The Inside Scoop on Hiring Managers

“Know your enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are sure to be defeated in every battle.” — Sun Tzu (The Art of War) I am not suggesting the hiring manager is your enemy. I am saying that if you understand some of the pressures and concerns of the people in the hiring chain of the company you are applying for a job, you will have a better chance of success. In large and mid-sized companies, you will have a Human Resources (HR) department. That is where you will send your résumé. If it is a large company, there may a person (or more) who does mainly recruiting for the company. That is good for you. They are practiced at seeing the people who will be successful at their companies. They have lots of experience reading résumés and interpreting what makes for a successful employee. They can read the résumé and cover letter faster and separate out those who will go on for interviews and who won’t. If it is a smaller HR department, the HR professional may do recruiting as part of other duties. Some of these other duties are sexual harassment claims investigation, salary surveys, new employee orientations, payroll, benefits, employee relations issues, and on and on. Not every person likes to do recruiting. Some people thrive on it. You won’t know whom you will get at HR. At least in HR, there has been some training in recruiting, reading résumés and doing interviews. That is good for you. From HR, your résumé will go to a hiring manager. Alternatively, HR might also do a first “screening” interview, before passing you on to the hiring manager. In some companies, your résumé will go straight to the hiring manager. Depending on how long they have been a manager, there may be no experience to lots of experience doing hiring. In either case, this is just one more thing that is keeping them from doing their job. They will probably have to work more hours to get it all done. While they are looking at your résumé (do they know what to look for?) the work is piling up around them. In today’s economy, it is an employers’ market. That means there are many more applicants than there are jobs. Therefore, for one job, a hundred applications (or more) may come in. That means whoever is looking at the résumés, only has 15 – 30 seconds to spend on each résumé before making the decision: “Keep or toss?”

• How do you stand out?
• How do you get the person looking at your application materials to spend more than 15 seconds looking at your résumé?

YOU have to make it very easy for them to decide to keep you. How? Tell them you are the right candidate. Be passionate about the company or the job (or both) you chose to send your résumé. Use sentences in your cover letter like, “I am passionate about helping people become healthy and that is the business of Healthy Company.” Similarly, be passionate about the job with statements that demonstrate that passion. “I enjoy being a geologist because it exercises my educational skills and it’s an ever-changing environment as I manage projects out in the field or in the office.” Do some research about the company and let them know it with, “I have always admired the way ABC gives back to the community and I want to be part of that.” It is up to you to demonstrate that you are the right candidate in your application materials. HR or the hiring manager does not have the time to research you. That is your job. You have to set it out plainly, obviously for them. Do that, and you are more likely to get the job. If you aren’t getting any calls for an interview, it may be that your cover letter or résumé is not connecting you to the hiring manager. Need help? Email me and we can put together a relevant résumé and a cover letter that will demonstrate you are the right candidate for the 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 Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

Riding the Rapids of Job Loss

If you’ve recently been laid off, I am sorry. In spite of what you may have read, you can’t truly prepare for job loss. We’ll cover some steps to take, some financial, some job-related, but when the layoff comes – watch out. Your world crumbles a little, people change, and you change. You go up and down and around with emotions. It is like riding wild rapids in the river of life. What's the worst that can happen to you? Here are some things that I’ve seen recently: You lose your job You run out of savings You have to sell your home It's a down market and you can't sell your house You move, pull the kids out of “their” school Your whole lifestyle changes

More people are facing an extended period of joblessness and the potential financial difficulties that go along with it. The newspaper reports unemployment has reached over 11% in California. As the number of people experiencing joblessness rises, so does the duration of unemployment.

Conventional wisdom has long called for you to stash away up to six months of living expenses to carry you through a financial emergency or job loss. However, with more job hunts lasting longer than half a year, backup funds can dwindle, and you will have to make more and more tough financial choices. It is painful to think about bad things happening, but if you still have your job, starting now will help you later. Start living below your means now and save all the money you can. There might come a time when you don’t have an income.

Handling Job Loss When you lose your job, you often lose your professional identity. There is frequently a loss of self-esteem and you may feel lost yourself. A job gives you structure and a destination everyday. Lose the job and you lose your structure. And there is the, “What do others think of me now?” You lose your daily network. You are no longer with your co-workers. Often times, friends don’t call because they feel awkward or don’t know what to say. People ask, “How are you today?” (how do you think I feel?) “Did you get a job yet?” (I wouldn’t keep that a secret – so no, not yet.) Sometimes followed by “I see McDonalds is hiring.” (Is that what you think of my skills?)

Emotionally Unprepared Even if you’ve been unemployed or laid off before, it is hard. Your emotions swing as if you are in a rubber raft going through the rapids. How did you feel at first, and how do you feel about your job loss now? Some common feelings people experience: Anger, Shock, Embarrassment, Fear, Anxiety, Worry, Depression, Fatigue, Lethargy, Lost, Powerlessness. REMEMBER: This event is something you will learn from and as a result will make you stronger. Grieving is a process You are experiencing a loss and need to understand the grieving process. Some of the greatest psychological stresses: 1. Death of a loved one 2. Divorce or ending of a relationship 3. Loss of a job 4. Move and relocation This is a big loss. Don’t minimize it. Don’t underestimate it. Deal with it. The sooner you met this challenge head-on, the sooner you will be able to put it behind you and get on with your life. If you don’t deal with it, it can fester like a cancer. It can make you bitter and hard to live with. That bitterness may leak out in job interviews and prevent you from getting a job. The stages of loss in the grieving process (from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross):

• Shock - you may not be fully aware of what has happened
• Denial - you cannot believe that this has happened to you
• Relief - you feel that a burden has been lifted from you
• Anger - you blame yourself and others for your situation
• Depression - may be present now or set in later
• Acceptance - the final stage

“The final stage,” as if it is a nice and neat linear process. It is not. Sometimes you make progress through the stages. Sometimes you find yourself revisiting a stage. Sometimes you get stuck on a stage. Then you think you’re through and it all comes crashing back in on you.

Coping Strategies Here are some ways to help yourself through this process.

• Make a list of the stresses affecting you. Separate those things you do have control over from what you do not have control. Focus on what you can control. If you can’t control it, set it aside. Reduce stress by learning relaxation techniques and exercise.
• Set priorities – do your first things, first. What are the most important things you need to do? What tasks do other tasks rely upon? Do these first. Wait to apply for a job until after you have polished your résumé, or you just waste your time.
• Establish a workable schedule. Do not overload yourself with an unrealistic schedule.
• Set attainable goals for the day, the week, the month, etc. Make them SMART goals. (Specific, Measurable, Actionable/Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
• We need to be in acceptance of where we are and develop strategies to get beyond this point. Monitor your emotions and control any adverse emotions. Don’t hold things in and then explode all over your family. Talk to them. Let them know what is going on with you, inside. You also need one good “pity party” to let it all out. Tears are cathartic. (Yes men, I’m talking to you.)
• Find or form a support group to help you through this emotional roller coaster. Help someone else through their dark time – it will help you too.
• Strong negative emotions – if you experience these, give yourself permission to take a break from your job search to do something (exercise, take a trip, mow the lawn, plant vegetables, etc.) to get your mind off your situation.
• Have some fun. Plan it into your schedule. Take the family on a weekend camping trip. Have your friends over. Make it potluck and you all can have a good time for little money. You aren’t being punished; you don’t need to be a martyr. Surf college websites for free or low cost things to do locally. You might see an interesting public seminar to attend also.

Family & Community Support Let your family support and help you. Do not attempt to “shoulder” your problems alone, they are in this with you. Talk to your family or close friends and listen to them. Maintain an open dialogue with your children. Let them know it’s not anybody’s fault. Reinforce the idea that they are not at fault, nor a burden. Let your children help – or feel a part of the solution. Build family spirit, “we can do this together.” Use your community support structures: church group, social groups and other family support groups. People want to help, let them. You are being kind by letting them assist you. If you are one of the proud, independent types, you may not realize how selfish it is to prevent people from helping you. You are denying them the joy and reward by being able to give. Let them give. It is a gift to them. Avoid Isolation We don’t want others to know how we feel – so we have a tendency to isolate ourselves. It is important to keep in touch with your friends. Call 2 or 3 people a day. Hey, maybe you can be a help to them. GOOTH – Get Out Of The House! You are still the same person you were before you lost your job. The only difference now is that you have a new focus. you can make the choice to isolate yourself and be depressed; or to be upbeat and pro-active. Join a support group. You need to be able to talk to people other than family members. This is not to exclude your spouse or significant other — but you need many different perspectives.

Tips to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Motivated

• Eat properly. Plan and eat healthy meals. Eating well will help you keep a good attitude. It is easy to relax the diet and to eat junk food. Now is not the time. Besides you can’t afford the new clothes that eating junk food will require.
• Exercise—regular exercise reduces stress and depression.
• Allow time for fun — you are allowed to enjoy your life even if you are unemployed!
• Make a list of your positive qualities.
• Ask your spouse or close friend to give you positive feedback.
• Replay your positives.
• Use your positive qualities list before performing difficult tasks.
• Take time to review your past successes. You were successful before and you will be successful again.
• Know your strengths and limitations. At what do you excel? What do you need to learn?
• Balance your limitations against your strengths. That way the negatives do not eat at your self-esteem.
• Visualize success. Hold that picture in your mind.
• Visualize positive results in your mind before an event (interview, job fair).
• Picture yourself successful in whatever you’re about to do.
• Build success upon success.
• Make a daily “to do” list— an achievable list (not 100 items long!).
• Do not overload yourself with things you cannot possibly achieve or that are not important right now.
• Surround yourself with positive people.
• Volunteer – help someone else or an organization.

New Beginning As you move on, understand that you are creating a new beginning for yourself. You may not have wanted to paddle up this tributary in the river of life. You may have been happy on the old river. But, you are here now. Embrace this adventure. Live in the present moment. There are good things happening all around you, notice them. Your glass is either half-full or half-empty. Which is it? The past is over and you cannot change it. So let the past go so you can see the opportunity that is now in front of you. Don’t dwell on the past and relive it over and over. For a moment, mentally go sit in your car behind the wheel. Your future is the windshield. Your past is the much smaller review mirror. Focus on the windshield and you get further, faster. You’ll see the opportunity off-ramps as you approach, not as missed opportunities in your review mirror. Take responsibility for yourself. What happens to you now is up to you. Learn to accept what you cannot change. In most situations, you are the one in control. Your actions will influence the outcome of events. Oprah Winfrey once said, “Luck is preparation meeting opportunity.” So be prepared and be lucky. Have a polished résumé at the ready. Know your strengths and limitations. Practice, practice, practice your interview skills and answers. Keep the job search under your command. Network - enlist the aid of everyone you know for help. Use informational interviews for information and networking. Talk things out with confidants. Find a positive way to vent your feelings. Recently Stephen Covey, author of “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and “The 8th Habit,” spoke about this idea of career renewal and change. He insisted now is the time for organizations and individuals to focus on reinvention: “We are living in a white-water world, and these are Level 3 rapids. You must have a clear sense of what your purpose is and the skill set to get there.” “Take charge,” he says: "It's more important than ever to draw on your imagination, think strategically, take initiative and work outside your immediate circle of influence.” I can assist you to find your way and move on. If you are ready to jump back into the job hunt, call me. “Thought is the sculptor who can create the person you want to be.” (Henry David Thoreau) Coaching will allow you to think positively and stop you from prolonging negative activities like bitterness and blame shifting and release you to find your next job. 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

Welcome Back to the Job Hunt !

Today I want to give some support to people returning to the workforce from the military. You are now embarking on a new mission to get a job. Thank you First, let me thank you for your service to our country. You have helped keep freedom a reality, not just an abstract concept for me, and the rest of the country. Even if you did not serve in a war or military conflict, you made sacrifices and endured hardship. Thank you. You are in possession of skills that are much in demand in the workplace. As you consider your job-related experiences and accomplishments, think strategically, not tactically. To my non-military readers, that means think big-picture. Survey the land (or sea), note the location of minefields, observe where you can find cover, and plot the course of your infiltration into the workplace. Part of your strategic analysis is to determine what your unique skills and abilities are that will be meaningful to a hiring manager. Think about your core talents, not just your technical skills. That part will come later. Core talents Speaking generally, some core talents developed by the military are discipline, accountability, teamwork, timeliness, focus on the task, and leadership. Now think of examples to put in your résumé that will demonstrate these core talents to a hiring manager. After you write down these accomplishment statements, have a trusted civilian read your résumé. That way you’ll know you are using meaningful terms a civilian hiring manager will understand, not military-speak. As you highlight your contributions to the team or unit, think about your technical skills. Ordinance or field artillery is not really needed in today’s workplace. However, your ability to think on your feet, assess the situation and take action is very valuable. Your ability to manage the myriad of details required and consistently apply processes to get the job done was not only valuable; lives may have depended upon it. Whether you were a communications technician aboard a ship or a battle-seasoned platoon sergeant, you need put these experiences in terms that a civilian hiring manager will understand and relate to their job opening. For the Communications Tech: “Operated equipment, performed a or b level line maintenance with on-board supplies. Advanced working knowledge of the frequency spectrum ELF-EHF, data transmission and waveforms, modulation techniques, field expedient antennas, and security procedures.” In civilian-speak becomes: “Used and maintained a wide spectrum of computers, mapping and navigation devices, radios, and computer networks, with limited resources. Interpreted and prepared wiring diagrams, sketches and blueprints. Operated and maintained CCTV and other television communication systems, communications boxes, switchboards, and telephones.” For the Platoon Sergeant: “Platoon sergeant for a combat engineer platoon, forward deployed.” In civilian-speak becomes: “Responsible for day-to-day operations, logistics, and training of a 30 person group performing engineering operations, under pressure.” Both examples illustrate what you did in clearly understandable terms that directly translate into the workplace in everyday terms. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments so the hiring manager will know how your experience relates to what they need. Use numbers of people you were responsible for, the amount of equipment or inventory (quantity, dollar values, variety), and number of days without injury or safety violation under your command or control. These are all important indicators of the value of your accomplishments. Crossing a Minefield Some hiring managers have out-dated and preconceived ideas about military training. For some, being former military means, “by the book.” They may fear you will be rigid in implementing solutions, not flexible to changing conditions. They may think you can’t think outside the box for solutions. They might be afraid you can only take or give orders and not the free-flow of information and ideas needed in today’s workplace. They don’t realize how resourceful you’ve had to be to get the job done. I share this, not discourage you, but to give you the information needed so you can address their objections before they even arise. Knowledge is power. The military trained you to go into an unfamiliar situation with few resources and expected you to succeed. The workplace is very similar. The workplace has few resources due to downsizing and a shrinking economy. The military taught you to have a show-me-a-solution-not-a-problem mentality. Your can-do attitude is a valuable commodity in today’s workplace. So go out and show the hiring manager that you are part of their solution. I can help you write your accomplishments to highlight the creativity and outside the box solutions you have used. I can help you practice responses to overcome objections in an interview. This is a great time to contact me to strategize on how to infiltrate the workplace. I can help you demonstrate how your skills are unique and marketable. We will create an action plan to get your Dream Job. I can help you sort through your skills, experiences and your dreams to get the right job for you. Don’t wait; contact me now. A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream. To your success, Elisabeth Elisabeth Adler-Lund Executive And Life Coaching Telephone: 916 • 803•1494 E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com

Layoff Preparation

Do you suspect a layoff might happen at your company? Take a proactive approach. These days one never knows when a once flourishing company might throw in the towel or layoff a large portion of its workforce. It is a good idea to become as aware as you can of your employer’s financial health. Look for red flags that may warn you of impending actions. This is not to say you should stay on “red alert” all the time. Just pay attention. Being ready in advance can ease a bad situation and make it a little less desperate. Warning Signs Ask yourself, “Have there been layoffs, mergers, downsizing in other companies similar to mine?” So many industries are in decline, and job losses are inevitable. Are you seeing people around the office you’ve never seen before? Are people meeting in closed conference rooms? Have any long-term plans been put on hold? If your gut tells you that something is up, you are probably right. Your next steps can be important for your future. Build your Network First, get in contact with everyone you know through your business. Check in with them. Ask how they are doing. This reminds them of your existence, and, as you chat, you may find out important information. You also get to check that you have current contact info for them. Strengthen and expand your network. You have a multitude of reasons for contacting them while you are still employed. Don’t limit yourself to colleagues. Call vendors, clients, co-workers. Everyone you know. Remember to build your personal network too. Family, friends, neighbors and the parents of your kids’ friends are all an extension of your network. Find opportunities and aggressively shop yourself. It is a cliché and still true – networking is the single most effective way to find a job. Dust Off the Ol’ Résumé Getting your résumé out and up to date is one of your first steps. This is your critical marketing piece – make it work for you. Line up your references now, so they are good to go when you need them. Taking a Proactive Approach If your company is in trouble, you may not get the benefit of a severance package, cushy, or otherwise. If the economy is afflicting your industry, you may not find a job with a competitor quickly. Perhaps the most distressing aspect of job loss is the loss of income. Now is the time to reorganize your finances so that your expenses are as low as possible. Consider making a budget. Scrutinize your expenses. You may be surprised at how much money you need and how much you waste. Start that emergency fund now. By taking the time now to evaluate your financial picture, you will save yourself stress later on and you’ll make prudent spending decisions. New Doors It’s a good idea to gear up for a potential layoff by taking on new tasks at your current employer. You can also develop additional expertise that will be valuable to your employer. Even if these don’t protect you from a layoff, they will increase your value to your next employer. This may be the time to switch to an industry in which jobs are more plentiful. Health care and education are seeing employment gains. And, if you can use your current skills in an area that will receive funding from the new economic-stimulus plan, even better. Keep yourself up to speed by perusing publications related to your current field. If you are thinking about transitioning into a new field, read the publications of that field and learn the target industry’s lingo, recent history and developments. You will likely find more opportunities in smaller companies or nonprofits, since roles in these organizations tend to be less specialized. Staying Positive Use your time creatively and wisely. Build your network; look for new doors to open. The silver lining of a layoff may be the job of your dreams. Think about what job would really suit you. Embrace change – it is inevitable anyway. Change will give you a whole new view and that is empowering. This may be the time to pick up a new hobby to distract you from dwelling on the negative. Remaining positive will help you deal with the stress of uncertainty. Let me know how you are preparing to deal with a potential downsizing. Share your experiences in the comments section. Or, send me an email to eal@EALCoaching.com . I’d love to know what you are doing to stay positive or how you are coping with job loss. 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