Time Management in Your Job Search
So you are working full time and want to find a new job. How can you fit in all you need to do in your week? We have only 168 hours in a week. We cannot save it or bank it so how can you make the most of it? You need to spend 10-15 hours per week on your job search. That means 2 to 3 hours a each day or 15 hours on the weekend, or some combination of the two. Here’s an example of how to structure your week. 1. Monday. Plan your week by conducting research on potential companies. Write your direct mail letters to companies or organizations where you would like to work. 2. Tuesday. Call the companies from your direct mail list that you emailed yesterday to set up in-person meetings. 3. Wednesday. Attend a networking meeting or professional association event. Then follow up with emails to set up coffees, breakfast or lunch. 4. Thursday. Go to the in-person meetings with people from your direct emails. Meet a colleague or newly found friend for coffee or lunch or breakfast. 5. Friday. Follow up with an email to each person you met earlier in the week. Start planning for next week by doing research. Use your time wisely. Keep sending emails, calling companies (it may take several calls to reach the hiring manager). Meet at least one new person each week and have at least one in -person meeting each week. www.geffencareers.com
How to Deal with Rejection in Your Job Search
A job search is a lot like roulette. There are lots of numbers but the ball will only fall in one of them. What can you do to keep yourself motivated over the next few months? A job search consists of getting a lot of “no’s”. How do you deal with your emotional reaction, your disappointment after each “no.” 1. What is worse than a “no”? It is not hearing back from an email, an online job posting or a meeting. Don’t take it personally. You need to follow up. Don’t wait to hear back. 2. You need to keep hope alive by having 6-10 things in the works…that means writing directly to companies, answering ads, working with a search firm and networking. Keep writing. Keep calling. Keep getting meetings. Follow up after each meeting with each individual. 3. Make a poster with 99 “nos” and one “yes”. After each rejection – you write a letter and get no response, you make a call and get a no, you go on an interview and get a rejection, cross out one more no. Each “no” gets you closer to “yes.” 4. The “no’s” are not about you…so don’t take it personally. There are hundreds if not thousands of people looking for the same type of job you are looking for. Let’s say you get an interview and a second interview but don’t get the job. Don’t take it personally. Maybe they have an insider who got the position, maybe they have a friend or relative who got the position. Maybe they changed the requirements after interviewing a number of people. The best way to deal with rejection is to put it behind you and keep moving forward. As it is said, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You need to keep a half dozen things in the works and follow up with each one. That way, you are not totally invested in only one open position. (c) 2018 Amy Geffen All rights reserved To unsubscribe to this blog, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. www.geffencareers.com
How to Deal with Rejection in Your Job Search
A job search is a lot like roulette. There are lots of numbers but the ball will only fall in one of them. What can you do to keep yourself motivated over the next few months? A job search consists of getting a lot of “no’s”. How do you deal with your emotional reaction, your disappointment after each “no.” 1. What is worse than a “no”? It is not hearing back from an email, an online job posting or a meeting. Don’t take it personally. You need to follow up. Don’t wait to hear back. 2. You need to keep hope alive by having 6-10 things in the works…that means writing directly to companies, answering ads, working with a search firm and networking. Keep writing. Keep calling. Keep getting meetings. Follow up after each meeting with each individual. 3. Make a poster with 99 “nos” and one “yes”. After each rejection – you write a letter and get no response, you make a call and get a no, you go on an interview and get a rejection, cross out one more no. Each “no” gets you closer to “yes.” 4. The “no’s” are not about you…so don’t take it personally. There are hundreds if not thousands of people looking for the same type of job you are looking for. Let’s say you get an interview and a second interview but don’t get the job. Don’t take it personally. Maybe they have an insider who got the position, maybe they have a friend or relative who got the position. Maybe they changed the requirements after interviewing a number of people. The best way to deal with rejection is to put it behind you and keep moving forward. As it is said, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You need to keep a half dozen things in the works and follow up with each one. That way, you are not totally invested in only one open position. (c) 2018 Amy Geffen All rights reserved To unsubscribe to this blog, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. www.geffencareers.com
How to Deal with Rejection in Your Job Search
A job search is a lot like roulette. There are lots of numbers but the ball will only fall in one of them. What can you do to keep yourself motivated over the next few months? A job search consists of getting a lot of “no’s”. How do you deal with your emotional reaction, your disappointment after each “no.” 1. What is worse than a “no”? It is not hearing back from an email, an online job posting or a meeting. Don’t take it personally. You need to follow up. Don’t wait to hear back. 2. You need to keep hope alive by having 6-10 things in the works…that means writing directly to companies, answering ads, working with a search firm and networking. Keep writing. Keep calling. Keep getting meetings. Follow up after each meeting with each individual. 3. Make a poster with 99 “nos” and one “yes”. After each rejection – you write a letter and get no response, you make a call and get a no, you go on an interview and get a rejection, cross out one more no. Each “no” gets you closer to “yes.” 4. The “no’s” are not about you…so don’t take it personally. There are hundreds if not thousands of people looking for the same type of job you are looking for. Let’s say you get an interview and a second interview but don’t get the job. Don’t take it personally. Maybe they have an insider who got the position, maybe they have a friend or relative who got the position. Maybe they changed the requirements after interviewing a number of people. The best way to deal with rejection is to put it behind you and keep moving forward. As it is said, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You need to keep a half dozen things in the works and follow up with each one. That way, you are not totally invested in only one open position. (c) 2018 Amy Geffen All rights reserved To unsubscribe to this blog, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. www.geffencareers.com
5 Tips for Making a Job Transition
Are you unhappy in your current job? Or, are they unhappy with you? Don’t wait to start your journey. It may take longer than you expect to move to another company or a different position in a different field. 1) Start early. Don’t wait until you leave your job, get fired or get fed up! The sooner you start on the following steps, the closer you will be to getting your next position. Unless you are planning to retire, take a week or two off but not more, then get started. 2) Take stock of your human capital: strengths, skills, interests, values, and weaknesses. What skills can be transitioned to a new job title or a new industry? What would you really like to do? 3) Be realistic. It takes time to make a change from profit to non-profit, or vice versa. It takes time to realign your skills and successes to meet the needs of a different industry. While you won’t be able to become a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist without additional education, your past work experience can be re-purposed. What is possible: the easiest and shortest route is the same job you have now at a different company. The second easiest is the same job in a different industry. And the hardest is a different job title using your transferable skills and that may require additional education or training. 4) Research You can learn only so much by going online to a company website, reading trade publications, reviews on Glassdoor, the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times. You need to talk to real people in real jobs. Find out how they got into their careers, what steps did they take. Therefore, you need to go to the next step: 5) Grow your network. Join the professional organization for your job title. If you are a woman, join two organizations, one that is co-ed and one just for women. Become activie on a committee or event so other members get to know you, trust you, and can recommend you. Become a member of your alumni association and get involved. The objective is to develop relationships with people in your newly chosen field, not merely meet dozens of people on a superficial level. www.geffencareers.com
5 Tips for your job search
As I have said many times, a job search is a marathon, not a sprint. So what are the five things you need to remember to keep doing, day after day, week after week, month after month? 1) Be Persistent- Follow up on every lead, evey new person you meet, after every meeting and after every interview. 2) Keep expanding your network – You can always meet new people through volunteering, serving on a committee of your professional associaton, or your alumni chapter, or through a current contact. 3) Check in once a week with a friend, colleague or coach to stay on track. What did you do last week t omove yourjob search forward? What are your plans for the coming week? Any emaisl? calls? interviews? networking meetings? 4) Don’t wait for hiring managers or interviewers to get back to you. Get back to them with additional information, accomplishments, ideas to help solve their problems or actual written proposals. 5) Take care of yourself – Get enough sleep, some exercise, eat right, and have some fun! Make time for yourself each week – whether that is getting a massage, eating your favorite dessert, going to the movies or a museum, meeting a friend for lunch, hiking, biking, gardening or painting. Remember that a job search is a full-time job for those of you not working and a part-time job for those of you working. (c) 2018 Amy Geffen All rights reserved. — GEFFEN C A R E E R S www.geffencareers.com
5 Steps Closer to "YES"
So you are going on interviews and second interviews, but not hearing back. You wonder, What is going on and how can you increase your response rate? (1) Be prepared with your specific accomplishments that can help solve the problems of that job in that company. Your resume, cover letter, pitch and interview answers must specifically address the skills required and the problems faced by the person in the position they are hiring for. (2) Make sure you fit into the culture – Is it suit and tie button down or loosey goosey wear what you will? Find out in advance so you dress appropriately for the interview. (3) Follow up immediately after each interview with each person who interviewed you. If you see more than one person serially or in a group at one time, write a separate tailored email to each person. Mention something specific they talked about at the interview. Show how you can help that person. (4) The ball is always in your court. Maybe the hiring manager is busy, on vacation, or is procrastinating because s/he has other projects to complete. If you don’t hear within two weeks then follow up first with an email and then with a phone call. (5) Keep all the balls in the air. That means keep writing to your list of targeted companies. Keep following up with emails and phone calls. Keep networking to meet new people. Keep meeting people for coffee or lunch to deepen your relationship and get introductions to more people. A job search has a lot of “nos” and rejections. No to the the application, No to the email. No to the phone call. No to the interview. No after the interview. No to the final selection. That is why you must keep doing what you are doing and never give up! Each “no” gets you one step closer to “yes”! (c) 2018 Amy Geffen All rights reserved www.geffencareers.com
5 Steps Closer to “YES”
So you are going on interviews and second interviews, but not hearing back. You wonder, What is going on and how can you increase your response rate? (1) Be prepared with your specific accomplishments that can help solve the problems of that job in that company. Your resume, cover letter, pitch and interview answers must specifically address the skills required and the problems faced by the person in the position they are hiring for. (2) Make sure you fit into the culture – Is it suit and tie button down or loosey goosey wear what you will? Find out in advance so you dress appropriately for the interview. (3) Follow up immediately after each interview with each person who interviewed you. If you see more than one person serially or in a group at one time, write a separate tailored email to each person. Mention something specific they talked about at the interview. Show how you can help that person. (4) The ball is always in your court. Maybe the hiring manager is busy, on vacation, or is procrastinating because s/he has other projects to complete. If you don’t hear within two weeks then follow up first with an email and then with a phone call. (5) Keep all the balls in the air. That means keep writing to your list of targeted companies. Keep following up with emails and phone calls. Keep networking to meet new people. Keep meeting people for coffee or lunch to deepen your relationship and get introductions to more people. A job search has a lot of “nos” and rejections. No to the the application, No to the email. No to the phone call. No to the interview. No after the interview. No to the final selection. That is why you must keep doing what you are doing and never give up! Each “no” gets you one step closer to “yes”! (c) 2018 Amy Geffen All rights reserved www.geffencareers.com
7 Proven Job Interview Questions – and What to Look for in the Answers
This is a great article from Google’s Hiring team: 7 Proven Job Interview Questions—and What to Look for in the Answers https://hire.google.com/articles/7-proven-job-interview-questions/?utm_source=https://hire.google.com/articles/7-proven-job-interview-questions/ The Hire Team Published Sep 13, 2018 How do you know when you’re talking to a job applicant you should hire? Start by asking the right interview questions. Good questions are unexpected and thus difficult to script answers for – they’re not just the common interview questions every candidate knows to prepare for – like “tell me about yourself,” “walk me through your resume,” or “why do your want to leave your current company?” To help hiring managers and human resources determine whether the person sitting across the table will become a top employee, we’re sharing seven insightful job interview questions to work into your interview process. 1. Describe your process for [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fill in the blank]. In this question, [fill in the blank] is the job, or a major part of the job you’re hiring for. For example, if you’re hiring an email marketer you may ask, “Describe your process for building an email list,” or, “Describe your process for building sender reputation for a new domain.” This question shows you how your candidate tackles problems that are bound to come up in their day-to-day work. You can also learn more about your applicant’s experience when they explain how they approach the keystone tasks of the position. When it comes to determining whether a candidate is a good fit for the role, Google recruiting leader, Lisa Metrinko, is a fan of this type of interview question. She explains: “Questions that provoke some sort of thought process… are likely the most effective. They work well because they can give you a sense of how the candidate thinks through a problem.” Though there are no wrong answers, this question helps you identify any red flags in regards to the candidate’s experience. Their understanding of the job might be too rudimentary, for instance. That said, don’t fully discount applicants if you think they’ll be up to par with a bit of training. What to look for in an answer A good answer might go over a typical workday and show some general knowledge of the job, and that’s just fine. A great answer will give you more than that. You might hear something about a candidate’s workflow that’s especially efficient or clever. Perhaps they know of a faster way to accomplish tasks or check their work, or they tell you about a tool they use that you’ve never heard of. You can also spot signs that a new hire will integrate well into your existing team. Perhaps they already use a workflow that’s very similar to one the team prefers. If you’re lucky, you might even hear ways that this applicant could help the team innovate and improve. When this happens you know you’ve got a great new hire on your hands. Variations: If I gave you [fill in the blank with an assignment], what would you do first? (ie: If I asked you to build an email list, what would you do first?) What’s the most important part of getting your job done? What is your ideal workflow for [fill in the blank]? (ie: What is your favorite workflow for building email sender reputation?) Your Source for Hiring Best Practices Subscribe to our email newsletter to get insights and tips on building a world-class hiring program. Business Email Subscribe Now 2. Tell me about a time you took a risk and failed. This is Jeff Moore’s favorite interview question – Jeff is Head of Staffing for Google’s Consumer Hardware business. “Everyone has examples of taking a risk and succeeding,” Jeff says. “I want people who are willing to take a risk, knowing that they will not be successful every time. Most importantly, I want to know what they learned from this example that they can take forward and bring to my team.” Nobody likes to highlight failure, but nobody is perfect, either. This question gives you insight into how an applicant handles missteps and whether they have the humility to admit their mistakes and learn from them. What to look for in an answer You want to see the applicant showcase their honesty, instead of trying to spin a negative into a positive. A great candidate will speak candidly about their difficulties and will own their mistakes. Ideally, they will also talk about what they learned without being pressed. Hiring someone who learns from their mistakes and focuses on constant improvement is key. Variations: How do you handle frustration? What’s the biggest professional challenge you’ve faced? Can you tell me about a time you overcame a setback? 3. What is an accomplishment you’re proud of and why? A strong team is comprised of people with diverse backgrounds who bring a variety of experiences to the table. But the thing that each team member should have in common is the drive to succeed, and this question will help you identify both that drive and what your candidate considers a success. It’s great if the applicant wants to talk about an accomplishment that has nothing to do with work. That said, don’t get waylaid with personal interview questions that don’t tell you anything useful. According to Jeff Moore: “The worst question I’ve seen was ‘What’s your favorite kind of music, and why?’ Try to avoid vague questions that have no relevance to the role and don’t really add any value to determining cultural fit for the team. Stick to behavioral interview questions that give candidates an opportunity to share experiences relevant to the role.” Asking what your candidate has achieved gives them a chance to shine, and to show you how they set and accomplish goals. What to look for in an answer When you ask this question in a job interview, you want to see your interviewee
How do I get a job that is not advertised?
You’ve heard me say that there are only four ways to get a job and one of them is answering ads on the internet. But that will only get 10% of the job seekers a job. What about the rest of the 90% of you still looking? One of the other three ways is GOING DIRECTLY to a hiring manager in a company. This person is in a position to hire you, if there were a job, and if you were qualified. So the object is to get in front of as many people as possible before the job is even advertised. 1. Make a list of companies you want to work for This is your job target list – your marketing plan …think of every company, association, non-profit or university where you would like to work. Do you know someone who works there or can you be introduced to someone who works there? If so, great, if not, find out the name of the person two levels above you. 2 Research the companies on your list – read their website, dig deeper to find out not only the positives but also the negatives, the deep seated problems that don’t necessarily make the headlines. Read articles in newspapers I like WSJ), talk to people who work there…get a coffee with them to find out the inside scoop. Find out what their problems, challenges, issue are and figure out how you can help solve the. 3. Write directly to a hiring manager in a position to hire you if there were a position. Say you are impressed with their company..mention one thing specifically. Say you want to learn more about hem and tell them about you. Ask for a ;meeting. 4. Call the Hiring Manager to get the meeting. This may take several phone calls. You may have to get past the gatekeeper, or administrative assistant. Call early in the morning or later in the evening. 5. At the meeting. Be curious and humble. Say what you learned and ask for more in depth information about their plans, projects, problems. At the meeting remember to say three things about yourself Ask three questions. (c) 2018 Amy Geffen All rights reserved. If you wish to unsubscribe from this blog, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. Career Workshop starts September 17. Register here:. https://geffencareers.wufoo.com/forms/q16mk1480byl3hz/