6 Signs That You Need To Start Job Searching

Career Discovery

04/08/19

Melanie Pearce Hooper

It’s 4:59 pm, you’ve been watching the clock like a hawk, you’re exhausted, you’re irritable, and 5:00 pm couldn’t come soon enough so you can break out of the jail cell also known as your office. Or maybe you’re headed into work on Monday morning and you make a beeline to your office, hurriedly shut the door, grip your latte for dear life, and pray that no one comes to ask you how your weekend went. Or perhaps you’re in the work parking lot, sitting in your car, repeating mantras to yourself, pumping yourself up like a football coach until you can muster the courage to open the car door and drag yourself into work. Does this feeling of dread sound familiar? If you have read this far, you’re probably feeling some sort of discontentment in your work. Maybe you can’t put your finger on it, but something is just not quite right. Let’s be honest, there are negatives to nearly every job, and it is likely that you will have days that you just don’t feel like working. However, how do you decipher between a temporary restlessness in your job and a full-on rut? Diving into a job search or considering a career change is a big decision and should be taken seriously. Here are 6 signs that starting a job search might be your next best step. Are you lacking support? – Similar to the examples shared above, dreading going into the office is one of the first signs that you might be ready for a change. I am not talking about the feeling of wanting to take a sick or personal day here and there. I am speaking about persistent anxiety that makes going to work every day a true struggle. Do you have a boss or supervisor that respects, challenges, and trusts you? Poor leadership is a very common reason that people feel the need to jump ship. Google spent 10 years researching this phenomenon in a study called Project Oxygen. An Inc.com article summarizes this study into 10 behaviors that make a great leader. If you are missing most of these characteristics in your boss or leadership team, it might be time to take a look at whether this is the problem. – Or if there are frequent changes in your leadership team, this can cause discontentment as well. Are you regularly adjusting to new protocols, rules, or policies? Is there confusion among the team? Constantly trying to adapt to a new leadership environment can cause instability and ultimately lead to feelings of insecurity about your job, maybe even your career. Do you find yourself distracted or do you frequently procrastinate while at work? – After you chug your first cup of coffee, give yourself a pep talk, and chat with your colleagues for 45 minutes about a serious case of the Mondays, do you then find yourself off in la la land? Is it hard to tackle your to-do list? You might think that you will get your tasks completed later, but right now you deserve to look at your social media feeds for the 700th time. This is a sign that you are not fulfilled, challenged or interested in the tasks at hand. Again, not every work task is going to be something you want to leap out of bed for every morning, but if you routinely leave at the end of the day and cannot think of one thing you have accomplished, this is a sign that you are distracted or highly bored. Have you considered talking to your boss or leadership team about taking on additional or other types of roles? If possible, take the initiative to find the job duties that do make you feel more fulfilled. If this is not received well by leadership or is not possible within your position, it might be time to consider the severity of these distractions. – Perhaps you are distracted by looking through various job boards on a daily basis? Clearly, job searching, while at work, is a sign that you’re ready for something new. Maybe you’re not the only one though. Are your colleagues also job searching and openly talking about it? Is there a high turnover rate in your organization? All of these things can be incredibly distracting, disconcerting, and another reason to consider a transition. Are you looking for ways to call in sick? – What happens when that alarm goes off in the morning? Are you ready to put your game face on or crawl back into bed and think of any excuse to call in sick? Let’s be honest here, most of us want to snooze a couple of times and get more shut-eye, but if you have that feeling of dread every morning, this could be an issue. Again, taking a sick or personal day here and there to take a break, or to truly rest when you are ill, is perfectly fine. It is that persistent feeling of apprehension that should be examined. – This might also be a critical time to evaluate whether you are experiencing anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue. Perhaps your work is so demanding or stressful, that your health has become impacted.Take this brief assessment, by Mental Health America, to determine if you might be experiencing a mental health issue. You can also visit the American Psychological Association’s Help Center to learn more about ways to deal with mental health issues, including how to find support and assistance. Do you complain about work to loved ones? – A loved one calls to check in on you and asks about work, do you have positive things to say? Or do you talk their ear off for an hour about how overwhelmed you are, or how much you hate your boss, or how hearing Jody nose breath on the other side of your cubicle makes you want to rip your eyelashes out? Listen, we’ve all had those conversations where we

How To Gauge Company Culture In An Interview

Get That Job

02/11/19

Melanie Pearce Hooper

Have you just landed an interview for a killer job? Or are you currently in the job search process and hope to land that interview soon? Or are you considering a career change? If yes, then I highly encourage you to take some time to gauge company culture in an interview. Your happiness, within and outside of work, can be determined by the behaviors, policies, and environment of a company. On average, most people spend over 8 hours per day or 30-40 hours per week (often more!) at their workplace, which equates to a lot of time at your job. Why would you spend nearly half of your life at a place you don’t like? You probably wouldn’t invest in a car before you test drove it, did some research about the make of the car, or asked for recommendations from others before purchasing. Why would it be any different when investing in your career? So what is company culture anyway? And why should I care? Company culture is not just comprised of one thing. And you cannot necessarily “touch” company culture, but rather, you can recognize it in a multitude of ways. A company’s culture can include: The way people interact with one another How they dress What they do after work hours Expectations while at the office The company’s mission Volunteer or community service efforts Interaction with the leadership team The physical office space Hiring practices Flexibility of working hours And to put it simply, just the way that things are done at that company. Evaluating a job offer entails thinking about the job title, the salary, benefits, vacation time, sick days, etc. While these are very important pieces to consider, many people overlook company culture. Keeping in mind that 40+ hours are typically the time spent at the workplace per week, you can see why considering company culture is a crucial piece to the offer evaluation. Your well-being and work satisfaction depends on gathering this information. You probably don’t enjoy the job search process, so if it can be avoided, why run the risk of repeating it? Get informed, gather information, and ask the question to ensure your workplace happiness! Since you cannot break company culture down into one simple question, here are some ways that you can assess a company’s culture before accepting that job offer. Guage Culture Before the Interview First and foremost, assess your own needs. Obviously, everyone’s needs are different. While one person may thrive at a company where the expectation is to work nights, weekends, and over time, another person may crave more structure and defined work hours. While one person may love working in an open space with no doors or closed offices, another may be overwhelmed, distracted, or irritable without privacy. Before you head into that interview, reflect and jot down a few things that make you feel happy while at work. Start with your previous experiences. A great place to start in your assessment is your current position or previous work experiences. What have you liked or disliked about your workplace? Were you happy or dissatisfied? Take stock of what worked for you and what didn’t. And get specific! Talk to a mentor. Are you new to the working world? If you don’t have previous work experience to gauge workplace culture, find a mentor. If you don’t have a mentor, consider engaging in informational interviews to gain insight. Talk to older professionals about their experiences. What have they noticed within the field, particular companies they have worked at, or perspectives they may have regarding current trends within the industry? Do your homework! Be sure to research the companies where you will be interviewing. Not only will this help you excel in the interview, but it will also reveal information about the company culture that will be important in your decision-making process should you receive an offer. Don’t forget to research the leadership team too! The company’s leaders often set the tone of the company and culture is created from their behaviors, practices, or policies. Who is the face of the company? Do you feel aligned with them? Could you see yourself in their shoes? Do you aspire to be like them? These are vital questions to ask yourself as you are doing your company research. Need a few resources to help you with your company research? Check out the following: Glassdoor.com for company reviews. Remember that like all reviews, the reviews on Glassdoor tend to be polarized. Try to focus less on whether the person assigned 1 or 5 stars and more on how they describe the company and what it’s like to work there. LinkedIn.com to not only view the company’s profile, but also the profiles of the leadership team, people in your prospective department, or people you may know who have previously worked at that company or have connections there. Google the company’s name, then click on “news” to see any recent articles regarding the company. Review the company’s website, including bios, the about us page, the mission statement, etc. Pay attention to the communication process leading up to your interview. If you have been invited to interview with a company, pay special attention to this process. Are they communicating with you via phone, email, or text message? Is the process clear and concise? Are interactions easy? Did you get a response, or get in touch with the onboarding committee, recruiter, or HR team? Is there one point person or many? Does the communication feel awkward or comfortable? Is their preferred communication style in alignment with yours? It is important to reflect on even the small things that lead up to your interview. While you are not trying to nitpick every move they make, you are simply taking stock of what works for you and what might not. Find someone who works for (or previously worked for) the company. Do you know anyone who is currently working for this company? Or perhaps someone who may know

How To Best Use LinkedIn

Get That Job

01/07/19

Melanie Pearce Hooper

I bet I can describe your relationship with LinkedIn: So, you once heard that LinkedIn was a great place to connect with other professionals. You may have even heard that you could job search on LinkedIn. You created that account, hurriedly put together your profile, and connected with a few folks, maybe checked out a few companies or did a quick job search, and then, voila, you were done. But wait, have you since gone back to update your profile? Have you continuously added contacts on a daily or weekly basis? Have you reached out to network with your connections? Has LinkedIn become part of your normal social media routine? If you haven’t done this, you’re not alone! LinkedIn can be used in a variety of unique ways and I want to show you how you can optimize your account and experience. And if you are a job seeker, these tips are sure to help you land that job you have been looking for (or at least an interview)! Why LinkedIn? So, first of all, it’s important to know why you might consider adding LinkedIn to your daily or weekly routine. What’s all the hype about anyway? Whoa! These statistics speak for themselves. I am fairly certain that Snapchat cannot compete with these statistics in terms of job searching, although those filters can certainly make the job search process a little more fun. Amirite?! Let’s get you back in the LinkedIn game and land you that job or interview, shall we? Here are a few ways to optimize your LinkedIn account and utilize the platform to its fullest. Get Noticed Keep Your Profile Up To Date Be sure that your profile is completed and up to date. Did you get halfway through creating your profile and promised yourself you’d go back and finish it later? You never went back, did you? Remember, LinkedIn is your virtual resume, so you should avoid any gaps or inconsistencies. Carve out some time to complete that profile! Keywords Use keywords in your headline that speak to the industry you are in or want to be in. LinkedIn is an extension of your personal brand. Your profile should represent you accurately and should be consistent with your resume, cover letter, other application materials, and your social media outlets. If a recruiter looks at your resume and then your LinkedIn account are they going to be confused or will these items be consistent? About Me Always remember to include a summary. Ah yes, the dreaded summary! The summary section is an extension of your headline. It also represents your personal brand. As painful as this writing process may be, it can either entice someone to look at the rest of your LinkedIn profile or move on to the next. Be sure to include 3-5 brief paragraphs that help the reader learn more about you. Don’t be afraid to show your personality here, but always keep it professional. Need some inspiration? Check out these summary examples or view profiles of individuals in your industry/position/company of interest. Photo Your profile photo should be professional and recent. No party pics or photos from 15 years ago! Don’t have a professional photo? Not to worry, your smartphone can do the trick. Find a friend or family member, head outdoors, and snap a few photos in good lighting. Choose backdrops that are simple, such as a solid-colored wall or a tree. Cover Photo Consider including a background photo that represents your field or the field you are targeting. If you’re interested in fashion merchandising, include photos of textiles, a sewing machine, or a mannequin. Are you an Engineer? You might include a photo of construction plans, a ruler, a level, or a compass. You get the idea! URL Create a customized LinkedIn URL. This should be a combination of your first and last name. As cute as it may be, please don’t use something like linkedin.com/in/surferchick. Keep it simple and profesh! Psst, this goes for your email address too. This URL can be used in the heading section of your resume to direct hiring managers to your LinkedIn account. Media If applicable, add media to your profile. Because LinkedIn is your virtual resume, you have an opportunity to add some of your projects and work. Items to include might be publications, PowerPoint presentations, blog posts, a link to a personal website, etc. This is your chance to shine. Go for it! Privacy Settings Don’t forget to adjust your privacy settings. Depending on your employment needs or comfort with sharing your profile, you may want to adjust your privacy settings. You can control how much the public can see of your profile, whether others can see if you have looked at their profile, manage your email notifications, and more. Target Fields or Companies Target Job searches are most effective when you have a target. What type of position are you looking for? What companies are you interested in? Is there a certain location that is a priority? Filters Use the LinkedIn search filters to your advantage. For example, maybe you are interested in Product Management positions in the Santa Barbara, CA area. Simply type “Product Management” into the LinkedIn search bar. Then, select “all filters”. Here you can filter out “Product Management” by people, locations, and industries. These filters will help you locate individuals who are in Product Management positions in the Santa Barbara area. You can then begin following companies who meet your search criteria, make connections with individuals, and even narrow down your job search target. Take a look at this video that demonstrates how to use the search filter, including how to utilize a Boolean Search. Start a List Once you begin identifying companies and individuals that are of interest and meet your search criteria, be sure to start a list. Begin jotting down those companies and individuals as you will want this list for your networking purposes. Check out this downloadable job tracking worksheet from Glassdoor. Hold this

Get Your Resume the Attention it Deserves in 5 Steps

Get That Job

11/27/18

Melanie Pearce Hooper

Why is resume writing so hard? What seems like a fairly straightforward part of the job search process can sometimes be the most difficult. Have you ever found yourself with a major case of writer’s block when it comes to creating or updating your resume? And why is it so much easier to help someone else with their resume, but when it comes to writing your own you don’t know where to even start? And how is it possible to spend hours and hours perfecting your resume when a hiring manager may only glance at it for 30 seconds (maybe less)? The resume writing process can make you want to pull your hair out. There has to be a better way! There is a better way. I am going to provide you with five steps to make the resume writing process, easier, relatively pain-free, and most importantly, effective. Stick with me. I am going to help you polish your resume and get it the attention it deserves. Tailor it. If you were to take only one thing away from this post (this is only hypothetical, I know you’re an overachiever and will read this post from start to finish) this is it. Are you paying attention? Tailor. Your. Resume. What does this mean? It means don’t even think about sending out a zillion generic resumes because you want to apply to as many positions as you possibly can. This is a huge waste of your precious time. What is your target? What type of position, industry, or company are you applying to? Who will your audience be? Who will be reading your resume? Do you like spending time reading things that don’t interest or pertain to you? I didn’t think so. Neither do hiring managers. They read hundreds and hundreds of resumes. Like everyone else, hiring managers figure out how to gather the information they need from your resume in a very short amount of time. A productive job search will yield many, many different versions of your resume. Some versions will only vary slightly from the other, especially if you are applying for similar types of positions in the same industry, but having just one, generic resume will not do it. Remember, it’s about the quality of your resume, not the quantity sent out that counts. Create a targeted, polished resume that keeps the hiring manager interested. Pro tip! Generate and maintain a master resume. The master resume is used for your own personal reference. The master will help you keep a running list of your experiences, skills, and accomplishments. When you are ready to apply for your dream position, you can pick and choose which pieces from your master resume that you will include on your tailored version. Formatting is key. Have you ever opened up a website on your browser and it is a just a hot mess? What did you do? I bet in .5 seconds you closed that page down and moved on to the next. Well, you guessed it, the same goes for your resume. If your resume is messy and hard to read, the hiring manager will move on to the next resume in the stack. Formatting your resume, however, can be a nightmare. You’re fighting with tables, indentations, spacing between lines, etc. You may even give up and use a template. But here’s the thing: simple is better. The fancier you try to make your resume, the messier it can look. Remember, that a hiring manager is going to take roughly 30 seconds (some studies report much less than 30 seconds) to skim through your resume. A simple, clean, and organized document will make for easy reading. If your resume is too cluttered, the font is too big or too small, or the format is not consistent, you are going to lose that reader, and fast. Pro tip! Use bold fonts for your heading and section titles. Italics, underlining, and symbols can also help create a clean format (take a look at this template as a general guide) As a rule of thumb, use standard font types, avoid boxes and tables, and do not use colored fonts other than black. You may choose to also adapt a more stylized version of your resume (that includes color or a more creative format) to be used at networking events or when emailing a recruiter directly. However, just be sure that you are using a simplified version of your resume when submitting an online application (learn more about Applicant Tracking Systems here). When you take a look at your finished resume product, do you have a good balance on your document? Meaning, is there unused white space, have you scrunched everything onto the left hand side? If so, re-format so that you have a good use of space. I also highly recommend bullet points within your experience sections. Make it easy for the reader gather the information they need quickly. Sections draw attention. Here’s the thing. Your section titles are going to make or break your resume. How do you get the hiring manager interested in actually reading your resume? You make the section titles interesting and pertinent to the position in which you are applying. And you must arrange the sections in an order that makes sense. What are the most relevant pieces of your resume? Is it your experience or skills section? If so, are those towards the top of your resume or hiding at the bottom? Remember when we talked about templates in #2? Not all templates are going to be set up for your particular resume needs. Don’t be afraid to manipulate the section order and naming of section titles to catch the reader’s eye. Pro tip! Consider two experience sections on your resume. One section might be “Relevant Experience” or “Technical Experience” or “Financial Experience” and another might be “Other Experience” or “Additional Experience”. It is far better to have multiple experience sections than to have one