TAKING ONE STEP BACK TO GO FORWARD
The conventional wisdom is to go for the next highest position. Don’t take a cut in pay because it will set you back. Don’t take time off or go for part-time work because you will not be able to get back into the workforce. But the fact is, sometimes you have to take one step back to move forward. Each job is not the last one, it is simply another step along the way or another rung of your career ladder. Here are five ways to take a step back in order to move forward: Take a cut in pay! Why would I do that? That will set me back for my next job. Well, if you have been looking for a long time and not getting any offers, maybe you are asking for too much money. Just like a house that sits on the market for a long time because the owner insists on getting his price, if you are asking too much, you may be missing out on oportunities. One of my clients took a 50% cut in pay because he needed to have income to pay the bills and support his family while he continued to look for another higher-paying job. Take a part-time job – If you are changing job functions or industries, it may help to get your foot in the door by taking a part-time or temporary position. You get to learn about the industry and have something to put on your resume. Give up benefits or 401K – Many interim positions are full-time with good salaries but lack the benefits you may be expecting. Medical, dental, vision and a 401K are standard benefits these days, but not if your position is “interim”. Sometimes it helps to get into an interim position which can last from three to six months or sometimes longer, up to a year or more. This keeps your skills sharp and you stay at an appropriate level position while continuing to pursue permanent employment. Move to another city…or go from the city to the suburbs or vice versa. You may be dead set on staying in your current location, but if the jobs are drying up or have moved elsewhere, it is important to take into consideration the possibility of commuting longer or moving. Step out of management back into operations – If you have been a senior manager and are used to having a large staff to do the multi-tasking you may find those jobs are fewer and farther between. Stepping back into a role you are familiar with in terms of operations may be the answer. You will be able to do the job easily and not have to deal with the upper management or the board. Amy Geffen is a Five O’Clock Club Certified Career Coach with over 30 years of experience in management, non-profits and associations. She has worked with finance, insurance and engineering professionals, as well as lawyers, editors, marketers, students, and those over 50 experiencing ageism. She has a Master’s Degree from Harvard University and a PhD from New York University. — GEFFEN C A R E E R S www.geffencareers.com
5 Ways to Use Your Perfect Pitch
Once you have your pitch, which is your carefully crafted, practiced, 2 minute commercial for you, how can you use it in your job search? Here are 5 ways to use your perfect pitch. 1 Networking – When you meet someone for the first time at a networking event, an alumni reunion, a party or get together, use your pitch to introduce yourself and then find out about the other person. A brief intro might include what you do now, your key skills, and one or two accomplishments. No one likes to hear you drone on and on. You need to ask questions to show an interest in the other person. In your cover letter – When you write to a company, whether in answer to an ad, or directly to a hiring manager, use your pitch in the first part of your cover letter to introduce yourself and mention one or two key accomplishments. The object is to use the same words several times during the job process so the hiring manager remembers you. During Your Interview – When you are on an interview for a job, you will frequently hear the question, So, tell me about yourself, or, how did you get to this point in your career? Instead of launching into an autobiography or a chronological account, use your pitch to briefly introduce yourself. Linked In Page – Use the 140 characters at the top of your profile and the summary section of your profile to re-purpose your pitch– key words, your years of experience, two or three key accomplishments. Follow Up – After an informational meeting, or after an interview, use your pitch in the follow-up email to reinforce what you said during the discussion. It doesn’t hurt to repeat yourself. Use what you said during the interview in your follow-up email to remind the hiring manager of your background and your key accomplishments. –Copyright 2017 Amy Geffen All rights reserved. GEFFEN C A R E E R S www.geffencareers.com
HOW TO ANSWER DIFFICULT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
As much as we prepare for the job interview, there always seems to be something that comes up that we did not expect, did not prepare for, and are at a loss for words. Usually these are the hard questions, the ones that dig deeper into our past, why we were fired, why we left a job, how we got along with our boss or co-workers or why a project went off track, or why we lost a key client. You can be sure one of your interviewers is going to ask you at least one of these questions, so here’s how to be prepared. Why did you leave your last job? – I learned a lot and it was a great opportunity After two years I felt I was not learning anything new and wanted to get more challenging work. Or, you might say, the company was very small with a flat organizational structure so there was no career ladder to climb. Why were you fired? If you were fired because of underperforming you can say I should have asked for help when I needed it. I learned from that experience and am taking a course to gain extra skills. Or, perhaps there was a difference of opinion of how to handle the client or the board of directors decided they wanted to go in a different direction with the executive and chose someone with a stronger financial background. Or, the job turned out to be different from the original expectations and I struggled. We realized it was not a good fit. Or Why do you want to change jobs (for example, when you were in a higher level position before and this job has a lower title) I am no longer interested in being the boss and having that kind of responsibility or I no longer wish to deal with the board. I am happier working on programming at the computer or building a professional development program. How did you get along with your boss? They want to know that you are flexible enough to handle different kinds of people. You can say we got along well most of the time and even though we disagreed on some things I always respected his point of view and expressed my opinion. I learned how to ask more questions and communicate better in order to do a good job. What is your greatest weakness? or What was your biggest disappointment? Never answer with “I don’t have any.” The point of the question is to see how you handle adversity, how you learn from your mistakes. If the job does not require data analysis, you can use that as your weakness. If the job does require financial analysis, then you can say expository writing is not your strong point. If you can’t think of an answer immediately, don’t panic! Stay calm, say can I get back to you later on that? Buy some time by rephrasing the question, Do you mean do I have an example of how I overcame an obstacle? Then say, I remember a time when…. Then in your follow up email, you can expand on your answer from the interview. Amy Geffen is a Five O’Clock Club Certified Career Coach with over 30 years of experience in management, non-profits and associations. She has worked with finance, insurance and engineering professionals, as well as lawyers, editors, marketers, students, and those over 50 experiencing ageism. She has a Master’s Degree from Harvard University and a PhD from New York University. — GEFFEN C A R E E R S www.geffencareers.com
Are You Too Old to Get That Job?
I’M TOO OLD – Get OVER IT! We have talked about ageism in the workplace before…but ageism is definitely not a numbers game. It is about how you look and feel and act. So what can you do to improve your personal brand? Your look – that means hair, teeth and clothing. Gray hair on a man is a sign of maturity, wisdom, and eminence. Not so for a woman. Unless you are in an artistic or creative field, gray hair is not considered an asset. Try covering the gray by going to a good salon to get the right color for you. Your teeth – ever notice how younger people’s teeth sparkle because they are SO white? As we age our teeth get brown or grey…not very attractive. Talk to your dentist about whitening if the over-the-counter toothpastes and whiteners don’t work for you. Your Clothing – You have heard the expression “Clothes make the man” Old but true, and certainly true for women. Men have fewer choices, so a white shirt and suit and tie go a long way in any situation. A woman, on the other hand, has to put herself together. Look at your wardrobe and weed out the tired, worn or out of date dresses, blouses, slacks and suits. No big shoulders, please. Nothing too short or too long. Nothing too tight. What you looked good in a few years ago might not fit the same way as your weight goes up, or down, or shifts around. Your posture – Stand up straight. Smile. Be confident, feel confident ,when you look confident. The way we walk tells so much about ourselves. Are we tired and slow? or are we energetic and raring to go? Your resume – Do you cover your whole’s story? No need to. The resume is an advertisement for you to get your first interview, in what we hope will be a series of interviews. No need to go back to your first job out of college, unless it is absolutely relevant to your current job target, or unless you are in a field that covets many years of life and work experience. Your attitude – Are you willing to learn new things? Are you willing to work evenings and weekends? Are you willing to travel to other cities? Are you willing to do what it takes to work for this company? Are you wiling to report t osomeone much younger than you? It is all about YOU. You and only can make the changes necessary to stay in the job search. Amy Geffen is a Five O’Clock Club Certified Career Coach with over 30 years of experience in management, non-profits and associations. She has worked with finance, insurance and engineering professionals, as well as lawyers, editors, marketers, students, and those over 50 experiencing ageism. She has a Master’s Degree from Harvard University and a PhD from New York University. — GEFFEN C A R E E R S www.geffencareers.com