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Job Seekers: Your Words Have Power

September 9, 2016 By Marta Goertzen

When we describe ourselves using the written word, there is an impression that is created in doing so.

Quick! Name five words you would use to describe yourself!

High energy
Smart
Problem solver
Work with teams
Pretty well organized

BAM! That is me!

When I describe myself with these words I draw a picture with words of someone who can get something done, solving problems to make an organization stronger.

I am not the average Joe.

This is my brand. I use these words in one way or another in my social media profiles. I want to leave this impression in everything I do, write and say.

Each of these words has a story behind it. If you ask me about being high energy I can tell funny (and sad) stories that illustrate accomplishments. When I tell these stories I am not bragging, I am sharing something that really happened that highlight an accomplishment.

I bet my words are different from your words. Each of us are individuals so our words will differ as well.

Words have power. People will draw conclusions based on the way you describe yourself so choose your words carefully.

As job seekers, choose your words carefully.

What words do you use to describe yourself in your resume? LinkedIn profile? Are the words similar?
Do your words support your core values?
Does your social media footprint support your core values? Are you leaving the impression you want to leave? Check with someone who knows you well to get a new set of eyes on your words.
Do the words you choose support your career goal? If not, your words might be undermining your career goals.

We can help be that new set of eyes to confirm that hiring managers will picture you in the job when they read the words you use to describe yourself.

Quick! What are your five words?

If you would like to be even more prepared at a Job Interview, download our ebook, “The Top 30 Most Frequently Asked Questions at a Job Interview“. It’s Free!

Are you a Daydream Believer with your Job Search

September 6, 2016 By Katherine Burik

When we allow our mind to relax, our thoughts are free to flow.

I had a stimulating discussion last night with Darlene, recently laid off from her employer after 20+ years of progressively more responsible positions with the same employer. She is a strong, successful person. But now she wonders if there is something else out there for her. Is it ok to not follow the path she was on before? She has already been approached by two competitors so she could jump right back in if she wanted. A small voice in the back of her mind is telling her not to jump back in, to take some time to find something different.

It made me think about how to find the perfect job that fits your needs at this moment.
It is ok to not want to jump back into the pool right away. Maybe the first thing to do after leaving your job is not update your resume. Updating your resume means you want to continue doing what you have been doing. Maybe that is not right for you anymore. But how do you know what you want to do next?

Daydream.

Seriously.

Where do your thoughts take you? What do you like to do in your spare time? Are there any common elements?

What activities make you smile and what activities would you scoop dog poop in the yard to avoid (my personal measure!)

I write about my daughter, Marissa, often. I think she is wonderful, naturally, but truth be told she is not always social, not always easy to work with. Employers have told her this before! I’ve told her this before! She finally seems happy in her latest job because she works alone on detailed work on which she is an expert and only needs to talk to people on her own terms. She is thrilled! She finally found the right combination of tasks, people, responsibilities that match her interests and style.

Darlene has always worked with building materials. Her husband is a contractor. They own rental property. So while she was healing in the first few weeks after the layoff, she fixed up an apartment that had been empty for 2 years. It took her 10 days and she finally got the apartment rented. She found an unexpected sense of accomplishment and pride. She also found it easy. So now she is thinking maybe she can craft a career that centers around real estate; maybe commercial real estate. She will let the experience percolate while she daydreams some more about her future. We will see what happens!

Darlene is taking a little time to explore what she wants so she can craft a career that makes her happy, pays the bills, and builds on her skills and interests. Marissa found a position that exploits her natural talents. Sometimes it takes a little time and a little daydreaming to discover the right next step.

Give yourself a little break and figure out for yourself your next best step!

Get the confidence you need with a FREE copy **of The Interview Doctor’s Job Requirements Comparison List and prepare yourself to prove with evidence that you can do the job!**

LinkedIn – the Talent Acquisition Secret Weapon

September 2, 2016 By Marta Goertzen

You have been accumulating LinkedIn connections for years now and finally hit that 500+ mark.

Good for you!!

Now what can you do with this resource? There must be a way to put these connections to work in the talent acquisition process. After all everyone talks about it.

LinkedIn is a powerful tool if used correctly and creatively. You just have to know how.

Here are three tips to using LinkedIn connections to find talent for your business.

Ask questions. We start with a series of questions to understand which LinkedIn connections will support talent acquisition in your organization:

What do you want the ideal candidate to accomplish? You have to be very clear about the outcome you seek.
What keywords, interests and accomplishments would the ideal candidate possess? Create a picture of the ideal candidate so you know who you are looking for. This does not mean physical characteristics like age, sex or race. The characteristics you are looking for transcend those physical characteristics.
Where does the ideal candidate hang out? Understand where you can find the ideal candidate: geography, LinkedIn Groups, blogs they read, interests, companies, etc.

Once you have these answers you can start identifying your talent pool. Use the Advanced Search function to identify people who describe themselves like your ideal candidate. Research your competitors, LinkedIn Groups and interest groups.
Then you reach out to people who fit the criteria of the ideal candidate. Your goal is not just to add these people to your LinkedIn connections which of course you should do. Your goal is to talk to them. Exchange emails, ask questions, talk professional to professional about real issues. In this way you build relationships with people on LinkedIn who can fill your talent pool.

LinkedIn is a powerful tool useful for many purposes. Most people just accumulate connections. We encourage you to dig deeper to build relationships with people who can expand your talent pool.

A word of advice. You don’t have to be in Human Resources to do this. Every hiring manager should be utilizing LinkedIn to expand your personal talent pool. You are ultimately responsible for creating a strong team to accomplish your business goals. Don’t leave it to chance. Don’t delegate all of this responsibility. Start building relationships with the right talent today.

To view this video, or to view other videos featuring other strategic job search tips and tools from The Interview Doctor click here.

A Fast Way to Tackle Feeling Overwhelmed

August 30, 2016 By Marta Goertzen

Engage the Superpowers, Scotty – I am overwhelmed.

There, I said it. They say the first step in recovery is acknowledging the problem.

My schedule is nuts. Yesterday I drove five hours between speaking engagements, client meetings and social engagements. Today I will drive six hours. Who creates my schedule?

I have at least thirty LinkedIn invitations waiting for my review with a similar number waiting for me to extend from the speaking engagement last week. I must send invoices for work completed or I won’t get paid.

Articles to write. Blogs to post. Clients to follow up on. This stuff does not happen while driving six hours between engagements.

All these obligations pile up. Yet I am frozen in my car making lists, filled with good intentions.

I need a SUPERPOWER! You know, like Ironman or Captain America. Those superheroes have it easy. They take action, kick butt. They get stuff done.

That’s it! I will be SUPER KATHERINE!! ABLE TO TRANSLATE THOUGHTS INTO ACTIONS WITH A SINGLE REFLECTION!!

Wow, wouldn’t that be awesome? Sitting in my car I could compose emails, make phone calls, take notes, write speeches, even send invoices and follow up on those nasty notes from my accountant.

If could translate thought into action I could get what I want while I was getting where I was going! I would be the envy of all my friends!

Superhero movies are all the rage in these complicated days. The world is full of risk. Bad people seem to be behind every news story. Even getting away for a little relaxation is risky. Superheroes can protect us. They can free us from the bad elements making our lives complicated and risky.

Superheroes always seem to have control over their lives or at least they bring order to chaos even after they cause a little chaos themselves. Think of how quickly Ironman cleans up that lovely home he destroys in every episode or creates a new and better suit to replace the one that got beat up.

As Super Katherine, I can whisk away all my problems and stop feeling paralyzed by my TO-DO lists. I want a set of those glasses Ironman wears to give instructions to the computer who complete tasks for him.

Ever feel that way?

Let’s stop being paralyzed by the overwhelming world in front of us and use our SUPERPOWERS to turn paralyzing obligations into ACTION!

What can you do TODAY to take one thing off your TO-DO list? Stop what you are doing right now and just do it! One little thing. That sense of accomplishment could bust you through sensory overload into new energy. Just one little thing.

Hold on while I process that invoice!! Ah, that feels better…

Get the confidence you need with a FREE copy of The Interview Doctor’s Job Requirements Comparison List and prepare yourself to prove with evidence that you can do the job!

Your Resume…what it IS and what it is NOT

August 26, 2016 By Marta Goertzen

A lot of resumes have errors on them – unknown errors to job searchers seeking new careers!

A friend and I were discussing his job search. He proudly stated that he sent out over one hundred resumes. When I asked him what happened, he not so proudly stated, “nothing.”

Resumes can be powerful tools in your job search, but saturating the market with your not so well written curriculum vitae can cause you a lot of frustration and not a lot of positive results.

Remember this, your resume is a marketing tool.

It’s role? To land you the interview. That’s it.

It should not be an autobiography including all your experience or, for you recent grads, every course you ever took.

If, however, you have:

Packed your resume with meaty accomplishments that distinguish you from the crowd.
Targeted your resume to the market, geographical locations, employer and position you are applying for.
A resume that engages the reader, has impact and delivers a vivid verbal portrait of what you can do for the employer

Your resume will rise to the top of the recruiter’s stack….and you will land an interview.

Unlike the employer’s employment application which is a legal document and should be treated as such, your resume is yours. You can include or exclude whatever you wish. You can cut your experience or give a little more…remember most employers today do not even consider experience over ten years old. Your resume is a snapshot of you professionally and it’s only purpose is to convince the reader that they want to meet you. If it does this, it can be one of the most valuable tools in your job search tool box. Prepare it carefully, use it wisely and it will work for you.

Has your resume opened doors for you? Does your resume sell? If you are not landing interviews, your resume may not be working for you.

Get the confidence you need with a FREE copy of The Interview Doctor’s Job Requirements Comparison List and prepare yourself to prove with evidence that you can do the job!