Spin Strategy™ - Tools for Intelligent Job Search

Is Lack Of Focus Dragging Your Resume Down?

2009-11-06T16:42:03-08:00

This is a guest post by Jessica Holbrook.

How many of you can honestly say you know exactly what you want to be when you grow up?

Maybe you already have it figured out, and maybe you are already living and working it. If you are, does your resume know that?

I work with clients every day and speak to hundreds of job seekers every week that have no idea what they want to do. I ask “Well, what do you want to do?” Then I receive the blanket “I just need to feed my family” or “I just need a job – I don’t care what it is.”

I understand the current market and economy, but folks no direction or focus for your career and job search is going to get you nowhere fast. When I look at your resume the first three seconds I’m there I need to know who you are, what you do, and why you’re good at it.

I cannot find out those three things from an objective. 

I cannot find that information in a generic and vague career summary. 

I will not spend my time searching through an entire resume or reading all the way down to the work experience section before I can finally see what you did in your last job. Might I also add, that what you did in your last job does not necessarily tell me what you want to do in your next job.

Here are some practical tips to ensure your resume has a focus:

1. Ask yourself what you want to do. When you can answer that question look at the first third of your resume and ask yourself can I tell what I want to do? If you can’t, you need to make some changes.

2. Spell it out for the hiring manager. Make it BIG, BOLD, and EASY TO READ. A title and one-liner works great. You are nailing the three big questions in two sentences at the very top: who you are, what you do, and what you are good at.

3. Brand it! Make you personal brand (you know that thing you are really good at) permeate throughout your resume. SHOW the employer exactly how you’ve done that great thing you’re known for at each and every employer.

4. Make everything in your resume revolve around the position you apply to. Generic will get you nowhere fast, a customized and focused resume shows the employer you really want the job, you’re qualified, and you are focused.

If you have really great expertise in more than one area THERE IS NO LAW THAT SAYS YOU CAN ONLY HAVE ONE RESUME. Create more than one resume and have each focused in a different area of expertise. Communicate the value you bring in each area and what you are known for and how you excel.

You can either spend a little more time customizing each resume before you send off to a potential employer or you can spend more time in your job search because you’re blasting out generic resumes. Personally, I’d rather show the employer that I’m interested and that I go the extra mile. Hiring managers will weed out the generic resumes and go straight for the focused resumes built around their open position.

There is too much competition right now people to be skating by on a generic resume. Are you having trouble developing a focused resume? Maybe you need a second opinion or are ready to have an expert take the reigns. View resume samples from expert resume writers or submit your resume for a free resume analysis to find out if your resume lacks focus.

Have You Had A Victory This Week In Your Job Search? Even A Small One?

2009-11-05T06:59:19-08:00

Creating momentum in job search can be hard. Carving out a few victories along the way is a big part of it. And you know what can be really hard? Recognizing them as victories when they may seem really small against your larger objective of finding that next great role.

So I'd like to give you a chance to speak up here and share yours. By making a comment below.

But before I open up the floor, I wanted to share some examples of victories that your fellow job seekers have shared in a great discussion. On the Linkedin group.

What? Not a member? It's easy to join!

Click here to join!

Oh, and tell them Tim sent you. It'll get you approved right away . . . :-)

So, here they are. 10 examples of small victories:

A new connection. Some days these can seem really small, but each connection will lead to something. And it is something new to pursue.
A phone interview. Maybe you got it via connections on Linkedin. Perhaps a vendor friend from a prior job helped you get it.
An e-mail response. You finally heard back from that company you submitted to a month ago. No matter the answer, hopefully something was resolved or cleared up.
An informational interview. Not only did you learn something new about a target company or industry, but you just might have given someone a reason to forward your resume on to someone else.
A phone call. Maybe it was a recruiter. Maybe it was an old college friend who works in an industry you've been targeting.
A chance meeting. Someone in the line at Starbucks. On an elevator. At the grocery store.
A few new ideas. Perhaps they were suggestions for a new job site to check out. A new recruiter in your industry. A job search blog (hey, good idea!).
A short term consulting assignment. This means some money in your wallet and a chance to keep your skills fresh. Consulting can be a great interim victory if you understand the pros and cons.
A chance to volunteer. Yes, you can do something good with your time off. And think of all the new people you'll meet! Whether you are stuffing envelopes for your local church or building a regional marketing plan for the local United Way, you put yourself in a target rich environment. Lots of new possible connections.
Take a friend. Have a friend who is a little shy? Bring them with you to your next networking event or one-on-one coffee meeting. It is a victory to help others. You've nudged them along and given them a reason to help you next time.

The key to all of these small victories though is that you have to be engaged. You have to be proactively creating a situation in which others want to help you. If you read the last post which included Eric's story about waiting for his car at the dealer.

Eric did not get new connections by sitting on the comfy coach reading a car magazine, sipping free coffee and swallowing a few donuts. He looked around the room and took action.

Now maybe Eric is unique you say. Freakishly outgoing with no fear. Well, that's just silly. All of us have some trepidation in networking. None are free of the nerves or ego restrictions that prevent starting a new conversation with a total stranger. Especially in an environment (like a car dealer) where most people are there for two reasons.

To get in and get out.

And with as little pain as possible on the wallet. And they don't even know that they could be a key contact for you in your quest to find something new.

But if you say "yes" to everything during job search. Especially to those opportunities that you might normally shy away from, you will create energy. And that energy will lead to small victories.

And once you have one, you can share it here. Or on the Linkedin group.

Sharing those victories builds momentum. Both real inertia and the kind that keeps your confidence up.

When you really need it.

The Power Of Multiple Options

2009-11-03T06:58:34-08:00

In job search as in life, there is real power in having multiple options. A few choices to make.

Now, some may find this stressful. After all, is it easier to navigate our lives if we have fewer choices to make? Not for me. I like the decision process. And the moments that surround it.

I like that moment in life where we get to make a very substantial decision that will impact the entire path our life takes. Those decisions include:

Where you go to college
The major you pursue
What first job you take out of high school or college
Whether you go back to school for an MBA or other advanced degree
Who you decide to marry
Whether to have kids
What city you call home
Which jobs you pursue during your career

Because each decision you make tosses you right into the middle of a new crowd. People that will influence you.

Can you think of one or two decisions that completely changed your life? Ever wonder what your life would look like had you made a different choice there? If you married Mary Sue vs. Tina?

So the power comes in the knowledge that you have. The knowledge that you are in a position to choose. In job search, the ability to choose from a few options during your search gives you confidence. And a sense of freedom.

And I'm not talking specifically about having multiple job offers. While that's nice and certainly has clear advantages, I'm talking about smaller choices and opportunities.

In a very early post on this blog, I wrote about the worst days during job search. Days when nothing is happening and nothing is on the horizon. I remember feeling a bit lost on those days. And when finally something came up, I wanted to jump all over it. With too much passion. As if it were the answer.

And really it is not about finding one thing. It is about generating multiple options. Constantly. Then the one job (the right one) will become more obvious.

Because if you have a constant effort to drum up new options, you will likely put yourself in a position where one opportunity (no matter how great) will not be your only choice. The freedom that comes from having a few things to choose from allows you to relax a bit.

Being relaxed allows you to be (and appear) more confident. It makes me want to talk with you and perhaps move you on to the next round of interviews.

If you are, however, looking at only one option. All the time. That option will seem magical. Something you can't let get away.

So you pursue it. Perhaps with too much passion. Maybe you look a bit desperate.

By having multiple options, you are allowed to pursue it quietly. With purpose. Because you know that if it doesn't work out, you have a few others to pursue. And, in fact, when you have multiple options you can be the pursued - not the pursuer. And there is power in that too.

So how do you generate multiple options? You work your network and use it to build a pipeline. A pipeline that will continually deliver new options to you.

For some great examples of how people have created multiple options, join the LinkedIn group. See the featured discussion titled "Have you had a victory this week in your job search? Even a small one?" Eric just added an example of his ability to make new connections while at the car dealer. Three new connections in 45 minutes "instead of just sitting there" waiting for his car.

Eric summarized his experience this way:

"Bottom Line: NETWORK, all day, every day, everywhere. Be creative, use all the tools available. Also, SHARE with others. It really helps."

By creatively utilizing and building on his network, Eric has given himself some new things to do, new people to network with and likely some new companies to consider in his search.

He has manufactured some freedom. And that's powerful.

Want To Attract A Recruiter's Attention? Avoid Shiny Objects.

2009-10-29T06:29:34-07:00

OK. I can't stand it any longer. I have this song that will not stop playing in my head. Does this ever happen to you? I'm not talking about the song that someone hums in the AM and lives with you for a few hours. I'm talking about a song that has been lingering upstairs for nearly four weeks now.

It is a Beatles song which is unusual. Because although I like a lot of the Beatles music, I feel like it is dramatically overplayed on the radio.

And the only way I can think to remove it from my consciousness is to write about it. There must be some reason that it has not left me. Kind of like that TV show called "Medium" where Alison gets haunted in her sleep by people who need their help. I hope this isn't the case with me because I really like my sleep!

Well, I feel pretty confident that Ringo Starr is not in need of my advice, so the song's presence must have another purpose.

The song is Octopus's Garden and you can read the lyrics here. Maybe there's a secret message for job seekers there. Let me know if anything hits you.

The song was written by Ringo for the 1969 album, Abbey Road. He was inspired, it seems, by a trip on a boat where he was told that the octopus likes shiny objects and goes around the sea bed collecting them to build a small garden around their "front porch". Perhaps to attract a mate?

Well, you may know that I love music and that I see music as a powerful influencer to help manage your psychology during job search. So maybe that's it.

But I don't think so.

I think it has more to do with this idea of "shiny objects". You see, during job search one of the hardest parts is determining how to attract others to your candidacy. Getting the attention of recruiters, hiring managers and the staff of an HR group.

We try a lot of different ideas, don't we? A few interesting examples I've heard of:

Interviewing with a restaurant company? Walk in the door wearing a chef's hat.
Send your resume inside a really big box sent via fed ex to the hiring manager.
Use shiny or colorful resume paper. Maybe they won't file it if the paper is really pretty.
Write a cover letter that overuses formatting to highlight every third sentence.
Put your face on the cover of Time magazine using PhotoShop and add the headline "The Greatest Salesman on the Planet"

The reality though is that while the initial attraction may work, grabbing long term interest and engagement is what you really need. If you simply walk outside with a small mirror and shine it in the eyes of a recruiter, you will attract attention. But what will you use to keep that attention once their vision comes back?

I guess my point here is that shiny objects generally don't work. The job search community is not like the animal kingdom. Not like an Octopus's Garden and certainly not like the mating dance of an exotic Bird of Paradise. You really need to click on this video. Does this look like you or anyone else you know in their job search or networking effort?

So what DOES work?

Well, I hate to make it sound so simple, but it is. You have to create compelling marketing materials that are less shiny. Materials that clearly and confidently identify your unique skills and experiences. Ones that can help someone imagine you doing all those great things you describe. In their company.

So, have a SoloSheet. And a FlashCard. Build a compelling resume. If you need help to pull your greatness out of your career history, go get it.

And to Ringo Starr, I hope that's what you were looking for. When you first decided to haunt me with that song of yours. Now, can I get some sleep?

Introducing A Free Tool for Managing Expenses During Job Search.

2009-10-26T01:01:55-07:00

We all have good intentions about budgeting. We know its value. But very few of us do it.

But while in transition (in between jobs) it can be critical to the financial and emotional health of your home during hard times.

As I look back at the category listing for this blog, I was surprised to see that this is only my fourth article on the topic of job search expenses. Seems odd that such an important topic would not get the love that other topics have received. Shame on me.

Just to catch you up, here are the other articles I've written directly on this topic:

When You Are The Sole Breadwinner

Job Search - Avoiding A Personal Bailout

How Much Money Should I Spend To Find A Job?

So this post is about identifying and planning your expenses during job search. And this includes your regular expenses as well as those specifically focused on finding your next great role.

I updated a tool that I used in my last search and gave it a name. And now I'm giving it to you. For your use and, hopefully, your feedback.

Now, to be fair, there are many other tools on the web for managing a budget. Some more detailed and more high tech than this one. So, what makes this one different?

It includes specific line items for job search expenses (resume help, career coaching, job sites)
It allows for financial transitions (severance to other income; company paid insurance to COBRA)
It helps you to both identify today's expenses as well as plan for future ones
It allows for incomes from a variety of sources, including severance payments (monthly or as a lump sum)
It identifies the expected gap between transition income and total expenses then allows for prioritization of funds to fill the gap.

Is a budget really all that important if I have a severance check coming for the next few months?

Well, yes. Perhaps even more so. Whether you have help for a few months or a strong savings account, your goal should be to spend as little of that money as possible. So, in addition to a strong job search strategy, you'd better have one for your financial situation, right? The money you save today, may extend you another week or two on the other side.

That includes having a strong knowledge of your current spending habits, a budget that reflects necessities not luxuries and, importantly, includes a smart psychology about the speed in which your job search will end.

A few months ago I wrote about the danger of being an optimist during job search and let me just say that your transition budget is not the place to be optimistic.

Hopes that your search will end weeks or months prior to your severance check drying up can meet with a painful reality.

Instead of making smart cuts in the beginning and balancing out the pain, you either end up making severe and immediate cuts or dig deeper into savings than you intended.

The tool is called ExpenSmart™.

So, how does it work? Well, it is an Excel workbook with three tabs. If you've never used an Excel workbook, look at the very bottom for tabs that you can click to find each spreadsheet.

TAB 1 - How To Use

If you find the tool via this post (see download link at the very bottom of this post), you won't need to read this tab unless you need a refresher. Everything on that tab can also be found here.

TAB 2 - Learning Month - Actuals

This worksheet is here to help you be honest with yourself. One of the biggest mistakes that we make in budgeting is assuming a bad number. We think we spend X on food each month when it is actually Y. Here's what you do. Track your actual expenses everyday for a month. Keep the spreadsheet up on your computer and log in every single expense, cash or credit, into the spreadsheet. Ask for a receipt. For everything. Daily.

Is it painful? Yes. Does it feel like overkill? Of course. It will also take a lot of your time to do it right.

But if you think you have a handle on your actual expenses when you have a big paycheck coming in like a fire hose . . . and you are wrong. You will be especially frustrated with the size of the expenses when the income begins to slow and eventually begins only to drip.

And do not underestimate the emotional tie you have to your ability to spend at will. Believe me, your pride takes a hit when someone says that you shouldn't buy something that a few months ago would have been a no-brainer. Sometimes you will be the one giving that direction to a spouse. Other times, your spouse (the financial driver in the house) will bring you to your knees with "we can't afford that (insert something important here)".

If you can fill this out in advance of your transition beginning, that is ideal. If you get a heads up on a lay-off. If not, do the best you can to track your actuals. And remember that this is one month. Pay attention to any unique aspects that you may need to adjust for as you begin projecting future expenses. Was your learning month "back to school month" or a big birthday month for family? Adjust accordingly.

TAB 3 - Planning Months - Budget

Now that you have a sense of your real spending habits (or at least a real month), you can begin projecting forward based on known expenses and estimated variable expenses (i.e. food, utilities, entertainment).

In Tab 3, you plan out three to six months keeping in mind the time of year and using knowledge of your seasonal spending habits to adjust monthly projections as necessary.

Concerning income, if your transition takes you from two incomes to one or from one to none, the spreadsheet allows you to plan for either scenario and plan for the availability and eventual dissipation of a regular severance check. If your severance check is a lump sum, look to the bottom of the spreadsheet to identify it along with any other lump sum amounts you may need to tap.

For job search expenses, part of your strategy should be your use of paid resources to help you find your next role. As I've said before, if you plan to use a resume expert or a career coach, do it early and include it in your plans. Also, make sure to set a budget for yourself re: job search expenses. Too many meetings at Starbucks and your job search expenses can begin adding up. Networking coffees are a great way to build a relationships and gain new contacts, but they can also get expensive.

If your search extends beyond your severance, you'll need to identify your next source of funds to cover expenses. A cash savings account is commonly viewed as the next best source due to its liquid nature and (hopefully) penalty free access. For decisions regarding tapping other savings, home equity or 401k funds, please contact your accountant or financial adviser.

Those are important decisions that need to be well thought-out with a professional.

In the end, knowing your own financial reality and planning for your short term future is a critical part of your strategy during job search. This knowledge will help you understand your real situation.

And even if you don't like the resulting budget (and its affect on your spending ability), you will have confidence that you are acting on real data. Not false hopes.

Download ExpenSmart

Turning Stones. Generating Ideas For The Job Hunt.

2009-10-23T15:47:31-07:00

I've been feeling a bit nostalgic lately. And it seems that many discussions with job seekers lately tend to slip into the topic of yesteryear. Of old memories. The freedom of being a child.

And everyone says the same thing about their childhood freedom:

"I left in the morning and came home when it was dark."

For me, it was when Mom rang the old bell on the side of the house. Growing up in Marin (SF Bay Area), the vibrations from that old bell crashed through the open space through the hills above our house. And eventually found me.

You also hear about the joys of pick-up soccer, baseball and football games. No organization, just "everyone meet up at the park".

I think that as job seekers, we feel a strange sense of freedom during transition. We feel a bit guilty about it at times. Or at least I did. Because while you are technically free (of a regular job), it is not the same as those wonderful summer days during childhood.

I think that's why the conversation ends up there. There is a yearning for that kind of freedom. Agree?

So if we "left in the morning and came home when it was dark", what did we do during all those summer days?

Well in the hills above our Terra Linda home, there was grass. And big oak trees. Streams. And stones.

We explored all of it.

And our mission on some days gave me a thought for you during the job hunt.

What stones have you turned today?

If you didn't grow up around lots of stones, let me tell you what treasures you can find:

Snakes
Scorpions
Pill bugs
Spiders
Centipedes

And, as a kid, that was pure treasure.

So "turning stones" seems a good way to think about identifying new opportunities.

What is the benefit of turning stones?

Well, the benefit is that it gets us more curious about what our network can do for us. You might say: "Hmm, I wonder what happens if I do this?" Every stone turned leads to something. Or nothing. But the knowledge that you have done it. That you've poked and prodded your network, may perhaps provide you with some of that freedom each day. It pushes us to fully investigate the possibilities. It gets us asking more questions.

What are some examples?

Examples include trying to schedule the following every week: one informational interview, five coffees, fifteen phone calls. All with the goal of learning something new about your network and how it might be able to help you. If you need help identifying these, you can get some ideas from the PlateWorks tool available on the Spin Strategy website.

It also can include more impulsive stone turning. Driving down the street of a commercial business park and walking into companies. Are you hiring? Make friends with a nice receptionist and you never know what you'll find.

What might we find underneath?

Well, let's see.

[CONTACTS AT TARGET COMPANIES] If, while turning stones, you are ready with a very specific set of job search objectives, you may find that your network has many great ideas for you. Ideas about who you could be calling at your target companies.

[HIDDEN JOBS] Yes, the ones not found on Craig's List or Monster. Jobs that perhaps haven't been listed yet or are so new that you can be in before the other 500 resumes arrive.

[RESOURCES] Sites offering great new tools, recruiters, resume experts, career coaches, career ministries are out there and, believe me, there are some that can help you. Ones you have not found yet.

So at least as a provoking thought, put it in your head that next week you will keep your eyes peeled. Be unusually curious.

For stones. Unturned. Undisturbed.

Stones that may be sheltering a key treasure to help you find success in your job hunt.

And when that bell rings. Or when darkness falls. You can hustle home to a warm dinner.

And some new ideas.

Interview Day Jitters? Introducing Scream Therapy.

2009-10-20T22:37:38-07:00

In this blog I often try to find ways to get you back on track. Mentally. When this whole job search thing knocks you off.

I've tried to do this by encouraging, prodding and suggesting. And sometimes I need to knock you off track with a big stick, pick you up and dust you off.

Tonight, however, is about asking you to do something. Something that might make you awfully uncomfortable. And it might be embarrassing.

But if you do it right, no one has to know. In fact I did it just this past week. In my car.

If you can measure up, this task will potentially change your mindset and be just jarring enough to get your head on straight before a big interview or networking event.

I want you to scream a loud "YEEEEEEEE - HAW!". In your car.

I'm not kidding.

And, while you could hit yourself in the head with a stick, this is a lot more fun. As a way to get your head on straight prior to an interview. Or any other day during job search when the stress gets to you.

It's actually less like a stick and more like a lemon meringue pie but it has the effect of those defibrillator pads on "ER". And you don't have to say "clear" before letting this loose.

Now before you say "That's it. Tim's finally lost it." realize that this method is tried and tested. In my life. During my 2007 job search. And many times since. Whenever life throws a curve ball.

Don't believe me? Click below:

Screaming Tim

That's me. A few weeks back. Recorded on my Blackberry.

I hope this isn't my Howard Dean moment. One that destroys my blogging career.

I'll take the risk. For you.

So why does screaming in your car help?

It is something you never do (if not true for you, well . . . cool!)
It shocks your system and shakes the nerves right out of you.
It brings out the kid in you. The kid that was full of confidence and promise
It makes you smile.
It is a great distraction.

It might also leave you wondering why you read this blog :-)

What if you are not the cowboy or cowgirl type? Know that your scream can be of any sort. You choose. It can be a "scary movie" scream if you'd like. But find one that properly wipes your "top of mind" of any nervous thoughts.

For you newbies out there. If you are new to scream therapy. Here are a few pointers and warnings.

You will feel really silly the first time you try it. In fact, I wouldn't record your first scream.
Do it at a stop light when no one is around. And have the radio off.
Scream as loud as you can. Repeat until successful.
Don't close your eyes. Especially if your car is moving at the time. Be safe.
Avoid practicing in the company's parking lot prior to the interview. Big brother may not understand.

Now I'm going to ask something of you that I shouldn't. This is only for the brave. The lion-hearted.

I want to hear your screams.

Record them on your phone and send me a text. That way, unless you are in my address book, I won't know it's you. They'll be anonymous.

Send the text to (949) 280-7043.

But I'm sure none of you will have the guts to send it to me. I dare you. :-P

On Volunteering During Job Search

2009-10-18T19:35:38-07:00

Many months ago I wrote a post about consulting during job search. I got a lot of good feedback on that post and still get good traffic to it. Why? Because it is a common thing people do when in between jobs. And they want to do it right. Avoiding the pitfalls.

Volunteering and consulting have a few similar pros and cons. But I think they are different enough that it warrants a separate discussion.

The Similarities:

Well, of course, both are a great use of your time during transition. Whether you are out of work for 30 days or 30 months, keeping your mind active and being involved in a business environment is a very good thing.

Both keep you mentally engaged (thinking, planning, producing)
Both keep you busy, distracted and less likely to obsess over a single job opportunity.
Both allow you to show an active and productive lifestyle on your resume. Employers like to see activity during transition. "I was looking for a job" is not enough anymore during a six month transition period.

The Differences:

There are a few obvious and a few not so obvious differences between volunteering and consulting. And there is a hybrid you should know about called "freesulting". OK, I just made that up, but it involves you providing consulting services for free. But, here's how volunteering differs:

Volunteering does not pay the mortgage. But you may get a free lunch.
Volunteering is not a contract position. You can easily leave any time.
Volunteering helps others who really need it. And can't pay for it.
Volunteering is not glamorous. Yes, even the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

So, if you ask me should I take time out of my job search to volunteer in my local community. The answer is yes.

But here are a few guidelines:

Consider first getting more deeply involved in an organization in which you already volunteer. Your local church. Your kid's school or sports team. These are the most natural uses of your time. Very local and close to the heart. Only drawback? These will not look as "professional" on the resume if you decide to list it.
So . . . look for organizations that are well known and have well-run volunteer programs. Habitat for Humanity or Make A Wish Foundation are good examples. You get to give back and get to share your experiences in interviews. Employers see you involved and estimate that you weren't just stuffing envelopes. Even if you were . . .
Look for a position with some responsibility (see last point above) and consider the possibility that you might stay on board after you find work. It feels good to volunteer both during and after your job search.
Make smart commitments that allow you to get a good role but do not take you away too much form the job search. While you cannot be looking for work 12 hours a day, you also cannot let another commitment limit your search to 3-4 hours a day. And you certainly don't want conflicts when big networking events are scheduled. Or an interview is offered.
When listing the volunteer experience on your resume, treat it like a job. At least until you find one. List the volunteer organization as the company, show the dates and location. Describe your responsibilities and list your accomplishments. Just like your last job.

So now you've done it.

You've used your skills to help an organization that needed you. You've filled a gap in your resume's time-line. You've been focused and engaged in something of value. You've avoided being obsessed by a single job opportunity.

Well done.

Another Thought On Politeness In Job Search. When To Say Thank You.

2009-10-15T06:53:57-07:00

After writing the post Why Politeness May Be Hurting Your Job Search this week, a really great discussion got started regarding manners. And it is an interesting question about when and how to use the manners that have been "drummed in" to you since childhood (Thanks Sarah for the words "drummed in"!).

There is anxiety for some who would rather be safe than risk putting someone off or appearing to be bold or inappropriate. I get that. Job search is a time where you are looking to make no mistakes. It is a competitive market out there and you do not want to stand out in a bad way.

But you also don't want to be stuck in the past. And you don't want to act one way on Twitter and in another way when addressing a cover letter.

So, when to say thank you. Here's my thinking:

In Thank You Notes?

Hold on, now. Not so obvious. It depends on a few things. Who is the recipient? What was the nature of your conversation? I saw a good post on this by Brad Remillard who writes Career Blog and is an well-known executive recruiter here in Orange County. In his post "The Real Reason For "Thank You" Letters Isn't To Say, "Thank You" Brad suggests that the better use of a thank you note is "to reinforce your ability to do the job and/or address any potential issues that came up during the interview". I agree with that although I wonder whether a note arriving a few days after the interview will be too late? As a hiring manager has my impression already been firmed up?

The question is: should a follow-up or thank you note include a "thank you" at all? Based on the premise laid out in my post from earlier this week, can a "thank you" hurt you? Hard to imagine, I guess, but a heavy thank you can feel over the top or desperate.

THE MAIN POINT: You were not interviewed as a favor to you. They weren't throwing you a bone. You were interviewed to potentially solve a business problem for the company. And you were identified as a possible solution.

And while I'm not suggesting "don't say thank you" after an interview, I honestly don't think it is necessary. I like a further point Brad makes that a follow-up note should be more of a furthering of your marketing effort. That makes sense. And seems a better purpose in writing a follow-up note.

And, by the way, my position changes for follow-up notes after an informational interview. That absolutely deserves a "thank you".

What do you think?

In Networking

Even when networking is done right - when there is a good "give and take", a thank you is always appropriate and much appreciated! And I don't much care if it is an e-mail, a text message, a hand written note, a $5 Starbucks gift card or a re-tweet of a post you liked. I sincerely appreciate a thank you. As does anyone who has taken time out of their busy life to help. It nicely closes the loop on a networking interaction.

Some examples:

A recruiter who gives you 15 minutes of their time when they don't have a match for you.
A fellow networker in transition who helps you get your feet wet on your own search.
An employed person who shows up at networking events to give back.
Anyone who forwards you a targeted job lead.
A speaker at an event you attend.

All these deserve a thank you. Don't you think?

It doesn't have to be long. A few lines work well! But it should be sincere. Authentic. And, if you'd like, you can ask how you might be able to return the favor. That opens a new loop for networking . . .

Curious to get your take on this point.

Why Politeness May Be Hurting Your Job Search

2009-10-13T07:01:12-07:00

Every once in a while I get a reminder that my role here is not to repeat the advice of others but to push the boundaries a little bit. To challenge the status quo. But I don't always do that. Sometimes I get sucked in to writing posts that are a bit too traditional.

I hope today's post gets you thinking a bit . . .

Because an interesting cultural phenomena continues in the job search and career market. We are excruciatingly polite and I'm concerned that this may turn into an issue for some of you.

And it is all our mom's fault. Yes, yours too.

So without delay, I'll just say it. If you are job seeker, stop being so polite to everyone.

First of all, stop calling me Mr.

I see it all the time in cover letters and e-mail introductions.

Dear Mr. or Ms.

So do you even know the age of the person you are e-mailing? And should it even matter? In a recent e-mail I noticed that a person was "caught" using "Mr." when writing for the first time to someone. He thought it was appropriate to do so. Turns out the guy he was writing to was 3 years younger than him. Yes, you are using Mr. in a note to a person that was a freshman when you were graduating from high school. The person you had to direct to their first period on day one of school.

Think about it.

The big issue here is that as soon as you use Mr. or Ms. you put yourself in a social position just below the receiver. By definition. As a job seeker, consider that you are not in a different class. Age does not matter. In truth, you are a business person offering your skills and experience to a company in need. They are looking for a solution to a problem. And you may be the solution. So why not just say "Dear Mike" or "Dear Sarah"? Get on even footing from the start and do it with confidence.

And if the hiring manager is a young, social media maven (in work or on the side) you will damage your standing from the start with a "Mr." introduction.

And stop using generic formalities

Dear Sir or Madam

Madam? Really? This is all part of this beautiful collision between the extreme casual tone displayed in social media and our dwindling but still present sense of manners at all costs from our parents era. And the collision will either be one you avoid or one where you end up being dragged in the mud on Facebook.

So this is wrong in two ways. First, no one uses Sir or Madam any more except in job search. Stop using those words. You might as well be using a pen with a very large feather and writing on parchment paper. But, more important, why are you sending a cover letter to "Sir or Madam" when you could just go into Linkedin and get a name? This solves the Sir or Madam issue in a very clean way. Promise to never send another one of these letters with your resume. Do you promise?

And if you are a hiring manager, please don't expect a formal introduction to a cover letter. Be open to me calling you "Rob" if that's your name. Even if we've never met and even if I'm ten years younger than you. It's not an insult. It's your name.

Job seekers need to take back the high road in communications. And today is the day.

Have I convinced you?