What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving-week?
This week, we will celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s an opportunity to gather together with loved ones, eat way too much good food, and watch a little football. It’s also an opportunity to express gratitude for our good fortune.
While you have a few days off this week, I encourage you to allow Thanksgiving to inspire your job search.
- Be Grateful – Focus on the positive things about your current job. Perhaps you like your boss, your team, or even the location of your office. Even in negative work environment, there are usually a few things to be thankful for. Move your attention to those items.
- Reconnect – Thanksgiving is the kickoff to an entire holiday season. Take the opportunity to reconnect with friends, coworkers, and loved ones you haven’t seen in a while. Not only is it good for your soul, it’s good for your network. When you’re looking for a job, it’s critical that you keep your network up to date.
- Networking Events – In addition to connecting with those who are truly close to you, keep an eye out for networking events. Many workplaces put on pot luck Thanksgiving lunches – and groups host “Friends-giving” events. These are other great opportunities to keep your networking moving forward during the holidays.
- Reflect – Holidays are a great time to think back about the past year, and start to make plans for the future. What went well in the last year? What would you do differently? Write these things down, along with goals for next year. When would you like to find a new job? What are the attributes you’d prefer in your next job?
- Help Others – Networking is a huge part of finding a job. Sometimes, when we’re in the middle of our own search, we forget about those around us. Remember to take the time to help those in your life who are also looking. In return, they will help you.
- Relax – Looking for a job can be a long, and at times, stressful, process. Don’t forget to take a little time for yourself. It will help you to keep moving forward in your search when you return to work.
- Thank Others – Take the time to thank those in your life who help you every day. Whether it’s a friend, coworker, or supervisor, take the time to wish them a happy Thanksgiving — and thank them for the impact they make on your life. You might even consider giving thanks in the form of a written recommendation on LinkedIn.
Try to stay upbeat. The holiday season can be a tough one if you’re looking for a job. It is a time of increased financial responsibilities and decreased opportunities.
But, staying positive will help to draw good people to you. It will help to lay the foundation for your job search, so they will think of you when they’re hiring or hear of a job.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
External Recruiter 101
I received a question that’s important for job seekers to consider: “Should I work with an external recruiter, and if so, how does it work?” If you’ve never tried it, enlisting the help of a placement firm can appear to be a confusing proposal. It can be tough to know where to find a recruiter, how to begin, and what to expect.
The good news is, working with an external recruiter (aka a “headhunter”) is not hard to do. First, you should know how they work. Typically, headhunters are paid a commission if they are able to help place a job seeker in a job. The hiring company pays this commission and they are only paid when and if a placement is made. Think of a recruiter as a matchmaker, or a salesperson, of sorts. They help source candidates that fit well within the companies they work for.
Arranging a meeting with a headhunter isn’t hard. You can find local recruiters online. Then, you can reach out to them by phone or email to request a meeting. Most placement firms are open to meeting with new candidates because it allows them to keep the pulse on the available talent in the job market. They will keep your resume and personal details in their database.
Along with your resume, you must typically disclose all your salary information right up front. This is a bit different than applying directly to a company, where you can often skirt the salary issue until the end of the interview process. In addition, you may also be asked to take exams in order to demonstrate your competency in certain subjects.
Keep in mind – headhunters meet with many candidates every day. You need to work closely with them in order for the process to be effective. It rarely works to sit back and hope the recruiter will show up with the perfect job completely on their own. Keep them up to date on your employment status, what kind of job you’re looking for, and of any changes that occur. If you stop reaching out, they’ll assume you found a job.
Although there are many positives to working with a headhunter, there are also pitfalls to consider. We often feel that because a placement firm makes a commission, they work for us, the job seeker. Although they are there to help, they ultimately must keep their client happy – the hiring manager. Additionally, they will only be paid a commission if they make a placement. If you’ve ever sold a house, you know that there are times when a real estate agent would be happy to sell a house at a lower than ideal price, in order to ensure a commission.
Placement firms can be helpful, but like other parts of the job search, they’re a tool rather than a complete solution. To maximize success, continue looking on your own. You’re your own best advocate, and after all, you’re searching on behalf of just one job seeker: you.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
118 | Careers for Lawyers – Cheryl Rich Heisler, Founder at Lawternatives in Chicago, IL
Episode 118 is live! This week, we talk with Cheryl Rich Heisler in Chicago, IL.
Cheryl is the President and Founder of her Chicago-based business, Lawternatives, through which she helps lawyers to negotiate career transition. As a former, large law firm practicing attorney turned Kraft Foods Associate Brand Manager, Cheryl has experienced the joy of career change first hand and went on to coach others through the process.
On today’s episode, Cheryl shares her own experience transitioning from law to a corporate position and what you can do to make a big transition.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Cheryl, check out her website at http://lawternatives.com/.
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!
Are you being paid what you’re worth? Now you can find out.
You know by now, my biggest pet peeve is pay. You should be paid fairly. Period.
You should be paid fairly for your industry. You should be paid fairly for your tenure. You should be paid fairly compared to your peers.
Keep in mind that fairly doesn’t mean “the most money ever.” It means equitably. For example, a non-profit may not be able to support the same high salaries that a big corporations provides. But, they ought to be paying their employees similar amounts within their organization (for similar roles).
Don’t you agree?
I’m going to be honest. I think we’re probably all on the same page here. Everyone wants to be paid fairly, right? Everyone wants to be paid based on their results, and their experience — not some other irrelevant detail.
Well, one of the GREAT perks the internet brings is data. And, not just any data — salary data. The internet is cracking open salary information every day. It’s creating an environment that’s more transparent.
It’s giving you, the job seeker, more power! It’s increasing the likelihood that you will be compensated fairly. Yay!
There are a handful of sites with salary data you can use to better understand this worth (and to negotiate for more money!). But, there’s one taking the lead. One that you should pay attention to:
Glassdoor.com!
Glassdoor recently released a new salary tool. It’s called the “Know Your Worth” tool and it’s tagline is “Are you paid fairly?”
How much better does it get than that! (Can you hear how excited I am??)
If you want to try the tool, visit Glassdoor.com here.
You’ll be asked to provide your employer name, employer location, job title, number of years experience, salary, education level, university, and major. But, don’t worry — Glassdoor is sensitive with your data. Their site says, “Glassdoor is committed to your privacy. Your market value is only shared with you.”
To figure out if you’re being paid fairly, Glassdoor compares your salary to others in your city, and to those of open jobs in your area.
Below is a sample salary I tested out for a project manager. In this example, the employee is being paid about $13K less than market value, or -16.6%.
How amazing is that? It gives you data to support your request for more money — and a fair salary! I am so excited to share this tool with you!
Please know that I’m not compensated in any way to share the Know Your Worth tool — I just think it’s that great.
Please check it out! And, if you learn something interesting about your salary, I want to hear from you! Let me know what you find out.
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.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
Transitioning Into the Civilian Workforce
There are few groups I have more respect for than our US Military. These honorable men and women are on the front lines of our country each day. In fact, they spend many of their most employable years in service.
At the end of that service, they must begin a new career. This often occurs somewhere between the age of forty and forty five – a time when many professionals are just peaking in careers they have been developing for twenty years.
Starting over can be a daunting and humbling task, but there are a few things that can make the transition a bit easier.
First, plan ahead. Finding a new job can take a year or longer, especially when you’re changing your career path. Start looking before you have left the military. Create an emergency fund for yourself that could be used to pay your bills if you were out of work during the transition.
Seek outside help. Many former military personal rely on military resources to find their next job. Use those resources, but don’t stop there. Reach out to friends and family for help. Begin looking for opportunities to meet new people within the community, so your professional network will expand beyond the military.
Revise your resume and LinkedIn profile. Your future employer will be very impressed with your military career – but, only if they understand it. Ask a few civilian friends to proofread your resume for you. Get them to share what was confusing, and make adjustments. And, if you were managing hundreds of people, be sure to spell that out. Although this may seem normal in the military, it is both unusual and impressive in the civilian work world.
Learn as much as you can about how the corporate interview process works. Getting a civilian job is often about knowing the right people. It’s about going around the online process. It’s about bending the rules a bit. This goes counter to much of the military structure you may be used to.
Identify your strengths. What is it that makes you good at your military job that you could bring with you into the corporate world? Perhaps you are an outstanding communicator or a great manager. In order to land a job in the civilian world, you have to know what makes you stand out.
Select a target job (or jobs) and target companies. Narrow your search down as much as possible. If you keep your options too broad, friends and family won’t know how to help you. But, if you know exactly what you’re looking for, it empowers them to act.
Last but not least, remember that finding a job isn’t easy – for anyone. If you struggle to find something right away, keep trying. It’s often a numbers game. Try not to fall into the trap of believing that nobody understands your background. Assume that you just haven’t met the right company yet and keep looking.
Good luck with your transition, and thank you for your military service!
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
Want to find a new job? Stop paying so much attention to the minimum requirements.
I’m certain I’m going to get negative feedback for saying this, but I just have to. Every day (and I really mean every day) I spend at least an hour trying to convince job seekers to do something that seems completely crazy — apply for a job.
Why does it seem crazy? It seems crazy to apply for certain jobs because the job seeker’s work history doesn’t match up 100% with the employer’s job description. The job seeker is convinced that they won’t be considered and it will be a big waste of time (and possibly embarrassing).
So, why would I encourage someone to apply for something that they are clearly not qualified for? I encourage them to apply because they CAN DO THE JOB!
Our educational history and experience are both important. But, do you know what’s more important than which degree you have? That you can do the work. Seriously.
Employers create job descriptions in the most random ways. When I was a hiring manager, I studied job descriptions for other similar positions (to the one I was hiring for). I did my best to compile all the good parts of the other job descriptions I studied. I wanted to be sure the job description was perfect, and that I didn’t leave anything out. I was going to ace that assignment. I’m 100% certain that in the process, I came up with a wish list of qualifications that was a mile long. Did it mean that I wouldn’t consider anyone who couldn’t stand up to all my wishes? No. It was just that – a wish list. It would have been unreasonable for me to expect a candidate to have all those qualifications and I knew it.
Here’s another real life example to demonstrate this point. I recently heard from an employer who is looking to fill a super interesting role. We’re talking fun work, impressive title, great company. The job description is very comprehensive and is what I described above – a wish list. And, the employer knows it. They told me that they put out a long list of skills hoping to attract as many candidates as possible.
(Notice: They are trying to attract as many people as possible — not eliminate as many people as possible.)
I forwarded that great job to a few qualified people. I got an immediate response from multiple job seekers along these lines. “This looks awesome, but I’m not fully qualified to do it. Too bad I can’t apply!”
Do you see what’s happening here? We are assuming the company won’t want to hire us, so we eliminate ourselves from the list of qualified candidates. Then, the company never even hears from us. They don’t know we exist. We have taken ourselves out of the race (not the company).
Let’s think of this in another way. I often say that looking for a job is a lot like dating. At this day in age, let’s be honest — we’ve all tried online dating at one time or another. On sites like Match.com, singles are able to specify their preferences for things in a partner including age, height, hobbies, and musical taste.
But, if a dater comes across someone that seems interesting, they don’t just ignore the profile when they’re not a 100% match in requirements. They send the other person a message. They let the other person know they exist and that there was something about their profile that seemed interesting. Then, the other single (the one being contacted) can decide what they think. Their choice will depend on things like how important those qualities are to them (something you can’t know from a profile).
Job descriptions are the same way. A company may toss in some random requirement that they don’t really care about. If you don’t apply, you’ll never have the chance to be considered. If I could stand up on a table to shout this out, I would.
By not applying, you are not allowing the company to make their own decision about their interest level. You are making the decision for them. You are effectively telling them that you’re not qualified to do a job you know you can do.
Applying for a job often takes just a few minutes. It’s not a huge waste of time. If you think you can do the job, take the time and submit yourself. If you are called for a job interview, it means that the company sees something in your background that’s promising. And, they are flexible on their requirements (something you can’t know from a job description).
If there was only one piece of job search advice I could give, it would be this: APPLY MORE! Put your hat in the ring. The more you apply for jobs you know you can do (whether or not you meet all the “requirements”), the more choices you will have in the end.
You are your own advocate — you are your own salesperson. Do your part and SELL YOURSELF!
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.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
Featured Job: Marketing Technologist @ Oden
I’ve recently been sharing fewer jobs than in the past, but this particular position is really worth mentioning. It’s at an agency named Oden located in Memphis, TN. If you’re in the Memphis area (or would like to be in the Memphis area!), and you’re a marketing and technology person, you should check this out. I’ve been incredibly impressed with Oden, and this is a great opportunity for someone.
Below is the entire job description. If you are interested, email Oden your resume and cover letter at resumes@oden.com.
Creative/Marketing Technologist
The Creative Technologist empowers enterprises to take advantage of advancements in technology that streamline processes, improve communications with internal and external stakeholders, and steer companies forward while driving revenue.
You will lead, inspire, and grow staff surrounding technology, sharing your knowledge across departments and helping position Oden as a leader in digital experiences. On a daily basis, you will be tasked with working as a technical lead with teams that include developers, strategists, creative leads, IA/UX designers, web and video producers, production artists, database engineers, and outside technical resources to ensure exceptional customer experiences.
The Creative Technologist’s role is bridging ideas and technology.
Key Responsibilities
Lead solution evaluations with appropriate stakeholders in defining business, functional, and technical requirements to ensure tools and systems effectively enable operations.
Participate in client meetings where technology/development is discussed.
Assess requirements and explore feasibility and scope for projects.
Work closely with strategists, creative leads, and the broader project team to guide the execution of digital projects from an IA/UX and development perspective.
Provide system and application architecture guidance on project and client levels.
Provide ongoing management of live systems in collaboration with clients and internal and external partners.
Present to both internal and external audiences to help educate, inspire, and provide thought leadership on current and emerging digital technologies.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in business, computer science, management information systems, engineering, or equivalent work experience. MBA or graduate school experience a plus.
5+ years’ ad agency or digital agency experience.
3+ years’ management experience.
Minimum 3 years’ experience developing applications using structured and/or object-oriented programming languages.
Minimum 3 years’ experience developing web-based applications.
Minimum 3 years’ experience implementing and customizing content management systems.
Demonstrated experience in designing and developing relational databases.
Experience and Skills
Experience delivering digital and marketing solutions in a B2B environment.
A deep understanding of modern web and mobile development along with an appreciation for compelling user experience and visual design.
Understanding of the strengths and limitations of current and emerging platforms.
Skill in business process workflow design, documentation, and technical implementation.
Problem solving, with sound judgment in complex situations.
Ability to provide strategic guidance and counsel to stakeholders in the assessment and development of existing and/or proposed processes and systems.
Self-motivation and proactivity; ability to work effectively with limited oversight and direction; attention to detail; organization skills; ability to manage resources, constituencies, projects of varying size, and multiple and competing priorities and deadlines.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills demonstrated through ease in presenting work and actively gathering feedback, both internally and with clients.
An enthusiasm for keeping up to date on emerging digital concepts and trends with the ability to translate that knowledge into actionable recommendations.
Expertise in various content management systems, digital platforms, online solutions, and middle-ware applications with a desire to maintain technical expertise and hands-on experience with cutting edge technologies.
The Biggest Application Misconception
In the 1989 film Field of Dreams, Kevin Costner’s character builds a baseball field after hearing a voice say, “If you build it, he will come.” As job seekers, it seems we often try to take a similar approach.
Let me explain. When looking for a job, we focus a tremendous amount of energy building the perfect resume, making a fantastic LinkedIn profile, and writing a compelling cover letter. We pour hours of work into these items. Then, the clock starts. Months pass by and we become increasingly frustrated. We begin to wonder, “Why haven’t I found a job by now?”
The problem is, a rumor has been going around. The rumor is this: if you’re interested in a job, the only thing you need to do is apply online. If you’re the right person for the job, the company will call you. It makes sense that we’d believe this rumor. It’s the official line companies have been telling us every day for years.
This approach seems perfectly reasonable – and, it allows is to avoid our biggest job seeking fears. For example, contacting a hiring manager directly can be a scary thing. We might be rejected. We might bother them, and they won’t want to hire us. So, we stick with the safe online route.
Then, when we receive the automated rejection e-mail, we try to make up a list of reasons as to why we weren’t the best candidate. We assume something must be wrong with us and our resume. It might be our experience, our education, or even our age. It’s an awful process that can damage even the best self-esteem.
Unfortunately, many of the online systems companies use (called applicant tracking systems) aren’t as perfect as we might hope. If we only submit an application online, there’s a good chance another human may never see our resume, no matter how qualified we are.
And, even if a real live person does see our online application, will the company really want to hire us? Hiring can be a risky undertaking after all. A hiring mistake can cost the company both time and money.
To avoid mistakes, hiring managers typically start with their own network first. They think, “Do I know anyone who might be a good fit for this job?” Then, they think, “Do I know anyone who knows anyone who might be a good fit for this job?” Rarely does the manager begin a search wondering who they might find on the internet.
Rather than be a passive stranger, we should take a bolder approach. We should introduce ourselves. Find the hiring manager. Find the head of the department. Find the HR person. Send an email. Send a LinkedIn connection request. At worst, the company may ignore us. But, otherwise, they may not have ever seen our resume in the first place. This is the kind of risk that’s worth taking.
As Babe Ruth once said, “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
Bonus Episode | Memphis Success Podcast with Darnell Reid
This week, I’m bringing you another bonus episode!
I was recently a guest on the Memphis Success Podcast with Darnell Reid. We talked some about my background, and the inspiration for Copeland Coaching. I want to share our conversation with you.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about the Memphis Success podcast, or Darnell Reid, visit www.memphissuccess.com.
Thanks to everyone for listening! I hope you’ve enjoyed this bonus episode.
If you have a question you’d like answered on a future Copeland Coaching Podcast, 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!
This job-interview nightmare story is downright chilling
Happy Halloween!! 🎃🎃🎃 In celebration of this fun holiday, I wanted to share a piece I wrote for Monster.com about a nightmare interview I had.
A number of years ago, I was interviewing for a job in Pittsburgh. The company flew me to Pittsburgh to interview in person.
I flew in relatively late at night and was taken by taxi to my hotel, with the interview scheduled first thing the next morning.
As I unpacked my suitcase, I realized I had forgotten the pants to my suit at home. Uh oh.
My mind was racing as I went through the options of what to do:
Could I wear the pants I’d flown to Pittsburgh in? No, they were sweatpants—and I was interviewing at a large corporation.
Could I call a cab to take me to a mall to shop for a new suit? No, it was around 10 p.m. and everything was closed.
Could I go into a nearby 24-hour store and look for pants? No, the only store nearby was a drugstore and they didn’t carry pants.
Could I have a pair of pants shipped to me from home? No, all the shippers were closed for the day.
This brainstorming went on for about an hour. I tried to calmly think of a creative solution to this big problem.
Eventually, I found the answer online.
It turned out, packages could be dropped off directly at the airport until around midnight for FedEx, and could be delivered as early as 6 a.m. the next morning. The only catch was getting them to the airport.
So, then began the task of figuring out how to get pants from my apartment to FedEx in a short period of time. The building manager was the only one with a key to my apartment, but I didn’t have her phone number. So I called a female neighbor who was friends with another male neighbor who had a dog that the building manager walked every day—I knew he would have the building manager’s personal contact information, and I knew my female neighbor had the dog owner’s phone number.
After a few calls, I got the building manager’s phone number. Then, I called the building manager and asked her to give my backup key to a friend who was willing to drive the pants to the airport. Fortunately, the building manager was willing to do this and the friend got my key.
Then, the friend entered my apartment and called me in order to locate the correct pair of pants that matched the suit. After locating the pants, the friend drove them to FedEx, which was at the airport, and set them to be delivered at the earliest possible time.
Then, I alerted the hotel to contact me the moment the pants arrived at 6 a.m.—which they did. The interview went smoothly and nobody noticed anything unusual.
The funny thing was that one of the questions they asked was, “Tell us about a time you encountered a problem and were able to find a creative way to solve it.”
It was the perfect opportunity to share my story. The interviewers were both surprised and very impressed. What started as a potential nightmare turned out to be a big win.
I honestly don’t remember if I got that job, but I do remember that the interview went really well.
The lesson here: When it comes to job interviews, don’t expect everything to go perfectly. In fact, there’s often one thing that will go wrong. If you can plan on that one thing, it’s much easier to roll with the punches and have an overall positive experience.
Interviewing is not about answering every question exactly right, either. The hiring manager is much more likely to remember how they felt about you than how you answered each specific question. It’s much like the experience of going to a live comedy show. You don’t remember each joke that was performed, but you remember whether you laughed and had a good time.
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.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
Copeland Coaching Podcast
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