Your workplace image inside and out

When you are job searching you need to pay attention to your workplace image inside and out.

What do I mean by that?

Well, you are probably aware that how you dress for an interview has a massive effect on how employable the interviewer considers you.

So dress as someone who is successful in the job for which you are applying. Don't dress too young, even if you are very young, and don't dress like an "old" person even if you are just a few years from retirement.

Dress professionally, job appropriate, smartly and showing some connection to current fashions.

Inside is a more difficult problem.

You may have heard the saying "Your belief is your reality." Henry Ford of Ford Motors is famous as saying "If you believe you can or you can not, you are right"

These are two ways of saying the same thing.

If you believe the interviewer will consider you too young, you will probably show that very quickly in your behavior. Instead have the mind set that you are mature and responsible enough to handle this job, and you will project that at an interview.

At the other end of the scale, if you apply for jobs with the mindset of "no-one will hire me because I'm old" then, once again, you are probably right.

Instead form the belief that you have experience, stability, proven work ethic and your maturity will be benefit to any workplace, whether populated by young or old.

Your actual age is chronological and out of your control.

Your mind set, including how old you see yourself as, is up to you.

See yourself as appropriate for the job you are seeking, and you are.

See yourself as too young, or too old (or too anything else!) and you are.

So get with the program. Inside and out.

And remember, your belief is your reality.

Sharing your other interests can find you a job

So you like jazz music, but the job you are seeking is that of a bookkeeper. How can you make jazz help you find your bookkeeping job?

Easy.

Find out where there is jazz in your community. Is there a festival, a group, and location where jazz is frequently played? Perhaps you're involved in those already. But are you using them to help you find a job?

With your 30 second commercial at the ready, you can talk to anyone at any of the jazz related events/ places you go to, and get help from them.

Once people relate to you, in this case through a mutual interest like jazz, they are more open and more likely to help you.

"I love this music and could spend my life just listening to it, but unfortunately I need to work! I wonder if you know anyone I can talk to - whether or not they are jazz enthusiasts like us - who might know of any possibilities for work in bookkeeping. I've been bookkeeping for 10 years, and have great skills and a terrific reputation for accuracy. Can you suggest anyone I could talk to, who might know of what's out there?"

Hand them your business card, then, if appropriate, continue to build rapport and share your mutual interest in jazz. Or move around, if appropriate to the venue, and chat to as many others, repeating the same process.

Go to any such event or occasion with a plan of action in mind. Make up your mind to talk to a specific number of people, and don't allow yourself to stand and chat to long time friends (who already know you are looking and have given you what help they can) until you have successfully completed your agenda.

So network with a goal in mind - but don't forget to enjoy yourself at the same time.

Here are some great resources to help with your job search:

WOW...Youre Hired! This Breakthrough Product Reveals The Secret For Getting Hired. Job Seekers Love It

Youre Hired! - The Complete Guide To Landing Your Dream Job! This Really Is The Complete Guide To Landing Your Dream Job Which Every Jobseeker Needs. 143 Pages Of Job Advice From A Recruitment Professional, Plus Some Stunning Free Bonuses.

Job Seach help in person...

Networking can get you a job

Networking can get you a job!

In fact it’s the No. 1 way to do so.

Take a look at the questions below and check out your networking quota.
0= I do not do up to 5 = I consistently do

Meeting People:
Who do you know?
• It’s important not just to meet people, but to let them feel they know me: I know it's not who I know, but who knows me that counts
• I "connect" effectively daily with people I meet either formally or informally
• I smile when I answer the phone because I know the person on the other end can hear it
• I don’t wait for others to introduce themselves to me: I go ahead and introduce myself
• I’ll be one of the first to arrive at any meeting or group to give me more chance to meet more people
• I make connections for others, by introducing them to each other
• People usually seem relaxed and comfortable in my company: I am approachable, friendly, kind and polite
• My handshake is always firm, but not strong enough to cause pain, and I look the other person in the eye as we shake hands.
• I frequently enlist others help by asking “Do you know anyone who….?”

Communicating with others:
Effective communication
• I use active listening skills, so others know I am interested and listening
• I always read a business card when I receive it, and comment if appropriate
• When I receive a business card, I write on the back of it any information about that person I wish to remember
• When someone is telling me something, I ask questions to show interest and to get more information
• I work at remembering names, jobs and businesses of people I meet
• I have a effective 30-second introduction that tells who I am, what I do and what I am looking for
• I understand that every time I meet another person it can be considered a “networking event”
• I believe in “give to get” and I offer any help or assistance I can to those I meet

Connecting is of premium importance
Make an impact. What do you want to be remembered for?
• My business/ networking cards are up to date and in good condition, and I always have plenty with me
• I know the ideal time to give out my business/networking card is at the end of a conversation, not at the beginning
• I keep the business cards I receive, and check regularly to see remind myself of all the connections I have made
• I go to meetings and am involved with networking and professional organizations appropriate to my field
• When I go to networking events I have an agenda to meet a specific number of new people and do not just chat to people I know until I have achieved this goal.
Follow up
Keeping in touch
• I take the time to think of ways to continue connecting with others I have met
• I return e-mails and phone calls within 24 hours or less whenever possible
• When making a business or job related phone call, I am prepared for either a live person or voice mail, and come across sounding professional and organized.
• I keep my promises and follow up on commitments so others come to think of someone who can be trusted

Not many people can score 5 for every question, but obviously the higher your score the better you are doing at networking. So take a look at your lower scores and consider ways you can improve in these areas.

Finding work is all about people, who you know and who knows you.

Find a Job: The Best Ways and the Worst Ways

As with every thing else in life, there are best and worst ways to find a job.
There are effective and ineffective methods of job search.

In general terms, when you do something that does not actively involve interacting with another human being, you will be less successful. When you contact individuals, you will be more successful.

Least Successful Ways of finding work:

1. Answering newspaper, magazine or online job advertisements.
This method averages around 7% success rate, and yet it is the only form of job search that many people engage in. Think about it, when you apply for an advertised job, you are in competition with everyone else who is doing the same. In a tight job market, this can mean hundreds of other job seekers.
It’s by no means impossible to land a good job through the classifieds, or the employment pages on websites, but it is not one of the more successful methods.

2. Mailing resumes to employers, unasked.
If the employer is not actively looking for an new employee with your skills, and your resume arrives uninvited in his/her inbox, (paper or electronic) s/he is unlikely to bother much about it. Of course, if you are lucky, you’re resume will arrive just as someone has handed in their notice … but what are the chances of that!
If you do send out resumes to employers unasked, to make this method at all productive, you must follow up promptly with a phone call (tell the employer in your cover letter that you will do so – the do it!)

3. Listing your name with Employment Agencies
Again, you may get lucky. In the more general jobs, like office administration, you may well get several short term postings, and may even eventually find a company who wants to “buy” you from the agency and give you a permanent job. The lower paying the job you are seeking, the more chance you have for success with this method.
According to Richard Bolles of “What Color is your Parachute”, these methods outlined above all have a below 10% success rate.

However, that does not mean there is no work out there. There is. You just have to know how to find it. Read on:


Most Successful Ways of finding work:

1. Talk to people, everyone and anyone. Ask them not only if they know of any jobs in your field, but also if they know anyone who works in your field that you could talk to – not to ask for a job, just to find out where they think there might be possibilities for you. Usually people have a pretty good idea what is out there in their own field of employment.

2. Cold call on employers even if they don’t appear to be hiring. Phone and ask if you can come in to see them, on in smaller companies, just show up and ask to see the manager or human resource person. If they are busy, ask to make an appointment. Dress professionally, and have your resume with you.

3. Use the Yellow Pages. Look up the index in the Yellow Pages for every heading that might apply to you, the read the entries under each heading. Write down the names of any company you think might employ people with your skills. Either online, or by phone, find out the name of the hiring manager, then proceed as above with a cold call.

The most successful method of all:

Combine all of the above.

Here a great resource to help you find a job.

Phone Empoyers: Just do it!

No-one likes making cold calls.

However the question is: what is more important to you - avoiding making cold calls or getting a job?

If getting a job is more important, make the cold calls!

Yes, of course, you are going to experience some rejection. But it's not personal. It's just that they don't have any jobs, or time to talk to you.

Just take it at face value and move on to the next call.

Cold calls work.

Prepare a script, with how you want to introduce yourself, and then get on the phone to any employer who might hire someone with your skills.

If they say no, ask if they know who is hiring.

Don't ask if you can call back again ... they might say no!

Instead, just mark down on your list when you phoned, and follow up again in a few weeks, if you are still job hunting.

Try this Simple Job Search System.

Let your fingers do the walking ... but you do the talking

The Yellow Pages, although used less now that we can just "Google" whatever we want, still have their undisputed uses.

One of them is to help you find companies that can hire you.

So let your fingers do the walking ... but be well prepared to do the talking!

First look in the index of the Yellow Pages. Mark or write down every index heading that suggests companies of the type that would use people with your skills and experience.

Then go to the pages for each of these headings and go down through all the individual listings for each heading and phone every one of them, unless something in their Yellow Pages entry suggests they are not likely to hire people like you.

Yes, I said, every single entry.

But before you do ... take the time to write down a script of what you will say when you phone.

For this you need your 30 second commercial.

If the employer doesn't ask for your resume or invite you in to see him/ her, always ask if they know of anyone else who might be hiring in this area.

Do not ask if you can call in a few weeks to check if anything has come up. The employer might say "no"!

Instead, just write down the phone number, name and anything useful you found out and phone again in a few weeks anyway (assuming you are still looking!)

It may seem tedious. And it is. But it's also one of the most successful ways of finding work. So if you want a job, it's worth it.

Also read...
Finding work in the Hidden Job Market

Jobs can be found in News Stories

What is the Hidden Job Market

How many jobs are you missing if you only check the Job Ads

Go where the employers go

Where do employers go when they're out of the office?

One of the places they go is the local Chamber of Commerce, or Business Centre for the city or town. These organizations usually host monthly "mixers", often for free and open to non-members at least for one visit.

Here employers mix and hope to find more business or business connections.

Here is also where they pass on names of possible employees to each other.

Here is where you should be as part of your job search, ready with your business card and 30 second info-mercial.
(read down for more on these)

Go around, meet as many people as you can. Tell them what you are looking for in the way of work and give them your card. Ask them to pass it on to anyone they know who may be looking for someone with your skills.

Your business card will have your name, contact information and either a job title (if the title makes it clear what you do) or 3 bulleted skills that you think will hook an employer the most.

Your Informercial takes about 30 seconds to deliver, and tells the listener exactly what it is you are seeking by way of employment.

Read other blog entries here on these two topics.

So get out and meet employers where they go, and find jobs before your competition.

Need more help with your job search?

Network you way to a job

Just because you are looking for a job in accounting doesn't mean it's not worth while to tell your plumber, your hairdresser, your friend's friend who's a salesman.

Most people have heard of the 6 degrees of separation, which stated that you are never more than 6 contacts away from the person you want to find.

Have you also heard that most people have a network of around 200-300 people. That is, most people know 200 - 300 people.

So just because the person you are speaking to can't hire you, doesn't mean s/he doesn't know someone who can, or at least know someone, who knows someone who can.

It doesn't make sense to ask your mailman if he can hire you as an office manager, but it does make sense to tell your mailman you are seeking a position as an office manager and can s/he think of anyone you could talk to, who may know of any position of this type.

You have to explain in easy to understand language what your job is - and this is easier for some than for others (specifically those in the computer world), but you have to if you want to get the names of people to talk to.

So get out there and network. Ask everyone you know if they know of anyone you can talk to. Make it clear that you do not necessarily expect that person to be able to hire you. You just want to talk to them and find out if they know of any companies that are hiring etc.

Job search is hard work if done right, but the rewards are worth it.

Work and LIfestyle

When you are choosing what job you will do, consider the lifestyle that will go along with it. I don't mean just money, although obviously that is part of it.

Consider whether it involves shifts, overtime, travel etc. Then consider where you are in your life. Travelling a great deal may not be a problem right now, but if in the near future you intend to settle down and have a family, it may present problems in the not too far distant future.

Alternatively, if you are getting older, perhaps too much travel will soon seem too tiring, or take you away from homw more than you want.

Yes, of course, you can always look for another job when these things happen, but it's always worth looking ahead and considering if the job you are thinking of going after today will still be a job you want, not tomorrow, but a few months or so down the road.

Studies have shown that people who try to maintain a job that is contradictory to the lifestyle they crave, are unhappy, do not do as well in the job, and ultimately move over to something more compatible.

So when choosing what type of work to pursue, don't forget the lifestyle element.
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Facebook and the job seeker

Facebook and the job seeker. If you are on Facebook or any of the social networking sites, and also engaged in a job search, be careful.

More and more employers are checking out these sites when they receive resumes, so make sure your social networking pages are appropriate to the employer to see.

They don't of course have to be selling you for a job - although it's a prefectly good place to mention you are job seeking. But they also must not have information and photos on them that you don't want an employer to see.

So when you are applying for work, bear that in mind, and if necessary, change your social networking pages until you are happily employed again.

More help in finding a great job.

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