blueskyresumesblog

Choosing a Resume Writer: 10 Tips for Finding the Right Resume Service

This post isn't a sales pitch - in fact it's the opposite. I frequently turn away potential clients and I encourage them to do the same if they feel we're not a good fit. A good resume writer will require an investment of both time and money and you need to make a wise choice. And there are many bad choices out there. Believe me I know!

About once a month, I take on a client who has paid a lot of money to another resume service, only to hate the results. While I obviously like getting new clients, these situations make me both sad and angry on behalf of the clients who were hurt by one bad choice. 

So here are my recommendations for selecting a resume writer.

1) Shop around. If you like the first company you find - even if it's mine! - I still recommend contacting a couple of other services just to be sure that you're in the best hands.

2) Look at samples. All good writers should display samples on their site - preferably in 'before' and 'after' format so that you can see what changed. Look for quality, but also look for variation. Does each resume have a different structure? Does each one use different words? Or are they all the same, as though a template was used. And finally, do they impress you personally?

3) Ask about guarantees. Personally, I think all writers should offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. But most are not willing to go quite that far so you may have to settle for less - at the very least, your writer should promise to rework your resume as many times as possible to ensure your satisfaction.

4) Evaluate their qualifications. What makes them qualified to write your resume? Do they understand your industry or function? Have they worked in recruiting or HR? If not, do they have other expertise in those areas that gives you a sense of comfort? (Perhaps they have written books, or have lots of certifications, or come highly recommended by other people in your field).

5) Ask what they DON'T do. We turn away clients who want to work for the federal government or academia because none of our writers have expertise in these areas. Any good writer should be turning away clients - it proves their honesty.

6) Are they web savvy? Is their website modern and well maintained? Have they conveyed their brand well? Do they blog? Do they have a Linked In or Facebook page? You are hiring someone to help market you - make sure they know how to market themselves effectively in today's world.

7) Check LinkedIn testimonials. LinkedIn testimonials can't be fudged because the site allows you to click through as see who wrote the reference. To see them, you must be a member but it's quick and easy to sign up. Don't hire a writer who doesn't have glowing testimonials.

8) Who else refers their services? If you're still unsure, ask who refers clients to them. Do they have affiliations with career counselors, recruiters or other websites? Such relationships - especially with recruiters - are indications that their work is respected by the people who count.

9) Be sure the process works for you. Resume services have different approaches to writing a resume. Some require the completion of worksheets to develop a career history and value proposition. Some utilize phone interviews. Some do a combination of both. I personally prefer worksheets and we've developed a very specific proprietary worksheet that helps us develop a truly compelling resume- but not every client is comfortable with this process and it's important to know that upfront.

10) Finally, don't base your decision on price. I know that price has to be a consideration, but don't make it the be-all and end-all. Those cheap services advertising on the web are cheap for a reason - in most cases they will outsource your work to underpaid writers who have to work quickly just to make a living. In other cases, the fee is low because the person is in no way qualified to do this but saw a chance to make some money from home. If you can't afford to hire a good resume writer, take the time to learn about resume writing from books or articles and do it yourself. You'll get better results, believe me.

You'll notice that I didn't include professional certifications in my list. That's because I don't personally feel they are a reliable indicator of quality. This is a controversial view in my industry, so take it as just my opinion. If you do feel that professional certifications are important, by all means include that in your decision-making, but be sure to check for all the other factors as well.

Choosing the right resume writer can make all the difference to your job search so take the time to understand what you're getting. Good luck!

Job Search Lessons from a Political Campaign

As a political junkie, I've been watching the Presidential primaries, and now the general election campaign, with interest. I've said before that elections are like really long (REALLY long!) job interviews and I always enjoy seeing how the different candidates approach the process. (And no, I'm not going to tell you which one I'd choose if I were hiring - that's not the point of this post).

This year I've been interested in Barack Obama's proactive approach to negative issues, because it mirrors the advice I give my clients about addressing potential negatives upfront. With various rumors swirling about his background and religion, Obama has started the general election campaign with a TV ad in which he talks about his all-American background. His team have also established a website that is used to counteract email rumors about him.

The website has caused a lot of discussion among political pundits, since in order to fight a rumor, you have to first restate it. People have wondered whether the website does more harm than good by repeating the rumors.

Personally, I don't think so. And this is where we get back to your job search. I think that if there are potential "negatives" in your background, it is better to face them head on, address them, show why they're actually NOT negative and then move on.

For example, if you have diverse experience across a wide range of positions, you might worry that employers will see you as "a jack of all trades, master of none." Well, they might! So you have to take that and address it head on. You might start your resume introduction with something like this:

"'Jack of all trades' who has consistently excelled in every position, no matter how diverse and how little training is provided."

Or start your resume with a direct quote from yourself:

"No matter what the assignment, you can trust me to succeed. I've done it time and time again in a variety of industries and functions."

Or find the common thread that runs through your experience and highlight that:

"Whether working in IT, Marketing or Sales, I have always been able to quickly assess the situation, develop a workable action plan and motivate others to succeed. I've never missed a deadline and every one of my employers have grown in revenue during my tenure."

You can also address perceived weaknesses in your cover letter and by raising them during an interview. Say something like "many people have wondered about the fact that ..." or 'Maybe you're wondering..." and then take the opportunity to address that issue.

There are many other ways to address potential negatives and how you address them is less important than making sure you do address them. Just don't let them sit there like the elephant in the room because if there is a concern, you may never be told about it and you may well lose out on the opportunity without ever understanding why.

Yes, you do need a cover letter

Scott Dickie has an excellent post about cover letters.

Most job seekers by now understand the necessity of a resume while conducting a job search. However, many do not realize how important a cover letter is to the process. How important is it? Many human resources professionals say the cover letter can have as much, if not more impact on whether or not a candidate is granted a job interview.

You should read the whole post for Scott's reasoning on why cover letters matter and what they should contain. I'll just add that in my experience, not everyone reads cover letters. When I was in HR, I never bothered with them. BUT, my boss wouldn't even read a resume until he had read the cover letter. He was looking to see whether the candidates had bothered to personalize their application by addressing the open position and why they were a good fit. This was so important to him that he wouldn't read resumes if a cover letter wasn't attached.

You can never know which recipient will be like me, and ignore your cover letter, and which will be like my boss and refuse to consider you without one. So write the best letter you possibly can for every single application - and always customize each one.

Beating the Computerized Systems

A reader writes:

I recently bought your book and reworked my resume per your excellent suggestions.  I thought all of your advice was spot on.  Here's my question: I submitted my resume thru a design firms web portal for the position of Director - Client Partner. (Known in my parlance as Account Management)  I was shocked to see that my resume didn't match with that position...instead it got a score of 609 as a match to Jr. Creative Director.  I'm quite sure an actual human would see that 90% of my resume matches with the job description in the listing. 

With so many sites running some program before a human being will look at your resume (Itzbig is prime example), I'm flummoxed.  Should I take exact words from the listing so I get higher match scores, or should I just not worry about it too much?  I'm in a smaller market (Austin), but if the computer program is not matching my actual skills and experience, what can I do to get a higher matching score?

This is really a two-part answer. The first is YES! If the company is using a computerized screening system, then that system can only screen resumes in one of two ways. It will either ask you a series of questions which are designed to screen out non-qualified candidates OR it will scan your resume for keywords to see whether you match the position.

Therefore, it's critical to include the keywords from the job description in your resume. Don't just add a section for keywords - this will annoy the humans who eventually see your resume. Instead, scatter them throughout the document as part of the resume text.

One important caveat: Do not say anything that's not true. If you don't match the qualifications, the job isn't for you.

The second part of my answer is that, wherever possible, you must do more than simply submit your resume to the computer system and wait to hear back. These systems are just not a reliable way of finding the best candidate. (What they are is a time saver for harried HR departments.)

So, submit your keyword-filled resume, and the start doing some research to find out how you can reach a real person at that company. Try to find managers in the department you're applying to. Start with a site like LinkedIn. you'll have to be a member to contact people, but the site allows you to search by company name and then use your own network to make contact with the employees you find there.

You can also check the company's website and Google to find the names of staff members in the department you want to work in. They key is to find the name and email/mailing address of a real person and then submit your resume to that person with an enthusiastic cover letter explaining that you are so excited about the opportunity, you didn't want to leave anything to chance.

By employing both these strategies, you will greatly increase your chances of success.

Working with Recruiters

A reader wrote this morning to ask about recruiters. Having not looked for a job in sometime, he wanted to know whether I could recommend a headhunter in his area.

I actually don't know anyone, but even if I did, one headhunter would not be enough.

Many people share the misconception that, for senior level positions, contacting a headhunter is the way to find a job. To understand why this is wrong, you have to understand how headhunters work.

A headhunter (or recruiter) is engaged by a company to fill a specific position. She is given very specific qualifications, and she is paid for her services by the company. Sometimes she is paid on a retainer basis, but most often she is paid only when she successfully fills the position.

So her compensation depends on finding people who exactly match the specifications she has been given, and her client is the employer NOT the job seekers.

Depending on the size of her practice, she may be working on just one position at a time, or several, but she doesn't have hundreds and hundreds of openings. And because she is paid for filling a position, she doesn't have time to spend on candidates who don't match the job criteria.

This means that it's not likely you will be a match for the position she's currently trying to fill. It's not impossible - but the odds are not in your favor. Which is why you need to contact multiple recruiters to have any good chance of receiving a call back.

You must also understand that most recruiters specialize in either an industry or a field (marketing, sales, finance etc.) and sending your resume to someone who doesn't hire for your profession is just a waste of time.

So to work effectively with recruiters, you need to contact a large group of people who specialize in your industry or profession.

I recommend Executiveagent for this purpose - it compiles a list of recruiters based on the criteria you determine, and once you pay, your resume is emailed to all those recruiters. The fee is relatively inexpensive, and it's an efficient way to reach a lot of people at once.

The alternative is manual research. Buy a directory of recruiters from a bookstore, or use Google to track down as many names as you can.

Just remember - the recruiter is working for the company, not for you.

What Makes an Effective Reference Letter?

Thanks for the great questions that keep arriving in my in box. I enjoy reading them! One reader writes:

I've been reading your blog for a while now and always with the greatest pleasure, and now I have a question which might be of interest to you.

A great recruiter helped me to find my dream job, and now I'm writing a recommendation letter for him. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a sample letter for this profession or any other kind of advice, and thus take the liberty of addressing you. Are there any aspects of the recruiter's job that are of a particular importance? I can write a lot about this person's "personal-professional" qualities, like unprejudiced approach, timely responses, etc., but I want to write something of real value, something that other professionals in this area can appreciate too.

The key skill for a recruiter is the ability to make a sale. Recruiting is a sales job as much as anything - not only does a recruiter have to persuade a company to her, but she also has to persuade candidates to interview for vacant positions.

Therefore, if this reference letter is intended to help the recruiter either seek new employment, or advertise her services to potential clients, I would focus on her ability to match the perfect client to the perfect job (in this case you) and her ability to facilitate that match by selling you on the position and managing the transaction in such a way that she closed the deal. (If any of our readers who are also recruiters have other ideas, please feel free to let me know.) 

By the way - these principles also apply when you are seeking reference letters for your own job search (or writing them for other people.) Reference letters should focus on what matters to the target audience. A glowing letter about all aspects of your personality and background won't be as effective as one that hones in on exactly what the reader wants to know.

So when you request reference letters, you should always tell your referee what part of your background/skills you want to highlight, and you should determine this based on what you know is important to your target employers.

Is there Anybody Alive Out There?

That's the opening line of Bruce Springsteen's last single, but judging from my in-box, it's also the cry from many job seekers wondering why they get so few responses to their job applications. One reader writes:

I've been marketing myself since Nov07 to find a job, unfortunately without success until today. My feeling is that companies are saturated from receiving emails with Personal Records from anybody in the world who is looking for a job, and they just delete them, many times without reading them. What a shame!

 

You write that there are many organizations who need what I have to offer. Please be so kind and tell us which organizations! I've submitted at least 130 times (and probably more) my CV since Nov07. Only 7 companies have answered, but no job possibilities until now. Of course we all have a set of skills, experiences and accomplishments, which are apparently not valued.

 

Can you please help me and other subscribers to your blog with an answer? I'm sure there are many unemployed people in a similar situation.

Well, firstly - 7 responses out of 130 applications is just over a 5% response rate. Many surveys show that companies fill anywhere from 5-10% of their jobs from Internet job postings, although this number increases when the company's own job board is also included.

So that does suggest that this job seeker is experiencing a lower than average response rate to his resume submissions - the most likely problem is that his resume is not effectively communicating his value.

But even after improving his resume, the sad fact is that a strategy of simply applying to posted positions is unlikely to result in a huge improvement.

Job search success requires a much more proactive approach.

Consider this, from an annual survey of American recruiting practices:

Referrals (employee, alumni, vendor, etc.) make up 28.7% of all external hires and are arguably the number one external source. The efficiency of referrals i.e. “every third referral turns into a hire” is one of the single most important characteristics of US hiring practices…and not leveraged as well as it might be

One in three referrals turns into a hire! Doesn't take a math degree to figure out that you will significantly improve your chances of securing a position if you are referred by an insider.

Which means two things:

1) Use your network - make sure that everyone you know is aware of your job search, so that they can be in a position to refer you should they hear of something. Don't restrict your networking only to close friends and family. Include everyone - your doctor, your dentist, the guy in the local Starbucks who you talk to every morning - the more people who know you need a job, the better your chances of a referral.

2) Use the Internet to make contact with people who work at your target companies. LinkedIn is the perfect tool for this and if you don't already have a profile,you need to get one now. Members can search the network by company name, and then make contact via the system.

These are only 2 possible strategies - your success is limited only by your creativity - for example, I know people who have secured job offers by writing blogs about their job search. I know others who have networked their way into jobs that were never even advertised  just by doing research to identify possible opportunities in advance.

But if your job search strategy consists of applying to advertised positions, you will inevitably be invited to far fewer interviews than you deserve.

For more on job search strategies, download the Career Hub "Insider's Guide" series of free eBooks. You'll find tips and strategies from some of America's leading job search experts and there's no charge and no need to give an email address.

To Thine Own Self Be True

We’ve all heard that phrase a thousand times and we know all that it’s good life advice, and yet, when it comes to marketing ourselves, it’s often a lesson that we forget.

I can’t tell you how many senior executive resumes sound exactly alike. Filled with words like ‘results-focused leader’ and “high-energy executive” - everyone is “dynamic” and ‘proven’ and ‘experienced.’  After reading the same thing 30 times, everyone starts to blur together.

Which is really crazy! Because you are totally unique. You have something that no other candidate has. You will add value in a different way. And yet I am willing to bet that your resume doesn’t express  that unique value.

I speak from experience, because for years, I didn’t know how to express my value either. When I first started my resume writing business, I wasn’t sure who my target audience was and why they should choose my company. As the business grew, I started to figure out my unique value (I have prior HR and recruiting experience, which means I know how to get the attention of HR and recruiters). As I figured this out, my marketing messages became clearer. But I still knew I wasn’t getting to the bottom of what made my business different. And very recently, I was hit over the head with the realization that we have a very obvious selling point – we’ve had it all along but I just took it for granted.

It happened this way. One day, I received a request for proposal from a person in the UK. We don’t write resumes for the UK because frankly I have no idea what works there, so I wrote back to the person and politely declined the project. The same day, I also declined a project from a teacher because no one on my staff has expertise in writing resumes for teachers. The next morning, I had emails from both potential clients thanking me for my honesty and for not just taking their money regardless of whether I could provide excellent results.

And it hit me that we do that all the time – we only take on clients I know we can help. On the rare occasions that we misjudge and don’t get results, we refund money.  Our whole business is built around trust – trust that our resumes get results, and trust that we will treat people fairly. And our resume writing process is also base on honesty – we don’t ‘sell’ what people are not – we help them communicate their authentic unique value.  And yet our branding has never reflected that – at least not as a conscious effort. It should!

If you’re like me, you see other people much more clearly than you see yourself. So when it comes to marketing yourself, you probably fall back on platitudes, or standard ideas of what a good executive does. And the resulting resume is probably flat and boring and not at all reflective of what makes you YOU.

Here are a couple of ways you can fix that right now.

1. Think back to compliments you’ve received from bosses, co-workers or clients. What do they say abut you? What words do they choose? Don’t get stuck on what YOU think ... in fact, forget that for now. Just focus on what other people say.

2. Looking back over your career, what themes keep re-emerging? Are you always the person brought in to tackle the most challenging problems? Or have you always found new ways to cut costs?

3. What is your management philosophy? Write it down – don’t worry about spelling or grammar or finding the perfect words – just write whatever comes into your head.

Reviewing all this information will help you determine the answer to the most important question of all: “what make you unique?”

Once you have that answer, you can rewrite your resume, you can prepare for interviews and you can create your ‘elevator pitch.’ All based not on what executives are ‘supposed to be like’ but on who you really are.

Do Video Resumes Work?

A reader writes 'what do you think of video resumes?'

Honestly, not much.

I think that the people who developed the idea of video resumes have never hired anyone - or if they have, they've forgotten what the process is like. Here are my two main problems with video resumes:

1) They are inefficient

To find 5-10 people to interview, the average recruiter has to look at a lot of resumes - let's say 100 as a rough average. You can quickly skim 100 resumes in 30-45 minutes. From those you might choose 30 to look at more closely and eliminate 70 as 'not qualified.'

Now you will spend another 30-60 minutes reading the promising resumes in more detail to decide which 10 to interview.

Once you choose your interview candidates, and conduct initial screenings, you need to send those people on to the hiring manager, who also needs to review the resumes before conducting interviews.

At all stages of this process, the reader dictates the length of time he or she needs to find the important information. Fast readers skim more quickly than other people - managers can skip around to see the things that are critical to them.

A video doesn't work this way - when I get a video resume, I have no way of skimming it quickly. I have to sit and watch the whole thing - I can't skip through to the important parts because I don't know where they are. The end result? I won't watch it. Sorry but I just don't have the time. In the 5 minutes it takes me to watch your video resume, I can get through 10 regular resumes.

2) They are unflattering to most people

I'm a political junkie - I watch a lot of those 'talking head' shows on CNN and MSNBC. The other day I was watching a new show with Andrea Mitchell. Andrea is a well-respected journalist with years of experience so I thought her show might be interesting. But it was awful!  Not because of the content, but because Andrea is just not good as a talk show host. She seemed stiff and uncomfortable. Seeing her reminded me just how talented the other hosts are.

Video resumes are like Andrea Mitchell's show only worse! Most people just can't present themselves well on camera and if you're one of them, a video resume can only hurt.

I am sure there is life after the traditional resume, and that technology will change the way we look for work. I just don't think video resumes are the answer.

Ever Wonder If Networking Really Does Work?

Wonder no more!

Recruiting research guru Gerry Crispin has just released his annual survey of hiring practices among America's top corporations.

It's worth reading all the way through (and is a free download) because anyone looking for a job should know how companies hire, but this in particular caught my eye:

Referrals (employee, alumni, vendor, etc.) make up 28.7% of all hires and are arguably the number one external source. The efficiency of referrals i.e. every third referral turns into a hire” is one of the single most important characteristics of US hiring practices

Every third referral? Wow! Crispin doesn't give the same data for the other sources, but I can tell you that every third job applicant responding to a job posting doesn't get hired. Just based on my own experience in HR, I'd guess the ratio is more like 1 in 100 and I could be being overly generous.

What does this mean? It means that you should never apply for a job without first making contact with someone at that company who can refer you on to the right person.

You can do this the old fashioned way, by makng calls to see who you know who knows as guy who knows a guy ... or you can use sites like LinkedIn or Facebook to build your network and stay in touch.  Or combine both methods for maximum results. But if a third of all all referrals get hired, you can't afford to just apply online with everyone else.

Working with Recruiters vs "Job Finders"

Today I received an email from an executive job seeker who wrote:

I thought you might have some insight relating to the use of an executive head hunter service (for placements of positions paying $150k+). What to look for when one of these companies are representing you. What to watch out for and how to avoid getting ripped off by a shoddy service (excessive fees to me, the job hunter, etc.).

This gave me a great opportunity to distinguish between headhunters and so-called Job Finder firms.

Headhunters

A headhunter (also known as a search firm or recruiter) works for companies who want to fill positions. He or she is paid for finding the right candidate. Payment arrangements differ, but in all cases the job seeker is never the one footing the bill.

Of course this means that recruiters do not represent you, the job seeker. They represent the people who are paying them. Therefore you should not expect them to do any work on your behalf other than possibly submitting your resume for suitable vacancies. If you plan to utilize headhunters during your job search, you should research them using a tool like Executiveagent.com - you can look for recruiters by region or by specialty. (This is very important - most recruiters specialize in either an industry or a function and they don't appreciate receiving resumes from people in a totally different field).

Once you have the list, you should contact as many as you can as this will increase the likelihood that one of them will be looking for someone just like you.

Now for "Job Finder Firms"

These people are out to take your money and they will call themselves whatever it takes to achieve that goal (executive placement, career management etc. etc.).

They will generally claim to have systems and proprietary techniques that will help you find a job. They will often tell you that they have access to 'the hidden job market.'  They will make a smooth sales pitch and it may feel as though you have found a solution to your problems.

But you haven't. Because there is no hidden job market. They have no special knowledge or techniques. They do have some databases, but the web puts the same information at your finger tips. 

These services typically charge between $5,000 and $15,000 for their services. I'd like to link to a few of them, but I can't because they keep closing down, changing their names and moving to new states. Hmmmm ....I wonder why that might be!

The Bottom Line

None of these companies have the answer and none of them can take away the hard work of looking for a new job. You can purchase much higher quality services for far less money if you approach  a professional resume writer for a rewrite (executives should expect to spend between $500 and $1,000 for this service) and, if necessary, work occasionally with a job search coach who can help guide your activities and keep you on track (reasonable fees for this service would be $100-$200 per hour).

But beware anyone who promises to 'represent' you in the job market, or who wants you to pay thousands of dollars for a suite of services. 

For more information, check out this post from Ask the Headhunter or read the complaints on this site.

 

Half Right ... Half Wrong

Seth Godin is one of my favorite bloggers and but in this post about resumes, he's only 50% right.

Seth's looking for an intern and he doesn't like the resumes he's seeing. They're bland and boring and they don't tell him why these candidates are remarkable. Well, that means they're like 99.9% of all resumes out there (which is why people like me get paid to write the other 0.1%).

Seth goes on to say that he wants evidence of what makes a person remarkable.

If you don't have a resume, what do you have?

How about three extraordinary letters of recommendation from people the employer knows or respects?
Or a sophisticated project they can see or touch?
Or a reputation that precedes you?
Or a blog that is so compelling and insightful that they have no choice but to follow up?

Some say, "well, that's fine, but I don't have those."

Yeah, that's my point. If you don't have those, why do you think you are  remarkable, amazing or just plain spectacular? It sounds to me like if you don't have those, you've been brainwashed into acting like you're sort of ordinary.

I absolutely agree that those things are important - that's why I often include glowing LinkedIn testimonials when I write resumes. It's why I advocate for those clients who are good writers to start blogging. It's why I create only portfolios where people can show off their extraordinary work.

That's the 50% that's right.

But it's wrong to advocate for people to scrap the whole idea of a resume, just because the resumes they are writing are ineffective.  For better or worse, almost all hiring managers want to see a resume. Seth might not, but he's unusual and most people won't thank you for mailing in 3 reference letters and a blog URL when they asked for a resume. It'll just make you look like you're too stupid to follow instructions!

Instead, you should look for ways to communicate all those great things that make you special via your resume. You should include quotes from former managers (or peers or employees or clients). You should post the link to your blog and/or Squidoo page and/or web portfolio. You should focus the entire resume on showing how you have made an impact at former employers, how you've shaken things up, what you've contributed ... above all, how each company is different because you worked there.

It's not the resume that's the problem - it's what's on the resume that Seth doesn't like.

Just Tell 'em the Truth

I'm currently working on a resume for a client with a stellar employment background but one major concern. She took a position 6 months ago that she now wishes she hadn't.

The company assured her that they wanted to make great strides in her area of expertise (online marketing) and that she would have complete autonomy over strategy and execution, as well as considerable influence on the budget.

But once she started, it became clear that she was caught in the middle of a feud between the company's President and her boss (the VP of Marketing). She couldn't get an adequate budget, and she found that many of her plans were rejected because of a lack of support from the President. She has been plugging away for 6 months, but the position is far below her capability levels and she is both bored and frustrated, which is why she's decided to look for a new position.

Her question to me was 'how do I address this in interviews?' She's concerned that she has 'failed' and that potential employers will judge her based on this. But she hasn't failed, so much as she just found herself in an impossible situation. Being honest is the best approach.

I already hear people saying 'but you can't be negative in an interview!' That's true, but there's a way to be truthful about the situation without being negative.  For example, my client can explain her decision to leave this way: "the position just didn't work out the way I had expected. It turned out that the President had some very strong objections to online marketing and that he was against my being hired in the first place. If I had known this, I obviously wouldn't have taken the job. Now that I'm there, I've worked hard to make the best of the situation - and I've been able to achieve some successes - but I know I'd be much happier in a company that values online marketing and can really benefit from what I have to offer. That's why I'm so interested in this role ..."

That's not a negative answer - it's an honest one.

The negative answer would be 'well the President is a complete ass and doesn't understand the first thing about online marketing. Plus my boss totally lied to me when she hired me. Oh, and the person in the next cubicle doesn't seem to shower more than once a month. Honestly? I'm mad as hell at the whole situation."

Now that would be a bad answer!

Simply Hired and LinkedIn

Cheezhead points to a new feature on the job search site Simply Hired.

The site is now integrating LinkedIn contact information into its job postings. I've long advocated for job seekers to go beyond the traditional means of applying for a job. Instead of applying online and then waiting to hear back, I believe candidates should be researching and/or networking to find a way in, so they can get a foot in the door at their target company.

This new feature makes that easier than ever. Simply search for jobs, then click the button to see who in your network can help you get a leg up on other candidates. Excellent!

New Careers Web site

Penelope Trunk is one of my favorite bloggers and this weekend, she launched an exciting new venture.

Brazen Careerist is a brand new website for Generation Y job seekers:

Remember those college career centers that you never used? You probably wish you had taken advantage of them (like we do), but now (maybe) it’s too late. Well that’s what we’re here for. We’re an online career center aimed at Generation Y — young professionals who want to design and define their careers using the new rules for success.

I'm thrilled to be one of the recommended coaches on the site, but even if my name wasn't there, I'd still be telling you about it because I think it's a great idea.

Are you Shopping, or Asking Permission?

Imagine going to buy an expensive suit or dress. Would you walk into the store, pick up the first few items you see, and then go ask for permission to buy them?

Not likely!

If you're like me, you'd go in and out of 10 stores trying to find exactly what you want and - after much huffing and puffing and frustration - you'd finally find the suit or dress that fits perfectly.

To me, this is how the job search should be viewed. Unless you are in dire straits and need a job - any job - desperately, you should view the job search process as a shopping expedition. Your goal is to find the position that suits you perfectly.

When an interview doesn't go well, or you don't get a call about your resume, it's the same as trying on a dress that doesn't fit right. It looked great on the peg and you REALLY wanted it, but it just wasn't a good fit for you.

"But I really wanted that job!" you say.

Well, we've all seen what happens when people buy that outfit anyway. They can't button the jacket, or the dress hangs in bulky folds because it's too big. That's what it feels like to take a job that's the wrong fit. Sometimes, you don't know that it was the wrong fit - sometimes you think you'd be great in the role. But in my experience, usually (not always, but usually) the recruiter or manager has a good reason for not choosing you. It's not a reason you could ever guess, because you don't know the company or the job the way he or she does. But it's usually a valid one.

If you think of the job search as a shopping expedition, you'll shake that off the way you shake off the fact that the dress doesn't fit. You'll move on to the next store knowing that eventually you're going to find the right thing.

But what about when the suit fits, but still doesn't look right?

Those are the times when the hiring manager wants you. He makes an offer - maybe even a good one - but something doesn't feel right and you have doubts about taking that job.

Whether we're talking about a dress or a job - listen to your gut! Don't buy! There's a reason you have those doubts and it's not like this is the last dress/job in the world. There are lots of other options.

So as you look for your next position, don't think of your search as a series of tests (the equivalent of asking  'please can I have this job?'( where the interviewer either says 'yes' or 'no.' Think of it as a shopping expedition and don't settle for anything less than the perfect fit.

Keeping it Real

For many people, the job search process is a dispiriting one. Nobody likes to be rejected and rejection is pretty much a given during any search. It's also hard not to feel ignored when you submit resumes and receive no response.

But lately, a couple of conversations with potential clients reminded me that unrealistic expectations are also a big factor in bringing job seeker's spirits down.

One person - a senior executive - has been applying for jobs since mid-December and is still unemployed. Since very little happens between mid-December and the end of the first week in January, this client had actually been looking for just 3 weeks. Most research suggests that the average executive job search takes between 4 and 6 months. 3 weeks just isn't enough time!

The second person wanted to know how many responses he could expect if I rewrote his resume. I couldn't tell him - there's just no way to know because there are so many factors. He continued to press and finally he said 'well, for example, if I send out 100 resumes, I think I should get at least 50 responses.'

A 50% response rate? That would be a truly amazing accomplishment! I actually don't know what a good response rate to a mass mailing of resumes would be, but in direct marketing, a 2% conversion rate is considered good, so I have to think 50% is aiming a little high.

Don't get me wrong - I think stretch goals are a good thing ... but unattainable goals are just going to make you feel depressed for no reason.

Sometimes you're not supposed to get the job

One of the most common fears associated with job search is the fear of rejection.

We all hate to be rejected, and the job search is often a series of 'nos' - either implied (because no one calls you back) or overt (because they choose someone else for the job).

But however upsetting it is to be told no, I encourage you to think of it not as a personal rejection, but just as a sign that this wasn't the right thing for you.

Let's face it, if they didn't hire you then either (a) you actually weren't the right fit for that specific job, company and/or culture, or (b) you were the perfect fit and they're too inept to understand it. Either way, you deserve better!

Plus. who knows what will happen as a result of the 'no' you received? Many years ago, I was turned down for a job I really wanted. I think I cried for a week. But a few months later, I got a different job - where I met my now husband. If I had got the job I wanted, I wouldn't have met him, we wouldn't have moved to Canada together, and then to the US 7 years later, and we wouldn't have started our business together.

Knowing all this doesn't make rejection hurt any less, but it does help to remind me that sometimes you're just not supposed to get the job.

Cross-posted on Career Hub

The Trouble With Online Applications

Over on Career Hub, Norine Dagliano has an interesting post about the downside of online application systems:

I just spent over an hour helping a highly skilled and experienced RN complete an online application and upload her ASCII résumé
and cover letter to apply for a job in the cath lab of a large suburban hospital. How did we ever get to the point where having an email address, being able to complete an online application, and knowing how to upload an ASCII résumé were prerequisites to providing expert clinical care to patients undergoing diagnostic and interventional heart catherizations?

I feel her pain. I spent many years in HR and - towards the end of my corporate career - my department got smaller and smaller while my workload grew.  With an average of  40 vacancies at any one time, and no recruiting staff, I had no choice but to automate the application process.

The system I chose actually allowed candidates to upload Word versions of their resume, and so probably didn't eliminate as many people as the one Norine describes. But I was always firmly convinced that the automation hurt the quality of new hires, because a system can't make the kind of decisions a person makes.

For example, the system I implemented allowed me to set up screening questions which would either ensure that you were rejected or moved to stage two of the process, depending on your answers.

So if a requirement for an accounting job was a CPA designation, I could ask that as a screening question ("are you a CPA?") and set the system to reject you if the answer was no.

But what if you had let your CPA lapse but were perfectly qualified in every other way? Or what if you were not a CPA, but did hold the exact same position at our main competitor?  A human would (hopefully) have made that distinction and passed the resume to stage two. But the computer just follows the pre-set rules.

This is why I firmly believe that job seekers have to bypass these systems wherever possible - or at least supplement online applications with more proactive job search strategies. Your future is too important to leave up to a computer!

New Year's Career Resolutions

Ask any professional resume writer and they will tell you that it always happens at this time of year - a sudden influx of clients, many of whom first made inquiries months earlier, but then didn't follow-up. Others are first-time contacts, eager to get started on a job search.

I suppose partly it's because the holiday season gives people time to reflect, and partly it's that sense of possibility that comes with a new year. In some cases, the interest in a new position is prompted by returning to work and realizing "I am not happy here!"

But as with any other new year's resolution, your excitement about finding a new position can quickly dissipate. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day craziness of your current position, or to let anxiety about the search process dissuade you from making a start. Before you know it, it's September again and you're still in the same place.

So if one of your new year's resolutions was to find a new job, here are some tips to make sure that you follow-through.

1) Invest in a great new resume and cover letter
As a professional resume writer, obviously I believe that you should hire a professional! But investing doesn't have to mean investing money - you may choose to invest time in learning how to write a great resume for yourself. Either way, it's important to make a commitment and get your marketing materials ready. Too many people miss out on perfect opportunities because of sub-standard resumes that don't communicate their true value.

2) Understand Your Value Proposition:
As part of the resume writing process, be sure you understand what makes you uniquely valuable to employers. If you don't know why you are different, how will employers ever understand?

3) Clarify What You Want:
Many years ago, when I was looking to make a career change, a wise friend told me to make sure I was running to something and not away from something. It really is important to be clear in your own mind about what you need in your next position - otherwise, a year from now you could find yourself unhappy all over again.

4) Make a Doable Plan and Stick To It:
One of the most common New Year's resolutions is the commitment to lose weight. Despite the best intentions, many people fail because they try to do too much. A couch potato decides to go to the gym every day, or someone who has always eaten a lot of food decides to try the cabbage and pineapple diet (I don't know if that's a diet but it sounds possible!) And of course they fail, because they have set the bar too high.

The same happens with job search plans. If you currently have a job, you are no doubt busy and have a lot on your plate. Don't expect to be able to commit hours every week to job search. Set a target that's reasonable and then measure yourself against that (for example, "I will read job listings for an hour a week" or "I will make contact with 3 people from my network every week").

5) Spend less time applying for jobs and more time networking:
Every survey and research study on hiring practices confirms that networking is by far the most effective job search strategy, and that applying to Internet job postings is one of the least effective strategies. So allocate your time accordingly. One hour spent renewing contact with old acquintances is probably worth 5 hours of job search on the Internet. And if you do see a great job on the Internet, don't forget to mine your contacts to see if you have a way in at that company.

Don't let another year go by - take action now while your new year energy is still high!

Imagine a two-year long job interview

I'm a bit of a political junkie, so I've been following the Presidential race for months now - even though the actual election is still almost a year away.

I'm from the UK and things are very different there - election cycles last for weeks, not years. So this two-year campaign seems a tad excessive to me, and it made me wonder if the length of the cycle is part of the reason why Americans have such a low opinion of politicians (don't flame me! I said 'part of the reason'!)

I mean, how well any of us would fare if our job interviews lasted for two years? What secrets, mistakes and prior failures would interviewers be able to learn about if you had to spend 24 months making your case for a new position? Imagine how it would feel to finally admit "Yes, I under-estimated the cost of that new computer system back in 1993" or 'You got me - I really thought I had time to finish that project before the deadline and I was wrong," only to have it written up into an article in the company newsletter and distributed around for everyone to read and opine on.

I have to think that by the time you finally got the job, everyone would be a little tired of you, and any mystique you started out with would pretty much be gone!

Start to Plan the Change Now!

I've been running my resume writing business for a few years now - long enough to recognize the patterns.

Like any business, we have times of year that are quiet and times that are hectic. December is always a quiet time, but it's just the calm before the inevitable tsunami because that's the month when the pressure cooker is building. You probably don't even know it yet. At the moment, you're focused on getting over Thanksgiving, and finding that Nintendo Wii for the kids, and where you'll spend Christmas. But right after the new year, when you get back to your desk and look at the mountain of work that you left there on Christmas Eve, and have just poked in the intervening weeks because - let's face it - no one gets anything done between Christmas and New Year - a good percentage of you will decide it's time to make a move.

At that point you'll be filled with urgency. You'll see lots of great postings and you'll want to apply for them all. You'll rush to rewrite your resume and, if you seek professional help, you'll ask if there's any way the writer can get it done in the next 2 days or so because you don't miss that fantastic opportunity you just saw on Monster. And of course, any professional resume writer worth his or her salt will have to turn you down because they are overwhelmed with all the other people who are also in a rush to find a new job.

So, if you have been dallying with the idea of a move for some time, why not start getting prepared now? That way, when January rolls around, your resume will be in top shape, you'll know exactly what you want to do next, and when you see that great opportunity, you'll be ready to apply. And even if you ultimately decide to stay put, you'll have a good sense of what you've accomplished and you'll be ready should a headhunter call with a great opportunity.

For free resume writing tips and an email course, visit my free resume help web site. There's no catch - it's all free. Good luck!

Video Resumes Are Not the Answer

I've been meaning to write about this for some time, but just came across a post on HR Guy's blog that said exactly what I have been thinking (thereby saving me quite some time!)

Every manager and HR person I've talked to hates the idea of video resumes in any context. The only people with interest are three types of people:

1. HR and managers who are curious about it but don't want it to become popular
2. Companies that have video resume products to sell
3. People who are desperate to get a step up in competitive areas or markets

When I started my company, most of my clients were creative professionals. I tried to devise something new and innovative that would allow them to display their work and get noticed. My web developers came up with some beautiful Flash templates and an amazing little content management system that let me customize them for each client. These things were like little movie trailers only for a person. They were really cool and I was very excited.

The only problem was that no one wanted to buy them. And they were right. Despite being a former HR exec, who had handled the stress of trying to fill many positions at once, I forgot to think like the old me. I forgot to ask myself whether I'd actually want a Flash promo movie instead of a resume.

The answer, of course, would have been no.

Still, all wasn't lost. I think we sold one Flash promo in 12 months before we gave up on the idea.

HR Guy is right about video resumes. They are simply a slower and more inconvenient way of screening candidates - and unless you're talented on camera (which is irrelevant for 99.9999% of all jobs) you might damage your chances of getting the job.

Your References Do Get Checked

I came across an interesting post on Medical Sales Recruiter today. The blogger is a recruiter and he talks about the importance of references in the job search process:

I just had a qualified candidate for pathology sales who made it through all levels of the interview process but failed to get the job. Why? The reference that he listed on his application was very negative. As the HR person said…”what a shame, I wonder why he would include that person on his reference?”

What a shame indeed. Check out the post for tips on how to make sure your references help rather than hurt.

No One Cares What You Want!

That may sound harsh, but during a job search it's true.

The hiring manager has many concerns, issues, worries and problems - too much work, not enough staff, looming business issues or missed opportunities, a headache, a fight with her teenage daughter ... but whatever is swirling round her mind when she looks at your resume, the very last thing she's thinking is "I wonder what all these candidates want in their next job? I wonder what's important to them?"

(She might care about that later, if she interviews you and likes you and is thinking about an offer, but right now she doesn't give two hoots.)

This is why I hate resumes that start with an objective statement. Even the most well-written objective statement is a waste of space because the employer just doesn't care. But most are not actually counter-productive. This week I came across a resume that had one of the LEAST effective objective statements I've ever seen. One that would surely dissuade employers from ever even picking up the phone.

It started with a short description of the type of job being sought, but then it went on: "I do NOT want to work at a company that doesn't value it's employees. I do NOT want to have to ask permission when I have an idea. I do NOT want ..."

It went on a little longer but you get the idea. Not only is this candidate focused only on his own concerns - he's also making himself look like a troublemaker, even though there is nothing inherently wrong with the things he is seeking in his next position - they just don't belong on a resume!

Your resume and cover letters must never focus on your needs and concerns. Every word must focus on showing why you can add value to potential employers. Your introduction should focus on this entirely with no mention of your own desires.

That's not to say your desires are not important - of course they are. You will asses opportunities based on your needs and concerns. You will choose a job that meets those needs. But by focusing your resume on what the employer needs, you will ensure that you have the broadest array of options from which to choose.

Choose the Job, Don't Let the Job Choose You

I was talking to an acquaintance recently about her job search. This accomplished professional is leaving her job because of a moral conflict. The choice is entirely hers and her reasons are sound - her work is making her miserable and she needs to get out of the situation.

But the other day she IM'd me with news that had given her pause. A former employer (who had fired her unfairly two years earlier) was asking her back. Having seen what she's accomplished since she left, they had second thoughts and wanted to use her expertise for a major new project. She was tempted by their offer - not because of salary, or job responsibilities or location - but because of the sense of satisfaction returning would give her.

"I'll be higher up than the person who fired me," she told me. "How sweet would that be?"

I have to admit, it would be pretty sweet - for the first few days. But after the sense of triumph was gone, what then? We discussed several issues - had the company changed overall leadership? (The answer was 'no'). In hindsight, did she feel she had been treated fairly when she was terminated? (No, again.) Was this the only potential offer on the table (No, again - she had received several phone calls within hours of resigning.)

It soon became clear to us both that this position would be a risk. Nothing had changed about her former employer and there would be no guarantees that they would treat her any better this time.

Our conversation made me think about one of my favorite themes when working with job seekers. Unless you are in dire financial straits, don't feel that you have to take every offer presented to you. A job search is about choosing a place to work not about getting someone, anyone, to accept you.

 

New Free eBook from Career Hub

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Each Career Hub expert has given their very best advice on the subject of networking - topics include advice on networking for introverts, what NOT to do when networking, and how the Internet is revolutionizing networking.

 Get your copy now and check out the other eBooks while you're there. In these books, the experts offer advice on job search, resume writing and interviewing.

Find information on Diversity recruiting at DiversityJobs.com.

Feeling Stuck in Your Job Search?

Check out Copybloggers' 10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking.

This quote in particular struck me as true about many of the job seekers who come to me frustrated and burnt out by their efforts to find a new job:

You create your own imaginary boxes simply by living life and accepting certain things as “real” when they are just as illusory as the beliefs of a paranoid delusional.

I was writing a resume just yesterday for a client who was trapped into the belief that she wasn't qualified to pursue the position of her dreams. Yet when I reviewed the information she submitted, it was clear that she was highly accomplished and very qualified - she actually exceeded the position requirements as posted.

How could we both look at her background and see it so differently?

I think it's because I don't know her. I don't know her work situation. I have no preconceived notions about what she can and can't do. She, on the other hand, is intimately acquainted with herself - she knows her own faults (although seems blind to her strengths), she knows about the challenges her company currently faces, she knows that she is paid relatively little for the work that she does (and has extrapolated this to mean she's worth very little).

In addition I know the marketplace. I know what other people in her target position do all day (and I know that she does all of the same things and more.) She doesn't know any of that but she has made some assumptions all the same.

In other words, she has boxed herself in with her notions about herself and other people. She has decided what reality is and she is therefore planning to apply for jobs that are beneath her experience and her skill set.

I'm going to send her the Copyblogger article because I think a little creative thinking will be a big help!

Who Are You?

I'm a news junkie. I watch the Jim Lehrer Newshour almost every day. I Tivo Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. I read news blogs every day. And often when I have a few minutes spare, I turn on CNN.

It's a habit really. Something important might be happening, so I turn on the 24-hour news channel. But the fact is that it's less and less likely that 'the most trusted name in news' will actually be showing anything newsworthy.

Last night, in prime-time, the announcer who has recently replaced Paula Zahn (who seemed to replace someone else not all that long ago) breathlessly announced an upcoming segment on a wild dog attack, followed by "... and you won't believe what was happening to these kittens!"

Huh?

They still call themselves the most trusted name in news. Who knows - maybe they have a poll that actually says they are. But as a long-time viewer, it seems to me that it's been a long time since their regular content actually matched the slogans they use.

What's happened at CNN is similar to a process I see happening to many job seekers.

Back when the network started, CNN knew why they were. They knew their audience and they produced a good product. But then they hit problems - Fox News came on to the scene and snatched away some of their viewers. The networks started to mix news with entertainment - especially in the mornings - and CNN lost even more viewers.

I don't claim to be a CNN historian - I'm just a regular viewer and can only speak of my personal impressions and perceptions. To me, it seemed that as these changes happened, CNN lost its way. Instead of clarifying who they were and who they wanted to reach, they seemed to try and please everyone. They made themselves into Fox News Light. They added lots more entertainment. And every time a change didn't work, they fired anchors and hired new ones.

It was almost as if they were just making changes blindly, in the hope that one day ratings would turn around because they accidentally found a magic formula. And that's where I see the similarity with people looking for work.

One of the keys to resume success is focus - knowing what type of work you want so that you can target all your efforts towards finding that kind of work. If you have a clear focus on your target audience, and know what you have to offer, you can create a resume that clearly communicates your value to those employers. You can target your search. You can plan interview anecdotes that highlight your value.

But too many job seekers start out like CNN - wanting to be all things to all people. Others begin their search with a clear focus but then get discouraged by a lack of initial response, and start to broaden their message. The truth is that doing this will never be as effective as having a clear target and sticking to it.

If you find your search efforts are going nowhere, revisit your search strategy. Make sure you clearly understand your target audience. Check that your resume and letters are narrowly focused to address that audience (have more than one resume if you have more than one target). Take a good look at your search strategy to make sure you've identified all the ways to distribute your resume effectively.

There are many things you can do to revive a flagging job search - but the very last thing you should do is pull a CNN.

 

Visit DiversityJobs.com for information on Diversity in the workplace.

An Interesting Twist on Resume Distribution

I get asked to endorse products and books and services all the time. I almost never agree, but recently I came across a service that I DO really like.

One of the hardest things for job seekers is to get their resume into the hands of hiring managers and recruiters. There are many companies out there who promise to zap your resume to thousands of decision-makers - they make it seem so easy.  The problem with most of these services is that they are sending your resume to people who didn't ask for it in the first place, and who don't have time to look at it. In addition, it's usually a one-time deal and you have no opportunity to follow up with hiring managers.

That's why I like Resume Spider so much.

First, they only send resumes to people who have signed up to receive them. This is HUGE because it means you're never spamming anyone. Second, the companies who are asking for resumes are big names - companies who do a lot of hiring. Third, they allow you to carefully target your resume distribution so that you're not sending your resume to companies who never hire in your field. And fourth, they offer a results guarantee.

All of these things make me excited about the potential for my clients to succeed, but there is another feature - and for me this one is the most important  ... after your resume has been distributed, you can log in to your account and see who has opened your email. You can also access contact information. So as soon as you see that the recruiter at HP opened your resume, you can contact them to follow-up and express your interest.

In this way Resume Spider does more than resume distribution - they actually facilitate the networking that is so crucial for job search success.

Check them out, and if you decide to use their services, let me know how it went in the comments.

How NOT to Choose a Resume Writer

If you decide to invest in a professionally written resume, there are many, many good criteria for choosing one service over another.

Examples of good criteria are the quality of the resume samples on their website, or the prompt and courteous service you received when you called, or the fact that the writer you spoke to was knowledgeable about his craft, or the professionalism of the service's website, or the number of great references the writer provided.

But in my experience, many people ignore all these important indicators and rely instead on one deciding factor. Ironically, it's the worst possible reason for choosing one writer over another, but most people don't know that until it's too late.

What's the deciding factor? Money, of course.

Today I received two emails from potential clients rejecting my service because they found someone whose fees were lower. Had I known this was the most important thing for them, I could have saved us all time and sent them a list of hundreds of resume writers whose fees are cheaper than mine. Some charge as little at $99 - which would be a really great bargain if it didn't mean that the resume will be rubbish!

Like most professional services, resume writing is labor-intensive and highly skilled. Just as you wouldn't want a contract attorney who keeps his fees low by speed-reading the contracts you send him for review, you don't want to hire a resume writer who can only spend an hour or two on your resume in order to make his or her business pay. The result will be so much less than you deserve.

That's not to say the price always equates to quality. I believe some resume writers over-charge for their work. I have personally rewritten resumes that clients paid top dollar for, and yet which were completely ineffective.

No. Price is no indicator of quality by itself. You should assess the writer's resume samples. You should determine whether you feel a connection. You should understand their approach. You should ask about their guarantee. You should check them out on LinkedIn and look for reviews from former clients. There are many factors that should go into making this important decision.

When you find a writer who meets all of the above criteria (great samples, good service, a guarantee and solid references) HIRE THEM! Don't make price an issue. A good resume can shave months off your job search. It can add thousands of dollars to your salary. Why on earth would you jeopardize that for a few hundred dollars?

My Take on Working with More than One Recruiter

Over on Spherion blog, Brendan Courtney suggests that there are situations where it makes sense for a job seeker to work with only one recruiter. He suggests for example, that if you are an accomplished executive in a niche field, you may cause problems if you contact more than one recruiter:

If you are a "hot" candidate with skills that are in high demand and you are looking within a narrow job market (geographically), then you are best to stick with one recruiter. The reason is recruiters are generally paid on a commission or contingency basis. This means they only get paid when the person they present or recommend is hired. If you're working with two different recruiters, from different firms, and they both submit your resume for the same position, you've got a problem. Now the potential employer fears having to pay two fees if they'd like to hire you, and when (not if, but when) the recruiters find out, you will have burned a bridge with two valuable resources.

I disagree.

Sure, there are situations like this, and they do sometimes cause problems (although mostly for the recruiters not for you.) But if you follow Brendan's advice and give one recruiter an exclusive for a set period of time, you are gravely limiting your options.

Never forget that the recruiter doesn't represent you. She isn't a talent agent. She represents the companies who pay her fees. You are the means by which she might make money, you are not her primary concern.

That's not to say there are not some wonderful recruiters who care about job seekers - there are! I know lots of them. It's just to say that we all have to make a living and the recruiter is naturally focused on doing that just as much as the next person.

My advice is to contact and make connections with as many recruiters in your field as possible. Be upfront and open about the fact you are not being exclusive - and only agree to an exclusive arrangement for a set amount of time if the value of that arrangement outweighs the downside of losing out on lot of opportunities (for example if the recruiter has access to your dream job with your dream company.)

Why You Don't Have a New Job

Two of my favorite bloggers recently addressed the issue of failed job searches. Alexandra Levit on Watercooler Wisdom, gives six reasons why you might not be getting results with your search, and over on Life@Work, Heather Mundell offers more suggestions.

Every one of their suggestions is excellent so rather that select items to quote, I'll just encourage you to read their posts. The gist of their advice though boils down to this: There is a reason you are being unsuccessful and the situation can be rectified.

Sometimes when we're struggling, we can get frustrated and feel that nothing is in our control. Life is just unfair. The system is against us. We'll never succeed. And of course the negative thoughts make everything worse, so the cycle of failure continues.

I work with job seekers every day and almost every client has great success with their new resume. Almost everyone. Every now and then, among the emails telling me of multiple interviews and praise for their resume and great job offers, I'll hear from someone who has the opposite story. Despite their wonderful new resume, they still haven't found a job. It's been months and they're getting worried. Sometimes they want me to rewrite the resume, but since I do the very best I can for every single client, this makes little sense. The resume is not the problem and usually a short conversation pinpoints that the real problem is one of the other issues outlined by Alexandra and Heather.

So if you've been looking for a job without success, my best advice is to read both posts carefully, and take a few days away from your search to reflect.

First identify the issue.

If you're not getting any interviews, then the likely culprits are (a) your resume, (b) your job search strategy or (c) the fact that maybe your goals are not realistic.

If you are getting interviews but you're not receiving offers, you can rule out the first two and focus on understanding why your interviews are not successful.

Once you understand the issue, you can either develop a plan to change what you're doing or, if you really don't know what's wrong, seek professional help.

Whatever path you choose, just understand that success is within reach if you just make some changes.
 

Think Like a Fish

I've been watching old episodes of Northern Exposure, and recently one of the characters explained his approach to fishing this way: "If you want to catch a fish, you must think like a fish."

If you're looking for a job, you should frame this quote or stick it on your computer monitor. Then, before you take any action in your search, ask yourself whether you're thinking like the person who makes the hiring decisions.

This morning, I received a resume in my email from a designer. The headline reads "Graphic Designer" and there's no introductory note, just a resume pasted into the email. I wondered if he was looking for a proposal for a resume rewrite, but when I asked, he wrote back: 'No, I just wanted to let you know I'm available if you're hiring a designer.'

Well I'm not. But even if I was, why would I consider someone who hasn't personalized his contact with me in any way?

If my designer friend was smart, he'd be researching companies who are advertising for designers, finding out as much as he can about their business, their competitors, and their challenges, and then craft an email showing how he can be of service. By thinking like the hiring authority, he could put himself ahead of all the other candidates. By mass emailing strangers, he just annoys a lot of people.

Companies advertise vacancies because they have either a problem or an opportunity - your job is to figure out what it is and then show that you are the solution. Think like a fish!

The Secrets of Interview Success - Free eBook

Over on my group blog Career Hub, we've just released our third free eBook. "The Insider's Guide to Interviewing" features articles from 14 of the country's top careers experts. I asked our writers to give readers their best advice for interview success and the answers are varied, interesting and sometimes surprising.

If you don't have our earlier eBooks, you're missing out on similarly great advice about resume writing and job search strategies. Now, for the first time, we're making all our eBooks available without email sign-up. Simply download the PDFs and start reading! And to stay regularly updated with all the best in career advice, bookmark Career Hub, sign up for the RSS feed, or have the articles sent directly to your email box.

Insider's Guide to Interviewing

Expert advice on how to succeed in interviews - topics covered include effective interview planning, tips on taking control of the interview situation, advice on closing the conversation, and the best approaches to salary negotiation.

Download any of our three eBooks here.

The Right Way to Use the Web

I often talk about the ways in which the Web is changing job search, but I don't think I've ever seen a better example than Tijs Vrolix, a Belgian web developer who is currently looking for work.

Tijs is asking site visitors to help him find a job by letting him know of any vacancies that might suit him. In exchange, he's awarding an iPod Shuffle to the person who ultimately helps him find a new job.

So instead of just relying on his own contacts, and on the jobs he finds himself, he now has hundreds of people searching on his behalf. And because his site is elegantly designed, he's also showcasing his web design skills at the same time.

This really is personal marketing at its very best and I hope it's inspiring to anyone who's frustrated with applying to online ads and rarely receiving a response. Take some time to brainstorm ways you could use the web for more than just posting a resume.

Great Career Change Advice!

Marketing guru Seth Godin has great advice for anyone looking to make a career change. Instead of wondering how you can change from one career to another, Seth advises you just do it.

My answer is easy to write, harder to implement. In my experience the single best way to become a marketer is to market. And since marketing isn't expensive any longer (it takes more guts than money), there's no need to work for Procter & Gamble. None. In the old days, you could argue that you needed to apprentice with an expert and that you needed acces