February 11th – The #LetteroftheDay is “C” as in Change
Change can be scary and intimidating for some people. Whether it be something as simple as learning how to set the clock on a new microwave, getting a new boss, or switching industries, change always brings out a certain level of anxiety among most people. What can you do to make change a little more manageable and less stressful?
- Accept the new normal – while you may not like the change, it is usually here to stay. Stop fighting a losing battle and embrace the change.
- Analyze the change – what factors in your life are causing your anxiety? Is there something bigger in play that you need to adjust?
- Identify your goals – with the change, have your goals changed? If so, rework what action steps you need to take to obtain your goals and step onto that clearly defined path
- Take charge of your actions – instead of letting things come to you, take the upper hand and be the aggressor
February 12th – The #LetteroftheDay is “D” as in Daily
Often clients will ask me about networking and how to network. First understand, networking is not something that you do, it is a way of life. Networking is not a one-and-done event, it is something you do on a daily basis. It is all about building relationships.
Just like you wouldn’t get married to a person after one or two dates, it takes time to build and cultivate any relationship. In the professional world as you interact with others, whether it be at a networking event or on LinkedIn, take time to genuinely learn about that person and their business instead of simply wanting to see how they might be able to help you find a job.
February 13th – The #LetteroftheDay is “E” as is Embed, as in an embedded photo in a résumé.
One of the biggest misconceptions is what you can and cannot put on a résumé that is being submitted to an applicant tracking system. Often I have heard that you cannot put an embedded photo or graphic illustration on a résumé, but nothing can be further from the truth. An ATS-optimized résumé doesn’t have to be a stripped-down, text-only version that looks like it came from 1995.
Graphics and photos are complexly acceptable to use, however be aware that while it will go through most ATS systems, the content will not be read – it will simply disappear. If you are using a graphic illustration of your sales growth, you need to make sure the content from the graph also appears in the text of the résumé.
ATS systems are only part of the process, at the end of the day, the human reader still makes the final decision.
February 14th – The #LetteroftheDay is “F” as in Favorable
When preparing your résumé, list the accomplishments that are the most favorable to you in a way that tells the story and shines that best light on the situation.
Let’s say your sales for 2015 were $4M, 2016 was $3.5M, 2017 was $2.75M and 2018 was $3.75M, and you want to put a positive spin on your résumé. Over four years your sales went down—probably not the story you want to tell. However, you could say your 2018 sales increased 36.4% YOY, which certainly comes across better than saying your sales declined over a four-year period.
Everything you do when looking for new employment matters, your job is to sell yourself and paint yourself in the most favorable light.
February 15th – The #LetteroftheDay is “G” as in Ghosting, the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone suddenly and without explanation by withdrawing from all communication.
Ghosting in the employment world has sadly become common place – Applicants who don’t show up to interviews and don’t bother to cancel, new hires that don’t show up for their first day of work, or job seekers in the middle of the interview process that seemingly drop from the face of the earth…How can a company prevent ghosting?
- Mutual respect — Hiring Managers need to do a better job of treating people like people and not like a commodity
- Evaluate your process – Does your hiring process 6 interviews over a 3-month period of time with a 2-week absence in communication while calibrating? If so, you may want to reevaluate its effectiveness
- Build a talent pool – Networking isn’t just for job seekers
As a job seeker, regardless of your reasoning, ghosting is a bad idea. Never burn your bridges.
