The blog of Brian Batchelder, Career Coach and Networking Strategist

Should you Outsource your Job Search?

2011-07-12T15:19:47Z

I read an interesting article today in The Wall Street Journal about job seekers who hire firms to "blast" their resumes to hundreds or thousands of job postings.

The premise is simple, firms like MyJobHunter.com, JobConcierge.com and JobSerf.com either use computer software, or staff (typically based in India), to submit a candidate's resume to jobs that match certain keywords.

My take? I think this is a waste of money. The numbers don't lie. Ask any corporate recruiter how many candidates he/she hires from online postings and I bet the number is about 10%.

There are no short cuts in a job search. And volume IS important. But it is more strategic to have 50 informational conversations than blast your resume to 500 job postings.

Advice for Switching Industries

2011-06-20T14:54:02Z

I've been having a lot of informational interviews recently with folks looking to switch industries, and possibly join a PR Agency. I've spoken with journalists, news producers, marketing/sales people...

Most of them have applied to positions at various agencies with little luck.

The reason? Most companies are seeking "round peg, round hole" applicants for their openings. Hiring managers want to mitigate risk and hire someone "safe."

I ask each of these candidates "How would you react to MY resume if I sent it into your department for a job opening?" Most of them say "I never thought of it that way... yes I probably wouldn't consider it very seriously."

This does NOT mean that job seekers should give up. You just need to understand the playing field.

So if you're a "transferable skill" candidate looking to switch industries, here's what I'd recommend:

1)   Do NOT apply to job postings
2)   Make a target list of companies you'd like to work for
3)   Identify people at these companies you can reach out to for informational interviews (college alumni, people who have already made the switch you're seeking to make... anyone you'd be able to build rapport with quickly)
4)   Go on lots of informational interviews, ask well-researched questions, take notes
5)   Use this information to sharpen your focus and determine your value proposition
6)   Keep networking until people start calling you back with opportunities

Personalize!

2011-01-18T14:06:19Z

(Hi everyone, sorry for the radio silence for several months. As many of you know, I moved to Boston a couple months ago and I have been consumed with my move and getting settled. Looking forward to re-connecting with you!)

I have received two "mass emails" from job seekers during the past week that served as a catalyst for this post.

These emails were not tailored to me, my company, or any current positions posted on our Web site. They were 500-word commercials for the candidates.

Buy me! New and Improved! You'll save 15% if you switch!

These "messages" can work in mass advertising because those companies are trying to sell you a bar of soap or a box of cereal. But it's different in the job marketplace.

We ignore these mass emails. They reek of desperation and laziness.

The job search isn't easy. If you want to find a great job at an awesome company you're going to have to work for it. So stop sending mass emails now. Instead, do some research and send a short, personalized note seeking some insight on the company.

The Three Fatal Flaws (of Interviewing)

2010-07-27T15:33:12Z

I have participated in hundreds of interviews, both as a candidate and a recruiter. I have spoken with college students and senior vice presidents. And what I realized is that no matter how much experience you have, most candidates make three critical mistakes during an interview. The good news is this completely within your control and you can make the necessary adjustments now.

1.   Preparation
Your time is valuable, right? So is the time that a recruiter or hiring manager has carved out to meet with you. If you haven't gone to Wikipedia, Google News, Google Blog Search, search.twitter.com and the company Web site to find out everything you can about a company, you're really just wasting everyone's time (including yours). And just because you're a Senior Vice President, or referred by someone with a big title, it doesn't mean you're off the hook.

2.   You or me?
When you go on a first date do you just talk, talk, talk? How many second dates do you get? Probably zero. It's the same with interviews. This isn't about you. It's about the company. Be prepared and ask a lot of good questions. Ask good follow-up questions. Be present. Take good notes. The best way to sell yourself is to not sell yourself.

3.   Listen
A good salesman will ask a potential customer what he or she would like to buy before he tries to sell. In an ideal world, what's your perfect widget? What will you be using this widget for? What have you liked about other widgets? What frustrations have you had with other widgets? If you ask a company "who" or "what" they're seeking to hire, they'll tell you. And you can tailor your value proposition to meet their needs.

Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Job Interview (MAD MEN)

2010-07-20T22:12:58Z

Courtesy AMC.com

Like many of you, I am anxiously waiting Season 4 of MAD MEN. I just found out that they have a fun "online interview" to promote the new season. I was offered an Account Manager role, how about you?

http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/job-interview/

The Perils of One-itis

2010-07-07T19:32:48Z

Job Seekers, don't suffer from "One-itis." One-itis is when you are conducting a job search and fall in love with one company and close off all of your other options. This is a bad strategy in dating, and even worse in the job search. It's an emotional response, not a rational one.

Why is this bad? Because you stop driving the job search process, coupled with a lot of factors out of your control: timing, budget and fit to name a few.

It is a great feeling when you leave an interview and you totally connect with the people you met with and you feel you are "destined" to work there. All in all, that's a very good thing and that company should be at the top of your list. But the winds can change quickly, so you need to ensure that you keep your options open until you have a written offer letter from that company.

I know it's hard, but you need to treat that one special company like everyone else and go on a lot of dates... with other companies. If it's really meant to be, you'll get the offer. And if it isn't, you'll have a back-up plan already in place.

The Google Job Experiment

2010-05-23T19:38:01Z

You may have seen this cool video about a very entrepreneurial job seeker who purchased Google Ads to gain the attention of hiring managers at his target firms.

I often say that the job search is all about sales and this candidate did a great job of standing out.

However, he got the job because of his clever marketing AND because he had the "goods."

There are no short cuts in the job search. So don't think you can replicate this... unless you are already extremely qualified!

10 Ways to Move from Intern to Full-Time Employee

2010-04-07T11:26:01Z

It's April which means baseball, tax returns and internships are in full swing. I have teamed up with Gen Y Career Expert, Heather Huhman, to compile a list of tips to ensure you're making the most of your internship and inching closer to a full-time offer.

Heather and I met via Twitter (of course!) and have gotten to know each other well over the past several months. In March, she invited me to participate on her Business Advisory Board for ComeRecommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. Heather is an accomplished career columnist with the Examiner.com and has written several books and e-books including #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle. You should check out her blog, bio and follow her on Twitter.

Here are our top 10 tips for converting your internship into a full-time offer!

   1. Become indispensable. Don't tell them you want the job, show them. Show them by taking on extra tasks, being curious, and offering to do projects that fall outside the typical intern duties. You want your team to view you as an integral part.
   2. Act as if. Act as if you're already a full-time staffer. Dress professionally. Show up early and be the last intern to leave. Take pride in every project you work on, after all it has your name on it. Have an energetic, positive attitude even on the most chaotic days. Keep your social activities on the weekend, so you're fresh and ready to go each morning.
   3. Perception is reality. You might be a star intern, but if the big boss walks by your cube and sees you on iTunes or playing solitaire, you're brand is ruined. Be disciplined and focus on work while at work!
   4. Be flexible. Nothing wins over a team like offering to come in early or staying late to help meet a client demand. Sure, you may miss out on a dinner or movie with friends, but you'll win a lot of points.
   5. Go the extra mile. After you work with a team for a few weeks, you should be able to anticipate their questions and needs. Get into the habit of doing more than expected and demonstrate that you can think a step ahead!
   6. Find a mentor. If you want to move up within an organization - whether it's from intern to full-time employee or from junior level to mid-level - you need to find a mentor. After all, this person (or people) will help you align yourself with the decision makers. Sometimes, being in front of the right people is all it takes.
   7. Keep track of your accomplishments. At the end of each day or week, be sure to jot down every accomplishment you've had. Be as specific as possible, and include numbers when you can. Proof of results is a great way to move up.
   8. Ask for feedback. Sure, Gen Y is often criticized for asking for too much feedback. Knowing that, approach getting the feedback you need with an "always be learning and improving" attitude. Walk that fine line between rock star and annoying, and your supervisor(s) will have a hard time saying "no."
   9. Know the company inside and out. Your knowledge of the company and its products, services, and clients/customers needs to go well beyond the Web site. This seems like a no-brainer, but know what the organization is looking for and how you can fill that need.
10. Solve a problem that's been stumping the organization for a long time. Just because you're "only an intern" doesn't mean you don't have the solution to a problem plaguing the company. Be creative and a strategic thinker. If you can solve the company's issue(s), they will be begging you to come onboard.

Do you have any other ideas?

Top 10 Things I Have Learned about Recruiting (and what you can apply to your job search)

2010-04-02T21:09:49Z

10. Recruiting is an action. It's proactive, not reactive.
As a job seeker, you MUST drive the job search process.

9. It's all about momentum. My searches tend to stall when I get away from them for a few days.
Ditto for networking...

8. I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have. (courtesy Thomas Jefferson)
Just trust me on this one! If you work hard, good things will happen.

7. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
I typically need to identify a slate of 5-8 strong candidates to fill a job; you should seek to interview at 5 companies you really like.

6. The recruiting process can speed up, slow down and stop altogether with little warning or reason.
This is why you need to follow #7 and investigate multiple opportunities.

5. Technology provides us with unbelievable tools. But people still hire people.
So why are you spending 99% of your time on job boards, Linkedin and email?

4. A "one size fits all" pitch to candidates does NOT work.
This isn't direct mail or television advertising. You can't scale caring (Thanks Gary Vaynerchuk). You need to approach each company in a unique, personalized way... and CARE!

3. You better do your research.
If you're not prepared, you're wasting everyone's time, including your own.

2. If you can't find someone's email address or phone number, you don't want to speak with them bad enough.
This one speaks for itself. The people who land "dream jobs" do whatever it takes along the way.

1. Ask prospective candidates good questions and listen before you sell.
It's not about YOU. It's about the COMPANY. And what THEIR unique/specific challenges are. And what YOU can do to solve them.

March Madness, Bracketology & Recruiting

2010-03-22T22:49:33Z

Most of you who read my blog, or follow me on Twitter, know I'm a Syracuse grad and I am a big fan of all of the Orangemen sports teams - particularly basketball.

A couple weeks ago, while attending the SXSW Conference, I met some great recruiters including Jessica Miller-Merrell, who is a diehard Kansas fan.

Jessica and I decided it would be fun to make a wager on the NCAA Tournament. The loser will be forced to wear the other team's t-shirt (Kansas or Syracuse) for her Job Search Secrets Webshow.

The point breakdown is:-

1 point in Round 1
2 points for Sweet Sixteen teams
4 points for Elite Eight teams
8 points for Final Four teams
16 points for teams in Championship Game
32 points for the Champion

Jessica's Final Four is Kansas, New Mexico, Baylor and Kansas State, with Kansas as champion. My Final Four is Syracuse, Ohio State, West Virginia and Duke, with Syracuse as the champion.

I am not usually a smack talker, but Jessica sent this tweet out yesterday:
"I'm calling for a #Syracuse upset so I'll b back in the contest against @b_batchelder. Go gonzaga!"

All I have to say is the 'Cuse is still dancing... and what color t-shirt do you prefer? Orange or Blue?

How to Leverage your Skills for a PR Agency Job

2010-02-08T15:10:15Z

I did a Q & A with Mark Story's "Intersection of Online and Offline" blog about how to find a job at a PR Agency. It's relevant for junior, mid and senior-level candidates.

You can read the post here.

Please note, this is my personal opinion and does not reflect the views of my employer or its clients.

Six Career Management Tips for GenY

2010-01-28T18:05:26Z

This is a guest post by Lianne Palmatier, a recent graduate in communication studies from James Madison University. While enrolled, she participated in entrepreneurship coursework as well as internships that ultimately led to employment in her field.

If ever you want to hear how the "real world" differs from college, I can tell you, it involves fewer naps.

I wake up every morning at 6 a.m., not because I'm a morning person. I have nearly a 2-hour commute. Living at home and saving funds was the only way for me to survive on an intern's paycheck. As a person who is used to staying up until 3 a.m. and taking glorious mid-day naps, the intern lifestyle did not come easily. However, I was determined to succeed.

Landing my dream internship wasn't straightforward. After graduating in May, I began the search for a job. After several interviews, I had little luck. I continued to reach out to contacts, apply to online postings, and sit around my house feeling miserable.

When I finally nailed that perfect job, I wanted my employer to be grateful for choosing me. Say the word, and I could handle it. Give me a deadline, I'll meet it. Something I learned early in life was that being acceptable isn't good enough. Take it further and shake up the place. Eat lunch at your desk if you can crunch a few numbers in the process.

The biggest thing I brought to my internship was a positive attitude and a desire to make life easier for my surrounding colleagues. I'm happy to say that the early mornings and the late nights paid off. After proving myself as an intern, my organization chose to bring me on full-time.

Little (besides a new desk) has changed. I am still managing a ridiculous amount of work that makes my mother shake her head. But I'm thriving. Although it took me several months to find an internship that fit me, my career can reach heights that I only dreamed possible.

Such opportunities provided to me also included reading books about people in similar situations. In Y-Size Your Business, I read about going the corporate route to success and in Upstarts, GenY'ers became entrepreneurs, finding a hole in an industry and filling it. As I neared a full-time offer, these books paralleled my experience toward success.

Some key takeaways from Y-Size Your Business by Jason Ryan Dorsey:
* Check your professional image online.
Google your name every week. Your personal brand will be judged, so make sure you maintain a professional Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc. to go along with that professional voicemail message.

* Practice professional speaking.
You have to, you know, like, talk to people that may not have your GenY mannerisms. If you join an organization like Toastmasters, you can practice public speaking and work toward removing those filler words.

* Benefit yourself with real-world experience.
A 4.0 GPA looks great, but strive to get out of the classroom and explore real-life situations that will impress potential employers.

Key takeaways from Upstarts by Donna Fenn:
* Know your market and adapt.
In this economy, you have to do your research. That holds true for both starting your own company and your job search.

* Your brand will be judged by the company it keeps.
A sports-media company might partner with superstar athletes, you might partner with high power connections on Linkedin.

* Identify value.
To succeed in business, you must bring something to the table, whether it is a new system for credit-card processing or an organic baby food. Likewise, in your job hunt, you must show your interviewer why you would bring value to the team--in revenue generating, or strategic idea development.

GenY may not usually read business or professional development books, but I like reading books about myself and my so-called generation. Tools you pick up from these may expand your mindset and land you that next offer when an interviewer asks how you stay involved in your industry.

Recent grads, what do you have to share about your experiences?

Tips to Slay the Job Search Beast

2010-01-12T17:46:59Z

This is a guest post by Julia Nizinski, an assistant media planner at Hill Holliday in Boston, Mass. and a former intern at Fleishman-Hillard's Washington, DC office. She graduated in May 2008 from Syracuse University with a degree in political science and a minor in communications.

Ah, the job search. It's like the mythical creature of the professional world: you've heard about it, but you have to see it to believe it. When I graduated college I never expected the job search to be such an emotionally trying experience. I never expected it to be so bizarre, so memorable, so forgettable, and so everything else in between. I was called Natalia by an interviewer (my name is Julia), sold men's shoes at Nordstrom, and watched many jobs disappear due to the recession, including the first internship I was offered at a PR agency in DC. But, just when I thought I was going to go from magna cum laude to magna cum loser I caught a break: the same senior vice president that hired me for the PR internship in DC had another position for me. She told me she liked my tenacity and offered me an internship on the new Marine Corps account.

I went down to DC for the internship with the intentions of getting hired, but seven months later found myself still unemployed for factors out of my control. Some people might say that my efforts were a lost cause, but I'd beg to differ. I didn't find a job, but I did find out the importance of having job search mentors. I met the two people I consider to be my professional mentors and who helped me during my search. I think finding a mentor is an important component to the process because the job search is often too difficult to tackle alone. I feel fortunate that I was able to find guidance during the process.

Although my DC experience was positive, I left sans job. I went home and back to Nordstrom and men's shoes and was unhappy. I felt badly about myself, I felt angry about what was happening to me and, as the summer went on, I started to feel defeated. One day, after breaking down in tears in the stockroom somewhere between the Sperry Topsiders and Eccos, I knew I had to get a grip on myself before I gave up. I knew I had to find something that made me happy and would help me get through my search and that thing for me was joining the press team on a political campaign. Although I didn't get paid, it kept me busy, relevant, and, most importantly, it kept me happy.

My internship and campaign experiences eventually led me to my current job as an assistant media planner at an advertising agency. I went in for an informational interview at the agency last summer, but they had no open positions. However, they said they'd keep me top of mind if anything opened up and, to my surprise, they did. I've been there for a little over a month now and enjoying my new adventure.

I've learned some important lessons along the way I'd like to share, which I've listed below:
* My favorite author, Kurt Vonnegut once said, "I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is." I not only live my life by this quote, but I also lived my job search by it. Don't forget to notice when you're happy, even during difficult times. It helps you carry on.

* Persistency pays off. Just because it didn't work out the first time, doesn't mean you should give up. Don't be overbearing, but do keep in touch with people you've met along the way.

* Last but not least, don't get upset or discouraged. It's important to stay positive because, trust me, you WILL find a job.

Self-Confidence and the Job Search

2009-12-18T20:41:53Z

This is a guest post by Karen McGee, Assistant Dean, Student Affairs/Acting Director, Career Development Center at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Simply put, Karen is one of the most important mentors in my career and taught me EVERYTHING about networking. So soak this up.

The one thing job hunters must exude is confidence. The one thing a job search can drain is your confidence. Some tips on maintaining your self confidence during the job hunt:

1. Periodically review your resume and remind yourself of the good things you've done. Perhaps reword some things or change the emphasis in some descriptions. Tweaking a resume is a helpful exercise.

2. Connect with past co-workers and bosses with whom you have good relationships. People who 'knew you when' can help boost confidence, remind you of your strengths AND provide networking opportunities and additional contacts.

3. Make a focus list of your strengths, interests and skills. Not only will this remind you that you DO have things to offer but it'll give you something to talk about with contacts and employers.

4. Volunteer where someone/place needs your skills. If you are a graphic designer, offer to design a brochure for a local non-profit. If you're an organizer, volunteer at a charity fundraiser. You'll be using your skills, doing good AND meeting new people (contacts).

IMPORTANT NOTE: A dip in self confidence is NOT to be confused with "chronic negative attitude". You know the type -- the complainers, the 'it's someone/thing else's fault" or the 'no one's helping me' people. Periodic lapses in self confidence happen to all, but most people can pull themselves out of it for interviews, etc.

'Chronic negative attitude' is a pervasive condition that affects interviews, networking, presentation of self, job hunt approach, etc. Unfortunately, not much can be done for these folks because they rarely recognize it in themselves. So...if you are experiencing a lapse in self confidence (and who hasn't?) -- chin up! YOU have skills that others need. It's your job to find out who those people are, where they are and then let them know you exist and can help them.

What other suggestions or tips can you share that kept you going? Please comment below.

The Key to Holiday Gift Giving (and Interviews)

2009-12-14T21:14:05Z

It's mid-December and I haven't started my Christmas shopping yet. I created my shopping list today and jotted down what I am going to get for each person. For most people, it was pretty easy because I really strive to listen to my friends and family when we spend time together. People are dropping hints all year round, we just need to be present in the moment and make a mental note.

So listening is the key to gift giving.

Listening is also the key to the job search. I always recommend informational interviews because you get a lot of information you won't find on a Web site, plus the hiring manager tells you want they want for Christmas... no, just kidding... but they WILL tell you what their ideal hire would be. And you need to do more than make a mental note. You need to take copious notes and ensure you have the requisite skills. Or go out and acquire them!

So stop applying to all of these job postings, hoping that your resume will be the gift the hiring manager is seeking. You're just guessing. Just sit down and ask them.

Speaking of Christmas, what books, gadgets, etc. are on your list this year? Please comment below. You might also want to check out this list from Tim Ferriss's blog.