Month: November 2016

How Do You Get a Job After Being Self Employed for 20 Years?

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[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_7fkz4AgZI[/svp]
This scenario happens pretty frequently , and if it is happening to you now, I hope you find this helpful.

self-employed

[spp-transcript]

“How do you get a new job after being self-employed for 20 years?”

As many of my answers go, it depends.

It depends on the field that you are in. The answer is going to be different if you owned a retail store versus being an insurance broker versus being a contract consultant working in a number of clients. Let me give some general answers that will be part of the framework.

Assuming you are not a self-employed contractor type, that you have owned the business for a number of years, the idea is to take advantage of a number of the resources that you have that the average individual isn’t going to have.

For example, you have a relationship with an accountants and he or she has relationships with other accountants, your networking should start with your accounting firm, your audit firm, your CPA… “I’m thinking of closing up and I think it’s time for me to find a job. Please keep your eyes and ears open for me for other opportunities.” If they’re smart, they will.

Vendors

Start with your accountant, your insurance agent, all the vendors that you’ve worked with, make it clear that you’re not going bankrupt and that you will be a deadbeat with your bills and asked them to introduce you to people who might be interested in what you do.

So you start with professionals and then you start to go to your extended network. 

For example, if you belong to a BNI chapter and speak to the other members that you’re thinking of hanging it up, they will help you a lot, they will be an antenna for you in your local community for helping you get introductions.

Tell everyone – – friends, neighbors– there is no embarrassment anymore. What you are doing is using your network of relationships in order to receive introductions to others.

There is a classic story and job hunting that I heard many years ago whose cleaning person introduce someone to her husband, who is the president of a bank. The reason the person was cleaning homes was as part of the spiritual practice. She didn’t need the money but wanted to maintain humility.  Eventually, the person gave her resume, after all, this was the cleaning person and he didn’t know her husband was the head of a bank.  After all, who could she possibly know they could help him?

That’s why you tell everyone. You tell your banker (not the idiot at the desk. The person that you had a relationship with for a number of years, not the rotating 24-year-old who sits at a desk and opens accounts; obviously, there is a difference between the stereotype of the 24-year-old that I just used and others who are extraordinary). Start talking to everyone, making sure that they know.

Obviously, at some point you will need a resume. In constructing the resume, you will want to think, not in terms of being an owner, because, as an owner, unless you are buying another business or manage another business, you will be joining in a staff for all and, depending upon the staff role that you are interviewing for, make sure that your resume speaks to that part of your background.

So, lots of dynamics here and I want to offer a few points I thought might help.

[/spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you?

You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell you as much as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”

They Are Watching You | No BS Job Search Advice Radio

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter reminds you of all the people that are evaluating you when you interview for a job.

 

[spp-transcript]

Today, let’s talk about 1 of the most underappreciated, under reminded about tips I can give you about job hunting.  There was a song many years ago with the refrain, “I’ll be watching you.”  On an interview, it is not just the interviewer who is watching you.  Every person that you meet, even for a moment, is taking note of you and having an impression of you.

That can be the security guard in the visit in the building that you will be visiting.  That can be the receptionist on the floor that is buzzing you in.  Very truly and confidently speaking to her with a smile on your face, “Hi! My name is so-and-so.  I have a 2:30 appointment to meet such and such person.“

“Great. But you have a seat.“

“Terrific. Happy to do it.“

Then, sit facing the greatest number of entry points to the room so that you can see someone approaching you.

With the interviewer, as well, who may take you around the floor. Later, or introduce you to other people.

The tower seriously doesn’t serve you.  What will serve you, at least in the United States, is a friendly, affable smile, a great handshake, a confident demeanor about you – – these go a long way toward letting people like you.

People get hired for a number of reasons.  Hopefully, 1 of them is that you are  competent enough to do the job.  Then, there are the tiebreakers.  Among the tiebreakers are:

Do I think I can work with this person?

Do I like this person?  Often, this is the 1st question the hiring manager may ask subordinates.  Do you like them? What do you like about them?  Things along these lines can be the tiebreaker between you and another person.

Again, remember, everyone is watching you.  Everyone is noticing you.  Everyone is commenting about you if they meet you.

[/spp-transcript]

 

Do you think employers are trying to help you?

You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell you as much as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”

Don’t forget to give the show 5 stars and a good review in iTunes

 

How Do I Get a New Job When My Manager is Giving Bad Reference? (VIDEO)

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A job hunter who is learning  that references matter asks what s/he can do When his manager is getting a bad reference.

bad-reference

 

[spp-transcript]

 

Do you think employers are trying to help you?

You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell you as much as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”

How Can I Quit a New First Job? (VIDEO)

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[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMnhOfp_yDs[/svp]
I just started a couple weeks ago, but I have been offered a better job. How can I quit this job without hard feelings from my boss? I promised her I would work holidays and now I feel really flaky to just quit…This is my first job so I am really inexperienced.

 

[spp-transcript]

The question for today is, “How can I gracefully with a new 1st job?  I just started a few weeks ago and have been offered a better job.  How can I quit this job without hard feelings from my boss?  I promised her I would work holidays and now I feel really flaky quitting. This is my 1st job  and I am really inexperienced. This happens quite often for beginners.  This is not the 1st time I proceed to question like this from someone and I decide to answer this

You cannot control your boss’s reaction.  Your boss is going to react if she reacts and is nothing to do with you.

How can you minimize it?  

With sincerity.

You can walk into your boss’s office and say, “Can I see you for a few minutes on Friday afternoon?”  Sit down with her and say, “I‘m not sure how to do this well, so I apologize and I am quitting my job.  A dream position I interviewed for before has come through, something I have always wanted to do.  I cannot let go by.  I’m giving you my notice and my last day of employment will be at the end of this week, next week, whenever it is.“

You are supposed to give 2 weeks notice, but if your employer needs you there sooner, then, you have to do it.  If yours, if your boss responds with anger or upset, loudness (WHAT!)  And some sort of barking at you, just take it.  Don’t respond.  Listen to it.

If she demands answers from you, “Listen, I understand that you are upset. I can’t let this go by; I am 22 years old.  I don’t want to wake up when I was 52 and wondering what I should have done when I was 22 and wondering whether I made the right choice.  This is what I’ve always wanted to do.  It came in like a bolt out of the blue.  I interviewed for this months before we talked  and now it’s here.  I didn’t expect it ever to arrive when they called me.“

“They should have told you sooner!”

“I agree.  Unfortunately, they were not ready to do that.  Now that they have, I’m going to be following up and taking the job offer. I’m so sorry if this catches you short but this really surprised the heck out of me. As I said, my last day is going to be” 

and you tell her the data again. Hand her a letter of resignation at that time. Don’t quit until you have an offer letter in hand from your new employer.

Go out there and be spectacular during your last few days with this firm. It’s distressing, I know, but you have to take it because you are upsetting them. Let them have their upset. Don’t take anything personally. You made a choice. It was the right choice for you. It has an impact on them. AND you will probably never see these folks again.

Good luck in your new job.

 

[/spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you?

You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell you as much as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”

How Well Defined is Your Job? | No BS Job Search Advice Radio

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Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter explains how to answer this question and why it is asked.’

interview-sign1

[spp-transcript]

I want to talk with you today about 1 of those tough interview that are designed to get you talking, see if you reveal something unusual about yourwork… Stuff along those lines.

Today’s tough interview, like all of them, really isn’t that tough if you understand what they are trying to find out about you.  There’s the question:

How well-defined is your job?

The fact of the matter is, there is a framework to every job and you want to speak of the framework to the job and you want to speak of the framework of your role, rather than it being well-defined.

Why don’t you want to talk about it being well-defined?

Because you would seem like a clerk.  Like a low level individual in an organization when it becomes well-defined.

You want to talk about the framework of your job, rather than the specifics in answering the question. For example, you might talk about, “Every day is a bit different.  The framework is…” And then you lay out a few different things.

“It’s not like from 9 o’clock to 9:15 AM, I do this from 915 to 930, I do that it is nothing along those lines. I do my own time my own management, I control my own circumstances. I am asked to produce an outcome and to work within the framework of our organization in order to accomplish my goals.  What are my goals?”  You might talk about 1 or 2 of them.  “Ultimately it is up to me to do my job within the framework of my relationship with others how I’m going to accomplish these things.  I have milestones and benchmarks, deliverables to my tasks that allow me to fulfill it.  So, is it well-defined?  I don’t really think so. I am given a framework to work from and ultimately, these are my choices.”

Some of you do have jobs that are very well defined.  Period where you can direct the answer, as I just did, it serves you better.  Why?  You may want to take a step up in class and do something a little bit more high level than what you are currently involved with.  This idea of speaking to a framework and making your own choice, serves you well. Again, by pointing out that you have decision-making over your own work, deliver at a high level and achieve the deliverables that you have to.

[/spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you?

You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell you as much as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”

Don’t forget to give the show 5 stars and a good review in iTunes

Should I Send a Thank You Letter Before The Weekend? | Job Search Radio

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Should you send a thank you letter before the weekend or just wait till afterwards?

write-a-thank-you-letter-to-a-customer

[spp-transcript]

Should I send a thank you letter before a long holiday weekend or after?  Either or.

Many people would say, “Don’t send it before the weekend.”  After all, the person is probably trying to get out the door, isn’t real interested, wait until Tuesday.  Some people will say that by Tuesday they may have forgotten about you anyway.  What do you do? It’s quite a dilemma.

Send one before the weekend. And, if you don’t hear anything from them, send one afterwards!

You could send one Tuesday, late in the day saying, “I just want to make sure you saw this. I know you’re busy.  You may have left early on Friday, but I just want you to know that I was interested in the opportunity. I really appreciate that the time that we spent with one another.  I look forward to hearing from you about next steps.“

It doesn’t have to be one or the other.  There is the 3rd way and I think that one is the better way.

[/spp-transcript]

 

Do you think employers are trying to help you?

You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Please give “Job Search Radio” a great review in iTunes. It helps other people discover the show and makes me happy!

Do Recruiters Care When I Email Them?

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[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5NSPneQy5c[/svp]

It’s currently 2 a.m. and I got an email for a software engineering position earlier this afternoon. Do the recruiters take the time sent of the email into consideration before looking at the candidates resume?

2-am

[spp-transcript]

“Do recruiters care when I emailed them?”  

When I 1st read the question. I interpreted it as do they mind that I send them an email.  As I read further, I understood that what the person really wanted to know was about whether it matters at what time, I emailed them.  Let me read the complete original question.

Do recruiters care when I emailed them?  It is 2 AM, and I received an email about a software engineering position earlier this afternoon.  Do recruiters take the time sent of the email into consideration before looking at the candidate’s resume?

The short answer is, “No.”  It doesn’t matter.  Why?  You may think it indicates that you are excited/anxious… Things along those lines.  Remember, with “Delay Send,” in Microsoft, Outlook and other email clients, you can set up your email so that it is sent at any time of the day or night.  They do not actually know if you have sent it at 2 AM. All they know is that it is date and time stamp for them at 2 AM but you can set it up to send it at 7 PM.

It also doesn’t mean anything if your background does not fit.  After all, the most important variable for every recruiter is, “Does your background fit the job?”

Usually, this question comes from a less experienced person who may be stretching in order to try to get themselves considered.  After all, if you have the background, if you have the experience, there is no question that they will be in contact, right? If you don’t have the experience, you start to look at all these tangential things as being important.

What time you sent your resume is small stuff.  The most important thing you can do is demonstrate how your background fits the job.

[/spp-transcript]

 

Do you really think employers are trying to help you?

You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell you as much as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”

What Are Your Goals? What is Your Strategy? | Job Search Radio

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People come to me looking for a J-O-B with few clear goals about what they are looking for and how they will find it. Here’s how to start.

[spp-transcript]

Do you think employers are trying to help you? You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com is there to change that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Please give “Job Search Radio” a great review in iTunes. It helps other people discover the show and makes me happy!

How Can You Avoid Appearing Difficult? (VIDEO)

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[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu-qepqFVDQ[/svp]
How can you not appear difficult when an agency recruiter asks you for your salary and you won’t tell them.

 

[spp-transcript]

How can you avoid appearing difficult when you won’t tell a recruiter your last salary?

I was asked by a recruiter for my last salary and said I don’t disclose that information. She said, “I was trying to be difficult and that she can’t move forward . If I am not going to be a ‘team player.'” Eventually, this person caved in   And when the telling the recruiter the salary.  This is 3rd party recruiter, not a corporate recruiter.

How can you avoid appearing difficult?  How can you stand your ground without you appearing, to put it bluntly, being seen as a “pain in the pot.”

The 1st thing to understand is that recruiters, whether corporate or third-party work for employers. The employer sets down terms of engagement.  They want to know salary.

Why Do They Want to Know?

Why do they want to know this?  Because many companies will only offer a percentage increase over what you are currently earning.  They are not in the, “We value this person to ask level” business and, as a result, pay them what they are really worth.  They work on formulas that allow them to only extend an offer by a certain percentage  above a current salary.

No matter what, you are going to appear difficult. Accept it.

If you are extremely placeable to that agency, they are going to cave in. I want you to understand that you hold cards in your hand that represent a fee. If your background is so terrific that the market is clamoring for your skills, they will cave in and figure out a way to present your client without the exact salary.

You can offer them a range. “

I’m currently earning between $120,000 and $140,000. I want to be clear that I’m not looking for the lowest salary. I have picked up a lot of knowledge and experience that will be valuable to the next organization. If you think I’m going to be going for minimal 3% increase, you are mistaken. I want you to understand that I know my value and I want to be paid it.”

By responding in that way, you are setting down terms of engagement that, by definition, make you appear very difficult to them because you are not compliant and you are not docile.  

You are not willing to play with in “the system.”

So what! Who cares!

Firms that want to hire you for the least amount of money (which is what the agency will try to persuade you to take), well, you may not want to work for them.

However, that premier employer, that one you really want to work for demands that information, you have a choice to make – – to comply or not. Whether to risk losing an opportunity or not.

That’s your choice to make, but to let the agency set down the conditions? You can do it differently IF you have the skills and experience that are in demand.

If you are Mr. or Ms. Ordinary , if you have a commodity skill

If you have a commodity skill, it is a lot harder for you. However, don’t interpret that statement is telling you to always cave in.

Stand your ground. If you believe your skills are more valuable than what you’ve been paid and insist that they cave-in by demonstrating your value is higher than what they are going to try to con you in to.

just like a million other people out there, you have less of a chance, less leverage, than a salesperson has who is delivering a book of business worth several hundred million dollars and is a leader in selling this particular type of product or service.

 

[/spp-transcript]

Do you really think employers are trying to help you?

You already know you can’t trust recruiters—they tell you as much as they think you need to know to take the job they after representing so they collect their payday.

The skills needed to find a job are different yet complement the skills needed to do a job.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter has been a career coach and recruiter for what seems like one hundred years.

JobSearchCoachingHQ.com changes that with great advice for job hunters—videos, my books and guides to job hunting, podcasts, articles, PLUS a community for you to ask questions of PLUS the ability to ask me questions where I function as your ally with no conflict of interest answering your questions.

Connect with me on LinkedIn

You can order a copy of “Diagnosing Your Job Search Problems” for Kindle for $.99 and receive free Kindle versions of “No BS Resume Advice” and “Interview Preparation.”