When I announced last week that I was doing this, the spots were gone in under 13 minutes! I know many of you missed out and, hopefully, we will get a chance to chat in the future. These 1-on-1 sessions are a regular part of my Career Attraction University (where you are guaranteed a spot to get coached), but once a month I open it up on a first come, first served basis for free.

I spoke with 17 professionals ranging from Media Directors to IT Professionals to a few folks who described themselves as “jack-of-all-trades.” The themes though were recurring and consistent. Here is a brief recap of some of the topics tackled.

I have been networking and letting everyone know that I’m looking, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. I hear this a lot and, when I get down to how people are networking, I usually get one of two answers: a) I’m letting everyone in my network know that I’m looking or b) I make sure to let anyone I talk to in my industry know what I do well. Here is what I tell both.

First, it’s much more important that someone know you are really good at what you do (your reputation network and “packs” can work to your advantage here) than that you are looking for employment. The fact that you are looking for a job is largely irrelevant to someone who would hire you. More importantly, it’s not a motivating factor in hiring you.

Second, while it is important for companies to know what you do well it is more important – and effective for you – that it be relevant to what they want and need. Get a brief understanding of what the major pains are that the company is dealing with currently. Then you can tailor your accomplishments and strengths so they speak to that pain…and why you are the ideal candidate to hire.

I want to move up the ladder, but I need specific experience and I can’t afford the training right now. Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer. There is no better way to get on-the-job training when you are unemployed. Better yet, you can list it as consulting. While someone may ask your bill rate, they aren’t going to verify salary. It only matters to you what you were (or weren’t) paid. What matters to them are the skills you bring to the table.

How do I convince a specific company that I’m a fit for a job when I have a varied background and/or no specific experience? Go back to the problems you solve and the pains you have alleviated in the past. Focus on what you have, not what you don’t. This is crucial in talking to companies in new industries or fields when you are looking to transition.

It’s really important that you talk to the hiring managers and not recruiters here. You will have your best luck with those who are experiencing the pain. I’m not saying they will all be interested, but those who want what you don’t have were never potential employers for you anyway.

I just moved to a new town and have no network. You’ve likely heard me talk about my interview with Michael Kerman before. This is the spot he was in and he landed a job masterfully by building a network from scratch and never asking for a job while doing it. If you haven’t heard it, definitely check it out.

* * * * * * * * *

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! And make sure you check out my FREE STUFF to put to work in your job search today…

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.

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!

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

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!

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Visibility – These mediums allow you access to an unlimited amount of professionals within your targeted audience. What’s more, Social Media sites by definition allow for and promote the organization of niche “groups” which make finding your audience that much easier. LinkedIn is a prime example of this, but Facebook and YouTube as well.

Transparency – This is a bit of a mantra to your success in Social Media environments. I like to equate it to going to a party. Would you set up a table and starting pitching your product (i.e. “Here I am, looking for a job”) or begin by connecting on common ground? This is particularly true on Twitter – one of the more transparent tools out there. It is the first step in the process of “Know, Like, Trust,” which we all go through in determining what we are going to buy. Or, in this case, who they are going to hire.

“Pay it Forward” – Coupled with transparency, it is the second key to success in Social Media. Help others to not only get them to help you but, of equal importance, discover who will help you. And, by way of this assistance, you get a third party endorsement or recommendation. You can start doing it by simply asking others, “How can I help you?”

Nobodies are the New Somebodies – Borrowed from Guy Kawasaki, in the simplest of terms you don’t know who can help you nor do you know who knows who. Connecting with the big wigs in your industry through Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn can be fun, but it’s that avid networker who you have never met or heard of who is your better bet.

The Quality is in the Quantity – This is how you get to the “Nobody Somebodies.” By using tools like Opennetworker, you can build a network of likeminded, “give to get” individuals rapidly on a number of platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). By having a large number of connections, you have more choices from which to drill down and develop deeper, more meaningful connections. Think of it like filling your own networking event: pack the hall with as many folks as possible and then work the room to see who can help you (and, of course, who you can help).

It’s clear that Social Media isn’t the fad some first claimed it to be. It is almost equally as pervasive off-line as it is on-line. By incorporating it on the front end of your job search efforts to “fill the funnel,” you will not only more effectively tie in with the opportunities you seek but also uncover that elusive “hidden job market.”

And, as always, let me know what you think my chiming in below!

Like this article? Sign up below and I’ll let you know every time I have a new article, interview or free webinar.

Interested in implementing these techniques to make your job search more efficient? Check out Kevin’s Job Search 2.o Bootcamp Homestudy System – designed specifically more the mid to senior level executive designed to drive opportunities to you, establish you as a Subject Matter Expert and cut significant time off your search – all without using job boards or recruiters. Click here to learn more.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, BLOG OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Kevin Kermes publishes the ‘Build the Career Your Deserve’ e-zine with over 21,000+ subscribers. If you are ready to empower yourself with the vital tools and information necessary to find the job you want and build the successful career you deserve, visit him now www.careerattraction.com

2009 © Kevin Kermes Inc. – All Rights Reserved

Now that I’ve spent some time demystifying what is happening behind the scenes

As a result of the sheer number of responses to openings, Companies are now typically sending out a Pre-Interview Test that comes in the form of an email or voicemail that could say something like: 

“Thank you for your Resume submittal.  We are currently reviewing your information and would like to ask you a few follow up questions. 

1.         Do you have experience with ______________?  
2.         Have you ever ________________?  
3.         When is the last time you ________________?  
4.         Write a short paragraph of why you want to work for us.  

Please provide us with the answers to these questions and please do the following: 

1.            Reply back with a Word version of your Resume attached.  
2.            The subject line of your email should read:  Answers To ______ Questions  
3.            Reply back to:  abc@xyzco.com  
4.            Please call (555) 555-5555 and leave a brief message with: 
               a.         your name
               b.         your number
               c.         the position you applied to
               d.         the date you replied back
               e.         good days and times for us to get back in touch with you

Thank you and we look forward to your reply.

 If you are at all interested in the opportunity, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to all the requests they’re asking of you.  Each layered request is a test. Do not be fooled by the simplicity in what they are asking for.  Here are some HINTS on how to best respond to the various questions and requests.

 1.            HINT:  Don’t answer with a yes or no.  Please understand you are being evaluated.  Don’t show you are lazy or in a hurry with a one word answer.  Be concise, to the point, but give a solid answer showing your experience.
2.            HINT:  Again, don’t just answer with a yes or no.  Respond and then tell them when.
3.            HINT:  When answer something like this, don’t stop at the date, but tell them the results.  Remember, you are selling yourself as a candidate.
4.            HINT:  This is important!  Make sure you have a well written paragraph that shows you have done your research and give real reasons why you would want to work for this company.  Don’t be generic and just respond with how much the industry interest you, make sure you are being specific to their company when you give your answer.  You are being judged on your written communication; as well as content of your response.
5.           HINT:  Vista is not compatible with earlier versions of Microsoft.  I suggest playing it safe and send a Word (97-2003) version. If you want to include a .pdf that’s fine, but make sure it is in addition to not instead of the Word version they asked for.
6.          HINT:  This is huge!  Most people just hit reply and never change the original subject line of the email.  This shows the employer you were not following directions.
7.          HINT:  Again, this is huge.  The person who originally sent the email may not necessarily be the one that needs these responses.  Make sure you are following their instructions very specifically.
8.         HINT:  They are testing your phone presence, your energy level, and your verbal communication skills.  They are listening to make sure you answered all the questions they asked, and quite honestly, they are listening for if they like you.           

As you can see, this is not rocket science, but it is easily dismissed as not being important.

If you are not completely following each step, even just missing one thing, you’re going into the “not a fit” pile.  I’m very serious.  No matter how qualified you may be, a filtering mechanism is needed and although it may not be perfect, it does weed out a high percentage of “prima donnas”, “non detail oriented”, and “really were never interested in the position in the first place” candidates.

These tests are purely a simple set of questions or actions for you to follow; precisely, as a pre-screening tool.  Pay attention to the details and follow any instructions you are given during the interview process!  Here’s what’s interesting:  About 70-80% of applicants get eliminated right away because of their inability to follow simple instructions such as the ones in my example.

 HINT:  I routinely use these tests for my own internal Hiring and I can attest to 80% of the applicants are filtered out right away.  It’s always so alarming to see.  Follow my simple tips and you will be part of the 20% that’s still going to move forward through the process.

Want to learn more?  Lorena is not only this week’s guest blogger, but my Subject Matter Expert (SME) Webinar for the Career Mastermind Group on December 15th.  Her topic – “You’ve Got the Interview – Now What?”  Read more about how you can join this call and the Mastermind Group for free.

Lorena Stanley founded Lorena’s List in 2008 to help Six Figure Corporate Career Seekers Get Back to Work Faster.  She has been In the Executive Recruiting business for over 15 years both as an Executive Recruiter and as an Owner of a World Wide Executive Search firm; which is part of an organization that has 600 Offices and 6,000 plus Executive Recruiters. This allows her access to real life, real time information. This network places 3,000+ candidates a month and connects with conservatively 100,000 Hiring Managers and HR Professionals a month.  Lorena’s List information has been time tested and proven to work thousands of times over.

• - You are Employable but not currently Employed. 
• - You know you’ve been perfect for the jobs you’ve applied for but never heard back from them. 
• - Or, you may hear back but after either a short email exchange, you don’t hear back again.  Why?  What happened? 

These are common scenarios I see daily.  The problem may stem from a very simple process that I’ll call the Pre-Interview Test.  So let’s talk a little bit about what makes up the Pre-Interview Test that most candidates miss! 

Pre-Interview tests are becoming common place for companies to use as another tool to screen applicants.  Why?  Let me take you through some real life numbers that will shock you.

When a Recruiting Firm places an ad for a Company, specifically in today’s market, regardless of the position, geography, or market niche, they typically get 500 resumes that first day for that one position.  By the end of 5 days on average they receive 1,000 to 1,500 resumes for one position.  1,000 to 1,500, for one position!  That’s a lot.  Now you have some more insight as to the competition you’re up against.  Don’t worry; read on, I’m also going to give you some information that if applied, will shatter that competition.  But, first I want to really give you some good insider perspective.

Let’s do some quick math.  If the person who is screening resumes only spends 2 minutes per resume to quickly scan it, that’s about 33 to 50 hours just looking at resumes.  Do you think the person doing this task only has one responsibility?  No!  They are probably only allotted 4 hours/day at most, to do this task. 

After the quick 2 minute scan to decide who is in the “move forward” pile and who’s in the “not a fit”  pile, they now need to re-scan the “move forward” pile and dig a little deeper into specifics.  This could easily be another 30 plus hours.  Calculating to this point, we are 2 weeks in and we are only talking about the 1^st week’s worth of resumes.  This is pretty enlightening information that I bet you didn’t think about before. 

So when you are on some of the social networking sites, or reading articles about submitting your resume, and you see “quote” experts telling you that after 3 or 4 days of you submitting your information, if you haven’t heard back, something must be wrong.  Well, I’m here to tell you nothing may be wrong at all, other than they are inundated with responses.  That’s the simple truth and the reality of what’s happening in today’s market.

So now you have a better understanding of the sheer volume Recruiters and Companies are getting, you can understand Companies have to find a way to screen OUT applicants. 

What’s happening to the “not a fit” pile?  Trust me, the last thing on their mind is to put them in some sort of a system to start processing the standard, “thank you for applying, but we are moving forward with other candidate’s” letter.  That would require conservatively another 30 to 40 hours of someone’s time.  They should (and most do) eventually follow up, but it’s not going to be their first priority. 

One more thing to consider, all this work I’ve described is only for one position that they may have open.  Most Companies (and Recruiting Firms) are Hiring for multiple positions at a time.  Not hearing back from a Company right away doesn’t necessarily mean you’re “not a fit”. 

Stay tuned for part 2 of this article where I walk you through what I’ve labeled as the Pre-Interview Test and how to make sure you pass it every time.

Lorena is not only this week’s guest blogger, but our Subject Matter Expert (SME) Webinar for the Career Mastermind Group on December 15th.  Her topic – “You’ve Got the Interview – Now What?”  Read more about how you can join this call and the Mastermind Group for free.

Lorena Stanley founded Lorena’s List in 2008 to help Six Figure Corporate Career Seekers Get Back to Work Faster.  She has been In the Executive Recruiting business for over 15 years both as an Executive Recruiter and as an Owner of a World Wide Executive Search firm; which is part of an organization that has 600 Offices and 6,000 plus Executive Recruiters. This allows her access to real life, real time information. This network places 3,000+ candidates a month and connects with conservatively 100,000 Hiring Managers and HR Professionals a month.  Lorena’s List information has been time tested and proven to work thousands of times over.