Blogging4Jobs

In a city where the first question is always “what do you do” followed very quickly with “who do you work for?”  Prestige is a very big part of Washington DC and those who work here. Last Friday gave firms through the country another chance to add to their reputation with the announcement of the law firm diversity rankings and career fair.

Vault.com in partnership with the Minority Corporate Counsel Association kicked off the morning with a celebration of their 13^th annual top twenty rankings. These were based on 15,000 associate responses about the quality of life at their firms including issues of minorities, women and GLBT issues.

For the second straight year, Carlton Fields was ranked number one overall as well as 1^st in Diversity with respect to women and minorities and 5^th with respect to GLBT. Shannon Williams, firm wide director of recruiting for recruiting, ensured that “diversity is not an initiative; it is who we are… It is everything that we do from staffing matters to deciding who you will bring on.” Williams added that for the first time in the 5 years of the diversity career fair, they decided to participate as it provided “an opportunity and access to a candidate pool that would be interested in our firm”.

Access to candidates was echo across the fair by employers: many felt that this was a chance to meet new people and broaden a candidate pool.

Candidates flocked to the career fair from all over the east coast for an opportunity to speak with representatives from firms large and small. Many of the candidates were seeking a summer associate position for 2011.

Amanda B.* felt that she needed to attend since “DC is where everything was going on” and allowed her an opportunity to meet face to face with the recruiters that knew her only via e-mail. Another candidate, James H.* felt that being at the Diversity career fair allowed him to “increase his marketability”. He felt it was necessary to come to this fair since employers were evaluating “you as a serious candidate and taken seriously”.

During a quick break in the non-stop small talk, resume review and business card exchanging, current ABA president Carolyn Lamm reiterated her desire to change the legal profession to remove the discrimination that might still be there all the way up to the Supreme Court. Lamm stressed that “it is important to have a court that represents our community… and I have stressed to the President that we need an Asian member of the court”.

As a small side note, today happens to be the 20^th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and never lost during the keynote was the need to ensure that not just minorities but those with mental and physical limitation must be welcomed into the legal profession.  Today’s fair provided a chance for many talented job seekers a chance to get their name out in front of employers who are truly dedicated to ensuring that these candidates are not only seen but nurture and mentored once they get hired!

*Candidates asked not to have their last name used

Ben Madden, PHR is an experienced HR Generalist and guest blogger covering the Washington DC Diversity & Career Fair event for Blogging4Jobs.  In his spare time, Ben is an avid football hooligan and rabid Michigan fan. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Photo Credits Mannschaft & Ben Madden.

Since September of 2009, the Job Search Secrets webshow has been coming to a live internet stream near you Sundays at 9 PM EST.  The weekly show features live guests as well as (me), your host talking about everything related to the job search.  Most television shows on the big three networks regularly take the summer off, and I am following suit.

Job Search Secrets on Mingle Media TV will taking the rest of the summer off with our first new show of our second season airing live at 9 PM EST on Sunday, September 26th.  Don’t fret because in the interim you can still view past episodes on Job Search Secrets’ web page on Mingle Media TV.

Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you will not miss any new and exciting announcements about the show, Xceptional HR, and Blogging4Jobs.

Thank you for all your support of our first season, and I promise the second season will be bigger and better than ever.

Have a great rest of the summer,

Jessica

Photo Credit Zazzle.

The song by Keith Anderson, “The clothes don’t make the (wo)man” didn’t consider first impressions in the business world especially during the job search and interview process.  Imagine super heros like Wonder Woman or Batman without their super hero uniform.  What would your impressions be if they arrived on the crime scene in jeans and flip flops?  Would their ability to do the job change or your perception of their expertise as a crime fighting superhero?  A job seeker’s effectiveness, job fit, and perceived experience is constantly being evaluated from the resume, to the job interview, to your dress, and now even the car you drive.

As many of you know, I have been driving a Chevy Malibu for four weeks as part of the Gotta Love Program.  I’m blogging, facebooking, and tweeting about my impressions, experiences, and insights while I take the Malibu on an extended test drive.  And just last week after a business meeting, a job seeker and reader of Blogging4Jobs approached me to talk about a recent job interview experience they had with a large and well-known Fortune 500 company in the Midwest. Susan (not her real name per her request) knew I was test driving and Malibu and as we chatted was extremely upset.  She believed that she had lost her dream job opportunity because of the car she drove and not her qualifications.

Susan, who interviewed with the Fortune 500 company two weeks ago, felt she was well on her way and had just finished her second interview when the hiring manager walked her out of the office and to her car.  She felt extremely confident in her interview and was told she was the front runner among two final candidates for a Director position.

And then everything changed.

As Susan made her way to her car with the hiring manager, she remembered that she had drove her husband’s truck to the interview not the standard Chevy SUV she normally drives.  The truck was a 1975 farm truck that Susan and her husband use to haul hay as well as their back up vehicle.  Rusty, dusty, and dirty are nice ways to describe the condition of the vehicle.  Susan tells me that she could see by the open-mouthed look on the manager’s face the damage was done and in just under 10 seconds she watched her dream job opportunity slip from her grasp.

While I don’t agree with the company’s actions if based soley on the condition of her vehicle, Susan received a turn down notice earlier this week.  She is certain that her car is the reason she was passed over for the position, and her story although we don’t know the reasoning behind the Fortune 500′s selection, is to always be prepared.  For Susan, there is little recourse other than putting on a good face, picking herself up, and preparing for the next job lead or opportunity.  As a job seeker who is selling a product, we must evaluate all angles and be prepared that every part of our job search is a reflection of the qualified, professional, and engaged candidate that we are.

Leave nothing to chance because the clothes don’t make the (wo)man but first impressions are forever.

FTC Disclosure:  The Gotta Love Chevy Blogger Promotion is being sponsored by the Oklahoma Chevy Team Dealers.  Three women bloggers (including me) have been provided a Chevy Malibu vehicle to test drive for four weeks.  The program includes weekly fun activities or projects for us to complete.  We have been provided gift cards in which to complete these assignments.

Photo Credit Blog.Timesunion.

I graduated college on May 15, 2010 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business. I knew before I graduated that it would be hard getting a job. My dad was laid off from his job and it took him six months to find another. He then had that job for six months and got laid off again in which he was unemployed for another six months before finding his current job. Our economy sucks.  That’s a ‘duh’ statement, but I think there has been a breakdown in communication between the HR world and those applying for jobs. I don’t necessarily blame this on Human Resource professionals because their industry has been affected just as much, if not more than other industries.

I have applied for job after job after job after job to no avail. You send your resume to employers through job sites such as Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Yahoo Hotjobs, Craigslist (which is a joke), Simply Hired, Snagajob.com, and directly to employers. My experience through these job sites is awful. You spend over an hour filling out ridiculous surveys that employers say really do help, only to find you aren’t qualified for a certain job. That isn’t including perfecting your cover letter for each job and fine-tuning your resume to make it stand out for a certain job. I have learned that it’s not directly HR’s fault most of the time because these are required systems and it costs a lot of money to deviate.

I’m not sure HR professionals really understand the effort and time it takes to fill out these applications. If a job applicant was only applying for their job, I’d understand the time that it takes, but we are filling out 5-10 applications a day. That’s a full time job! I have been told in the past that if an application takes more than an hour to fill out, that I shouldn’t waste my time in completing it. I wish I could afford that luxury, but in reality most people can’t. I spend hours a day filling out these surveys to test if I like to build ships or solve math problems. I think these assessments are jokes nonetheless, but essential if you want to get a job. I’ve read different job boards and blogs that have broken down the logic of these questions.

I know for a fact that Human Resource specialists and directors have tons of applicants per job, and in doing their job they don’t have time to read and carefully consider every applicant. They brush over your resume in five seconds, when it took you an hour or more to fill out the entire application. There are even more professionals out there that give you opinions on how to make your resume stand out, but there is no logic to it, because everyone differs, there is no one way.

Everyone is frustrated. College graduates who don’t have a job by the time they graduate are told to return to school and get their masters, but what about after their masters? With no experience and a lot of education, you won’t get anywhere. Internships that are paid are few and far between and you usually have to be enrolled in school to obtain one. Once you graduate, you are thrown to the wolves without experience, which means you are less likely to get a job that you want.

If the position makes under 25K, then I’m over qualified. Do HR professionals understand that we all have to start somewhere? There are two sides to the coin, but I think HR professionals usually look at the wrong side. It’s been two months since I graduated college. Those who are looking for jobs explain the process as depressing. I think it could be a lot better if HR professionals were more transparent in the process. I know it’s hard with 100,000 applicants per job, but it’s hard on our end as well applying everyday for months at a time until we hear news. We can show patience if you help us out and if we didn’t get the job, send us an email, anything.

What do you think?  Are HR professionals looking at potential applicants in the wrong manner? Are the job assessments really useful? I would love to hear from previous HR professionals about these assessments and what they tell you about applicants.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to upset Human Resource professionals because I know your job is just as hard, your budget is being slashed, and you have tons of applicants to few HR Specialists. What I said isn’t anything that I haven’t been told by people who are searching for jobs. It’s a rough process and I believe if there was more communication we would all peacefully co-exist and finding a job wouldn’t be such a long and depressing process.

Blake McCammon, is an intern at Xceptional HR and is also our Gen Y twice monthly blog contributor.  Connect with Blake on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.  Blake is a recent grad of Northeastern State University with a degree in Business Administration.  During school he created and managed his university’s social media strategy while also spearheading a university “Go Green” campaign.

Photo Credit: eWashtenaw

Networking and relationships are key to any successful business whether you are a job seeker, recruiter, business professional, or entrepreneur.  Beyond.com goes beyond a traditional job board and allows for professionals to network with other professionals in an online location that is secure and specific to the job seeker’s industry and location.  I like niche networks because they are targeted and specific for both parties and niche networks can help you cut through the clutter and establish and build real connections with industry leaders and recruiters.

And according to Beyond’s website they are the world’s largest niche network.  Their 2010 Q1 report mentions that, 70% of Beyond.com job seekers are experienced with more than 5 years in the workforce.  And because niche job networks are typically smaller they are also more affordable for employers to advertise their openings.  In Q1 of 2010, 52% of newly registered companies on the Beyond network employed 50 or less employees.

To hear more about niche networking from Beyond CEO, Rich Milgram, check out this video below live from the 2010 SHRM Global Conference vendor area.

Thanks again to Beyond.com for sponsoring me and fellow SHRM Blog Squad member, April Dowling for part of our trip to San Diego.

Photo Credit by me, JMsquared of an Italian Window Niche.

I had the pleasure of having Beyond.com serve as a sponsor for my trip to the Global SHRM conference last week.  I took a few minutes to speak with Rich Milgram, the CEO of Beyond.com about networking, the job search, and how a niche job search site like Beyond.com can help.  You might be surprised in how large and expansive their network is and how powerful a niche network can be in making your job search more targeted and stand out in a crowded market.

Beyond.com has an amazing team of folks, and I was extremely impressed with their booth at the conference, their social media presence (@beyond_com), and I certainly enjoyed their yacht and networking cruise.  Be sure to check them and and take a look at my video interview with Rich to learn more about Beyond.com and the power of niche networking.

Thanks again to Beyond.com for sponsoring part of fellow SHRM Blog Squad Member, April Dowling and I’s trip to the SHRM 2010 Conference.

A cover letter is a powerful document written in the first person. Coupled with an enticing, accomplishment-based resume, it’s a powerful job search tool.

There are several types of cover letters each aimed at a different audience. Not too many people have heard of or utilized a pain cover letter.

What is a pain cover letter?

It’s a very specific, powerful document addressing a particular issue relating to a company experiencing problems or pain with relevance to your particular realm of expertise. In the case of sales, it could be that you have heard that ABC Company is experiencing a drop in market share, or reduction in sales. For a Production Engineer, it could be continuous breakdowns on the manufacturing line.

Once the issues have been identified, if you feel confident in resolving the problems, write a detailed letter to the President, CEO, or the senior executive with overall responsibility for that particular function and issue. Outline how you see their issues, and present a brief synopsis on how your skills and knowledge can rectify their problems.

Be detailed and give some examples on how you have increased market share, driven sales or realigned production line operations with minimal investment from your previous employers.

What does a pain letter show?

It portrays you as proactive, looking for new challenges and ready to tackle critical business issues.

From experience this letter has proven to be a winner for many of my clients of all levels and functions. It’s certainly an intriguing way of luring a potential employer into calling you for an interview. They want to know in greater detail, more than is outlined in the pain cover letter, what contributions you will make. It places another perspective on your job search.

Go hunting for these opportunities. Read the newspapers and business magazines to see what troubles companies are experiencing. Then position yourself as the chief problem solver and go in with gusto telling them how you would tackle their dilemma.

It works. Make it work for you!

Martin Buckland, President of Elite Resumes also known as @EliteResumes is a leading resume writer, career coach and job search strategist. Established in 1993, Martin provides executive career management services for a global clientele of senior level clients and those who aspire to be business leaders. Certifications include: Certified Professional Branding Strategist, Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Employment Interview Professional, Job and Career Transition Coach, Certified Job Search Trainer, Co-Pilot Executive Coach.

www.aneliteresume.com, email: martin@aneliteresume.com, call 905-825-0490 or 866-773-7863

Photo Credit Charlie Murdach.

An important announcement for any job seeker considering working with a recruiter as part of the search:

We are recruiters. We are not your agents.

We aren’t sitting at our desks with a roster of favorite candidates, madly dialing up companies to find the perfect job for you. (That, my friend, is YOUR job.)

I know that can be frustrating to hear. Especially when you’re in that “Oh s#*t, I’ve been canned!” manic panic mode. (This, by the way, usually hits just about three days after a layoff, shortly after you’ve cleared out your surplus of Johnny Walker Red and Ding Dongs.)

But it’s the truth, and you shall prevail if you understand how recruiters work before you waste even one minute calling every one you’ve ever talked to.

Generally speaking, recruiting firms get hired by corporations with open positions that they’re struggling to fill. Sometimes, this relationship is formed as a retained search; more often today, a contingency search.

What this means to you is this:

Recruiting agencies (and their recruiters) make money by finding the perfect candidates for the open positions that said corporations need filled. When the agency finds the match, the corporation pays the agency a percentage of that candidate’s base salary, often between 15-25%. If we don’t find the match? It’s donuts.

And it’s often a race, because recruiting agencies are frequently pitted against other agencies to fill positions. Speed wins.

Given this, recruiters often just don’t have time nor incentive to shop your resume around town to a list of random companies with whom they may (or more likely, don’t) have relationships. Unless you are a great fit for one of an agency’s current openings? You aren’t going to be a high priority. We might like you a bunch, and hope like heck that we can find a good home for you, but you won’t be the Top Dog until/unless we have something available for you.

This doesn’t mean you should avoid recruiters, at all.

I, and most other good recruiters, certainly like to hear from you when you are considering a career move, trying to relocate geographically, etc. We’ll keep you in mind as things open up, absolutely.

But the important bottom line is this - you can’t expect to find a job today by simply getting a couple of recruiters “on the case.”

Proactivity and accountability are critical in today’s job race.

Blogging4Jobs guest blogger this week is Jennifer Foss.  Jenny runs Ladder Recruiting Group, LLC (www.ladderrecruiting.com), a boutique style independent recruiting firm with offices in Portland and Metro Detroit. She is known as @JobJenny or JobJenny.com and considers herself your job search BFF and tough love expert on finding your career passion.

Photo Credit FilmIndustry.com.

According to Career Expert, Katy Piotrowski, the Health Science industry is a hot market as well as accounting and technology and IT for those in the job market.  I had the opportunity to meet and interview Katy as part of a special edition of Blogging4Jobs.  Piotrowski, who is a Career Expert and founder of Career Solutions Group has more than 15 years in the industry. she recomends that new industry transition should start with a job seeker’s strengths.  Research the industry and look for opportunitites that you might enjoy based on the job seekers likes and interests.  From there, she recommends the job seeker laying out a clear plan prior to moving to a new industry.  It can be overwhelming and devoting just five minutes to the future and focusing on one area to help staying or becoming more competitive.

Job seekers that she considers, “Career Couch Potatoes” will be at a disadvantage because they are not open to learning and doing new things. Piotrowski says, “Career Coach Potatoes have a job, they feel comfortable, are focused on earning a paycheck, and are at a disadvantage.  The market is evoling and companies that we thought would never go out of business are.”

Pitrowski talks more about how to plan and execute an effective job search and what works and doesn’t in my Livestream interview video with her.  The job search doesn’t have to be overwhelming with proper planning and small steps, you can achieve your career goals and a land a job you love.  Katy tells us how–

Have you ever noticed how once you hit 40 (or it seems so to some), there are young vicious sharks swimming around you on your search for work? They act friendly, but you just KNOW that they are circling and waiting to have you for lunch. I’d like to give you a few tips on how to keep the sharks at bay…

1. Never and I mean NEVER use the word “old” to describe yourself. Good grief, if you’re not 80 you’re not old to begin with and need slapped upside the head just for saying it. Saying that you’re getting old is like opening a wound and dripping blood in the water. Stop it!
2. Feeling squishy and slow among your 12 year old coworkers? Let me break it to you… Watching American Idol while eating chips and playing couch potato isn’t going to advance you career, only your waist. Get up off your butt and get active.
3. And if you “try” to get active and suddenly EVERYTHING hurt… Get over it! It will! I don’t know how many people give up after the first time they exercise simply because it hurts. Don’t overdo it, but don’t mosey through the neighborhood without breaking a sweat and call that enough. Sweat, baby, sweat!
4. When you do exercise, listen to something upbeat. Smooth jazz may keep you from getting violent on the drive home, but goodness it will do NOTHING for a workout. Think of it this way, if the music can cause your pulse to pick up just listening or watching the video, imagine what it can do for a workout.
5. Another “don’t” is the constant complaining about the younger former bosses and fellow workers… It makes you look like the curmudgeon of the office and like you should be saying something like “When I was a kid, we walked 10 miles to school, uphill, both ways.” Complaining gets you nowhere, fast!
6. Understand that you should be at the top of your game and you’re never too old to take classes and seek professional development. The only way to stay on top is to be a continuous student.
7. And finally… Be active in your community and make a difference in lives. There’s a much bigger world than just the only you live in. Look out for more than just you and your own. This keeps you active, your resume current, and an impact that can advance or build a career.

Follow these guidelines and not only will you stand a chance with the sharks, but you might just become a force to be reckoned with (instead of sleeping with the fishes).

Like what you see?  Vote for Angela’s blog post by leaving a comment so she can win a $100 gift card and be named the winner of the Job Search Blogger Contest.

Angela Current, CPRW is a Certified Resume Writer/Career and Interview Coach offering no nonsense approach to job searching and career advice, as well as serving as a freelance writing fiend on a number of topics. A cancer survivor that has a heart for those job hunters with unusual circumstances, like survivors returning to work and the 50+ worker. Love a challenge!

And announcing the finalists but first some ground rules.

These fine bloggers submitted their best of the best.  You can vote for your favorite blog post by leaving a comment on the blog post of your choice.  Vote as often as you like.  Voting for the contest begins now (May 3rd) and ends at 11:59 PM on Monday, May 11th, 2010.

Voters can vote or comment as often and as much as they like.  Featured blog posts can promote their blog and encourage voters in whatever matter and method they desire.  Personally, the more creative the better.  Encourage your friends, neighbors, and strangers to visit your blog post and vote as many times as they like.

The top three blog posts with the most comments will receive gift certificates to Restaurant.com with first prize being a $100 gift card, second–$75, and third prize receiving$25.  The top vote getter will also receive the honor of being a future and featured guest on my web show and maybe some additional prizes if someone decides to throw some more goodies our way.

And the now the finalists and in no particular order. . .

• Joel White’s entry– OVERQUALIFIED! Need Not Apply.

• Benjamin McCall’s entry– Smile. . . You’re Overqualified.

• Lisa Correu’s entry– Oh Wise & Recent New Hire.

• Angela Current’s entry– How Not to be Chum Looking for a Job After 40.

• Jonathan Krass’s Entry– I Feel the Need…the Need for Speed (Networking).

• Nancy Anderson’s Entry– Personal Style and the Interview.

• Kirk Baumann’s Entry– FaceBook–Friend or Foe.

AGAIN, THE RULES–

• Only one blog entry person individual so send me your best.  Must be related to the job search either as a job seeker providing insight or experience or a career expert (recruiter, job coach, resume writer, HR, and so on) providing tips and tricks.
• I make the final decision on which blog posts are to be selected to be part of the voting process and I reserve the right as owner of Blogging4Jobs.  The voters decide the final winner with voting.
• Once the blog posts have been selected and announced, the voting begins.  Voters or commenters can vote as many times as they like and their is no limit to the number of comments one can leave.  I encourage creative strategies to promote your blog, the more the better.  Let’s make this fun and competitive.

So let the submissions begin.  Feel free to email me or tweet me at @blogging4jobs with any questions.  A special thanks to MingleMediaTV, my network for my Job Search Secretswebshow and Restaurant.com for helping me in promoting the Job Search Blogger Contest.  Don’t forget to watch my web show live on Sundays at 9 PM EST.

Are you on Facebook?  Millions of people (over 300 million) use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

Your friends are here.  Your family is here (I’m connected with everyone from high school classmates to cousins to grandma).  And guess what?  Employers are here now, too.  Did that give you a sick feeling in your stomach?  What if your boss knew what was posted on Facebook?  Would it matter?  These are all questions that I hear everyday.  The one thing that everyone should know is: NOTHING is private on the web.  NOTHING.  It doesn’t matter if your status is set to “private” or if you’ve locked out certain people.  If a person is resourceful enough, they can find it.

So with that in mind, here are a few tips to help make Facebook your friend rather than your foe:

Keep it clean. We all have fun.  Some of us have even documented that fun (legal or not) with pictures.  You just don’t have to post it on Facebook.  Keep the pictures if you need to reminisce about the good ‘ol days.  But, would you want mom, grandma, church pastor, or your boss seeing your beer-bong contest pictures?  Probably not.

Be authentic. Your personal brand is something that can really shine through in social media.  Be consistent and authentic.  Your true personality will come out after a little time.  There’s no sense in hiding it.  Use it to your advantage.

Connect and reconnect. Facebook is a great place to learn more about the people you know or even people you want to know.  While LinkedIn is still utilized for more professional use, Facebook provides a personal side to the equation.  There are recruiters on Facebook – I would caution you to keep interactions professional.  They could care less about your Farmville, Mafia Wars, or Sorority Life gaming online.

Like it. What was recently known as “become a fan” has changed to provide a more open forum of interaction.  You can now “like” something on Facebook.  This goes for all sorts of things from a certain company (great way to learn about culture, even jobs) to trivial things such as Mexican food or sandwiches.  As Joey Tribbiani said on Friends, “who doesn’t like sandwiches?” 

Integrate with other platforms. If you’re a Twitter user (see earlier post: Tackling Twitter), you can now update your status there at the same time as your Facebook status.  If you’re a jobseeker, use this opportunity to update regularly with things that you’re working on, types of jobs you’re seeking, and snippets of the experience you bring to the table.  You never know who will be looking!

Facebook can be a great platform for personal branding, reconnecting with friends and family and prove to be a positive resource for jobseekers.  Just remember to be yourself, keep it clean, and have a little fun.  Make Facebook work for you, not against you.

Kirk Baumann is a blogger and contestant for the Job Search Blogger Contest.  Vote for Kirk by leaving a comment until May 11th.

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Business Network Chicago After Hours Event, which included a terrific, informative presentation on social media by my new friend Dean DeLisle (www.forwardprogress.net or @deandelisle) and my first experience with speed networking. I’ve been to regular networking events before, but speed networking was completely new to me.

The schedule of the event was pretty standard: check-in/network, first session/network, break/network, second session/network, go home and follow up with your new friends. There were people from almost every industry there, employed and in-transition. As such, the evening totally met my expectations…until we got to the speed networking session. Now, it’s not that my expectations changed for the speed networking session – I just didn’t have any, because I had no idea how speed networking worked! I’d never done speed dating either, so the only thing I knew of the concept was the speed dating scene from The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and I was praying that speed networking wouldn’t be that awful. Fortunately, my prayers were answered, and the speed networking session proved to be outstanding.

There were 8 tables of 6, and we were randomly assigned a four-table sequence for the duration of the session. I went from table E to B to E to H and was lucky enough to meet new people every time. The process at each table was as such: trade business cards (see my post about networking), then give your elevator speech, explain why you attended the event, then work the connections you’ve made at the table until the moderator says it’s time to switch. 15 minutes was usually long enough for the aforementioned process to occur, and just short enough to consider it “speed” networking. Honestly, I was a little rusty at the first table, but as the session went on, I found my groove. By the end of the hour, I was a speed networking pro. And I had 20 new connections to prove it. (Math guy says: 6 people/table (minus the Author, so 5 people) x 4 tables = 20 people.) Sure, not everyone was “the perfect” connection, but you never know. I came home and immediately connected with those people I knew were the best connections for me. FYI, I’ve been corresponding with those new people all day. My LinkedIn stats prove it.

For those of you who are curious about speed networking, try it. It’s a very quick way to expand your network. You never know who you’ll meet! Maybe you’ll meet me.

So maybe it wasn’t Maverick and Goose launching F-14’s from an aircraft carrier to take down the enemy, but it was 3 hours very well spent. I have another speed networking event in a couple weeks with the Loyola Alumni Association, and I’m VERY excited for that one.  I think I’ll continue to look for more speed networking events, because I feel the need…the need for speed (networking)!

Jonathan Krass is our latest entry for the Job Search Blogger Contest.  Vote for his blog post by leaving a comment below.  Contest ends on May 11th.

… under-qualified… or at least you feel like you are. I mean why else would you not have received the position right.

Hearing the news

You’ve had the interview, heard the call, received the email, and opened that letter. Finally you hear, in oh so many words:

Thank you for your interest in… While your skills and abilities are very impressive… We have decided to pursue other candidates… Blah, blah, blah…

You pause. Brace yourself for whatever reaction you may not be ready for yourself. Your eyes may kind of well-up. Yet you’re strong. You’ve been here before. You will move on, you will continue.

Regardless of the point in your life or how you may have heard the news, we all can relate. Every job seeker, fresh college grad, long/short-term contract employee, and/or the unemployed generational ____________ (place any trendy term here) has been through it.

We’re all in the same boat

While you need to stick to who you are, focus your resume, skills and core competencies in this very tight and tunnel visioned market; you also need to be flexible to the changes that you may face. It does not matter what point you are in your life or career. What age or experience you have. You, me, we, they… are all in the same boat.

“That was the position I was meant for. I was perfect.”

It doesn’t matter… there are a thousand other people that feel the exact same way you do. Question is, what are you gonna do about it?

Unemployment isn’t cutting it (where applicable).

Will it ever? Let’s face it. You’re starting to get bored with the routine. Getting up and looking at the aggregate engines at 1pm. Annoyed with adjusting and re-adjusting your resume. You create and revamp the revamp of your top companies. Making calls to contacts, and contacting contacts of contacts. Heading out to the new, used, and slightly over worn network meetings. It’s a typical feeling but keep at it! Sometimes the only thing that can keep you motivated is the routine. At least you are meeting great people and you’re not dead… yet!

You can tell a lot about the character of a person by how they treat those who can do nothing for them.

Experience still matters

We all have experience whether it is 10-20 years or 1-6 years. The thing is that you, now more than ever, have to articulate specific skills to the specific job that you will be good at and that can also translate for the employer. You have to be quick, concise and to the point while showing you are better than the rest. Above all you have to help them understand on paper, phone and in-person; why you should be selected over everyone else. If you don’t know something, take the time to learn about and practice it. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Or you could just look on the job boards, click send and pray…

Are you in this situation? Tell me what your routine is, how you have approached it in your past, or any recommendations or advice you would give?

Photo Credit Levintel.

Vote for Benjamin McCall’s post by leaving a comment to help Ben win the Job Search Blogger contest and win a $100 gift card.  Voting ends Monday, May 10th.

Benjamin McCall is an HR practitioner with specializations in Change Management, Communications, OD, and Learning & Development. His passion for aligning the functions of HR with the strategies of business is evident through his blog ReThinkHR.org where he writes about management, leadership, networking and his love for family and golf! Follow him on Twitter: @BenjaminMcCall

So how ‘bout those informational interviews? They’re a fantastic way of intelligence gathering and getting your name out there for potential openings.  They’re great practice for actual job interviews but without the crushing nervousness. You can ask for feedback and the interviewer won’t feel the pressure of having to hire.  Heck, sometimes I just pick a name out of the phonebook and ask them to meet with me.

But let’s dig a little deeper into our bag of tricks and talk about something you may not have thought about. Rather than concentrating solely on mid to upper level people or managers consider reaching out to people just a few years out of college. They can be a source of great job search information, advice and encouragement.  They’ll know the duties and requirements of entry-level positions and most will be happy to help someone close to their own age.

Use your network to find some names. Talk to your Alumni Association, frat/sorority or other student organization. Get it out on Facebook that you’re looking to talk to a recent hire. Go to LinkedIn, get into the Advanced Search/People area and start plugging in your criteria. You can direct your search in different ways but what you’re looking for are people you have an association with.  Where you went to college, groups you have in common and friends or connections you share will give you a starting point. Any sort of commonality can help break the ice and make your contact more receptive to meeting with you. Regardless of how you find them make contact, ask for a few minutes and be polite if they say no.

Of course the rules of info interviews still apply: promise you’ll take no more than 20 minutes and stick to it, have your questions ready to go and be flexible if schedules get in the way. Make sure to confirm the day before and be cordial if they need to bump you, have some dates and times ready to go to facilitate a fast reschedule.

This is such a great way to network and polish your interview skills. But be a bit careful; don’t be too informal or spend too much time talking about other stuff. Yes, the new Vampire Weekend is great but get over it. Keeping it professional is still important, this connection may ultimately refer you for an opening and if they’re not one hundred percent confident you can pull it off you’re just somebody they met with and that’s where it ends.  And people, do I really need to tell you to send a thank you note? I’m a throwback and prefer an actual piece of paper with actual ink, with actual thoughts and an actual signature. But however you do it info interviews are a great way to get yourself out there.

Photo Credit Meds.

Vote for Lisa’s blog in the Job Search Blogger contest by casting your vote and leaving a comment.  Contest ends May 11th.

Lisa Correu, Principal/Job Search Advocate has over seven years of recruiting both with a recruiting firm and within the largest employee owned ad agency in the US. I’ve seen thousands of resumes and most of them were bad. I’ve met hundreds of people who couldn’t tell me who they are and I’ve recruited people that looked great on paper but froze during their interviews.  If you don’t know how to promote yourself guess what? No one else will. But it’s not that hard, it just takes some time and creativity. And when it works you’ve set yourself ahead of the vast majority of job seekers.