One thing I have noticed throughout talking with people who are unemployed is the negativity they possess. Yes it's hard without a doubt and you're reading this from a guy who went through a devastating divorce where I lost everything and then resigning from a job and while looking I've lost that much more, not that I had anything else to lose. When I tell you I lost it's not just materialistic items, it's faith, it's my kids, my friends, my family. Yes everyone tends to turn away from you when you hit with anarchy. It's not my problem. Oh they do help at the start, but eventually it gets old and they figure they have their own worries. Which in lot's of cases is true, but that's when we as a society should bond closer to help each other.
I recently was reading in a discussion of unemployment someone who wouldn't give acknowledgement to his creator. That he's not helping out. That is part of what keeps me going and has kept me going. It's OK to be mad and upset and blame, but understand nothing happens in our timing and no matter how many prayers one might say even our creator will not help unless you help yourself. When someone would ask me how am I doing, I always reply I'm doing well thank you, I woke up this morning and my feet hit the ground so I must be doing well. Besides any day on this side of the earth is got to be better than any day inside the earth, right? Well that's my spill on gospel. You have to believe in something or you'll fall for anything.
In my last post I spoke about getting out there and talking to people and letting people know you exist. I'm not one for mingling in a networking site around town. I never was one to do that, but I seem to be able to carry more of a relationship with people on the internet in discussion groups on LinkedIn and Facebook somewhat. I don't do much on Facebook by the way, really not my thing. But on LinkedIn, you need to speak with people; getting in discussions and letting people know what you offer on a discussion. I have made more contacts this way than I could ever make anywhere else. People read and many might disagree, but find some common ground and make that contact. Each contact is a potential that may get you closer to your goal.
Regarding my resume I have tinkered with it for so long I finally got it together and have had numerous recruiters as well as contacts tell me I have a very impressive resume. I did have 2 individuals in my network that offered me to look it over and give me some additional tweaks and both were resume writers in their profession. That did help. As I said I've read and continue to improve on my method. I never use an Objective statement. It is always a brief summary and several bullet points of my achievements. I've included it below.
Summary:
Passionate, proactive business leader, offering fresh ideas, building on new thoughts & theory with documented results of building on quality management, increasing revenue, reducing costs, developing people, exceeding expectations with accountability & veracity. Combined leadership, business acumen, technical expertise with strong communication & motivational skills to align business with cost-effective strategies to increase productivity & profitability. Improved ROI through process improvements.
Then followed by about 4 or 5 bullet points. I have 2 resumes. One is 2 pages, and one is 3 pages. I am not bashful about telling me my experience and I've gotten over the cliche' of age discrimination somewhat. Yes it effects me but not as bad as it use to. I'm a salesman and selling a product. It doesn't matter how old I am, I'm selling a product and my job is to make the buyer want the product. In theory if you can sell ice to an Eskimo who absolutely has no need for ice, then you should be able to sell yourself to a potential client who has a need and you have a remedy.
I said a potential client, because that is what the employers are that you are interviewing with a potential client. A future customer. Even when you got to work for an employer you are nothing more than a salesman on a daily basis providing a service for their need. You will get paid for what you deliver. Is that any different than what a salesperson does? You have to study your client and be well prepared to present your product and services and know ahead of time what is the need they are seeking out. OK so you have a job description, study it, read between the lines and understand what is it they are searching for. Forget the title, intriguing but that won't get you the job. Most employers in my experience want to know what you can do for them now not what you did in the past. Your experiences just qualifies you to be sitting in front of them. Now it's my job to convince them the product I'm discussing is what they are looking for and my product is clearly the best on the market and here's what my product will do today if you jump on board and give me the opportunity to prove to you, you have made a wise choice.
To many people I have found go into an interview not prepared, myself included over time. They assume they met all the points from the job description so they qualify. Heck look at the big 3 auto makers. They all have the same resume. So they each sit in front of you trying to get you to buy their product. They all have what you specify you want. What are they doing to win you over? What can they do for you today that the other one hasn't offered or cannot do? It's the same process.
I find people are not salesman and if they are not in sales they have no clue nor do they want to learn how to be a salesperson. I never thought I would have to change my way of thinking but I did change. I'm a salesperson and I have to market my product (ME)in the best possible light with the best possible ideas that will get this potential client to want to use my services. Will I get his business? I don't know, but I'm going to sell to him and negotiate what I can do for him/her the best way I can. Quit thinking of yourself as an interviewee who has met the bullet points of a job description. Yes you need the JD to qualify you for the position, but now it comes time to write that proposal in a clear concise format we all know as the cover letter to help get you in the door so you can concentrate on the product. Taylor your resume for each job you apply to. It's not easy, yes it gets boring and tiresome, but you are trying to win over your next big client. Think like a sales manager. Think like a marketing director.
What you're reading is part of my plan I put together over time, there's more to come, hang in there!
Friday, August 26, 2011
My Unemployed Experience - Part 1
Many people have wrote publications, books, papers etc. on how to get a job; the things that are right and wrong, how to miss opportunity, what to write on a resume and so on. I am going to attempt to write what I went through, the things I did, my attitude, my experiences, etc. in hopes that instead of this being a "what should you do", to tips that have worked for me and where I've been and where I'm headed in hoping to give someone out there some sort of idea or ideas that might help them. No doubt this will be a longer post than most.
I hope to at least just give some ideas over the norm and just maybe someone will be lucky enough where this may help them succeed through their endeavor.
First off let me begin by saying I fell into the 13 million that have been unemployed that has been thought of as the rubbish that employers will not look at because you carry the title of unemployed. I was not laid off, nor did I get fired. I was not the rubbish of the pile if that is what people are thought of. I resigned my position after 10 years with a national company only to move back to my home state to aid in helping age and ailing parents. Someone has to help, and if that's says I'm one of the types that was gotten rid of then employers are really just labeling people at their own regard without any consideration or compassion to someone who is very loyal to their employer.
If you must call it unemployed I guess it must be said I've been for 19 months. I do not like to think of it as unemployed. I would rather think of it as an interim journey in my career path.
When all this began, I had started my search somewhat early. The things I began doing was becoming a member of several job boards like Monster.com, Career builder.com and had a membership with The Ladders. It was slow going because back around 2007 things were not as bad as they are today. But, I wanted my feelers out there. I had received numerous calls from several recruiters about certain positions in different geographical locations. I was pretty green about everything including telephone interviews. I remember getting a call from Ran-staff, one from a bug place in Houston, and one interview as far as Britain. I was ecstatic. Couldn't believe I was out there. Still being green, I probably messed those up and never heard back from them.
As my search started to make more sense to me, I began trying to keep up with recruiters on The Ladders. Now understand recruiters were not very prevalent when I started looking. I saw them, red the comments about them and how they looked for you and how to leave them comments, but I never ever worked with one. I thought it's the typical gambit but was very dumb to the system. I notice many were saving my profile, why I had no idea, but was intrigued.
From there I began searching many avenues on The Ladder to land my big job. I started adding myself to other job boards. I'll add a list of all the boards I've been on, many I'm still out there.
My key points at this time was ensuring I had a top resume that would grab attention. I worked many hours drawing different ones up and fine tuning them. I even had critiques from some sites and no one is ever the same. What one says is wrong, another said that's not the problem, this is. So I never paid anyone to ever do my resume. I spent many hours using older books I had and researching on the internet all about resumes. Some helped some was a waste of time.
After tuning my resume to what I thought was a winner I started posting it to all these boards. I was always following these boards, always fine tuning something or updating my resume and experiences on these sites.
About the time I came to having to resign, things became much more serious and much more involved. I had already many contacts from AOL, I spoke with from back home and around the country. Everyone was sending me ideas and places I need to get attached to. I followed and attached to local newspapers online. I made every possible attempt to make contact with anyone and everyone.
After moving back to Louisiana I started to make me a game plan. I had resumes printed out, standard cover letters, reference list made, hard copies of all my recommendations made, a brag book assembled of all my successes throughout my career. Everything ready and waiting for that big interview.
I do remember recruiters on LinkedIn as well as many people I spoke with how they suggested not to take temporary or minimum wage jobs. They indicated that temp jobs interfere with your worth and many employers will not look at anyone who is doing temp jobs since they look like job hoppers, can't keep a job, and it dummied you down and who in their right mind would hire someone who is in a starter job or fill-in job for a higher role. As we can see those thoughts have changed throughout the industry and now you're encouraged to have something no matter what it was. I had actually turned down a couple of very low jobs that came with no benefits, no full time opportunities, minimum wage etc. Hey I didn't want to look like an underachieving professional who's luck couldn't land him anything but the bottom of a pit.
LinkedIn became home. Although I stayed active on Career builder and Monster, I continued monitoring and changing constantly many job boards I was on. I was determined to be noticed. I received over time numerous calls and invites to interviews out of town which I went to. I remember the how I was told I'm still in the running, I'm still in the cross hairs but.... Yea buts. How depressing they did become since it appeared you were right on the line of being made an offer and at the end it was nothing more but a "but".
That didn't stop me though. I actually had the attitude of "wait, I can play that game also". So I did. As I continued going to interviews and speaking to people who would call over the telephone, their promises became nothing without a guarantee. I kept them on my cross hairs but unless they came through with more I became less concerned. I did all the traditional things from dressing appropriately as a professional, going to the interviews and acting professional, answering everything they asked, asking for the job, filling out email thank you's to those that I was able to obtain a business card from and sending out handwritten thank you cards once I returned from the interview. Following this got me close but no cigar.
As I continued to post and change things on several job boards to keep me floating to the top, I received many phone calls from our friends in India type recruiters, but after listening to their pitch if it could be understood, I never much fell prey to any of it and canceled such relations before they started.
Although many avenues I utilized from continuing seeking in newspapers, newspapers in areas geographically I wanted to be in and filling out and email and even mailing, yes USPS mail sending to various companies that would ask that it be mailed in. I have spent many long days in my job efforts. Seriously, getting up in the early morning at 5:00 AM and turning in around 10 or 12:00 at night. Giving all I have. You have to become serious about your search. Sure you can follow the adage of don't take life so serious, but when you're forced to find something because you have nothing serious becomes the name of the game.
As I indicated LinkedIn became an avenue I continued to grow and still do today. I have spoken to headhunters and recruiters on their take and suggestions during many discussions. I have alienated many with my way of handling things to making many see my way as not being so daunting just a different avenue I chose to follow. A long time friend as he became on LinkedIn Rick Farquar was a headhunter from the west coast, about 62 years old I believe spent many hours speaking with me over the telephone as well as in discussions talking about different avenues. He always had a favorite saying,"if you can't change something, then change yourself". Meaning if the current plan you have is not working, seek out new avenues. I guess that's where my way of thinking came into being. To heck with tradition let's play.
I went into a deep depression for about 7 months. No I wasn't sick, I was just losing ground thinking nothing will ever come to being. Over those 7 months I continued looking but the want was dieing out. I lost focus.I didn't speak to very many people, whether around me in life or the internet. One day I woke up and realized nothing will happen unless I make it happen. It took some time but I was coming out of my pity mode and started working again. I was pressing forward, returning to links and discussions and I was getting much needed support. I didn't feel I was out there alone.
As I began to continue to grow my contacts, I was back reviewing areas on Career and Monster again sending out my coveted resumes that I spent much time tweaking and fine tuning. I was getting interviews and phone interviews on an average of 1 to 2 a month. I learned what I was sending in needed to be better researched so following advice I started following an 80/20 rule. If I had 80% of what the job description entailed, I sent it in.
I started being more active in LinkedIn's discussion threads and began delving into the question and answer forums. One thing Rick was big on and I caught on to that quickly was, never bad mouth while on a thread. Whether it's your old boss, old company or even other posters. There are many people who sit out of the treads watching and you might be the one they're watching. They may be viewing you to see how you react to certain discussions and what your contribution might be and even as much as the way you type(talk) and your English as well as your punctuation skills. How knowledgeable are you in the discussion. How knowledgeable are you in the question and answer forum. I spend a lot of time researching topics for appropriate answers in the forum where I've achieved around 32% best answers including good answers. Now of course it is all subjective based on what the author of the question thinks is best, but it shows that you are contributing, socializing, being professional and being a part of the system. You fit in with the culture.
The bottom-line to this is make contact with folks, communicate, give answers, talk it up. Let people know you're out there. Keep yourself at the forefront of discussions taking interest in different discussions so people will get to know you. Who knows, it only takes one to recognize you and put you on the road to prosperity.
In our next segment I will discuss and lay out my plan that I have used over time that I continue tweaking and always putting out there. Again you never know who's going to be the right person that seeks you out.
I hope to at least just give some ideas over the norm and just maybe someone will be lucky enough where this may help them succeed through their endeavor.
First off let me begin by saying I fell into the 13 million that have been unemployed that has been thought of as the rubbish that employers will not look at because you carry the title of unemployed. I was not laid off, nor did I get fired. I was not the rubbish of the pile if that is what people are thought of. I resigned my position after 10 years with a national company only to move back to my home state to aid in helping age and ailing parents. Someone has to help, and if that's says I'm one of the types that was gotten rid of then employers are really just labeling people at their own regard without any consideration or compassion to someone who is very loyal to their employer.
If you must call it unemployed I guess it must be said I've been for 19 months. I do not like to think of it as unemployed. I would rather think of it as an interim journey in my career path.
When all this began, I had started my search somewhat early. The things I began doing was becoming a member of several job boards like Monster.com, Career builder.com and had a membership with The Ladders. It was slow going because back around 2007 things were not as bad as they are today. But, I wanted my feelers out there. I had received numerous calls from several recruiters about certain positions in different geographical locations. I was pretty green about everything including telephone interviews. I remember getting a call from Ran-staff, one from a bug place in Houston, and one interview as far as Britain. I was ecstatic. Couldn't believe I was out there. Still being green, I probably messed those up and never heard back from them.
As my search started to make more sense to me, I began trying to keep up with recruiters on The Ladders. Now understand recruiters were not very prevalent when I started looking. I saw them, red the comments about them and how they looked for you and how to leave them comments, but I never ever worked with one. I thought it's the typical gambit but was very dumb to the system. I notice many were saving my profile, why I had no idea, but was intrigued.
From there I began searching many avenues on The Ladder to land my big job. I started adding myself to other job boards. I'll add a list of all the boards I've been on, many I'm still out there.
My key points at this time was ensuring I had a top resume that would grab attention. I worked many hours drawing different ones up and fine tuning them. I even had critiques from some sites and no one is ever the same. What one says is wrong, another said that's not the problem, this is. So I never paid anyone to ever do my resume. I spent many hours using older books I had and researching on the internet all about resumes. Some helped some was a waste of time.
After tuning my resume to what I thought was a winner I started posting it to all these boards. I was always following these boards, always fine tuning something or updating my resume and experiences on these sites.
About the time I came to having to resign, things became much more serious and much more involved. I had already many contacts from AOL, I spoke with from back home and around the country. Everyone was sending me ideas and places I need to get attached to. I followed and attached to local newspapers online. I made every possible attempt to make contact with anyone and everyone.
After moving back to Louisiana I started to make me a game plan. I had resumes printed out, standard cover letters, reference list made, hard copies of all my recommendations made, a brag book assembled of all my successes throughout my career. Everything ready and waiting for that big interview.
I do remember recruiters on LinkedIn as well as many people I spoke with how they suggested not to take temporary or minimum wage jobs. They indicated that temp jobs interfere with your worth and many employers will not look at anyone who is doing temp jobs since they look like job hoppers, can't keep a job, and it dummied you down and who in their right mind would hire someone who is in a starter job or fill-in job for a higher role. As we can see those thoughts have changed throughout the industry and now you're encouraged to have something no matter what it was. I had actually turned down a couple of very low jobs that came with no benefits, no full time opportunities, minimum wage etc. Hey I didn't want to look like an underachieving professional who's luck couldn't land him anything but the bottom of a pit.
LinkedIn became home. Although I stayed active on Career builder and Monster, I continued monitoring and changing constantly many job boards I was on. I was determined to be noticed. I received over time numerous calls and invites to interviews out of town which I went to. I remember the how I was told I'm still in the running, I'm still in the cross hairs but.... Yea buts. How depressing they did become since it appeared you were right on the line of being made an offer and at the end it was nothing more but a "but".
That didn't stop me though. I actually had the attitude of "wait, I can play that game also". So I did. As I continued going to interviews and speaking to people who would call over the telephone, their promises became nothing without a guarantee. I kept them on my cross hairs but unless they came through with more I became less concerned. I did all the traditional things from dressing appropriately as a professional, going to the interviews and acting professional, answering everything they asked, asking for the job, filling out email thank you's to those that I was able to obtain a business card from and sending out handwritten thank you cards once I returned from the interview. Following this got me close but no cigar.
As I continued to post and change things on several job boards to keep me floating to the top, I received many phone calls from our friends in India type recruiters, but after listening to their pitch if it could be understood, I never much fell prey to any of it and canceled such relations before they started.
Although many avenues I utilized from continuing seeking in newspapers, newspapers in areas geographically I wanted to be in and filling out and email and even mailing, yes USPS mail sending to various companies that would ask that it be mailed in. I have spent many long days in my job efforts. Seriously, getting up in the early morning at 5:00 AM and turning in around 10 or 12:00 at night. Giving all I have. You have to become serious about your search. Sure you can follow the adage of don't take life so serious, but when you're forced to find something because you have nothing serious becomes the name of the game.
As I indicated LinkedIn became an avenue I continued to grow and still do today. I have spoken to headhunters and recruiters on their take and suggestions during many discussions. I have alienated many with my way of handling things to making many see my way as not being so daunting just a different avenue I chose to follow. A long time friend as he became on LinkedIn Rick Farquar was a headhunter from the west coast, about 62 years old I believe spent many hours speaking with me over the telephone as well as in discussions talking about different avenues. He always had a favorite saying,"if you can't change something, then change yourself". Meaning if the current plan you have is not working, seek out new avenues. I guess that's where my way of thinking came into being. To heck with tradition let's play.
I went into a deep depression for about 7 months. No I wasn't sick, I was just losing ground thinking nothing will ever come to being. Over those 7 months I continued looking but the want was dieing out. I lost focus.I didn't speak to very many people, whether around me in life or the internet. One day I woke up and realized nothing will happen unless I make it happen. It took some time but I was coming out of my pity mode and started working again. I was pressing forward, returning to links and discussions and I was getting much needed support. I didn't feel I was out there alone.
As I began to continue to grow my contacts, I was back reviewing areas on Career and Monster again sending out my coveted resumes that I spent much time tweaking and fine tuning. I was getting interviews and phone interviews on an average of 1 to 2 a month. I learned what I was sending in needed to be better researched so following advice I started following an 80/20 rule. If I had 80% of what the job description entailed, I sent it in.
I started being more active in LinkedIn's discussion threads and began delving into the question and answer forums. One thing Rick was big on and I caught on to that quickly was, never bad mouth while on a thread. Whether it's your old boss, old company or even other posters. There are many people who sit out of the treads watching and you might be the one they're watching. They may be viewing you to see how you react to certain discussions and what your contribution might be and even as much as the way you type(talk) and your English as well as your punctuation skills. How knowledgeable are you in the discussion. How knowledgeable are you in the question and answer forum. I spend a lot of time researching topics for appropriate answers in the forum where I've achieved around 32% best answers including good answers. Now of course it is all subjective based on what the author of the question thinks is best, but it shows that you are contributing, socializing, being professional and being a part of the system. You fit in with the culture.
The bottom-line to this is make contact with folks, communicate, give answers, talk it up. Let people know you're out there. Keep yourself at the forefront of discussions taking interest in different discussions so people will get to know you. Who knows, it only takes one to recognize you and put you on the road to prosperity.
In our next segment I will discuss and lay out my plan that I have used over time that I continue tweaking and always putting out there. Again you never know who's going to be the right person that seeks you out.
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