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Today I am thankful for…

November 25, 2014 By Marta Goertzen

“When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.” ? Shauna Niequist, Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way

Katherine says,

This year I am thankful to celebrate and grow every day. I am especially thankful for…

A patient husband who challenges me to do my best.
Wonderful children who have grown into positive, successful adults.
Friends who celebrate with me as I grow.
Mentors who stick with me.
A business partner to share ideas with.
A business that helps others learn and grow<./li>
A warm safe home.
A wide open future.
Red right returning lamps to guide me home to my husband’s warm arms.

From The Interview Doctor to you and your family, this Thanksgiving say thank you and celebrate or grow. The future starts with “thank you”!

Katherine and Dan
The Interview Doctors

Job Search Ideas are Everywhere you Look

November 21, 2014 By Marta Goertzen

Pick up job search ideas wherever you find them.

Every November my friend Kim participates in a crazy event called NaFiWriMo, short for National Fiction Writing Month. There is a non-fiction version too. Participants write an ENTIRE book in the month of November! This event has few rules. The book does not have to be published or any specific length or even particularly good. The writer just has to finish something.

Kim has been writing an entire book every November for 15 years!! Isn’t that awesome? She loves the discipline and the adventure. Someday one of her books will be published but in the meantime she sees her skills improve every year. I love the dedication to a personal goal. I am mostly intrigued with the commitment and structure needed to accomplish something hard like writing a book in a month.

What does it take to make this happen? I looked into the concept and found that tackling NaNoWriMo or the non-fiction version NaNonFiWriMo requires the same skills as finding a job!

Let me unpack this a little using one of the encouraging emails from @Nina Amir at WNFIN Challenge, How to Structure Your Nonfiction Blogged Book. Nina’s suggestions to aspiring nonfiction writers can be converted to help you structure your job search. Check this out:

1. Find a model: Find people on LinkedIn who have the job you want. How do they structure their LinkedIn profiles to describe their experiences in the most positive light? What phrasing do they use? What information do they include that makes them look great? Use that structure to upgrade your LinkedIn profile and brand.
2. Stick with the basics: Job search basics these days are more than the traditional outreach through applications and networking. Make sure your basics include making yourself searchable and accessible to people who are searching for candidates with your talents and skills. The new basics require you to be findable on the Internet through great profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and other social media sites.
3. Consider adding special features: Understand what makes you different and special then highlight those special features so companies can see what you offer. Add presentations or additional information to your LinkedIn profile or SlideShare or YouTube.
4. Front Matter and Back Matter: Books begin with a great cover to attract attention and references at the end to support the content. Job seekers can have a great picture on their social media sites and recommendations to support your claims.
5. Mind Map First vs Structure First: Before starting your job search understand what you want and why you should have it. This is like a mind map. Mind maps begin with the overall concept then branch off with the ideas that support the concept. What is your overall main concept or goal? What are the accomplishments and experiences that support your overall concept or goal? Once you understand your overall concept you can more effectively structure your job search.
6. Extras to consider: Take your job search to the next level by considering how you can use what you know to help other people. You can share what you know by blogging, sharing articles, writing your own articles, participating in LinkedIn Groups, volunteering your time. What other ideas can you think of to get your name and energy out in the world so someone will notice you? Giving back is a great extra way to expand your job search.
7. The final step: Now that you have your job search organized, set daily and weekly goals for actions to make more contacts and use your contacts to move your search forward. This is a game of numbers. You need a lot of contacts to get a few meetings to get a few interviews to get a job offer. The final step is actually the first step to organizing an effective job search!

NaNoWriMo is a crazy challenge for a few people who love to write and really love a challenge. Maybe you are not up to writing an entire book in a month but we can all use the tips we find wherever we look to make our job search (and lives) more productive. Get out there and make a challenge for yourself!

You Need Both a Resume and LinkedIn Profile in your Job Search

November 18, 2014 By Marta Goertzen

LinkedIn profile and resume are two different documents that start from the same basis but are used in two different ways.

In this video, Katherine Burik describes the different ways each tool is used.

Resumes are used as a take along to interviews, when you apply for jobs, when you work with a recruiter. It also is a great format for creating a strategic view of what you want.

Your LinkedIn profile can be used other ways. A good LinkedIn profiles is a passive way of making yourself available to recruiters. You can meet new people. It is a great way to learn.

Connect with your Purpose to Stand Out in a Crowd

November 14, 2014 By Marta Goertzen

I pick up little tidbits of ideas wherever I go. If you keep your eyes open you can do this too. I even carry a notebook where I jot down these brilliant ideas put out in the world for anyone to catch.

Here is a recent gem:

People want to connect to your purpose, to your power to do something for someone who can’t do it for themselves.

Think about it for a minute. The job we do is a job that someone else cannot do. You are performing a function or task that helps someone, moves an idea forward, or fulfills an obligation. If someone else could do it they would be doing it already.

This became apparent to me this evening at dinner time. In our house we grill almost every evening summer or winter. My husband, Kermit, finds it relaxing to putter around the patio with a glass of wine while the dinner sizzles on the grill. Many times even in the deepest winter we sit outside bundled in our heavy coats, mittens and scarves chatting about the days’ events. It is very relaxing. I flavor the meat and my husband does the grilling. Since we grill so frequently we cook inside much less often. We even grill our Thanksgiving turkey!

This evening I prepared dinner using leftovers from grilling a pork loin the other day. I turned leftover grilled pork loin into a full meal with mashed potatoes, gravy and peas. It was delicious. But as I cooked I realized that my husband does not do this kind of cooking and I seldom grill. We are comfortable with our roles and responsibilities.

I connect with my husband’s purpose. I have the power to cook in the house and he has the power to cook outside. We fit together well.

We complement each other in boating too. Kermit is a Coast Guard certified 100 ton Captain. I am not. He has the power to do something that I cannot do for myself. He is the captain. I run the lines and tie the knots, something he does not do well. We fit together well because we understand our purposes and strengths.

What is your purpose? What strength do you bring to your life that give you power to do something for someone who can’t do it for themselves? Maybe this power is prominent in your personal life or maybe at work. You can’t value it until you understand what “it” is.

You must understand your purpose and strengths to distinguish yourself from other people. Your purpose and strength make you special.

Find your purpose. People want to connect with your purpose to find ways to fit together well with you.

What is your brand?

November 7, 2014 By Marta Goertzen

When you think of “brand” what comes to mind? Starbucks? Kleenex? Brands are not just for tangible products any more. Everyone has a brand. You have a brand!

Your brand is what you stand for. It is your reputation, your vision and mission for the world. Your brand still exists even if you are not aware of it based on the impression you leave on people.

In this video Katherine Burik talks about how to know your brand and what to do with it.

Use this information in your job search so people you connect with know right away what you stand for… your brand. Stand out from the crowd by proactively using your brand!