The opportunity to talk never came.  He only asked one question, “Why should we hire you?”  What do you think she should have done?  The interviewer was clearly conservative, and had set opinions on how women should behave.  If Janice had foribly taken control of the conversation, do you not agree he would have reacted defensively.  Sadly, in the end, he would most  likely make his decision based on the looks of the applicant, how intenlty they listened, and their resume.  Clearly a case where body language is going to play a key role.

On the other hand, should Janice want to work for a law firm that apparently lets its laywers exercise questionable practices?  A job’s a job, isn’t it?  In these hard time you can’t be choosey.  Besides, some of life’s best lessons are learned in the muddy trenches, if you can sort the dirt out.

Janice had to make a concious decision to let the interview slip away.  When you are faced with this situation, yah best be ready with a plan.  You can use “parlor” tricks like dropping your portfolio and making enough of a ruccuss retrieving it that you can interject comments about yourself during the breif hecitation that would follow your slip up.  Interupting with a simple “excuse me, but…” may show the interviewer you’re not a push over who is going to just sit there while the opportunity melts away. 

I’d be interested in hearing what you have to say, but in my book Janice should go for it and take control.  Be respectful, but powerful when making suue your story is heard.

In continuation of the Follow the Money series of 5 Channels to Unadvertised Jobs (Preamble, Initial Public Offerings, Mergers & Acquisitions, Growth Companies, and Start-Up Businesses), consider ALL Industry Changes as sources to find an Unadvertised Job. 

Job leads constitute ANY industry or occupational change.  To capitalize on these leads you must be open to looking at the “same ‘ol news” through a different set of lens, even when it is perceived to be negative.  The following are ideas to consider that will help broaden your imagination to unlimited unadvertised jobs:

Promotions.  When one person is promoted there is usually a vacancy left behind.  In most local newspapers (online and/or delivered to your door) there is usually a section in the local news to include people on the move.  Check out this area to identify a potential unadvertised job.

New Hires.  Don’t look at this news as “dag-nab-it somebody got the job I wanted.”  But, here again, when one person moves into a new company, they are typically leaving another, and stirring up that company’s chain of command. 

Mass Layoffs.  Yes, it is true that there is an opportunity during this time; however it may be just a bit more challenging.  Look at the reason why there is a mass layoff.  Did this company lose a major contract?  Are you a business development person that excels in capturing new business?  Put on your sales hat and prove to this company (that is in jeopardy) that you can bring the business back to them.  Can this company afford NOT to hire you?  Go to Daily Job Cuts – Layoff News (http://www.dailyjobcuts.com/) for current listings on mass layoffs.

Violations/Complaints.  In most industries there are complaints, violations, and etc.  Are you an expert in solving issues?  Complaints/violations are widely published on the internet.  That being said, use the internet as a resource to aid you in researching problem areas such as environmental issues (http://www.epa.gov/), or OSHA violations (http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/foia/hot_17.html), or pretty much any area or industry that is open to criticism, evaluation, or audits.  Be the problem solver.

Once you have identified the change and how you “fit”, perform a comprehensive research on the company including competition, challenges and etc., and then compose a proposal on how you can be the solution to their issue(s).  Yes, this does take more effort than just waiting for the job to magically appear on the job board.  But, by using this method, chances are greater for you to align your skills with your goals and ultimately have a career specifically created for you.

Now it is your turn.  What news have you heard lately that just might be hiding an unadvertised job opportunity?

Thank you for joining our “Follow the money” series.  We look forward to hearing from you on how you have used these creative ideas to find your unadvertised job, and how you have beat the competition to the job and career that was waiting for you.

In continuation of the Follow the Money series of 5 Channels to Unadvertised Jobs (Preamble, Initial Public Offerings, and Mergers & Acquisitions), do not rule out Start-up Businesses as a source to find an Unadvertised Job. 

Whether it is your own garage-based business you finally decide to venture into, or join forces with a business that is in their beginning stage (such as a new manufacturing plant opening or a new service coming into your city), enter into the venture with your eyes wide open to all of the facts.  There is an extremely high rate of failure in start-ups; estimates range between 75% and 90% failure within the first 5 years. 

Most Start-Up Businesses are initially self-funded and cash-strapped; therefore it is important to understand your risk as a job-seeker.  Due to the high-rate of failure, be knowledgeable about your risks ahead of time.  Ask to see the company’s business plan to make sure they have a sound strategy.  Conduct comprehensive research in finance, legal, competitors, marketability, and of course ROI. 

Oftentimes, these start-ups do not succeed as a direct result of mismanagement-not because the product or service was a failure.  As a job-seeker, what could you bring to the table to ensure profitability?  This is your selling point to the start-up business! Be prepared to put in some sweat equity.  However, protect your time/labor investment with an employment contract drawn up to allow you a percentage of future profits. 

Many cities have “incubators” to house start-up businesses and to aid in shared research, technology and expenses, therefore reducing the entrepreneurs’ costs and maximizing the rate of sustainability.  These “incubators” typically have an upward of 80%+ long-term success.  An excellent site to visit for more information is National Business Incubator Association http://www.nbia.org/.

The Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/ (SBA) is a government program developed to support small businesses (e.g. federally backed loans). Additionally, they have consulting partners to strengthen and protect the foundation of a start-up (e.g. SCORE).

Stay tuned to the final chapter of the “Follow the money” series and beat the competition to the job and career that is waiting for you.

Recently I expressed that job-seekers in pursuit of new careers ought to follow the money to unearth Unadvertised Jobs.  In continuation of the Follow the Money series of 5 Channels to Unadvertised Jobs (Preamble, Initial Public Offerings, and Mergers & Acquisitions), I will now be divulging why Growth Companies should be added to the unadvertised job bucket, as they supply an outstanding opportunity to strike while the opportunity is hot!

With a 15% or hirer return on equity, high-growth organizations tend to be leaders in their industry.  They have a reputation of retaining exemplary executive leadership skilled in driving change.  As a rule, these leaders look to surround themselves with like professionals who can cut the pace.  While Growth Companies are prime places to provide attainable career growth, a job seeker must offer a strong expertise in driving successful operations to differentiate themselves as a needed commodity.

The World Economic Forum’s Community of Global Growth Companies (http://www.weforum.org/) is an exclusive “members only” organization that drives economic growth through shared knowledge and best practices.  The knowledge of global high-growth companies shared on this website would benefit a job seeker wishing to play a vital role in contributing to corporate advancement.

Additional resources include:

CNN Money Global 500 (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2011/)

Inc500/5000 (http://www.inc.com/inc5000/welcome)

U.S. Department of Defense (http://www.defense.gov/contracts/)

StreetInsider (http://www.streetinsider.com/)

Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/)) 

MSN Money (http://money.msn.com/)

Yahoo! Finance (http://us.biz.yahoo.com/topic/m-a/)

Welforum (http://www.weforum.org/community/global-growth-companies

As with IPOs, and M&As, once you have discovered the Growth Company that you are interested in, research the company via LinkedIn, Spoke, Google (or your favorite browser), and/or Hoovers to identify Key Decision Makers’ (KDM) names, and write a personal letter to this KDM outlining your experience and skills, and most important, your successes that are relevant to their upcoming needs. Make your destiny happen. 

Stay tuned to Channel IV of the “Follow the money” series and beat the competition to the job and career that is waiting for you.

In continuation of the Follow the Money series of 5 Channels to Unadvertised Jobs (preamble – and Channel I:  Initial Public Offerings), I conveyed that job-seekers in pursuit of new careers ought to follow the money to unearth Unadvertised Jobs.  Today, I will be revealing why you should not rule out Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) in your job search journey.

Buying, selling, dividing and combing sections of different companies are components of corporate strategy in forming well-built enterprises.  Like IPOs, the benefits of M&As vary to a large extent from financial stability to minimizing their competition, growing a product/service line, increasing branding exposure, to merging technology, resources and human capital.

As a direct result of M&As, there are oftentimes drastic alterations, including heavy workforce turnover at all levels of both companies involved.  A recent study has indicated that most companies experience a loss of over 20% of top executive management following an M&A. These transformations include planned and unplanned management loss.  Additionally, the tried and true labor staff starts to develop paranoia in that their jobs may also be eliminated, so they start to look for a new opportunity, possibly blindsiding the new company and leaving an unexpected job opening. 

Particularly during a hostile takeover, the company may discover a need for strong unbiased management that has the proven capability of damage control, integrating teams, and creating a cohesive environment.  Therefore, it makes good sense to look in the M&A bucket for unadvertised jobs.

As a job-seeker with thick skin to embrace change, make an effort to research the following links to discover where M&As are and where an opportunity that has not yet been advertised may exist. 

TechWire Media Group (http://www.techwiremedia.com/) As one of my personal favorites, this can be set up to come into your daily/weekly email.

Additional resources include:

Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/finance/deals/mergers) 

The Online Investor (http://www.theonlineinvestor.com/mergers/)

Yahoo! Finance (http://us.biz.yahoo.com/topic/m-a/)

StreetInsider (http://www.streetinsider.com/portal/M+and+A+Insider/1.html)

As with IPOs, once you have discovered the M&A that you are interested in, research the company via LinkedIn, Spoke, Google (or your favorite browser), and/or Hoovers to identify Key Decision Makers’ (KDM) names, and write a personal letter to this KDM outlining your experience and skills, and most important, your successes that are relevant to their upcoming needs. Make your destiny happen. 

 Stay tuned to Channel III of the “Follow the money” series and beat the competition to the job and career that is waiting for you.

As promised in the preamble, I will be conveying 5 Channels to aid job-seekers in pursuit of Unadvertised Jobs.  The first of these channels to follow are Initial Public Offerings.

Following the money, IPOs provide an immense source of money movement on a daily basis inUnited States, as well as worldwide.  They are developed with the purpose to raise money through a pool of investors, providing capital directly to the organization for growth or repayment of a dept.

Once a company is listed, it then has the ability to issue additional shares by means of a secondary offering, thereby again providing itself with further capital for expansion without incurring any debt. This ability to quickly raise large amounts of capital from a very diverse market is the primary reason many companies look for ways to go public.

Simply put, with the ability to quickly raise large amount of funds, IPOs provide an excellent opportunity for an individual to bring a specific talent to an organization.   As a job-seeker, recognize the IPOs that are within your industry or knowledge using the following resources: 

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcurrent).  Everything you want to know about securities, but afraid to ask, you will find in Edgars.  For first time users this site it may seem a bit intimidating, but go ahead and explore it to your heart’s content.  It’s free information that not only carries the companies’ information and addresses, but as a bonus, it has the key decision makers’ names as well.  The worst that could happen is you walk away with greater knowledge of specific industries in the world, and can walk into an interview informed of current news.

TechWire Media Group (http://www.techwiremedia.com/) one of my personal favorites!

IPO Center: InvestorScopes (http://www.investorscopes.com/IPOCenter.aspx).  On the top right side of the page you will notice a link for free “Real Time Alerts” for proposed IPOs.  You can set up this notification tool to be directed to your email for daily or weekly updates.

IPO Scoop.com (http://www.iposcoop.com/index) has in-depth information including the most recent buzz and is free for first time subscribers or $150/year.

Additional resources include:

Wikinvest (http://www.wikinvest.com/wiki/Initial_Public_Offering_(IPO))

CNN Money (http://money.cnn.com/markets/ipo/)

Yahoo!Finance (http://biz.yahoo.com/ipo/)

Once you have discovered an IPO that you are interested in, research the company via LinkedIn, Spoke, Google (or your favorite browser), and/or Hoovers to identify Key Decision Makers’ (KDM) names, and write a personal letter to this KDM outlining your experience and skills, and most important, your successes that are relevant to their upcoming needs.

Stay tuned to Channel II of the “Follow the money” series and beat the competition to the job and career that is waiting for you.

“Follow the money, always follow the money.”   The famous quote derived from the anonymous source known as “Deep Throat” in the 1970’s Watergate investigation of political corruption practices is the key to finding unadvertised jobs today.

Generating meaningful leads prior to jobs being advertised will distinguish yourself from your competition. It will allow the company to get to know you on a more personal level vs. mass pandemonium in sorting through thousands of resumes once a position is open.  This technique is also one of the primary methods to create jobs which are specific to the job-seeker.

In the upcoming weekly series, I will walk you through 5 channels to help you identify movement within companies, demonstrate how you can have many of these leads arrive directly in your email bucket, and of course, what to do with these leads once you have recognized them.

Stay tuned to the “Follow the money” series and beat your competition to the job and career that is waiting for you.

BUT you DO need to have multiple variations of your resume that are customized to EACH AND EVERY job that you apply to.

On most professional resumes you begin with a basic palette having 5 main components: 1) Objective, 2) Core Skills, 3) Key Achievements, 4) Work History, and 5) Education.

Your base resume (most of the time) will not be changed too drastically no matter what job you apply to.  On this basic palette be sure to include ALL of your detailed past history and quantifiable successes.  Create a Resume Folder in “My Documents” and save this resume as “BaseResume.doc.”  In most circumstances this will be your basic canvas.

When applying to a job, start out by opening up the Base Resume and save it under Title.CompanyName.Date (example:  ProjectEngineer.ABCInc.Sept92011.doc.)  This creates a new document, while at the same time keeps you organized.  Tip:  Take this time to also copy and save the job description in a Word document so that you will have it for future reference, such as following up or preparing for an interview.

Now comes the customizing to create a resume that is tailored to the job.  The top third of the page is where a Key Decision Maker looks first.  Crucial concentration should be focused in this area.  Don’t make the KDM dig to find out if you fit their needs.  Chances are that if they have to dig, your resume will end up in the circular file never to be seen again.

Open up the resume and the job description that you just saved.  Review the job description, and modify your Objective to fit your experience relevant to the job title that is being advertised.  Likewise, personalize the Core Skills section to your talents that the job description states are needed using industry or job related specific terms to capture keyword filters.  Revise the Education area to include any specialized training you have that would be significant to this position.

A considerable amount of weight in reviewing a resume is influenced by your Key Achievements.  Spend time in making sure that this area really speaks to the job description and highlights your successful and relevant achievements.  Devote several bullets to this section.  Read between the lines.  If the job description mentions the ability to work under pressure, you can almost bet that there is an issue that needs to be immediately addressed.  Instead of writing “ability to work under stress,” write of your experience during a specific stressful situation, what you did to get the situation under control, and the quantifiable end results.  Paint the picture with your words for them to visualize how you can bring the same talent to this new position.

Now for the final touch.  Go through your work history of your new resume and remove bullets that do not apply, or at least rearrange the bullets so that the most important items relevant to their needs are on top.  You may even give it a special touch and underline key areas that you don’t want the KDM to overlook.  And of course, eliminate antiquated information that is no longer pertinent.

As an artist needs only one palette, you need only one base resume.  But from this resume (or canvas) you must paint the detailed picture for each job.  The extra time that you spend matching your qualifications and successes to the job description will be well worth it when the phone starts ringing.

How many resumes do you have?

When I began writing this article, I admit, I was a little hungry.  It reminded me of how similar planning a meal is to looking for a job in a tight market.

• Basic Recipe:  One practical job search tip in keeping motivated is to plan out your 8-5 day by creating a weekly calendar of “to do” activities.  One might call these activities your grocery list.  Include the fundamental time for job-board searches, direct marketing and research.  Keep a grocery list of your weekly activities and check them off when completed to boost your sense of accomplishment.
• Flavor:  Then add a little flavor by staying current in your industry.  Schedule and attend a couple of community network meetings every week, such as Chamber of Commerce, or an industry related gathering. 
• Spice:  Kick it up with scheduled network time.  65-75% of your calendar should be planned with this vital ingredient.  Although the internet has made this chore so much easier with online social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and etc.), nothing surpasses face-to-face time.
• Sweetener:  Schedule an hour or two during your week to give back.  Volunteer to assist with a local charity group.  Get involved.  Besides this activity being a great internal network with a broad array of board members (who are Key Decision Makers in the corporate world), it is a great way to stimulate the juices of once again being needed, and furnish you with the warm fuzzy to stay motivated.
• Bam:  Take advantage of being home.  Put away the job search and spend time with the family in the evenings and weekends.  Plan interactive time such as board games, helping with homework, going to the park, and visiting the neighbors.  Savor the moments.  This is special time that makes it all worthwhile.
• Smell the Aroma:  As the above ingredients are simmering, use your nose to sniff out current news articles relevant to your industry and locate businesses that are experiencing changes.  This is your key to investigate a possible niche for you to do a little direct target marketing.
• Taste:  A good cook needs to be able to taste the brew.  The same goes for a good job searcher needing to develop an understanding of what flavors and spices are working best.  Follow up on your activities with phone calls and schedule one-on-one meetings with Key Decision Makers.

Rather than throwing in the apron, or moping around in your bathrobe, shake up your routine recipe.  Stir the above mixture until it sizzles to find your right motivational flavor!  Stay hopeful, after all, a Zero Job Growth Market is slightly better than a Negative Market!

We would enjoy hearing from you.  Please share your “recipe” with our readers on tips of how you have stayed positive in this down economy.

This cartoonist believes as many job interviewers do.  After a while workers stop innovating by believing in their past performances.  Workers who have used successful methodologies tend to rely on those in future situations.  Experience helps guide the way in new or repetitive endeavors. 

Research I read years ago segmented workers into groups.  Employees with 18 plus years on the job were cataloged as set in their ways and that they believe the organization can’t live without them.  As a group, they are hard to satisfy because they remember the old days, when things were better.

Human Resource managers often brand the experienced worker as self-reliant and knowledgeable, but resistant to change with a total loss of all ability to innovate.  Contrast this with the complaint by many experienced workers claiming there is a lot of age discrimination out there.  Just because it is true that jobs are going to younger workers, doesn’t mean it is age discrimination.  The correlation between the two facts is not necessarily that one causes the other.  My discussions with HR people sets the top three causes as:

1. Experience interferes with innovation.

2. Experienced workers get complacent and lack the drive of younger workers.    

3. Experienced workers long for the days of two martini lunches when we had plenty of staff and live personal assistants (secretaries).

You can’t do anything to convince the hiring managers your age isn’t what it is.  That’s a solid undisputable fact.  Knowing the real reason for reluctance to hire the experienced worker is key to creating a communication plan that turns these objections into assets.   Include in your resume, cover letter, elevator speech, and personal brand vitality in the future by building on the past. 

7 phrases and key words you can use to show innovation on your resume and personal brand.

• ·         continuous learning
• ·         adoption of new processes
• ·         Ability to synergize raw talent with experienced staff resulting in many new creative solutions.
• ·         Revamped processes to incorporate concepts of social media to improve team communication.
• ·         Explored adoption of new processes that resulted in ..
• ·         Consistently question the standardized methodology to ensure  …
• ·         Incorporated new members into established teams to ensure vibrant examination of …
• ·         Challenged
• ·         I want to join a team where my experience can pull together brilliant ideas to create a better way of ….