by Angela Copeland | Jun 8, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media
When we’re looking for a new job, we often spend all our time perfecting our resume and applying online to random openings. These tactics can sometimes work, but is there a better way? What about the times when we’re ready for a career change, but aren’t quite sure where to look for something new?
There’s a very special way to boost your search strategy. It’s cheap and easy to do. It can even be fun. In fact, you may be doing it already and don’t even realize it. The secret is called “informational interviewing.”
At first glance, informational interviewing may sound quite intimidating. After all, this phrase contains the word interview. In reality, informational interviews are quite relaxed. They’re more of an educational exercise than anything else.
Instead of calling them informational interviews, perhaps we should rename them “get to know someone new who works in a different industry or company than you do” or more simply, “networking.” Networking sounds a bit more reasonable, doesn’t it?
To set up informational interviews, reach out to those people you’d like to learn more about. Perhaps they work in an interesting industry, or maybe they have a particular job title that peaks your curiosity. Give the person a call, send an e-mail, or write a note on LinkedIn. Tell them that you admire their work, and would be grateful if they’d take just a few minutes to speak with you over the phone. If they seem especially receptive, ask them if you can take them for a coffee, or if you can meet in person at their office.
Before the meeting, do your homework. Learn everything you can about their career and their company. Come prepared with a list of questions. If you aren’t sure what to ask, think of things you’d like to know that will help you to understand more about their company, or more about their career path.
Sample questions include: How did you get into marketing? What convinced you to work at your company? What was the process like for you to switch your career path? What do you like the most about your job?
Be prepared to answer questions about yourself too. The most common question is, “Tell me about yourself.” If you aren’t sure what you want to do next, be honest. However, avoid confusing the other person. The fastest way to do this is to provide a laundry list of possibilities for what you want to do next. If you have a few specific choices in mind, speak about the one most relevant to the person you’re talking to.
Be conscious of time. Show up a little early, and be careful not to keep the person too long. Afterward, send a thank you e-mail and a hand written thank you note. And, don’t forget to connect to the person on LinkedIn and to check in occasionally. The connections created from an informational interview can often turn into a new job offer in the long run.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Jun 7, 2016 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 103 is live! This week, we talk with Alison Green in Washington, DC. Alison is a Career and Management Advice Columnist at the Ask a Manager website. She also writes columns for U.S. News and World Report, Fast Company, Money Magazine, and Inc. — and is the coauthor of Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Manager’s Guide to Getting Results.
On today’s episode, she shares her tips on how to avoid common mistakes, how to follow up after an interview, and how to negotiate for more money.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it for free on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. If you enjoy the program, subscribe today to the Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to ensure you don’t miss an episode!
To learn more about Alison, visit her website Ask a Manager.
by Angela Copeland | Jun 6, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter
I speak to job seekers every day who are miserable at work. Going into the office is a chore they dread. Sunday nights are anxiety filled. Just thinking about Monday morning can keep us up at night.
Does this sound familiar?
If so, it’s really time to stop and think about how much longer you’re comfortable feeling so very uncomfortable.
Finding a job is a process. And, in many cases, it’s not a quick one. If you wait until you can’t bear to go in to work one more day, you’ve waited too long.
Think about it. It can take six months to find a great job. If you wait until things are in a dire situation at work to start looking, you will lose many of your choices. This is especially true if you find yourself out of work.
Suddenly, finding a job FAST is the number one priority. Speed outweighs everything else. When this happens, it doesn’t matter as much how well the job pays. It doesn’t matter as much what the title is. It may not even matter where the job is located. These things all become true when you’re running away from a burning building.
But, if you start now — start proactively — if you plan for the future — you will retain your options. You hang on to your power.
You’ll have time to find the best paying job, with a better title, in a city that you and your family want to live in.
But, this approach requires something different. It requires you to take a proactive approach to your job search. It requires you to take the reins.
If you’re like most people, you have been offered jobs over the years that you weren’t even looking for. You have great skills and someone else picked up on them and tapped you for a job. But, at some point, you may decide that you want to take the wheel on this entire process. You may want to find a job that better aligns with YOUR goals and YOUR interests and YOUR priorities.
It can be scary. Finding a job can be like learning a new skill; like learning a new job. But, this is exactly why you need more time to look. You need the time to learn the new skills of job searching.
And speaking of time, the holidays are coming up. That’s when things begin to slow down in the job search world. Well, they aren’t coming up tomorrow, but they’re just a little over five months away. And, if it takes six months to find something, you’re already behind on finding a job this year.
That sounds crazy, right?
I hope this message doesn’t come across too harshly. My purpose is not to be negative, but to shine a light on the potential that is still available.
If you’re thinking of finding something this year, start now. Start before the holidays. Start before your job gets worse. Start while you still have control.
Having the control to make the choices about your job that you want will be the key to creating a happy and fulfilling future — and to much more relaxing Sunday evenings!
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 | Jun 1, 2016 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media
In the most difficult of cases, a job search can take a year or more. The process is grueling and emotionally exhausting. We spend many days and lots of money perfecting our look, networking with new people, and trying to find just the right fit.
Once we finally find the perfect job, it would be easy to think that things should be smooth sailing. We went through the difficult part during the interview, right? Things should be easy now.
Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. In fact, in the worse scenario, we can mess up a good thing with just a few wrong moves. When that happens, we’re back to square one – wondering if we should find a new job, again.
To start off on the right foot, the first thing to work on is our perception of our coworkers and our boss. Arrive to work early and stay late. Dress as if you belong at company. In other words, don’t be too casual or too dressy. It can be hard to imagine, but visual cues like these can make a world of difference.
You should also take initiative and avoid office politics. Offer to help your coworkers when they need it. And, when they help you in return, be sure to say thank you often. Avoid those who seem to dwell on the negative or talk badly about one another. Be humble, and don’t attempt to stand out from the crowd (at least not in the beginning).
Take the time to get to know your coworkers. Socialize with them outside of the office. Consider going to lunch with them, or to drinks after work. But, be sure to check your personal life at the door. There may come a time that deep personal sharing makes sense, but that’s not the case when you first start.
It’s also important to learn about your new company. Look up how the company was started and any key facts that may impact the business today. Your boss and coworkers will have respect for the time you’ve taken to learn about the company.
As strange as it may seem, take the time to read the company handbook. When you start out, human resources typically gives you a book of information about the policies at work. If you don’t review it, you may assume that your new company has similar policies as your last workplace. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. For example, some companies allow you to post your personal views publically on social media, while others will terminate you for it. This is a big difference!
As you can see, first impressions are often based on things like how likeable you are – or how much of a team player you’re perceived to be. Fortunately, these are things that are easy to do as long as you are aware of expectations. Following these straight forward guidelines will help to make sure you start off on the right foot – and will cement your future success.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | May 31, 2016 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 102 is live! This week, we talk with Hannah Morgan in Rochester, NY. Hannah is a Career Strategist at the company she founded, CareerSherpa.net. She is also a contributing blogger on careers for U.S. News & World Report, and recently authored a new book, “The Infographic Resume.”
On today’s episode, she shares her tips on how to improve your online presence on LinkedIn and other sites. She also shares insights on how reputation management and blogging can help with your job search.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it for free on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. If you enjoy the program, subscribe today to the Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher to ensure you don’t miss an episode!
To learn more about Hannah, visit her website Career Sherpa.
by Angela Copeland | May 30, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter
I hope you are having a fabulous Memorial Day! It’s a perfect time to grill out with loved ones and take a little time to reflect.
Traditionally, Memorial Day is a federal holiday to remember and honor those who died while serving our country in the armed forces. First, let me say THANK YOU to those who have served and have allowed us to live in such a wonderful place.
My coaching practice has provided me a window into the armed forces that I would not have otherwise had — and has deepened my appreciation of their hard work.
I have had the honor to work with a number of veterans who are retiring or moving on from different branches of service. The transition from the military world to the civilian world can be an incredibly stressful one that can take years to truly figure out.
A veteran may go from a 20-year career doing something they are great at and understand the political rules to — to a corporate job that is completely foreign to them. But, before even beginning the corporate job, they must go through a grueling job search and interview process.
If you know a veteran going through this transition, don’t underestimate how challenging it can be. If possible, lend a hand. Offer to meet with them to discuss their career goals, or just to be an understanding ear.
The civilian job search process is completely different from the military career progression. In addition, it seems that many veterans are not completely prepared for what to expect on the other side. They’re told that the transition will be easy and that others will truly value their skills.
It doesn’t always happen that way; at least not as quickly as expected.
For those transitioning out of the military, here are a few key tips:
- Sign up for LinkedIn. It can help you to stay connected to those you’ve worked with, and help you to meet new people.
- Get help with your resume. A civilian hiring manager often doesn’t understand what you did. It’s such a different world and a different language. Get help translating what you did into a resume that is understandable by everyone.
- Smile. Even when you’re nervous in an interview situation, try to make eye contact and smile. Be happy! It helps to put the other person at ease and can help make a great first impression.
- Learn the hidden rules. No longer will you be able to look at someone’s sleeves and understand their rank. Start learning what unspoken social queues help to separate out various levels of management within a company.
Thank you again to everyone who is serving and has served in our military. And, if you know someone transitioning out of the military, be sure to take the time to check in on how they’re doing. Get the real scoop and offer to help out if you can.
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
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