Job Seekers: 10 Unconventional Very Effective Tips

by Ken Jondahl

“When you ask any professional who has achieved some level of greatness how he or she got there, the journey is always unique, always varied, and rarely cookie-cutter.”

“Most have, in some capacity, followed their passion, used their network, and had a good resume–but those things are usually part of a much bigger picture, and an unpredictable winding path.”

“Instead of always following the exact by-the-book job seeking formulas, most were simply open to possibilities and got really good at whatever it is they were doing.” by Isa Adney, http://isaadney.com/

“Here are 10 unconventional (but very effective) things job seekers should try, in addition to traditional job search tactics.” by Jacquelyn Smith-Forbes

streetsmartprof‘s insight:

I enjoy reading Jacquelyn Smith. Her advice is always grounded with input from other experts, as well as her own insight to what is working and what is not around job seeking and growing your career.

The article touches on numerous ideas you may want to consider if you are currently on the job hunt. Just make sure to read Parnell’s input before jumping in with both feet:

Parnell says generally speaking, unconventional methods should be used sparingly, judiciously and only when necessary. “And when you do decide to use them, factor comprehensively by recognizing things like industry standards, personalities involved, and the general ilk of the position’s responsibilities, before strategizing.”

See on www.forbes.com

Job Search: 14 Tips For Staying Calm During An Interview

by Ken Jondahl

“You’re in the hot seat. Your palms are sweaty; voice is shaky; face is flushed; and mouth is dry. Maybe you’re bouncing your knees and talking too fast.”

“Perhaps your heart is racing or your stomach is turning. You’re nervous.”

“Why does this happen to so many job candidates?”

“When we perceive that we are in a high stakes situation, the brain doesn’t distinguish the high stakes of a job interview–where it would help to be calm, cool and collected–from the high stakes of being under threat from attack (say, from a tiger),” says Dr. Tamar Chansky, author of Freeing Yourself from Anxiety.

“Plenty of job candidates get nervous in the hot seat–but you’ll want to try your hardest to remain cool, calm and collected. Here are 14 ways to do that.” by Jacquelyn Smith – Forbes

Prefer slide show view, go here: http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45ehgee/how-to-stay-calm-during-a-job-interview/#gallerycontent

streetsmartprof‘s insight:

You have already seen most of the 14 ways to stay calm by Dr. Tamar Chansky in your own research around the job hunt. Such as the first 5, Be Prepared, Plan, Rehearse, Eliminate the Unknown and Arrive Early.

The twist behind the article is Dr Chansky is helping us understand many of the normal ways our brains are wired for “Flight” or “Fight”.

Knowing this is where most of the anxiety is coming from helps figure out how to deal with an upcoming interview as well as what to do the day of and during the interview to stay “calmer”.

However, as a friend of mine says: “If you ever find yourself sitting back in the chair, it is time to get nervous.” So don’t be too relaxed during a job interview or the job search. Our body language is much more powerful in speaking than our own words. Both to ourselves as well as the hiring manager.

See on www.forbes.com

Top Job Seekers Prepare for Interviews in Advance

by Ken Jondahl

“Interviews are often listed as one of the most stressful situations in which a person can find themselves…”

“Admittedly, a lot might be riding on the outcome of an interview: increased earnings, the chance to relocate, the opportunity for a better life, thus it’s natural to feel a bit nervous.”

“However, with the right preparation, there’s no need to feel out of your depth.” by Andy Thomas

streetsmartprof‘s insight

In the article Andy covers 3 main topics to consider before you arrive at the interview.

1 – Under research, be prepared to answer the question, “What do you know about the company?”

2 – In terms of advice, this is from those who know more about the company than you do. Use those who helped you land the interview to get the inside scoop as much as you can. Don’t go in blind folded.

3 – The job description contains a host of information around the types of questions both the interviewer and you should be asking. Focus on what it is they are looking for and be prepared to tailor your past experience around what is important in the job they are looking to fill.

Hiring managers are looking to hire the top people for open positions. By arriving prepared to have a business conversation around the open position, you will rise above the noise and be remembered. Those who show up unprepared are quickly forgotten.

See on www.recruitingblogs.com

Don’t Let Verbal Pauses Derail Your Interview – Part I

by John Kratz

Earl’s Lesson

I started my journey in B2B sales and marketing 31 years ago as a butter salesman. I can assure you I didn’t go to college to be a butter salesman but in 1981 times were tough and decent entry-level positions were scarce. Fortunately people still eat during severe economic recessions so food manufacturers were still hiring.

My first opportunity for advancement came about one year into my apprenticeship, when Earl, our Senior Account Manager in Houston, Texas, had to have open-heart surgery. My company shipped me down to Houston a couple of weeks before Earl’s surgery to work with him. The goal was to transition me into some of the big direct- buying wholesale and retail accounts Earl had successfully managed for over a decade. Being only 24 years old, this was an opportunity to manage a market where we annually sold over 3 million pounds of butter. That’s a lot of butter!Continue reading→

The Hidden Job Market – How to Locate – Part 2

by Ken Jondahl

How to Sniff Out the Hidden Job Market

Talk to anybody who is job hunting and they will advise how depressing it is to send off tons of resumes with only a 1 to 3% response. When they finally get an interview and show up, there is a line of people all fighting for the same job. The odds are just not in your favor today.

Mention the hidden job market and odds are their eyes will roll back into their head and it slowly shakes back and forth. Making one wonder, if most of the dream jobs are in the hidden market, how tough can it actually be to go find them?

Where Exactly is the Hidden Job Market

In part 1 we discovered the hidden job market is right in front of you. However, there is one little catch. It is accessed via your network of contacts. Yea, the dreaded thing none of us, (including me), every really want to do lots – go network.

The good news, we also uncovered a great tool which is at your finger types to help launch your professional network into high gear. LinkedIn is by far the best site to build out your network and begin looking for your dream job. Start here, then move on to other social tools you prefer.Continue reading→

The Hidden Job Market – Why Did They Hide It? – Part 1

by Ken Jondahl

How to locate and find the dream jobs which are hidden.

With 80% of the jobs being filled by some sort of referral, it is becoming more difficult to find a job on line. Leaving 100% of the people fighting over the 20% posted.

If “spray and pray” is the only way you are looking for a job, we hope you are lucky. Another way is to locate the hidden job market. And focus on the hiring process by aligning your skills and capabilities with the needs of the hiring companies.

Job Searchers Work Opposite to What Hiring Managers Do Naturally

If you were a hiring manager, would you place an ad in the local paper? “Hoping” to find a new employee with all the skills and capabilities required. Knowing it is 50/50 a person hired from outside will even fit the job.

What is it hiring managers naturally do? They first look inside their own company and then talk to friends and peers about people they know.Continue reading→

Ready to Jump In and Start Applying for Jobs?

by Ken Jondahl

What the experts recommend for a job search

I started this article back in 2012 and have been hunting for the current answer ever since. At first I figured a quick 30 minutes to refresh my knowledge. Boy was I wrong…

Type in “job search”, (use quotations for an exact match), on Google and 170 Million hits show up today in 2018. Using “job search experts”, the search results drop to 19,000.

The job search is like building a movie one frame at a time.

You land, turn the page, and keep going. Slowly a pattern emerges.

Use what the Job Resource Experts have already found to work the best in the job hunt.
In the 170 million job search links, tons of stuff is repeated over and over and over.
Many of the millions of pages want one thing, your money.
The “true experts” provide content with depth and experience which is mostly free.
Continue reading→