Newsletter Archives - Page 67 of 74

Are you actively job seeking?

by Angela Copeland | Sep 15, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter

I met someone this week who said something that got me thinking…

“You know, I’ve never had to look for a job before. For my entire career, someone has always approached me with an opportunity. I feel lost for what to do.”

This is a typical experience for many people. If you ask a professional how they became a project manager / salesperson / insert other job title here, the story is the same.

“My parents knew someone who knew someone hiring, and I needed a job out of college, so I went. And, then so-and-so approached me about another job and so I went there a few years later. That’s how it started.”

Many professionals passively fell into their chosen career by chance. For many, this works out great. They have a long, fulfilling career that takes unexpected yet positive twists and turns.

For others however, this path can often lead to disappointment and confusion. Passively accepting any job that comes along can often land you in a role that may not be well suited for your skills or personality. And, eventually it will catch up to you.

For some, the wake-up call comes in the form of a layoff. For others, it can be triggered by family problems that are a result of a less than stellar career, or by an unhappiness that has been lingering for some time.

If you find yourself in this situation, it’s time to take control. I’ve written in the past about being the CEO of your own career, and I truly believe in this philosophy. It’s about taking ownership over things in your life, and actively steering rather than passively waiting for something to happen to you.

It can be hard to do this however if it’s a completely new experience for you. You may be wondering, “Where do I begin?”

Clearly, this topic is a bit too in depth to cover in one newsletter. But, a good place to start is by thinking about what you really enjoyed at your last job, and what you hated. List out three to five things for each category.

Then, think about your biggest fear as it relates to your career. What is the worst thing that could happen? Is it that your boss is terrible? Are you bored all day? Do you have trouble meeting your personal bills because you took a pay cut?

Think about whether or not you want to work in the same job function and industry — or different ones.

Once you’ve worked through these questions, you’ll have a better understanding of your target. And, once you do, you can start to tell people about what you’re looking for.

If you’re not sure how to communicate this new idea to others (through your elevator pitch, resume, cover letter, or online), seek out help. There are often community and alumni resources available — or get help from a career coach like me.

I work with clients on their personal brand, and how they communicate about what they’re looking for. Perfecting your pitch and your personal brand is the first step toward putting you into the driver’s seat of your new career. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.

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

Picking Your Place

by Angela Copeland | Sep 8, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter

If you’re like me, you occasionally have itchy feet. Since graduating from high school in Oklahoma, I’ve lived in New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, and Tennessee.

When you start to think of moving, you probably rack your brain with ideas. Should you move to Boston? Maybe Los Angeles? Possibly Washington, D.C.?

These big cities are all amazing. If you’ve never lived in one, you should definitely try it once if it’s of interest to you. But, there are a few things you should remember:

Relocation: There’s a good chance companies in a big city won’t pay to relocate you. It sounds strange on the surface, but think about it. They already have enough local talent to fill their jobs. They don’t need to relocate you.
Cost of Living: The cost of living in big cities is often much, much higher. And worse yet, there seems to be a rumor going around that companies will give you a cost of living increase to move to a bigger city. This is very unlikely, unless you’re relocating for your current company. If you go to a big city, prepare to downsize. Your new place probably won’t have room for a car. Chances are good you won’t have luxuries like a dishwasher and air conditioning. To compare your current city to your dream city, check out this calculator on CNN.com.
Pay: Here’s another shocker — you may actually make less money working in a larger city. Yes, I know it’s more expensive. And, I understand you have a standard of living you’d like to maintain. The thing is – big cities have more talent; in other words, more people. That means for every job, there are more qualified people to fill it. When there’s more talent available, the price companies must pay goes down.
Degrees of Separation. If you live in a small or mid-sized city, you are probably used to the idea that it’s not very hard to get a meeting with an important person you don’t yet know. Whether it’s a company’s CEO, a hiring manager, or the head of a non-profit, you are just a few calls and e-mails away from a meeting. This isn’t so in a large city. Degrees of separation are further and the social walls are built much, much higher. Prepare for a long networking period.

It’s probably obvious by now that I’m a fan of smaller cities, like Memphis. When there are good jobs available, the list of talented, qualified candidates is shorter. It’s relatively easy to get meetings with important decision makers. And, at the end of the day, you may just be able to negotiate a bit more money.

Aside from Memphis, what other cities are viable options? I’m a big fan of cities that are around 1 M people in size, with downtown areas that are going through revitalization. Those cities are working harder than average to attract and retain talented workers. Most likely, their cost of living is less – and they may even pay you more.

Here are a few mid-sized cities to consider. These were ranked by Forbes as “The Best Small Cities for Jobs in 2014.” These were ranked based on employment data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They take into account recent growth trends, long-term growth, and the city’s momentum.

Bismarck, ND
Elkhart-Goshen, IN
Columbia, MO
St. George, UT
Greely, CO
Midland, TX
Auburn-Ophelika, AL
Naples-Marco Island, FL
College Station-Bryan, TX
El Centro, CA

This is a great list, but don’t just take my word for it. Check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Browse the US Census Data. Look at sites like EventBrite.com and Meetup.com to see what sorts of activities are going on. Read the local news. And whatever you do, go and visit! Seeing a place in person is nothing like reading about it online.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach

Happy Labor Day!

by Angela Copeland | Sep 1, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter

I hope you’re having a wonderful Labor Day holiday. A celebration of the American labor movement dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers, Labor Day is a tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the United States.

As workers, we take advantage of Labor Day by attending pool parties, grilling out, going to the beach, and spending time with our loved ones. It caps off two months of what is a time of holiday for many people.

Speaking of holidays, did you know that hiring slows during July and August? It does! As people go on vacation, companies naturally slow their hiring down. If you’ve tried to apply for a job in the past month or so, you probably know what I’m talking about. You may have received a few out of office messages, or not received feedback in a timely manner.

Great news though – September is the time when hiring picks back up again!

So, what do you need to do now to be sure you get back into the game as quickly as possible? If you’ve been waiting for hiring to pick back up, you’re probably hating your job, or may even be unemployed. The faster you can get back into the game, the sooner things will begin to look up.

Here are a few tips for making it count in September:

Get business cards. I’ve said it before and I will say it again – you need business cards. You never know when you’ll meet your next hiring manager. Print business cards and take them with you – everywhere. At a minimum, they should include your name, phone number, and e-mail address. Keep them simple, and avoid images.
Keep your resume up to date. You may need an updated resume tomorrow. Why not update it today? The longer you wait, the harder it is to recall the little details, like how much extra revenue you generated last year, or by just how much you exceeded your goal last month. Keeping your resume up to date keeps you in the game.
Stay up to date on what jobs are available. I have seen a huge influx of jobs in the past two weeks – even for those that are normally hard to find. Have you? If you haven’t, you probably haven’t been looking. Read my blog daily for some of the top jobs I’ve found, and keep your eyes on sites like Indeed for the full listing of what’s available.
Keep networking. Networking is not something just to do at the moment you need a job. It’s something to keep up with year round – whether you’re looking or not. Staying connected helps your network to know what you’ve been up to. It also keeps you in their minds when future opportunities pop up.
Apply online and follow up offline. Don’t just apply online. Sending your resume into the internet black hole is unlikely to land you your next job. Do the due diligence to apply online and then search for ways to follow up offline. It will increase your odds of winning that next offer.
Practice your pitch. One of the fist questions interviewers love to ask is, “tell me about yourself.” If you’ve practiced your elevator pitch, you’ll be a pro at explaining who you are, what you’re looking for, and why you’d be a perfect for their company. Stay sharp.
Get help. If you find yourself struggling, reach out. Whether you need help with your resume, your elevator pitch, or networking skills, there are coaches who can help you to ensure you’re bringing your A-game.
Don’t give up. The number one rule to job searching is: don’t give up. Your persistence will pay off. It just takes time.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach

Do you stand out in the crowd?

by Angela Copeland | Aug 25, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter

This weekend, I had the pleasure of speaking on the “Stand Out in the Crowd” panel at the YP Empowerment Conference in Memphis, Tennessee.

Led by Austin Baker, other panelists included Cedric Brooks, Latosha Dexter, and Adrian Davis.

The purpose of the panel was to discuss what may distinguish you in your career. What will make you stand out from the crowd? What will separate you from the hundreds of candidates who apply for a job?

Below are a few of the key takeaways from the discussion:

Personal Brand: It’s important to consider the characteristics that you’d like to represent yourself, and your personal brand. Which are the most important to you? For example, you may want to focus on being authentic and honest, on being a hard worker, on being a problem solver, or on having a positive attitude.
Social Media: You should carefully consider what you share on social media. Think of sharing on social media like you would think of a dinner party. You don’t know who may read your social media, so keep political, religious, and other possibly distracting views at a minimum while you’re job searching. Alternatively, increase your privacy settings, so only friends can see your posts.
LinkedIn: Always keep your LinkedIn profile up to date. LinkedIn can be a great place for recruiters and companies to FIND YOU. But, they will only reach out if your LinkedIn profile shares enough information to paint a picture about your expertise and the hard worker you are.
What to Wear: Dress for success. It’s important to know your audience. Keep your interview outfit professional looking and minimize distractions, such as loud colors and big jewelry. If you want to bring out your character, consider doing it in subtle ways, like your socks!
Excitement: It’s great to bring a certain level of enthusiasm with you to interviews. But, keep in mind that being too eager can scare potential employers away. Think of interviewing like dating and try to match the energy level of your interviewer.
Fitting In: No doubt, there will be times in your career when you stand out in not the best way. Maybe you’re the only woman or man on your team. Maybe your skills are different than everyone else. Whatever it is that makes you stick out, it’s important to do the work to get to know those around you. Although you shouldn’t have to bend (in theory), taking the time to connect and find common ground can help you in the long run.
Community Involvement: Non-profit boards can be a great way to get involved in your local community. They can also help you to boost your career. But, before you commit to another board, consider a few questions. Does this organization align to my personal values and career interests? What are the duties, and financial commitments required for this board? Am I able to fully commit to this board and these responsibilities?

As you can see, there are many different components to standing out in a crowd. Take your time and focus on one or two areas at a time. Select mentors and others to model your success after. Set goals, and constantly check in with yourself to stay on target.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach

5 signs it’s time to leave your job

by Angela Copeland | Aug 18, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter

One of the big questions professionals face today is whether or not to leave their job. The job market is tough, but finding happiness is often top priority. It’s always easier to find a job while you have a job, but sometimes you may wonder – is it really worth it?

There’s never been a more acceptable time to walk away without another offer in hand. Almost weekly, I hear about someone who has decided to quit, mid-career, and who plans to take time off to travel, go back to school, or just relax.

Have you hit the point of leaving? Different people have different tolerance levels. But, there are a few sure fire signs that it may be time to walk.

You are miserable every single day. In the morning, in the evening, and even on the weekend, you dread going in. In fact, Sunday is the worst. Your entire Sunday feels like torture as you wait for Monday morning to roll around.
Your self-esteem is suffering. You’ve forgotten who you are, and what makes you great. You’re starting to buy into the message that you’re not good enough or that something is wrong with you. You beat yourself up over small things.
Your boss crosses the line. Your boss is doing something that is, or should be, considered illegal. Whether that means physical advances, yelling, or throwing things, you no longer feel comfortable at work. In fact, sometimes you even feel unsafe.
The pressure makes you cry. Especially if you’re not normally an emotional person, if work is bringing you to tears, it may be time to consider hitting the road. This also goes for when your physical health is being impacted negatively in other ways.
Your boss is actively taking steps to show you they don’t value your work. For example, they may have cut your salary. They could have doubled your work load when a co-worker left with no end in sight. Maybe they insult you in front of your colleagues or belittle you in staff meetings. Whatever they’re doing – if they’re making a special effort to let you know you’re not valued, it may be time to move on. Just remember, someone else will value you and won’t treat you this way.

If you’re considering leaving your job before you have a new one, be sure you’ve thought through everything completely. Talk to a trusted source to get an unbiased opinion. The last thing you want is to react too quickly.

Take the time to review your personal finances. If you were out of work for six months to a year, would you survive? What if you had a major health or family complication? Is it more stressful to be financially uncertain or to continue to go to work at a job you loath?

If you decide to leave, keep your plans secret until you provide your notice to your boss. This will allow you to keep control over your personal situation for as long as you can.

When you give your notice, be sure you document everything in writing. This will ensure that you and your company are on the same page, and there are no misunderstandings.

Decide ahead of time how much notice you are willing to give. Standard notice before leaving a job is two weeks. In today’s work environment, many executives don’t even provide much more than this. Three or four weeks may be nice if your company begs you to stay longer. But, I caution against more than four weeks. Typically, employees who stay longer find that their last weeks were not properly used as a transition time. Eventually, they felt that they were becoming more of a team punching bag than anything else. Beware of this trap.

Whatever you decide to do, take care of yourself. Realize that nobody else can take care of your needs the way you can, and only you will know when you’ve hit your limit. Remember that you’re not alone – lots of people are going through what you are. And, by taking control over your situation, you will ensure it’s temporary.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach

Do you easily forget names? 5 simple steps to remember.

by Angela Copeland | Aug 11, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter

I have a confession to make: I’m terrible at remembering names. Can you relate to my dilemma? At parties and networking events, this can create big problems for you.

Many people take it personally if you don’t remember who they are, especially if they’ve met you more than once. This can present a challenge if you’re job searching, because in theory – you should be attending many networking events. And, networking means meeting new people – lots of them.

If you’re going to events that ask guests to wear nametags, this issue can be helped some. But, you will often meet people more than once. In a new context, it can be difficult to remember who’s who.

Below are my tips on how to remember names. If you follow these, people will think you’re a pro at remembering who they are.

Always carry business cards. Store them everywhere – in your bag, in your desk, and in your car. You never know when you might need one. If you don’t have a business card from work, order your own online. They can be basic with just your name, phone number, and e-mail address.
Exchange business cards with everyone you meet at networking events. It can seem awkward at first, but in time it will seem natural. When you offer your business card, the person you meet will be prompted to give you theirs (without you having to ask).
Bring a pen. Keep a pen in your jacket. When you have a quiet moment, take notes on the back of every business card you receive. You should take note of the date, the event where you met them, and any memorable details that you spoke about.
Organize your cards. Create a system, so that when you return home, you can easily access the business cards you’ve collected. I recommend getting clear plastic sheets that are made for business cards. They fit into 3 ring binders, and will allow you to see both sides of each card.
Review your cards. Before you attend your next big networking event, flip through your binder of business cards. Review the notes on the back of each card. This will keep everyone fresh in your mind.

If you follow these five simple steps, people will think you’re a pro at remembering names. After struggling with this issue for years, I was once introduced as “this is Angela – she has an amazing memory for names!”

Give it a try. The stress of remembering names will melt away, and you’ll be able to focus on the networking event and your job search.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland

@CopelandCoach