How to Get a Letter of Reference

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For those of you who have never done so, asking for a letter of reference isn’t a big deal. First, however, you need to decide which of your contacts will be a) the most appropriate and b) the most approachable.

As a general rule, the further they get up the career ladder, the busier they’re likely to be, and to be asked to serve as a reference could well be seen as an imposition on their already overcrowded schedule.

If college is a not too distant memory for you, you should ask one of your professors to serve as a reference for you.  If the position for which you’re applying requires an actual letter of recommendation, you’d be better off if you picked a staff member in the humanities who finds the task of writing a pleasant one. (Most engineering, science, mathematics, and technology folks tend to be allergic to the written word anyway!)

Alternatively, if you don’t have someone to whom you can readily turn in academic circles, another good bet is to think of someone in your neighborhood, community or church who knows you well and can attest to the fact that you are a worthy person. (Of course, it would help greatly if she/he had some personal knowledge of you: perhaps you babysat their children, or mowed their lawn or helped them put together a bake sale.

Whatever the context is in which you know them, they should be able to address not only your capabilities, but your personality, morals and ethics as well. To help the process along, you will want to provide them with a copy of your resume—even as limited as it may be—so that they can ask you about some of the things you’ve done and get a better idea of your competencies.

If they can relate an experience they had with you during which they came to know your skills, work style, and values, so much the better. An employer will be looking to ascertain whether you will be a good ‘fit’ in his organization and the only way he has to do that is to rely on people who know you in a variety of capacities.

Although some would argue that letters of reference are now less important than they once were—and there is lots of evidence out there that would support this point of view—any employer who receives your resume with not one, not two but THREE letters of references is bound to be favorably impressed. 

(Oh, yes: and make SURE  they spell check their work before sending it along!!)

To Find Yourself a Job, Make the Phone Your Friend!

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What do you mean: ‘find myself a job through ‘cold-calling?’  Oh, pul-lease. Didn’t that go out with the Fuller brush salesmen in the 1960’s?  How can any self-respecting job seeker these days stoop this low?  Well: read on!

 If it makes you feel any better about it, call this ‘unsolicited job hunting’ if you like.  To be successful,you’re going to need a long, long list of prospect companies. You may want to group these companies by industry or by location, depending on which is more important to you.  The main thing is that you’re looking for companies for which you see yourself working happily.

 Once you’ve compiled this list, start at the top and get your dialing finger ready. What you’ll be doing is calling each and every firm to see if you can pry the name of the Hiring Manager out of the receptionist. A word of warning here: he or she may have instructions from the higher-ups NOT to release that name. Likely as not, they will want to send you along to the H.R. office.  This won’t help you. 

Once you’ve compiled your list, the next thing you need to do is write a kick-*** cover letter. The best strategy is to say something about each company that will make it abundantly clear that you know about the company and what it does. Be sure to enclose a professional looking resume. (i.e. not a cluttered, crowded text.)  Use of interesting vocabulary will help attract attention to yourself and be sure to highlight one or two skills that you can offer the firm.

Next, wait a few days and contact the people to whom you sent a letter and ask them for an interview.  Of course, you’re bound to run into the usual complement of people who will tell you that their company isn’t hiring at the moment. Don’t despair. Ask them to set up what’s called an ‘informational interview’ so that you can learn more about the firm in preparation for a time when they ARE hiring.

 Once you book a meeting, you’ve got a chance to wow them with your skills and personality. (Even though you are presenting this as an information interview, be sure to do your homework ahead of time and come prepared with intelligent questions about their new product line or their history as a firm.

 Your ultimate goal is to meet as many people as you can, on the theory that SOME one, some where, might just see you as a perfect fit for a position in his department.

 But, don’t just make these contacts a one-time thing. Continue to send periodic letters out, asking if the hiring situation has changed. You’d also be well advised to enhance your own skill set by taking a class or two.  This will give you a good reason to communicate with them once again.

 Finally, don’t forget the value of a simple thank you letter expressing your appreciation for the time they spent with you. Persistence, persistence, persistence is what will win the day!

During Interviews, Your Body Language is Just as Important as Your Words

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It’s an interesting thing, but if your verbal language doesn’t match your body language you aren’t likely to be chosen to fill that position. Here are some pointers to ensure that you don’t inadvertently torpedo your interview.

For starters, be aware that from the minute you walk into that conference room, you are already being evaluated—if only subconsciously.  For this reason, you need to exude confidence and capability—even if you don’t feel that way!  Avoiding the appearance of being frenetic is crucial.  Organize everything in your briefcase the evening before your interview so you don’t have to go pawing thru your paperwork in front of your interviewer.

Inevitably, there will be a hopefully short wait before you are called in.  During that time, pay attention to your posture: sit up straight, smile at people who pass by, and assume an ‘approachable’ stance.   You will want to appear casual—but not too casual. For example, don’t take off your jacket or settle in with a novel.  Instead, take careful note of your surroundings and the office environment.  Do you like what you see?  Do people seem friendly?  Remote? Indifferent?

Don’t bring your lap top or use your cell phone to pick up your messages. You are here for one reason and one reason alone, and that is to be interviewed for a job. And, since you’re on THEIR terrain, conduct yourself accordingly!  It is important for your interviewer to perceive that you are in control.  You can’t do that if you are fussing with electronic devices or sorting stacks of paper.

  Once in the interview, sit up straight and be alert.  If you feel you want to take notes, ASK first whether it’s ok to do so instead of just whipping out your note pad. (Remember, once again, you are on THEIR terrain—not yours—and politeness DOES count!

If you’re the type of person who punctuates your conversation with hand gestures, be sure to keep them at chest level: if you raise them any higher, it could appear to the interviewer that you are a frenetic person–and hence an undesirable one! (Body language again, folks!)

When the interview concludes, try to shake hands with everyone at the table. If not practical to do so, make some motion–like a tipping of an imaginary hat–so that each person in the room knows that you have acknowledged them. Before you leave the room, be sure you’re clear on the next step and express you interest in the position. (Even if it’s not the most scintillating position on the face of the planet, it is always best to express the desire to work for the company, as it may be the ONLY job offer you get!

Finally, collect as many as many business cards as possible so that you can send out your  thank-you notes!

Blog Your Way to a New Job

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How do I do that? you might ask? Not surprisingly, it involves having a consistent presence through your blogs. The other thing it involves is avoiding blatant self-promotion in order to GET a job. Blogging, like networking is a subtle art form that requires both persistence and patience in in order to forge relationships.

 This is not to say that you can’t tell people that you’re looking for a new position, but just that you should refrain from writing ’Hire Me!’ postings.

Think about this for a minute. What are employers looking for?  Intelligence? Experience? Knowledge? Technical capability? Personality? Sense of humor? Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes and Yes!  They’re looking for all of these trait. 

How can you—the lowly job seeker—become visible to a given employer? One extremely effective avenue to use is to set yourself up in a blogging arrangement and blog, blog, blog. 

Let’s assume that you have a background as a CPA who specializes in the preparation of income taxes for both individuals and small-medium sized businesses.  How can you use your knowledge?  One very effective technique is to start writing articles about a variety of situations. Encourage readers to ask questions and answer them in future blogs.

 Yes, of COURSE this takes effort and time, but, you’re unemployed, so what else have you go to do anyway? Eventually, if you keep at it long enough, your reputation will spread, and you will achieve ‘expert’ status which can quite possibly lead you to a job offer, and a good one at that! 

 

 

 

 

The Art of Time Management

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Each day, we all fritter away our precious time by pursuing non-essential activities and unimportant tasks. Over the past several decades, a variety of so-called time management consultants have established themselves.

Such firms purport to teach us ways to use our time more efficiently and more effectively to gain more hours of productive time in our lives.  A key element in this process is the ability to plan ahead.  It really doesn’t matter what kind of a tool you use.  Whether you prefer the low tech paper-and-pen approach to jot appointments down, or a sophisticated computer program with all the bells and whistles, just pick one—and use it faithfully.

With this planning system in place, the next step is to learn to prioritize your daily activities.  Professional time management consultants stress the necessity to differentiate between essential and non-essential tasks.  You’ll be more likely to accomplish things if you write them down!

 Another key element in the struggle to manage your time is to dramatically decrease procrastination.  When confronted with something you don’t really want to do, it’s easy to delay it for another day/month/year, the result being that it never gets done at all!  (You may be guilty of the ‘boxes-in-the-basement’ syndrome. That is, it’s easier to just stick them on a shelf and worry about unpacking them ‘someday’ than it is to actually go through them box by box.)

 Specialists tell us that when confronted with an unpleasant task, we should break it into manageable pieces, and sort through a half a box instead of trying to do all ten. By limiting the time we spend on this to just a half hour, we stand a much better chance of actually completing what we set out to do.

How Much Are You Worth?

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For many job seekers, discussions about salary are uncomfortable.

 Because an employer generally has a budget in which he must work, there’s really no way to avoid this topic and the company will need to know what kind of money you’re looking for so they can ascertain whether or not they can afford your services.

 The starting point for such discussions is usually what you are earning at present. A good response to this question is: “Well, Mr. Jones, while my base salary is 40K, when I add in my commissions each year, I’m actually making $50,000. And, in just a few months, I will be receiving an increase in my base pay of another 5%.”

 This lets your prospective employer know exactly where things stand and he can then ask the next logical question which is: “How much would you expect if you should be offered this position?”  This will give you a chance to discuss other features of the job, by saying:  “Serving as Area Manager for your company would be an important step up for me, and one for which I feel well qualified, given my professional experience to date. While I would, of course, like to maintain my current standard of living, I would look forward to the opportunity to expand your product line internationally. I am therefore confident that your offer to me will be a fair one.” 

 If you are really pressed to provide a dollar amount, cite an acceptable range: “I would hope for something in the low to mid 50’s.”  The employer now has an idea of what it will take to woo you away from your current firm and you have given him some flexibility in terms of his offer to you.

 Another good answer to this question is: “I’d be happy to accept this job with only a slight increase in my current salary, if we can work out a review in 6 months. By that time, I am confident that I will have demonstrated my worth to your company.”

 Remember: it’s always dangerous to discuss salary too early in the interview. If it comes up, try to defer it until later, after you’ve had the chance to explore what it is you can do for the company and why the employer needs your talents. Otherwise, it may look as though salary is the only reason you want the job.

 The more the employer thinks he needs you, the greater his salary offer is likely to be. (Just make sure that you can live up to the promises you’ve made!)

 

How Good Are Your Chances for Promotion?

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In large part, they will depend on how good your people skills are. Companies expect certain things from their employees and one of those things is a well-developed ability to relate to colleagues and co-workers alike.

 One key aspect of this process–unless you happen to be working on a deserted island—is the ability to communicate.  And, we’re not talking about simply conveying information. We’re referring to the way in which it is imparted to others. Not only what you say but HOW you say it, is important. A tone of voice that is demeaning or disrespectful won’t get you very far.  

Because top management frequently has precious little time to spend endlessly debating issues in order to get to a workable solution, another valuable characteristic is the ability to get to the point quickly and efficiently, explaining options in clear, concise language.

Of equal value to an employer is the ability to think outside of the box, finding remedies to existing problems.

If you can implement ways in which to save your company time–or better yet–money, your services are likely to be even more important. For instance, ideas that will reduce the training period or lower maintenance costs are likely to be enthusiastically endorsed by your supervisor. 

Similarly, by keeping abreast of trends in the marketplace, or technology you may be able to suggest areas in which the company can generate additional business. Make an effort to stay current in your field by regularly attending networking events. trade shows, conferences and seminars.   

Lastly, remember to say ‘thank you’ to others will count for a lot. from the receptionist to the recruiter, this is an important courtesy that will enable you to go far.

If you are successful in the above, your chances are good that you’ll be considered for that promotion!

Motivators for Career Change

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If you’re an older worker who has been thinking about such a career change, you may be feeling rather tenuous right about now.  You’re probably asking yourself questions such as “How is my new boss likely to handle the fact that I am 20 years his senior? “Will I be good at my new job?” “ How hard will it actually be to find a position?” “Will I be able to successfully relate to my new co-workers?” “What can I bring to this position?”

If you prepare yourself adequately, your fears may be unfounded.  You will undoubtedly find that given the number of years you’ve spent in the work force, the transition will be less painful than you thought.  After all, there is something to be said for experience!  Certainly, you should make every effort to update your skills—in the technology area if nowhere else.  Be sure to spend some time learning the new language of communications: to google/to blog/to tweet/to twitter, and so on. 

If you’ve not already done so, you’ll want to practice your social networking skills. And what better way to put them to work but to actually sign on to various sites and participate in the discussions. It’s best to focus your efforts on areas in which you are already knowledgeable.

You can find groups that blog about virtually everything; from philosophy and fishing to  skiing and swimming, it’s all out there. As an extra benefit, it may be that you can  identify new job leads through the on-line acquaintances you’ll be making. It’s a brand new world out there!

 

 

 

A Cover Letter: To be or Not to Be?

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Contrary to popular belief, a cover letter is NOT the time to tout all of the phenomenal skills and abilities you have.  Surprise, surprise! At least, not if you want to have your resume seriously considered by the prospective employer, it isn’t.

 Instead of approaching it from the ‘pick me pick me’ point of view, there’s a much better way to get attention.  And that is, to begin your cover letter not with a statement about all of the qualities you possess, but with a question for the employer to answer.

 For instance: if you’re looking for a job as a marketing specialist, something along these lines is in order:  “Are you looking for someone with 10+ years of customer account management experience and a high conversion ratio? Or “Do you have leads galore but only a handful of sales?”

  If you’re trying to find a graphics arts position, you might begin with: “Could your web site benefit from a complete overhaul at the hands of someone who has done nothing but that for the past decade?’

 Once you’ve gotten the reader’s attention, the second paragraph is the place for pertinent information about your accomplishment. But be sure not to negate the effect of your opening sentence by including too much information.

 You get the picture.  First, identify what it is that YOU can do for the company in question. Second, write a statement that describes yourself in a succinct manner and third, turn that statement into a question.  This attention-getting technique is a welcome respite for weary HR professionals who are accustomed to seeing the
“I’m-the-greatest-marketing executive-on-the-face-of-the-planet” approach.

 Even though it may be tempting to provide a detailed rendition of your last seven positions and the responsibilities they entailed, ask yourself whether your prospective employer really gives a rat’s backside about that. It’s a pretty good bet that he (or she) does NOT. S/he is looking instead for someone that can solve the current problem—whatever it happens to be. 

Therefore, if your introductory statement is unique AND if you’ve got the resume to prove it, you’ll stand a far greater chance of being plucked from the ‘ho-hum’ pile and placed on the ‘gotta interview’ list.

After the Military,What Next?

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Because getting a job after a career in the military can be a difficult and a painful process, but it doesn’t have to be! By following a few simple guidelines, you can make the process a lot more enjoyable.

­Rule # 1:  Never, never N-E-V-E-R use acronyms when referring to your past positions. Civilian employers won’t understand them, and worse yet, they typically don’t want to!

Rule # 2: Try to equate your previous experiences with something in the civilian sector. This might take some time if you worked at a munitions facility handling live explosives, but persevere and find something that will equate to the private sector 

Rule # 3: Even if the company to whom you are applying does not required a cover letter, it’s always a good idea to create a thoughtful document that highlights your professional qualifications and explains to a prospective employer what you can do for them.  It won’t take you that much more time to do this, and it may make mean the difference between getting a job and not getting one.

Rule # 4: Remember that in this day of the ‘click-to-find-a-job,’ employers are bombarded with resumes and won’t take the time to read anything that doesn’t look like a fit. You may want to create JOB OBJECTIVE category at the top of your resume which will catch the eye of your prospective employer, and make them want to keep reading.  

There are now more resources for separated military personnel than ever before. Many are turning to the Transition Assistance program, which offers guidance on resume writing and interviewing skills. Still another, Cintas, describes themselves as a ‘major recruiter of transitioning military personnel from all branches of the service.” As a result, they offer recruits positions that will utilize their specific military experience and background.

Following is a list of sites that provide a wealth of information about transitioning into the civilian sector:

www.military.com                      www.armytimes.com

www.intelligencecareers.com  www.cintas.com/jobs