I teach social media for job hunters several times a month and meet lots of great people. When I talk about twitter, I often hear, “Twitter’s stupid.” If you don’t need a job and think twitter is stupid you can stop reading right now.
If you have an open mind, you might be very surprised at the number and types of jobs available on twitter. I was talking to a recruiter recently and she said that when she gets a new professional position, the FIRST place she posts it is twitter. Why? Because it’s easy, it’s free and she knows that only people who ‘get’ social media will be looking there. Only people with updated skills know to look on twitter.
Remember, you don’t have to have twitter followers or follow anyone to search the powerful real time network. Go to twitter, find the search box and input any of the following:
For those of us who have heard these words, just reading them in can make us wince.
The new George Clooney movie, Up in the Air, is about being let go. I recommend it to anyone who’s in transition. (Grab a friend and head to a matinee; you’ll be glad you did.) Up in the Air is just like hell in the hallway. You may not choose it, but once you’re there, you have choices to make. Action is necessary, patience is key.
When I was young, I was fired from a job. Here’s the story. For one of my first jobs, I worked part time selling shoes. The store manager kept telling me to ask every customer if they wanted a purse, stockings and other ’stuff’ in addition to the shoes. The few times I tried it, the customer snorted at me. I didn’t like pushing items that people didn’t ask for. I knew I wasn’t cut out for that kind of selling and so did my boss. He gently “let me go” 2 weeks before Christmas.
Later in my career, when I was laid off from Eastman Kodak after 17 years; I was fortunate. I was offered several alternative positions but ultimately I took a package and left the company to start my own business.
Do you feel stuck or are you energized? Are you using your time wisely or are you worrying your days away? What are you teaching your children by your actions?
There are so many free interesting educational opportunities. Here is just one: free video courses from Columbia, Yale, UCLA, Michigan and MIT.
Whether it’s continuing your education, upgrading your skills, finding a mentor, starting a business or deciding to change professions; you do not have to be afraid to hear those words. My favorite saying works at any time of the year: change is good, timing is everything, patience is the key.
“You do not have to be good,” is a line from a poem by Mary Oliver (Wild Geese). When I first read that line I was shocked. Growing up an Irish Catholic in Boston (yes, home of the Puritans), I learned early in life that ‘being good’ was required.
Over the years, I learned that while being good is an important part of ‘being a good person,” believing that I had to be good all the time caused problems. Why? Because it meant that I had to pretend that I never got angry. And anger is a normal part of a person’s range of emotions. It’s not getting or feeling angry that’s a problem; it’s what we do with that anger.
To release my anger appropriately I learned to:
Hit the bed with a tennis racket (try it, it’s great!)
Scream loudly while driving in the car (alone, of course- on the highway is best)
Exercise and play sports
Listen to really loud music (and dance around)
Talk to a friend, who will listen and not give advice (second part is really important)
In times of stress, we all find ways to cope. At this time of the year, particularly with New Year’s resolutions flying around, I want us to talk about this emotion. I can be a hidden enemy since there are a lot of unhealthy ways to cope with it. And worst of all, when I don’t deal with it, it comes out sideways in the form of overeating,unnecessary shopping and yelling at the people at inappropriate times. I really don’t want to do any of those.
I dislike new year’s resolutions so I’m not making any. I do like focus and I have my eyes on the prize for 2010.
Mine are:
1) Live one day at a time, just this day right here.
2) Tell the people who mean the most to me how much I love them, everyday.
That’s it.
Got constructive ways of dealing with anger? Please share them so we can all learn to cope better.
This is my favorite question to ask when I’m interviewing for a job. I say, “I’m looking for a great place to work. Why is Xyz Company a great place to work?” The range of responses is revealing.
Some hiring managers have already answered this question in the way they talk about their work, their team and the company. It is apparent from their enthusiasm that they like where they work.
Others are not as comfortable. I look for body language to read between the lines. Slumping shoulders, a lowering of their voice, eyes to the floor (maybe all in a split second) tell me that they are not as convinced as they’d like to be.
I liked this article on, determining the corporate culture of a company. While jobs are tight (and they won’t be forever), the ability to assess whether a company is a good fit for us is an important skill.
Think about answering these questions for the last place you worked and then think of the answers you’d like to have for your next employer.
What 5 key words or key phrases best describe your company?
What would you guess would be the 5 key words or phrases that your (husband/wife…) would use to describe your company?
What is your favorite day of the workweek? Why?
By the way, turnabout is fair play. I am always prepared to answer their question about why I’m the kind of employee who would contribute to making their company a great place to work. Happy Holidays.
Tis’ the season to need a laugh and here you go. This link will take you to stories of things that people have said in job interviews. They simply couldn’t have made them up. To tell a funny interview story on myself; I once called an executive by the wrong name (his name was Leo I was calling him Bill) during one part of a job interview. Why didn’t he say something? (I got the job anyway, phew.) Here are a couple of my favorites to get you started.
Hiring managers report:
When I told a college student that the position would not work with his schedule, he asked, “Can I hire an assistant?” No. Goodbye.
Candidates have asked me if they can work under the table. Huh?
We had an applicant who put down as a qualification that he had his haircut by Charles Worthington and had done some hair modeling. He was applying for a financial analyst. That hair thing is so important in the numbers game.
Q) A goal you worked very hard to achieve?
A) My Girlfriend! Umm.
Q) Your scores on the resume don’t match from what you just said?
A) Oh! I might have sent you the wrong resume. This resume was for XYZ company! Speechless.
An applicant said she was a “people person” not a “numbers person” – in her interview for an accounting position. Perfect.
And my favorite…
I once had a friendly well-dressed guy fill out his application with sparkly purple ink. I asked him about it and he said that he felt the purple would help to make him more memorable. Memorable? Yes. Employed? No.
Please share your funny interview stories; I’ll post them after the first of the year.
There’s a new movie coming out called the Lemonade Movement. Lemonade Movie. I don’t know much about it except that I watched this video trailer for it and found it inspirational. The clip shows people who have lost their jobs who are now doing new, fun and fulfilling work. Not what they planned on… but much better. So I say, they’re doing it right. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a minute to watch this short video of people who lost their jobs and found themselves.
I’m just like these folks and many of you; I’m out there finding my way. I know that though there are many risks and a lot of uncertainty; there are also some very cool rewards. Each of us can find our way. That’s what makes it good. What’s even better is that we can stand by each other and offer encouragement. I hope you’ll take a minute today and encourage yourself and someone else.
And speaking of doing it right; if you don’t know or follow Chris Brogan, I suggest you check him out. Chris is the co-author of a terrific book call Trust Agents. Check out his book and blog and my favorite, his newsletter. He writes it like he’s talking just to me. He reminds me to help and promote others, not to take myself too seriously and to always do good work. I appreciate that because I know he is walking the walk.
You are on the verge of something something big. Let me know what it is…
When we lose our jobs, most of us go into ‘deer in the headlights’ mode. Even if we know it’s coming, we still freak out. For those of us who are actively managing the change; the emotional transition, while difficult, doesn’t slow us down.
For those who choose, and yes I use the word choose, to ignore the realities of the economy and our ability to earn a living; you will get no sympathy from me. Each of us is responsible for our own careers. Whatever has happened in the past, no matter how long you’ve worked for your current employer; you still need to face the facts. Employment security is a thing of the past.
After I was laid off, I made a decision to actively network with 5 to 10 people a week. When I would meet with a new contact, many of whom were employed, I would tell them how much I enjoyed looking for a new job. Their mouths would drop open. They simply could not understand how someone could enjoy what they considered to be an “ego-deflating”, “unnerving” and “unrewarding” process. I completely disagree that finding a new way to use my skills, learn new things and make a positive contribution to our society (oh yeah, and pay the bills) is unrewarding. It’s cool. So I suggest that people, no matter how unsettled you are, to get up and take action. If you’re not sure what to do, ask someone. Here’s some great advice from Chris Brogan on ‘getting on with it.’
I always believe (because it’s in my best interest to) that whatever I do next will be better than I could imagine. This isn’t just a Pollyanna attitude; it’s a way of living life. There’s a saying, “Fake it ‘til you make it.” Wise advice.
I don’t have to be certain of what the next phase of my life will be. I only have to believe that, whatever it is; it will be good. And it starts today. I don’t have one minute to waste on negative energy. What will it take for you to truly believe that job hunting is cool?
I recently attended a local TEDx (Technology, Entertainment, Design) event. TED’s focus is stimulating thinking and innovation by bringing together speakers and an audience from as many divergent fields as possible. A perfect networking opportunity.
I showed up by myself. Why? Because while I am uncomfortable walking into this room full of hundreds of people alone; I know that if I am with a friend, I will miss opportunities to meet new people. As I pushed my way through the crowd, I saw a few people I know. I said hello but quickly moved on. I’m here to make new connections and I can’t do that talking to people I already know well.
The first person I met was from Rochester Institute of Technology. The demonstration is remote movement technology. Fascinating. In the auditorium, I sat down in an empty seat. I started talking and laughing with the guy next to me. It turned out he’s the vice president of human resources for one of Rochester’s largest employers.
A few minutes later, a young man plunked down in the seat on the other side of me. He’s a Taiwanese national who is studying industrial design at one of the local college. We shared ideas about design.
If you are looking for a job or trying to build your company, I suggest you attend events alone. Being a little uncomfortable is a good thing. It means you are stretching beyond your comfort zone. Are you meeting 5-10 new people a week? There are a lot of ways to do this; you need to make a real effort. What’s your favorite way or place to meet new people? Please share your thoughts.
*Song lyrics from George Thorogood and the Destroyers, I Drink Alone. My blog does not advocate drinking and certainly not drinking alone.
If I could do only one thing all day, what would it be?
In a job hunt, every day can seem the same and ‘selling yourself’ can become boring. So how do we get new ideas? We start by getting a new perspective. When I read the article, “When You Need a Completely New Career“, in Forbes, it started me thinking about my own career journey.
Originally trained as a foreign language teacher, I found that while I loved teaching, I didn’t see the kind of career choices that I wanted in that field. After getting my Master’s degree, I went to work at Eastman Kodak Company. For 17 years I had a wide variety of assignments. With each new job offer, I asked myself if the skills I would learn there would help me grow my own business. I didn’t know what that business would be… but I knew I wanted to try. When the timing was right, I jumped on the chance to strike out on my own.
Here’s an idea, write a short autobiography. In it, describe the things you’ve done that you absolutely loved doing. Don’t write, oh I loved the people… write what you did with or for people that you enjoyed the most. As a kid, what did you love to do? If you had no financial responsibilities, what would you do? Think about the things that make you light up and that you just can’t seem to shut up about. You may not find a career doing those things but it may help your creative flow.
Just thinking about these things isn’t as productive as writing them down. Once on paper, the ideas can be reviewed, sifted through and reorganized. If you’re stuck, talk it over with someone (I suggest someone outside your family). Have that person listen to you for 15-20 minutes; ask them to take some notes. Then you can listen and take notes for them. You might be surprised at what you’ll learn.
Let me know what you found out. Sharing is a very important part of growth and change. We’re all in this together.
You might wonder what Lucille Ball, Michael Jordan, Ulysses S. Grant and the Beatles have in common. They were all thought to be failures. Lucy’s high school theater teacher thought she was too shy, Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team and Grant failed so many times that, at 38, he finally went to work for his father. Lastly, the record company that listened to the Beatles thought guitar music was ‘on its way out’ when they turned them down.
These household names not only had talent, they also persevered. If you watch this video, you’ll find a source of inspiration. Feeling discouraged? Remember what each of these failures faced. The difference between them and a lot of other very talented people is that they did not say, “I give up.” They just kept going.
At a time when the world is moving faster and opportunities may seem elusive; it is important that we simultaneously lighten up and bear down. Remember the good inside you and decide that, as one of our most patient and famous Rochester forbearer’s, Susan B. Anthony, once said, “Failure is impossible.”
When I first saw this video, it was like listening to a wise friend. Patricia Ryan Madson says, “Ready or not, scared or not…improvise your life, no matter what, don’t give up,” from ‘A Way of Life’. I want to be a cheerleader for you and what you want to do. If you need some encouragement; I hope you’ll call on me. It’s your faith in me, your encouragement and kind words that keep me going. Thank you!
I teach social media for job hunters several times a month and meet lots of great people. When I talk about twitter, I often hear, “Twitter’s stupid.” If you don’t need a job and think twitter is stupid you can stop reading right now.
Life Transitions, job search | Deborah | 
March 10, 2010 6:34 am | 
Comments (4) 
ed a laugh and here you go. 
When we lose our jobs, most of us go into ‘deer in the headlights’ mode. Even if we know it’s coming, we still freak out. For those of us who are actively managing the change; the emotional transition, while difficult, doesn’t slow us down.
g lyrics from George Thorogood and the Destroyers, 
. You might be surprised at what you’ll learn.
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