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You Are NOT a Statistic!

As I wrap up my Jobs & Careers theme for the month of November, I want to share just a bit of raw encouragement.

Too often we hear job statistics and our anxiety rises beyond proportion to the unemployment rate raising. Unemployment is currently above 10%. If there are 300 Million Americans in jobs or looking for jobs, that means 30 Million are out of work (I’m doing quickie math here and don’t want to get into arguments over the % of the population that has given up on finding work). If it worsens by 1%, another 3 Million will lose their jobs. Yet statistics show that upwards of 60% of people are worried about losing their jobs. That’s 180 Million people worrying, and a whopping 177 Million have nothing to worry about!

Now don’t misunderstand me. For those who have lost jobs or are under threat of losing their job, it’s a legitimately scary time. My focus here is on the hysteria surrounding unemployment statistics…and other statistics for that matter.

I worked for a company that went bankrupt this year. A lot of people I used to work with are still looking for work. It’s not as easy out there as it once was. Me? I was unemployed for a total of three whole days! And that was just the transition between jobs.

Was there uncertainty in the process? Yes. Was there worry? Not really.

Why?

Because I had already changed my perspective on work and because I’d already plotted out several moves in advance.

My Perspective on Work
I used to think that if I worked hard enough and long enough, the big corporation would notice me and realize how valuable I am, therefore granting me job security. The truth is that when I work for only one company, my job is automatically more insecure than that of the hot dog vendor on the busiest street corner downtown. He has hundreds of clients…I have one. He can lose a bunch…I can’t lose any!

When you start to think of yourself as working for yourself and not for someone else, even if you really do work for someone else, something inside of you changes. You work differently. You appreciate things differently. And eventually, you get to the point that you really don’t want to work for someone else at all!

Thus began my pursuit of self-employment and entrepreneurship.

Planning Ahead
In my last job, the signs of bankruptcy were everywhere. Management constantly told us that we didn’t have $1 Billion in debt…it was actually only $990 Million! Notes were coming due. Changes were happening at the top. Company loyalists were hoping for the best…a restructuring without the burden of our debt. After all, we had great people and great products…how could we cease to exist?

Several months after declaring bankruptcy, the company was sold off in bits and pieces. My project couldn’t be sold to the primary buyer due to conflicts of interest. All I could do was wait it out, hoping for a smaller buyer to suck us up. Well, not really.

I started looking. I looked at other companies. I looked at becoming an independent contractor. I looked at anything I could do to affect the change instead of being a victim of it.

And while some of my friends were left without options, I created my own. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t as smooth or as perfect as I would have liked, but with a plan I landed on my feet.

Not everyone can have that experience. Sometimes there are no (visible) warning signs. Sometimes you show up for work and get a punch in the gut that takes your breath away.

You feel like a statistic. Like a random number on some report somewhere at a company headquarters or government agency.

Refuse to be that statistic!

You have a name. You have a family. You are a unique creation of the Ultimate Creator! You have a mission and a purpose, even if it hasn’t been revealed to you yet!

You are not a number!

So don’t think of yourself that way. It’s time to get to work getting to work. Don’t start getting up late and watching Oprah in your pajamas!

Invest some time learning. Remember all of the value that you created over the years…all of the accomplishments. Those are real.

Realize that starting over today isn’t the same as starting out back when you really started. You have experience and knowledge. You are a known quantity (and hopefully a good one).

Take the job loss as the opportunity to change paths. What is something you always wanted to do but just didn’t? Could now be the perfect time to go do it?

Your job is now to find a job. Spend the same 40 hours per week in pursuit of the next job (studying, researching, learning, interviewing, asking, networking…all of that counts!).

For the Employeed
Mark down the names of the people you know who have lost their jobs recently. Encourage them as you’d like to be encouraged. Help them if you can. But at a minimum I want you to check back with them again in 12-18 months. Ask them what they’ve been up to. Those who have put themselves to work finding new work (with a company or by starting their own) will invariably say that losing their job was the best thing that ever happened to them.

They didn’t know it at the time. Neither will you.

March into the unknown realizing that you are not a statistic. You are a success. You can be knocked down, but you know how to get up. And you’re going to keep getting up, time and time again…always.

And most of all…never treat yourself like a number. Never!

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The Perfect Resume

A few days ago, I wrote a spur of the moment post containing interviewing tips. Today, I’m going to do the same regarding resumes.

Getting a job should be simple. All you really need to do is find an ad, send in a resume and wait for an offer, right?

The truth is that resumes do not generate job offers. At best, they’ll get you a phone call, maybe a face to face interview. So stop trying to build the perfect resume! It needs to be good enough to get your foot in the door…and your intelligence, personality and professional appearance can do the rest.hello

So what makes a good resume?

1) ATTENTION GETTING! — Most employers will receive a stack of resumes, especially with unemployment above 10%. Trust me, they’re scanning them to pick out a few possibilities. Each resume will be lucky to get 30 whole seconds, so you have to capture their eyes quickly.

[Note: I used to review a lot of resumes so I know the truth of it from experience. It needs to be a good kind of attention though. One poor guy had his name misspelled on the top of his resume…unless his name really was BRAIN!]

One way to do this is through creativity. Though not appropriate for all positions, if it fits for your career field using colored or odd-shaped paper may do the trick. But don’t do that if you’re looking for an accounting position! A marketing position or circus performer…go for it!

Another way is to hit them up front with a great skills summary. As Dan Miller recently wrote in a blog post, the old “objectives” statement is meaningless. Hit them with a solid summary of your unique skill set. Remember that it has to be relevant to the position and company to get their attention. Grab them in the first 30 seconds, and your resume may survive make the follow-up stack.

Hitting key words that apply directly to the position and company are more important than anything else. They not only catch the human eye, but also the search algorithms used in most large companies and online job sites. Use the words in the job posting or other words that relate to that career arena.

2) Show Me the Impact! — Except for the most basic of entry level positions, most employers don’t care what your job description was in every job you’ve ever had. Unless it was a very unique position, the job title gives them exactly what they need to know regarding your duties on the job.

What gets their attention and makes them curious about you is pure and simple accomplishments. How much money did you earn the company? What percentage growth in market share was achieved during your term? Any time you can use percentages and dollar signs, eyes will be attracted. Winning awards or other significant achievements will also stand out.

[Note: I cringed at the number of resumes I reviewed that contained little or no content regarding accomplishments. It was probably 90% or more. If all you had to do was show up at your job to be able to put it on your resume, then don’t include it. Show me where you ADDED value.]

3) Readability — So many people worry about the number of pages on their resume. I was always happy to review a long one if it was good, and I dreaded trying to read one in 6 pt font so that it stayed within the “two page rule”. Content is so much more important (see number 2 above).

Beyond the font size and eradication of typos, the resume should be visually pleasing. This is a bit harder to describe and is very subjective. Just remember to include proper spacing between sections and areas of the resume. Look at it without being able to focus on the words. If it’s a constant wall of words squeezed onto the page, it probably isn’t very pleasing to the focused eye. Some white space is okay!

4) Clean and Neat — While not in your control once handed off and around an office, it should be free of coffee rings, tears (as in rips, not from crying) and wrinkles. Remember number 1 above.

Enough said here.

5) Functional vs. Chronological — This debate has been around since the first resume was reviewed. Here’s my thoughts:

If you’re looking for a position that depends on a solid track record over time, go with a chronological format, outlining your job history over time (from most recent position back). Most resumes follow this format, though it isn’t always best.

If you’re looking to move in a new career direction, a functional resume that outlines your specific skills and abilities vs. a list jobs you’ve held may work better. This is especially true for those with limited workplace experience but lots of real life experience, like returning to work moms who’ve raised their children or students who’ve done extensive volunteer work. It also works well if you want to focus on a single aspect of your prior work instead of all areas within your work history.

6) Stretch the Truth? — Some employers expect everyone to lie on their resumes. Perhaps because they lied to get their current job, or maybe just that they’ve conducted enough interviews with people who couldn’t back up their “accomplishments”.

Integrity matters. Don’t put anything on your resume that you can’t back up. Most good employers and jobs worth having/companies worth working for will appreciate your honesty and find it refreshing.

SECRET WEAPON — Customize your resume whenever possible to the position you’re applying for. Have both chronological and functional resumes prepared and ready to go, then use the one that fits best.

I hope these tips help as you prepare or edit your resume. Again, I wrote this in just a few minutes off the top of my head. If you have experience reviewing or submitting resumes, I’d love to have your thoughts and suggestions posted in the comments.

There is much more to concept of resumes that we discuss in the
48 Days to the Work You Love Workshops.

Contact me if you’re interested in learning more about this life changing seminar!

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Interviewing to Win

No one ever landed a good job based on a good resume alone. Remember that a resume’s job is to win you the interview, not the job!

So what does it take to ace the interview?

1) Be Punctual — Good luck digging out of the hole when you show up late. In most cases, you’re probably just as likely to get the job by skipping the interview completely. At the same time, you don’t want to show up too early. Don’t mess up the interviewer’s schedule. Make sure you know how to get there, and if you show up too early, circle the block a few times. Walk in about 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start and you’re good to go.

2) First Impressions Matter — Dress appropriate to the workplace, perhaps one notch above the workplace. Sure, they say it’s a business casual office, but don’t go in wearing jeans. Overdress a little (but save the tux for your college roommate’s wedding or an interview with MI6). Be clean and smell neutral (body odor or strong cologne/perfume will be a turnoff). Smile, know how to give a good handshake and make proper eye contact (staring is bad…even when it’s at the carpet).

3) Don’t Minimize the Gatekeeper — Many an interview has gone wonderfully well until the boss asks the secretary or assistant their opinion. If you are rude or unpleasant to the employer’s staff, you won’t be getting the job.

4) Do Your Research — Get to know the company and the industry before the interview. One word: Google! Having knowledge about your potential future employer and their business can only help you during the interview.

5) Leave Your Nerves At Home — Being a little nervous is normal, especially if you’re desperate for the job. One, don’t be desperate…there are lots of jobs and companies hiring good people if you can prove you can help their business. Two, calm your nerves by remembering that you are interviewing them as well. Do you really want to work there if they are jerks or don’t come across as ethical? This worked wonders for me when I separated from the Air Force and had 11 interviews in two days. Three, continues on that comment…practice helps. Go on lots of interviews, even for the jobs you might not want. You may be surprised, and it’ll get your ready for the big ones without appearing nervous or desperate.

6) Preparation — If you think about it, you can probably guess at least three to five questions they are likely to ask in every interview (Tell me about yourself…What is your experience in our industry…etc.). You better have practiced and have good answers. One of my favorites when I was interviewing was to first ask someone about their strengths (should be easy), then I’d ask about their weaknesses (saying you don’t have any is the wrong answer, but so is going into major social flaws in your character). Be ready for the questions.

7) Ask Good Questions — You already knew they were going to ask you lots of questions. But if you can’t ask them relevant questions about their business, you will not appear as interested or as intelligent.

I cannot stress enough that for the interview to go well and for a job to be offered and accepted, a Win-Win scenario is needed. If they don’t like you, no offer…no job. If they like you but you don’t like them, it’s not the right job (or you won’t be there long). Always look for the Win-Win.

SECRET WEAPON — Realize that the interviewer is probably talking to a lot of people, especially when unemployment is at around 10% (though that varies a lot by region and industry). You need to be remarkable and memorable. One sure way to do that: offer them a 30, 60, 90 day schedule of what you plan to accomplish after you start working there. Almost no one will do that and they will remember you!

I hope these tips help the next time you face an interview…I wrote this in just a few minutes off the top of my head. Feel free to add additional tips in the comments.

There is much more to the interview process that we discuss in the
48 Days to the Work You Love Workshops.

Contact me if you’re interested in learning more about this amazing seminar!

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Work as Play

Have you ever talked to someone who’s been retired for a few months and asked them what they think of it? Many times they simply say that they don’t know why they didn’t do it sooner.

Why is that? Is it because they hated their job so much they never quit? Or is it because they never realized they could do something else?

I believe that today in America people have a choice in their work. You can choose to work somewhere or you can choose to leave. You can choose to start your own business or you can choose to work for someone else.

Sure, we all have commitments and obligations to fulfill. Spouses to care for, kids to feed, student loans to repay…but don’t we get to choose HOW we do it?

I’ve had lots of jobs. I’ve enjoyed some and hated others. I’ve stayed too long in the ones I didn’t like. And when it was over…I wondered why I stayed so long.

No more. I’m creating the work that I love! I’m doing the things that I want to do, the things that I’m passionate about. Sure, there may be some rough times along the way and not every day will be enjoyable. But on the whole, I’m not putting up with the misery of a job I cannot enjoy.

In the long term, I’ll probably find more success and make more money pursuing work I love (whether in a job or self-employment) than I will slaving away for a 30 year pension and gold watch. I know I’ll enjoy it more. And I know I’ll have a greater impact on the world around me.

Step one to finding work you love: Realize that when you define your work as play, you’ll never work another day in your life.

“The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both.”

— James A. Michener

Ready to join me on the journey, or stick with a job you dislike/hate/loathe for the false security of a paycheck?

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