our time doing it. However, it can be counterproductive. Spending all our time searching for a new job will not increase our chance of finding something. At the same time, we’re forgetting to take care of our physical and mental well-being. This is important because if we start to get frustrated, depressed, or even angry, we will no longer be able to focus. Our attitudes will deteriorate and we may even become withdrawn. Worst of all, this negative change can impact other parts of our personal lives, and that can lead to a myriad of other issues (i.e. Relationship, financial, etc).

So…if you have a chance to go out with friends and just socialize, do it. You’re not losing valuable “job search time”. It is extremely important to keep doing the things you like to do. Even if that means taking a day off from the “job search” and just hanging out. It does the mind, body and soul a world of good. Just think of how good you will feel if you complete a few things that have been sitting on your to-do list.

Don’t be selfish

The final piece of advice I can give is this: if people offer to help you, let them. They would not be offering if they weren’t sincere. If there is one thing I’ve learned is that our network is very powerful…amazing things can happen.

And if you have any outstanding favours you can cash in, you might as well do it. You’d be amazed how generous people can be when you’re in need of their help.

But remember this…most people will not help those that do not help themselves.

So, on that note…if I can be of any assistance, in any way, please let me know. Here are my coordinates:

Tim Baker, CHRP
Email: timbakerhr@gmail.com
LinkedIn – ca.linkedin.com/in/bakertim
Google – https://plus.google.com/117736719870021220095/posts/p/pub
Twitter – @TimBakerHR
www.timbakerhr.com

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Melissa Fairman in Career 2 Comments

Weekly reMix 3/22/2013

I was going to mention how cold it is here and how that just isn’t right for the end of March but then I realized everyone is talking about the weather and you are probably sick of it.

Instead let’s turn the conversation back to me (yeah!) and what I’ve been reading this week:

On wellness:
Frank Roche wins the “best wellness blog post title” contest with: Get in my belly!

On the “how not to get sued” front:
From the Emplawyerologist: Background Checks and the EEOC: Navigating the Minefield

HR for HR- what are we doing to develop/innovate?
From Steve Browne (please read his blog if you aren’t already): HR Evangelism
From Robin Schooling (you aren’t reading her blog? Please do): So what if innovation means you’re working yourself out of a job?
From Penelope Trunk: How to think like the next generation

Networking tips that aren’t rehashed:
From HR Nasty: Networking etiquette secrets that open doors

Hiring:
When I’m hiring you I’m hiring your mentor from the New York Times

What are your employees thinking?
The Evil HR Lady has some ideas: 7 Things your employees think but would never say

Job descriptions and job titles:
From Compensation Café: Job descriptions are extinct
From Randsinrepose: Titles are toxic

Random posts on life that I liked:
From Change-Effect: Just a middle class white guy
From ruHRelevant? Under-dreaming

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Melissa Fairman in weekly reMix Leave a comment

5 Common Mistakes Made Managing Your Employees

Today you can find me writing over at the phenomenal Blogging4Jobs website, if you haven’t checked this site out before please do so, Jessica has put together a phenomenal site containing tons of HR information and career and job search. Here is a quick teaser on my post:

“If you have been managing people for a while, you probably feel pretty comfortable with the manager hat on. You’ve given more than a few good and bad performance reviews, you’ve managed those tough money conversations, and heck you even handled a sexual harassment complaint last year! OK well, HR and legal were involved but still…”

Click here to read the rest!

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Melissa Fairman in Guest Posts Leave a comment

Impress Me

I’ve been seeing a lot of crappy resumes lately, many coming from so-called “professionals.” At first I thought these were anomalies. But I have seen so many lately that I can’t possibly keep quiet. So instead of being the passive aggressive, quietly seething, HR Pro, I am going to provide job seekers with some resume advice…warning rant ahead!

1. Use a cover letter to inject some personality into your resume. Explain why you are a fit for the job, why you want to work there, it doesn’t have to be an 800 word missive but it is a nice way to get a feel for your experience and personality. Without one I may still call you but a nicely worded letter gives you a bit of a leg up.

2. Tailor your cover letter to the job and the company. If your cover letter says you are interested in joining Macy’s but the position you applied for is at Dillard’s, your candidacy is already sunk. I feel so strongly about this that I would say if you don’t have time to write a tailored cover letter, just skip it.

3. Spend some time on your resume - I’m not kidding here. Seriously, get to know your resume. Have multiple people review it. You do not want a single mistake on your resume. Are your bullet points lined up? Are you using the same font throughout? I realize this may sound nitpicky but your resume is my first impression of your work. If it’s sloppy and riddled with mistakes I assume that is the kind of employee you will be.

4. Have a LinkedIn profile…please, please, have a LinkedIn profile. I’m begging you…do I have to repeat that? When I search for a candidate and don’t see a LinkedIn profile I think two thoughts: a.) They aren’t really serious about finding a job or b.) They are a Luddite who doesn’t think LinkedIn is necessary. You may or may not find a job through LinkedIn but it is one more place to get your name out there and in a pool of searchable professionals. Also, you can add relevant information to your LinkedIn profile that is not on your resume.

5. If you are looking to move into a different field, you have a tough (but not impossible) job which means you need to work even harder. You need to utilize all means available to demonstrate that you can be good at your new field. This includes things like a customized cover letter explaining why you are looking to move out of your current field. It also means you should probably have some on-the-side experience (volunteering, blogging, etc. in the field you want to move into. Make sure to place this info in your resume and cover letter.

Finally, please impress me. I realize that your resume is not a fair or accurate display of who you are. It is a flat piece of paper that can in no way demonstrate the value you contribute to your current or previous employers. Unfortunately though, until someone comes up with a better method I have to work off your resume. This flat piece of paper is your foot in the door.

So that is why I say “Impress Me!” I don’t want to see another bland resume extolling your virtues of coming to work on time and getting your filing done. That doesn’t make you stand out. I already assume you can get to work on time and do your assigned duties. Instead, tell me about how you revolutionized the filing process at your work. How you got a 2 year backlog caught up, and do it with a resume that doesn’t have grammar, usage or formatting errors. You are asking me to take a risk and hire you, please do me the favor of putting your best work in front of me.

Looking for some good resume and job search advice? Not sure where to turn? Check out my Resources page. Just after recommended HR blogs I have links to some great career websites. Know of one that I don’t have listed? Let me know.

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Melissa Fairman in Recuriting 5 Comments

Job Fairs: First Impressions Matter!

Today’s post is brought to us courtesy of a Bonnie Ungaro, when she isn’t reading awesome HR blogs she is a recruiter in the greater Chicago area. Today she talks about how recruiters can put their best foot forward at job fairs. I love learning about recruiting so I hope she comes back with more posts in the future. You can connect with her on Twitter: @bonnieungaro or LinkedIn.

I have attended many job fairs in my HR lifetime. Time after time, it never fails, I see company representatives failing to engage with people! Job fairs can be costly, not just in money but in time. It is critical for company representatives to put their best foot forward, just like candidates are expected to do. As a company representative your one goal is to create an exceptional, memorable impression on the attendees. To make an exceptional impression you need to: engage, listen and be personable.

Engage with your audience. Start with creating an open and welcoming booth. This could mean moving your table to the side; removing any barrier between you and the attendees will create a warm and inviting space. Another welcoming sign is to stand in front of your booth or table. Notice I said stand? While I’m not implying you need to stand for the entire length of the fair, you should be standing a majority of the time. Standing shows attendees that you are ready to talk. Make eye contact, smile, and greet passersby’s.

Turn “passerby’s” into “stay and chat people”. Introduce yourself with your name, title and the length of time you have worked at your company. Ask if they know anything about your company. Personal, meaningful engagement from the beginning will make a lasting impression. Whether that person ends up being interested in your company or not, they will walk away with a good feeling and will most likely share that experience with others.

Listen intently. The reality is employers will talk, and listen to a 100 if not 100s of people in one job fair. Listening in a crowded room can be a challenge, however if you listen intently in the first sentence or two you can gauge where the person is going, and share information they are seeking or would be helpful immediately. Listening and asking the right questions will likely shorten the conversation; making the conversation an efficient use of time for both parties. Job fair attendees are your number 1 customer. Your goal is to ensure people walk away saying, “Wow, I really want to work at ABC Company! They are so helpful, friendly and personable! I’ve never experienced anything like that!! I want to tell others about this place, I want to tell EVERYONE I know!!!”

Lastly, be personable with follow up. You may be thinking, “How can I achieve that? I’m talking to 100s of people in one day!” Believe me, I know the level of exhaustion that comes with attending job fairs. Heck, when I’m packing up to leave I’m lucky I remember my own name! The responsibility does not lie solely on you. Create a sign up list for attendees to voluntarily leave contact information, including an email address. Once you return to the office, generate a mass thank you and informational email; provide information about your company, how to apply, and/or direct them to the company website. You can also use this email to promote your company careers social networks as a means to continue that relationship.

I have had great success with the personable follow up process. Most often when job fair attendees receive my email their response is shock. Shock that I took that time to connect with them and thank them for stopping and talking with me. While it does take time to do, the reward of an exceptional customer service experience is priceless! Please note you should be prepared to respond to people that reply to your email. Continued dialogue is part of a rewarding customer experience for potential applicants, candidates, and employees.

Providing exceptional customer service to job fair attendees will create a successful experience, whether your company is actively seeking candidates or not. Part of being an amazing recruiter is building pipelines. You never know where your talent will come from, so creating an above and beyond experience for all people you encounter at a job fair can only produce good results!