What is LASER Coaching?
In my Job Search Bootcamps, I use a technique called LASER Coaching. It’s also something I’ve participated in and, from which, I’ve personally benefited. It’s highly focused and just as powerful for the person being coached as it is for those listening in.
Watch, listen and let me know what you think…
If you are interested in participating in LASER Coaching, it’s part of my Job Search Bootcamp that kicks off on September 8. It’s just one of the techniques I’ll be using to sharpen your focus, get you standing out and able to find the right job, quicker.
Career Attraction Weekly Wrap-up: August 28, 2010
On Thursday’s webinar I announced that I will be holding a LIVE Job Search Bootcamp starting September 8th. This is a 12 part webinar series that shows you exactly how to stand out in the marketplace and start attracting jobs instead of chasing after them. Plus, I have a number of bonuses and additional tools I’ve rolled together – making it my most complete Bootcamp ever. If you haven’t seen the short (<5 minutes) video I shot talking about it , you can watch it here.
Take advantage of the 20% discount by using the code “BOOTCAMP” at checkout. But, remember, it’s only good until Monday at midnight!
In addition to that, here’s what happened last week in Career Attraction…
Follow up Q&A Session - Robert Shindell and I weren’t able to get to everyone’s questions on Thursday’s webinar, so we tackled them in this follow on one. Listen in as we talk about getting past gatekeepers, age discrimination, maximizing LinkedIn, improving your networking skills and much, much more. You can check it out here.
LinkedIn v.Facebook – 306 vs. 184 and counting. If you haven’t joined us on LinkedIn and Facebook, come on in…the water is fine. This week there was a great discussion started by Diane Hope on Identifying Skills and Talents. Check it out! Have a question? Want to share some information? These are great places to exchange ideas, network and start creating a “pack.”
Here’s what’s happening in Career Attraction University…
1-on-1 Coaching: The September schedule will be coming out next week – se be on the lookout!
NEW VIDEOS – Q&A Video from August and the new SME Video on using Outsourcing as part of your Job Search Strategy.
Have some specific training you’d like for your search? Email me at kevin@careerattraction.com and I’ll get working on it for you!
Not a member of Career Attraction University? For less than one dollar a day you can access all this information and more. Sign-up here and get started today!
The Career Attraction Weekly Wrap-up – Friday, July 9, 2010
The end of yet another week is upon us. For you soccer (or, ahem, football) fans out there, the World Cup final is on Sunday – Spain and the Netherlands. I know one person who will be clad in orange pulling for Holland…our friend Ilona Vanderwoude!
Whether your plans include watching the match or something else all together, I hope you have a great weekend.
Now, here’s what happened this week at Career Attraction:
My “Stand Out” Job Search Training starts on Monday. If you haven’t seen what it’s all about, watch this short video (about 10 minutes). I built it around exactly what you told me you wanted. I’ll be walking you through how to build stronger networks that drive opportunities to you, more efficient social media systems that work for you and, of course, how to Stand Out from the crowd easily, naturally and authentically. Watch the short video here…
Stand Out by Ditching the Elevator Speech – As you know, I am not a fan of the “elevator speech.” I agree with the concept of getting your message across quickly, succinctly and powerfully. Where this concept loses me (as well as most people receiving it) is that it isn’t value packed for the listener. This is particularly important in your job search, since there are a lot of “speeches” being pitched to hiring managers and you must stand out here. In my opinion, taking a more solution based approach will do just that. Read more here…
Q&A: How do I grow and cultivate a real network? – Kevin, in one of your webinars, you mentioned two types of networks: real and “acquaintance” (or something like that). I would like to know how to cultivate a real network. I don’t really think that I am relationship challenged. It is just the nature of my personality to be calm, cool and collected, and in the background. People don’t really gravitate to me. So anyway, I have 53 LinkedIn connections that span most of my life. But they are mostly acquaintances and they aren’t really people that engage in an equal give and take with me. This isn’t a personal question. I’m more interested in the professional side. How to I create those professional relationships that can stand the test of time? Read my response here…
INTERVIEW: Networking from Scratch – I’ve been sharing this interview a lot lately with my coaching clients. It’s a conversation I had with a senior professional who found himself in a new city, with no network and unemployed. Michael had to build a trusted network from scratch – and quickly. In this interview, he explains exactly how he developed a strong network in short order that landed him an outstanding job…all without ever asking for a job! His advice – priceless. Get the interview here…
Next week in Career Attraction University:
- “Stand Out” Job Search Training start Monday
- Monthly Q&A Webinar – Thursday, July 15 at 12:00pmEST (Invitations will be emailed on Monday for Career Attraction University members). Remember to send your questions in by noon on Wednesday, July 14 to university@careerattraction.com)
- New “how to” Social Media Videos will be posted next week too!
Not a member of Career Attraction University? For less than one dollar a day you can access all this information and more. Sign-up here and get started today!
2008 – 2010 – Career Attraction – All Rights Reserved
Question of the Week: How can I fix my resume to get more interviews?
Kevin,
I had been a top consultative sales producer for many years. Then, about 9-10 years ago, I encountered family and economic issues, e.g., layoffs, two-year non-compete, family health issues for which I took off work, etc., that prevented me from continuing in my successful sales career at that time. I then took “underemployment” just to make ends meet after the tech bubble burst, and the rest of the story occurred economically.
Now, trying to re-launch my sales career, hiring authorities see my resume with several short-tenured jobs in the past few years and immediately point that out as a rejection. This has come from recruiters and hiring managers themselves.
How might I structure my resume to get past this and on to an interview? This is a major obstacle, despite cover letters and top resume bullets showing what I can do for the company. I want to be honest, but not short-sell myself in the resume. Might I group these under “Sales and Consulting” (and list under my own sales consulting company, which I do actually have) even though they were actual jobs?
Anonymous (name withheld to protect the…well…because she asked me to 
)
Anonymous,
OK…It’s not you, it’s the system (and I say this confidently, Anonymous, because we have spoken). It’s precisely why I focus on creating a new system that works for you and get’s you standing out versus an old one that, clearly, doesn’t work for you. And, if there is one thing all job seekers are looking to do, it’s How to Stand Out (I did a recent poll of my subscribers on it)!
It’s not your Resume, but what you’re expecting your Resume to do – First, it’s not the format. Chronological resumes highlight movement. Functional resumes leave the reader wondering what you’re trying to hide. All that notwithstanding, by having a resume (or cover letter for that matter) take “point” for you in trying to get someone’s attention, you immediately throw yourself into the cattle call with everyone else. At the end of the day, no one is going to hire you because of your resume and it’s the weakest asset you have to leverage in getting on a hiring manager’s radar.
Get out of the Crowd – On the heels of that last point, ask yourself this: why try and stand apart in a crowded database of 1,000’s of resumes? Doesn’t it make more sense to put yourself in a less crowded space where you can shine? I really dig into this in my most recent video – check it out (and I give you some tools to start doing just that!).
Recruiters should be last on your list – Why? They don’t hire you. They are gatekeepers whose initial role is to thin the herd. In your situation, where you are trying to demonstrate (on paper or otherwise) the value you can bring by relating past accomplishment, that simply doesn’t fit in with the world of Boolean string searches and keyword matching. Your value needs to resonate with the person who can hire you. And, again, there are better ways to deliver that message than via paper.
Consult – If you are lacking recent, relevant experience – this is the way to go. And, it can be paid or un-paid. Hiring managers are less concerned with what you were paid that what you have accomplished – it’s a predictive indicator of what you’ll do for them. Deeds, not words. If that’s not enough, it will get you back in your element, get you in a more positive mindset and – when all is said and done – thinking about yourself as a Top Consultative Sales Professional – not a job seeker.
I’ll leave you with this: I had a Bootcamp client who’d been out of the workforce for over 7 years. In a coaching call, she shared with me that she had a really difficult time getting past gatekeepers, let alone getting the attention of hiring manager, with that gap on her resume. But, when she met people one-on-one, they got to know her…the value she could bring. When they saw her resume, the gap became a relative non-issue. Her question to me: How do I get my resume to do that? My response: Why would you want it to?
Don’t kill yourself trying to get a system to work for you that was never designed to serve you to begin with. Leverage what you’ve got, because you’ve got a lot!
Kevin
Got a job search or career advice question you want answered? Email it with “Weekly Q&A Blog” in the Subject Line to info@careerattraction.com I can’t promise it will be picked, but you won’t know until you send it in!
Like what you read? Get blogs, videos and tools you can use delivered right to your inbox as I post them. No spam or junk – just content you can put to use and get results with!
Questions about My Recent Announcement…
On Tuesday, I announced that I would be closing the doors on my Job Search 2.0 Bootcamp System forever next week. I received a number of questions with similar themes. I hope you don’t mind, but instead of putting together individual responses I decided to make a short recording tackling the questions that came in. This way, everyone can benefit.
Click here to listen to my answers to your questions.
If you have a question about the program that wasn’t answered in the recording, feel free to leave a comment below and I will make sure to respond ASAP!
