Seeing the Possibilities in a Bad Job Market

This is a moment of opportunity for people seeking their dream job. This is especially true if you have recently been laid off and are a "seasoned job-seeker," (read over 40). You are poised to take flight and soar. Yes, soar! You’ve had some time in a career or two. You’ve done things. You’ve got solid experience, not just knowledge. You have accomplishments. You have many more acquaintances, colleagues, friends, family and neighbors than younger people. These are all great tools to have in your toolbox.

Now is the time to ask yourself some questions:

• Did I like doing what I was doing?
• Do I want to do something different?
• What do I want to do next?

If you know what you want to do next – great! Go make it happen. Put together your résumé; polish your 30-second Brand You sound-bite (also known as your elevator speech); contact everyone you know (this is your network) for information swapping; practice interviewing with friends and family; look for possibilities everywhere; work six hours every day of the work week in the job hunt; and go get your next job.

As a seasoned worker, your experience counts. You have the advantage of a work history and experience. You likely have a series of solid achievements that emphasize the results you can deliver to an employer. So what special skills do you have that set you apart from the crowd? How did you leave your former employers better off than before you came on board? These accomplishments will really help to sell you to an employer, not just a list of job duties. Have a good example in story form of how you prevented a big mistake, saved money, or increased productivity because of your judgement and experience. Be factual about your experience.

Many times hiring managers will have the flawed belief that older workers are set in their ways or not open to innovative ways of doing things. Draw a picture of how you used innovative thinking or creative problem solving to combat that stereotypical thinking. Welcome change. Keep up with new ideas in the workplace, even though, you’re currently unemployed. That will demonstrate you are in touch and current.

Reach out to people you know. This is your network. Don’t just ask for job leads; ask for information and about how you might help them. Ask about their families, about how they’re doing. Show interest in them. They’ll remember that (and you) when something comes along. If they feel you’re just connecting for your own benefit, they will be less likely to be helpful.

Stay energetic and take care of yourself. Be the picture of health. Keeping yourself healthy and fit by eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising will have full of energy when you meet the hiring manager and put more in your arsenal against stereotypes.

Stay focused on the future. Don’t bring up your entire work history. Bring up only what is relevant to the job you are applying for or during the interview. I know, it’s hard to let some of that history go. There were great accomplishments in that history. That was then, this is now.

Even in a recession people retire and quit their jobs. There will be job openings. Be prepared for the opportunity, and YOU WILL BE LUCKY!

This is a great time to contact me and become prepared for opportunity so you can be lucky. We will get an action plan together to get your Dream Job. I can help you sort through your skills, experiences and your dreams to get the right job for you. I can assist you in creating a skills inventory, creating a polished Brand You Sound-bite, and getting you on the path to your dream job. Don’t wait, contact me now.

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

Warmly, Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund Executive And Life Coaching

By telephone: 916 • 803•1494 or by e-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

Sophisticated Job Hunting

A recession rewards those who are sophisticated at job hunting and limits those whose skills are undeveloped. I will support you in developing those skills. If you limit yourself to only one job-hunting method, you'll likely stay out of work. Go for at least two and preferably three of the most effective. I can help you determine which are best for you and your situation. We can polish your job hunting skills to maximize your efforts and assist you in getting your dream job. Remember too, looking for work is a job in itself. So spend six hours a day on your job hunt. The more effort you put into it, the more productive (and effective) you'll be. The Five Worst: 1. Search only online. It doesn't work for most of those who try it. Of every 100 job hunters who use the Internet as their only search method, only four will find a job. The exception: Jobs in engineering, finance and health care or technical, computer-related jobs. 2. Mail résumés at random. There are millions of résumés floating around, like lost ships on the sea. No one's bothered to count how many resulted in a job. 3. Look only in professional/trade journals. For every 100 job hunters who use only this search method, seven will find a job; 93 will not. 4. Answer newspaper ads. Success varies by salary level; the higher the salary you're seeking, the lower the success rate finding it through a newspaper ad. 5. Use employment agencies or search firms. The success rate has risen slightly in recent years – for women but not men. One study found 27.8 percent of females found a job within two months through private employment agencies. The Five Best Use three to four of these methods. Any more and you may spread yourself too thin. As you gain mastery, add another method to your tool box of job hunt skills. That way you will build your skills and not have to learn everything at one time. 1. Ask for job leads. Talk to family members and friends or visit career centers at schools where you graduated. Ask one question: Do you know of any jobs where you work or elsewhere? 2. Knock on doors. Go in person to employers that interest you, whether there's a vacancy or not. By going face-to-face, you have a seven-fold better chance of finding a job than if you only sent out résumés. 3. Use the phone book. Make targeted phone calls or visits to employers in fields you're interested in, asking if they're hiring. 4. Create a "job club." Join together with other job seekers and follow the above. 5. Do a self-assessment. Identify the skills that you most enjoy using. Decide the job environment where you would thrive and do your most effective work. Find the job titles you're interested in, the companies that offer such jobs, and the people who have power to hire you. How can your skills help solve their problems? Source: Richard N. Bolles, "What Color is Your Parachute?" from Ten Speed Press Job seekers, don't give up. Richard Bolles is on your side. His life's work has been about how to find a job. And not just any job, but the career of your dreams. He is the renowned career-hunt specialist, speaker and author of the best-selling book "What Color Is Your Parachute? (Job-Hunting in Hard Times)." With 10 million "Parachute" books in 20 languages across 26 countries, he's now busily scouring the Web for new ways and new technologies to make hunting for work more fruitful. He's also putting out another book – his 38th on the topic, "The Job-Hunters Survival Guide" – that's due out at the end of this month (March 2009). I highly recommend his books. They are packed with helpful information. If you can’t afford to buy them, check them out of your local library. Do the exercises and follow the advice. It is gold. If all of this sounds too overwhelming, call me and I'll help you through the processes. I can breakdown the steps for you into manageable chunks. We can set intermediate goals that will build upon each other to maximize your success rate. Together, we can craft a sophisticated package of job search tools that will get you on the path to your dream job. —  — This is a great time to contact me to get an action plan together to get your Dream Job. I can help you sort through your skills and your dreams to get the right job for you. I can assist you in creating a skills inventory, crafting a polished Brand You Sound-bite, getting you on the path to your dream job. Contact me now. A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream. Warmly, Elisabeth Elisabeth Adler-Lund Executive And Life Coaching Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com