Be prepared, you must practice for this as much as you do for a face to face interview if not more. The phone interview is the time for you to do your best because a successful phone interview will lead to a face to face interview which is where the magic happens and deals are made. Do your best to devote all of your attention to the interviewer and avoid any and all distractions and interruptions. Always ask the interviewer what the next step is, how you will be notified and what the time frame is.

Networking can be a great way to uncover job opportunities! Be professional but be sure to let anyone you know that you are looking for a new job! Help them in some way if you can or at the very least pay them back for helping you.

So where do you start? My advice is to sit down with your spouse/significant other, family members or best friend and talk it out. As an Executive Recruiter, when I 1st speak with someone about making a change I always, from the very start of the process, ask them how their family feels about what they are considering doing. You need to hear what other people think of your situation and where you are at with it and then you need to hear their thoughts about what they see and hear from you. If you make a move and have a family it will certainly impact them so make sure they have a chance to understand where you are coming from and support you.

Once you have had the talks and get feedback and even more ideas flowing back and forth, then you need to begin to assess what it is that you really want to do. Are the thoughts you are having about making a change a sign that you need to do an assessment of what your goals are with regard to what your career does for you? Maybe its time to step back and look at your situation in a different light, use it as time to confirm where you are at or redefine where you want to be going? Do you feel like you are in autopilot and that is leading to dissatisfaction? Have you reached a point where the “passion” (that can mean a million different things by the way when it comes to career or purpose “passion”) is no longer feeding your fire?

If you’re unemployed, clearly that is a much different dynamic, especially if you have a shallow pool of resources to give you time to be selective about what you want to do. The risk is higher and the time it takes to find or land a good job is longer. And in todays economy the competition for jobs is fierce. But you still need to use the same process used above….seek out advie and feedback, begin networking through friends, family, industry contacts, business associates, former fellow employees….get the word out! Start networking in anyway you know how.

The best jobs are not found on job boards or in the Sunday newspaper, they are found by digging and searching and asking around. And you get a chance at them by getting your toolbox in order so you are prepared.

This opportunity for you to have the help and assistance of someone who is normally an extremely expensive “hired gun” will help you separate yourself from other job seekers in your field. Keep checking back for more news. Sign up for my newsletter to be 1st in line for the chance to sign up!

That being said, I have tons of other job or career search advice and will use this blog to discuss them. Sign up for my newsletter to stay updated on major topics too!