When I was taking a Speech class in college I was waiting to give my first speech. I was so excited and could hardly wait to have my 20 minutes of fame. I was disappointed that we only had five minutes to deliver a speech! I mean, who can say what they want in five minutes?

The girl that went right before me was very shaken and nervous. This surprised and confused me because after all, speaking is so much fun! After class I asked my professor about this, “Why do you think she was so nervous.” My instructor replied, with a laugh, “Katreena, 95% of the people that walk on the planet would rather die than give a public presentation.” I was flabbergasted! I had assumed that everyone enjoyed public speaking as much as me.

It was in that moment that I listened to my intuition and paid attention to the gentle promptings that said, “Katreena, this might be a career path for you.”

Today, I am a professional speaker, I given hundreds of speeches, because 30 years ago I listened.

Have you been listening? Are you paying attention to the gentle promptings of your heart? We all have them. Today, take a few minutes to contemplate your current job. What could you do today that would take you in the direction of your dream job? It might be making a list of what you love to do, your natural skills and abilities and the companies that offer products and services that you believe in.

Take baby steps, but start walking in the direction of your dream job. Listen to the messages that tell you you’re on the right path. Eventually, you’ll find that you’re in a job that fulfills you in all the right ways and challenges you in all the best ways.

All you have to do is listen, pay attention and start walking.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Staying motivated is one of the most difficult aspects of job search. Research suggests that depression and apathy set in after about three weeks of unemployment. Try these four steps to help keep a positive attitude and outlook during your job search:

1. Volunteer your time – This is a great way to meet new people with whom you can network, learn new skills and if you’re trying to transition into a different industry, this is a perfect way to “test drive” a new work arena.
2. Attend free workshops and seminars at your local library – Your local library generally offers a number of free business and self-help “how to” workshops and seminars. Most of the classes are offered in the evening so it won’t interfere with your job search strategy time. During the workshops you’ll learn helpful information, meet new networking partners and most likely get inspired.
3. Get involved with a career-related trade association or group – Again, this is an excellent way to meet new people, reconnect with past co-workers and friends to network regarding opportunities in your field of work. It’s also an excellent way to keep up with the changes in your field.
4. Read a good self-help book – You should have a good book that you can read every day. You can borrow books from friends or check books and books on CD from the library. If I’m going to purchase books I go to www.half.com for great prices or if I want to listen to my books (I spend a fair amount of time driving in my car) I use www.audible.com for great ebooks for my MP3 player I run through my car’s stereo system. For a list of suggested self-help reads check out my next blog.

Staying motivated doesn’t have to be difficult; you just need to keep busy. You know the old saying…busy hands, happy heart. It’s no different for your job search: Busy job seekers, happy job getter!

Keep smiling…it helps!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

For me professional branding is really my way of saying: This is who I am professionally, this is my expertise, and when you think of me…this is what I want you to think of.

Effective professional branding begins with asking some fairly basic questions. Once you’ve explored and answered the questions, you have truly begun what I call Career Management. And like all good management advice, if you don’t “manage it” it will “manage you.”

That said, here are the questions that will help you get started defining your professional brand:

1. Who are you?
2. What do you stand for professionally (skills, talents, interests, values, etc)
3. What makes you stand out in the workplace?
4. What is your area of expertise? 

Answer these questions and you will have your brand. Make sure to explore and choose wisely. Incorporate your brand into your résumé, your interviewing strategy, your career management plan and most especially your social networking.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

With Google, Smartphone’s, email, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter its lots easier to stay up on what’s out (or not). If you’re not sure what do with all the electronic gadgets at your disposal that can help us in our job search, just ask your teenager! Or better yet, get some training.

It’s pretty simple to find training on the Internet. So, whether you want a 30 minute refresher course or a multi-class certification class, or for-credit college program all you have to do is open your Internet browser, search and click your way to knowledge.

And lest we forget, knowledge is power!

One place I’ve found to be extremely helpful for doing technical-related online training is Lynda.com. Whether you need coaching on updating your resume or learning to use Social Networking, Excel, or Adobe, it all there on this website, and for a reasonable price, which is less than $40 per month, with no contract for length of use.

It’s important to have a sharp resume for your job search, we know that. But in today’s employment market it’s even more critical that you know how to effectively and appropriately use social networking to your advantage and you better know how to answer a text message request for an interview in less than five minutes while you’re at it.

If you don’t know how to use your electronic devises and Internet tools as well as you’d like, get some training! Asking for help or getting a coach is a good idea. Get comfortable with and embrace technology in all its glory…cuz it ain’t going anywhere.

Then send me your cell phone number so I can text you for help, next time I need it!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

1. Own your stress. Recognize it for what it is and remember that when you feel stressed about your job search it means you care. Don’t let it overwhelm you, stress is just a feeling, it has nothing to do with an action. When you stop and refocus on your “action” plan it will help decrease your stress level.
2. Focus on what you can control. Too often we feel bad about things we simply have no control over. Try to make a list of what you can do and what you do have control over and focus on that. Go back to your Career Management Strategy. If you don’t have a Career Management Strategy, visit my website to learn about creating your CMS, I have a file you can download to help you.
3. Have and use your professional network. Think of this as your support network, the people you know, who know people who can help connect you. You need to spend at least 1-2 hours per day developing and maintaining your professional and social networks.

Let me know the strategies that you’ve used to help deal with job search and career transition stress. Send me an email at Katreena@StriveForStudents.com and I’ll share it with my professional and social networks.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

1. Plan Ahead. Plan your target contacts the day before. I generally plan for 3-5 targets to follow up with every day. If you’re unemployed you’ll need to increase the number of target contacts to a minimum of 10 per day.
2. Read Daily. Find a good self-help book and commit to reading a few pages each day. People ask me why not read one or two chapters each day? Well, that’s fine, but it’s a bit harder to stay committed to that much reading and two pages are pretty doable.
3. Choose to Win. I preach this in all of my workshops…every choice you make takes you toward your destiny. It’s just as easy to wake up with an attitude of altitude and gratitude as it is to wake up with a downer attitude. When your hot little tootsies hit the floor in the morning, do a happy dance and be thankful for all the amazingly wonderful things in your life

If you’d like a list of great self-help books, email me at Katreena@striveforstudents.com and I’ll send you my top 10 list. Send me your top 10 best books list I’d love to see what inspires you!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

If you’re using social networking as a way to share information, promote yourself; search for a job, or to just stay in touch with friends and colleagues you need to have a plan for the message, image and brand you want to convey.

Remember every time you post a message it says something about YOU!

Before you post, ask yourself:

1. What is the image I want to build and promote about myself?
2. If a potential employer reads my post, will it portray me as the type of employee the reader will want to hire or refer?
3. What is my area of expertise?
4. What information can I share about my area of expertise?

It’s important to decide, before you start to type, upload the image, or brand you want to develop for yourself. For example if you’re a job seeker…only post information that has to do with your career field. It might be job openings in your industry, volunteer opportunities or upcoming networking events and meetings. You might want to share job search tips, good articles and blogs that have helped you.

Good networking is only 30% about what you need and 70% about how you can help, or what you can share.

Don’t waste other peoples’ time either. Recently, (and I hate it when this happens), I click on a LinkedIn or Twitter post link and it takes me to another website where I have to sign up to get the information I want. I shouldn’t have to work to get the information I want. And most people won’t!

We live in a society that wants everything … yesterday; when we visit a website we want to be able to get the information quickly, plus it needs to be easy to understand and useful.

So, the next time you tweet or post to LinkedIn or Facebook, ask yourself: Is this going to help promote me in a positive way? If you’re not sure, don’t post. If you’re certain that your post will help to endorse your professional image and employability….go for it!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Can you answer this question with ease and confidence? It’s the most frequently asked interview question. In fact 87% of the employers I interviewed for my best-selling book Help! I Need a Job, said it was the first question they asked during an interview.

If you don’t have an answer to this question, then you need to consider developing your 30-second commercial. Below is a simple checklist that includes your related work experience and education that also related to the job for which you are applying.

If you have related experience and education:

       Number years experience in related industry

       Relevant employers (from current backward up to 15 years or two jobs, whichever comes first)

       Education/degree in the related field

       Related community service and/or hobbies

Sample answer: (always start with …As you can see from my résumé…)

“Well, as you can see from my résumé, I have 11 years’ experience in the construction industry. After graduating from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in construction management, I was hired by Centennial Construction to work as a project manager in their residential division. That’s where I got my feet wet in project management. I quickly developed a reputation for bringing projects in on time and under budget. Then I was recruited by company “…I am really excited to be here and to learn more about the qualities you are looking for in a top candidate. Would it be okay to talk about that now?”

If you do NOT have experience or education in a related field:

       Education/degree or additional training/seminars in related field

       Related community service and/or hobbies

       How your interest was inspired/sparked for this industry

Sample answer:

“Well, as you can see from my résumé, I have volunteered over the past several years with Habitat for Humanity in Phoenix. Actually, it was my volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, while taking an Architecture class in high school that I realized I enjoyed the construction field. After graduating from University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, I was hired by Centennial Construction to work as a staff accountant. That’s where I was further introduced to the construction industry. I quickly developed a reputation for being dependable and thinking outside the box to solve issues in the workplace. I also have a unique perspective on budgets and construction related finance. Additionally, I’ve attended several construction related seminars in… “…I am really excited to be here and to learn more about the qualities you are looking for in a top candidate. Would it be okay to talk about that now?”

A final note, avoid talking about anything personal that doesn’t relate to the industry or job for which you are applying. Instead stay focused on the benefits, skills and experience you have that relate to the job.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

I don’t have a problem with employers who Google potential employees during their reference/background check process-they should. I do think it’s inappropriate for any interviewer to ask for personal login and PW information.

The court cases are beginning to emerge, where an employer asks an interviewee for their Facebook login and password as part of the company’s background check process. If this happens to you respectfully decline to provide the information, unless the interviewer believes they have legal grounds.

I feel certain when the court ruling comes, and it will, it will rule in favor of the employee.

I think this is a good opportunity to remind those who are employed that employers can check your FB page (and they will) to see what you do during your work day too. If you’re playing Poker, or Farmville (or any other number of games) there is a record that shows when your scores, messages, etc were posted.

Please be start about your social networking! Clean up your social networking accounts. Twitter and LinkedIn are incredible tools for job search related marketing…FB, not so much. Oh! And one more thing, make sure to keep you FB account PRIVATE.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Holiday Brain can be a huge opportunity for job seekers however. This is the time when most people stop sending résumés and applying for jobs, so you have less competition for interviews and job opportunities. This is the time of year to really ramp up your job search.

Employers are generally less stressed this time of year too. They’re more likely to take your calls and more willing to accept an offer for a short informational interview or networking opportunity. So pick up the phone, update your LinkedIn profile and submit a few extra online resumes and watch what happens.

This is not the time to be shy, or to fall into your own Holiday Brain and get lazy. This is the time to take advantage of an awesome opportunity to find a job. There’s an added benefit too, that most people assume won’t happen: Employers are usually fine with waiting until after the first of the year for you to start, or are open to you working part time during the holiday season.

I’d love to know if this works for you, or if you know of someone who has looked for and found a job during the holidays. Send me your stories, I’d love to share.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites