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FIVE SECRETS TO GETTING HIRED!
To ace the interview you need to know how the interviewer thinks. In his book 'Knock 'em Dead: The Ultimate Job Seeker's Guide,' author and job-hunting guru Martin Yate examines the interview from the employer's perspective and shares the five secrets to getting hired. Secret 1: Ability and Suitability
The first secret is to show the interviewer you have both ability and suitability. Every working professional has a combination of skills that broadly define his or her ability and suitability. For example, a good computer programmer working in a bank has both technical and professional skills; that is, the ability to program a computer as well as knowledge of how to get things done in the banking industry and the capacity to work well with bankers. Yate suggests you itemize your technical/professional skills as they parallel the requirements of the job. Then recall an incident to illustrate each of those skills. If applying for a job in an industry with which you're familiar, consider highlighting your industry sensibilities by describing how you've successfully collaborated and accomplished goals with other industry professionals. Secret 2: Willingness The second secret is not to flip out if your interviewer asks if you're willing to make coffee or take out the trash -- especially if you're looking for a job in a small office. More and more potential employers are using these questions to gauge whether you are the kind of person who is prepared to do whatever it takes to help the team. Think of a time when you went the extra mile and how your doing so helped the company. Then rehearse the story until you can tell it in 90 seconds. Secret3: Manageability and Teamwork Avoiding a nightmare employee is a major concern for managers who develop, over time, a remarkable sixth sense when it comes to spotting and weeding out mavericks and prima donnas. Being 'manageable' and a team player means that you can work independently as well as with others and can take direction and criticism. Also crucial is the ability to work and get along with a diverse workforce in terms of sex, age, religion, race, politics, abilities/disabilities or national origin. Make sure you demonstrate with words and actions that you are someone who gets along well with people and has no problem tolerating differing opinions or beliefs. Don't bring up religious, political or racial matters during the job interview. Secret 4: Professional BehaviorYate says there are a number of universally admired behavioral traits common to successful people in all fields. They are: Drive;
Motivation;
Communication skills;
Team chemistry;
Energy;
Determination;
Confidence;
Reliability;
Honesty/integrity;
Pride;
Dedication;
Analytical skills;
Listening skills;
Goal-orientation;
Efficiency;
Economy; and
Ability to follow procedures.
Yate suggests you pick several of the traits that apply to you and that you can back up with stories from your work history. The idea is to create a mental movie of an event, which is much more powerful than simply stating your strong points. Secret 5: Everyone Hires for the Same Job
All companies are looking for problem solvers. So think of your profession in terms of its problem-solving responsibilities. Then, identify a list of related problems you have solved for your past employers. Come up with specific examples for as many different success stories as you can think of. Then, ask what the first projects you as an employee would be involved in if hired. From there, you can select the most relevant problem-solving examples to share. When reciting these examples use the following formula: State the problem.
Isolate relevant background information.
List your key qualities.
Recall the solution. . Determine what the solution was worth.
Remember, stories help interviewers visualize you solving their problems as a paid member of the team.
Keep these secrets in mind when preparing for your next interview. Approaching the interview from the employer's perspective and demonstrating your strengths through stories will cast you in a great light and make it hard for the interviewer to forget you. For more of Martin Yates' keen insight, visit www.knockemdead.com
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Hello Everyone~ 
It was our pleasure to have met so many talented people during our free resume coaching sessions this past week. For those that participated it is our sincere hope that you found your sessions with each coach to be helpful and informative. One person that was coached by Alisa said this, " I was touched that an organization would take the time to give some advice to someone who is unemployed and struggling. Alisa really cares and her coaching came from her heart. Thank you Mr. Jackson, and tonight I am going to figure out how I can work with Alisa because I believe her coaching will help me find my path to a new job". Whether you decided to work with our firm or not, our intent to help out was authentic and from the heart. We know that it is tough out there and we are willing to work with you on our fees.
For those who are new to our weekly newsletter and may not have read the web site completely, we do offer free coaching sessions so that you can experience our coaching technique. Don't be shy about asking for a free session because you are afraid we will be selling you on our services. We simply want you to experience coaching and determine if it is something that will help you in your job search.
Well our weekly newsletter is read by over 50,000 people each week now. We hear often from readers about how much they appreciate the newsletter and my blog which you can find by looking in the left had corner of our home page. Please visit frequently, www.JacksonLifeCoaching.com.
This weeks newsletter is packed with great stuff.. so enjoy and let us hear from you!
MikalJackson
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 "BRAND ME" - PERSONAL BRANDING REPLACE THE RESUME?
Using social media effectively can garner a lot of immediate attention and that's just what those in today's job market want - immediacy plus the ability to stand out.
The economy and our friends LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter have created not only the desire, but the ability to establish and build a personal, virtual brand. It's not surprising to me that people are using the principles I apply when creating employer brands to market themselves. And its even spawned a new niche - the personal branding expert.
There's a particular book with the clever title Me 2.0 that's getting a lot of attention. It's written by Dan Schawbel - a "personal branding force of nature" (according to Fast Company). In the book Schawbel offers up a 4-step process to build a powerful brand (discover, create, communicate, maintain). He founded an excellent, award-winning blog on the subject and created an award for, you guessed it, the best personal brands. The awards are given to those "who express what it means to create and execute on their brand value to achieve their dreams."
This particular post titled The Brand Called You may be a wee bit dated, but the rationale behind and advice on how to start building your personal brand is timeless:
· What makes you different?
· What did I do that I am most proud of?
· What do I want to be famous for?
The author states "You are a brand. You are in charge of your brand. There is no single path to success. And there is no right way to create the brand called You. Except this: Start today. Or else."
Yikes. Or else?
Will using social media become the new job requirement and a personal brand the new resume? When you examine the trends - and the possibilities for us all by implementing a personal brand strategy - time will certainly tell.
JACKSON LIFE COACHING CAN HELP YOU CREATE YOUR 'BRAND'. JUST GIVE US A CALL OR SEND US AN E MAIL AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!
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WHEN UNEMPLOYMENT IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT!
The National Employment Law Project reports that both the number of unemployed workers and the percentage of workers who have been out of work for six months have reached record highs. The average length of unemployment is now over six months. Workers are starting to run out of the extended benefits provided by the stimulus plan. Christine L. Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project says, "Starting this month, significant numbers of workers will reach the end of these extensions, with the numbers growing significantly in August and September to many hundreds of thousands." What can you do if your unemployment runs out or you're about to run out of unemployment benefits? First of all, check with your State Unemployment Office to make sure that you are receiving all the extended benefits you qualify for. If you're close to being out, take a look at the other resources that are available and take advantage of whatever you can to help you get by until you find a new job. When Unemployment Runs Out Ask for Help
Don't be proud -- your temporarily reduced circumstances may entitle you to food stamps or other government benefits. Remember you paid for those benefits out of every paycheck you earned. Your state's Social Services department can inform you what assistance you qualify for. If you are a member of a church, ask if any help is available. Community organizations often have resources to help the unemployed with food baskets, donations, and babysitting assistance. If you can get assistance from family or friends, don't hesitate to ask. Go to the Library
Check with your local library. Many libraries have computers you can use to search for jobs, as well as job search workshops. In addition, if you don't have your own computer you can use the library computer to check email (get a free Gmail, Yahoo, or other account), and apply for jobs (save a copy of your resume and cover letters online using Google Docs). Check With Your Local One-Stop Career Center
Check with your local One-Stop Career Center. They often have information on local resources such as community organization that may be able to offer support with utility bills, food costs, etc. One-Stops might also have information on temporary positions, in addition to permanent or long-term job listings and possible assistance with upgrading skills/obtaining training to increase the job seeker's marketability.
Shahrzad Arasteh, Career Consulting Services Try Temping
Call Kelly, Manpower, and any other temp agency in your area and make an appointment ASAP. Temp work is an excellent way not only to generate revenue quickly and keep job skills sharp. It also can lead to a permanent position.
Jayne Cravens, Consultant and Volunteer Career Counselor Join a Job Club
Look for a job club in your area and join one that is a good fit for your needs. Job clubs are usually free to join and can be great for creating a supportive environment, mutual support and accountability (you're much more likely to make that networking call if you know you'll be asked how it went next week!), as well as leads fellow job seekers learn about.
Shahrzad Arasteh, Career Consulting Services Ask For an Informational Interview
One great technique is the informational interview. You call or email someone you want to talk with, and say right up front that you are not going to ask them for a job -- that takes the pressure off. Instead, you're looking to learn about that person's company, industry, job function, or so forth. Ask for just 20 minutes -- it'll go longer if the discussion is good. And if by chance there is a job available for which there is a match, the person you're "interviewing" will connect the dots. At the end - always ask for referrals and always send a thank you note.
Josh Chernin, General Manager, Web Industries Apply in Person
I suggest going to every business within walking distance of the person's house and asking if they are accepting applications, and filling out such (while well-dressed, well-groomed, and being well-spoken) -- landing even a low-paying job is better than nothing, and landing such within walking distance means no car (and no gas) is necessary to get to work.
Jayne Cravens, Consultant and Volunteer Career Counselor Call United Way
Call your local United Way and YMCA and ask if they know of organizations that provide help with finding a job, improving one's job skills, downsizing to a smaller home or sharing one's home with someone else, personal budgeting, etc.
Jayne Cravens, Consultant and Volunteer Career Counselor Call 211
Many communities have the three digit phone number 211 which is a referral to various agencies from charities, social services, non-profit credit counseling, and others. It is not the time to be proud. It is better to have some work than no work. Babysitting, mowing lawns, and freelance can bring in a small amount of cash as can selling household items. Having any job may make it easier to get a job than having no job.
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 VOLUNTEERING IS A WAY OF NETWORKING!The Jackson Family is affliated with Southern Hope Humane Society and we foster small breeds. If you are in the Atlanta area and looking for a way to fill some empty time, go to www.HopeHumane.org and check out volunteer opportunities. These cute little guys are ready to find a "forever home". They are two 7 months old male Chi/Yorkie mixes. We have fostered them from about 4 weeks and they really need to fnd a home together. If you or anyone you know may be interested in them or any of the other sweet dogs that are available, please go to the website and fill out an application! Remember, through this volunteer work you meet many people every day. There are other excellent humane societies, or you can call your local United Way office for other volunteer opportunities in your local area. Giving back while you are looking for your next job helps your state of mind, does something good for someone else, and can provide another networking opportunity .
All of us at Jackson Career/Life Coaching wish you the very best in your job search and stand ready to help you at any time.
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Unsure if Life Coaching would help you in your job search or just curious about how coaching works and how it might benefit you? Need to know how to brand yourself better, or how to effectively network - then why not try a session on us?