Network Because of the Hidden Job Market

Network Because of the Hidden Job Market This is a true story. It happened to me just within the last two days. But, it has been happening with others every single day. Theres this unicorny mythical concept called the hidden job market. Its the Narnia of job search. If you are lucky enough, if you are chosen, then you get to be the protagonist and find this hidden job market. Its probably something out of a Skittles commercial lots of bright colors and sugary sweet goodness. Wait. Its not unicorny, nor is it mythical, and you dont have to be special to find it. Heres the story: Sunday I was chatting with a family friend who is exceptionally talented and, while figuring out his next step, has been working at as a janitor at the local university. We were talking about his talents and skills and where he is heading, and I thought this guy would be perfect at XYZ Company, and they would totally love him and his skills. I mentioned this and said he should reach out to me, and Id make an introduction. So, he actually follows-up. Amazing, right? For every 10 people I say to send me an email or reminder or something, I probably get two people who actually do it. As soon as he emails me (on Monday, so within 24 hours) I chat with an old colleague I havet talked to for months who works in the department that this guy should work in. He happens to mention that yes, they actually will be looking for someone soon because of some changes coming up. Have this person, he says, send him and his boss (the department head) his resume. I thought the team was fully staffed, having been kind of big and having recently brought some people on but I just learned something that perhaps no one else in the company new. There was no posting or official opening I doubt HR or the recruiting team even new about this opening. This is the epitome, the very definition, of the hidden job market.  And the way to access it is through someone who knows about it. This is why job coaches talk about networking so much. If your network doesnt know what you are looking for, or where you are looking, or that you are even looking, how in the world could they help you get into the hidden job market? Here are some elements that made this story successful, so far: Even though this guy and I arent besties, we had the right conversation about his career and direction. Dont think that you have to have a certain kind of relationship to have the right conversation that can lead to the next right conversation. When we had the conversation, he was vulnerable enough to let me know where he was at and what he was looking for. He could have just said he was good, and not anything more but I learned enough to be able to help him. He sent me an email and text within 24 hours. This is called follow-up, and instead of second guessing himself and wondering if he really should do it, he just did it. He sent me some links to his stuff (his portfolio, if you will). He had branded and branding material that I was able to look at and have more confidence that he indeed had the right skills. I reached out to my network contact, at the right company, in the exact department, to a person who was in a position of authority. I guarantee that you know someone (who knows someone) who knows the right contact, at the right company, in the right department, with the right authority to make a hiring decision. But until you talk to people with the right message, youll never know. The story is still unfolding. But I wanted to share this with you because too often we dont have those conversations. Our messaging is off, or we second-guess whether we should even talk to another person, or we think we should apply to one more job posting online instead of getting out and talking to people but the power of the hidden job market is that instead of being one of a hundred applications, this guy will be one of one applicants because no one else knows to even apply. You want to be one of one, not one of a hundred. And that is the unicorny, skittley goodness of the hidden job market. Network Because of the Hidden Job Market This is a true story. It happened to me just within the last two days. But, it has been happening with others every single day. Theres this unicorny mythical concept called the hidden job market. Its the Narnia of job search. If you are lucky enough, if you are chosen, then you get to be the protagonist and find this hidden job market. Its probably something out of a Skittles commercial lots of bright colors and sugary sweet goodness. Wait. Its not unicorny, nor is it mythical, and you dont have to be special to find it. Heres the story: Sunday I was chatting with a family friend who is exceptionally talented and, while figuring out his next step, has been working at as a janitor at the local university. We were talking about his talents and skills and where he is heading, and I thought this guy would be perfect at XYZ Company, and they would totally love him and his skills. I mentioned this and said he should reach out to me, and Id make an introduction. So, he actually follows-up. Amazing, right? For every 10 people I say to send me an email or reminder or something, I probably get two people who actually do it. As soon as he emails me (on Monday, so within 24 hours) I chat with an old colleague I havet talked to for months who works in the department that this guy should work in. He happens to mention that yes, they actually will be looking for someone soon because of some changes coming up. Have this person, he says, send him and his boss (the department head) his resume. I thought the team was fully staffed, having been kind of big and having recently brought some people on but I just learned something that perhaps no one else in the company new. There was no posting or official opening I doubt HR or the recruiting team even new about this opening. This is the epitome, the very definition, of the hidden job market.  And the way to access it is through someone who knows about it. This is why job coaches talk about networking so much. If your network doesnt know what you are looking for, or where you are looking, or that you are even looking, how in the world could they help you get into the hidden job market? Here are some elements that made this story successful, so far: Even though this guy and I arent besties, we had the right conversation about his career and direction. Dont think that you have to have a certain kind of relationship to have the right conversation that can lead to the next right conversation. When we had the conversation, he was vulnerable enough to let me know where he was at and what he was looking for. He could have just said he was good, and not anything more but I learned enough to be able to help him. He sent me an email and text within 24 hours. This is called follow-up, and instead of second guessing himself and wondering if he really should do it, he just did it. He sent me some links to his stuff (his portfolio, if you will). He had branded and branding material that I was able to look at and have more confidence that he indeed had the right skills. I reached out to my network contact, at the right company, in the exact department, to a person who was in a position of authority. I guarantee that you know someone (who knows someone) who knows the right contact, at the right company, in the right department, with the right authority to make a hiring decision. But until you talk to people with the right message, youll never know. The story is still unfolding. But I wanted to share this with you because too often we dont have those conversations. Our messaging is off, or we second-guess whether we should even talk to another person, or we think we should apply to one more job posting online instead of getting out and talking to people but the power of the hidden job market is that instead of being one of a hundred applications, this guy will be one of one applicants because no one else knows to even apply. You want to be one of one, not one of a hundred. And that is the unicorny, skittley goodness of the hidden job market.

How to Make Your Resume Writing With Little Relevant Experience to Impress Your Potential Employer

How to Make Your Resume Writing With Little Relevant Experience to Impress Your Potential EmployerDo you ever wonder how to make your resume writing with little relevant experience to impress your potential employer? Well there are a number of techniques that can help you achieve this goal, so read on to find out more.The first thing you need to do is write down the experiences that you have gained over the years that will help you get the job. You need to be able to convince your potential employer that you have actually gained something of real value in the years since you have graduated and you have gained relevant experience. All of your experiences should be related to one or two areas of business - for example, if you have spent 5 years in marketing, it would be helpful to include experience in sales and marketing.Next you need to decide where on your resume you want to highlight these experiences. If your employer asks you what you did previously for your business, then the mo st important thing is to mention all of the relevant experiences. That means including related experiences for your position like the year you graduated from college or your years as a student. You could also include experience in your field if you know what it was like before you started your career.If you really want to highlight your experiences, think about one that you really enjoy and that you had something to do with. This way, it will be easier to pull all of the relevant experiences together and remember them when you sit down to write your resume. You could include something like an internship or project with someone that you really looked up to in school.Your experience could be just about anything related to your college graduate. This could include internships or volunteer work, but it could also mean working as a secretary or any number of other jobs that may interest you.Next, before you write your resume, you need to come up with a heading for the resume. Your headin g needs to be short and simple and tell your potential employer exactly what they need to know about you. You can use the experiences mentioned above to create a heading.Finally, you need to get your skills and relevant experience organized. Start off by listing all of the experiences that you have that would be suitable for a covering letter. Then list the other relevant skills and experience that you have that would be ideal for the job.By creating a cover letter that makes sense and focuses on your skills and experience, you will definitely make a better impression on your potential employer. In order to make your resume writing with little relevant experience to impress your potential employer, you need to start out by writing the appropriate resume and cover letter and follow up with a solid covering letter.

The 3 Biggest Obstacles Between You and Your Dream Career - Classy Career Girl

The 3 Biggest Obstacles Between You and Your Dream Career Feeling stuck? There are 3 big obstacles which are the  most common in holding people  back from launching their  dream careers. Its best  if you can figure this out and  then  become really aware of your roadblocks. Once you know what is holding you back, then you can tackle it and move forward. Easy, right? Lets get started. The 3 Biggest Obstacles in Between You and Your Dream Career 1. Time Ever said any of these? Theres not enough time in the day! Theres more to do than time allows! I dont have time for my family. Im having a really hard time finding balance. Im not sure how to carve out me time. I am not sure how to find the time to get this dream career launched. If you feel that your calendar is out of control and you dont have any time, it usually  means that you need a mindset adjustment in order to launch your dream career or business. Time obstacles are  not real. Why? Because you make your time and you are in control of your calendar. [RELATED:  Click here to download your free 90-day planner.] 2. Fear Maybe you are  backing off from what you truly want to do because you’re hesitant to be who you really are. You have  a fear of being yourself. You’re also losing confidence in yourself. You have a lot of self-doubt or you are feeling guilty thinking about launching your dreams. You are  thinking, “Am I really good enough to make my dreams to a reality? Am I ever going to get hired? I’m never going to get hired. I’m never going to be able to launch my dream business.” You are afraid to dream too BIG. Then, there’s also a fear of living up to other people’s expectations and really having lots of constant negative thoughts. What if it doesn’t work out? This is your mindset holding you back.  The good news is that you can conquer this. It takes a lot of positive daily affirmations and a great supportive network but you CAN get rid of that fear and start creating your own path. 3. Direction Do you have a ton of ideas but no solid plan of action? Are you not sure where to begin with launching your dream career? You are fine tuning all your ideas and you are feeling so disorganized. Instead of moving forward, you are just standing still. I’ve been there too  but guess what! Reading this blog post truly is your first step to getting unstuck. The first step to getting unstuck is identifying where you are at right now. This is your starting point. These are your obstacles. If this is what you are battling now and not where you want to be, visualize what your ideal workday is for a second. Sometimes we never really let ourselves dream. It’s really important that you identify what you want and what your real desires are, not what your “shoulds” are. [RELATED:  Click here to download your free 90-day planner.]

Unbrand Yourself the Office Newbie - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Unbrand Yourself the Office Newbie - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career You got the job. Youre super pumped. No more living  off ramen noodles. Time to  take on the corporate world. Unfortunately, day one is nothing to write home about. Even though you have a college degree, no one seems to care. Youre super disappointed, and dont want to waste the next 8 months struggling to climb the corporate ladder. You want to learn. You want to grow. You want to achieve. Ultimately, you want to make the big bucks. How do you put yourself on the fast track to office success? First things first, check these four branding rules off your list. Rule #1: Self assign personal projects. Give yourself more responsibility. But, dont talk about it. Dont toot your own horn. Be  quiet and stay  humble. Start off with something small. Lets say the printer keeps jamming and is out of ink. Handle it. Stay after 15 minutes. Replace the cartridge and fix the loading trays. Will your efforts get recognized right away? No. But the next day, your coworkers are sure to notice the fix, and make comments. That right there is your cue. Jump in, and take credit like the office superhero you are. Rule #2: Anytime you can inject personal anecdotes about your past success, do it. You got the job for a reason. Youre obviously qualified. Confidence goes a long way, but more than that; a track record speaks for itself. Once again, dont gloat. But dont be afraid to note your past successes and brand yourself as an authoritative figure. Rule #3: Dont dress like a newbie. Your first day on the new job? Get all fashion fails out of your system. Observe your environment. Are your coworkers clad in corporate style suits? Or maybe theyre dressed down in jeans and a t-shirt. You dont need to blend in with your environment. Instead, focus on complimenting your environment, and one upping the office style. You want to be taken seriously, but you also dont want to look like a stuffy teachers pet. For example, if you work in a  jeans and t-shirt type atmosphere, sport the same. But, take it one step further by wearing a trendy blazer over your tee. Rule #4:  Redirect gossip and negative conversations. You might have a few pot stirrers approach  you. They feast on drama. Whatever you do, dont participate. Thats probably the worst thing you can do.  In all honesty, thats a  surefire way to get fired from your 9-5. You dont want to seem like a snob either, so try this. When someone wants to gossip, redirect the conversation. Put the gossiper under the spotlight. So, Ken said that you had the highest  individual  sales last month? How did you do it? Boom. In that one statement, you  brought the gossip to a halt  and  stroked an  ego. Win, win. Above all else, focus on these three characteristics when trying to de-newbie yourself. Self Assuredness Dont hang your head. Even if you make a mistake, be confident in your screwup. Admit to wrongdoing, and then learn how you can do better. Dont dwell in the negative, but focus on the positive. Curiosity Ask questions. Get ready to learn. The only way you can truly grow in your current role? Understanding how you can assist others with their job responsibilities. That makes you more of an asset, which ultimates garners respect and (gasp) even a salary increase. Loyalty Be loyal to your coworkers. Dont bash your department any chance you get. Be willing to put in extra time. Take initiative. All of these actions show loyalty to your employer, which will ultimately make you be looked at as valuable.

Technical Writing Resume For Redirection Qriting

Technical Writing Resume For Redirection QritingTechnical writing resumes are very much important for a job applicant to impress a technical writer. Nowadays, majority of the employers or recruiters prefer technical writers for their resumes since they are aware of the importance of a well written resume. On the other hand, there are several technical writers who are ignorant of the things they have to do to write a well-written resume.They tend to ignore the rewrite specifications provided by the hiring company. They often overlook the format requirements and if you are a hire, you should keep in mind that you need to do your part to ensure that your resume is completely grammatically correct. A basic knowledge about grammar is not that much necessary, it is rather more important to have a good understanding of what is needed to be written. Even if you are not yet a professional writer, you can get some experience from websites that provide you with some sample resumes as well as tu torials in different formats and languages.Resumes are not only about memorizing keywords and templates but you need to understand what kind of a resume is being demanded by the employer. It is always better to be prepared than sorry. If you will go by the points mentioned above, now you have to start thinking about what you need to do to write your resume in a technical way. The best way is to study some examples that have been written by professionals.There are many sites that offer free samples of technical resumes and even it is possible to download them for further usage. Such samples are very much helpful because they show you the right way to organize your resume and also they are quite informative. You can also select some samples of resumes that are professionally written for technical writers. Once you have gathered the sample resumes, you can then use them as a guide while writing your own resume.After you have studied the samples written by a professional, you can get th e same samples translated and edited into a language that a technical writer can understand. You will be able to understand exactly what needs to be done to get your resume to a point where it is acceptable for a technical writer. You will also be able to make your resume more professional-looking by changing the colors and fonts used in it. It is best to avoid putting quotation marks in your resume since they can make it look amateurish.Do not put too much information in your resume because it is better to leave something that will make a short sentence or two. Try to make your resume as short as possible so that you will be able to fit all the important details in a single page.If you are a person who is expecting an interview within the next few days, try to shorten your resume and make it as short as possible so that you will be able to fit it on a single sheet of paper. Also, do not try to include a lot of technical words and phrases, make it as easy to read as possible. You mu st remember that a good technical writer does not give importance to anything that does not need to be present in the resume.By following the above instructions you will be able to create a very impressive technical resume that would help you in landing an interview. You will be required to attach your resumes along with a cover letter when you submit them to the company you are applying to. Your technical writing resume for education qriting should be professionally designed so that it will grab the attention of your potential employer.

5 Common Executive Job Search Dilemmas - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

5 Common Executive Job Search Dilemmas

Loving Who They Are and Who They Arent - Kathy Caprino

Loving Who They Are and Who They Aren’t A few days ago, I was taking a break with a friend, sitting outside in a beautiful park, soaking up the sun.   I relished the chance to sit quietly in nature and catch up.   We got around to discussing our personal lives and the inner workings of our family dynamics. We shared, laughed, winced, and sighed â€" at all the things that are going very well, and those things that we wished might have been different.   (It’s wonderful to a have a friend you can be truly candid and authentic with, isn’t it?) What a gift. After sharing a bit about our perceived triumphs and disappointments, my friend said something that reached in and plucked a heartstring for me.   She said: “Kathy, I’ve realized that in order to be happy and not drive myself mad, I have to love my kids and my husband for who they are, but also for who they aren’t.” Wow, did that resonate for me. My friend was talking about that fact that, despite everything we try to do for our family, and how hard we strive to shape them (and our relationships) in ways we think are healthy, happy and productive they’re just not always going to be who we think they should be, or who we think we want them to be. But rather than waste precious time longing for them to be different, it’s so much more peaceful and fulfilling to accept them as they are, and love them for who they and for who they are not.   It’s an easier and more joyful life when we embrace the idea that if parts of our loved ones were different â€" even tiny fragments or slivered dimensions they simply wouldn’t be the people we love so deeply. Our discussion reminded me of something my husband said to me years ago when we were first married.   I was picking a quarrel with him about something insignificant about his behavior (some imagined huge “flaw” of his that I was deeply annoyed about), and he said, “You know, Kathy, I don’t view you and our relationship the way you do.   I don’t extract out the small, petty things I don’t like, examine them and make a federal case of them, or wish they were different.   I accept what is.   I look at you as a whole package that I’ve married â€" not something I can dissect and separate into little pieces that are good or bad.   I take the whole thing.”   My friend and I explored this, and agreed that women seem to do more of this “separate, evaluate, and denigrate” thing.    We hone in on the stuff that we believe should be modified.   We magnify it and make it a huge bone of contention.   Men on the other hand, don’t seem to have this ever-constant need to pick us apart and talk to death about the stuff they wish were different. Whether it’s a gender thing or not, I know this to be true â€" when I am able to fully accept my family (and everyone else I know, for that matter, including myself), my life goes better.   My job, I realize, isn’t to play creator or “tinkerer” â€" it’s to be fully present, alive, loving and accepting, to the greatest degree I can. When I’m able to do that, I realize that all is just as it should be. How about you Do you find more joy and peace when you accept your loved ones for who they are, rather than tinker with them to be someone else?

Can Your Family and Friends Boost Your Networking Success

Can Your Family and Friends Boost Your Networking Success Networking seems so simple, but so tricky at the same time. Many professionals and executives believe they will have easy access to a job if there is a family member or friend in the company. However, this isn’t necessarily true. And even if it is partially true, you have to be careful how you approach the situation. When it comes to personal branding for senior level managers, always having a professional approach is critical. You could be putting your family member’s or your friend’s reputation on the line by asking for a favor. Here are other things to consider. Use Them, But Don’t Abuse Them There’s no harm in asking someone you know to help you get your foot in the door. But you don’t want to make them go out of their way and potentially damage their own reputation and success on your behalf. As you know, c-level personal branding takes a lot of time and effort to build, but can be damaged instantly. Don’t abuse your close connections by pressuring them to fight for you, especially if you may not be completely qualified. Verify Your Qualifications First The best thing you can do right away is ask your close connections whether you are qualified for a position they have available. You should also learn how to optimize your LinkedIn profile before you even reach out to them, just so your information is current. The worst thing that can happen to both your reputation and your friend or family member’s is to make the effort to get your foot in the door, only to find out you don’t meet the necessary qualifications. Understand Their Risk in Helping You Family and friends can boost your networking efforts, but also take into consideration the risk they are taking in helping you. They’ve worked hard to get in the position they are in just like you have. If they recommend you and you don’t fit with the company for some reason, their own c-level personal branding could take a hit. Sometimes it’s not worth the risk for them, so take that into consideration before asking any favors. Professional Resume Services can help you with your networking efforts. Whether you need to learn how to optimize your LinkedIn profile or brush up your resume, we are here for you when you need us. Feel free to reach out to us at any time.