Many people find it daunting to begin the process of searching for new employment. Maybe you don’t know where to begin. Maybe you haven’t looked for a new position in more than 15 years, or maybe you have just become complacent where you are and haven’t thought about looking in a really long time. Whatever your reasons for pursuing a new position, your success now hinges on establishing some guidelines and developing a plan. Your plan will help keep you focused and on track, while also serving as an important guide. Here are my key tips to help you with the process; hopefully this will take some of the uncertainty out of your search:

The getting to know you process. You might be wondering how you come to understand some of your drivers and things that motivate you. Consider taking some tests, including DISC or MBTI. These assessments can provide very valuable information to allow you to understand more about yourself. Reading articles and books, and speaking with friends and colleagues regarding their experiences will also give you a different perspective. The learning process can come from a variety of avenues. Take your time to ensure you know enough about yourself to plan for a change. The planning process will allow you to identify opportunities that you might not have considered. It will also prevent you from spinning your wheels pursuing things that might not be right or a possibility at this time in your career.

Preparing for the search. As you know, you will need strong career documents to launch your search. Even if you have a strong network willing to work for you, you will still be asked for a resume. Your resume should serve as a ‘living’ document. This means that you will need to modify it as you apply for positions or give it to a member of your network. Your resume should highlight the things you have done and how you achieved results. Creating mini stories on your resume will allow you to showcase your talents and what you bring to a new position. Remember, it is not what a company can do for you; but rather, it is what you can do for them that need to come across on your resume. Use the SAR method when drafting your document: Situation, Action, Result. This formula will enable you to tell your mini story. Keep it short and to the point, highlighting the most relevant details of what you did in your role. The examples should provide the reader with key information, including metrics relative to positive outcomes of your efforts.

Create your marketing tools. As part of marketing yourself to a potential employer, you need to know who you are. Some people are more self-aware than others. Evaluate your strengths and areas for improvement. Keeping a list of these things will allow you to capitalize on what you would like to present to a potential hiring manager. More importantly, understanding areas where you are not as strong will provide you with the foundation to either make changes on your own or seek professional / educational assistance or training to improve areas where you need help. Part of knowing yourself also requires that you have knowledge regarding your work values. Are you only interested in a 9-5 job, or are you willing to extend yourself before or after the traditional workday? Recognizing your work ethic will allow you to pursue opportunities that meet with your overall personal and professional needs.

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Let’s face it, more and more companies are turning to online applications to fill their vacancies. This can be a difficult and frustrating experience for those of you who a) never needed a resume to find a job years ago and b) those of you who are not computer savvy. Some of you may even feel that it’s better to send a hard copy of your resume and cover letter because it has a better look, the paper is nice, and after all, you spent a lot of time putting your best skills and assets down on paper. You might also think that your paper resume will land on someone’s desk who is actually responsible for the hiring of the job you are applying to, rather than ending up in a database in the stratosphere.

Quite simply, this isn’t the case. Today’s companies no longer want paper files. They want to become paperless offices and have everything available at the touch of a button. In my own staffing firms, we like all resumes emailed to us. That way it takes 2 minutes to input a candidate into our database and connect their resume. It also saves time having to scan documents into the system. Plus word documents can be changed and updated, whereas scanned documents cannot be.

In fact, many large companies no longer accept paper resumes for open positions at all. Today, they ask applicants to register and build a profile on their career website. Once and only once can an applicant apply for positions. Remember, once you’re in their system, you can often apply for other jobs or new openings with the simple click of a button. Before you send your resume or build your profile, review the company’s policy for applying for positions; you want to make sure to follow the rules they put forth. There are benefits to the applicant as well, of course. With the click of a mouse, it is faster to apply for positions than ever before, and you don’t have to worry your resume got lost in the mail or that you are one of 500 resumes sitting on a desk that will never even be reviewed.

Once a job seeker fills out the online application and profile, they are in the system for not only the job they are applying, but also for positions that may open up down the road. Companies use databases to find and attract talent, and they use specific words and key phrases when they search for specific jobs they have open. For example if a hospital is looking for someone with medical background they will have a code that reads: medical, etc. They will then search their library of online applicants for that code or for key words that indicate the skillset they need.

Part 2

Struggling to decide what to get someone for the holidays? Whether he or she is a job hunter, a recently promoted career professional, or someone in between, you can’t go wrong with buying a gift that will positively influence someone’s career. Here are some ideas:

The Ultimate Job Search Toolkit. We are offering our all-encompassing job search course for a discount. Here is a recent testimonial.

Job coaching services. Know someone who can’t make it past the first interview or is gunning for an upward climb in his or her position? He or she is a prime candidate for some job coaching. Find the right coach for you here.

Rosetta Stone. Knowing a second language can only positively impact someone’s career.

Gift certificate to JoS A. Bank or Banana Republic. Your gift recipient should be able to find a dress shirt, slacks, or a blazer that is appropriate for the interview.

A watch. With the advent of the cell phone, it appears that wristwatches have slowly become less in vogue; however, there are still many positive associations associated with those who wear watches.

Gift certificate to a hair salon. Give the holiday gift recipient a haircut that will give him or her more confidence to take on the job world!

Teeth whitening services. If a trip to the dentist is too expensive for you to give (professional teeth whitening services range from $300 to $600, offer BriteSmile. BriteSmile polishes your teeth and gives you fresh breath—but be sure to give this type of gift to someone who won’t read too much into it! You don’t want the gift recipient to think his or her breath stinks or teeth are too yellow!

A subscription to a trade magazine. Keep the career professional updated about happenings in his or her career industry.

#1 Work with a Career Coach - There’s honestly no debate about what the best investment to make if you’re out of work – it’s to work with a Career Coach. With today’s online technology, you can literally work with the BEST job coaches from the comfort of your living room. Through skype, webinars and teleseminars, you can often get the absolute best of a coach’s services and avoid travel time (and fees) altogether. Remember, working with a job coach really only works if the client is dedicated to the assignments that the coach offers. Also, keep in mind that a job coach does not GET you a job – rather, they help a client explore options and make sure that their marketing materials are written to represent them in the best way possible. They review and help the client to have the best resume, cover letter, thank you letters, etc. A great career coach will also walk a client through mock interviews to help them stand out in the crowd and be prepared and confident..

#2 Have a Professional Resume Renovation - The next best investment a job searcher can make is to have a professional resume consultation and renovation done by a great resume writer – hopefully a member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches. Be sure to provide the BEST information you can, for instance, what are your accomplishments at a job – not necessarily what you did day after day. Also be sure to have your core strengths at your fingertips to be written into your resume. Remember, “responsible for” and “duties included” should never be on a resume. It should be all about the added value you brought to each company you worked with.

#3 DISC Assessment – The DISC assessment is a tool that allows you to examine your behavior and your reactions to others, and to ascertain your best assets. It allows a person to adapt their behavior to create positive outcomes, which becomes a VERY valuable tool for choosing a career course. Choosing next steps based on your personal STRENGTHS, instead of where you “think” you belong is a million-dollar life changer. Many resume writers will also have a client take the DISC assessment so that they can get a quick sense of the person’s voice and what is important to them.

#4 Add a New Certification or Skill Set - This is an excellent way to “add” to your credentials and perceived value. You can find such courses at community colleges, trade schools, and online, as well as professional associations. You can also look into webinars that might be offered by leaders in your field – or the field you would LIKE to go into. Also, consider joining professional associations that would add to your versatility and professionalism. Often, an organization will let you add their logo to your resume and website once you belong. If you’re an administrative assistant, for instance, you can join IVAA.org (which is the International Virtual Assistant’s Association). IVAA offers a myriad of online courses and certifications for Administrative Assistants. You can find a host of professional organizations by simply doing a Google search on your industry.

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There are some very obvious signs that can indicate you’re in the wrong job, but often, we avoid admitting those even to ourselves. Yes, the job market is tough right now, but job satisfaction cannot be overlooked. After all, we spend too much time at our jobs to be unhappy every day. That doesn’t mean someone who’s not satisfied should march into their boss’s office and quite tomorrow morning, but it IS something we want to look at closely. Start by asking yourself these four questions:

1. Do I avoid talking about my job when I’m out with friends?
2. Do I hate getting up in the morning to go to work?
3. Am I always (or often) tired and drained at work – in a way that says more than “hard work”?
4. Do I find that I can’t wait until the close of work day?

It’s good to look take some time to look at job satisfaction overall. Because when you think about it, we spend more hours at work than we do awake at home. As a result we should make sure we LOVE what we do. If we love what we do we don’t think of it as work. You could start with the job that you’re in by asking for more responsibility, or by supporting interesting projects or working with other great teams.

If you’re sure that the place you work is not going to make you satisfied, be sure to stop and determine what your core issues are. Don’t just run out and start a job search without having a good due diligence in place. It’s very easy to just move from one unhappy spot to another in life. But if we take the time to really assess WHAT we don’t like, what we wish was different, what our behavior traits are, and what our core goals are, we can make a change that REALLY builds a better life. Take the time to decide what would make you HAPPY.

• Is it a job closer to home?
• Fewer hours at work?
• Or maybe it’s more hours and more money.
• Perhaps it’s a more creative industry.

Once you’ve determined some of those factors, you can begin to weigh your options. Knowing what you DO want is the foundation of a GOOD job effort. It’s very easy, after all, to spend a LOT of time on a job effort that ISN’T good. One that leaves you more unhappy than the job or career you hated, believe me. So getting things together the RIGHT way is an investment well worth doing. There are two things to embrace while you’re considering what direction to take with your job search: 1) Be networking all the time, and 2) Keep your resume updated with the latest information. Just in case a wonderful opportunity comes up. (In fact, I always say that the RIGHT time to update your resume is the day you start a new job.)

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Being out of work can be overwhelming. It can be disheartening, discouraging and downright terrifying. Probably the best investment a person can make, once they find themselves out of work (or if they’re simply looking for a new career choice), is to work with a job coach who specializes in mock interviews. In fact, it’s worthwhile to be sure that the career coach you choose actually specializes in interviews – and perhaps is even a Certified Employment Interview Consultant (CEIC).

Why are mock interviews important? Well, let’s look at a few common situations.

1. A mid-level manager finds themselves out of work after fifteen years with the same company. One would think that fifteen years of service at one job would be an asset, right? Well, of course it is. But what isn’t an asset is that they haven’t been on an interview in fifteen years. And let’s face it, EVERYING leading up to the interview is just prep work. The hundreds of hours reading job postings, working on and sending out resumes, pounding pavement, going to networking events – all of this is simply setting the stage for the interview. THAT is where you need to bring your best stuff – and sadly, there’s no second chances.

2. A top-level sales manager finds himself being called for interview after interview, but not getting even one offer. Yes, one might think it’s just the economy, but let’s face it, even at our worst unemployment rate (a whopping 10%), that still leaves 90% of us employed. And a great sales leader shouldn’t be getting NO job offers. A job coach specializing in mock interviews can work with a candidate on subtle things that might be tripping him or her up, like body language, tone of voice and how they answer the various questions that come up in an interview. It’s not uncommon for a candidate to go on and on, in fact, and never really answer a question at all. These are some of the areas that a job coach certified in interview techniques can help a candidate work through.

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How does one go about getting the name of someone in human resources or the name of a hiring manager? Job listings posted all over the place simply read: No phone calls and direct résumé to BD or some other letter combination at some post office box or no-reply email address. Getting a name is like pulling a needle from a haystack. A good read might be something from Sherlock Holmes or a day with reruns of Get Smart to help solve the dilemma.

I won’t lie; getting a name can be tough, very tough. It can be done though! It takes work and a bit of sleuthing. Anything that is worth something is worth working for - right? So, here are some ways to win the holiday turkey - THE NAME.

1. Try calling the receptionist at the company where you are applying. You can ask the receptionist for the name of a person in human resources. If you are nice and engage the person on the phone, you will likely come away with a name.
2. When calling a company, ask to be directed to the human resource department; you will likely get the voice mail of a person within the department. Even if he or she is not the right guy or gal, when your résumé shows up, he or she will pass it along to the appropriate counterpart in the department.

Looking for the name of a hiring manager? This takes more digging.

1. Use LinkedIn and Facebook to find people. If you are on LinkedIn you will need to do a lot of looking to identify people that are associated with the company you are targeting. Join affiliated groups so that you can write to those people directly without an introduction. Is that sneaky? No. LinkedIn is a tool like any other. You need to know how to use it. From there, you can introduce yourself to a person at your targeted company, network with them and obtain a name. Facebook takes a little more work, because you need to introduce yourself and be added as a friend.
2. Traditional research also works. When doing research on a company, oftentimes the company will have a listing of senior management. You can start there. Send a letter or email to one of those people. You never know, you might get a response asking you to send your résumé to them directly, or they might even give you the name of someone to reach out to within the company.
3. Network with everyone you know. The rule of six degrees of separation is what LinkedIn is all about. You can get names from friends, friends of friends, acquaintances, and many, many others.

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Is your employer feeling the crunch of the current economic climate? So much so, that the dreaded ‘pay freeze’ has been put into effect? Do you feel that your efforts to go above and beyond have really done some good? You can still get the raise you desire. Here are some tips to help sway the scale in your favor:

Conduct Research: Before you saunter into the boss’ office and have ‘the discussion’ you need to be prepared with some relevant industry data. It would behoove you to have salary data regarding comparable positions so you can present your case from a position of power and intelligence. Knowing where you are in connection with the market will allow you to develop a productive and compelling argument when you sit down to the brass tacks discussion.

Demonstrate your value: Asking for a raise is not enough. You need to demonstrate that you are exceeding expectations. Come prepared (with examples) of projects you completed that generated revenue or saved the company money. You need to justify the raise. If you have assumed increased levels of responsibility, were promoted from a previous role, or created a new business strategy, come prepared to provide the details – down to the numbers of how you made a meaningful contribution.

Understand the company’s goals: Make sure you are doing things that are in alignment with what the company deems important. If a new program is underway, make sure you are applying your skills to meet that need. Pay attention to the initiatives that are important and apply yourself in those areas – within the context of your role; but don’t forget to be creative. Go above and beyond to show true value.

Negotiate on your own behalf: When you make an appointment to meet with the boss to review the increase, you must be prepared to offer other options. For example, if you want a $5,000 increase, you might be offered $2,500. Are there other things (non-monetary) you can request to bridge the gap? You might suggest an extra week of vacation or something else that translates to cash. Similarly, you might be told that nothing can be done at this time, at which point you might want to negotiate a six-month review for a raise upon meeting certain agreed-upon goals.

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People often think that December is the wrong time to find work, because “who leaves a job at the holidays” or because “bonuses are pending” but that’s definitely not the truth. Far too often, people decide to put their job hunt on hold between Thanksgiving and New Year's, but that's a huge mistake. Although new budgets often take effect in January, HR teams receive job requisitions for budgeted new spots much earlier than that, and it’s quite likely that waiting until January might mean that someone else got the job of your dreams.

It’s also very likely that you might be one of the few qualified applicants for a great job when you’re interviewing in December, simply because other candidates think it's a bad time to hunt. After all, positions become open for a variety of reasons: people find better opportunities or they move or even get promoted. With the economy starting to recover, more work equals new jobs, but this is definitely a case of being in the right spot at the right time.
There are also many personal benefits to continuing a job search at this time of year, such as avoiding holiday depression simply by being dressed each day and feeling a sense of worth. Let’s also remember that being active is powerful – and being home depressed, simply waiting for the calendar to change to January can feel really powerless. There are also many hidden opportunities to being out there job hunting. Even if you’re not chosen, for instance, you might be offered temp work or freelance assignments, which can lead to networking opportunities and of course INCOME. And we know that someone who is already employed, even in a temporary capacity, is a far more attractive hire than someone who isn’t.

There are also some very unique opportunities in December -- holiday parties, for instance, are a great time for networking. You never know who will be there or what opportunities they might have opening up at their company – so be sure to remain professional and poised at all times – this isn’t the time to take risks or be the life of the party! And definitely have business cards with your contact info in your pocket.

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The United States Department of Labor is compiling a list of career advancement sites, and GoSavant.com is one of the contenders. Job seekers and workforce professionals will be invited to test-drive, comment on, and recommend tools. We would appreciate it if you could recommend GoSavant. Just scroll down past the description of our group, and you'll see a little red cross and the word Comment. If you click on that you'll be able to leave a comment. Commenting can start now. Official test-driving of the site will start January 4th. For more details, read this.

We appreciate your assistance in getting the word out about GoSavant!