10 strategies for job survival and career growth in uncertain times

Posted by dankeller in Career Development | 3 comments

These are tough times as I write this for you. I am certain that these bad times will pass and I am equally certain they will come again. In many cases, no amount of proactive career management can prevent bad things happening like lay-offs and prolonged unemployment. However, truly managing your career allows you: 

• To minimize and manage risk
• To uncover and take advantage of key opportunities
• And to respond effectively when the unavoidable occurs

  So, what’s your strategy for survival and growth? Here are some ideas. And remember, it is in the doing and application of these that you realize their power. 

How to Minimize Risk

 Become Indispensable  

 
Let’s invest a moment in thinking about how essential you are to your employer and / or to your customers. For most managers, the process of selecting which employees to lay off was a difficult task. Perhaps you have had to perform that duty. So, who gets picked for layoffs? This is not about non-performance or dismissal for cause. When the word comes down that head count has to be reduced by 1, 5, 20, 100 or 1000, who goes on the list and who doesn’t? How did you pick? Sometimes it is the most expensive employees. Often, cuts come from “nonessential” departments or departments where it is believed that head count can be reduced without an impact on getting product shipped or product sold. But at an individual level, who goes and who stays? Can you impact this decision? I think you can. Here’s how: 

Be part of the solution: 

 Your manager has problems. The organization you work for has problems. So do your colleagues and the team that reports to you.  Find problems that you can solve and add as much value as you can.  You are embracing the fact that there are challenges and issues and that perhaps, it isn’t business as usual. Something needs to be done. Fires need to be put out. Processes need to be streamlined or reinvented. In some cases, solving problems requires attention and energy. Sometimes a decision. Others the discovery and implementation of a new way of doing things. Whatever it is, why not you? 

Show your Potential: 

 If you aren’t growing, you are at risk. Often, managers and HR are more likely to keep people who they are invested in and who they have plans for. Employees who are perceived to still be on their way up. This is not an overnight solution, but behaving in ways and demonstrating clear cut performance One common weak area is around the leadership, coaching and development of people. You might be a performer in one aspect, but the organization might have issues with your people and leadership skills. Potential means having what it takes to grow into bigger leadership roles. The people side and leadership sides are non-negotiable. Another requirement of more senior roles is your ability to communicate and interact with other  department or business unit or functional heads. Again, this is often a stumbling block. When your job goes from becoming the business of your department to the business of the organization itself, a new set of behaviors are required. Be a source of strength to coworkers: Whether you are in a leadership role or not, you have the opportunity to be a source of positive energy to your coworkers. During times like these, we need that kind of strength and leadership. What if you aren’t leading a team, unit or organization? It doesn’t matter! Stop trying to be successful. Instead, focus on the success of those around you. 

Expand your Relationship Base Across the Organization 

If the only person who knows the good work you do is your immediate manager, you have a problem. Yes, sometimes are boss is our biggest champion. But more often than not, that isn’t the case. And your boss has their own career pressures. And their power within the organization is in flux. There is not getting around the fact that you need profile and you need relationships in other parts of your organization. Peer relationships are excellent. But even better are the peers of your boss as well as a level higher than that.
Your goal is to have important, influential people in your organization think you are golden and one of their most valuable employees. 

Get Bold 

One strategy is to have the courage to develop your brand. The reason I mention courage is that very few senior professionals feel comfortable “limiting” themselves. To them, definition and branding equate with narrowing and limiting. And that sounds scary. This is exactly what happens. In scary times (although frankly this is a common trap at any time), people want to keep their options open and be interested and available for everything and anything. The problem is that doesn’t work. When you get bold, you carve out a position in your market and you work on enhancing and promoting it. Not only will this give you purpose and meaning, but it will also separate you from the vast majority of folks who go through the motions. And, speaking from personal experience, it is way more fun.
 

 Open up the conduits for people to find you

 
Let’s think about the concept of push vs. pull. Is one better than the other? In the case of managing your career, I recommend that you need equal portions of both. The average job search is focused on push. Push means forcing things to happen. You apply to jobs and approach targets and take the other necessary steps to find work. Those actions are important and when you get hit with a lay-off or you feel that cutbacks are imminent, you have no choice but to push, and push hard. What is pull? Pull is about attraction. A book came out acouple of years ago called The Secret and it garnered a lot of attention about this concept of attraction. Attraction really does work, but I am not recommending positive thinking. You generate pull by engaging in activities over time that create conduits and reasons for people to find and come after you with opportunities. Think of planting seeds. You are not sure which seed will end up being a strong tree, but you do know that if you plant the field, there will be trees that crop up. Let’s go back in time for a second to my days as an executive search person. One of the things that I noticed very early was there were many executives, from Directors to CEOs to Board Members who were fielding a regular stream of calls from headhunters, industry peers, investors and Board search committees. In fact, they had managed their career in a way that meant that they have never really had to engage in job search since landing their first job. Would you like that same sort of opportunity stream? It takes time and sustained activity to make that happen. Unless of course you can make news in a positive, compelling way in the short term. Who knows, the world may beat a path to your door. While you work on the long term, you can get started now. Invest some of your time and attention in opening up those channels and conduits. Implement strategies to ensure that you end up on someone’s call list when they have a need or asked to refer someone. That means networking as much as possible. Nurture your existing relationships and expand your network. Rather than haphazardly, build it strategically. Use selected online tools. And FYI, these actions are going to be far more effective if you have a bit of a brand, something that demonstrates that rather than being a commodity, you have a unique offering in the market. When you are a commodity, it is hard to find you. When you have a focus and a brand, you jump to a more exclusive short-list of competitors, for those places that really need and get what you do and what you offer.
Cultivate Your Reference List

If there is ANY chance that you might intentionally, or unintentionally be on the job market in the next year (and even if you think not), do yourself a big favor and invest some time developing and updating your professional and personal reference list.You have heard that business is about people and relationships. This is doubly important when it comes to your references. Sure, you can email a boss from 7 years ago out of the blue and he/she might help you out, but wouldn’t it have been better to have
maintained that relationship over time? Would the results be a bit better perhaps? This is not only a smart move in terms of being prepared, but it will also highlight potential gaps in your reference list in advance of the critical moment. In fact, ideally, I want you to look at your reference list as an opportunity, not a burden. What might it mean that someone is willing to be your reference? Obligation certainly. But in the rulesdrive, litigious world we live in today, probably more than that. How can you help them? Working again with former colleagues in new environments is a tried and true method of progressing your career. 

Show some thought leadership this year

Thought leadership is the act of contributing to the intellectual evolution of your professional area or industry. But it might be as simple as championing a new process in your company and becoming the “guru” for that new (and hopefully important) area of knowledge. Being a thought leader is a powerful means of boosting your personal brand, profile and success. Here are some ideas for you:
–Write a white paper
–Do a survey and publish the results
–Champion a new, important initiative
–Conduct and write-up an analysis
–Blog on your industry or do a podcast
–Pose provocative, future-based questions
–Present to small or large audiences
–Study, research, investigate so that you have the expertise
Of course, most of these will not be applicable to your situation. And, you need to have a level of confidence that your department,
organization or market would welcome this sort of initiative. 

 Update your resume

 Yes, I know, so obvious. But, I am suggesting more… I recommend that anyone who has been in a job for more than 6 months should update their resume to include their current role. You never know who is going to call. Or what internal or external
opportunities might come around. (Or, what negative surprise might await you one Monday AM.) More strategically, the process of capturing what you have done and what you are currently working on is an important, ongoing career management imperative.
To do more than just dusting off your resume, consider…

–Getting a handle on your target market and how you want to brand yourself for this market.
–Focusing on outcomes, the difference you have made rather than solely on duties and responsibilities.
–Capturing your true professional strengths and putting them on the resume. Don’t be shy.

–Developing a summary pitch about what you offer and where you fit. You can’t and shouldn’t be all things to all employers, so don’t try. Figure out what you do and do very well, and capture that. It takes an investment of your time, but one that will pay off. Make
it part of your to-do list to boost your career for 2009 and beyond.
Cultivate Those Relationships

Almost all of the good things that have happened to me in my career were a result of managing and cultivating relationships.
Most people get jobs through people they know. Opportunities are usually created through networks. Your highest quality
references are not obligation-driven but rather relationship-driven. Mentoring involves a relationship. I noticed very useful behaviors when I worked in the high end executive search industry. Over the course of hundreds of executive searches, thousands of interviews and I don’t how many phone calls talking to people in a never ending quest to find the best talent available for our search assignments, I saw some executives and managers behaving in ways that produced streams of opportunity for them. Yes, they were talented business people. But there was more. They had taken the time to develop and cultivate relationships with other good people, and the network exchanged information. It was that simple. For most of us, our careers are not significantly impacted by hundreds of personal contacts. Usually, it is just a few key relationships that shape the course of our lives. Which relationships of course is the mystery. You need to plant a lot of seeds in order to get this benefit. Next time you have the opportunity to meet or talk to someone, go out of your way to make an impression.

There you have it, 10 strategies for job survival and career growth in uncertain times.  What strategies would you add?

The 4 Traps that executives make during tough economic times

Posted by dankeller in Career Development | Comments Off

Many of us that are lucky to be employed right now are still on egg shells wondering if and when we may be joining the other 10% of the country that is looking for work.  Each of us react differently to these uncertain times.  What follows are the four key traps I have observed specific to difficult economic times.

1. Turtling

 The natural response in difficult economic times is to put your head down. If you stay quiet, hope for the best, cross your fingers, so the thinking goes, you just might ride it out. Okay. It might work. Sometimes. But this is the path of zero control. And it is your fault when the axe falls. Because you didn’t prepare. Turtling is a hope for the best strategy. In fact, it isn’t a strategy at all. Another word for turtling is hiding and hoping the monsters don’t find you.
You need options. You need choice. And you need a way of deciphering when it is time to stay and when to go. And here is the kicker: When you hide in your organization, you are just as likely to put yourself in jeopardy as you are to avoid it. In the act of keeping your head down, you might find yourself not adding as much value as you could or should.
2. Frying Pan into the Fire

Oddly, the second most natural response to uncertain or scary times is for people to jump ship and grab the first life buoy that comes along. At the first sign of danger they sign-on to something else, anything that gives them the income they need. And it is fraught with danger. Granted, you may get lucky. The new job may be a great one. But the basic laws of career decision making still apply. The act of saying yes to a new work opportunity is an incredibly important one when you consider that like a tattoo, that new job will stick with your resume for the rest of your career. Not to mention fit with colleagues and culture, the guarding of your good name, actual job fit, income security and overall career progression. And of course, when you make a rushed decision you increase your overall career risk because the probabilities of the new job working out have fallen rapidly because you didn’t do your due diligence. And then worst case, you find yourself laid-off or desperately looking for a job 3 months after you quit your old one. And forever on, you have some explaining to do about your short stint at that organization. There are lot of factors that usually are not considered in the act of jumping ship. Yes, sometimes speed is essential. But do it carefully.

3. Commodities Lose
In an earlier part of my career, I was an executive search consultant in a high-end firm. During economic downturns, business did go down, but it also changed. Our search assignments turned into highly specialized wish lists for experienced, knowledgeable, skilled and networked candidates. Candidates with distinctive track records who had the package the hiring organization required to move them through the storm into calm waters. In other words, companies were still hiring. They just wanted more specific pedigrees. They wanted people who could pull them out
of a slowdown, or turn them around, or enter the company into an expanding market. They wanted to hire people who had a proven track record of getting the result they wanted.
If you present yourself as a commodity. One of many. Same as your peers. You have a huge problem. In any given competition for a promotion, for assignment to a special project, or for a new job, you need to present yourself in a way that fits their bill. Their wish list. Their needs. You can’t do that as a commodity. You need to be a differentiated product / service / person in the
marketplace. (Which by the way, means that you don’t fit everywhere.)
Trap 3b – Going Wide:

I promised 4 traps, but I am going to over deliver and add some extra value here. What doesn’t work particularly well at any time, but even more so during scary times is going wide with your job search activities. Going wide is the shotgun approach. You apply everywhere and to anything thinking that being selective and strategic won’t give you enough opportunities. It doesn’t work.
Consider your competition. If the company can hire to their spec, and you are only vaguely qualified, why would they hire you?  It takes courage to go narrow. But it is the path of higher
probabilities. I am not a gambler, but I imagine that someone who has some skill and who is intent on making some money would go to Vegas and focus on one or two types of games. The ones they understand and are good at. The games they feel have the best probabilities of paying out, for them. Which tables are you going to play?
4. The TIghter You Hang On, The Greater the Probability of Getting let go
I know this is counterintuitive, but if you are approaching your job or your clients from a place of fear and desperation, it probably means that what is being received by your coworkers / boss, or
clients isn’t conducive to the management of a strong, secure and vibrant career. Looking for pennies here and there, tightening the terms of contracts, scraping for cash, holding on to projects and guarding your little empire all contribute negatively towards your security. Hanging on means behaving in ways that demonstrate to other people that your sole concern is your own security and not the good of the team, organization or customers. It doesn’t matter to anyone but you and your family that you can’t pay the mortgage. Or that your stock portfolio is down 45% and you need more cash to catch-up. No one cares. In fact, the normal human reaction to desperation and fear and neediness is to be repulsed. The absolute last thing you want to do is to communicate or project these emotions onto anyone remotely connected with your career development. Not in interviews. Not in performance reviews. Not to your boss. Not in networking conversations. Please understand what I am saying. It is okay to feel those emotions. I have
experienced them myself. And it is absolutely fine to be motivated and focused. Just don’t forget that you work around and with other people who are very likely feeling the same pinch.

Please understand what I am saying. It is okay to feel those emotions. I have experienced them myself. And it is absolutely fine to be motivated and focused. Just don’t forget that you work around and with other people who are very likely feeling the same pinch. Operate from  confidence and strength and selectiveness. Continue to be a team player.

7 Tips for Succession Planning Best Practices

Posted by dankeller in Career Development | Comments Off

Succession management and career development initiatives – especially when supported with the right technology tools – can help organizations make great strides toward filling their talent pipelines today and tomorrow. The following succession planning best practices can help avoid common pitfalls and maximize the effectiveness of these programs:  

• Provide more than one way up in an organization. Climbing the ladder of success isn’t always a journey straight to the top. Modern organizations require diverse capabilities and skills. Organizations should provide multiple routes in a career journey to avoid creating a culture that is risk-averse and unwilling to innovate.

 • Reward managers for developing talent. Unfortunately, some managers are unwilling to promote top performers to the next level for selfish reasons. Organizations that value talent understand that this is a recipe for turnover and create incentives for managers to recommend employees for promotions and new assignments.  

• Use enterprise learning as a performance lever. Career development without the “development” aspect is insufficient. Gaps in knowledge, skills and behaviors can be addressed through development plans that tie directly to learning. Career Development can also drive engagement and retention as employees see clearly how the organization is helping them grow. As the screen on this page shows, the right technology can allow managers to assign training or a development plan with the click of a button.

 • Understand that senior management isn’t the only destination. Not every valuable employee is destined for the C-Suite. Creating a career track for technical experts and non-management positions allows employees with specialized skills and knowledge to build a career while focusing on what they do best.

 • Train managers to be coaches and provide them with the right tools. Line managers may excel within their functional areas but may not have a clue how to be a career coach. Whether through classroom or online training or access to development tools within a talent management system, take the time to cultivate the skills of the people who will have a direct impact on the development of your employees.

 • Allow employees to move horizontally as well as vertically in the organization. Employees have different needs at different life stages. A new parent may not be willing or able to access a foreign assignment. A young and rising star may want to focus on graduate school for a few years. Providing opportunities for employees to make horizontal as well as vertical moves can drive both retention and engagement in the long run.

 • Make transparency a priority. Effective succession management and career development thrives on providing access to information. Executives need insight into talent gaps and opportunities. Managers and employees need to be aware of measurement criteria and career opportunities. Technology can facilitate this openness.

Job Hunting iPhone Apps

Posted by dankeller in job hunting | 2 comments

Ok, so you’re currently unemployed. While you continue to save your pennies to pay for next month’s rent, you can’t help but regret your latest purchase: a fancy iPhone. Instead of having shopper’s remorse, let that pricey gadget help you fulfill your true mission—land you a job. From giving you insight into certain industries to prepping you for the actual interview, here are the top job hunting apps every iPhone-user needs to download.

Job Listings

 If you’ve been job searching for quite some time, then you’re probably all too familiar with CareerBuilder, Craigslist, Monster, and LinkedIn. But here are some other great sources that can help you find a job.

Job Finder. This easy-to-use app is perfect for finding new job leads. Similar to its online competitors, this app uses RSS feeds to search the internet to deliver job information to you.  What makes this app special, however, is that it will only alert you about jobs that match your preferences and job category. There are 73 different job categories to choose from. Cost: .99 cents

JobCompass. This app uses GPS technology to displays available jobs in your surrounding area or current position. This is perfect if you want to find a place of employment that is a short commute to your house or if you have your heart set on working in a specific area. Cost: Free

Layoff News. This app is great if you want to get some insight of what’s going on in the employment arena. Knowing what companies are experiencing layoffs or furloughs can give you a heads up on what places to avoid.  Cost: Free

Prepping for the Interview

What’s the point of getting an interview if you just end up blowing it? To make sure you ace the interview, check out these apps.

Job Interview.  This neat iPhone app is designed to mold you into the ideal job applicant. Dubbed as a “pocket-sized career coach,” this app not only offers job hunting tips but it also provides you with 100 common interview questions to prep you for your big day. It also allows you to record your answers so you can determine what areas you need to work on.  As a bonus it also includes sample “good interviews” so you know more or less how yours should play out. Cost: $3.99

Hire Me! This app is similar to Job Interview as it generates random interview questions, but it offers more questions and for a fraction of the price. Like Job Interview, the app also offers a slew of advice that can help you shine during you interview including directions on how to tie a tie. It also offers internet streaming radio to relax you before you’re interview.  Cost: 99 cents

This is a guest post  contributed by Kate Willson, who writes on the topics of top online colleges.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: katewillson2@gmail.com.

Is bad credit affecting my ability to get a job?

Posted by dankeller in job hunting | 2 comments

Is bad credit affecting my ability to get a job? 

This question was recently posed to me to a member of Linkedin that I share a group with.  I decided to post the question and my response here as I figured that many job seekers are probably wondering the same thing.

Question:

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Hi Dan-

I came across one of your blog posts in Project: Get Hired on LinkedIn and was hoping you might be willing to answer a couple of questions that relate to my job search.

At what point do recruiters conduct credit checks during the vetting process?

I’m reentering the workforce after three years trying to get my own business off the ground (it was incorporated and everything). Unfortunately, I wound up like about 95% of other startups–in the red and in debt. My personal credit rating has taken a pretty bad hit and I’m concerned it’s affecting my ability to get hired. I’ve even started mentioning it in my cover letters with a brief explanation and how it’s been a learning experience (which it has).

Nevertheless, I am not getting calls for interviews for jobs I am well-qualified for. Could my credit dings be hurting me before I even get the interview? How would you suggest I deal with a poor FICO score with prospective employers? Don’t mention it until they do or be upfront about it? I would appreciate any feedback you’d care to provide. Thanks!

Signed,
Getting Desperate

PS This is what I’ve started adding to my cover letters in an effort to address my poor credit upfront; my job-seeking focus is currently in the nonprofit sector: “I spent the past three years running my own business. One of the many things I’ve learned is that I am at my best professionally when working in service of others. My credit rating took a beating as a result of my entrepreneurial efforts, but please don’t hold that against me. I have learned and grown a lot from the experience. I am ready to get back to work in a capacity that will enable me to apply my ******** talents and organizational skills in what I’m sure is a dynamic, high-energy environment.”

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Answer:

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I have never heard of a recruiter running a credit check before deciding on who to interview.  In fact they cannot because they need you to sign a release before they can run a background check.  Background checks are done usually at the time a company has decided to extend an offer.  In fact, most times it happens right around the time when a verbal offer is extended.  At the company that I work for, we run background checks after the verbal offer is extended.  The offer is always conditional and we have verbiage in the offer letter that clearly states that the offer is contingent on the successful completion of a background check.

I would not include that information in your cover letter.  You may be doing more harm then good.  In my experience credit checks are usually not a part of the background checking process for most companies.  The exception is if they are providing a corporate card.  If that is the case, the actual card company runs the check and not the company.  This is very rarely a condition of employment.

In short, I would not really worry about it.
 
Best of Luck,
 
Dan

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I would love to hear from some other recruiters out there.  What are your experiences in this area?  Please share your career advice in the comment section below.

6 things that job hunters do that piss off recruiters

Posted by dankeller in Your Career | 62 comments

I have been in the recruiting business for over a decade now and it never ceases to amaze me how many job seekers just don’t get it.

There is a ton of career advice and resume advice online and in my opinion there is no excuse for making some of the stupid mistakes that I will highlight below. Let me start by saying that the reason I am writing this post is to help job seekers by explaining what not to do during the job search. 

• Crappy resume – I am averaging over 100 resumes for every requisition I am working on.  At least half of the resumes I view are down right awful.  It is as if the candidate did not even care enough to spend time putting a decent resume together.  With all the resources available for job seekers, having a bad resume is unacceptable to me.
• No email address – Come on people – it is 2010.  Put your email address on your resume.  There are times when I want to email you to initiate contact instead  of calling you.  When I have your resume printed out I do not want to get back to my ATS or search my inbox for your email.  And for god’s sake, put your  cell phone number on your resume not your home number.
• Lack of knowledge – When you apply for a job it is expected that you have done your homework and have a general idea about  what the company is all about and what the position entails.  Not being prepared is just wasting the recruiters time and not a good way to put your best foot forward.
• Functional resumes- I HATE functional resumes and whenever I see one a red flag is raised.  The impression that job seekers give when using a functional resume is that they must be trying to hide something.
• Chronic posters – Every recruiter has come across this character.  If you have 20 jobs open you can expect that person to apply to all 20 jobs whether they are qualified or not.  Very annoying!!
• Resume sent in Works or Word Perfect format.  Microsoft Word is the preferred format, we do not have time to convert your file.  Yes, PDF is gaining in popularity but Word format is still the best bet.

I will stop there but believe me I can go on.  I think I will save some more of my pet peeves for a later post.  Let me know what pisses you off the most.  Leave me  a comment below.

Don’t forget to add this to your resume

Posted by dankeller in Your Career | 5 comments

I have read several studies recently that claim that between 80 to 90 percent of all recruiters are using social networking sites to gain additional insight into the candidates they are interviewing.  If you are currently job hunting, you will want to make sure that your making it easy for your future employer to find the information they are looking for.  The easiest way to do this is to include your Linkedin address on your resume and direct them to your profile.  This will allow you to provide the recruiter with a more complete picture of you and can work to your advantage.

Where should I include my Linkedin address?

There are two places that I recommend to my resume writing clients.  The most common is in the header right after your email address.  The second place is at the very end.  I like this option best and recommend this to my resume writing clients.  Instead of ending your resume with a boring statement like – “References furnished upon request,”  why not spice it up by saying - ”Check out my profile at linkedin.com/in/dankeller for more information.”

Here are a couple of tips to help you get the most out of this technique:

• Make sure you have recommendations – It is essential that you have at least a couple of positive recommendations.  A profile with zero recommendations may be a red flag.
• Customize your address- Make sure to change the generic address that Linkedin provides.  It is very easy to get a personalized address.  The extra two minutes it will take to make the change will go a long way in creating a professional image.
• Image matters- Make sure you have a picture on your profile.  Since Linkedin is a professional networking site, I recommend a professional picture.  I am sporting a suit in my profile picture, which is much different then the profile picture you will see on my Twitter or Facebook account.

Bottom Line:  If you know that recruiters will be searching for you online, why not direct them to a place where you are putting your best foot forward.

Career Development Strategies: Create a life, not just a pension

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Career Development Strategies: Create a life, not just a pension

During most of the twentieth century, it was possible to be hired at one company right out of school and to continue working there through marriage, children and middle age. This system worked out nicely for retirement benefits, but it is changing as quickly as landline telephones are disappearing.

Today, most people will change career paths five times, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That can mean terror for the person trained only at one job, or it can mean great opportunities for those willing to become educated and take risks. For almost everyone, it will mean multiple jobs and job titles throughout life.

When it comes to developing a career path, you first need to decide who you are and what you want. Hopefully, that decision will lead you to advanced training in your area of interest, and ideally you’ll get a peek into your choice career field with professional internships. But what if you’ve almost finished a degree and hate the jobs that seem to be available? Or what if you’ve worked in the landline telephone industry, for example?

Take heart. Many of the skills you have learned will be marketable in other fields. Your inborn talents and interests that have made you successful so far are also on your side; your career is about you and your progression, not about the signature on your paycheck.  NorthOrion.com is a great resource for researching additional education and career options.

When considering a career change, think back to the reasons you got into your current career in the first place. Was it a love of language, a love for animals or a passion for symmetry? Then, decide whether those ideas are still valuable and relevant. If they are but you still want a change, look for opportunities in your current career field through networking and traditional job searching, If your values and priorities have changed,  you should make a list of your skills, interests and talents on a blank page and start from scratch. Who you are will lead you to making a good living.

Next, you’ll need to study the job environment. Questions such as whether you can move and how far you can travel will be important, as will questions about income and employment trends.  You may also consider the kind of experience you would get by changing careers. For example, a job managing a shoe production company may not be your end goal, but the management experience you get from it will put you ahead of your peers down the road.

Even for those who are happy with their careers and want to stay in their companies until retirement, an important part of career building is keeping your resume up to date. Keeping a current portfolio is also important, even if it means simply compiling a list of projects with photos attached or technologies you know well. Always be ready and open for new opportunities, and don’t forget that your career is about creating a life, not about earning a pension.

Should I include this on my resume? If you have to ask- then no

Posted by dankeller in job tips, Resume | 2 comments

With all the resume tips and career advice on the Internet, I am constantly amazed at the amount of low quality resumes that I come across on a daily basis.  A simple Google search on” resume tips” yields over 21 million pages of content chock full of advice and examples.  The majority of the resume advice out there focuses on what to include on your resume.  I want to focus on

what not to include on your resume

• Personal Information – This is not the 1950′s, do not include age, marital status, children, etc..
• Hobbies
• Picture
• Objective – try a summary or profile statement instead
• Reasons for why you left a position
• Availability
• Salary Information
• References or the statement “References furnished upon Request”
• Your entire job history from when you were in High School.
• Social Security Number – I have really seen this before on CV
• Supervisor names
• the word “Resume” on the top of the page – I am not kidding, I have seen this too.
• Charity involvement – Admirable…but not appropriate on a resume.
• Political Affiliation – common sense, right?  Be careful with this one, I have seen many inadvertanly disclose this by listing volunteer experience or college experience.
• Religion – I read a resume recently that had a list of interests and among them was God.
• Health Issues – I am glad you are fit and healthy, but this information does not belong on your resume.

That is 16 that I can think of.  Help me add to this list by sharing your thoughts in the comment section.

Have resume questions? Ask away…

Best career advice from Recruiters in 140 words or less

Posted by dankeller in job hunting, job tips | 2 comments

I have been spouting off about career advice on this blog for over 2 years now and thought I would reach out and invite others to share their career tips here as well. I recently took to my Twitter account and asked a simple question of some of my followers and fellow career pros. My question was simple enough:

What is the best piece of advice you can provide to job seekers right now? Let me know in 140 words or less. Results to be posted on my blog http://careercopilot.com

Here are is a sampling of some of the responses:

[stextbox id="info"]Get to know the right people and create a powerful professional network[/stextbox]

[stextbox id="info"]Stay Positive[/stextbox]

[stextbox id="info"]Make sure your online life matches your professional life[/stextbox]

[stextbox id="info"]Be willing to start somewhere. Or re-start somewhere. Maybe anywhere[/stextbox]

[stextbox id="info"]Don’t give up, remember finding a new job is a job[/stextbox]

I am going to open up some discussions on Linkedin and see if I can gather some additional insight.  In the meantime, please share your best career advice below in the comments.