LinkedIn Shapes the Future of Hiring

by Angela Copeland | Nov 13, 2017 | Advice, LinkedIn, Newsletter

Job searching today can often feel like talking to a brick wall. You apply online, alongside hundreds of other job seekers. Despite how qualified you may be, you rarely hear back from the company. The rejection is tough. It may feel like it’s just you, but it’s not. You know how hard it is to get in to an Ivy League college? Well, it’s even harder to land a job by applying online.

Given the number of times we’re all switching jobs today, this repeat experience is frustrating. Online company LinkedIn is using data to tackle the frustration of both the job seeker, and the hiring manager. Their latest products were announced at LinkedIn Talent Connect in Nashville, Tennessee in October. Talent Connect attracted over 4K human resources managers and recruiters from over 2K companies around the world.

Kate Hastings, Head of Global Insights at LinkedIn, started her product announcement with, “I’m Kate Hastings, and I’m obsessed with data!” And, it seems that the rest of the LinkedIn team is too. Dan Shapero, VP of Talent Solutions and Careers said, “Data is the corporate superpower.”

How will companies use your data in the future?

Job seekers are able to share whether or not they’re open to new opportunities on the LinkedIn platform. They’re able to provide this information in a confidential way that is not revealed to their current employer. In other words, they won’t show up if their company’s recruiter is looking for new candidates. They’re also able to communicate other preferences, including whether or not they’re willing to relocate to another city.

Companies will filter more

One of the headaches employers face is the sheer number of applications they receive for any one job posting. To help cut down on the clutter, the human resources manager is able to sort by employment type (full-time, part-time, contract, or internship) and specific job skills. They’re also able to specify the preferred number of years of experience of a candidate. And, they can find out whether or not a particular applicant is authorized to work in the country where they’re applying.

Fast tracking the best candidates

In addition to the filtering options that are available to the recruiter, the candidate experience will also be improved. LinkedIn wants to help human resources managers to identify the best talent quickly, and to give highly desirable candidates a VIP experience. Rather than make a great candidate go through the entire application process, they may fast track them to a lunch with the hiring manager. Or, they may allow the best candidates to send messages directly to the hiring manager via LinkedIn.

The unconventional candidate

Although the experience should greatly improve for the best candidates, these changes bring up questions for unconventional candidates. What about someone who’s switching careers midstream, or learned their trade outside of a fancy college? Ultimately, those candidates may be even less likely to show up on the hiring manager’s radar if they don’t meet the basic requirements.

But, in reality, this isn’t a new problem. When someone is trying to switch careers, the best route is often to search the old fashioned way – by networking. And, the good news is, LinkedIn can be a useful tool for that.

The job market is continuing to change at a rapid pace – almost just as fast as we’re all changing careers. Whether we like it or not, the reality is that much of the job search game is now being played online. The best way to win is to jump in and give it a shot.

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

This job interview story is downright chilling!

by Angela Copeland | Oct 30, 2017 | Advice, Newsletter, Stress

Happy Halloween! In celebration of this fun holiday, I want to share with you one of my own frightening job interview stories. I shared it this time last year with Monster.com.

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.

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

You’re not the boss of me!

by Angela Copeland | Oct 16, 2017 | Advice, Bad Boss, Newsletter

Happy National Boss’ Day!

In celebration of this *special* day, I have an important question. Who’s the boss of you?

I hope your answer is YOU. You’re the person who decides which risks to take. You’re the one who decides how far up the corporate ladder you want to climb.

In today’s era of ever changing careers, your own impact cannot be overstated. So, on this National Boss’ Day, I hope you’ll take a little time to think about what you want to do to better manage your own career.

Do you hope to take a continuing education class?

Do you want to volunteer to work on a new project?

Do you want to be more disciplined at work?

Do you want to take more time to network?

Do you want to update your resume and your LinkedIn profile?

Whatever your goals, don’t sit back and wait for someone else to tap you on the shoulder.

I recently interviewed Dr. Shirley Raines, the former President of the University of Memphis. Dr. Raines shared with me her own personal transformation. She went from waiting for someone to tell her she should try a new job — to asking for jobs she wanted. Although this change feels difficult, it can also be very straight-forward. To hear my entire interview with Dr. Raines, check out my interview with her on Apple Podcasts or on my website.

Shifting your mindset just a little on this issue is a game changer.

Now, this doesn’t discount the importance of your supervisor at work. They are the person who hires and fires. They will provide your future recommendation for your next job.

So, when you are searching for a new job, don’t just search for work. Look for leadership. A lack of leadership can change your career in a direction you may have never imagined.

But again, nothing substitutes for taking ownership over your own experience — your own future — your destiny.

I hope on this National Boss’ Day, you will decide that you’re the boss of you — whether you are self-employed, or whether a corporation cuts your paycheck.

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.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

Are you married, do you have children, and do you plan to have children anytime soon?

by Angela Copeland | Oct 9, 2017 | Advice, Illegal Interview Questions, Interviewing, Legal, Newsletter

What’s the most unusual question you’ve been asked in an interview? In theory, the answer to this question should be a challenging question about your work. But, theory and reality don’t always line up.

What would you say if I told you I was once asked, “Are you married?” What if I told you I was also asked, “Do you have children?” And, what would you say if I told you I was also asked, “Do you plan to have children anytime soon?”

The first thing you may be thinking is…. “Angela, is this a joke? Surely nobody asked you these questions. They’re obviously ILLEGAL and INAPPROPRIATE! Nobody would ask these questions.

Well, if you guessed that, you would be wrong. Not only was I asked all three of these questions, but I was asked all three of these questions in ONE job interview.

You might assume that the person who asked me the questions was junior in their career. I mean, these are the kinds of things HR is supposed to brief hiring managers on, right? Wrong. The hiring manager who asked me these questions was a C-level executive at a very well known company. If I were to name the company, you’d know it. You’ve probably spent money with them before.

So, what can you about this sort of thing? Well, the first is, don’t be part of the problem. It’s obvious, but when you’re hiring, be sure to brush up on which questions you can and can’t ask candidates. To be honest, some are less obvious than you might think.

If you’re interviewing for a job and you’re asked these questions, it’s really up to you. You can answer the questions in a straight forward way, you can be direct and tell the hiring manager that the questions are illegal, or you can sidestep the questions completely.

Nobody would blame you for any reaction. You wouldn’t have blamed me if I had gotten up and left the interview, would you?

What I did may surprise you…

I answered the questions directly. Then, I made a mental note that I would not want to work for someone who was so disrespectful — and who so openly was willing to break the law by asking these questions.

If you’re asked illegal questions, just be prepared for how you might want to answer them. Remember that there’s no right way. It’s whatever you feel most comfortable with.

If you’re looking for more information on sticky legal situations that can arise during your job search, check out my podcast with employment law attorney Chip Cavagnaro.

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.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

September Recap: It’s been an exciting month! Be sure you don’t miss a minute.

by Angela Copeland | Oct 2, 2017 | Newsletter

I hope your October is off to a fantastic start! This September was the most exciting one on record. It’s been an honor to be involved in so many things that help job seekers! In case you missed it, here are the highlights from September. I hope you enjoy them!

Will your job be taken over by robots?

According to a new study by the University of Oxford, your job may be impacted by automation. In fact, the study shows that 47% of U.S. jobs are likely to be impacted! I recently visited Live @ 9 on WREG News Channel 3 to discuss the findings. To watch the interview, and to learn whether or not your job is at risk, check it out here.

15 Perks That Benefit Both Employees And Your Company

Company perks and benefits can make all the difference for employees, especially creative or particularly valuable ones. The opportunity to continue education, do volunteer work, get local discounts or even participate in a forum to share personal interests is a powerful draw. It helps your company’s community and creates a broader sense of who’s sitting around you, or in other departments, rather than just a half-remembered name and a face. Check out this article on Forbes to find out which perks I think every company should offer.

Your Working Life Podcast

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Caroline Dowd-Higgins on her podcast “Your Working Life.” We discussed tips for networking, LinkedIn, and career reinvention. We also talked about my book, Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job. You can listen to the entire episode here on Apple Podcasts.

7 Tricks to Transform Your Personal Brand After Unemployment

If you’re unemployed, your number one focus is probably on finding a job. Why, you might think, should you even bother thinking about your “personal brand” at a time like this? Well, “when it comes to job searching, personal brand is everything!” says Career Coach Angela Copeland. If you’re going to find a job, you want to project your best self, which is what your personal brand is all about. Read more tips on transforming your personal brand after unemployment here.

Episode 144 | Social Media Career – Austin Graff, The Washington Post

In Episode 144 of the Copeland Coaching Podcast, we talk with Austin Graff in Washington, DC. Austin is the Talent Marketing and Branding Specialist for The Washington Post. Austin shares his tips for starting a career in social media, and how to find a company that aligns to your personal values. Austin also shares his thoughts on being on the other side of the hiring table, as he manages The Post’s talent branding and messaging strategy. Check out the entire episode with Austin here.

What can you offer us that someone else cannot?

I recently had the opportunity to write my first piece for LiveCareer. Here’s a preview! When an interviewer asks you what you have to offer that no one else does, don’t panic. It’s not a test. This is a common interview question. A very common interview question. And since it’s so common, it’s one you can prepare an answer for way in advance. Check out my entire article to get tips on how to best answer this common question.

Episode 147 | Dr. Shirley Raines, University of Memphis

On Episode 147 of the Copeland Coaching Podcast, we talk with Dr. Shirley Raines in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Dr. Raines was the first woman President of the University of Memphis, and successfully served for 12 years. We discuss how to succeed in your job search when you’re different than the competition, how to reinvent yourself, and how parents can help adult children with their job search. Dr. Raines also answers your listener questions! Click here to listen to the entire episode with Dr. Raines.

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.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

Network when you don’t need it

by Angela Copeland | Sep 25, 2017 | Advice, Informational Interviewing, Networking, Newsletter

Have you ever had a friend who disappeared a few years ago? The one you never hear from, until they pop up and they need something. I’ll admit it. I’ve been this person before, and it’s a reminder of something not to do.

If you’re like me, the type of person you want to devote your time to helping is the same person you feel appreciates you. They’re someone who takes the time to check on you. They ask about your family and your life. It’s someone you feel like you know well. They know you well. They care about you, and you care about them.

When a friend pops in out of the blue and asks for a favor – they begin to feel like a sales person. You wonder where they’ve been and what their real motive is. You wonder if they’re your real friend, or if your friendship is contingent upon something else.

It leaves a bad taste in your mouth, right? And, chances are good that you aren’t as helpful to that friend as someone who genuinely takes the time to stay in touch with you.

It’s a great reminder to network when you don’t need it. Stay in touch even when you’re not looking for a job. Offer help when you don’t need anything in return.

Someone recently shared the way they’re doing this with me. Each day, they go through their cell phone and pick someone to call at random. On the first day, they pick an A name such as Amanda. On the second day, they pick a B name such as Bob. They call at least one person each day, and they say hello with no motive. If the person isn’t there, they leave a friendly voice message for the person. They rotate through the entire alphabet and start over the next month.

I haven’t tried this method yet, but it sounds like a great way to get started. I know what you’re thinking though. It can be weird to call someone with no appointment – no text message – no email. You’re right – it can be weird. It can also be really normal. The more you reach out to friends for connection, the less surprising it will be when you do.

And, when you do need something, your friends will be more likely to step up. They’ll know that you really need help, and that you’re truly invested in your friendship with them.

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.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach