Holiday tips for your job search

It seems like this time of year everyone has a few tricks or ideas to get through the holidays.  Either to enhance the joy of the season or is some cases flat out survival.  From gift ideas to travel tips to party planning to baking and cooking gems there is an expert willing to dispense their knowledge at a high level.  So I thought I would throw my hat in the ring to provide some holiday thoughts related to your job search.

1)  Seek balance.  With party after party after party with sweets, drinks, and extra meals, have you ever craved a good salad over the holidays to put an end to the seemingly endless stomachaches?  In the same way, take some time off of your search to spend with loved ones or flat out "me" time.  Catch a few movies, sleep in, and enjoy some down time.  It is still okay to stay active during the holidays, but with many hiring managers away from the office the response rate may be delayed.  So don't feel guilty if you're not online ten hours a day looking for that "perfect" opening.

2)  Set goals now.  Have you ever noticed how many people use New Year's Resolutions as a crutch to do whatever they want to do over the holidays?  Go ahead and put on fifteen pounds because you are going to vow to lose twenty by January 1, right?  Why not set a reasonable goal to lose ten pounds in the new year and gain no more than five over the holidays?  In the same way, think of where you hope to be with any pending career moves NOW and then generate activity in the coming days and weeks that move you closer to those goals.  No sense in waiting.

3)  Be thankful for what you have.  Instead of asking our kids what they want for Christmas each year we like to remind them what they already have.  It makes the idea of asking for everything in the Toys R Us catalog seem a little more ridiculous because they are already reflective on how blessed they truly are.  In your job search the first question you should always ask yourself is why am I not happy now?  Or better yet, am I happy and I don't even see it since a few things here and there don't go my way.  News flash - there is no such thing as the "perfect" job or "perfect" employer.  Maybe, just maybe, you should be more focused on how you can make your current situation better before you jump the fence to see if the grass is any greener on the other side.

4)  Take time to reflect.  I have seen a lot of commercials recently for shows coming up in the next few weeks that are reviewing the year of 2014.  If pop culture, music, TV, celebrity news, and world events are all worth reflecting on, isn't your current working situation a good one to think about too?  Try to be objective and view things from a 30,000-foot perspective.  We always live in the now and sometimes forget to look back to see what has shaped us and led us to where we are now.  This is particularly poignant for a job search.  Why are you even looking in the first place?  How many moves have you made in the past five years?  How many of your career goals have you achieved?  If you even set goals in the first place.

5)  Find a mentor or thank the one you have.  I am fortunate to have several people in my life that I can always count on if I am facing a difficult or important decision.  Career moves definitely fit into that category.  If you don't have this voice of reason to rely on during a job search you might make a move that goes bad and could have been prevented.  As a third party recruitment consultant I like to think I fit into that category for my clients and candidates alike.  But if you don't have that luxury, lean on the shoulders of those that have gone before you.  People that have made mistakes, recovered from them, and have learned something that could be valuable to you.  Mentors are ALWAYS willing to provide their wisdom and knowledge.

What other tips have gotten you through the holidays that have coincided with a job search?  Have you had something happen recently that would be good for others to know?

Happy holidays to you and yours.  I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts through blog over the past year and really look forward to more topics to explore together next year!

Don't give up, don't ever give up on your job search

For those of you that are not sports' fans and possibly have not heard about Jim Valvano's infamous speech many years ago, you should Google it and watch it.  Even if you don't know the first thing about basketball you will be inspired.

It holds more significance for me as I coach my son's fourth grade basketball team.  My son and I watched it together during Jimmy V week, and he didn't quite understand why I was crying throughout the entire piece.  I even used the inspiration to get the boys fired up over the weekend in a game where we were down 18 points and it looked like it was over mid-way through the second half.  I asked if anyone wanted to give up, and of course none of them did.  We came all the way back to force triple overtime and lost in heart-breaking fashion on a made free throw by the opponent.  We could have all thrown in the towel, had the same outcome (a loss), and on paper we would be in the same place today.  I was thrilled the team didn't want to go down that path.

I can't tell you how many times I have worked with candidates and clients alike that were ready to throw in the proverbial towel.  The candidate(s) couldn't find the right job or get the offer on the job they really wanted.  The client(s) couldn't find the right candidate or get themselves talked into extending an offer on a candidate that really wasn't their first choice.  Here are some thoughts that Jimmy V would probably offer to someone caught in that situation:

1)  Give it your best, even when you don't feel up for it.  The night of his infamous speech Jimmy V needed help getting up and down from the stage.  His body was worn down from tumors, treatments, and general weariness.  He admitted to not wanting to be there to accept the award, but he came despite his exhaustion and pain.  You would never know by watching his speech how awful he must have really felt.  If you are experiencing pain in your life, no matter how significant, show up to an interview or a meeting giving 120% as you don't know if that is your only shot at making an impression.

2)  Don't listen to others telling you to stop.  At one point during his speech Jimmy V mocks the red light that is the sure signal from the producers of the show that your time was up.  He joked that he is about to die from the dreaded cancer taking over his body and they wanted him to wrap up his thoughts in a matter of seconds.  He seized the opportunity and powered through, giving one of the most memorable speeches in recent sports' history.  During you search you might come across people that think you should just stay put and remain miserable because that is just what work life is all about.  Don't listen to those people.  Go blaze your own trail!

3)  Let people know you care.  Some professional business coaches and recruiters say to keep emotion out of the interview process.  I don't necessarily agree with that.  At one point during the speech Jimmy V says, "To me there are three things everyone should do every day.  Number one is laugh.  Number two is think, spend some time in thought.  Number three, you should have your emotions move you to tears.  If you laugh, think, and cry, that is one heck of a day."  Maybe keep most of the crying out of an interview, but you get the point.  Being relate-able is a lost skill in today's world of sterile social media posts for updates on peoples' lives.  Tell some stories, live a little, and show the person on the other side of the desk that you are a real person.

If you really listen to the speech you will notice that Jimmy V doesn't talk much about basketball despite being a coach.  His sage advice can be applied in many aspects of life, and I'm here today to insert it into the conversation regarding your job search.

What inspires you to look for a new job?  Or procure the one you are in final stages with a prospective employer?  The holidays and year-end usually bring up many of these questions.  Happy to hear your stories and thoughts as always as you reflect this time of the year.

How to overcome a mistake during a search

We have all been there at some point in our careers.  Considering a move, talking to another employer or two, and you fear you stumble by making a mistake or misstep in the process.  I would make the case that a mistake is bound to happen at some point.  It is not necessarily about prevention, but rather how you react when it inevitably happens.

I thought this picture was perfect for my blog topic today as it is an everyday item tripping someone up.  The proverbial slip on a banana peel is something you have likely never seen happen in person, but everyone can relate to the story that is being told.  I also think this time of year about slipping on that patch of ice you don't see coming after a winter storm in the Midwest.  After the slip you always find yourself looking around to see who saw that slip.

When a mistake is made during a search you may do the same thing.  Maybe you were a little late to the first interview.  Or you forgot to add an accomplishment to the most recent copy of your resume before the meeting.  Maybe even brought the wrong copy of your resume to the employer.  You can really sit and wonder if you blew it or you can work through the mistake when it happens.

I am all about moving on.  You must not pretend like the mistake never happened, but you have to keep going forward.  Acknowledge that it occurred and then try to overcome any lost momentum.  My son's youth basketball team had a game yesterday and on an out-of-bounds play accidentally scored on the other team's basket.  Two points for them and a lot of confusion for our team.  As the coach I decided to let them play through it and talk about it at the next timeout.  I brought the play up, asked if anyone was still thinking about it, and of course the answer was no.  They had already moved on and we ended up winning a close game.  By that time the mistake was a distant memory.

Now what if the mistake is a big one and can't just be overlooked as easily?  First thing I would suggest is to own it.  Do not act as though it did not happen.  Recently I had a candidate show up over two hours late to a meeting.  Granted traffic was the main cause and out of the candidate's control, but that is a big problem.  The client still met the candidate, had concerns afterward, we all talked about it, and everyone acknowledged it was not a deal killer.  The candidate really took ownership of the issue and apologized for not allowing enough cushion up front.  It is still likely something in the back of my client's mind, but that idea of accountability really seemed to resonate.  Joan Collins once said show me someone who has never made a mistake and I'll show you someone who never achieved much.

Lastly, what about the mistake that you don't even know happened?  This is the hardest one to overcome and requires a little more work.  This is when you can sense some tension during an interview or when receiving some feedback.  You sense some hesitation and wonder if you went wrong somewhere.  I would recommend digging into it a little more.  Without being overwhelming ask the direct and honest question - is something wrong?  I can't tell you how many times candidates and clients alike have admitted to something when I pushed politely for an answer.  Sometimes it is told to me in confidence, but without being able to process bad news occasionally we would all be left wondering.

How about you?  Have you overcome a mistake during a search that turned out well?  Or perhaps even one that did not turn out well but sharing with others could be a learning experience.