by Angela Copeland | Aug 9, 2017 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Frustration, Job Application
I think by now, we can all agree. The job search process can be a grueling one. If you’re actively looking for a job, you know what I’m talking about. You apply online and never hear back. Or, maybe you go through rounds of interviews that lead nowhere.
This process can be both frustrating and disappointing at a bare minimum. It leaves smart, accomplished professionals feeling less than. It leaves them wondering what’s wrong with them. Are they too old? Too young? Perhaps they have the wrong college degree? They wonder what it is about them that employers don’t like.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Today’s job seeker is frustrated and fed up. But, what if it wasn’t really you? What if the reason you aren’t getting calls back has less to do with you, and more to do with the process? Hear me out.
The standard line that almost every company says to job applicants is, “Apply online. If you’re a good fit, we’ll call you.” Even at job fairs these days, many of the company representatives will opt out of taking your resume in person and will instead ask you to apply online. This would lead one to believe that applying online is the best route to finding a job, don’t you think?
The problem is, most people still find jobs the same way today that they did in 1990 – through their network of contacts. A hiring manager isn’t just dying to hire a random stranger off of the internet. And, the online tracking systems companies use are still a relatively new concept. I’m certain they will continue to improve over time, but as it stands, many of these systems struggle to get the right candidates in front of the hiring manager.
On top of this, company rules often dictate that they must post each and every job online – even if they already know who they’re going to hire. I’ve seen this first hand. Years ago, I started working at a company as a contract employee. I was brought in as a contractor so that I could start right away, and then was hired permanently months later. But, before I was hired, my job was posted online as a vacancy. It was the same job I’d been doing every day for months. It was the same job that I already had official business cards for. If anyone had applied or interviewed for the job, they may never have known why they weren’t hired.
So, what’s the answer to this problem? It’s not straightforward. But, one thing’s for sure. The reason you weren’t hired could have little to do with you and more to do with the company’s process. My best advice is this. Try not to take this process personally. Go through the interviews and take the opportunity to get to know the hiring manager. The more well connected you are before you apply, the more likely you will be the chosen one the next time around.
Angela Copeland is a Career Coach and Founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Aug 8, 2017 | Career Transition, Podcast, Religion
Episode 140 is live! This week, we talk with Rev. Dr. Courtney Pace in Memphis, TN.
Rev. Dr. Pace became a professor at the Memphis Theological Seminary in the fall of 2015. Her research interests include race and gender, Baptist History, the Civil Rights Movement, and social justice in American religion. Previously, Courtney taught religion at Baylor University, and was the Assistant Director of Student Success there.
On today’s episode, Rev. Dr. Pace shares her personal story of transitioning from engineering to ministry, and her passion for competitive figure skating. She shares what motivated her to transition her career, how she made the successful transition, and what it’s like to search for a job in ministry.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Rev. Dr. Courtney Pace, visit the Memphis Theological Seminary website here: http://memphisseminary.edu/dr-courtney-pace/.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching.
Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
by Angela Copeland | Aug 7, 2017 | Advice, Month in review, Newsletter
Thanks everyone for your kind words about my new office! It’s been such a positive experience. I’ve enjoyed seeing everyone who has stopped by since the move.
The past month has been a whirlwind! First, there was the move. Then, I had the opportunity to speak on the radio and TV about topics like applying via Snapchat (who knew!), and to share my career advice in a number of online publications, including Glassdoor, CNBC, and Society for Human Resources Management.
I also had a chance to interview former Starbucks President Howard Behar, career author Caroline Dowd-Higgins, and human resources expert Jennifer McClure. And, if you missed it, I chatted with the head of HR at Indeed.com (the #1 job search website), Paul Wolfe, back in June.
It’s been a great, exciting time. Below is a review of the month and what to look for in August. I hope you’ll find this content fun and informative.
Coming in August!
Friday, August 11th – I’ll be presenting at the Memphis Public Library about updating your resume.
Saturday, August 19th – I’ll be presenting at the 2017 Modern Day Women’s Conference about marketing yourself, and finding a new job in the current market.
July in Review
If you haven’t had a chance to check out my TEDx Talk, you can watch it here. The title of my talk is “How I broke the rules & found my perfect job.” It was a great opportunity to share my personal career experience and what I learned along the way.
The digital age of hiring, Wreg (web) – McDonald’s is hiring 250,000 new employees this summer with the help of Snapchat. I got a chance to talk about what it means on Live @ 9, and whether or not you should be searching for a job on social media.
Everything you need to nail your informational interview, CNBC – You may not have been on one (or even heard the term before), but an informational interview can be your ace in the hole during the job seeking process.
9 Skills You Need to Master Before You Become a Manager, Glassdoor.com – There’s no doubt that being a manager has its perks — increased prestige, recognition from upper management, and a higher paycheck among them.
Employers Are Using Snapchat to Reach Generation Z, Society for Human Resource Management – After just four weeks of running a series of ads that prompted Snapchat users to swipe to the McDonald’s careers page, the fast food chain has received 35 percent more job applications as compared to this time last year.
9 Things You Need to Stop Doing if You Want to Be Taken Seriously, Glassdoor.com – Want to be known as a rockstar around your office? Here’s a tip: to really earn a stellar reputation, you can’t just do your individual tasks well.
Usual Suspects Permeate 2017 Top Employer Rankings, Society for Human Resources Management – It has become something of an aspirational refrain in the business world: Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google. The ubiquitous tech juggernauts dominate the rankings of the most attractive companies for job seekers. I provided my perspective on what it means to the future of job searching.
Breaking the Rules to Find Your Perfect Job, Recruiter.com – In your career, things don’t always work out the way you plan them to. In my piece on Recruiter.com, I share a little bit about how I was able to find my path.
Tech Jobs Tour, TechJobsTour.com – I participated in the Tech Jobs Tour as a mentor. This tour is traveling the country, so check it out to see when it’s coming to your city.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Aug 2, 2017 | Advice, Career Corner Column, College, College Graduation, First Job, Media
In the past week, two interesting things have happened. First, I was asked the question, “What advice would you give your younger self?” Then, I attended my high school reunion. Walking through the old halls of my high school brought back memories of where it all started. Needless to say, both moments made me think about the past and what advice I would give a young person today.
First and foremost, focus on your strengths. Growing up, there’s often a large emphasis placed on being well rounded and equally good at everything. We spend so much time trying to be better at skills we struggle with. In reality, it’s the things that we’re good at that make us special. You will go much farther pouring your time into an area where you excel than stumbling around in something you are weak at. Worry less about your weaknesses and instead, celebrate your gifts.
Second, listen to your gut. Other people with good intentions will try to guide you along the way. They may be parents, teachers, or friends. Some of their advice may be helpful, but some may not. It’s your job to sort out the good from the bad. Do a gut check with yourself before you make big decisions. And remember, most people are best at giving advice for one specific area. Seek out mentors to help with specific decisions rather than all areas of your life. If you begin to head down a path that doesn’t feel right, take a step back and reassess. Similarly, if you’re on a path that you are sure about and are receiving negative feedback from those who may not be in a place to advise you, take your time before switching paths. When I made the decision to move from Oklahoma to upstate New York to study engineering, I received some negative feedback. But, I’m very glad I stayed focused on my mission because it was the best choices I could have made.
Last, your path may not be straight – and that’s okay. Today’s professionals will change their career path many times over the course of their working life. There’s a good chance you will change roles, industries, or fields more than once. Each change will take you closer and closer to your ultimate destination. Be prepared for this change. It’s not the same as failure. Don’t dwell too long if something isn’t working. Adjust your path and continue to move forward in a new direction. That’s where you will find your success.
One of the most important elements of finding your way is to stay informed – and to be prepared for change. It’s not always possible to predict what change will happen, but change itself is inevitable. Being nimble, aware of your strengths, and willing to listen to your intuition will take you far. This is the advice I’d give to the younger me. And, with the ever changing job market, it’s a good future lesson to remember too.
Angela Copeland is a Career Coach and Founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Aug 1, 2017 | Advice, Happiness, Podcast
Episode 139 is live! This week, we talk with Howard Behar in Seattle, WA.
Howard is a business leader, author, speaker, and mentor. For 21 years, Howard led Starbuck’s domestic business as President of North America, and he became the founding President of Starbucks International, opening the very first store outside of North America in Japan. He has authored two books, including It’s Not About The Coffee: Lessons On Putting People First from a Life at Starbucks – and The Magic Cup: A Business Parable About a Leader, a Team, and the Power of Putting People and Values First.
On today’s episode, Howard shares his insights on why the human connection is so important in business and at Starbucks. He also shares tips on how to understand what our employees’ value, the 6 values we should pursue in our careers, and how to tell if a company aligns to our core values.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Howard, visit his website here: http://howardbehar.com/. You can also follow him on Twitter at @HowardBehar.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching.
Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
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