by Angela Copeland | Sep 28, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media, Social Media
You probably never thought you’d hear the words “social media” and “cover letter” together in one sentence. But today, I hope to convince you to consider them to be related when you’re looking for a new job.
A cover letter is a critical component of your job search. It’s a formal letter or an e-mail that you send to the hiring manager along with your resume. It’s your personal narrative. It explains why your background makes you a perfect fit for a particular role. It is often what determines whether a hiring manager will bring you in for an interview.
In the same way your cover letter tells your personal story, so does your online presence. We can no longer assume our personal life and professional job will have a clear dividing line. Google has given employers the power to find us on every social media site. And, they do! Ask any hiring manager if they look up job candidates online and the answer is yes.
Not only do employers look up candidates, but they also make decisions about whether or not to interview candidates using this information. And, they make decisions about which people to hire.
So, what types of posts could really make a difference on social media? I often say, it’s good to think of job searching like going to a dinner party. A dinner party is often made up of people you don’t know. Those people may have different opinions than you on certain topics.
When it comes to work, many of those topics and views shouldn’t matter. They’re completely separate. A hiring decision shouldn’t be made based on what religion you are or which presidential candidate you may be voting for. Unfortunately, hiring managers are human. Even if it’s unconscious, they may judge those who have a different perspective than them.
During the job interview, you want to be judged based on the quality of your experience, and the good ideas that come out of your mouth – not some other detail that’s unrelated to work. One way to protect yourself from this judgement is to be cautious with your social media.
If you’re interviewing, you may want to go easy on topics related to religion, politics, and money. Never post something negative about your current or past employer. And, be aware of photos that are posted of you. Avoid taking photos while intoxicated, or while wearing an outfit or costume you wouldn’t want a respected elder to see you in.
This can be a tall order I know, especially in today’s political season. Our voice and opinions are important. If you feel strongly about sharing your views online, consider tightening your social media settings. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow you to protect your posts, so only your friends see them.
Whatever you do, keep your personal feelings off of LinkedIn. It should be reserved for business. In today’s digital age, social media serves as your personal narrative more than ever before.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Sep 26, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter, Unemployment
This week’s newsletter comes from a Career Corner Column I wrote in 2014. Multiple businesses had just gone through rounds of layoffs. Friends were impacted, and families felt the pain that’s caused when corporations restructure. I’ve seen more and more of this popping up again in 2016, so I wanted to share this with you.
For many employees, the story is all too familiar. You wake up one day and go to work, just like it was any other. You wear the same clothes, drive the same route, and eat at the same place for lunch. Things seem fine at first, but something starts to feel a little out of whack.
You’re taken into a large room with your entire department or a small room with just your team. Then and there, you learn that the company has decided to take a new direction. And, the worst part – your job has been eliminated.
So many thoughts go through your head. You’ve been at this job for years. You have children, and a mortgage to pay. You don’t even remember where you put the last copy of your resume. You wonder where to begin.
This is an unfortunate situation many folks have faced this year. After you’ve had a few days to think things over, you may come to the conclusion that things had been a little strained at your company for a while. Maybe money had been tight in your department, or the culture overall has been stressed. And maybe at the end of this crazy tornado, there’s an opportunity to rebuild your career into something bigger and stronger than it was before.
Start off by perfecting your elevator pitch. What would you say if you were given 30 seconds with your next potential employer? What would you do if you could start your career all over again? Practice your pitch until you can clearly articulate who you are, what type of job you’re looking for, and the relevant experience you have.
Find your latest resume, and update it to reflect your recent accomplishments. Clearly state your career goals near the top in an “objective” section. Be sure to highlight any new training you have participated in, technical skills you’ve acquired, or any community leadership roles you’ve held.
The next step is networking. Start by ordering new business cards. Even though you may no longer have a full-time job, you need a way to give your contact information to those you meet. Your business card can be as simple as your name, email address and phone number. The last thing you want to do at a networking event is explain to a total stranger why you can no longer distribute your corporate business card. Be prepared, so you can avoid this situation altogether.
When you make new contacts, follow up by sending an email and connecting with them on LinkedIn. Look for opportunities to reconnect over lunch, coffee or happy hour. Many folks are willing to lend a hand, even if they don’t know you well. They may have been in the same boat before too.
Setup informational interviews with contacts at companies you’re interested in. They’re an opportunity for you to network with someone new one-on-one for 30 minutes, and ask questions about their job and company’s culture.
Remember that although this is a difficult time, it’s temporary. Get started by reaching out to your existing support system of family, friends and community groups. But, it’s important to move quickly. The faster you start, the easier it will be to transition into your new (and hopefully even better) company and career.
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.
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 | Sep 21, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media
Very often in school, we’re taught to understand both sides of an issue. If you can argue for or against a point, you’re often more likely to truly understand all dimensions of the problem at hand.
In the workplace, it’s also helpful to understand all angles of an issue. Earlier in my career, I worked in strategy roles. My internal “customers” (so to speak) were C-level executives. When I shared my ideas, I often tried to remain balanced, presenting both sides of the argument. I wanted to be unbiased in my approach.
But, one executive I worked for wanted to know my ideas. On multiple occasions, he said, “But, Angela, what do you really think about this issue?” He once shared that I was the only employee he’d ever had whose personal opinion he couldn’t guess. In a way, this felt good. I was separating business and personal.
Over the years, I’ve learned that this is not always the best approach. Recently, something happened to remind me of this point. I’ve been working with a smart person to help me on a project. The person is an expert in an area I know nothing about. I respect their experience, and perspectives. When it was time to make a decision, I asked the person, “What do you think about this?” The person responded with, “Well, I generally try not to influence my clients with my own opinions.”
There are certain times in your career when you’re brought in to work on a project because you know more about a particular subject than anyone else in the room. When that happens, it’s time to share your opinion. It’s time to have thoughts based on your past experiences. To a degree, it’s okay to have biases in that moment. The bias you have is your past experience guiding you. Past experience that nobody else in the room has.
Don’t get me wrong. There are times at work when your employer is just looking for someone to complete a task. They’re not looking for feedback, suggestions, or improvements.
But, when you’re hired to be a consultant, to be a strategist, or to be a high level thinker, you should have an opinion. Your opinion will guide your client to success. It will take them to a level that they weren’t able to reach on their own. It’s why they hired you. If they were just looking for a button pusher, they’d find someone cheaper who could do the job.
So, stand up, and speak up. When it’s your turn to have an opinion, have one. And, if you don’t have one for a specific reason, explain that too. But, be sure the reason is not because you’re avoiding having something to say. It’s true; you may fail. Failure happens to everyone. But, with your experience, and your expertise, you’re the person least likely to fail in the room. Your boss knows that, and they’re depending on you to help out and to have an opinion.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Sep 20, 2016 | Advice, Media, Negotiating, Podcast, Working Abroad
Episode 114 is live! This week, we talk with Margaret Buj in London, England.
Margaret is Head of Digital Recruitment at Connect Digital Group. She’s also an Interview Coach, guest speaker, and was recognized as a Power Profile in HR on LinkedIn. She has also worked to place candidates in both the U.S. and in Europe.
On today’s episode, Margaret shares an insider’s view of recruiting, how to negotiate a job offer, and tips for relocating to another country.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Margaret, visit her website at http://www.interview-coach.co.uk/. You can also find her on Twitter at @MargaretBuj, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Margaret-Buj-Interview-Coach/179079935464761.
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 | Sep 19, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter
The title of my newsletter today may sound a bit confusing. It comes from one of my own mentors. Years ago, when I was finishing graduate school, I spent a significant amount of time searching for the right job.
Occasionally, one would pop up that would seem almost right. It would have a great job description. The company seemed stable. The team seemed interesting. But, there was something about the hiring manager that was off – or perhaps the company wasn’t offering a competitive salary.
I would meet with my mentor to tell him about the jobs I was considering, and discuss the pros and cons of each. If a job seemed like the wrong fit, he would encourage me to walk away. The thought of turning down an offer without another in hand was nerve-wracking. My mentor would then remind me, “Jobs are like buses. Just wait; another one is always coming.”
He felt it was more important to find the right fit, than to hope you could take every job that came along. Looking back, these were wise words. Who else in your life do you spend as much time with as your boss and co-workers? For most, the answer is your spouse. You typically don’t choose to marry your first date. Why would you expect that at work?
Often, we want to take every job when we’re feeling desperate. We’re miserable in our current position and we think that anything would be better – even if it were just for a short time.
The problem with this strategy is complex. First, your next job may have just as many problems are your current job, if not more. As the saying goes, sometimes the devil you know is better than the one you don’t.
More importantly though, planning to take a job for a short time forces you to explain why you’re looking for a new job just after accepting one. This means that you’ll be explaining all the dirt on your old company, including the ways that you didn’t get along with your boss or co-workers.
When you choose to wait and select the right job, you’ll find yourself there for more than just a short time. While you’re interviewing, you’ll be able to focus on the positives of what you want in the future rather than the negatives from the past. Whether it comes to interviewing or negotiating your offer, focusing on the positive puts you in a much stronger position.
When you’re having a tough day, just try to remember that jobs are like buses. Just wait. Another one is coming, and you want to be sure you get on the right one.
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.
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 | Sep 14, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Unemployment
Loyalty can feel like a lost art. It’s often hard to know where alliances lie and who really has your back. Sadly, this can be especially true in the workplace.
Over the years, I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon. Even when we know things are going badly, we want to hang in there for the good of the company. In theory, it’s good to be committed. It’s great. But, in practice, this doesn’t always make sense in today’s job market.
Company layoffs are no longer an uncommon way for an organization to save money. Even the best employees risk being cut after years of service. It’s a sad, but true fact. Pair that with people changing jobs every four years or so and the job market is entirely different than it was just twenty years ago.
I very often encounter hard working employees I’m concerned about. They’re the kind of people who put in more time than they’re required to. They take work home at night and on the weekends. The may even take business calls on their personal time.
This same hard working group also often chooses to stay at a job despite the signs that it’s time to go. Perhaps their colleagues were recently let go. Or, maybe the company is restructuring a little too often. The organization is losing money, and the executives are showing signs that they’re nervous. But, the hard workers are committed. They want to stick it out. And, besides, they have a seemingly stable job. “Why would anyone leave a good job?” they wonder.
The problem is – if there are signs that things are going south, there’s a good chance they really will eventually go that way. Sadly for the committed worker, this means that they may eventually lose their job. They could be the victim of a layoff.
It can take months to find a new job. And, sadly, future employers could easily assume that these dedicated workers were not part of a big layout. They might assume the employees were let go for cause, but isn’t disclosing that information.
The bottom line is this. Business is business. Companies know that. It’s why they don’t hesitate to cut employees when they need to save money. Businesses are loyal to the business first. And, in this same way, the hard working employees should take care of themselves. I’m not talking about jumping ship for no reason, but if you know things are wrong, don’t ignore it. Listen to yourself.
If you do, you could end up without a job. Being unemployed, or in a situation where you hate your work, takes away your options. It forces you to take a job quickly, that you may or may not really like. At times, it can even be the start of a vicious cycle of moving from bad job to bad job.
Remember, you are the CEO of your own career. In the same way the business must protect their future, you must protect yours.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
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