The Impact of Social Media on Your Job Search

We hear so much today about using the power of social media to aid in a job search.  Using sites, like LinkedIn or Facebook – the most popular – can elevate your profile, get you in front of thousands of recuiters or potential clients, and connect you with people who may be in a position to hire, or know someone who does.  Yes, social media should be added as a job search strategy. 

However, social media can also be a detriment to getting hired.  More employers are hiring the whole person and not just the skills; namely, they want employees who have the skill-sets needed but they also want people who have integrity;  who possess needed business skills, such as communication skills and leadership skills; and they want people who will fit into the current company culture.  These days, organizations want to know more than what is on a resume and are taking steps to learn more about potential employees, and they are doing so by using social media. 

This means that they are Googling you to see what comes up and are using this information as a basis for hiring decisions.  I found recently that it is not just employers who are taking this route; I had a student who said he “looked me up” and based his decision to take my class on my bio and my picture!  The social media phenomena has a reach that is far and wide so it is imperative that you are aware of how you are presented in the world of the web.  Organizations are hiring companies whose main function is to search out background information in the area of social media.  Here are 3 tips that can help you to ensure that you are well-represented:

1. Assess - go to all of the sites that you are on, such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, AboutMe, discussion boards, chat rooms, etc to see what information is on there.  Look at the information you have shared or that is shared by others; check to see if you are tagged by others.  You don’t want a potential employer, or your current employer, to see that you are barely dressed or in an inebriated state.  Look at the language that is used – employers are using your posts to assess how well you convey your thoughts and feelings; be sure not to malign anyone or share confidential information. It is easy to think that only your friends can see what is on your sites but content on the web is accessbile to everyone and is for life.

2. Clean Up – once you see what is out there, it’s now time to clean them up.  Take down unflattering pictures; unfriend people that may link to you or post inappropriately; start to post postive statements or to highlight some of your accomplishments.  You can turn it around but it takes…..

3. Awareness and Commitment – vow to keep watch over the content that goes on any site you are on and for what you are posting.  Schedule a time, say every Friday, to go on your profiles and maintain them.  Google yourself to see what comes up.  Take quick action to delete, unfriend, or to do damage control for the future.

In today’s society, where people are still looking to find work, or to maintain job security, competition exists and some people will use any means to stand out,and using adverse information about someone can be one of those means.  In a recent Ann Landers column, a woman wrote in to say that she had been hired but was let go on her first day of work over a picture that was on her Facebook profile; turns out is was reported by another job candidate.   As you can see, the impact of social media on your job search can have far-reaching effects that can keep you in job-search mode for a long time.  Don’t let that happen to you.   I’d love to hear your stories: have you had any adverse effects and how did you overcome them?

10 Tips for Career New Year’s Resolutions

Since we’re now in the beginning of the New Year, I thought I’d repost tips from when I was  interviewed last January for an article in the Orlando Sun Newspaper. I hope these may help you to get serious about your career search or for reving up your career:

1. Set the intention – decide on what it is you want in your career – do you want to find a new job, keep your current job, change industries, move into a leadership role, be a better employee, or is this the year you will start your own business; being clear on what it is you want – and why – will help you structure your time and efforts more effective

2. Commit – to the process; what tools and resources do you need that will aid you in effectively managing your career

3. Assess – write down your skills, talents, abilities, interests, values, experiences or, in other words, what do you have to offer an employer ; also assess your preferred work environment – where do you your best work and feel happiest; what type of company culture aligns with your values and will support you

 4. Research – who is hiring for the job you want and then explore the position you want – the pay, the benefits, the responsibilties and skills to see if you have them; look at the organization itself to assess it stability and offerings; what is the state of the industry you are in or want to move into

5. Set goals – what is that you want – type of job or position, company, etc.; be specific and exact

 6. Action steps – define what activities you need to do on a daily or weekly basis that will take you to your goal

 7. Develop a job search strategy – what types of job search activities will be most effective to use: Job boards;  Published positions; Unpublished positions;  Networking;  Associations;  Alumni Associations;  Friends/family ; Direct contacts;  Job Fairs;  Recruiters/headhunters;  Chat Sites;  Company Websites;  Social networking – LinkedIn, Facebook, Connections, etc.

8.  Set up a specific daily activity log – how you will spend time in job-search mode on a daily basis; this will help you to keep focused and productive

9. Self-care – activities or interests that will help to keep up the emotional level; take time to destress, like taking a walk or listening to music

10. Support system – find support to help you when you might frustrated or discouraged, such as family, friends, a career coach or a job seekers support group

Your Career Theme for 2012

First off, Happy New Year.  I hope your festivities were filled with fun and time spent with family and friends.  With the holiday festivities over, it is not time to get back to the business at hand.  This is a great time to refocus on your career goals and taking it up a notch.  This is the time to develop and set your goals for what you want your career to look like; perhaps you want to change jobs; you might want to seek that promotion you have been wanting; you may decide that this is the year you take your skills and knowledge and start that business you’ve wanted; or you may just want to rev up your game and be a better employee.  No matter what the reason, now is the time.

With the new year comes new hope, new beginnings and fresh starts.  You can leave the past behind and set new goals for this year but there are some necessary steps that will help you reach them.  First, I believe it’s important to purge the past – you won’t move forward if you’re holding onto negative feelings – or old baggage – from your frustrations or nonaccomplishments from the past. 

One way to set your career intention for 2012 is to come up with a theme - a word or phrase – that sums up where you want your life and career to go.  For example, if your goal is to move up the corporate ladder, your career intention might be:  move up and lead more; if you want a new job, you might use words like: positive change, take more risks, seek new opportunities.   I have several intentions that I’ll share: think bigger, take more risks, help more people, live large.

Setting a theme is a great and easy way to keep you living your intention and help keep you focused on them.  I challenge you to come up with your career theme for this year – would love to hear what yours are!

Workplace Jealousy Exists

Mary Johnson works at Acme Corporation, where she has been employed as an accounting clerk for three years.  Mary has always excelled at her job and has been recognized for the work she does.  But lately, Mary has not been enjoying her job and has found that she is becoming disengaged and angry.  Both her boss and her family noticed that she was “irritable” and seemed to be “stressed”; however, Mary did not see herself that way.  At the urging of her husband, Mary decided to use her Employee Assistance benefits and talk to someone as she was having difficulty sleeping and focusing on her work.  What ws uncovered was that two of Mary’s newer co-workers were acting differently towards her – they were withholding needed paperwork, or were slow in getting it to her, and she found them making snide comments.  Mary denied doing anything that would lead them to treating her this way, other than being efficient in her work and getting noticed by her upper management.

This scenario is more common in the workplace than one would think.  Mary was a victim of workplace jealousy, where a coworker feels inferior while believing they are superior. Perhaps they are not getting the recognition they want; they may feel that their talents are better than another; or it could be that one moves up the ladder more quickly.  Whatever the situation, dealing with workplace jealousy can be difficult.  Typically, by the time it is recognized the target is an emotional wreck. Here are 3 tactics to help deal with a jealous coworker (yes, it may be your boss):

1. Destress and deep breathe – take time to find ways to get rid of the stressful, angry, sad or anxious feelings; go for walks, find a punching bag or something to hit, scream, journal and then, once your emotions are vented, use deep breathing techniques to calm your mind and body

2. Reflect back – review instances where you felt you were targeted to “see” the situation in a different manner. Often, when we are emotional we can inflate the situation; when you are calmer you may see the actions differently.  Reflect on your behaviors to ensure you didn’t contribute to the situation, even inadvertantly

3. Recognize that jealousy is the other person’s issue, not yours. Jealousy is really a sign of insecurity or fear; using empathy can help you to try to understand why the person may be threatened by you and can soften your anger. 

Once you have reflected and debriefed, come up with some ways to defuse the person.  It can be complementing them on their hair, dress or their work, or perhaps including them in workplace activities.  When you take control of the situation, you will feel less affected and can extinguish the behaviors, leading you to feel relaxed and productive.

How Satisfied Are You With Your Organizational Life?

I find that the majority of clients I work with are not unhappy with the job they do but they are miserable with their organizational life.  Work-overload, deadlines, personal problems and worries over potential job loss all impact the workplace environment and can contribute to job dissatisfaction.  One can be very involved in the job they do but not in the work environment, and vice-versa, which will affect one’s level of engagement and productivity. 

 Here is a quick exercise to help you determine your level of organizational satisfaction. Take a piece of paper and rate your level of satisfaction on a scale of 1 (completely dissatisfied) to 10 (totally satisfied); be really honest in your answers:

1. Effective Communication – how well information is communicated and received throughout the organization, as well as in work relationships
2. Creativity/Innovation – are employees allowed to use their creativity or is this thwarted; does the organization expand and change to adapt to current trends, or are they the innovators
3. Fairness/Justice – are employees treated fairly and equally; are policies and procedures followed for all
4. Measurable Impact – do assigned tasks have measurable outcomes and recognized, or changed, based on these outcomes; are employees recognized for the work they do that leads to significant outcomes/success
5. Professional Team Dynamics – is the work-group structured in a way that all are contributing, using their skills appropriately, aware of the goals to achieve and communicating often and productively
6. Effective Conflict Resolution – is the work environment open and allow for freedom of speech to recognize and then resolve conflict; are the policies and procedures clear, known, and followed fairly
7. Motivation/Clear Purpose – do you feel you fully understand the job duties and work processes; do you have all the information or resources to do the job; does your manager/leader understand your motivations and provide opportunities
8. Work/Home Balance – are you able to self-manage situations in your home life or work life that may cause you stress;  do you often feel overwhelmed by the ability to get it all done; do you have outlets for relaxation, time management, support

If any of your answers fall in the lower range, take time to analyze areas or situations that are leading you to feel unhappy or frustrated; see what you can change and then take action. Doing so will help you to feel recharged and can decrease your feelings of stress while giving you a sense of mastery over your worklife.  Your level of satisfaction will increase and so will your happiness. 

 

 

 

Is a Career Transition Really In Your Best Interest?

The circumstances of the economy, over the past several years, has forced a lot of people to take jobs that they would not otherwise have taken.   People had to do what they had to do.  But the uncertainty of the economy has had a greater impact on American workers; most have had to endure layoffs and reorganizations that were necessary to weather the economic downfall and keep their doors open.  Those that were “rewarded” with keeping their job soon learned that they were given more work and job tasks to compensate for those who had left.  While this was a hard transition, most soon learned to adapt and adopt their new roles and new-found job skills.  But the return of the economy has a lot of these workers seeking new opportunities and wanting to find a new job that will work better for them – they feel they need to make a career transition into a new company or an altogether new position or industry.  After all, they can take these new skills and use them anywhere – right?

Well, I for one belive that skills are skills which can be transferable across industries.  If you have business skills then why does it matter which industry you choose to use those skills?  But I also believe that making a career transition might not be in one’s best interest.  I think that some deep insight and reflection needs to occur to determine if the job or the organization is truly not a ‘fit’, or that there are not opportunities to use those skills in other ways that is a win-win for both you and the organization.  Without taking time to research these questions, you could set yourself up for failure or miss out on making your mark within your organization.  Companies today want loyalty – employees who will stay and grow with them; rewards will come.  So staying in your current position and looking at ways to leverage your skills, show your willingness to take on new tasks and successfully completing them, and being assertive with your career management might be the best thing to do as opposed to transitioning into a new career where you have to start over and prove yourself. 

I’m all for career transitions – I made one myself several years ago and have found a fulfillment I’ve never known.  I won’t lie and say it has not been a tough journey, at times, that is filled with peaks and valleys.  But at the end of the day, I know this is the right decision for me.  So before you make the leap, take time to explore your reasons for wanting a change, what benefits it will bring, and then identify your motivation and commitment to the process.   I’d love to hear your thoughts if you’ve made a career transition and if you feel you made the right decision. What steps might you add?

Your Resume: Does it Truly List All Your Accomplishments?

If you’ve been sending out resumes and not receiving any calls, then it’s time to look at what information you’ve been submitting, namely looking to see if your resumes includes all of your accomplishments and skills.   I see if over and over when working with clients – they negate past accomplishments or job skills as minor or unimportant and leave them off.  However, when you look at what they leave on, it is like a story with no ending.  Your resume needs to lay out the pieces of your work experiences, like the pieces of  a puzzle, so that an employer sees the completed picture.  Not doing so leaves them questioning your worth and you risk being put in the “No” pile.  You need to create a picture of your work history – what you’ve done in the past, what skills and abilities you possess, and the outcomes you’ve achieved.  

Here are steps to help you ensure that you are presenting yourself in the best way:

1. Re-assess – go back and re-evaluate yourself and the past work experiences you’ve had; begin by writing down your skills, talents, abilities, values, past outcomes, job titles, management or training experience, or any other skill-sets.  Don’t hold back – just list ALL of them

2. Quantify – with those outcomes, attach numbers to them; for instance, if you managed employees then list how many, of you were responsible for a budget then state the monetary value, i.e. $5million dollars.   If you created a system, if you saved money or made money, list them with numbers.  Employers will be more interested in specific outcomes and want to see what you can do for them

3. Structure – take those new skills and experiences you’ve identified and put them a resume format that will get noticed.  Bullet-point those skills at the top, ensuring that they are desirable for the job you are applying for.  In your work history, be sure to put the outcomes you’ve achieved. 

Add your education, volunteer experience or any professional associations to give a more rounded picture of your capabilities.   Applying for a job these days can feel tedious and nerve-wracking.   But if you are strategic and laser-focused then you will have the advantage over others.  Ensuring that your resume lists all of your accomplishments will leave an employer with no doubt and get you hired.

7 Characteristics of Abusive Bosses

I hear it over and over again how workers today are having difficulty dealing with their boss.  Some of the comments include, “She’s creates drama”, “He shows favoritism”, “He yells and orders us around”, “She expects so much out of us”, “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”  And the list goes on.  These types of behaviors can create an environment of fear and insecurity among the workers, who eventually will become de-motivated and disengaged.  Productivity goes down while absenteeism can go up. 

But I bet if you were to ask these supervisors they would deny any maladaptive behaviors on their part.  Here are seven characteristics of an abusive boss, or what is refered to in management theory as a Theory X manager. See if any of these apply to you – or to your work place:

1. Micromanager – obsessed with details and perfection
2. Lack of direction with decisive delivery – treats everything as a priority that requires immediate attention
3. Mood swings – responses are unpredictable
4. Obsession with loyalty and obedience – “You are either for me or against me”
5. Status derogation – criticizes or ridicules their subordinates in public
6. Arbitrary and hypocritical
7. Exercises their power for their own personal gain

These traits often go along with power and position and are not necessarily applicable only to management.  Recognizing them can help you deal with them but you need to be aware of them in order to effectively handle them.  Self-management skills, like empathy and emotional intelligence, will help you be less stressed, more productive and happier.  It will make going to work less of a chore.   So what characteristics do you think of and how do you deal with them? Would love your thoughts!

 

Have You Ever Been Blindsided?

Bob is a manager at a large financial call center.  He is in charge of 100 employees, who are responsible for collections.  Bob goes about his day, and weeks, problem-solving and motivating his employees.  He feels he has created a good team and that his employees like and respect him.  So imagine his surprise when he was called into his boss’s office and told that his employees felt he was overbearing and mad all the time.   His boss told him that he would need to “change” or there could be further action taken.  After the meeting, Bob was furious; he felt blindsided!  He did not understand who would have said those statements or why when things were going so well.

Have you ever been in this type of situation?  I’m sure we’ve all experienced a blindside, whether at work or in our personal relationships.  This occurs due to getting into ourselves and our perceptions and expectations about situations.   We get into routines as we go about our daily lives that we often forget to pay attention to our outside happenings.  In the case of  Bob, he lived in his own perception of how he wanted his team to function but, when he actually looked back, he realized that he was so busy focusing on the metrics and reports that he forgot about the people. It became apparent to him that he was short at times and that his tone of voice could put people off. 

So how can you not wind up like Bob?  It first starts with taking an assessment of yourself – your actions, thoughts, words, and body language all play a part in your communications with others.  Pay more attention to how you communicate and put more effort on acknowledging other people.  Listening is also a skill to be honed – use active listening, empathy and reflecting back what you heard to prevent any miscommunications and to let the other person know that you are truly engaged in the conversation.  Lastly, work on showing appreciation for others – often things need to be said but when we do them in an appreciative manner, people will respond; saying thank you or acknowledging others accomplishments will have them singing your praises.

It’s not a good feeling to be blindsided – just ask Bob.  But if you are, then it’s time to refocus on your actions, and not others, in order to change the situation.  It can lead to increased admiration, loyalty and respect of others and can propel you to a higher level.  As for Bob, once he worked on himself, he improved his relationship with his team so much that he got promoted to a Vice President at the company.   Following these steps can help you to never get blindsided again!  

Have you ever been blindsided and, if so, how did you handle it? Would love to hear your thoughts!

A Peak Inside: My New Website and Lessons Learned

Last June, I learned that my website had been hacked; some very malicious codes were encrypted in my site.  With just a few “pings” and my site was gone!  I was panicked at the thought – first, for all the information I might lose and second, that my online reputation would be adversely affected.  At that time, I had high search engine rankings and was a Google preferred location.  It so happened that this discovery was made while I was working with a web developer to actually upgrade the site so I didn’t have lag time in finding help.  The upgrade I had been planning was to add a membership site and the web designer directed me to make the site a Joomla site (I previously had WordPress).  He was quickly able to get a website back up for me, although it was not the look I wanted. He said “we can work on that”

However, the working consisted of him sending me directions to do it on my own.  I have learned how to do a lot of things but I haven’t mastered all of the computer skills needed to make the site look good.  I am not sure why he wasn’t willing to do the work himself and then he slowly disappeared.  I kept asking around and finally found a Joomla expert, who developed a brand new site for me; however, he also disappeared before the site got up and running.  For just about a year I asked, but could not find, anyone who knew Joomla so this new site could get up.  I was frustrated and I could see how my business was affected.  Well, I finally did find a real Joomla expert who was able to clean things up and I am happy to announce that my new website is ‘open for business!”   I invite you in and let me know what you think.

There are also some lessons learned for those of you who have your own website or blogsite:

1. Pay attention to your site often – even though I was on my site often, it seems it wasn’t enough.  I am more diligent now

2. Don’t be aloof – I was too trusting that my site was safe. I was told by my hosting site, who discovered the malicious encryption, that there are people out there who sit and “ping” sites in the hopes of finding a way in.  I now have a stronger software protection and it is monitored heavily. Although this won’t totally guarantee that this won’t happen again, these measures will deter attempts

3. Update your content – don’t let the information you share be static; customers need variety so changing it up will keep them coming back as well as let hackers know that the site is monitored – this will put them on notice that any activities will be noticed and dealt with quickly which is what they want to do

Learn from my lessons so it doesn’t happen to you.  Rebuilding is never fun or easy but not impossible.  Here is my new site – www.cyscoaching.com - let me know how it looks!