Career Transitions
Keep It Moving – Change Is Hard But Doable
Career transition is often an invitation to change. Some of these transitions have been surprising interruptions and others have been transitions we’ve chosen. Sometimes the shock of it all makes it difficult for the breakthrough thinking that needs to take place. The process can be grueling and the process might seem like if’s taking too long.
Well, we’re in the middle of a pandemic, and if you think that the hiring process was unnecessarily lengthy in the past, you can only imagine what hiring managers and recruiters are going through today to get to the right person for the right job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates that the average duration of unemployment was 7.7 weeks but over 5% of the unemployed were out of work for 27 weeks. ‘Process vs Panic’ will keep you ahead of the game.
Getting Started With Your Job Search
First BREATHE; it helps put things in perspective. It’s a good idea to take a step back and create a process that works for you. It’ll help you to keep the needle moving in the right direction. How you use your time is critical. A good resume is great, but this is not a resume-tweak-and-done experience. You also have to make time to examine your values, your purpose and your dreams.
Assess your skillset and determine what story you want to tell. You may not want to do everything that you’ve always done. This is the perfect time to consider what you REALLY want to do. Determine what your profession and the marketplace is going to require of you going forward. Find ways to stay active, and use talents that you are passionate about.
Above all else, hit the pause button. Don’t panic. Stop, refresh and retool. The career interruption is just that, an interruption. You will work again. In the meantime, remember that career transitions are more successful when you are strategic as well as tactical about your approach to getting a new job. When you give in to being stagnant, you are more likely to panic, so remember the KIM model and Keep It Moving.
Resume Tips - The best kept secret
The world of recruitment and job search has changed. There’s a little robot that scans your resume and vets you before anyone even gets to see your resume. It is called an application tracking system, ATS. A great tool for helping you get past the application tracking system called Jobscan. Using an algorithmic scan, Jobscan will let you know what percentage of a match you are for a particular job on paper. It will even give you a report on what hard and soft skills the employer is seeking that you may have or have not included on your resume. Check out www.jobscan.co for more information.
INTERVIEW TIP: “ Can you tell me about yourself?” This is the one interview question that stumps EVERYBODY! Beware that the most common answer to that question is invariably, “Well I’m a people person” That’s just not enough. Complete this sentence. I am a ________.
What is your subject matter expertise?
What are your skills and competencies?
What differentiates you from others?
What do will co-workers and organization leaders say about you?
Networking Tips
“Each One Reach One”
Some will say “it’s who you know”. But in the current job market the argument can be made that what matters most is “WHO KNOWS YOU”.
Did you know that it is estimated that over 80% of jobs are gotten through networking? With most job opportunities not going public, it makes a difference when you have networking contacts who can let you know about internal opportunities before they get posted. It is the best way to get inside the hidden job market. People tend to shy away from initiating networking conversations because they don’t know what to say. The job market is saturated with people who lost their jobs because of the economic impact that the pandemic had on industries and professions around the world.
Recently, I received a referral from a colleague that I hadn’t seen or heard from in over 15 years. It has resulted in a rather large contract. By the way, the referral happened to be a college alumnus, who remembered me from a position I held in the beginning of my career. I didn’t initiate either of those connections. We spent the first 10 minutes on what she remembered about me back in the day! My reputation and subject matter expertise took care of the rest.
Align with Professions Associations
Use your talent!
A good way to engage others in your profession and create your own professional community bubble is to join a relevant association and/or affinity/business resource group that appreciates your talents and contributions.
I know people that have turned their work with professional associations, schools, churches and nonprofits into unpaid jobs. I’ve been one of them. Through volunteer work you can increase your visibility and make meaningful contributions and connections along the way. Use outside organizations to display talents that you like and are good at but don’t have a chance to utilize in your current role, or while you are waiting for that next job. You can lead teams, plan events, or participate in planning meetings. It is a great way to put your footprint on things. As you develop and gain visibility, you will connect to new ideas, new people, new organizations, and new career considerations.
REFRESH… RETOOL… REIGNITE!
Is it time to press the pause button and assess how well you’ve kept up with professional and industry trends? What languages, terminologies, technology, and levels of experience do you need to be on the cutting edge of your profession today? Your ability to be keenly aware of current trends or certifications that make you competitive in today’s marketplace is essential to your success.
The economy, the world of technology and industry changes have changed everything. It is more important than ever to keep up with trends that are impacting the organization that you work for or aspire to join. Social media has changed things. There is a webinar for everything. LinkedIn learning is a terrific resource for upgrading skills. Did you know that Harvard University has over 140 free online courses at, www.edx.org? YouTube is another great resource for cost effective training support. It may be time to get that Project Manager Certification, PMP or the human resources PHR SPHR certifications or advanced degrees. If you’ve been with your company for any length of time, chances are that there are new ways of saying and doing the same thing.
And Now a Word on LinkedIn
LINKEDIN NETWORKING TIP:
Here’s an example of what you might say to a former colleague on LinkedIn.
“Hi Greg, I hope you are well. The pandemic helped me realize the importance of staying connected with colleagues and friends that I ‘ve enjoyed throughout my career. I’d love to catch up to find out how things are going with you. Let me know if you’d like to reconnect. Shall we zoom? … Andre G.
To learn more about how OneCareerCoach can help, please contact us today.
