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Why Finding A Job and A Career Is Like Kissing Frogs
Dorothy Tannahill Moran
By now most of us know the story of the princess who had to kiss a frog to find her prince. The general belief these days, is that she probably had to kiss a few frogs before finding the one that magically turned into the man of her dreams. I often use that analogy for finding a great career or job. You have to do a lot of frog kissing before finding one that will truly resonate with you.
Yet, we are an impatient group and frequently forget that in order to find greatness, we have to be willing to seek and discover. It’s not an overnight, quick-fix situation. It also takes some effort, which is another thing that many of us have in very short supply.
Let’s look at patience and effort when it comes to finding a job and discovering a career:
Recently, I read a figure that the average job search for the unemployed was now 211 days, which is almost double what it used to be in pre-downturn days. That’s 8 months of looking; and we can all tell stories of people we know or talk to who have been out of work for 2 years or more. That means if you’re looking for a job, it’s going to be a marathon, not a sprint. For most people job searching, that translates into a lot of time to fill.
For people who are working and looking for a job, it will take much longer, because they can’t spend as much time or conduct the level of actions necessary to yield quicker results. There is a belief that it’s better to have a job when you’re looking for a job, but that also means it’s harder because of the time constraints. You have to get serious about time management.
You have to achieve the right attitude and perspective. You can choose to be impatient with the process which translates poorly when you present yourself; or you can choose to realize it is a process driven by time and number of activities. You have to manage your attitude, your time and how many actions you take each day that will get you the job. Yes, that means that MOST of the frogs you kiss will be wrong for you, but you have to keep kissing the frogs. Oh well.
The same message is true for discovering the right career. The best thing you can do is to check out a career that you reject. That means you’re looking and that means you ARE kissing the frogs. You might be shocked at how very few people will go in search of the right career. I spoke to a person recently who had been trying to figure out a new career; and in a very disheartened statement, said they had looked into a specific career only to discover it had aspects to it that they wouldn’t want to do. I congratulated them, which surprised them. It was good to be on a mission of discovery. You won’t find something unless you spend your time researching. Now they know about that career, it wasn’t their dream career. Another frog, please.
I can’t over emphasize the importance of putting in some effort on both of these endeavors. Once again, in our instant gratification world, we kind of think like all we need to do is hit the enter button for a google-like answer. It doesn’t work like that. You have to work at it. You have to be doing multiple things at the same time. You have to talk to people, ask questions, do research, and find out about business and trends. If you’re in job search, you can’t simply submit resumes to online job postings – you have to have multiple job search methods. If you aren’t getting interviews – you have to change what you’re doing. If you’re looking for a new career, you have to go in search and do many of those same things, BUT it has to be you and you have to put in the time and effort.
Lots of frogs, lots of kissing. The payoff is huge for dream careers and dream jobs.
And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to the Career Makeover Newsletter AND eWorkbook “Should I Stay or Should I Go” – both dedicated to Your career success, when you visit:
http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/
From Dorothy Tannahill-Moran – Your Career Change Agent from www.nextchapternewlife.com and www.mbahighway.com
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Career Management: Sometimes You Have To Go Out Before You Go Up
The ongoing path of our careers is never a straight line. Based on opportunities and business conditions we end up zigzagging our way from one position to another. Sometimes we even take a step back, which may or may not be in our control. Nevertheless, there are times when we must make a decision to leave our current company and position to find a new path in a different company.
For those people who want to either find a career in a new functional area or want a promotion and a higher level position, you may want to pursue what I call a “2-Step Strategy”. Let’s look at the circumstances for using this strategy and define the 2 steps.
Conditions for the 2-Step Strategy:
You may have pursued a career in a specific functional area for some period of time and want to make a change to a different functional area. You know you have the transferable skills that could position you well for something else, but your company doesn’t support you in making a shift like this. Perhaps they have “seen” you in your current role for too long and have you pigeon-holed. Your personal brand with all the influencers does not support a change. This type of condition literally screams for leaving your company in order to move to a new path and recreate your personal brand in a different functional area.
Another circumstance which often occurs is that you are ready to get a promotion, but based on your situation, that promo is unlikely to happen in a suitable timeframe or happen at all. Sometimes when you have to wait too long to be given more responsibility, it won’t happen because it’s almost like missing the window of opportunity for your peak performance. It’s similar to an athlete who must train to time their peak performance to coincide with a competitive event. While it is good to have hope of getting that promotion where you are, you must decide how long you’re willing to wait. Some people think that if you are on a growth path, you should get a “bump” every 2-3 years. When the promotion doesn’t happen, they pull the plug and move on. This can be a very effective rule of thumb, if you are willing to move in and out of various companies.
2-Step Strategy:
- Plan your exit. Don’t just quit your job. Your goal in this first step is to leave your current company and position due to going to a company where your next step exists. Think of this as jumping from one avenue to another. This avenue will either put you on a path for growth or be the growth position. Start doing your research to find a list of companies that are conducive to your career directions.
- Plan your move. If you have selected well for your new company, you should be able to quickly see how to position yourself for the next move toward your desired position. This 2-Step Strategy does take planning and patience; but it gives you more control than simply waiting to see if something happens in a place you know doesn’t support your goals. As part of your plan you want to do the following things:
- Understand the performance standards of the position for which you were hired and exceed them.
- Understand some of the key differences between where you are and your next step. Observe others doing the same or similar job to see what responsibilities they have so you can start training or taking on some new tasks once you have learned your job. Don’t jump on this step too quickly; but by 6 months you should have solidified your brand and can now start the process of taking on assignments and work at that next level.
- Engage your manager in your plan. Again, you want to wait until you are solid in your position.
- Reinforce your Personal Brand so people in your new company see you either at the next level or as well qualified to move into the new functional group. Since you have no history, you can recreate yourself so you aren’t locked in.
You are in control of what direction your career takes. Sometimes it requires some bold moves and long term planning to make it happen. This 2-Step Strategy has worked well for many people who realized they had to go out before they could go up.
For more career tips and advice claim your Free Instant Access to the Career Makeover Newsletter AND eWorkbook “Should I Stay or Should I Go” – both dedicated to Your career success, when you visit
http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/ From Dorothy Tannahill-Moran – Your Career Change Agent from www.nextchapternewlife.com and www.mbahighway.com
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Post-Interview Thank You Note or Not?
Dorothy Tannahill Moran
As soon as it’s obvious that an interview is coming to an end a strange discomfort falls over the job seeker. They aren’t sure how to end the interview and certainly what to do afterwards. Year ago, the idea of sending post-interview thank you notes was never questioned. These days, we’re so casual about things most of the time a simple “Thank You” will suffice. As a hiring manager, I can tell you receiving a thank you note after interviewing someone was kind of irritating because it felt like a suck up. I’ve discovered that my feeling is not shared with the majority of hiring managers. Manners count to most people in the hiring process.
It is important to follow up after the interview with a thank you letter. The post-interview thank you letter demonstrates your gratitude for the time to be considered, your professionalism and can act as a reinforcement of your qualifications. There are certain elements you want to ensure are captured in your letter while still remaining brief. Among the elements:
- Appreciation for their time and interest in you
- Restatement of your interest in the position
- Review of your qualifications for the position or if you forgot to mention some pertinent item is to state it to ensure they consider it
- Follow up with any information the employer may have asked about during your time together, whether or not it is related to the position
- A clear demonstration of your manners and professionalism
Post-interview thank you notes are equally valuable sent via email or mail. They should be sent within 2 days immediately following the interview. As always, ensure the letter is free of typos and grammatical errors.
Thank You Letter Examples
Dear Mr. Smith,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me about your business development position yesterday. I’m very excited about the position and feel well qualified to perform the job.
In addition to my MBA, I have 5 years of experience in developing markets in the high tech industry which have lead to over $5M in new business. You mentioned you were looking for someone who was exceptional in forging new markets and I believe that my background demonstrates that I can do that for your business. As well, I work well in a team environment and pride myself in making and meeting my commitments.
I am very interested in working for you and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Josh Brown
Dear Jane,
I wanted to thank you for taking the time to discuss the sale positions with you and John. I am sure my background and skills fit with your needs.
You mentioned the challenges in the region including penetration into the education sector. I think that my background in education along with sales experience will help your company make the kind of progress you are looking for.
I look forward to hearing from you concerning your hiring decision. I appreciate your consideration.
Sincerely,
Mike Jacobs
Manners and good business etiquette is never wrong, even for people like me. This is an easy thing to do, doesn’t take too much time and gives you one last opportunity to demonstrate your brand.
For more career tips and advice claim your Free Instant Access to the Career Makeover Newsletter AND eWorkbook “Should I Stay or Should I Go” – both dedicated to Your career success, when you visit
http://CareerMakeoverToolKitShouldIstayorShouldIGo.com/ From Dorothy Tannahill-Moran – Your Career Change Agent from www.nextchapternewlife.com and www.mbahighway.com
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- Writing a Follow-Through Letter After an Interview is not an Option! (employmentinterview.wordpress.com)
Virtual Recruiting Is Coming to CPGjobs
This week CPGjobs announced that it has joined forces with Brazen Careerist to host Virtual Career Fairs for CPGjobs Client companies.
Earlier this year, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare participated in the very first CPGjobs Virtual Career Fair with Brazen Careerist and it was a huge success- with over 800 candidates registering for the event!
During this event, 18 Pfizer recruiters from multiple areas of the company’s business were able to simultaneously participate in hyper-efficient, chat-based conversations with these 800 plus qualified job seekers. Pfizer immediately went into the interview process with 7 candidates, and expects to interview many more in the coming months! They are looking forward to participating in another Virtual Career Fair later this year.
Because of the amazing response from candidates and the overwhelming “thumbs up” from Pfizer Consumer Healthcare’s recruiting team, CPG Jobs will be actively working with Brazen Careerist to make Virtual Career Fairs available to all of our clients in the coming months.
Why a Virtual Career Fair?
- Virtual Career Fairs are a very efficient way for your recruiting teams to interview hundreds of qualified candidates in a single event.
- The Brazen Careerist Virtual Career Fair technology allows your recruiting team to quickly move candidates through your initial interview process and mark candidates for future follow-up.
- Virtual Career Fairs are a great way to build a stronger pipeline of candidate contacts and prospects from the comfort and convenience of your own offices- or wherever your recruiting team may be located- saving you time and expense.
- Virtual Career Fairs build your employment brand with a highly targeted candidate base.
- Virtual Career Fairs can be used for building pipelines for immediate or future hiring needs and by large or small organizations.
Learn More
Want to know more about Pfizer Consumer Healthcare’s Virtual Career Fair success? Think a Virtual Career Fair might be right for your organization?
Email Michael Carrillo at Michael@cpgjobs.com or call me at 626-535-0143 to learn more about how your team can take advantage of this great new recruiting tool today!
View the email announcement here.
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Brighter Economic Outlook Drives Hiring by Food Makers
Toni Vranjes
The economy is continuing to show signs of life, and the rosier outlook is spurring food manufacturers to hire again, according to executive recruiters.
Following the economic collapse in 2008, many companies reduced their workforce gradually through attrition. For a few years, the general strategy was not to replace workers who quit or retired. However, they have resumed hiring because of the improving economy, according to recruiters who place candidates nationwide at companies of all sizes.
“I think consumer confidence is returning, and companies are seeing that and anticipating increased demand, and are hiring strategically,” says Peter Stern, vice president of Los Angeles-based Bristol Associates.
In February, the food-manufacturing industry added 1,200 jobs, according to the U.S. Labor Department.
It’s worth noting that food manufacturing is less sensitive to economic downturns than many other industries. People can cut back only so far on food, so the industry didn’t crater like some others did, Stern says.
However, the financial crisis did cause some pain in the industry, and attrition was one strategy used by employers to protect the bottom line.
Things started to turn around in 2011, says Gregg Greven, president of Gregg Greven & Associates, based in Terre Haute, Ind.
“Ever since the middle of last year, things have started to improve,” he says. “A large number of clients are opening up new positions.”
In recent months, surveys generally have been showing increased consumer confidence. Although one indicator of consumer confidence dropped slightly in mid-March because of rising gas prices, the recruiters still have a positive outlook for hiring. It’s a temporary issue, as long as gas prices don’t remain high through the summer, Greven says.
Meanwhile, another force is at work in the industry. Companies are continuing to focus on efficiency – and that sometimes leads to reorganizations and layoffs. For instance, Kraft Foods Inc. plans to split its snacks and grocery businesses this year, a move expected to eliminate 1,600 jobs. The cuts are set to occur as the company reorganizes its sales structure and consolidates its management centers.
With so many forces at work, how can job seekers stand out?
A Bachelor of Science degree is extremely valuable, and an MBA degree can give candidates a competitive edge, Greven notes.
They also should have strong computer skills. Stern says that candidates should be proficient in Excel and PowerPoint, and he also suggests using LinkedIn for professional networking.
“People need to be adept at building their own personal networks,” he says.
Greven says that employers are seeking very specialized skills, such as expertise in “lean manufacturing.” They also value expertise in “TPM” (Total Productive Maintenance), which is a proactive approach to equipment maintenance.
Some of the hot jobs in the industry today are in quality control and quality assurance, Greven says. According to the Labor Department, these jobs are crucial, because employers must comply with many new food-safety programs.
Another job that’s in demand is project engineer, according to Greven. The Labor Department notes that engineers are becoming more important because of new automation and food-safety processes.
Toni Vranjes is editor-in-chief of Revive My Career, a resource for job seekers. The site provides employment news and career tips.
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