Monday, May 4, 2020

Will Your Answer To This Interview Question Help You Get The Job?

With tens of millions of new people filing for unemployment, in addition to the existing unemployed and marginally employed, you need to stand out from your competition to get the job.


As a former hiring manager in IT, I look for people who do more and go beyond just the minimum. During this unprecedented time in our lives, one of the questions I would definitely ask in order to distinguish between candidates is “what have you been doing since mid-March?”

Of course everyone’s circumstances are different so there is not one answer, for instance some people have taken on the role of teacher at home. What a hiring manager will be looking for in your answer is what you have done in the weeks or months to maintain and grow your skills.

To be competitive, you need to have a good answer to this question. Even if all you have done to date is binge watch shows, gain the Covid-19 pounds by overeating, and sleeping in, it is not too late to develop a truthful answer that will help you stand out. Here are several no-cost ideas.

1)      Sign up for and “attend” free webinars on key topics in your industry or for your profession. To find these events, search the internet for the name of your industry or job title and the word “association”. Many groups which normally meet in person are now holding webinars.

2)      Search the internet for “free training” on the topic you want or need to learn.
If the training requires you to have certain software, also search “free trial copy” and the name of the software. Many companies will give you a trial copy of the software for 30 days. (Hint: do not download the software until you are ready to use it because the countdown begins when you download it, not when you first use it).
Then to structure that training, go to sites where they charge for training on that topic and copy their syllabus into a list so you know what topics to learn and in what order.

3)      Read the articles posted in the LinkedIn groups for your industry. To find these groups, click in the search bar of LinkedIn and select the Groups option that appears below the search bar.

Then in the search bar type in the name of your industry. Once you find groups of interest, request to join. It may take a while for your request to get approved because it is normally volunteers who monitor and process requests.

Once you are approved, click on the Work icon (the one that looks like a Rubik’s cube), select Groups, then select the group and read the articles.

This is the time to get ready for the job search and that includes preparing for your answers to interview questions.  I refer to myself as the “queen of analogies” and my Covid-19 analogy is this: if you want the toilet paper, you need to be in the front of the line before they run out (i.e. before the few good jobs get filled).



Judi Adams
RightChanges.biz
The Affordable and Successful Job Search Coach

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

16-Point Job Search Check


16-Point Job Search Check

As you can imagine with the current situation, the job market has become even more competitive. The good news is that companies are still hiring but you cannot succeed haphazardly or halfheartedly. You need to be sure you are doing everything you possibly can to stand out from your competition to shorten the duration to that next job.

RightChanges is offering a one-hour, one-on-on (using technology), 16-point check to be sure you are positioned for success. This will not be a sales pitch. You will receive focused and actionable feedback about what you are doing well, areas to improve, and how to search, even while self-isolating, to stand out from your competition.

RightChanges was launched a decade ago with the mission to offer the most affordable and successful services for those in a job search. We have made this 16-point hour available for only $25.

Go to our on-line store at rightchanges.square.site and select the 16-point special.

Be sure you are doing everything to stand out from the competition, now more than ever.


Judi Adams
RightChanges.biz

You Just Added Another Accomplishment / STAR


You Just Added Another Accomplishment / STAR

If you have been in a job search for any length of time, you are familiar with accomplishments or STARs. These accomplishments in STAR format are not of the nature of curing cancer, solving world peace, or fixing the economy. These accomplishments are actual instances of things you have done that support the truth of your skills, abilities, and previous successes. Some of your accomplishments will be used on your resume, all will be fresh in your mind for the interview, and they are great to remind you how accomplished you are.

Without even knowing you, I already know that you have a new accomplishment to add. I will start you in the process of recording it by sharing the Situation or Task (the S / T part of the STAR), the A (Actions you took) and the R (Results) and you will fill in the details. This STAR is a great example of how you can adapt to situations.

S/T: There was a global pandemic. In order to minimize the impacts to myself, family members, and the community as a whole, non-essential workers in our community were asked to Shelter at Home and schools were closed.

A: I (and now add details of what you did to adapt to this major life change)

R: I did my part in minimizing the spread to others in my community and (add details of other benefits)

Be sure to document other accomplishments as they occur. As I am known for saying “memory does not get better with age and it starts at a very young age”.

P.S. If you are not familiar with STARs (or PARs or CARs) or only have a handful ready, you will want to take advance of the 16-point Job Search Check offered by RightChanges. We will share with you a STAR Kit that will help you capture over 75 STARs.

Judi Adams
RightChanges.biz

Video on the Most Powerful Cover Letter


Video on the Most Powerful Cover Letter

Are you one of the job seekers who writes a long-worded, blah blah blah cover letter full of “I”, “me”, and “my” making it all about you but does not address what the company is specifically looking for? Or maybe you do not include a cover letter at all and miss a wonderful opportunity to encapsulate for the reader how you are a great candidate for their specific job.

The right cover letter to include is one that can be glanced versus read, highlighting how you are a great match for what this company is specifically looking for, making it as much about their needs as your skills. This is referred to as the T-cover letter.

Many of RightChanges clients have reported how the T-cover letter has increased their chance of success. One client recently shared how, months into her new job, the boss made a point to share that the cover letter was what helped her stand out. The client said “one of the things that impressed her so much during my interview process was my cover letter! And she said she hadn’t seen a good one, like mine, in a long time.”

Because it is highly customized for each person and each application, a sample would be pointless. RightChanges has developed a three-part video series on how YOU can create this powerful cover letter. The first part of the series covers why this format is more powerful. The second part covers the parts of the cover letter. The third part is not to be missed; it takes an actual resume and an actual job description and then click-by-click shows how to create the T-cover letter. It also explains the Word features used for formatting it. All of this is only $9.99.

While you are self-isolating it is a perfect time to watch the Most Powerful Cover Letter video series and implement this standout approach to your job search.

Go to our on-line store at RightChanges.square.site, select the Most Powerful Cover Letter from the on-demand videos section, and we will send you the link and password. Your code enables you to watch each part of the series up to three times each!


This is the Perfect Time for Students and Job Seekers to Take a Career Assessment


This is the Perfect Time for Students and Job Seekers to Take a Career Assessment


Whether in the process of selecting a field of study for college or selecting the right career fit, career assessments help with making one of life’s most important decisions.

The highly-accurate career assessment used by RightChanges takes the individual through four key areas:
Personality
Interests
Skills and abilities
Values.

The Career Assessment Program includes the following:
  •         An initial meeting with a RightChanges coach, via web conference technology, to get your questions answered about the process
  •      A supplemental personality assessment similar to Myers Briggs because the definitions used for the personality section are different than Myers Briggs. RightChanges offers a personality assessment similar to Myers Briggs so we get a true picture of the individual.
  •          The comprehensive, four-part, online assessment
  •          Once completed, a pre-analysis of the results by a RightChanges coach
  •          A two-hour session with the coach to review the highlights of the very detailed report and to brainstorm on additional options
  •          A digital copy of the over 30-page assessment report
  •          A digital copy of a 42-page list of sample jobs in numerous categories
  •          An action plan to narrow options and obtain facts to make an informed decision


All of this for only $255. Go to the online store at RightChanges.square.site and select the Career Assessment Package. We will then contact you to set up a time to get started on the future.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Updated content:Corona and the Job Market – What You Need to Know and Do NOW


Updated content: Corona and the Job Market – What You Need to Know and Do NOW

Update: Following this update is the original article published at the end of February about possible impacts to the job market by the coronavirus. Since then, the stock market is entering its third week of instability or declines and even more industries are feeling the negative impacts of the coronavirus. The strategies used by both job seekers and employed need to accommodate the evolving situation.

1.     The first step, whether you are currently employed or looking for your next position, is to read the original post so you are familiar with the information contained in that article and then implement the updated actions.

2.       After you update your resume, be sure to post it not only on the general job boards like CareerBuilder but also on industry specific job boards. You can find these job boards by doing a simple internet search on the name of your industry or job title then the words “job boards”.

3.       Be sure to re-post your resume on job boards every three weeks to trigger an update to the date the resume was saved. Recruiters and hiring managers did not want resumes of people who are no longer looking for a job so they will put some kind of date parameter on their search in order to get the “fresh” resumes.

4.       Because of the continued spread of the virus and people wanting to limit exposure, attending industry networking events is going to be increasingly challenging. More and more conferences and gatherings are being cancelled. You do not want though to become invisible during this period of time.

Networking on platforms like LinkedIn is going to be essential. Research the people you want to meet and see what LinkedIn groups they belong to, then join and stay active in those groups.

5.       Renew former contacts. This is a perfect time to reach out to former colleagues and friends to renew the relationship. Do not make it all about you. Find out what has been happening in their lives. Listen for how you can help them with a contact or information.

6.       Reach out to industry leaders and other news makers in your field who have appeared in recent articles and congratulate them on their successes. A nice handwritten note or even briefly worded email or LinkedIn message, without making it about you and your job search, will go far for making a good impression. Do not forget to add a business card in with the handwritten note or a signature block on the digital correspondence. That is enough to help them remember your name and encourage them to look you up on LinkedIn.

7.       When updating your skills so you are increasing your marketability, remember that not only are there millions of free online classes but many if not most software companies offer a free 30-day trial of their software that you can use while training.


To get further updates on this or other relevant topics as they occur, follow RightChangesJobSearchCoach.blogspot.com.

For more information about RightChanges Job Search Coaching services, email us at Info@RightChanges.biz.

Original posting 02/27/20
No one should panic with regard to the impact of the coronavirus on the job market but whether you are employed or in a job search, there are things you need to know and do NOW to be prepared.

As I am writing this, it is the 4th day the US stock market has declined significantly. This is impacting a broad range of industries due to the international nature of today’s manufacturing and supply chain. Because of the stock market, there will very likely be impacts on the job market. You need to understand these impacts and act NOW to be prepared.

Impacts

From my many years in corporate management and my decade now as a job coach, I understand that due to the significant declines in the US and international stock markets and other factors, there very possibly will be hiring freezes at the end of the first quarter, if not sooner, until companies understand the full impact of these factors. If the uncertainty continues or increases, it could very well mean reorganization of staff and possible layoffs.

It is not all bad news. There are some companies that are experiencing growth during this time. For instance, home exercise equipment companies are reporting increased sales. Any industry, like in-home comforts and supplies, will be in greater demand if uncertainty continues or increases.

Things to Do If You Are Employed

Putting your head in the sand or keeping it low hoping, with fingers crossed, that you will not be impacted is not a viable strategy. Even if you feel your position is secure, it is better to be proactive and prepared. You will feel more confident and more in control of your circumstances.

1) Update your resume and LinkedIn profile

      2) Reach out to your existing network of people and renew contact with them. If you are not already doing so, start going to industry networking events.


3) Update your skills. If you have not taken training recently, you are less marketable and therefore less competitive in the market. Develop new and more current skills now. In addition to wonderful continuing education courses offered locally, there are millions of free, online courses.  

4) Start updating your list of accomplishments (STARs) so you are ready with examples of actual successes for the interview. 

5) Stay current on your industry and how it is being impacted so you can make a move before it is too late. A GREAT book to read to get in this mindset is the tiny, but powerful book titled “Who Moved My Cheese” by Spencer Johnson. MD. 

6) Be ready for an interview. One of my clients, who recently landed, wanted me to emphasize to everyone the importance of holding a practice interview with a professional, like she did with me, to make sure you are not saying or doing something that would cost you the job.

Things To Do If You Are Not Currently Employed

If there are hiring freezes or reorganizations and layoffs, companies will still be hiring but the competition will be stiffer. If you have been in the job market for a while, this is not a time to continue on the wheel like a hamster, doing the same thing and not going anywhere. Here is what you should do NOW.

Reality Wake-Up Call

You need to understand facts about the current job market.
  • Only 10% of resumes make it passed the application tracking system’s keyword software because too many resumes are written historically, “here is what I’ve done”, instead of “here is what I’ve done that makes me great for this role”. If you had your resume written by a professional and they did not use a sampling of job descriptions to be sure the content is on point, your resume was just reformatted and is probably part of the 90% falling on the floor.
  • Only 15% of the jobs available today are posted on-line. If you are mainly applying on-line, you are missing out on the majority of jobs available. You have to know the various approaches and then use them.
  • You have to be able to articulate why they should hire you over the competition and you cannot give the same answers everyone else gives. Too many job seekers cannot clearly articulate their competitive advantages or do not even know what they are. You need to know your actual strengths; you have to dust off your memory and be able to recite examples (STARs) of things you have actually done to support your capabilities.
  • There are six items of marketing materials you need for a successful job search. The resume is of course one of them but do you have or can you even name the other five?

Job Seeker Action Items 

Do not waste another moment on a job search that has not produced results. Make changes now because the job market may not be getting any better.

1) Have your job search approach and materials analyzed by a professional. It does not matter how hard you are working on your job search; if you are doing it wrong, you are not going anywhere 

2) Implement the necessary changes to your approach. 

3) Work on having a positive attitude. You can have the best resume money can buy; you can have the best answers ever given to interview questions in the history of man, but if the interviewer picks up on a lack of confidence or anger, you have lost the opportunity.

4) Hold a practice interview with someone who will give you honest feedback on your performance. You could lose the opportunity if you are saying the wrong things or your body language is not confident.

5) Network with employed people in your industry or field. Too many job seekers only network with unemployed people. Job networking groups are a place to get spiritual support or tips but it is like going to a married group looking for a date when it comes to networking for a job; it is not a target rich environment. Instead find out where employed people in your industry or field hang out and go network with them. They know the hidden job market.

6) Double down on your job search efforts. You should develop a calendar of events to attend and tasks to complete every day for the next month. Spend 40 hours a week on your job search doing the right things based upon the successful approaches. With a possible tightening of the job market, this is not the time to conduct the job search halfheartedly or haphazardly.


There are job coaches, like myself, who can give you feedback on your search to date and help you be more productive. Get off the hamster wheel and get a job you want.

Judi Adams