 Career Success
Story of the Month
Dear Joellyn,
I am pleased to recommend you to your prospects and clients. I have worked with you for a number of years on many occasions and find your work and recommendations to be excellent. You are always on schedule and your work is accurate, neat and thorough. You take the time to learn what your clients expect and what your clients want to achieve, in addition you add to the mix exactly what they need. You have always stayed on top of industry changes and you are always willing to share your knowledge and recommendations with others.
Your coaching of me has helped me decide exactly what I want to do with my career and has helped me determine the steps I need to take to achieve my goals. I am extremely lucky to have found you and fully expect to continue to stay in touch whenever I need your guidance and assistance.
Thank you Joellyn, for all that you have done for me and for your professional yet caring personality. I will continue to recommend you to my friends and colleagues. You are a pleasure to work with.
Best regards,
Joan L. - Account Manager / Real Estate Agent
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Greetings! 
I'm so happy Spring is just around the corner. True to form, March came in "like a lion" here in Worcester, bringing 10 inches of snow the first weekend of the month. Thankfully, most of it has melted and we've actually seen some 50 degree weather and sunshine. I hope this warming trend continues! Along with the change in season, I'm also hoping that the economic stimulus package passed by the government will soon be available to help those who need it most.
Please do your best to ignore negative news about the labor market. (And I repeat myself!) Believe it or not, you can actually contribute to improving the situation by turning off negative TV news segments and avoiding "doom and gloom" newspaper articles. According to Law of Attraction principles, we get what we focus on or think about -- whether it's a situation we want -- or don't want.
Networking is still the #1 way to find a job in today's competitive labor market. I show you exactly how in my article: "How To Tap The Hidden Job Market Through Your Network." ( Note: These principles, which have worked for countless clients, are included in Step 6 of my comprehensive career coaching program.)
Whatever career problem you -- or someone you know -- may be struggling with, I can provide helpful answers and insights -- in one session! Please scroll down for details!
Here's to your Career Success!
:-) Joellyn
P.S.: A great big "Welcome!" to all new readers who subscribed since last month! You're going to love the information you'll find here to help you find greater career success and satisfaction...Enjoy! |
 Joellyn "In The News"
Worcester Telegram & Gazette dba article: "You Are What You Wear...A Local Career Coach Explains Why" Recently, I was interviewed for an article (published in the March 2009 Worcester Telegram & Gazette/dba) which explains how a person's "professional image" plays a role in getting a new job or landing a new client. Read the complete article here: |
How To Tap the Hidden Job Market Through Your Network 
by Joellyn Wittenstein Schwerdlin
The "Hidden Job Market" comprises 75% of the total jobs and perhaps 90% of the best jobs. These jobs materialize from hiring decision makers communicating about their companies' "problems," "needs," "changes," or "opportunities," but have not advertised "openings" or "vacancies" to the general public. You're likely to learn about such inside information by having what I call "referral meetings" with people in your network.
Step 1: Start by creating a primary contact list of 15-30 people you know from these categories: 1) anyone who provides a service and deals with people constantly, such as lawyers, doctors, dentists, accountants, civic and community leaders, politicians, and clergy; 2) anyone who earns their living by making contacts, such as salespeople, insurance, real estate and stockbrokers, public relations and advertising specialists; 3) important people in the business community, such as business owners, executives, business consultants, and bankers; 4) former employers and business associates; 5) family members, friends, and neighbors; 6) people in the academic community, such as professors, deans, and college presidents.
This is your "inner circle" or your "A-List": people with whom you already have a relationship. They will likely lead you to the next level of contacts:
(B) Bridge Contacts: People who can provide you with information on industries or companies you are researching. Likely to be experts in their field, and have useful contacts to refer you to for additional information or for possible job interviews and hiring.
(C) Hiring Contacts: People with authority to make a job offer or close to those decision-makers.
Step 2: After you've assembled your "A-list" decide who to contact for your first referral meeting. Preface your request with this disclaimer: "I'm in the process of taking the next step in my career. You might be able to answer some important questions for me. I don't expect you to have or know of a job opening, but the information you can give me would be very valuable and would help me plan my next step." Then describe your job and career objective and some of the steps you have taken in your campaign.
Step 3: Arrange this meeting with your contact, at a mutually convenient time and place. Have your list of questions prepared ahead of time depending on what type of information or contacts you're seeking. Your primary agenda for this meeting should be to:
A) Get feedback on how you present yourself during the meeting and how well your résumé supports your career objectives and experience. Ask for advice and suggestions for improvement.
B) Learn about developments in your profession and industry. Listen carefully for any information your contact may share about "problems," "needs," "changes," or "opportunities" within specific organizations. Hint: you may be just the person to solve this organization's problem; you just need to find out who the hiring decision maker ("C" contact) is and how to contact him or her to propose your solution; and literally create your own position!
C) Request one or two referrals to people who can be of further assistance to you in your career search. Add them to your "B" List (bridge contacts) or "C" list (hiring contacts).
D) Make sure the contact remembers you actively. Ask for permission to keep him or her informed about your progress. Every person who has become part of your contact network, now has a stake in your success. People feel good about contributing to someone else's achievement. Over time, other thoughts and ideas will come to them that they will want to share with you, if you've left a favorable impression in their minds. Send your contact a thank you letter (hard copy is better than email) within 24 hours of the meeting.
Step 4: Decide what your best takeaways were from the meeting, such as valuable inside information about specific companies and/or "B" or "C" contacts. Then, follow-up on the information you learned and schedule appointments with these people. Be sure to use the same "disclaimer" as in Step 2 and explain who referred you and why. Adjust your approach for each contact, whether you're just gathering information or communicating with a potential hiring manager. Any referral meetings you'll arrange with "C" contacts will be more focused on their company's needs and your ability to fulfill them.
Repeat the above 4 steps with other contacts on your "A" list. The good new is that you may only need to meet with 3 or 4 people on your "A-List" to get to the "B" or "C" contacts.
The referral interviewing strategy requires time, patience and persistance. If you have the right attitude and stick to the process, you will find the answers and people who will lead you to hidden job market information and hiring decision-makers who are looking for someone with your skills and talents.
© 2009 All Rights Reserved |
 Coaching with Joellyn: Get Answers to Your Career Problem in One Session! 
Whatever career problem you -- or someone you know -- may be struggling with -- a difficult workplace, changing careers, or getting better results from your job search -- I'll provide helpful answers, insights, and solutions -- in one session!
You're probably asking -- how can I do this in only one session? Here's how:
First, I'll review your current situation in detail and learn what you've been doing to change it.
Second, I'll have you take me on a "guided tour" of your career decision-making days from as far back as high school to the present. (Yes, this is very important!)
Third, I'll have enough information about you and your career --- the past, the present and a glimpse of the future --- to give you some candid feedback:
- What's working: a summary of your strengths (as I see them), career decisions you've made which have served you well and energize you, and strategies you have in place which appear to be on the right track.
- What needs attention: patterns or blind spots (which you can't easily see) that are holding you back; likely the root cause of your career problem.
- Next steps: strategies and suggestions (which you may not have thought of) to help you reach your career goals more quickly and purposefully - without spinning your wheels!
The cost: $165.00. This includes:
- A recording of the session, in MP3 format
- Written summary of the session
- 40-page e-book: "The 12 Biggest Mistakes Job Hunters and Career Changers Make -- and How to Avoid Them."
- 45-minute follow-up session
Please contact me to schedule this single session - or if you have any questions before proceeding! (Note: this session is conducted by telephone.) | |
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Quote of the Month: on "Being Yourself"
"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." -- Judy Garland (Singer / Actress)
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I really appreciate having you as a subscriber and I hope the content in this newsletter will help you be successful in your career.
See you in April!
Sincerely,
Joellyn Wittenstein Schwerdlin
"The Career Success Coach"
© 2009 All rights reserved. |
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