Marta Goertzen

Making the Most of Business Cards

May 22, 2015 By Marta Goertzen

What do you do with those business cards you pick up at networking meetings?

You are missing a big opportunity if you just stick them in your drawer. In this video, Katherine Burik shares how she uses business cards to build relationships in social media.

Business cards are your key to connecting with people on LinkedIn and other social media outlets. Don’t miss this opportunity to extend your network whether you are searching for a job or building your career.

I cannot write another word – handling a lack of inspiration

May 19, 2015 By Marta Goertzen

I am sitting here at my desk watching the sun flicker off the newly sprouting leaves outside my window. I am supposed to be writing this big training program. Inspiration is not striking me. I got nothin’.

It is not a lack of motivation. I have plenty of motivation. This training program will be a business game changer for us. I have other projects I could work on too if that one doesn’t strike my fancy.

Ever feel that way? I this happens to us all now and then. What is a person supposed to do to focus? Since I am not working on the big project, I thought it might be fun to do a little research to find a solution. Here are some ideas on how to get that big project done or get the creative juices flowing:

According to Professor Lorenza Colzato of Leiden University in The Netherlands, quoted in an article in The Telegraph in 2013, those who exercised four times a week were able to think more creatively than those with a sedentary lifestyle. Many famous folks who accomplished a great deal started their days with exercise including something as simple as going for a walk.
Get some spice in your life. Maybe the problem with being stuck is I am actually stuck in a rut. According to The Freedom Experiment, unstuck yourself by doing something different and spontaneous, something you have never done before. This could be as simple as cleaning a closet or crafting something with your hands.
Get a big laugh. Even if you fake it, smiling and laughing makes you feel happier. Watch a funny YouTube video or listen to the comedy channel for a few minutes. Get a chuckle and feel better.
Get some nature. Maybe staring out the window at the new leaves on the spring trees is a signal that I need a bit of nature to clear my head.
Understand the resistance. Maybe the reason for your lack of motivation is in the project itself. Take a few minutes to understand why you are not motivated. In my case, as I stop to think about it, I wonder if the importance I have placed on this project is making me a little afraid of moving forward. What if I mess up? If I write down my fears they always look a little more manageable than when I let those fear gremlins wander around in my head.
Fight through the resistance. A writing blogger, Jeff Goins, says “you need to get up every day, expecting resistance, and fight through it.” He quotes Steve Jobs who said, “Real artists ship.” Just get it done and ship it. Your “final” product might not be perfect but when it is done then just ship it. You can always make it perfect later.

This exercise of researching what to do about my lack of motivation has actually helped free me to action. I feel better already. I am putting on my walking shoes and going out to clear my head. I am confident I will tackle that big project with gusto when I return! You should try it!

The Guide to Ruining a Job Interview

May 15, 2015 By Marta Goertzen

Today I challenged myself to list at least 10 things candidates do to ruin a job interview. I got out my pencil and started making notes. Before I knew it I came up with 20 things!

Have you ever done any of these things? Be honest.

Not prepared – Don’t know anything about the company – didn’t do research
Dressed improperly (however the company defines that)
Arrive late or too early. Surprising enough it can be very annoying to hiring managers to arrive too early. Waiting in the outside office only reminds the hiring manager that he or she is under too much pressure. You can and should arrive at the building at least 15 to 30 minutes before your interview but don’t go into the office or see the receptionist until 5 to 10 minutes before the interview.
Be sure you know what you want to say. Have any handouts neatly organized and accessible. Once I went to an interview with a handout in my briefcase but at the appropriate moment that sheet of paper blended in with the other papers. I fumbled around to find it but the moment was gone. I just looked disorganized.

Chew gum.
Swear. This should be obvious but evidently it still happens. Don’t do it. Enough said.
Too casual or too formal. Adjust your presentation and responses to the environment. If they are formal, you are formal. If they are casual you should be a little more formal but don’t be a stick in the mud.
Fail to ask questions or ask lame questions. Think about this in advance and have a pre-printed list of questions that show your research about issues that are important to the company or the hiring manager.
Oversell or come on too strong. Hard to believe but it is possible to come on too strong. Be aware of the impression you leave.
Bring a Starbucks coffee to the meeting. It happens but it shouldn’t.
Touch your face or hair – distracting. Stop playing with your hair or cleaning your ears or picking at your fingers. Yuck.
Come with wet hair. We should not have to say this.
Bad breath. Pop a breath mint before entering the building. Better idea, avoid garlic before a big interview.
Don’t know what you want. This is an interview killer. No one can help you if you don’t help yourself. At least start by knowing what you want.
Not creative when asked what websites and publications your read. If someone asks you what you read, site websites and publications related to your industry, profession or personal interests. Choose something that shows you think.
Ask what the hours are. The right answer is “however long it takes to get the job done”. Asking about the hours implies you are not interested in working hard.
Long cover letters. No one reads them anyway. Be short and get directly to the point. You don’t want the hiring manager to infer that you are boring.
Talk bad about other people, candidates or companies. This should be obvious but it happens.
Say your goal is something other than the job you apply for. This is an interview ender.
Haven’t looked at company website. You would be shocked at how many people think they are prepared for an interview but have not even glanced at the website.

And the bonus way to mess up an interview:

Ask too many questions about moving up. You are interviewing for THIS job. It is nice to be interested in development and growth but focus your attention on the job at hand. Land that one and we can talk about promotion.

Pay attention. Learn from others’ mistakes. Have a great job interview!

How much talking is too much in a job search?

May 8, 2015 By Marta Goertzen

What is the best way to answer a question?

Talk too much and you miss opportunities to listen and learn.
Talk too little and you miss opportunities to tell your story.

Like so many things in life, you must find the right balance.

I have been in many job searches in my career. I have learned that the networking required to find a job is very similar to the networking required to find a new client in my business. When someone asks you a question, if you respond immediately to the question you think you heard, you miss the chance to identify the real issue.

I had a chance to see this in action. It was terrifying.

I needed to send a press release about our new book, The Job Search Marketing Plan. I am an amateur at this so I reached out to an expert. I sent her a note asking about her services with press releases. I attached a draft I prepared. She sent back a quote for $700.

Wow!! $700!! That is a lot of money to issue one press release. At this point, I could have said thanks but no thanks. But I needed the help so I suggested we set up a time to talk about how she can best meet my needs in the most cost effective manner. She seemed relieved. We set up a meeting to talk.

In the past, I took the same approach. I get so excited to see a potential client that I bang out a number hoping to close the deal immediately. What happens? The potential client gets nervous and walks away.

Have you ever done that with a potential job situation? Get so excited to see an opportunity that you rush into it talking a mile a minute about your skills, abilities, and background. What happens? The potential employer runs screaming from the room.

I tried a new approach as an experiment. I stopped banging out prices when approached by a new opportunity. Instead, I schedule a time to talk. I ask questions about the potential candidate’s situation. I am curious what s/he thinks the problem is. I listen. The potential client relaxes and talks.

As I listen, I get ideas about what aspects of my services would be most appropriate for this potential client. I understand the price constraints that influence whether the potential client can pay for my services.

I am more successful when I listen and learn than when I talk without listening.

Take stock of your approach to networking and interviewing. Are you anxious to tell your story? Do you scare away potential employers by your enthusiasm? Are you sure you know what the other person is asking? Or could a few well-placed exploratory questions clarify matters?

Don’t do a data dump. Listen more. Ask pointed questions to gather information. Then, select the bits of your knowledge, skills, and experience that apply to the issues you heard. In this way you can improve the chances your interaction will be successful.

Is your job search glass half full or half empty?

May 5, 2015 By Marta Goertzen

A half empty job search can be a lonely endeavor. You sit at your kitchen table scanning the ads on Indeed.com, occasionally submitting a resume to an ad that sounds somewhat interesting. You try to keep your head up among your friends who are still employed. Occasionally, you go to lunch with the old gang but it is hard to listen to their chatter when you feel so desperate. It is tough.

A glass half full job search is much more exciting. It is a chance to meet new people, explore new career ideas, and learn something new. You have meetings to attend, people to meet, and things to do.

Which one do you want?

I hope you want and already have a glass half full job search. One key to a job half full job search is getting involved with people who can help you.

Go find a job seeker club!

Job clubs provide support during your job search. Usually they are small groups of between a few and a few dozen people. They usually have regular meetings, often in churches or libraries, and often led by talented people who have been through the process and are giving back. Sometimes they are organized with similar professions like a finance executive networking group and sometimes they are organized across industries and professions. It doesn’t matter. They all provide excellent opportunities.

If you are not actively engaged in one or more job seeker clubs, here are some great reasons to get involved.

Provides structure to your week with a place to go regularly so you get out of the house. Everyone needs a change of scenery from the kitchen table or your home office. Having a steady appointment every week means at least once or twice a week you are guaranteed to get dressed up and get out of the house. This helps your attitude and gives you energy.
You can compare notes about what works and what doesn’t with other people who are looking for jobs. I don’t mean complain and gripe. I mean talking with other people in the same situation who are trying something you haven’t thought of yet.
Many clubs bring in interesting speakers. Sometimes these folks are recruiters or know people you should know. Sometimes they present new techniques you haven’t tried yet. This gives you energy and new ideas you can try when you get back to your office.
Learn something new about job search or careers. Every time you leave the house, you have a chance to learn something.
Networking – meeting new people. Isn’t this the key to a great job search?
Stay in touch with what is going on in your community. You will learn about companies with new opportunities or maybe new businesses moving into the community. You might miss something if you just stayed home.
Share leads – you can share a lead that might not be right for you but might be right for someone else. They say giving something away rebounds in abundance back to you.

Reach out and find a job seeker club or two in your community. Build yourself a job half full job search!