Final FAQ Job Seeker Friday “Just Ask Joe” column of 2020: New Year’s Resolution Edition!

This will be my last FAQ Job Seeker Friday “Just Ask Joe” column of 2020. Wishing you a safe and enjoyable rest of what has been a year we all hope to forget! To that end, to an awesome and more normal 2021! Now, today’s column.

Usually, my column features five of the most common questions I’ve received during the week from job seeker clients of mine, which I answer via this forum. This last column of 2020 however focuses on providing five tips to job seekers that will enter 2021 unemployed. Make at least one or more of these your top five New Year’s resolutions and I am confident you will soon be gainfully employed. If you need help with your search, I provide a free consultation (858-531-7128 or joecsd@gmail.com):

New Year’s Resolution Tip #1: Be honest with yourself

If you have been looking for work for more than a few months, it’s possible this is due to no fault of your own in terms of why you haven’t landed a new job yet. This is particularly true if you’ve worked in an industry that has been adversely affected by the pandemic.

That said, if you haven’t do an thorough evaluation, be mindful that perhaps your job search needs improvement. To that end, make it a priority to reach out to me (or a professional like me) for a free consultation. A good Career Coach that has been a hiring manager (like me) – see’s your presentation from a hiring manager’s perspective, not yours. And that’s a HUGE difference. Basically, what’s working? What isn’t? (e.g., Networking working? Resume getting interviews? Interviewing getting offers?) If not to any of these questions, why?

Here’s the point: sometimes, job seekers are “so close” to their search – and/or they get well-intended, yet bad advice from peers (these peers in question are often not hiring managers, recruiters or career coaches) – that they don’t realize they are getting in their own way! So tip # 1, make sure you’re not making mistakes that are harming your job search.

New Year’s Resolution Tip #2: Avoid the biggest mistake in 2021 I see job seekers make every year…

…And that’s not nearly enough networking. Look, I understand, socially, for some networking can feel intimidating, awkward, or frankly embarrassing. Many people, especially men (I can be like this too!), don’t like to ask others for help. Perhaps you are like me and take pride in figuring out problems yourself – and it totally makes sense, I get it.

Yet the reality is networking really, really does work – under the proviso, the job seeker is doing it correctly! Unfortunately, many do not. I know this because many clients that hire me, when I do a through an analysis of their search, I come to realize they lack key networking skills and/or are not following best practices/have bad habits.

The good news is I’ve had many, many clients this year (like every year!) land jobs from networking – not from an online application at all. Yet no college offers a degree in Job Seeker Networking 101. It takes skill and for many practice – skills a Career Coach like me can teach you.

In short, your former colleagues, classmates do want to help you – but they can’t help you if you don’t A) reach out to them in the first place or B) do it appropriately. So tip #2, make sure you’re networking skills are up to snuff, and if not, learn these key skills – and then just do it – network, network, and network some more right to your next job!

New Year’s Resolution Tip #3: Maximize and measure the essential difference between reactive and proactive job hunting

Staying on the networking theme, a successful job seeker knows the different between a reactive and proactive job search – and the need for a balance approach and constant re-evaluation. “Reactive” is you, the job seeker, “reacting” to a job post online and applying. “Proactive” is what I described in Tip #2 (above) – proactively, reaching out to stakeholders. But both approaches are moot if not maximized and measured. Maximized is prioritizing their importance and measuring is self-explanatory.

Here’s an example: Mon.-Wed., you reached out to 3-5 different peers and applied to 1-2 jobs each day. Thurs.-Fri. (or perhaps in the case of your peers sooner), you measure the results. If none of peers have gotten back to you, your networking approach is not working and needs review and refinement. Certainly, it may take longer to hear back on an online application using the above example, but you get the larger point. So tip #3, measure the performance of your search on a weekly basis – not every few weeks or after 30 days.

New Year’s Resolution Tip #4: Get out of your comfort zone – write your “career obituary” but in a good way (let me explain)

Speaking of measuring, one of the most powerful exercises I share with clients that has benefited each tremendously over the years is what I call the “career obituary” exercise. Let me explain. The purpose of this exercise is to validate that what’s written on your resume, what’s in your elevator pitch/value proposition and how you describe your skills as a solution-provider during the interviewing process is A+-caliber.

So let’s imagine, hypothetically, you buy a lottery ticket and win the lottery. Now you can retire! But before you can collect your winnings, you are required to “write” your career obituary – in a good way because you just won the lottery!

What would you want your career obituary to say? I will tell you. At a minimum, whatever you write, it should have clear and succinct answers to the following key questions:

? What was I known for/respected for (e.g., knowledge/areas of expertise, etc)?

? What did I do best? (substantively, from a career perspective, not soft skills)

? What were my (additional) greatest career accomplishments?

? Why was what I did really important? (Who did it help?)

? Who benefited from what I did? (Customers? Vendors? Colleagues? Others?)

Compare what you wrote for your answers to the above questions – with what you have written on your resume, what you say in your elevator pitch/value proposition and how you describe your unique skill set as a solution-provider during the interviewing process. Anything different? Missing?

When I give this exercise to clients, almost every time, they come away with a different perspective – and, as a result, have improved messaging and marketability for their job search. So tip #4, do not forget to do tip #4!

Finally, New Year’s Resolution Tip #5: Invest more in yourself

If you haven’t done already while you’ve been looking for work, invest in yourself, particularly in areas where you lack strength, need to learn new skills, or to help you achieve your goals more quickly, whether short or long-term objectives. That can be everything from simply taking an online class to even reading a new book with many insightful tips – to hiring someone like myself to write or edit your resume or teach you interviewing, negotiating, or networking skills. Evaluate the cost of your investment and what your expectation is on the return. So tip #5, regardless of what your specific needs may be, give yourself a gift in 2021 – invest in yourself! You’ll thank yourself later when you land a great job!

Conclusion

2020 has been a year of extremes. Literally deadly and dreadfully emotionally and financially painful at one extreme for so many, yet utterly amazing on the positive side in that we have multiple vaccines! The saddest of years, yet also truly extraordinary.

2021 is your year – use at least one or more of these top five New Year’s resolutions noted above and I’m hopeful you’ll be hired sooner rather than later. And if you (or anyone you know) need help with job search, from a new or updated resume to networking, interviewing or salary negotiations skills practice, call me for a free consultation (858-531-7128 or joecsd@gmail.com).

FAQ Friday Quote of the Week: “Setting goals is easy. Achieving them is the hard part.”

FAQ Friday Client Testimonial: “Joe, thanks for your advice and tips this week. You ROCK!!” – Ed

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Wishing you a safe holiday and New Year!