by Angela Copeland | Feb 1, 2017 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Financial
As you grow in your career, finding a new job can become harder and harder. One of the big reasons for this has to do with salary. If you think about it, when you first started working, you were open to just about any job and would happily take a tiny paycheck. But, as you’ve progressed in your career, your requirements have evolved.
One of the most challenging situations job seekers face is when they want to leave a job, but are financially unable to. There are two main reasons for this. First, the job seeker may live right up to their means. In other words, they may spend all of the money they make each month. Second, the job seeker may not have a safety net in the form of an emergency fund.
A job seeker with no emergency fund who needs every dollar to pay their basic bills feels trapped. The worst is when they’re being treated poorly at work – in a way that’s definitely not acceptable – but, they feel unable to change it. It can leave them feeling helpless, as if they’re being suffocated.
One of the best ways to protect yourself from feeling trapped is to do two things. If at all possible, scale back your fixed expenses. Then, take the extra money you’re saving each month and begin to put it into a savings account. That account will serve as an emergency fund. Ideally, it should have at least six months of living expenses in it. A savings account is recommended because it will be protected from market fluctuations.
Creating an emergency fund takes time and dedication. It’s not something you can do overnight, and it’s not easy. But, if you’re feeling stuck in a bad work situation, think about how much differently you might feel if you knew you had six months of living expenses in an account – just in case.
The benefits of an emergency fund can’t be overstressed. Having a backup plan gives you room to breathe, even if you never need it. And, that creates financial freedom. It gives you the power to walk away if you truly are being mistreated at work.
Along these same lines, when you land a new job that pays more, don’t immediately jump to increase your fixed monthly expenses. A new house or car may be tempting, but give yourself a chance to decide that you really like your new job first – and that they like you. The last thing you want is to have a job not work out, but you have new bills that require a higher income.
The bottom line is this. Things can (and will) go wrong at work. Any number of things could happen. You may get a bad boss. Your company may go through layoffs. But, if you manage your finances carefully, you’ll give yourself an out. And, in the end, you’ll create both breathing room – and emotional freedom – at your job.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Jan 31, 2017 | Advice, Podcast
Episode 121 is live! This week, we talk with Michelle Cho in Los Angeles, CA.
Michelle is the founder of Gladeo, a non-profit dedicated to bridging the gap between education and a career path The website offers students assistance in selecting a career path, choosing a major, and offers options on different entry level positions.
Today’s episode is geared for parents with young adult children struggling to find their path, and young listeners. Michelle shares why she believes it’s so hard to make the leap from education to career. She also shares information about how to begin to make the jump, and how to research different careers online.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Michelle and her organization Gladeo, check out her website at http://www.gladeo.org/. You can also find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/gladeo.org or on Twitter and Instagram at @gladeo_org.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching. Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
by Angela Copeland | Jan 30, 2017 | Advice, Newsletter, Remote Work From Home
Have you ever wanted a job where you can work from home, a coffee shop, or the beach? If so, you’re not alone. In just the past two years, searches for remote jobs have grown considerably.
Below is a graph that represents the growth in searches for work from home jobs on job website Indeed.com. As you can see, interest is going up fast.
This is great news, for both the job seeker and the company. Remote working allows the job seeker to do their job from any environment that works for them. It can be helpful for parents with small children, people who want to live in a specific area (where certain jobs may not exist), and for those whose spouse must relocate frequently for work.
Hiring remote workers allows the employer to have a broader base of applicants. And, if done right, the employer can save money on things such as office space.
I hope that in time, more and more remote jobs will be created. Very often, deciding whether or not to move to a new job’s new location is the biggest struggle the job seeker faces. Just think of how many more jobs you might be interested in if you didn’t have to move.
With that said, the question becomes — How do I find a remote job?
The honest answer is, there isn’t a perfect solution to this issue — yet. There are still many job postings out there listed as “remote” that aren’t as legitimate as you’d assume they are. Whatever you do, be sure to do your homework when it comes to remote jobs. You want to know as much as possible about the company in advance.
To find remote opportunities, search on sites like Indeed.com for jobs located in “remote” or “work from home.” This is what I mean:
Another option is to do research on companies that have entire departments that are remote. Some companies, including Bank of America, have entire departments that have employees working from home. This is a great situation, because you won’t be the odd man out when the entire department works remotely.
The last option (which is rarely thought of) is to pitch your current employer on the idea of you working remotely. Now, you do need to be careful with this option. You don’t want to give the impression that if the company doesn’t go along with your request, you’ll leave. But, I have seen multiple highly respected employees gain permission to work remotely at their current job. It allows the employee to relocate to another area, and to work from home. In the cases where it works, the employer is able to retain a great employee. And, the employee is able to have the personal flexibility they’re seeking.
If working from home is on your goal list, don’t stop looking. These jobs will continue to grow in the future. But, as I mentioned before, do your homework! It can be harder to tell a legitimate company from others in a remote environment.
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 | Jan 25, 2017 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Interviewing, Media, Unemployment
Questions around past legal trouble has come up multiple times recently, so it’s worth addressing. A reader writes, “I’m a job seeker with a felony record, and a college degree. I can’t expunge the record, and I’m not sure what to do. Where should I begin?”
First, I’m sorry to hear that this is a common issue being faced in the work world. It can be difficult both from the employee and employer perspective. One common scenario is someone who made a mistake at a young age who has learned from the experience, has grown up, and has moved on. Unfortunately, their past legal record has not.
In the competitive job market we’re in, even if those past issues should be in the past, they may still impact your ability to land gainful employment. People hire people, and people have biases. Given this challenging reality, here are a few tips if you find yourself in this situation.
First, check to be sure there’s no possible way to clear up your record. Then, begin to work on your job search strategy. Much like someone just starting their career, you will need to prove yourself to a future employer. And, one very good way to do that is through relationship building.
Start out with a list of potential employers. Consider targeting employers that are relatively small, so you may be able to connect with the owner, executives, or hiring managers more easily. Look for opportunities to network within these companies, and within your target industries. You want to get to know decision makers.
Consider volunteering your time in the community. Work on projects that demonstrate leadership, and personal growth. Include these accomplishments on your resume. They will help to build a positive brand, and show the person you are now.
The overall goal is this: Rather than be another number who applies online, you want to be someone the company already knows and trusts. If they know you, when they have a job available, they may even call you before the job is posted. You want to be someone they know can get the job done.
And, when asked about your past, be honest, but brief. Share as much information as the company needs, and if they ask more questions, answer them honestly. Then, explain how you have learned, grown, and moved on. The most important thing is that your future employer trusts you, and by being open and honest, you are more likely to build that trust.
This situation is a difficult one, but it’s not impossible. Remember that every job seeker has something in their past that worries them about getting a new job. It may be their age, their lack of a college degree, or something else. Rarely does anyone have a perfect background. I realize that this is more difficult than the other examples, but relationship building with decision makers can make it much easier. It make take more time and more effort, but it’s worth it in the end.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Jan 24, 2017 | Advice, Personal Brand, Podcast, Relocation, Working Abroad
Episode 120 is live! This week, we talk with Jenny Hargrave in Guildford, United Kingdom.
With over 15 years of experience, Jenny helps companies attract and retain sought-after talent in competitive sectors through her executive search firm. She also assists job seekers by helping them to develop a strong personal brand through their CV, professional profile, and face-to-fact interviews at her firm InterviewFit.
On today’s episode, Jenny shares her tips on how to build your personal brand, and how to prepare for a successful Skype interview. She also helps us to understand the concept of a ‘personal statement,’ and gives us tips for how to relocate from the U.S. to Europe for work.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Jenny and her company InterviewFit, check out her website at http://www.interviewfit.co.uk/.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching. Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
by Angela Copeland | Jan 23, 2017 | Advice, Cover Letter Writing, Newsletter
Have you ever heard of “Google stalking”? It’s this silly term used to describe researching someone on the internet. You may be surprised to know it, but chances are pretty good that your future boss is going to Google stalk you.
What I mean is this. Even though your boss has your awesome resume with all your qualifications, they want to know more. They want to see if your social media accounts show up, and what you’ve been posting. They want to know what else there is to know that’s not on your resume.
So, rather than wait to see what your future boss finds, do your homework. Research yourself. See what you come up with.
Search for your name with quotes (for example, “Angela Copeland”). Take a look at what comes up, both in the main Google search results, and in Google images.
Hopefully, everything that shows up will be perfect, and you’ll be proud of your search results. But, if this isn’t the case, you first want to be aware of what’s there.
Then, you have to decide if any negative results are directly in your control or not. For example, if your Facebook page shows up with a less than flattering party photo on the front page, you can update your Facebook page. If someone else with your same name has a habit of getting arrested, you may not be able to do anything directly about those search results. But, there’s power in just knowing what a future employer may see.
But, also know that you can indirectly impact negative results that appear. Digital marketers call the process of manipulating Google search results “search engine optimization” or SEO. One tactic to pushing down negative results is to generate more positive results. The more those positive results go up, the more negative results will go down.
Great examples of this are social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. If you’re posting regularly on social media, there’s a good chance your Facebook page may show up when someone searches for you. And, it could potentially displace a negative result that you don’t have control over.
Your personal brand extends far beyond what’s listed on your resume. The new “cover letter” (so to speak) is what’s showing up within the search results on Google. It’s the entire story of you, not just your professional career. Doing a little research of your own will help you to be prepared and put your best foot forward for your future boss.
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 | Jan 18, 2017 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Interviewing, Media
Interviewing for a job is an incredibly personal process – at least for the job seeker. If you’re looking for a new job, you know the frustration when a company doesn’t call you back. It stings like rejection. It can leave you reeling – wondering what’s wrong with you.
First, let me say that I don’t think companies truly understand what this experience is like. If they did, they would take the time to let you know when they’ve moved on to another candidate. They would thank you for the hours you put into their process. They would treat you like a person worthy of respect.
But, given the reality of things, this often doesn’t happen. So, let’s talk about why you may not have been hired. It may be less personal than you realize.
First, think back to how you applied for the job. Did you apply online? If so, it’s possible the hiring manager doesn’t know your name. That’s right. They may not know you have applied. That sounds counter to what companies are telling us when they say, “Apply online and if you’re a fit, we’ll call you.” But, put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager. If you were looking to hire someone, where would you start? Chances are good you’d think of people you know. Then, you’d look to friends to recommend their friends. You wouldn’t pay attention to online applications unless you didn’t have someone in mind.
If you were selected for an interview, and gave it your very best, you may wonder why you didn’t make it through to the end. Often, when a manager decides to hire a new employee, they have a candidate in mind. That person already works for the company and they can easily move into the new spot. They have experience and insider knowledge. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop the hiring manager from interviewing others. And, you can bet that in no interview will the hiring manager ever say to you, “We appreciate you coming. Unfortunately, this interview is for show. We already know who we’re really going to hire.” You have no way to know when this is happening.
One last reason you might have been hired – the job is not available. Of course, it was available at some point, but there are a number of situations where a job will be put on hold or canceled. For example, if the hiring manager is promoted, or leaves the company, the position may be put on hold. Typically, the company will want to backfill the hiring manager’s position first. Rarely will the company reach out to you to tell you the hiring manager has quit or was fired, so it’s doubtful that you’ll know this either.
As you can see, none of the things listed above are really about you. They aren’t about your experience or whether or not the hiring manager liked you. So, take heart. Keep applying, and keep networking. Eventually, you will hit one out of the park.
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
by Angela Copeland | Jan 17, 2017 | Advice, Headhunter, Podcast, Recruiter
Episode 119 is live! This week, we talk with Anne Lewis in San Francisco, CA.
Anne is the Director of Sales at Betts Recruiting. Betts Recruiting is a recruiting agency that partners with the most innovative and rapidly growing VC backed companies. They help these organizations scale their sales and marketing teams and partner to find their crucial hires. Their team is experienced in finding talent from VP level to recent graduates and everything in between.
On today’s episode, Anne shares her tips on how to increase our chances of working at a California tech startup. She also gives us advice on how to best work with a recruiter during our job search.
Listen and learn more! You can play the podcast here, or download it on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
To learn more about Anne and Betts Recruiting, check out her website at http://bettsrecruiting.com/meet-the-team/.
Thanks to everyone for listening! And, thank you to those who sent me questions. You can send your questions to Angela@CopelandCoaching.com. You can also send me questions via Twitter. I’m @CopelandCoach. And, on Facebook, I am Copeland Coaching. Don’t forget to help me out. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave me a review!
by Angela Copeland | Jan 16, 2017 | Advice, Headshot, LinkedIn, Newsletter
Let’s be honest. LinkedIn has become a critical part of your job search. It’s a wonderful place for a number of reasons:
- You can research companies you’re interested in
- You can find employees at a particular company, and possibly even the hiring manager
- You can stay in touch with your old colleagues, and they can write public recommendations for you about your work
- You can learn which jobs companies are hiring for
- You can apply quickly, and learn how many other people you’re competing against
If you’ve been hesitant to join LinkedIn, don’t try to resist. It’s not the same kind of social media as Facebook or Twitter. You need to be on LinkedIn. Your future hiring manager is looking for you there, and you need to represent yourself well.
One of the most important pieces of your LinkedIn profile is the most simple: the photo. It will make a first impression. Here are the things you need to know to make it great.
- Have a photo. I can’t tell you how many times I see a LinkedIn profile with no profile photo. You’ve got to have a photo to show people who you are. In my case, there are many people with the same name as me. It allows my contacts to pick me out from other Angela Copelands.
- Your profile photo should be a real photo of you. It should not be an artistic photo of a landscape. It shouldn’t be a cartoon of you. It shouldn’t be anything but a real live photo of you.
- Your profile photo should only be you. Just you. Not you and your date, you and your spouse, or you and your child. This site is made to represent your professional self. Unless you plan to take your date / spouse / child to work with you, keep them for your Facebook photo.
- Wear work friendly attire in the photo. Don’t wear anything too casual or too formal. Go with either business casual or business attire.
- Smile. Face the camera. Look approachable. Unless you work in a particularly creative field, this isn’t the time to make a statement.
- Use a recent photo. Although that photo taken twenty years ago might be completely flattering, it’s not current. Use a current photo. Show people what you actually look like.
You get the idea. Hiring managers are visual people. Do your homework and come up with a LinkedIn photo that represents you in the best light.
But, don’t be fooled into thinking you need an expensive headshot. A friend can easily snap a photo of you that will work great. But, do have a friend do it. Selfie profile photos aren’t appropriate for LinkedIn.
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 | Jan 11, 2017 | Advice, Career Corner Column, Media, Networking
The title of this column sounds a little strange at first glance. But, if you’ve ever tried to make friends as an adult, you know this is a big deal. And, it’s not just because it’s important to have friends. The friends you have as an adult can have a major impact to your career.
Just last week, I met with a job seeker whose best friend helped him to land a job at a large, well-known corporation. The friend was by his side through the entire interview process, giving tips along the way. There’s just absolutely no substitute for this.
The problem is, as children, friends are almost served up to us on a silver platter. First, we have friends from our homeroom class. When we begin to play sports or join scouts, we have friends there. In high school, there are extracurricular activities.
Even if you moved for college like I did, friends were provided. In fact, one of my best friends is someone I just happened to live down the hall from in our freshman year dorm in Upstate New York.
So, what are you to do when you’ve moved to a new place as an adult? Honestly, it can be tricky and it takes time. It feels more risky than as a child because you aren’t guaranteed to spend much time together forming bonds with your new friends.
But, let’s start with where to look. Great sources of new contacts are social groups and special interest clubs. To find these groups, look on sites like Meetup.com. They often share calendars of public events. You can also look up cooking classes, and dance classes. I’ve even signed up for a car repair class before. It’s typically completely acceptable (if not normal) to show up alone. If you sign up for a group that has recurring meetings or classes, you’ll be more likely to form longer lasting bonds.
Once you’ve found a few people you’d like to know better, make an effort to connect outside of the activity where you originally met them. Invite them for coffee, or beer. Ask them if they’d like to help organize a bowling or trivia team. The more you can schedule regular visits, the closer you’re likely to become.
As an adult, one challenge you’ll face with these steps is that many people are already booked up. This is normal and it becomes more normal the older you get. People only have so much free time and the more pre-existing commitments they have (such as children and a spouse), the less available they will be. Keep your eye out for other people who have also relocated to your city. They are much, much more likely to be facing the same issues you are and are struggling to find adult friends.
Taking the time to connect with others as an adult is not only fun and good for your social life, it will help you professionally, so don’t give up – and know that you’re not alone!
Angela Copeland is CEO and founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
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