Jackie Cameron - Coaching and Communication

Job hunters need to be smarter than ever to find the few jobs that are around when they are looking. The traditional newspaper and journal job adverts, along with online recruitment sites are a good place to start and  here  are some suggestions of how to use social networking online to support the search.

1 Make sure your professional profile is up to date no matter what sites you use

Always keep in mind that Google ( and other search engines) might find your Facebook/Linkedin/Twitter activity and you have to take advantage of that! There is nothing worse than searching for someone and finding an incomplete profile - or a dormant one! So take a look at what you are currently saying about yourself and give it a bit of polish.

2 Keep your CV live and visible on Linkedin

Linkedin makes it really easy for you. Just follow the steps and hey presto you have their equivalent of a CV.  Of course when you are applying for a job you should tailor your CV or application to fit the description but a generic Linkedin profile might just be the route to your next employer finding you without having to go to the “market”. Keep it short and relevant. Use language that fits with the sector you are or want to be in. Mention strengths that would appeal to a potential employer in a way that will cross over sectors ( ie leaving out the jargon) if you are looking to transition into something new!

Remember to keep it up to date - especially if you have a series of fixed term contracts. Linkedin highlights changes in your profile to your contacts which might just be the prompt they need to either get back in touch or mention you to someone they know that is looking for someone just like you.

3 Want to work in a specific sector or for a particular company - use your network for research

In a recent Radio 4 programme working with people who had lost their jobs one of the mentors was working with a guy who had been in IT but had always really wanted to be a teacher. The mentor asked him if he knew any teachers - and on checking his network he remembered that he had a couple of friends with teacher partners. The next suggestion was that he ask them for suggestions about how he might get into teaching. People like to help .  In the next programme he had been invited into a school to see for himself what it felt like and given links to where to get more information.

4 Build your credibility by answering questions

Linkedin has a question and answer section. If you feel you have something valuable to add do it! It will show up that you answer questions and indeed your contribution might even be ranked “best answer” . People ask questions all the time on Twitter . Do a Twitter search on topics you know about and then offer your advice or your knowledge too.  If they like what you say they will probably tell their friends. And other people will see you do it…

5 Make connections for others  when you can

This works when you do it honestly and without an agenda. You have people in your network - friends/contacts- that possibly could work together  so you make the introduction - and stand back to see what happens. When someone does you a good turn - genuinely  - you know how much you want to repay that kindness.

6 Talk about what you are up to - especially if you have a gap between jobs

This might seem counterintuitive - do you really want a future employer to know that you have been out of work? That works on the assumption that there is some sort of shame in not having a job. Many people who find themselves in that situation try to cover it up and miss out on reflecting on what they learned about themselves during what is a difficult time.

Clearly if you spend your time watching daytime TV between visits to the Job Centre you will have less to talk about than if you have done some volunteering. Think long and hard about everything you have done to fill the day and reflect on what that tells you about your approach, attitude and application….and log it on your profile at the time.

7 Ask for help

Following on from 3 above - think about what help you need and ask friends and contacts for  it.  Ask them to put you in touch with someone who can help answer questions, point you to useful web links, make introductions, highlight useful events.

And  - seriously - consider the impact of these

8 Review pictures online that include you

You may not like it but it is a fact of life - your private life as it is presented on your social networking sites is open to be seen by whomever you give permission and this includes potential employers. So take a look at the pictures available on your own pages and those tagged by others and do either a clean up or make them private  -  at least for  the duration of your job search.

9 Mind your language

Four suggestions here

First - if you are in the habit of swearing in your comments on Twitter or Facebook - while you are searching for a job think about how that might come across to a potential boss ( similar theme as pics)

Second - big yourself up. You are not “quite” good at something - simply “good” works.  Think about the difference removing “some” in front of “experience” has .

Third - don’t use text or online speak…

Four - never ever badmouth your current ( or indeed former) employers online. Disloyalty is not usually a good selling point!

A final suggestion

10 Saying thank you

Thank - and be seen to thank - anybody and everybody that has helped you. The people who have helped you will like it and others will admire gratitude as an attractive attribute!

Remember there can be no guarantees in job hunting but you owe it to yourself to give what you do your best shot.And when you do get that precious interview for the ideal job think about your preparation for that .  

I offer coaching for interviews, workshops and coaching for using social networking and advice and guidance on CVs and job applications. Get in touch for more information   jackie@consultcameron.com

I was working with the management students on Friday. The day was spent looking at recruitment and selection and we spent quite some time discussing the essential and desirable skills and experience of jobs that the students would typically have in their organisations.  This in turn led us to look at how to structure a job application form and this made me think.

The previous day I was speaking with a colleague and she mentioned that she was scoring the application forms she had received for a recently advertised post.  She was bemused by how many people either don’t answer the question asked on the form and if they do how they answer it with irrelevant information. She explained the points sorting process which went something like

3 points for everything asked for

1 for some of what was asked for

0 for no mention or clarity on what was asked for!

The criteria for inviting to interview was supported by the scores. A simple and effective way of sorting out a handful of candidates from hundreds of applications.

We did discuss why someone would go through the process at all if they didn’t have all of the “essential” requirements. I have to admit that I have encouraged clients to include the best fit of their experience to meet that requirement - and leave the judgement up to the recruiter.  But you must always always always  - answer the question.

A couple of years ago I applied for the Business Manager role in a local school. I had never seen such a huge list of essential and desirable skills and realised that it was unlikely that any one person would have equal experience in them all so made my experience fit with what was being asked as far as I could. I did not start any section though with ” I have no experience in this..” but I really worked hard at applying what I did know to each section appropriately. I got an interview and clearly my answers there satisfied the interviewers as I got the job.

My lawyer colleagues used to talk about something “being silent” in a document - ie it was not mentioned so decisions had to be made in absence of the information ( please  - if you have a better explanation let me know!). But staying silent on an application form makes no sense.  As they would say in Eurovison - nul points!

So here’s some advice that might stop your application end up at the bottom of the pile

• Be systematic - have the job and person specifications beside you as you work.
• Answer all of the questions
•  Use the key words they use in your answers .
•  And use the “any other information” wisely to highlight what else you would like the recruiter to know about you.

And get the suit to the cleaners and the shoes to the cobblers so that you are ready …

Twice in the past few weeks clients have told me that they missed out on the job they went for and in the feedback they were told that it had gone to an internal candidate. Both of them felt a mixture of disappointment and annoyance that they had gone to the trouble of applying when  it seemed most likely that an internal candidate would always stand a better chance.  After all the recruiters already know the quality of their work - and the candidate already knows the business well ensuring that the answers they give hit the mark.

Now I can’t make up my mind if it is as cut and dried as that . Nor can I decide whether the person giving the feedback needs to say so. 

On the other hand some time ago another client applied for an internal promotion. It was the organisation’s policy to open the application process up externally. She had already been “acting” in post for a while and - by all accounts - was doing a grand job . She understood the rules but  felt that having to apply for a job she had already proved she could do was just a bit  - well - insulting I guess. She did get the job and the feedback she got was that - unless one of the other candidates was truly outstanding - that would always have been the case. And that made me angry. Because to me that  meant that my client had jumped through hoops to make sure some boxes could be ticked and the other applicants had been treated disrespectfully as they were really there to make up the numbers.

I hold up my hand - I am taking a biased view on this issue as I care about all of the people  I mentioned. So please help me out here and share your own stories.

We are in the middle of a worldwide economic crisis. It is difficult to predict what is going to happen from day to day. There have been lay offs already and for many others there is a real possibility of losing their jobs. In view of this it seems likely that there will be a slowdown in certain sectors of the job market and more people looking for a new job.

OK - how does that opening help you if you have come to this post for some advice on leaving a job you hate?

Well I have coached enough people to know that the chance of turning a job round into something good is rarely totally hopeless. In a bouyant job market many people will opt to take their chances by jumping ship but it is worth thinking about frying pans and fires at the same time.

So before you make any decisions here are some tips for appraising where you are right now

I want to start by thinking about the positives.

Spend some time reflecting on

• what first attracted you to the job you are in?
• in what areas has it lived up to expectations?
• what have you achieved? Any surprises?
• what opportunities have you had ? What were the outcomes?
• who do you work best with?
• when did you last feel happy at work - what was going on?
• what have you celebrated with your team?
• what have you learned about yourself?

Now think about what you are not happy with

• when did you realise you were not happy? Was there a trigger?
• who have you found it hard to work with and why is that?
• how have you negotiated your salary package - what input did you have?
• how do you  approach the management of your workload?

Now looking at the positives and the negatives together

• do you have a clear(er) idea of what you are looking for and what is stopping you from getting it?
• who can help with the issues that are turning your current situation bad?
• if there are problems with working relationships do you understand your impact on this?
• can you take steps to change how you react to situations that are currently making you unhappy?

You might work through these suggestions and still feel that the only option for you is to move on. Or you might find something that might help you find another, better solution where you are.

It might help to work through these questions with a friend or trusted colleague. Articulating your feelings out loud can be very helpful. Ask them to listen though and not to offer solutions.

Or you could consider working with a coach to help you work this out. If so - get in touch.

jackie@consultcameron.com

07775 823862

I spoke to a lady in her mid 30s the other day who told me that she had applied for another job outside of the organisation she had been with since she left school. A friend had pointed her to the vacancy advert and said that it was made for her. The lady herself was not so sure but thought that there was no harm in applying “just to see” and, much to her surprise , she had been invited to interview. She was now panicking. “I have not been for an interview in nearly 20 years and I don’t remember much about it - except that I was really nervous. ”

Before I started working with her I made one thing clear. Interviewers often have an “ideal person” in mind for the vacancy. If your CV has got you  to the interview you  must have met the qualifications  and job specification requirements. Decisions about you - who you are and what you have to offer as a person and potential member of a team - will be made when they meet you. In the short time that you will be together it is crucial then that you present yourself in a way that shows you at your best!

OK  - that might appear obvious but you would be surprised how many people go into and interview thinking that they will be just asked about work and and the task. Good interviewers will ask questions which will give them a whole lot more than that.

So let me help with some tips for preparation. Think about

1. what you are really good at in your current role - especially if these skills are crucial in the new job - and provide evidence eg feedback from your manager or clients
2. what you particularly enjoy doing at work.
3. whether you like to take on quirky projects or  prefer the routine.
4. the changes and development in your current job. How did they come about ( promotion or did you seek them out?) and what were the benefits  - for you and your employer.
5. how you are in a team. If you have worked in many different teams what have you noticed about your role?  How do you contribute?
6. what you do outside of work which might benefit your employer eg any volunteering work, teaching/tutoring.
7. how you are working to deadlines or in a crisis. 

These are just some suggestions to get you thinking.

You will probably be asked to tell stories. Questions might go something like  ” We work to tight deadlines. Tell us about a time where your contribution made the difference to meeting a deadline or not” or  “Depending on what our clients want we create teams to meet their needs. Tell us about a time when you took on a role in a team that worked really well or was particularly challenging”.

There is nothing more disappointing for an interviewer than when a candidate cannot tell their own story. 

I offer coaching for interview ( face to face locally and by phone) which includes this sort of preparation and if you want more details just get in touch. You might be happy talking it through with an objective family member or good friend. Whatever you do though - focus on your positives - and emphasise them. You may be asked about what you think is your greatest weakness ( though personally I think this is a bad question…) so be prepared to tell the interviewer about something that you are working hard on improving not that you have just given up on. Another favourite is ” where do you think you will be in  5 years time?”. I know that this will depend on many things but it might be a good idea to do some dreaming and forward planning?

And some practical things 

• get details of the format of the interview if they are not included in the invitation letter
• think about what you are going to wear and polish your shoes, tidy your hair and make sure your nails are clean and tidy!
• practice your handshake  - and your smile

And finally - if you are not offered the job - ask for feedback. If there is a glaringly obvious reason ie you insulted the interviewer you will know why but small things can make a difference and it is good to know to bear it in mind next time.