Don’t let your job search get cold over the holidays

by Angela Copeland | Nov 28, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter

One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is to stop looking for work over the holidays. Once Thanksgiving rolls around, our priorities shift. We decide companies aren’t hiring anyway, and we move on to other things. We begin to focus on putting up decorations and buying gifts.

Unfortunately, this routine can put you at a disadvantage when January comes. Although the hiring process over the holidays may be slower, it doesn’t stop. New jobs are posted every day. When you stop looking, you have no idea what new jobs are available. You’ll be missing out and won’t even know it.

Besides, the hiring process is just that – a process. At many organizations, you’ll find that the time between you first apply for a job and are presented with an offer can been weeks or months. It’s not uncommon for a non-profit to take three months or more to make a decision.

By exiting your job search during the holidays, you’re losing sight of your goal to find a job. When the New Year arrives, you’ll be at least a month or more behind your competitors.

The good news is that keeping up your search over the holidays doesn’t take a lot of time. Set a few simple goals and you’ll be on your way. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours a week. This isn’t a lot of time, especially if getting a job is a priority for you. Spend a few minutes each night or few hours on the weekends.

First, ensure your resume is up to date. Ask a few friends to review it. You want to be sure they understand it, and that there are no typos. I often recommend asking someone to review your resume who works in a different career field than you do. That way, if you’re using confusing language, such as industry specific abbreviations, they’ll let you know.

Once your resume passes the test, move on to updating your LinkedIn profile. Use your resume as the foundation for your LinkedIn profile, and then build on it. Add your photo. Pick one that’s recent, clearly you, and doesn’t contain other people. Add your volunteer experience and any awards and publications. Ask previous bosses and coworkers to write recommendations of your work. These are a great way to showcase the positive things others have to say about you.

Then, when you’re at holiday parties over the next month, if someone wants to connect on LinkedIn or asks for a copy of your resume, you’ll be prepared. And, be sure to always bring your business cards. If you don’t have any, getting them is simple. There are many websites like Moo.com that allow you to design and order online.

Finding your dream job during the December holidays isn’t a sure bet. But, being prepared ensures that if something does arise, you’re ready to defeat the competition at a moment’s notice. You’ll also be prepared to interview in 2017 when job postings and interviews heat up.

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

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving-week?

by Angela Copeland | Nov 21, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter

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

This job-interview nightmare story is downright chilling

by Angela Copeland | Oct 31, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter

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