Branding Yourself – Creating Your Brand (Part 1 of 3)

Branding Yourself – Creating Your Brand (Part 1 of 3)

You most likely have heard the term, branding, before, but often the concept is quite perplexing when it comes to professionally branding oneself. Branding is quite useful for a jobseeker in that colleagues in your network will most likely associate certain qualities to you and feel a sense of loyalty to you, which will assist both you and your network to work effectively in tandem to find professional opportunities that are a fit for you and your career goals.

To begin to establish your brand, you need to self-evaluate and determine which of your strengths are fairly unique, highly valued, hard to find characteristics to your field. For example, if you are interested in finding a position as an accountant and you have skills in leadership development (i.e., you have experience working with and developing other individuals’ skills as leaders). You want to think of between 3-5 characteristics that will be part of your brand.

Step 1:

1) Begin with self-reflection.

a. Come up with a list of those qualities.

2) Ask trusted others.

a. Speak with supervisors, colleagues, and family about the qualities that come to mind when thinking about you as a professional.

3) Look for commonalities among responses to develop your list.

a. These are the qualities that are most memorable and stand out about you currently.

4) Consider which characteristics would be unique, hard to find and highly valued in your industry.

a. For help, consider asking professors in your field, supervisors or others working in the field to assist you with narrowing down your characteristics and also adding new ones.

5) Add characteristics to your list that you are also actively working on developing currently that fit the criteria.

a. Think about qualities that are often missing in employees in your field.

b. What makes a star candidate and what qualities are essential that you can highlight.

i. Again, if you are in accounting, one of the qualities could be that you a meticulous (i.e., careful, precise).

6) Pick your 3-5 characteristics that will be part of your brand.

Remember: You would need to be able to concretely demonstrate your experience with the characteristics on your list. For example, if one of them is leadership development, these are some possible ways you would be able to demonstrate it: you were the President of a club and provided quarterly feedback to your executive board, you attended several trainings on delivering feedback, you brought in a trainer to your club on management styles.

In the next post, I will discuss how to establish your brand.

Welcoming the New Year by Taking Stock

With the new year fast approaching, this is wonderful time to take stock. Look back at 2009 and consider what went well professionally and what areas need improvement in 2010. Write a list of your accomplishments in 2009. What would you like to accomplish in 2010? Where would you like to see yourself in December of next year? Take a hard look at both what growth you have experienced and what areas need to be fortified.

Create a visioning board.

Set some short term goals for what you would like to accomplish over the next year. Each month set yourself objectives that are small steps to your short term goals. These objectives should be concrete, measurable, and achievable in the time that you have set. You should also create a plan section that lays out your thoughts about how you will achieve the objectives. You should be able to change the plan section in case an opportunity should come up that you did not anticipate.

For example, if you would like to build a bigger network in 2010.

-Your monthly objective could be to meet 2 new individuals per month.

-Your quarterly objective (3 month) could be to attend 1 networking event.

-Your plan could be to ask your contacts on LinkedIn to "introduce" you to 2 new people

You should post your goals, objectives and plans in some visible area. You should be able to see them regularly and be able to mark that you have achieved them. If you do not meet an objective, it is important to readjust and not feel that you have failed because it will sabotage your future success.

In today's professional world, you need to be able to manage your own career and to set professional goals for yourself. You should not expect others to set them for you and motivate you to achieve. This you NEED to do on your own. Your professional success and ability to leverage your assets will be reward.

Maximizing LinkedIn

Most jobseekers use LinkedIn.com to put up a profile, upload some contacts and maybe join some groups, but this site is such a powerful networking tool if you use it to its full potential. You should explore the site and see what features may be useful to your unique job search, but here are some tips for taking your LinkedIn profile to the next level.

1) Use the Company Search feature under "Companies" to do research and find contacts for informational interviews.

-It shows you subsidiaries of the company, current and past employees, promotions, new hires, and popular profiles of employees and how you are connected to them.

-You can see what job postings the company has on LinkedIn.

-Career paths of employees

-Information about the company and demographic information about employees

-You can also see recent news posted about the company.

2) Join groups with related interests. These groups are excellent for keeping you informed of the latest trends and developments in your profession as well as job opportunities and training. Individuals, who look at your LinkedIn profile, can see your professional affiliations.

-You can join alumni groups of your college or university to stay abreast of what opportunities are available to alumni.

-Join professional groups in your field. Some groups require that you have an actual membership to the group before you are allowed to join their LinkedIn group.

-Participate on groups by offering information that you find, do it regularly, but sparingly. You should NOT be posting everyday as you should be doing other things beside being online during a job search or while employed.

3) Use the Job Search function.

-Many companies solely place position ads on LinkedIn.

4) Make sure that you know who you are adding to your Contact List.

-LinkedIn is not like Facebook in that you should not be adding contacts just to rack up numbers. It is the quality of relationships and not the quantity that matters in good networking.

5) Change your LinkedIn Public Profile address (you can edit it from the Profile page) from the numbers and letter to your name (e.g., http://www.linkedin.com/in/janesmith).

-You can add it to your business card and email signature. Then a contact that you meet at networking event can preview your professional experience.

6) Import your resume.

-Make sure that it has been edited and that when you add new things to your resume that you upload your new version.

7) Be aware that when you create activity on your LinkedIn page (e.g., add to a discussion on a group or change your profile), your contacts are notified. You want to be on your contacts radar, but for good reasons and not constantly.

8) Skip the Personal Information.

No one should need your birthday or marital status for professional reasons.

9) If you have an interesting professional blog, use the "Blog Link" application to connect it your profile.

10) Even when you are not job seeking, you should continue to update your site and be active networking. Solid networks are built continually, not just when you need something from it. A network is a community that is best built earnestly.

What is critical to remember is that the most useful networking occurs in person and is about building reciprocal professional relationships that last throughout your career.

Impressing the Interviewer

Most interviewees prep for an interview the night before. It's understandable - life is busy and things come up. Sometimes, the anxiety over the interview is more than you can stand so thinking about it for days in advance can feel like way too much. However, if you take a few steps to prep, you can alleviate the anxiety and be sure to impress the interviewer. You should make interview prep a regular habit so you just go into automatic mode.

Here are some suggestions for your interview prep routine:

When you get the interview, immediately try on your interview attire - suit, coat, shoes, everything.

-Take a good look at your attire in bright light and evaluate. Does it need to be dry cleaned? Did you lose a button during the last interview? Are your shoes scuffed? Does the heel need repair? Did you gain or lose weight and the suit needs tailoring. Get anything that needs to be done taken care of immediately.

Do your research.

This is the part that most people hate, but it is key. Research the company, the interviewer, the position. It's important to know as much as you possibly can.

To learn about the company: use sites like Hoover's which you can access through your college or public library; read their website, articles in the press, press releases and became familiar with its mission, CEO, and those guiding the company. See if you can meet for informational interviews with anyone you know who is working for or has worked for this company. You should know this company very well and be ready to present what you know about the company in your own words. Prepare like you would for a cumulative final worth the majority of your grade.

Google the interviewer if you know who he/she or they will be. Read about their career paths, how long they have been at the company, their educational paths. You can also check out LinkedIn.com for more information.

Search out through LinkedIn.com other's who have held this position. The position does not have to be with the company that you are interviewing with although it would be a BONUS. If the person is one of your "contacts" try to set up an informational interview or at least gather their educational path and previous positions. You can even see the responsibilities that they highlight about the position in their profile.

Go over standard interview questions including technical questions

Make sure in the preparation that you are tailor your standard interview questions to the information that you have learned about the organization, interviewer, and position. These should not be stock answers. Obviously, they have to be accurate and true answers about yourself, but hopefully you are a well-rounded person that can share a variety of things about themselves. Tailor your answers to specific circumstance. For example, if you are asked about your strongest skill sets, you should be thinking about the skills that would fit this position, be appealing to the interviewer and demonstrate your knowledge of the organization. You shouldn't say at every interview: detail orientation, communication and organizational skills. While this might be interesting for some positions, organizations, or interviewers, for others it may be less relevant. Know yourself and have a wide variety of characteristics that you can highlight.

Take basic interview survival things with you.

Have one way to get to the interview and a back up plan in case the train is diverted, there is a closure on your typical road, etc. Carry with you a bottle of water and mints. If it is an all day interview, you may need a snack bar or easy to carry meal replacement to keep your energy up. Make sure to eat when out of the view of interviewers. Have your portfolio with extra copies of your resume and list of references (make sure that you have contacted them in advance for their permission). Always also carry a pen and pad in case you need to take notes at some point during the interview or to jot down notes afterward for the personalized thank you note.

Connect, Connect, Connect.

One of the most vital things you can do is connect with the interviewer. This is the hardest part to teach, but critical to getting the position. According to research, interviewing is not the best way to predict successful performance on the job. However, it remains to be the most popular way to obtain employees. Largely, this is because humans like to be with other humans that are similar or familiar to them. So, it's important that the interviewer feel like they want to work with you even if they won't be working with you directly. So at the very least, smile, be engaging, pleasant to be around, and enthusiastic. Don't be insincere, inappropriate or over the top. This will kill your interview quickly. Be the kind of person that someone else would like to spend 40 hours a week with.

Send the Personalized Thank You Note.

Take notes after the interview of things that clearly appealed to the interviewer (i.e., your fit). Highlight these things in the thank you note as well as how much you enjoyed the interview and are interested in the position. Make sure to send it within 24 hours and it can be sent as an email, just follow it up with the hard copy.

To impress an interviewer, you need to be prepared. Don't let your anxiety sabotage your success. Let your preparation guide you to success. Start as soon as you get the call about the interview and make it your interview habit.

Writing that Dreaded Middle Paragraph

While cover letters aren’t always required for every job applications, many employers are interested in seeing them not only to see the prospective employee’s perception of their fit with the position and organization, but also to get a preview of their writing skills. For job hunters, this can be the hardest and most time consuming part of the application. Conveying fit for each individual position that one applies to can be daunting especially when applying to a large number of positions. Despite the daunting task, each and every cover letter should be a unique expression of your fit with that position.

The middle or second paragraph in a cover letter is typical WHERE you do this. But, HOW do you do this? First, you should really understand what skills, experience, educational qualifications, and personal characteristics the employer is looking for in the ideal candidate. The first and most obvious place to find this is the posting. It’s important to sit with the posting and make a list of all the qualities mentioned in the posting. Under each, note how you demonstrate(d) this quality in your current or past workplace, educational and/or volunteer experience. List everything as you can always edit later. If you don’t have the experience. skill or qualification listed, then think about other relevant or similar skills that are important to this position. You may be able to find additional qualities that are vital to this position by speaking to someone on the inside who is currently working with or has worked with this company. An insider can often provide you with information about the position or organization that are key to mention in the cover letter, but are not described as essential in the posting.

If you don’t have a lot of work experience, incorporate the projects that you have completed in courses, responsibilities that you have taken on in volunteer work, clubs and /or organizations that you belong to. If you currently, do not have other experiences outside of school, you should consider getting involved either in your community, academic institution, or your city. Also, be proactive in your internships, demonstrate competence there so you can participate in a variety of tasks and build a repitoire of skills and experience in your field from which to draw.

Make sure that this middle paragraph is focused, never appears like a template (i.e., you send this same letter to everyone), and that you display your writing skills. If the paragraph is very long, you should consider editing it to strengthen your key points. You can also add bullets to draw the reader’s attention to these key points. You want the paragraph to be fluid and not choppy (e.g., addressing each skill in isolation) and should tell a cohesive story about why you are such a perfect fit for this position. If you are having great difficulty pointing to your fit for the position, you need to consider if this position is appropriate for you and your career goals.

Consider that middle paragraph as your written pitch for the position. You should take great care to craft a statement that accurately reflects your fit and addresses as many of the employer’s needs as possible. Although it can feel like the toughest part, it’s really a very small space to fully communicate your professional self appropriately, so use it wisely.

Valuing Your Ticket In - Your Resume

Most people don't look at their resume unless their looking for a job. It can be really difficult to look at a resume after a long period left untouched and try to update it. Incorporating all your relevant past experiences, skills, accomplishments into your resume since you last looked at it can be daunting especially if the turn around needs to be short (e.g., someone asks you to send it to them immediately).

Many experts say "Your resume is you - paper thin." It should accurately represent your professional life. However, many individuals are not happy with their resumes and feel that they can better communicate their fit with a position in person. Oftentimes, you will not get that opportunity unless your resume is in great shape.

In order to have a document that is up-to-date and can be pulled out in a moments notice, here are some tips:

1) Update it regularly.

You should know where your resume is. It should be easily accessible (put it on your desktop) and when you take on new responsibilities at your job, get accolades for a project, get a promotion, volunteer, you add it to your resume IMMEDIATELY. Add everything. This working document can be longer than 1 page because you need to cater a resume to a particular position. Somethings may be relevant to one position and not another. It's hard to remember these things in retrospect and even harder to remember the dates. It's much easier to edit than produce the information.

2) Find a format you LOVE.

Since your resume is you paper thin, it should be visually appealing to you and others. So, look at others' resumes, check out resume books--it should be neat, organized and easy to find the information. It should make you want to open it up and edit it regularly. You should have pride in it. You should also show it to others and see if they find the format attractive.

3) Have trusted friends take a look at it for errors.

Obviously, always spell check and read it over, but also have friends take a look it for these issues as well as offering suggestions for wording. It's great to ask colleagues who are in the same industry to assist with language and phrasing that is common to your industry.

4) Look at other resumes.

You should try to see what other people's resumes look like at various levels in your industry. Check the internet by position. You can also ask to see colleagues resume or search for resume books focused on particular industry. It will help you stay current with trends in your field regarding resumes and show you the skills, experience, training, etc. that you need to demonstrate that you have. It's a great motivator while currently employed to take on new projects, build new skills and take on new training opportunities.

5) Work on improving your language.

Always try to make the language on your resume more efficient in its communication of your professional experience. Not only does it strengthen the impact of your resume, but it also shows your writing skills which are critical in today's workforce.

It's important to think of working on your resume as iterative (i.e., involving repetition) and you should enjoy it as it should reflect your professional self and is your golden ticket to an interview and communicating one-to-one in further detail your fit for a position.

Keeping Your Career on Track During a Tough Job Market

In this type of job market with a high rate of employment and few positions available, sometimes it is necessary to take a job that ranges from not exactly the perfect fit to completely outside of your field. If this does happen to you, it's important to not despair or believe you're off track. You should make the position work for you in the following ways.

1) Look creatively for the transferable skills that you are gaining or building.

From day one, think about how you are going to describe this job on your resume. Focus on skills that can be utilized in your field of interest.

2) Take on projects that maximize skill sets that match your career goals and highlight the skills you already have as well as expand them.

Don't stick to your limited job description. Offer skills that you already have to solve problems or improve the bottom line of your new organization. However, be cooperative and not competitive so that you don't step on anyone's toes.

3) Cultivate a network in this new arena.

Don't get stuck with a narrow network only in your field. An opportunity can come from someone in any field.

4) Develop great references.

Always show a positive go-get 'em attitude at your new job. If you are underemployed, shine with all your skills. Do not engage in this job with a negative attitude.

5) Create a short-term plan with your long-term plan in perspective.

Don't get stuck in this position. Have a plan about how long you will stay in this position, how you will explain being in this position to network connections, what position(s) are next to get you back to where you want to be. Be sure to write out your plan and keep it visible.

6) Keep networking in your own field regularly.

Stay in touch with your professional community. You should know what's happening and be looking for opportunities - paid and unpaid - to be reconnected.

7) Do not stop applying to the positions that you are interested in.

Keep the job search going even though you are employed. You still need to be engaged in the process of searching for positions that are in line with your professional goals.

Finally, career paths are not linear. They can take all kinds of twists and turns that can be invaluable to your perspective and growth as a professional. Take a positive view of this turn and be proactive in seeing what new things come it.

What To Do With Your Free Time While Job Searching

When you are unemployed and looking for a new job, you often have a great deal of unstructured free time. It's important to structure that free time and take on variety of tasks to maximize your search effectiveness (i.e., being involved in networking, letter of inquiry campaigns, job fairs, etc.). There are also ways to use your time to advance your skills, give back, reflect and get back into the job market a new and more improved person. Here are some ideas about utilizing this time.

-Volunteer Your Professional Skills

Think about keeping your professional skills fresh and offering them to someone or an organization in need. It's important to keep using your skills and to contribute to your community. It is also a way to address a work gap on your resume. Check out organizations like the Taproot Foundation - http://www.taprootfoundation.org/ where you can work as a part of team to assist a non-profit - it is also great opportunity for networking.

-Take a Class

Advance your skills by taking a class or take a class in something you have been interested in, but never had the time to. It's a way to learn something new, meet new people and account for your time away from the world of work with a productive endeavor. It's important during your time out of work that you grow and offer something new to an employer and also to yourself.

-Do Some Self-Reflection

Take some time to learn more deeply about yourself. Also, the job search process can be lonely and difficult and raise all kinds of negative feelings about yourself, the world and others. Often when we are working, we have excuses about why we don't do this type of reflection due to time restrictions, but it is vital to know yourself and take care of yourself to get the most of your life. Think about therapy or counseling. If due to a limited budget you cannot afford a clinician in private practice, you can check out clinics which offer low fee services such as Fordham University Psychological Services Institute - http://www.fordham.edu/academics/colleges__graduate_s/graduate__profession/education/centers_and_institut/psychological_servic/

Usually, clinics associated with schools or training institutes are a good place to look for affordable services.

-Travel

Think about going somewhere you wanted to, but either didn't have enough vacation time for or couldn't schedule at the right time. You can also do a volunteer vacation where you give back while in another city, country, continent. This kind of opportunity also is often a great time for reflection, giving back and explains time gaps on your resume in a very interesting way.

While you are unemployed, there are often a lot of negative feelings about the new found time on your hands. But take some time to think about what YOU would like to do with this time and take advantage of this time to grow yourself, assist others and make the world a better place.

Monitoring Your Online Presence for Maximum Success

While the focus of job search is often a reviewed resume and cover letter. You should also be reviewing your online life regularly to ensure that you encounter no bumps along the job search road. Whether you review it or not, you can guarantee that the employers that you send your application materials to will be.

The first place to start is to GOOGLE YOURSELF. You should google the name on your resume as well as other common versions of your name (e.g., if you have a maiden name, you should also check it out). Search not only the websites on google, but also "images," "video," etc. You should see what is out there about you or someone who has the same name as you.

Here are the steps you can take if there is negative material about you on the web:

- Make sure that if you have a "twin" on the internet with the same first and last name, make sure that you are adding your middle initial, full name and that you put that name on everything including your Facebook, LinkedIn to separate you from your bad twin

- If you created the negative material, get rid of it immediately. It may take time for newly edited sites to come up on a search so change it or remove it as soon as possible.

-To push down negative material in a search, create new positive materials about yourself on the web including a LinkedIn.com site which typically ranks high on a google search, a new blog, website--newer material about yourself will outrank the older stuff.

Secondly, you should clean up your social networking sites including Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace. The best rule of thumb is that you should be able to show your site on an interview to an employer. If you can't, it needs to be cleaned up.

Areas for cleaning include:

-Unprofessional pictures including videos and pictures where you are tagged (i.e., you need to contact your friend to remove the tag or the picture)

-Groups that indicate personal or political affiliations (opens you up to potential discrimination before you even get an interview)

-Spelling, grammatical errors, type o's (as they can indicate sloppiness, writing skill, etc.)

-Be aware of posting too much (i.e., several times a day or every single day on LinkedIn) on groups or walls. It can look to an employer that you have nothing better to do and are not occupying yourself with more productive tasks such as volunteering, employment, school.

-Be conscious of your privacy settings--make an informed decision about who you let see what

-Inform your friends that you are in the midst of a job search so that think twice about what they include you in. If they are not conscious about it and do inappropriate things that involve you, feel free to ask them to not to continue and if they still continue, take stronger action (e.g., removing them as a friend).

It's very important to take charge of your online presence. Your online presence should represent as consistently as possible that image/person that you are saying you are in your cover letters, networking and interviews. If there is inconsistency in this image, a new employer, who does not know you, will most likely believe the negative image that they see on the internet before the positive one you purport to be.

Pitching Yourself

Having a solid pitch is a key to networking, attending fairs, and interviews. Developing the pitch can be difficult, but delivering it is often worse. Telling a stranger all the great and fascinating aspects of your professional self is not the easiest experience for many people.

Here are some tips:

-When you are pitching yourself, you are aiming to create a dialogue and NOT a monologue. Don't talk AT a recruiter or potential networking contact, talk with him or her. You should be listening to them as well as talking.

-In certain situations, the typical pitch is not appropriate. For example, if you meet a potential networking contact at a family function, you shouldn't deliver your pitch. You should know your pitch well enough to work some of the information into the conversation in a natural way.

-Know the difference between when to do a "hard sell" vs. "soft sell" of yourself. When you are in an interview and the interviewer says, "Tell me about yourself," this is time for the hard sell (i.e., your professional pitch with all the bells and whistles). When you are at a networking event, the focus should be on building a relationship and the pitch should be at a lower volume--time for the soft sell. You should be talking about yourself as appropriate to the conversation.

-Always follow-up on a pitch. When you have met someone new, always follow-up with an email or reach out to them on LinkedIn.com

It's critical to understand how to deliver the pitch in different contexts. Always be aware of what is expected in the situation and that will help you adjust your pitch appropriately.

Letter of Inquiry Campaigns

One successful method of job search is the letter of inquiry campaign about 1 in 5 job seekers find their position this way according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . A letter of inquiry campaign is a letter writing and calling campaign targeting companies that employ individuals in your field, but may not be advertising positions at the time. For the shy and faint of heart, it can feel very difficult to try this. It's really important, though, to incorporate this into a complete job search plan. It's also critical during your job search to challenge yourself, take risks and learn new skills.

So, where do you find the companies to target? Obviously, you should target companies that draw you to their mission, product, culture, etc. You should also search out other organizations through databases such as Hoover's Online. You can usually access a version with more information through either your college/university library or the public library. You should use this version over the free version if you have access to it. A database like this can be useful because it gives an overview of the company; the industries the organization is involved with; key people in the company and who in the company is on LinkedIn.com; and competitors. You can also obtain addresses and phone numbers of key people at the organization. To narrow down the search, you can also search the databases by industry.

Once you have your list of companies, you now need to determine who to specifically contact at the company. You want to contact the individual at the organization who would influential in the hiring process (e.g., Human Resources Director or Manager of a particular department). You should have the name of that person, their address at the company and hopefully also their phone number. You should also utilize LinkedIn's (by clicking on "Companies" on the top right and using "Company Search") to ascertain who you are connected to at the company, who may be able to provide greater information to inform your campaign (i.e., give you inside information about the culture, who should direct your letter of inquiry to).

Some experts suggest that you do not send a resume along with the letter of inquiry. However, I feel it is often a good thing to send a competency-based resume with the letter. Check out books like Competency-Based Resumes: How to Bring your Resume to the Top of the Pile by Robin Kessler and Linda Strasberg.

Now that you have done your research on your companies and the key people, you will now develop your letter of inquiry. A good letter of inquiry will be individualized for each company in style and the information presented. It should be as professional as a cover letter, but it should be: 1) easy to read in format; 2) grab the reader quickly; and 3) demonstrate your skills, experience and fit with the company in a way that makes them want more. The more that you know about a company, the greater argument that you can make. You should always close the letter letting the individual know that you will be in contact with them in a certain period of time. Remember to keep track of every letter sent and of every contact you make with an individual.

Here are some important considerations for the letter of inquiry:
□ Ask for consideration in a strong opening sentence that identifies your interest. Mention source of referral or posting
□ Demonstrate enthusiasm and energy through use of language and style appropriate to you
□ Use words that are simple and direct
□ Do not simply reiterate information on your resume, but quantify experiences and expand on accomplishments
□ Appeal to the employer's self-interest by demonstrating that you researched the organization
□ State how you can fulfill their needs
□ Bring up challenging ideas to spark employer's interest in talking with you
□ Give positive, truthful accounts of accomplishments and skills that relate directly to the position
□ Request to have a talk, discussion, or meeting, rather than an interview

The follow-up for this letter is critical because it makes and solidifies the connection and interest of your contact at the organization. Preferably, you should call the contact (early morning and late afternoon are the best times to try to reach someone), but if it is not possible you should email the contact. Call the contact at the time that you specified in the letter (i.e., usually 1-2 weeks after the letter is sent). If the contact is not available, leave a message for him/her on his/her voicemail and not with a secretary. Only try twice.

Once you are able to speak with the contact, introduce yourself and mention that you are following up on a letter of inquiry that you sent. Have a short pitch prepared and ask to meet with the contact in person. Be prepared for mini-phone interview. If there seems to be a position available, see what steps you need to take to apply or if you can meet for an informal meeting.

It's very important for you to remain resilient during this process. Be positive and open to any response and ready to move onto the next call. Get support from friends or fellow job seekers (i.e., have someone to call if things don't go well that will support you and encourage you to make the next call) if this type of search technique is not your strength.

It's vital to have several methods of job search in process to be successful in finding a position.

How to Make the Most of a Job Fair

I often hear from job seekers that job fairs are a waste of time. Most fair goers feel that they stand on lines to talk to recruiters for 2 minutes and most tell them that they don't have any positions appropriate for them or that they should apply online. In addition, most fair attendees prepare by having their resume reviewed and making copies. However, you have to put a fair amount of work to make a job fair work for you.

Here are 10 tips to stand out at a job fair and get the desired response.

1) Find out what companies are coming to the Fair
-This may mean reaching out to the fair organizers. (For Baruch students, you receive an email the week of the fair to the account that is registered with Starr Search.)

2) Make a list of 8-10 companies that you are interested in meeting with at the Fair
-You shouldn't be trying to speak to every recruiter at the fair. It is truly quality and not quantity that matters at this type of event.

3) Research the positions that are currently be recruiter for by the company
-Check the companies website. (Baruch students can check Starr Search).

4) You should apply for the positions prior to Fair and make copies of each application.
-Do a thorough application for all positions including all your research of the company. position, and a clear description of your fit.

5) You should prepare a pitch which targets the position and your fit.
-It's very important to remember to connect with the recruiter and to speak "to them" not "at them."

6) Do all of your regular preparations for the event
-Make copies of your resume, prepare your clothes, bring water, etc.

7) At the Fair, make a plan about the order you will see the companies
-For example, the first company that you approach should be fairly low stakes so that you get warmed up.

8) Make sure that while you are on line to meet the recruiter that you are going through your pitch.

9) Make real authentic contact with the recruiter and make sure to let them know what position you have applied for, give them a copy of your application, and make clear about why you are a fit for the position
-This really send a clear message to the recruiter that you are a serious applicant for this position
-Don't stay too long and make sure to ask the recruiter for their business card and give them yours. (You can get free ones at http://www.vistaprint.com )

10) Follow up with each contact with an email to the contact on the business card within 24 hours - make sure that you highlight something specific from your conversation.

Getting Out of the Online Application Rut

When I ask most exasperated job hunters about the job search strategies that they are using, they feel like they are doing everything. Yet, they are not getting interviews or sometimes even responses acknowledging the receipt of their job application materials.

Oftentimes, their job strategies are almost completely focused on online searches. This strategy makes sense when a person begins to search for a few reasons:

- It allows you see what positions are out there and what qualifications and experience are needed;
- It makes it easier to feel a sense of accomplishment in that you can apply to a large number of positions in a short period of time;
- You can do it any time of day or night.

However, the Department of Labor reports that this strategy is successful for job seekers about 5% of the time! This is not surprising for most career counselors because this is what we typically hear -- large amounts of job applications and a very low response rate from the employers.

Breaking the online application habit can be hard. It often feels like a security blanket. It easy, has the feeling of anonymity and you tend to feel a sense of accomplishment after sending off an application. But for the majority of job seekers, IT DOES NOT WORK.

The most successful techniques include:
1) Networking
2) Career Centers, Search Firms
3) Letter of Inquiry Writing Campaigns

These techniques, though, often push job hunters out of their comfort zone, which can be especially hard when you are feeling down on yourself because you are unemployed. These other job search techniques work better and often produce concrete results for your hard work and risk taking.

How do you get started breaking from your online job search habit?

First, start to limit your time online searching and applying. The time spent should be proportional to its success rate. For example, if 5% of job hunters find a position through online searches, then if you are spending 20 hours a week in your search, you should spend about 1 hour a week (5% of your 20 hour search time).

Second, try a new job search technique and try one that you may have some fear or concern about, but is not the technique that causes the most fear. Set up steps to approach this new technique and have some way of monitoring your progress (e.g., a career counselor or trusted friend who you report in to and will give you honest feedback). After you feel like you have gotten the hang of it, try another technique.

The best way to job search is to utilize a variety of methods and to spend more time on the methods that have a proven track record of working.

The tough aspect of other methods is that they usually require face-to-face, phone or email contact with individuals on a regular basis. Developing relationships with other people is the critical method for obtaining a job largely because human relationships and other's ability to know your skills sets, values and have a vested interest in you will put you in touch with the "hIdden job market" where many of the jobs are. People want to work with individuals they can trust and rely on and a recommendation from a trusted source is often where they find this. You have to be able to tap into this market, which means getting to know in a sincere way others.

Gearing Up for Post-Summer Hiring

With the good news about the decline in unemployment numbers and the end of summer (i.e., vacations, skeletal schedules, and hiring slow downs), it brings about some exciting prospects for the job search this Fall. This means that for job searchers, you need to prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that may come up starting in a few short weeks.

For seniors and recent colleges graduates, you should be in regular contact with your career center. The staff should become your new best friends. You should:
1) take advantage of special programs geared to seniors and recent grads;
2) see what opportunities are available through On-Campus Recruiting;
3) connect with a counselor to make sure all application materials have been reviewed and are ready to go.

For all job hunters, reach out to your networking contacts, see how their summers were and let them know what you have been doing and what your plans are for the Fall.

Make sure that there are things going on in your life besides the job search (e.g., volunteering). If there isn't, begin to get involved! Check out http://www.idealist.org or American Red Cross. If you want to offer your professional services to non-profit organization, get involved with the Taproot Foundation. You need to have a few years of experience, but it will allow to contribute, develop your skills and meet new professionals. It's also important to volunteer even when you have your new position. Giving back is crucial to creating the kind of world we want to live in.

Also, start to attend networking functions which will be picking up again that are related to your professional interests and organizations. Look out for Fall Job Fairs. It also might be a great time to get started on letter of interest campaign. Think about what new strategies you want to apply this Fall and get to it.

Take advantage of the summer reinvigoration and make the most of your Fall. If you don't feel that reinvigoration yet, then take the next few weeks to recharge so that you show a new positive, fresh energy this Fall.

Staying Positive During the Search

Amidst all the negative press about finding a job during this economy, it can be really hard to keep your head up. In addition, the common additional pressures found in the search from family and friends constantly inquiring about your progress and the steps you are taking to find a job. All of this can add to your own stress about how long your search will last and will it ever end.

It will end and you will find a position.

In the meantime, here are a couple suggestions to keep yourself positive around your job search: (It's so crucial not only for your own piece of mind, but also interviewing, networking -- desperation, fear, depression can be sensed by others and does not contribute in a positive way to your job search)

1) Take time out to care for yourself. Do things you love -- read a novel, enjoy the beach. Try to stay away from costly habits (i.e., shopping, expensive outings) as they will only make you feel worse after you have enjoyed them if you are on a limited budget.

2) Seek out a career counselor to talk about the emotional toil and steps to make it better and also to make sure you are using the most effective strategies

3) Give yourself credit for the things that you are doing. Make sure to acknowledge yourself.

4) Be around supportive friends and family that will give you the needed boost in difficult times. Now is not the time to be reclusive and hide out.

5)Help someone else. It is a wonderful thing to give back. You can volunteer, offer your support to a friend or family member who might need. It's great during these times not to be completely self-focused and to thing about others.

Reconnecting with Your Alma Mater

Thinking about going back for the summer reunion at your college or high school? This may be a great time!

Career centers at colleges and high schools are ramping up their services for alumni. Some are offering free seminars and groups on career issues that are specially designed for alumni. At Baruch College, two free alumni groups are being offered, one for recent alumni and another for more experienced alum.

Also, connecting back to your alma mater allows you to tap into alumni connections that may be looking to hire an alum from your school or meet with you for an informational interview which can help you build your network.

You should also ask when you speak with your school's career center if there is a specialized job database for the alumni that you can obtain access to. This will allow you to be privy to jobs specifically targeted to graduates of your school.

Utilize the alumni groups on LinkedIn. This may allow you to reconnect with friends or learn about alumni group meetings in your area. In addition, think about using Facebook to reconnect with old friends from school and see what they are up. It's a great way to be social and network in a less high stakes fashion.

Readers, any new or innovative career-related services at your alma mater?

Welcome

With the constantly changing landscape of job search and career mobility in this tumultuous and difficult economic time, I wanted to create a blog where we could discuss career issues in a open and honest way and still motivate job searchers to try innovative methods (as well as tried and true ones) and to ride the wave of job search in the most uplifting way possible. I hope you will join us for this wild ride in job search that will hopefully bring you a new set of opportunities to advance your life goals.

I am a psychologist with training in career development and many years working with individuals assisting them in choosing more rewarding careers, finding jobs and advancing themselves professionally to the next step. To me, career issues provide so many opportunities that can be framed in positive ways that can allow you to go to new exciting places in life, but they are often not without their trials and tribulations of which you must also manage.

I hope this blog can be a place where we can dialog about the process of job search and you hopefully find some tidbit that will help get you to that new place.