What’s Missing in Your Job Search

Most candidates have one thing in common: Lack of Preparation.

In order to nail your next job interview, you must be prepared. You should have specific, measurable, time-bound goals and a strategic plan. It’s critical that you know what you are looking for. Preparation is the key to maximizing your impact.

Here are 10 hot tips to get prepared for your next interview:

1. Know yourself

The biggest mistake that candidates make is that they look at their résumé only at the time that they write it. You must review your résumé several times a week. Remind yourself of your accomplishments. You are the only person who has the capability to toot your own horn!  Know the difference between confidence and arrogance. Being confident in your skills is desirable and being arrogant discussing your abilities is not. It’s OK to talk about yourself as long as you know when to stop.

2. Be accountable

Make sure to be responsible for the time that is not listed on your résumé. Use this to share ways that you have kept your skills sharp. This will show that you are a leader in your field and you take initiative.

3. Consider the pay

Be clear in knowing what your compensation requirements are before your interview. Understand what the salary band is for the position.  Know the difference between your needs versus market trends and value. Be very specific in developing your interview around demonstrating ways that your skills will bring value to the company.

4. Show quantifiable results

Every hiring manager is thinking about budget during the interview. Be prepared to discuss ways that your background will drive revenue and increase profits or save money. Share ways that your previous contributions have supported the accomplishment of the corporate goals and objectives.

5. Know your limits

Understand all the details of the position for which you are interviewing. Be prepared to share your accomplishments as they pertain to the requirements in the job posting. Stay focused and don’t try to oversell your capabilities.

6. Research the company

Research the company and know why you want to work there. Understand the backgrounds of the people with whom you will be meeting. Be ready to discuss the company’s products or services. Monitor the About Us and News/Press sections of the company’s Web site. The Web site may also show market presence, trends and corporate values.

7. Arrive early

Show up to the interview location early. Watch people as they come and go to and from the office. Observe their body language and their pace. A company that fosters a healthy corporate culture will also have people who love their job. This will be obvious as you observe the employees.

8. Bring extra copies

A good rule of thumb is to bring two more résumés than you think you’ll need. In other words, if you are scheduled to meet with three people, bring five copies of your résumé.

9. Prepare emotionally

You are under evaluation from the time that you arrive to the time you leave. Be mindful of your surroundings and the people around you.  Your cell phone should be turned off. Your appearance and demeanor should be friendly and focused on the interview and “closing the deal.” Smile a lot and be personable and engaging.

10. Have patience

Schedule your time accordingly. Expect to wait. Sleep well the night before your interview and never yawn during the discussion!

If you do your homework well, you will be extraordinarily successful in your interview. It will become easy for you to open new doors of opportunity towards landing the job of your dreams!

Go Get’em!

How can I make my resume unique and as the highest standard?

The title of this blog happens to come from a LinkedIn inquiry, where someone asked, “How can I make my resume unique and highest standard?”

Answer –

You want your resume to be Creative, Unique and Memorable. You want to make sure that yours is the standard by which all others are measured. In other words, you want to set the bar for others to worry about jumping over – You don’t want to worry about jumping over a bar that someone else has set.

Keep in mind that your competition probably is not the person who is unemployed, it’s most likely the person who has this specific job in another company. Having said this, you really need to step-up your resume, and write it in a way that translates into a solid value proposition to the Hiring Manager.

In being “Creative” –

Your resume should include a solid “Brand” and the hiring manager should not have to read it to figure out what it is that you do. Proper branding is critical to a successful resume. Formatting should be consistent throughout the entire resume. There is nothing more frustrating than to see a resume with 5 different font types in the first 7 lines of the resume! Remember that the resume should be written for a human, not a scanner.  I know that in many cases you need to apply with a TXT version of your resume, and that’s OK as you need to play the game. However, of all the people that I work with, very few have actually gotten a job because of a keyword on their resume.

Don’t write an “Objective.” You would probably write an Objective to tell the Hiring Manager that you are looking for a job – They already know this. It’s possible that your “Objective” will say something like, “To join a fast paced company where I can utilize my skills blah blah blah blah.” All “Objectives” are the same and this does not make yours stand-out!

In being “Unique” –

In stead of an Objective, write a “Profile” statement that will serve as an introductory statement about your background and vertical markets that you have worked in.

List your “Key Strengths” – These are traits that you have that demonstrate value to your next employer. To them, value translates into increased production, productivity and revenue.

Identify at least 3 “Selected Achievements” on your resume that demonstrate your capacity to drive results and to show that you are a team player, contributing to the success of the company.

In being “Memorable” –

You want to show “quantifiable results” – Don’t write your resume to look like a job description. At the end of each point, ask yourself, “So what? How did this benefit my department or the company in general?” It almost doesn’t matter what role you had because nearly every job has an impact systems, people or revenue.

Make sure your resume is “fact based,” not “claims based.” Everyone can claim to do one thing or another, but it’s relatively meaningless to the Hiring Manager unless you can tie that task to a specific result that you contributed to.

In the meantime, feel free to review my website and take our simple assessment here: http://deantracy.com/resume-makeover

Having said all of this, I am confident that if you take these simple steps to writing & crafting a world-class resume, you will increase your odds of visibility and attention in your quest to finding and engaging with the job of your dreams!

Go Get’em and Good Luck!

Do Objectives Really Matter on the Resume?

Do Objectives Really Matter on the Resume?

In my opinion, and in my experience, the candidate resume needs to be Creative, Unique and Memorable. This is my value proposition when coaching candidates and working on their resume. As I have worked with Hiring Managers in representing candidates to their open positions, I’ve learned directly from them, what’s important and what they like to see on the candidate resume. I’ve been reminded more than once, that Objectives do not work in setting the candidate apart.

Think about it – If you were to have a stack of resumes with “Objectives,” they would all be the same. They all want to work “with a rapidly growing organization where their skills can contribute to propelling the company to new heights etc etc etc ” Besides, the objective is typically written to remind the hiring manager that you are looking for a job – They already know this! Bottom line, in my opinion, an “Objective” does not bring “Value” to the resume.

Instead of the “Objective,” the candidate should use this space to write a fact-based introductory statement (Profile) that emphasizes their capabilities & achievements, while also identifying the market segments they have worked in.

Here is a “Profile” example of a Resume & Coaching client of mine:

“Accomplished and respected Senior Sales Executive with a proven background in nurturing client and partner relationships while pursuing excellence in deliverables and driving organizational loyalty, profitability and revenue objectives within companies such as [list company names here].

Exceptional communication skills are demonstrated in delivery of executive presentations across the enterprise, while managing supplier, distributor relationships, channel partners, business and solution development within the [list vertical markets that you've tapped here].”

This introductory Profile Statement is strong as it reflects the candidates Brand, their diversity in vertical markets and shows that they can engage with highly-branded, well-known companies. I know that if a hiring manager sees this form of a statement as opposed to a typical “Objective,” this format is sure to get their attention and in many cases will be the standard by which all other resumes are measured.

What Does a Good Resume Look Like?

A good resume is one that makes the phone ring.

In todays digital world, you need to recognize that a small percentage of jobs are filled strictly based upon the submission of the resume.  The resume needs to be your most impressive piece of work as this is the only time that your potential employer will have a first impression of you. That said, your resume needs to be Clean, Creative, Unique and Memorable.

Content is key. Don’t write a boring “Objective” like everyone else does – Write an introductory or profile statement in the place where you might normally put the “Objective.” List core competencies as your “Key Strengths” or differentiators that set you apart from all the others and highlight at least three “Selected Achievements” that will represent the “Value Proposition” that you bring to the company.

Additionally, every Hiring Manager will use your resume as a way to screen you into or out of an opportunity based upon how it looks or how it is presented. In other words, if your resume is sloppy, unorganized and inconsistent, the perception of your next employer will be that your “on the job deliverables” will be sloppy, unorganized and inconsistent. For those Hiring Managers, “perception is reality,” and this makes you a high-risk investment.

You need to submit world-class deliverables, demonstrating that you are capable of having a seat at the table. In working with Hiring Managers, I know that they are looking for potential employees that are “Leaders” willing to take initiative, not “followers” who need to be managed. It doesn’t matter what your role is, even if you are one person in a “department” you can still be a “Leader,” capable of driving change and maintaining long-term organizational sustainability.

The bottom line is that your next Hiring Manager needs to see our resume as the one that sets and defines the standards by which all others are measured.

Good Luck – Go Get’em!

Long Distance Recruiters & Coaches – Are They Effective?

While you are in the midst of your job search, there are several people of influence that you need to network with as part of your search process.  Developing strategic relationships with key Recruiters is one of the most critical relationships that you can establish in managing the success of your efforts.

As I have recruited and coached candidates and clients nationally, there are usually a few questions that come up regarding the effectiveness of the recruiter, or the relevance of their geographic location compared to the specific needs of the candidate.

Here is one question and answer for you to consider as you manage your long distance Recruiter relationship during your search process:

Q. Is it worth developing a relationship with a recruiter or Coach in your current location if you’re looking to relocate, or should the job seeker focus on recruiters and coaches in his/her desired geographic location?

A. Given today’s competitive market and ever-changing economic conditions, you should never allow yourself to be “attached” only to Recruiters or Coaches in your immediate area. Cast a broad net and do not limit your recruiter relationship to any specific geographic location.  While I serve many clients in my own backyard on the West Coast, I know several recruiting companies on the East Coast that have client relationships in my neighborhood.  Conversely, I have had active clients on the West Coast whom have had recruiting needs for East Coast positions within their company.

Don’t assess and establish your recruiter/coach relationship based on their geographic location.  Focus on the tactical perspective of their market presence, their market disciplines and their level of engagement and tiered recruitment opportunities with their clients.  In other words, don’t engage with a mid-level contract placement agency if you are looking for a full-time Executive Level position.

The following points are critical as you assess and consider the time that you invest in establishing a solid relationship with a recruiter/coach that can best support your efforts.

• Research your target companies to determine which Recruiting firms they use as preferred vendors for their open positions, then make direct contact with that recruiting company.

• Interview the Recruiter/Coach to determine their capability of supporting your initiatives and professional expectations.

• Ensure that they have a strong presence in your specific market segment or discipline.  If your target industry is Contract Manufacturing or Finance, you do not want to engage with a recruiter whose primary focus is placement in the Retail industry.

• Make sure that specific industry knowledge is an integral part of affirming the market disciplines of the recruiter or coach.  In other words, understanding the acronyms and buzz-words for a specific industry will demonstrate their degree of experience in your field.

• Check their market presence and credibility.  Review their LinkedIn profile, read their “Recommendations,” look at their online presence and research them through their professional networks.

• Be tactical in your selection and intentional about maintaining a high-touch, accountable relationship with that Recruiter, Coach or company.  It’s imperative that you stay on their radar and “top of mind” whenever possible.

• Be mindful of their market presence in fulfilling their client expectations.  For example, if the position you are seeking is at the “C” or Executive Leadership level, you want to be confident knowing they are experienced with placement opportunities at this tier.  Don’t invest too much time in small talk with a recruiter or coach that does not focus on your type or level of position.

Never allow a geographic location to prevent you from working with your next Recruiter or Coach.  You may find your next position online or through a specific posting, but the most effective way to increase your visibility at that company is going to be through a personal connection.  Taking the time to review the capabilities and qualities of your Recruiter, and establishing a collaborative partnership with them will prove to be instrumental in securing the job of your dreams.

Go Get’em!

The “6-UP’s” of Your Search Strategy

As you prepare to execute your search strategy, there are a number of items to incorporate into your tasks, but among the most important are the “6 UP’s” that you need to master.

Mastering these elements in your search strategy will certainly prove beneficial in being effective, memorable and focused which will leave a lasting impression on everyone that you meet or talk with.

As you review this list, take a moment to review each point more than once, and identify a way that you can immediately put this into action.

1. Wake Up

Wake up with goals and objectives of your own that you will use as a measurable outline for your day.  Remind yourself that you have a skill and talent that companies need, and whatever your role is, tell yourself that nobody can do it better than you can.

Think about the traits that you possess and have used in previous roles to be successful, and sketch an image of your goals for the day.  Hold yourself accountable to your tasks and reward yourself for the accomplishments.

Attack the day with joy and purpose.  Be intentional about your tasks and ask yourself, “Is this going to be a great day, or do I have other plans?”  Other plans are not an option.  Just because you may be unemployed, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have work to do – Wake up and go to work!

2. Freshen Up

The office space that you have defined in your home is to be considered a formal workplace for you as you manage your search strategy.  Don’t drag yourself down the hall to your home office first thing in the morning, while you are still rubbing the sleep from your eyes.  Freshen up and get dressed as you would if you were going to a real professional office for the day.

Your attire will reflect your demeanor.  Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.  You never know when you will have a last minute opportunity to meet someone for coffee, or be called for an interview.  Your personal presentation, which includes your appearance and your wardrobe must be at it’s absolute best, all the time.

Freshen up and be prepared – Lack of preparation reflects your lack of interest.

3. Head Up

As you manage your search strategy, you must be able to keep your head up, and not let rejection hold you hostage to your success.  Unfortunately, the company that you were with made decisions that impacted you, and you could not control the outcome.  It was nothing personal.  It was not your fault.  It was strictly a business decision.  You cannot change the outcome, so you need to embrace it and move forward.

For many, our careers become too much of our identity, and being impacted with a job loss can be devastating, but non-productive time is considered wasted energy.  Make time for yourself, and go for walks or become involved in a nonprofit where your background and experience can benefit others in a meaningful way.

Keep your head up and look at this exercise as a “Do Over” where you get to examine your qualities, embracing change and meeting it head-on!

4. Show Up

Don’t be a slouch and don’t become complacent in your new venture of unemployment.  Be mindful of the opportunities that are available and consider some outside the box ideas.  Keep your creative juices flowing and connect with people that are both inside and outside of your market focus.  Attend networking meetings & events and never turn down an invitation to a BBQ or coffee with a colleague.

Show up to a meeting, allow yourself to be vulnerable and you’ll be shocked at the opportunities that are put before you.  Like everything else, you will only benefit from any opportunity to the extent that you are willing to invest the time that it takes to make it happen.

5. Speak Up

Besides showing up, you need to be able to speak up and make everyone that you know, aware of your situation.  People want to help, but they can’t if they don’t how.  Make sure that you are properly branding yourself in your professional discipline and make sure that you are able to eloquently tell your story.

Be mindful of the companies that you want to work for and don’t be afraid to ask for professional referrals into people of influence.  Know your strengths, your commute and travel threshold, your competition and your compensation.   Speaking about these things needs to be a natural piece of the discussion, not a last minute defense.

6. Shut Up

As you share your professional aspirations, it’s critical to keep your ears open and your mouth closed during the discussion.  There will be plenty of time for you to ask questions and address topics that are part of the conversation.  The best part of the conversation will happen when you know it’s the right time to simply stop talking.

Use this time to re-evaluate your personal goals and don’t allow yourself to be a victim of unemployment, but consider yourself the Manager of FUNemployment, making the best of what can be a difficult experience!

Corporations are making decisions every day that impact communities and more personally, friends and families of their employees.  Remember that these decisions are made strictly for business, and you cannot allow anyone’s perception in “corporate” dictate the way you choose to manage your life or your search strategy!

Rise above it and don’t stand around long enough for any dust to settle on your feet!

Is yours a winning resume?

When crafting your resume, there are a number of topics and ideas to think about, but three of the most relevant facts to take into consideration are to make sure your resume is unique, creative and memorable.

At the end of the day, when you resume is on the desk of the hiring manager, and gets placed into the stack to be reviewed over the weekend, are you confident that your resume will standout? Are you sure that your resume will be the one that they remember?

Here are a few points to ponder as you asses the impact that your resume will have on your next employer:

Formatting – Is the format of your resume sloppy and inconsistent or is it neat, tidy and organized? You have to remember the typical hiring manager will usually see your resume as a direct reflection of the quality of your work.  As the potential new hire, your resume may be the only opportunity for you to make a great first impression.

Branding – If a Hiring Manager only looks at your resume for 15 seconds, will they know what you do? In their minds-eye, will they be able to place you into a specific role within their department when they review your resume?

Value – Have you listed key strengths and achievements that validate your success in your previous roles? Will they visualize you as someone who will drive success for their group or company? Will they be able to see you representing their product or service to their clients and stakeholders?

Facts – Your resume should not read like a job description. At the end of every statement or bullet point, you need to apply the “so what” factor. In other words, read your resume out loud, and at the end of each sentence, ask yourself, “So what? What impact did this have on the company or the role that I was in?” Think about revenue, timelines, expenses and profits. If your contribution in your previous role had an impact on any of these corporate elements, then you’re well on your way to crafting a high-impact statement that they will remember.

If you take the initiative to embrace these simple elements in developing your resume, you will recognize greater results in your search efforts and it will become easy for you to open new doors of opportunity towards landing the job of your dreams!

Go get’em!