Tips for Facilitating Client Success with Career Goals:

Tip #1: Interview Nerves

Mock interviews, preparing answers in advance, and researching the company can help with addressing nerves prior to a job interview.  Taking the 30 to 60 minutes prior to the interview to clear the client’s mind or just spend some time meditating or relaxing helps to ease nerves as well.  I suggest that my clients write down 5 success stories that include a particularly challenging situation, the work performed and the impact as a result from ideally different roles and companies that most closely match with the desired role.  Each success story can be written as a phrase on a post-it note as a reminder and placed around the monitor for virtual interviews.  Researching the person on LinkedIn or other social media that the client will be interviewing with may also ease nervousness.  The client will know more about the person and can potentially find some common areas of interest that can be used as an ‘icebreaker’ in the conversation.

Tip #2: Verbosity

Practicing answers to potential interview questions helps my clients tighten up their answers so that they are succinct and cover the major points.  Another suggestion is to write a 3 minute elevator speech introduction, then narrow it down to 1 minute and then finally to 30 seconds.  This is challenging but helpful as each can be used for different situations.  Leveraging the STAR + I method may also be helpful. STAR + I is short for Situation, Task, Action, Result + Impact.  Try to keep answers between 1 and 2 minutes.  Watching the other person’s body language may indicate if they are following along or if they are confused or bored.

Tip #3: Certification?

Some people feel there is no value to getting a certification.  I believe it depends on the situation.  Completing a certification in your area of expertise shows that you are spending time developing yourself and also shows that you are willing and able to learn new things.  If you are between jobs, it may be a good use of your time to upskill and/or transition into a new role.  It is advisable to review job postings that you are interested in to see if there are any required or nice to have certifications.  This may guide you to a decision.  Aim for an accredited certificate.  Please feel free to reach out to me if you would like a specific suggestion for a certification in a particular industry or for a specific role.

Tip #4:  Customized Resume

In order to successfully pass through the ATS (Applicant Tracking System), your resume will need to include key words from the job description.  Ideally, each application will include a ‘customized’ resume to match the job description and expectations.  There are tools that can help with editing your resume to get a higher score to pass through the ATS.  Or, you can do this manually.  Even if a company employee is walking your resume through the process, the resume should show that you have the skills and have done this type of work before.  It is ideal to have a ‘master’ resume to pull from and then select the experience and update the wording to match the job description.  You can move the bullets around to show the most relevant items that match the job description.  The Professional Summary should directly address the company’s specific needs.  If you would like your resume to be reviewed, please feel free to reach out to me.

Tip #5:  Network! Network! Network!

Most of my clients have obtained their most recent position through knowing someone at the company.  Studies estimate that 70% to 85% of jobs are filled through networking.  My recommendation is to spend 4 hours per day looking for your next position if you are currently in between jobs.  A good percentage of that time should be networking.  Reaching out to people to meet them in person or virtually and then asking them to introduce you to someone is one of the best ways to grow your network.  You never know when a contact may help you secure a position at a new company!  If I can help you grow your network, please let me know.

Tip #6:  Build New Skills

Take free or low-cost classes to make your resume stronger.  Use sites like Coursera or LinkedIn Learning to learn new computer programs or industry skills. Build new skills  by reviewing job posts you find interesting and a good match to your experience. Spot matching skills you already have. Find what is missing. Close gaps with online classes, boot camps, or local training. Try hands-on projects to prove you can do the work.  Contract work is another option to build skills while earning some money.

Tip #7:  Engage in Volunteer Work

Volunteering at an organization is one way to increase your chances of getting a job there.  This is especially true for nonprofits that may not currently have the funds to hire you.  If they consider you a hard worker and an integral part of the organization, you may be better qualified when a paying job opens up. Even if you can’t get a job there, having volunteer experience looks good on a resume, expands your network, may provide new skills, and helps you learn more about roles you may want to pursue.

Tip #8:  Target an Industry

To get a job at a specific company or within a particular industry, focus on quality over quantity: curate a list of 10-15 target employers, deeply research their products and pain points, and bypass the “apply button” by networking directly with hiring managers or current employees for referrals.  This hyper-targeted strategy helps cut through the noise of hundreds of generic applications.

Tip #9:  Transition to a New Role

Leveraging your strengths and thinking about the type of work you like to do may lead you to imagine a different role than your current one.  Identifying transferable skills helps inform you of possible new roles that might be suited to you.  It is easier to transition to a new role within the same company as you have already built a track record and people know your capabilities.  I recommend taking the “Strengths Finder” test that is offered in the StrengthsFinder 2.0 book by Tom Roth to discover your strengths.  Knowing your strengths directs you toward the most suitable positions.  Some people are concerned about losing their job or have lost their job due to AI.  This is another reason to explore roles that you can proactively transition into.

Tip #10:  Establish Your Own Business 

More and more people are launching their own business in today’s climate.  Some reasons include more flexibility with their schedule, ‘be their own boss’, can’t seem to find the right position, and/or take a break from the corporate world.  You have built some great skills and credentials over the years so it can be very rewarding to begin your own business.  Make sure to create a business plan which includes clear goals of what you would like to accomplish, identify target buyers and estimated startup costs.  Knowing your competition and what they charge for their products or services is key.  Understanding your competitive advantage is crucial for positioning your products or services.  You will need to decide the structure that you want to create (i.e. sole proprietor, partnership, or LLC).  It is recommended to open a separate bank account for your business to keep your personal finances separate from your business.  You will need to check with your city and state to see if there are any license requirements.  Feel free to reach out to me for assistance.