by Angela Copeland | Oct 27, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
In a recent conversation, someone said something incredibly wise to me: “Employees join companies. They leave bosses.”
Wow! This couldn’t be more true. Every day, I meet new job seekers who confidentially share their latest work stress and career drama. Almost everyone — and I mean everyone — is unhappy with their boss!
You may work for a manager who isn’t leading you. They have no vision or clear goals. It leaves your team lost and creates unnecessary conflict and political issues.
Or, maybe your manager doesn’t recognize your contributions to the team. You don’t feel valued. Your manager takes credit for your work and doesn’t give thanks when it’s due.
Some managers make excuses for why you can’t go to training or participate in continuing education, while they nudge your peers to participate. They aren’t helping you to grow your skills.
Do these scenarios sound familiar?
If so, it’s time to pay attention! If your manager doesn’t buy into you today, there’s a good chance that won’t change anytime soon.
Why sit and wait for years for your manager to change their perception when someone else who appreciates you may be right around the corner?
There’s no better time than now to begin looking. And when you do, remember that interviewing is a two way street!
You are interviewing them just as much as they’re interviewing you.
Pay close attention to how you interact with your new (potential) manager. Observe how they interact with their team. What do their employees have to say about them and their management style?
Do your homework! Look them up on LinkedIn. Do they have written endorsements from co-workers and employees? If so, are they positive and sincere?
Pay attention to how your boss’ personal priorities align with yours. For example, if they don’t believe in long vacations, but you take a week long trip with your family every year, take note. Little differences could cause issues later.
In a previous newsletter, I mentioned that jobs are like buses. Another one is always coming.
If you get the sense that there’s not a connection between you and your new (potential) boss, PAY ATTENTION. Even if you dislike your current job, this is still important to note.
What could be worse than running from one burning building into another one? You will only prolong your heartache — and force yourself to look for another job again very soon.
In closing, if you’re not clicking with your boss, the time to take notice is now. The sooner you start looking, the longer you’ll have to find your “dream job.”
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 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. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Oct 20, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
You may have seen on Facebook this week that I just received my new copy of the book, “Going Supernova: The Bold Paths of 101 Superachievers.” One of my own mentors, Molly Lavik, wrote the book to share the personal stories and paths of 101 successful people.
I am incredibly honored that Molly selected me to be among the group of 101!
Molly has always a huge focus on mentoring and learning from the insights of others. In her book’s introduction, she says, “I will share with you many real stories from people who have had to face adversity and have flourished after transforming the adversity into opportunity.”
It was a very interesting experience to share my own story from such a different perspective than I typically do.
As a child, my future was a bit uncertain. Things at home were unstable, and I wasn’t sure how or if I’d be able to go to college. For years, I spent many hours in my darkroom practicing various aspects of photography. Being a photographer would give me a career I could count on if college didn’t pan out.
In middle school, I competed in science fair for two years. My teacher, Mr. Daniel, was very supportive as I x-rayed plants and measured the damaging impact of that radiation as they grew. Both years, I won the fair and the second year, I was awarded a special prize by NASA. (It continues to be my most prized award, even today.)
Mr. Daniel took me aside and explained that although photography would always serve as a wonderful hobby, it’s not what I would be doing with my life. Sure enough, this experience was a pivotal moment for me and I changed my course. I eventually went away to college and studied computer and systems engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Looking back, this experience has taught me a number of different things. First of all, I was incredibly lucky to attend such a wonderful public school system that afforded all students an equal education. I was also incredibly fortunate to have a few teachers step in like Mr. Daniel who really made a difference for me.
It showed me the importance of both mentoring, and being open to being mentored. There’s always some area of our lives where we can learn more if we’re just open to it. I have carried this philosophy with me over the years as I’ve also learned about other things like finance, public speaking, and even golf.
I seek out advice from others who know more than I do in specific areas. It helps me to both grow my own skills, and to leapfrog the competition. As I mentioned, it’s also important to be open to the learning. Sometimes it’s painful, but the long lasting results are immeasurable.
In the same way I’ve received guidance over the years, I now provide it myself. Job seeking was almost a hobby when I was younger. I enjoyed the competition of interviewing, and the opportunity to learn about new businesses and industries. After quite a bit of practice, others started to seek out my advice. Rather than turning a blind ear, I was open to helping. And ten years later, here we are with Copeland Coaching. I help job seekers find jobs every day.
As you go through your life, I encourage you to seek out others for assistance — and to provide help on things where you’re the expert. You’ll find that whether you’re the one being mentored or doing the mentoring, you’ll grow quite a lot from the experience. And, you’ll leapfrog your competition!
To read Molly’s entire book, and to learn about the other 100 superachievers, check it out on Amazon here. Special thanks goes out to Molly for being a wonderful mentor to me for the past ten years (wow!), and for including me in this awesome group!
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 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. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Oct 13, 2014 | Advice, Negotiating, Newsletter
In the last week, we’ve all heard about Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s comments during a conference called the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.
If you haven’t seen the news, Maria Klawe, Preisdent of Harvey Mudd College and Microsoft board member asked this question: “What do you advise women who are interested in advancing their careers but they’re not comfortable putting themselves up for promotions or advanced opportunities?”
Mr. Nadella’s answer has put him and women’s workplace issues in the spotlight this week. His response seems to suggest that he doesn’t encourage asking for a raise. Part of his response was this: “…it’s not really about asking for the raise but knowing and having faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go long. And that I think might be one of the additional “superpowers,” that quite frankly, women who don’t ask for a raise have. Because that’s good karma.”
Since this statement hit the news, I’ve been stopped multiple times with questions about what I think. People have asked both what about his answer and this issue in general. So, I wanted to share a few thoughts here.
A little background: As a woman who studied computer and systems engineering in undergraduate school, I’m used to being the first or the only. In college, I was one of the only women in my program. At multiple jobs in technology, I was also the only woman on the team.
When I got my first job, my loved ones strongly discouraged me from negotiating. I later found out I was the only person who did not receive relocation, and it was just because I didn’t ask for it. I write about this story in my e-book, Breaking The Rules and Getting The Job.
Although it was difficult, I learned an important lesson: negotiation is key. I have negotiated every job offer I’ve received since, and I’ve become both skilled at it, and comfortable doing it.
But, what I’ve learned working with my coaching clients is that everyone (both men and women) struggles with this issue. Most of the people I speak with have never negotiated for more money. They simply accept a job offer or reject it. They rarely spend much time on the grey area in between. It’s just too uncomfortable.
But really, that grey area is where the opportunity is. Did you know that most corporations have a huge band of pay for each position? For example, a project manager could make anywhere between $50,000 and $150,000 (although a company’s pay band is typically in the ballpark of $40,000 wide).
And, do you think that every person’s pay is a reflection of their true value? Or, of their experience? Does it say just how good they are at their job? Or, does it somehow reflect their education and credentials?
Absolutely not. Often, pay is a reflection on two things — how skilled you are at negotiation, and the minimum amount of money you’re willing to accept.
Have you ever noticed when you first start to interview at a new company, someone (usually from HR) asks you how much you currently make? There’s a good reason for that. They want to know just how little they have to pay you to get on board. In the long term, paying each employee a little less can save a company a lot of money.
Strategies around how to best answer this question — and how to negotiate an offer are something I work on with my clients. Because, at the end of the day, how much you’re making is rarely a reflection on your work. It’s typically a reflection on your negotiation skills.
It’s how you’re able to handle that uncomfortable ten minute conversation — with fear or fearlessly.
And back to Mr. Nadella’s comments… Man or woman– if you aren’t representing yourself and asking for more money, then who is? I can only assume that the person at the helm of such a powerful company has negotiated a few raises and job offers in his career. I can only assume karma didn’t land Mr. Nadella in the role of Microsoft CEO.
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 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. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Oct 6, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
I help each of my clients to construct their ideal dream job. It refines the target of what kind of job they’re searching for.
Often, their dream job can be very different from their current job. This is especially true for those who either want to ramp their career into high gear, or those who are searching for more meaning at work.
As sports seasons ramp up, an industry that comes up often is: PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.
Don’t get me wrong — my clients aren’t aspiring to be the next Zach Randolph or Serena Williams. They want to work in professional sports. They aspire to join the sales, marketing, logistics, or management team.
This week, I had the opportunity to interview David E. Cooley, Director of Alumni Career Resources at UCLA in Los Angeles, CA. I also had the chance to speak with someone who started their career in sales and marketing with the Memphis Grizzlies.
One theme came through in both conversations. If you’re interested in professional sports, chances are good you’ll have to work your way up.
In professional sports, the staff is often promoted internally. In other words, many of the members of senior leadership started out as interns or in other entry level positions.
This can be good for those just starting out, like recent college graduates. Unfortunately though, if you’re further along in your career, this could create challenges – especially if you have commits like a mortgage, a family, or a comfortable lifestyle.
The second theme that came through both conversations was this. Positions in professional sports often pay less than their equivalent positions in other industries.
Why would this be? Well, first, if the sports organization is built on the ‘work your way up’ sort of model, they may want you to put in your time before rolling out the big bucks. Second, the interest level in professional sports is very high. For an organization that has more job candidates than they could ever want, why would they need to pay a competitive salary? They don’t.
My message today is not to discourage you from working in professional sports. It’s to highlight some of the challenges that you will most likely face if you pursue this highly desired industry.
If you aren’t in the beginning of your career, but you still want to go after a career in sports, here are a few tips:
- Get an Education: If you can take sports management classes, or other coursework related to professional sports, consider it. The fact that you’re a sports fan and watch many games is not enough.
- Network in Sports: Network yourself into the organization. Look for opportunities to get to know existing staff. It will give you a chance to discuss your transferable skills, and show how your current job applies to a future in sports.
- Be flexible on location: Professional sports are a little like the military. If you want to join, you may have to move (and travel) – quite a lot. Don’t expect to end up at the local franchise in your city.
- Reduce Expenses: Explore ways to reduce your cost of living. Can you live on less for a while to enable you try a new job in sports? You may have to.
- Work Your Way Up: Consider taking a lower level job than your current position. (Note: I would rarely recommend this tactic in any other industry.) Is there an internship or part time job available? I recently met a NBA salesperson who relocated to a new city for a part-time job just to get his foot in the door. He was eventually promoted to full time and is loving it. Now, that’s commitment!
Whatever you decide to do, walk in with your eyes open to the pros and cons. Any new industry will have them. You need to evaluate whether not the drawbacks fit into your overall plan.
And, for even more tips on getting your foot in the door with professional sports, watch for my upcoming podcast with David E. Cooley.
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 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. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Sep 29, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
One of the first questions I often get is where to find the best jobs. Job seekers want to know where to look. With so many sites available, it’s hard to know where to begin.
You can spend hours and days bouncing around between various sites. To make things a bit faster, I’ve compiled my list of recommendations.
Here are a few of my favorite sites to find job postings:
- CopelandCoaching.com – Of course, I’m a little biased. But, each day, I feature two jobs I’ve found through various sources (the hiring manager, a recruiter, a job website, etc.). I select interesting jobs that are newly posted and are at reputable companies. If you want to save a little time, be sure to keep an eye on these postings each day.
- Indeed.com – Indeed is the #1 job site worldwide. It works like a job search engine, pulling in results from many different websites. They have over 140 million visitors per month from over 50 countries and 28 languages. Their site covers 94% of global GDP. That means there are very few jobs that don’t end up on Indeed. You can even setup job alerts, and Indeed will e-mail you when jobs come up that match your requirements. Be sure to check it out, and to learn more, listen to last week’s podcast when I interview Mike Steinerd from Indeed.com.
- LinkedIn.com – LinkedIn provides job suggestions for positions that are similar to previous positions you’ve held. Although I find the total number of options to be less, they are more targeted. Even better, you can often find the hiring manager or recruiter on LinkedIn. And, many of the jobs have a one-click apply option that makes applying faster and easier than usual. Just be sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date!
- Glassdoor.com – As I’ve written before, my favorite feature of LinkedIn is the ability to research salaries. Employees anonymously report their salaries and you have access to the data. You can also research what employees think about a company — and questions you may be asked during your interview. But, in addition to these great features, you can also search job postings. To learn more, visit the website and listen to another podcast where I interview Scott Dobroski from Glassdoor.com.
- Newsletters – Occasionally, you may find an industry specific e-newsletter that shares job postings. These can be useful if you find a good one (or a waste of time otherwise). A Memphis newsletter that I enjoy is the Lipscomb & Pitts Breakfast Club e-mail newsletter. Subscribe to the e-newsletter here. In addition to job postings, you’ll find networking and volunteer opportunities. These are all helpful in jump starting your search.
Whichever route you go, the most important thing is to check postings often, and to apply immediately. My recommendation is to check every job search site daily. Look for jobs that were posted recently. If you find one you like, apply immediately.
But, in order to do this, you need to be prepared. Keep your LinkedIn and resume up to date. Also, have a template for your cover letter setup and ready to send. This way, there will be no delay in your application making it to your future employer.
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 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. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Sep 22, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
Wow, the very first thought that crossed my mind when I wrote the title of this week’s newsletter was, “Wow, that’s a long title!” and “That’s a big bill to fill!”
If you’re actively job seeking, I bet you can relate… especially if have a high paced job, a spouse, children, an ailing family member, or any other commitment that takes up a good bit of your personal time.
The saying, “getting a job is a job” is very true. You get out of a job search what you put into it. The more time you spend working on your job search, on average, the better your results will be.
But, there are so many things to do! If you Google anything related to job search, you’ll find pages and pages of results with resume tips, interview answer strategies, what to wear, and more.
Many of these opinions differ, so you may find yourself sifting through tons of information. All of this “data” overwhelms most people. It can cause you to want to put things on hold for just a little longer.
Things at work may not yet seem bad enough to need to focus on moving on, so you put it off. The problem is, if you wait until you have to find a job, you’ve given up quite a bit of your negotiating power — and the ability to wait for the right job. Suddenly, you need one right now!
On the topic of social events, a friend used to say, “I like to leave parties at their peak – when I’m really having a great time. I know that once I’ve had a great time, things are only going to go downhill from there. I’ve had a great time, and now I will head home.”
I think of jobs in a bit of the same way. At some point, you will have learned everything you can. You will have received most, if not all, of the promotions you’ll get. If you leave on a positive note, you will walk away with praise, a great reference from your boss, and an open door to return. If you wait until the down swing and leave on a negative note, all doors are closed.
So, when you do start your search, where should you focus your time, energy, and money?
- Time: You only have so many hours a day. If you have one hour a day to spend on your job search, alternate it between networking and searching. Finding great jobs isn’t helpful if you aren’t active in your own network. And, your network will only take you so far if you don’t know what jobs are available.
- Energy: Job searching can really suck the life out of you. Where should you focus the energy you do have? Spend your emotional energy refining your personal brand. How do you speak about yourself? How do you represent yourself online? What do your cover letter and resume say about you?
- Money: First and foremost, remember – money will not get you the job. Your talent and skills will. If you have to decide how to spend a budget, let’s say $1,000 on your job search, where should you spend it? First, buy one nice suit. Notice the word one. You don’t need to invest in an entirely new wardrobe when the company will see you in a suit only once or twice. Look for a suit that’s on sale, and then spend a little extra money to have it tailored to fit your body. Next, purchase business cards. They should cost around $50. If you don’t have a professional photo for LinkedIn, consider hiring a photographer to take a head shot for you. If you don’t have a nice portfolio folder to carry your resumes around in, get one of those too. Last, consider investing in services to help you refine your resume, LinkedIn, elevator pitch, and your overall personal brand. All of these things together should cost less than $1,000 – a small amount of money to make a big impact on your daily life, and your future.
After all, when you’re job searching, you have a limited about of time and money. Take the time to prioritize what’s important to you. Make yourself and your future a priority the same way you would make taking a trip or purchasing a new car. It’s an investment in you.
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 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. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
