JACKSON CAREER/LIFE COACHING WEEKLY TRANSITION NEWSLETTER

 July 5, 2009
THIS WEEKS TOPICS
MARKETING YOURSELF
WHY YOUR SEARCH ISN'T WORKING
COMMUNICATE WITH US!
Join Our Mailing List
BEYOND YOUR COMFORT ZONE!
 

 unemploymentHello Everyone~ 

 This past week the rate of unemployment hit a 'soft' 9.5% in the states.  If you add those that are working part time and looking for full time work and those that have given up in their search for employment then the 'hard' rate of unemployment is around 16.5%.  Despite this number, there are industries that are hiring and occupational areas that are growing.  In our recent survey 92.3% of you indicated that having a search strategy was critical to your job search.  A large percentage of our coaching clients find that once they begin to look at their transferable skills they start to see that there are opportunities they had not previous considered as career choices.  Taking a skills assessment, reworking your resume to accent your skills then looking at jobs in other industries might well point you in some successful directions!  Twenty four percent of our coaching clients have found exciting jobs outside of their traditional career choices.  So do not be afraid to look outisde your comfort zone and start to explore your skill set and how it applies to other job and industry choices.  We are glad to help you think through these important issues, so please do not hesitate to contact us.
 
Welcome to our new readers - I am overwhelmed with the growth of our readership.  We are now E mailing this weekly newsletter to over 24,000 readers. The new web site is up - www.JacksonLifeCoaching.com with chat ability both in the attached social networking space as well as on the last page of the web site.  I will be attempting to blog each day on job search topics so please read and do not be shy in adding your thoughts.  We understand what you are going through so please reach out to us - we do want to help get you on the track leading to an exciting new career!
 
Have a GREAT week Friends,
 
Mikal 
 
 
 
HEDMARKETING YOURSELF IN TODAYS LABOR MARKET!
 
Okay, if you're going to find the job that you want, you're going to have to learn a very basic skill of survival in the workplace today -- you're going to have to learn how to market yourself.

Now, if you're like I am, you're probably terrified of the prospect. I know that I was. I'd always thought that marketing was a skill that took years to develop and that only people who were suave and sophisticated where able to market themselves. Luckily, I discovered that just about anyone out there can learn to market themselves.

In today's electronic age, it's easier than ever for you to successfully market yourself. What you'll need is a little bit of money -- and we're definitely talking only a little bit here -- and some drive and initiative.

1. Get up a web page.

This is important. You're living in an age where people today might be looking for your talents from anywhere in the world and unless you're able to be found by them, you're going to lose out. Both ResumeDirector.com and ResumeArrow.com provide free resume web pages when you join their services.

2. Track down leads.

If you're going to learn to market yourself successfully, you're going to have to be willing to track down any and all leads. Forget about trying to find a place that's currently looking for an opening to be filled. In all likelihood, by the time that you found out about the opening, it was already filled. What you need to do is drop a line to various companies that you're interested in working for and introduce yourself. If you do so in a sincere and clever fashion, you'll make enough of a favorable impression that might well cause someone in the company to let you know when an opening appears.

3. Brochure yourself.

One of the most effective marketing tools out there is still the brochure. If you're going to learn to market yourself, it's important that you have a brochure that you can present to prospective clients or employment officers. (If someone finds out about you online, you can send them a postal brochure with all the information that you want to impart to them and it will have a much longer lasting effect upon them than just a webpage they might have visited.)

4. Print advertising.

Since you're learning how to market yourself, you might as well learn that the print medium is still strong and powerful and people are still using it to find the services and skills from individuals. If you're a writer, for example, you might consider taking out a small ad in WRITER'S DIGEST and advertising your services. Or, if you're involved with architecture, you can take out some small ads in some of the architectural digests that might well generate some leads -- and possibly even eventual employment.

5. Locate people directly.

You can use the search engines to program for your local area zip code, your particular job skills, and it will direct you to various websites that are locally owned. From there, you can contact the individuals directly and introduce yourself. This is one of the more effective ways of getting an "in" with a local company.

When you're learning how to market yourself, you need to focus on the skills that you possess and emphasize them. In addition, it's important not to oversell yourself. The more honest and truthful you are, the more likely it is that you'll be able to successfully market yourself.


 
10 REASONS YOUR SEARCH ISN'T WORKING!
 
 
on Initially, it is overconfidence that the process will be easy and [that] time should be carved out for family, sports and other activities that were neglected when working. The opposite is true. Getting a job is usually more work than being employed," Villwock says. "The core mistake is not procrastination, not working on a résumé or not going to a networking meeting. It is not knowing the process and working the plan to get the job that you deserve." You don't get it: You've scoured the Internet for jobs. You've blanketed the market with your résumé. You've sent a basic cover letter with every application. Why isn't anything happening?
While simply submitting your application materials and waiting for an opportunity to fall in your lap might have been enough to land a job at one point in time, the frustrating reality of today's job market makes that type of job search impossible. Instead, today's job seekers must go above and beyond if they want to stand a chance at landing a great opportunity.
Competing for work is a process that requires full engagement but generates significant momentum, says Jim Villwock, author of "Whacked Again! Secrets to Getting Back on the Executive Saddle." But, many job seekers get distracted in their searches and get frustrated when they don't see results right away.
Here are 10 reasons your job search might not be succeeding:
1. You aren't networking
No one can help you find a job if you they don't know you need it. Your friends, family and previous employers all know someone who knows someone, so utilize their knowledge and connections as you look for work.
Additionally, make yourself (and your job search) visible on social and professional networking sites like BrightFuse, Facebook or LinkedIn. According to a survey by Robert Half International, 62 percent of executives think professional networking sites will be useful while searching for candidates in the next few years. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they would use social networking sites as a recruitment resource.
2. You're skipping the cover letter online
For some reason, people can't get used to the idea of how to submit a cover letter online, so they just skip the step altogether. Wrong move, people. Your cover letter is your chance to make a good first impression or address any inconsistencies on your résumé. When sending your application via e-mail, your cover letter serves as the body of the e-mail and your résumé is attached.
3. Your cover letter is generic
Now that we know you have to send a cover letter, the next step is making sure that it's not generic. You need to tailor each letter to a specific job and person, while clearly identifying the aspects of your background that meet the employer's needs, says Ane Powers, managing partner at The White Hawk Group, a career management firm.
"Your cover letter is your ticket to the interview. The ticket is voided and placed in the 'thanks, but no thanks' pile if it doesn't scream 'I am a perfect fit for this position,'" she says.
4. You're procrastinating
Oftentimes, when we don't see the results we want, we get frustrated and worried. After applying to so many jobs without hearing anything, you just don't have the energy to update your résumé, write a targeted cover letter or follow up with a hiring manager, so you put it off until tomorrow, then the next day and the next day. But why put off tomorrow what can be done today? Your dream job is not going to fall from the sky, so continue to endure and be proactive in your search.
5. You're only searching for jobs on the Internet
While job boards and company Web sites are a great starting place to find a job, the majority of open positions are never advertised, Powers says. Communicate with people who can help you: human resource managers, recruiters and successful professionals will all be key in discovering new opportunities.
6. You're not doing your research
This might be the most basic piece of job advice out there, yet some people still choose not to follow it. Executives polled by RHI said 25 percent of candidates didn't have any knowledge of the company or industry to which they're applying.
Things change every day in business, especially in today's market. It's important to know of any changes going on at the company where you're applying. If you are applying for work in a new industry, do some research to prove that you can be a valuable addition to that field.
7. You're blanketing the market with your résumé
"Attractive candidates demonstrate strategic marketing. Blanketing the market with your résumé demonstrates desperation and lack of strategic thinking," Powers says. Don't send résumés to every single job opening out there. Identify the organizations that meet your requirements and go from there.
8. You're not following up
Too many job seekers assume that if they haven't heard back from an employer, it's because they've been shot down for the position. While that may be true, there is also every possibility that your résumé never made it to its final destination or it got lost in the flood of submissions. Eighty-two percent of executives say candidates should contact hiring managers via e-mail, phone or personalized letter within two weeks of submitting their résumés, according to RHI. Just contact the hiring manager to say that you wanted to confirm your application was received and ask if there is anything else they need from you.
9. You have too many distractions
Try to focus on only your job search for a couple hours each day -- don't check your personal e-mail, make phone calls or surf the Internet (unless it's for jobs).
"Conducting a job campaign is a full-time job. As with any job, to achieve results, one needs to set goals and develop an action plan to achieve the goals," Powers says.
10. You don't ask for the job
Many candidates are shy about being to outspoken or upfront about their desire for the job, but many hiring managers will be impressed with your candor.
"Employers are looking for candidates who are excited about the position," Powers says. Be forward and ask for the position by telling the interviewer why it is a good fit for you and the organization.

 
frWHAT OUT FOR ON LINE JOB SCAMS
 
 Be Wary of Online Job Scams The internet can be a very useful tool for finding out industry information, and for hunting down job leads. However, the unwary job seeker can find themselves in financial and even legal trouble if they become involved in a scam.
Identity Theft
Also known as a phishing scam, this term describes how personal information-such as a social security number, bank account or credit card number-is obtained by a fraudulent "employer" and then used to create a false identity or withdraw money from accounts. Protect yourself from identity theft by removing all personal references from any documents you place online-and never give out this type of information until you know beyond a doubt that the job opportunity is legitimate.
 
Reshipping, Check-cashing, and Money-laundering Scams
These types of scams begin with an online job offer that claims to provide a lucrative job opportunity. An employer may ask you to receive, repackage and reship items overseas, cash checks (which are typically counterfeit or rubber) in your personal bank account then forward the money to an overseas recipient, or transfer money  from one bank account to another using your own personal account as a "middleman". All of these jobs are fronts for illegal operations.
All three of these scams can mean felony charges for anyone involved, even if they carried out these illegal activities unknowingly. In addition, you may be held financially responsible for cashing counterfeit checks.
These "job opportunities" may appear legitimate at first glance-in some cases a genuine-sounding position may be offered, and the illegal nature of the business might not become apparently immediately-but no legitimate employer should ever ask you to use your personal bank account as a holding pen for company money.
 
 Work at Home Scams
There are genuine work-at-home job opportunities out there, but sorting the good from the bad requires close examination. The scams usually promise unrealistically high incomes for doing very basic work such as stuffing envelopes, filling in online forms, or assembling craft items. What usually happens is that the job opportunity turns out to require special equipment or training that the job-seeker must pay for, or the work that is done is said to be of too low a standard to be paid for. In general, be very wary of any work at home opportunity that requires you pay a fee for any aspect of the work, and avoid any job that claims you can earn hundreds or thousands of dollars a day doing basic tasks.