Managing Stress During the Holidays

Last night, the St. Matthias Employment Ministry presented a short program called "Managing Stress During the Holidays."

For those who wanted to come, or for anyone interested in what was covered, here are some of the key points.

Managing Stress During the Holidays

Stress is a fact of life. In moderate amounts, stress can energize you. It can be "the spice of life." Too much chronic stress, however, can take a toll on you...and even make you sick.

At this time of year, when so many are celebrating the holidays, some may feel the weight of stress even more heavily, especially those who are out of work, under-employed, or unhappy in a job.

For all of those, and anyone else feeling stressed, here are some recommended ways to manage the stress of the holidays:

Breathe - Practice deep slow breathing.

Imagine - Visualize what you seek.

Think - Think loving thoughts.

Positive - Focus on the positive.

Kindness - Respond to others with kindness.

Time - Manage your time better. Set priorities. Determine what can wait.

Flexibility - Be flexible, be reasonable.

Avoid - Avoid people or situations you find stressful.

Escape - Into a book, or a movie. Listen to music.

Talk - Express yourself. Don’t bottle feelings up. Talk it out with a friend.

Write - Express your thoughts and feelings. Keep a journal.

Notice - What tends to trigger stress in you?

Boundaries - Say “no”. Don't take it personally. Step back.

Expectations - Adjust expectations. Be realistic. Nobody is perfect.

Perspective - Put it in perspective.

Breaks - Take a break.

Quiet - Find quiet time.

Attitude - Maintain a positive attitude.

Relax - Trigger your own relaxation response in whatever way you like best. Lay in a hammock. Sit in a comfy chair with music on.

Meditate - You can pray if you like. Or just ponder a pleasant, positive thought while sitting quietly and comfortably.

Friends - Spend quality time with people who are special to you.

Sleep - The antidote to stress is good restful sleep. Even naps in the afternoon can be beneficial too.

Exercise - Walking will get you started. Then dance, swim, run etc. Yoga and Tai Chi count too.

Laugh - Laughter and exercise release endorphins, the body's own natural pleasure hormones.

Food - Eat healthy. Watch what you eat.

And finally some words of wisdom on stress:

“Our greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James

“It's not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.” – Hans Selye, author of The Stress of Life and Stress Without Distress

If you would like to schedule this or a similar program for your group, let me know. You can reach me at thseamon@yahoo.com or (732) 246-3014.

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant who provides leadership and team development services to employers in New Jersey. His book Lead the Way explores the challenges of leadership. Additionally, Terry is a job search and career coach whose book To Your Success provides a motivational guide for anyone in transition. An alumnus of PSG, Terry co-founded and co-moderates the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ. He can be reached at thseamon@yahoo.com and via his website: http://about.me/terrenceseamon

Posted by Terrence seamon on December 18, 2012

Take the LIFT

If you are in job search, you probably have an elevator speech. You know, the short spiel designed to succinctly convey Who you are and What you have to offer.

Having a well-rehearsed elevator speech comes in handy throughout an active job search, whenever you are talking with others, be it at a job fair, networking meeting, trade show, professional conference or even standing on line at the supermarket.

(For those who are curious, or are having difficulty with your own, here is a neat little website for writing an elevator speech.)

Well, at a job search support group last night, one of the participants said that she had never heard of the concept, but that she had heard of a "lift speech."

As we talked further, it became apparent that the two ideas are one and the same, since a lift is a term also used for an elevator.

Always on the lookout for synchronicities, it immediately occurred to me that the word lift can give the job hunter an edge:

L = Look ahead: Your speech should look ahead, not back to the past. "What I can do for your organization" vs "I used to be...until I was let go." Be positive and future focused rather than dredging up the past.

I = Inspire: Don't be so modest that you keep your talents hidden. Roll out one or more of them in short one-liners such as "At [Company Name], I introduced five new products in one year." Convey the potential that you possess.

F = Focus: Though you probably have a fascinating life story, do not try to tell it all. Be selective. Consultant and speaker Kenny Moore, the former monk and best-selling author, says think of this process as a strip-tease where you want to reveal yourself sparingly.

T = Turn it around: Stop talking and ask the other person about them. Turn it into a conversation. Show interest in who they are and they will be more motivated to ask you some follow up questions.

So be sure to take the LIFT on your way to success!

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Friday October 26, 2012

Three Questions for the Next You

Today, a colleague sent out a desperate plea for advice, saying that she was despondent in her current job, and ready to quit.

I wonder how many in today's workplaces are feeling the same way? Some surveys put the number at 60% or higher that are looking to leave their current spots, hoping for greener pastures someplace else.

If you are in this predicament, I have three questions to help you start thinking about the move you want to make.

1. What work do you really want to do?

2. What obstacles are standing in your way?

3. What is calling you?

Let's take a closer look at these three.

First, I would ask, What work would you really like to be doing? Do you want to stay in your chosen field? Or do you want to branch out into another?

Articulating your vision for yourself, and the work you aspire to do, is a critical step in the direction you want to go. Each of us has been gifted with skills and talents. Putting those gifts to good use is one of the keys to happiness and success.

Second, I would ask, What is standing in your way? What is holding you back? What is keeping you from moving in your desired direction?

Even though we desire to change, nevertheless we may be stuck. Getting clearly focused on your own obstacles --those within you, and those outside you-- will stimulate energy for the change you desire to make. This is a finding from the research being done by Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson.

Third, I would ask, What do you feel called to? What are your dreams about the impact you want to have on the world?

Do you have a calling? I believe that we all have one. Trouble is, many of us never hear it.

The question about calling has several aspects. One is actually about the 'where' aspect of your career. Where do you want to work? For someone else or for yourself? For a large company or a smaller one? Close to home or far away?

Another aspect of calling is 'for whom?' How many of us really think about the audience we want to reach or customer we want to serve?

And one more aspect of calling is 'with what effect?' Many of us are socialized to think that we work to make money. Full stop. We want to make a lot of money and so we gravitate to the for-profit realm. But that is not always the path to fulfillment.

The not-for-profit space may be the place where your gifts will do the most good. And bring you the most satisfaction.

The world of work is a much bigger landscape than we may imagine, with much more diversity and opportunity than we know.

If you, like the person whose plea started this meditation, are feeling burned out in your current job, maybe this is a good time for some soul searching with a few helpful questions.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Friday October 12, 2012

Faith in the Future

There was a whole lot of good feeling, and welcome good news, yesterday at a special forum in the White House in Washington D.C. The purpose of the gathering was to shine the spotlight on the legion of faith-filled Americans who are trying to help the unemployed get back to work.

As one of the legion who is actively involved in this mission, I was invited by Ben Seigel of The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships to join U.S. Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis at a White House Forum titled:

Job Clubs and Career Ministries: On the Front Lines of Getting Americans Back to Work


The room was packed with ordinary people from all over the country --including Florida, Rhode Island, California, New York, and Kentucky-- who are doing extraordinary things to help their neighbors find the way back to meaningful employment.

Participants included job club and ministry leaders, faith and community leaders, workforce development officials, nonprofit leaders, and others from across the country who are assisting job seekers and workers. It was great to meet people like Dan Lott from the Bayside Career Coaching ministry in Sacramento, California. Also present from New Jersey were John Fugazzie of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and Anna Maria Miller, Director of Human Resources at The Bank of Princeton, an employer that hires talent from job clubs.

Over the course of the morning, the gathering of over 100 shared many emotional stories, about challenges, programs and successes, from all corners of America. What really came through from all the different regions and efforts was a strong sense of What Works:

Local efforts - The closer to the need, the better. As well-intentioned as government may be, the real innovations and successes are driven at the local level by ministries and community groups that are closest to the unemployed and their families. The local level is where the need is best understood and the programs have the biggest impact.

All hands on deck - If there was one phrase uttered more than any other it was "We can't do this alone." The only way to address this painful issue of unemployment is to get every stakeholder involved, especially the job seekers, program providers, schools, libraries, the community, and employers. In a word, partnerships.

Networking - Although we all knew this walking in the room, it became crystal clear that the key skill for job seekers is networking.

Getting connected with employers - One speaker, who founded the job clubs of Rhode Island, said that, while networking as a skill is vital, it's not enough. There must also be a way to connecting directly with the employers in the local area. Many other speakers echoed this, several recommending the establishment of Employer Councils to work directly with the job clubs.

And one more, of course:

The power of groups - Whatever you call them, wherever and whenever they meet, grouping for mutual support is the most important thing. There is strength in numbers. And job seekers need all the support and strength they can get.

It was this last item, grouping for job search support, that first brought me to Ben Seigel's attention when his team member Ashley Gerwitz requested a copy of the guide that Janice Lee Juvrud and I wrote back in 2009 to assist those who wanted to start a group in their local area.

Soon after we published our guide, it was recognized by Margaret Riley Dikel, publisher of The Riley Guide (one of the best internet resource sites for job hunters) as a recommended resource for areas lacking support groups.

Janice and I were well-positioned to author this guide because of how fortunate we and other job hunters are to live in the State of New Jersey. New Jersey is packed with support groups! It was the first state, back in 1989, to officially launch job search support groups. Originally called Professional Service Groups (PSGs), they were sponsored by the State Department of Labor as havens in the rough economy for anyone seeking employment.

What made the PSGs unique, and a national benchmark for such groups, was the idea of members helping other members. Anyone who joined a PSG was expected to join a subcommittee and volunteer some time each week to help run the PSG. The subcommittee work, while unpaid, was real work, and therefore considered as job experience. Today, some of the original PSGs are becoming non-profit organizations so that they can carry on this great legacy.

When my church, St Matthias in Somerset, NJ, decided to start an employment ministry, several of us brought the PSG spirit with us as we formulated our vision for outreach to the community.

Let's look ahead, with faith in the future, that working together we can help all Americans get back to work.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Friday September 21, 2012

Past Vs Potential: We Have A Dilemma

Those of us who assist job seekers are very good at teaching the job search process and each of its various skills. These skills include networking, writing cover letters and resumes, and preparing for interviews.

Now we have a new and unexpected dilemma. There is a skill we have been missing. But thanks to some new research, now we have it in our sights.

At the end of August, Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson published a piece online at the Harvard Business Review blog called "The Surprising Secret to Selling Yourself" which opens with this teaser paragraph:

"There is no shortage of advice out there on how to make a good impression — an impression good enough to land you a new job, score a promotion, or bring in that lucrative sales lead. Practice your pitch. Speak confidently, but not too quickly. Make eye contact. And for the love of Pete, don't be modest — highlight your accomplishments. After all, a person's track record of success (or a company's, for that matter) is the single most important factor in determining whether or not they get hired. Or is it?"

Calling upon recent research conducted at Harvard and Stanford, Halvorson says that we have an unconscious bias in favor of potential vs past accomplishments.

It appears, Halvorson surmises, that we find the candidate with potential to be more interesting, though more uncertain.

OK. This may take some time to digest. But the practical question is: How do we teach and prepare job hunters, especially those with considerable past success, to convey their potential?

Halvorson offers this general thought:

"All this suggests that you need a very different approach to selling
yourself than the one you intuitively take, because your intuitions are
probably wrong. People are much more impressed, whether they realize it or
not, by your potential than by your track record. It would be wise to start
focusing your pitch on your future, as an individual or as a company, rather
than on your past — even if that past is very impressive indeed. It's what
you could be that makes people sit up and take notice — learn to use the
power of potential to your advantage."

So, What is that different approach exactly? What does it mean, in practical terms, to sell based on your potential?

We know how to communicate our past accomplishments using PAR stories (Problem, Action, Results). Is there a formula for communicating future potential?

How about CASE?

Challenge - When asked a "What if" or "How would you handle" type of question, you have been given an opportunity to convey potential. Start by reframing the challenge you are hearing in the question.

Analysis - Any challenge situation will call for some analysis of what is actually going on, what the real need is, so offer a tentative assessment.

Strategy - Suggest a plan that would address the need.

Expectations - What would you expect the outcomes to be if the above proved successful?

What do you think? What would you suggest?

To Job Coaches reading this blog post: We have our work cut out for us. Let's get creative and come up with new tools to help our clients.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Saturday September 15, 2012

Help! I Got An Interview!

The other day, someone that I've been coaching called me with good news: "I've got an interview!"

I was happy to hear that. So many persistent job hunters are out there, putting in the hours each day, but not getting the traction that they seek. So when an employer shows some interest in you, that's great.

She asked me if I had any interviewing suggestions. Here are a few of the tips I passed along.

Go in prepared - Preparation for an interview is perhaps the most important ingredient in the recipe for interview success. The better prepared you are, the better you will feel about yourself and your chances.

Preparation includes a number of things, especially: Know the Company. Know your Self and what you bring to the table. Know the Position you are interviewing for. And know the Questions you want to ask.

Manage your stress - Interviewing can be incredibly stressful. The performance anxiety can run high and even keep you from getting a good night's sleep the night before.

To reduce and manage this stress, there are a number of things to consider, especially: Keep yourself in good shape via walking, running, swimming, dancing or some other form of exercise. Be sure to eat right. Find your own serenity via such practices as prayer, meditation, t'ai chi chih, or yoga. Breathe deeply and intentionally, using self-affirming thoughts.

Be ready to sell - In an interview, you are selling a product. The product is You. Your pitch is that You are the answer to their prayers, the solution to their problems. You want to come across as someone they could not possibly do without.

Of course, the employer will decide whether you are the right person or not. But you can influence their decision by pitching your Product to their Needs. By being professional, poised, and positive throughout this sales process, you will do your best.

Keep your answers brief - Many of us have a tendency to over-answer in interviews. We blab away when we should just shut up and await the interviewer's next question.

If they ask you hypothetical questions (which typically start with "How would you..."), take a moment to think before answering. Describe the process you would use.

Show interest in them - There comes a Moment of Truth in every interview when the interviewer asks "Okay now it's your turn. What questions do you have for us?"

This is when your research and your prepared questions come to the fore. While some of your questions may get answered as the interview goes along, be ready to ask several more questions when invited.

Yes, a lot is riding on the interview. Experts say that the employer makes up their mind about you within the first few minutes. Don't worry too much about that. Remember that you are also making up your mind about them as an employer. This is a two-way decision.

Posted by Terrence H. Seamon on Tuesday July 31, 2012

Terrence is an organization development consultant who provides leadership and team development services to employers in New Jersey. His forthcoming book Lead the Way explores the challenges of leadership. Additionally, Terry is a job search and career coach whose book To Your Success provides a motivational guide for anyone in transition. An alumnus of PSG, Terry co-founded and co-moderates the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ. He can be reached at thseamon@yahoo.com and via his website: http://about.me/terrenceseamon

Be the Change Agent

My Job Hunter's Tip of the Day on LinkedIn today is: You are never not 'in transition.' Get used to it. Be the change.

Let's break that down.

Some years ago, the phrase "in transition" was coined to describe the condition of the unemployed. They had lost their prior job, and were seeking a new one.

In theater, actors that are auditioning will say they are "in between shows." In Hollywood, they say "in between films." For musicians, they say "in between gigs."

So, being "in between" jobs was described as being "in transition." Transiting, if you will, from one point to another.

Yet, when you think about the idea of being in transition, ask yourself this question: When are you never not in transition?

Too many negatives in that question? How about like this: In life, aren't we always in transition of one sort or another? For example, ageing. Every time we celebrate a birthday, it's a moment in time when we are marking a milestone in our ever-unfolding transition from birth to death.

So, in that sense, we are always in transition.

If you buy the above argument, then what are its implications for job hunters? Number One, when you land, don't make the mistake of thinking that transition is over. It isn't. It's just continuing to unfold as before.

In a practical sense, this means:

Keep on networking. Do not turn off your networking engine. So many job hunters make this mistake. Then, when the next downsizing occurs, they are caught flat-footed.

Stay vigilant. Continue to be on the lookout for opportunities in your field. You never know when you will need to make your next move.

Keep your resume current. At all times, do not let your resume gather dust. This point also applies to your LinkedIn profile. Talent hunters are still on the prowl and you want to be found, even if you are working.

Keep learning. Never stop exposing your mind to new ideas. Challenge your own comfort zone. Keep pushing your own limits.

One of the lessons many job hunters learn from the experience of being thrust into the nebulous land of "In Transition," is that whatever happens next is up to You. You make your own luck.

Be the change agent of your career and things will happen.

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant who provides leadership and team development services to employers in New Jersey. His forthcoming book Lead the Way explores the challenges of leadership. Additionally, Terry is a job search and career coach whose book To Your Success provides a motivational guide for anyone in transition. An alumnus of PSG, Terry co-founded and co-moderates the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ. He can be reached at thseamon@yahoo.com and via his website: http://about.me/terrenceseamon

Being In Transition

Last night, I spoke at JobSeekers of Princeton, the country's oldest church-based job search support group, located in the Trinity Church of Princeton. It was an honor to be invited to speak there. When group facilitator Ed Han contacted me to see if I would do it, I was excited.

Knowing that many job seekers are experiencing prolonged searches, I created a talk called "Being In Transition." Here are some of the points.

Losing your job is stressful, to say the least. Then the job search itself adds to the stress, especially because of what it means to be "in transition."

When you are "in transition," it's all uncertain, all the time. Unlike when you were working, there are no offices, no hours, no time sheets, no staff meetings, no nothing. All the structures you knew are now gone.

This uncertainty and lack of structure can leave the job seeker feeling adrift and anxious. If the job seeker isn't careful, the stress can accumulate and lead to serious effects including depression and illness.

To avoid this outcome, job seekers are advised to follow every one of the basics they learned in Job Search Boot Camp, whether they learned the basics via outplacement, or via a local PSG, or a group like JobSeekers. These basics replace the old structures with new ones, and establish a disciplined approach to the job search. In effect, the job search becomes Your Job.

Unfortunately, as mentioned earlier, today's job searches can stretch on for a lot longer than you would wish. It's a Buyer's market for employers and they can hold out for the "perfect" candidate while perfectly acceptable ones are rejected.

To "hang in there" during a long search, HR executive Lee E. Miller recently published his recommendations. It's a good article and worth tracking down.

The essential notion is to ask yourself, What can I do differently?

In my field of Organization Development, we have a technique called Start Stop Continue where you ask yourself three questions:

What could I Start doing to increase movement toward my goal?

What could I Stop doing to increase movement toward my goal?

What could I Continue doing, but do in an improved way, to increase movement toward my goal?

I had the attendees get into small discussion groups to work on these questions. They came up with a bunch of terrific ideas, including:

Start exercising. Start targeting companies.

Stop sitting at the computer all day. Stop being a loner.

Continue networking. Continue brainstorming with fellow job seekers.

And many more actionable ideas to galvanize your search.

Posted by Terrence H. Seamon on Wednesday July 11, 2012

Terry is an organization development consultant who provides leadership and team development services to employers in New Jersey. His forthcoming book Lead the Way explores the challenges of leadership. Additionally, Terry is a job search and career coach whose book To Your Success provides a motivational guide for anyone in transition. An alumnus of PSG, Terry co-founded and co-moderates the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ. He can be reached at thseamon@yahoo.com and via his website: http://about.me/terrenceseamon

Three Keys to A Successful Job Search

There is a lot that goes into conducting an effective job search, including networking, writing your resume, and preparing for interviews.

There's a lot more to it, including these three vital keys to success in landing your next job: knowing what you want; finding jobs; and staying positive.

1-Knowing What You Want

One of the most basic, and most critical, elements in a successful job search is having a clear idea of what you want, a goal or an objective. Yet so many job seekers struggle with this very step in the process.

Why is having an objective so important? Your job search objective is your target. It's what you are after. Without an objective, you are likely to flounder and end up searching much longer than you need to.

Baseball legend Lawrence “Yogi” Berra once said: “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.” Yogi knew that without goals and objectives, we are without direction. With them, we are able to chart a course toward our desires.

If you are struggling to get clear on what you want, here are some questions to stimulate your thinking.

What are you best at? - Every person is capable of doing many things, but each of us feels that there are a few things that we are best at. What is that for you? Is it writing? Organizing and arranging events? Solving a technical problem?

What do you love doing? - Sometimes we find ourselves so immersed in a task that time flows by and we don't even notice its passage. Ask yourself: Was I doing a task that I love? What was it? Was it working with your hands, making something? Gardening? Doing research? Leading a team?

What have others praised in you? - Sometimes others know us better than we do ourselves. Think about the patterns of praise you have heard from teachers or coaches or even your parents. What did they say? That you are good with children? That you are creative? That you have a "good head for business?"

Where do you see yourself working? - There are many working environments, e.g. an office, a truck, a farm, a stage, at home. Where do you think you would be happiest?

Who do you see yourself working with? - Imagine yourself at work. Who are you working with? Patients in a clinic? Children in a school? Retail customers in a store? The poor in another country?

Getting clear on what you want, and turning that into an objective for your search, is a must for an effective job search. Your objective should be as specific as you can make it. As long as it is directionally true to what is in your heart, it will guide you well.

2-Looking for & Finding Jobs

There are jobs, even in a recession (or post-recession, or whatever this economy is at the moment). They can be found in one of two ways: advertized and un-advertized.

First, Advertized jobs. These are ones that the employer has published. These jobs may be on a jobs website (like Monster, career Builder, LinkedIn etc), a company website (search by company name), or on lists provided to search firms/recruiters/headhunters.

Your Actions:
1. Create alerts, using keywords, on jobs websites so that jobs are fed to your inbox.
2. Routinely research companies you have an interest in. Apply at their websites.
3. Identify and connect with recruiters who specialize in your field of interest.

Second, Un-Advertized jobs. There are two types. First, there are ones that have been published "internally-only" as the employer opens the jobs to its own employees first, before going to the outside job market. Second, there are "jobs" that the company needs to have done but have not yet become approved (and budgeted) requisitions.

Your Actions:
4. Join networking groups, both in person and online.
5. Connect with people who have interests similar to yours via LinkedIn Groups.
6. Attend job fairs and other similar events to meet company representatives.
7. Prepare a direct marketing campaign for selected companies of interest to you.

3-Staying Positive

These days, a job search can take a lot longer than you would like, with many quiet days and weeks, with little response from employers. The result is that, if you are not careful, you could sink into depression.

To avoid that, you need ways to stay positive. What perks you up and gets your optimism flowing?

There are many strategies for staying positive including:

Doing a project - Look around your house and identify some work that needs to be done. Paint the porch. Clean out the garage. Plant a garden. You'll feel better about yourself.

Going for a walk - Don't fall into the trap of sitting at your computer all day. Get up and move. Walking is good exercise. By staying in good physical shape, you will be ready for opportunity when it calls.

Helping others - There are many others in the same boat as you. Ask yourself if you can help them in some way. Maybe you are good at finding job leads or writing resumes or networking. Go to your local PSG and pitch in. Volunteer an hour or two each week. Call a friend you haven't spoken with in a while. You could be the answer to someone's prayers.

Reading something inspirational - There are so many uplifting books, articles and websites out there that it's hard to know where to begin. One way to dive in via the internet is to type #quotes into twitter's search box. Then follow any feed that looks good to you.

Doing something new - The late great management expert Peter Drucker recommended that you push yourself out of your rut on a regular basis by exploring a new field. Read a book outside your area of expertise. Go to a free lecture on a topic you know little about. Broaden yourself.

The more positive you can be during a job search, the more active, productive, and creative you will be. All of which will support you in your quest for a meaningful job.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Tuesday June 26, 2012

The 4 Essentials of Networking

You know that networking is essential to an effective job search. You've heard that most people find their next job that way. So all the articles and speakers have told you, Network, network, network. "Always be connecting," as job search coach and career expert Michael Goldberg puts it so well.

But networking doesn’t come naturally for many people. Many job seekers wonder if they are networking properly. What is the essence of networking anyway?

Let me take a stab at it, since I have been networking for many years, going all the way back to the first time I read Richard Nelson Bolles' classic book What Color Is Your Parachute.

In interviews, Bolles has said, "The preferred way to get your name into a company that interests you is through your contacts" by finding "someone you know that knows someone there. If you don't have a contact there it won't work."

That's it, essentially. Everything you need to know is packed into that statement. So let's unpack it. There are three essential elements:

1. Companies – Bolles recommends starting with “…a company that interests you.” Bolles and many other career transition experts all agree: an effective job search is a purposeful one. What is your purpose? In other words, what do you want to do and where do you want to do it? What companies interest you? Make a list. And pursue them.

2. Contacts - Bolles says, "Contacts, contacts, contacts. They can be social networks, friends, and family.” Make another list, Bolles says, this time of everyone you know. These are your first degree contacts. Each one of them knows a bunch of people. Those people are your second degree contacts. Each of those people knows a bunch of other people. Those are your third degree contacts. And so on. In a nutshell, your contacts are the currency of an effective job hunt. You want to invest in them continuously and grow that investment.

3. Connecting - Bolles has often said that resumes are poison because employers assume you are lying. So what is the answer? Bolles says you have to get your name known to them first! Then they will want to see the resume you slaved over. How do you do this? By using your network of contacts. It’s the recommended way to get your name known. When you are referred in by an insider, they will want to see you. Finding someone who works there is the key! How do you find people that work at a company you are interested in? Before the advent of LinkedIn, it was tougher. But now, with LinkedIn, you have a great research tool that will not only identify names (and faces) but a pathway from You to Them.

In addition to utilizing the modern social media tools like LinkedIn (as well as blogging, facebook, and twitter), don't neglect the good old fashioned avenues for face-to-face networking such as affinity groups (e.g. FENG, MENG etc), faith-based groups (e.g. the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ), library groups (e.g. Neighbors helping Neighbors), job search support groups (e.g. Breakfast Club, Careers in Transition, etc), as well as the excellent Professional Service Groups that are still functioning across New Jersey.

Go to these groups on a regular basis. Become known. Pitch in and help others. If there is a fourth C in the networking process, it is Caring. If you care about others and try to help them, even if only by listening and showing that you can relate to what they are feeling, they will care about you.

So now you have the 3 (+1) C’s of essential networking. When you put them together and work them every day, you will shift the job search odds in your favor in no time.

Posted by Terrence H. Seamon on Father's Day Sunday June 17, 2012

"Tell me about yourself" - One more time...

I am pleased to present guest blogger Alex Freund writing about the critical first impression that job seekers make when asked the question "Tell me about yourself."

"Tell Me About Yourself" - One more time...
By Alex Freund

All of my career coaching clients go through “Tell me about yourself” during our first 10 minutes together. Why is this so pivotal? It is for several reasons. The most important one is that the first impression is a lasting impression. In a job interview situation it is of utmost importance to make a good first impression. If you don’t make that good impression, it will be very hard--if not impossible--to dig out of that hole. “Tell me about yourself” sets the scene. If you answer it well, you’ll be riding a good wave, and everything you say after that will be viewed through a positive prism. Otherwise, the opposite is true.

You may want to ask, ”So why am I being asked this question?” After all, the interviewer (hopefully) has read your resume and knows everything about your professional past and respective accomplishments. Nevertheless, the test contained within the question is twofold. First, do you know what your accomplishments are? And second, if you do, can you recount them eloquently and succinctly?

More important than everything I’ve said so far is your understanding of the reason you were called in for an interview. Think about it for a second. Oops, you’re wrong! It’s not about your having the opportunity to tell the hiring manager how great you are and to sell yourself. It’s clearly about one thing and one thing only: what you can do for the hiring manager. Now, if you agree with that contention, go back and rethink your personal marketing program. Your interview answers should universally focus on how your past experience and skills can help meet the hiring manager’s challenges.

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Career coach Alex Freund is known as the Landing Expert for publishing his Landing Expert job-networking list via his website . Based in New Jersey, Alex is prominent in a number of networking groups and also writes a blog for job seekers accessible via the same website. Previously, Alex had a successful career as corporate director at Fortune 500 companies.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Friday May 25, 2012

Tips for Graduates Starting To Search for Work

One of my nephews is graduating from Rutgers in a couple days. We are all very proud of him and look forward to his future accomplishments. As he gets ready to start his career, he is getting advice and input from all sides. Though a bit overwhelming at times, it's a good thing.

Being receptive to (and seeking out) the input of people who have already blazed the trail is a smart move. Like mentoring, this informal research is a process that can provide real benefits. There are tips and tricks you can pick up from "the old hands" that will help jump start your career progress.

One smart young person in my field (Learning & Organization Development) contacted me the other day for my advice on what she could do to accelerate her entry into the field. Here are the points I shared with her.

1. Network Network Network - NJ-based speaker and coach Michael Goldberg says, Always Be Connecting. It's the ABC of networking. You will meet people. You will learn. You will expand your horizons. And you will make valuable connections that will payoff later.

2. Know what you want - Have specific goals and go after them. Make sure that every day you have done something (even just thinking about your goals) to move the ball toward your goals.

3. Show up - Don't be shy. You've got to stand out. You can do this in-person by showing up at professional meetings, and on-line by establishing your brand image via LinkedIn etc.

4. Stand out - Early in the Great Recession, downsized New Yorker Charles Pixley said, You have to put yourself out there. You have to be seen. You have to believe in yourself.

5. Pitch in - Can you volunteer some of your time each week to help in some way? There are many needs. You just have to choose. Volunteering is good for others and good for you.

6. Keep learning - Just because you have graduated from college does not mean you can stop learning. Rather stay open, stay curious, keep exploring. Challenge yourself to learn something new every day.

7. Find your unique gift - There is so much competition in the market today. You must differentiate yourself. But how? Everyone has a unique gift, what writer Dick Richards and ex-monk Kenny Moore call your daimon. It's the special thing that no one has but You. Few find it and use it. But finding it is one of the keys to happiness and success.

Lastly, continue asking questions and seeking guidance! Kudos to you for reaching out and seeking such input. I did the same thing over 30 years ago and it got me started into the field. I still do it to this day.

There are so many young people like my nephew (and like the young woman who contacted me) who are just starting out on their career paths. Listening to "the old hands" may be somewhat tiresome, but their stories and their wisdom can be a gift, especially when it helps a newbie accelerate the start of a brilliant career.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Saturday May 12, 2012

Strength in Numbers

You've heard the old expression that "There is strength in numbers." For a job seeker or career changer, this means, Don't go it alone. Instead, band together with others and the strengths multiply!

Let me illustrate this with some local examples.

Job Search Support Groups abound throughout our central New Jersey area. Some are church-based, such as the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset and the St. Rose of Lima Transition Network in Freehold. The Jewish Family Service of Central NJ (in Elizabeth and Union) is also very active in helping job hunters. These faith-based initiatives are practical ministries driven by the desire to help one's fellow man or woman. Though sponsored by faith-based organizations, the resources of these groups are available to all.

Some other job search support groups revolve around an occupational affinity such as FENG (Financial Executives Networking Group) or MENG (Marketing Executives Networking Group). In the spirit of these memorable acronyms, there is YANG (Yet Another Networking Group) in Ocean county. For people in the field of Human Resources, there are a number of focused groups for HR professionals who are in transition.

Some job search support groups meet at local libraries like the Neighbors Helping Neighbors groups in northern NJ. Others like The Career Forum (in Basking Ridge) and The Breakfast Club (in East Brunswick) were started by job seekers who wanted to help other job seekers.

NJ-based career coach Alex Freund has done a fine job of maintaining an up-to-date list at his website.

The NJ State Libraries have also stepped up to the challenge of helping job hunters. Through the statewide NJ Works program, where librarians have been specially trained and certified to assist job seekers in research, resume writing and other tasks associated with the job search, those who are out of work in NJ can now go to a local library for the expert support they may need.

The Professional Service Groups (aka the PSGs) are a network of twelve job search support groups, from Dover up north to Vineland down south, that are sponsored by the State of New Jersey. Further evidence that if you are you looking for work in the Garden State, you are in luck because NJ is rich in job search resources! In central NJ, there are several: New Brunswick (the oldest and original PSG), Somerville (the newest), and Neptune "down the Shore." For a full list, go to this website.

Begun in 1989, the PSGs are self-managed groups of business and technical professionals who are helping one another through their career transitions. Their aim is to be a One-Stop Center for anyone who is out of work and seeking networking, job leads, and job search skills training. What makes the PSGs unique is that, while connected to the State Department of Labor and Workforce Development, they are self-managed and highly organized by the members. The job seekers themselves do everything, and everyone serves on a committee, such as Publicity, Training, Programming, or Marketing.

They even have a LinkedIn group and a facebook page.

Soon, according to official sources in Trenton, the PSGs will be revamped and expanded in order to serve and support even more residents of the state. Stay tuned for news.

So, if you are looking for work, and you don't live close to any of the above resources, what can you do? You can start your own group! Chances are, there are others near you who are also looking for work. You can get started right away with the help of The Riley Guide.

All it takes is for one job seeker to reach out to another one and ask, "When can we meet?" And then "Who else should we invite to meet with us?" You can start at a local library or church meeting room or even a Starbucks. And take it from there.

In the State of New Jersey, you do not have to go it alone when looking for work.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Sunday May 5 (Cinco de Mayo), 2012

Call Your Mother. Save Your Money.

Soon the month of May will be here, bringing with it the start of Graduation Season. Have you ever wished that you could give a commencement address and dispense some of your lived wisdom to the young faces sitting before you?

Two such commencement talks are well worth watching sometime:

One features the late Steve Jobs speaking at Stanford in 2005, including his famous "Stay hungry, stay foolish" message. The second features consultant and author John Scherer speaking at Roanoke College in 2010, including his wise maxim "Go for tov."

If you were invited to deliver a college commencement address . . . what advice would you give to a class of college graduates?

I asked my wife Joan. I often consult her for her wisdom. She said:

~ "Call your mother. Save your money. Start thinking now about retirement. Go to church."

What I love about her answers is that there are some important implications, including:

Start thinking about your future - Today's decisions have long-term effects that are hard to foresee. But by envisioning the future you desire, you can use that vision to guide the choices you make now.

Stay connected to others - You are not just graduating with a diploma. You have a social network comprised of family, friends, and all those you encountered during your four years of college. Stay connected! These relationships will support you and sustain you as you begin the next phase of your journey.

If you were to deliver an address to a graduating class, what would your key points be, especially in view of the difficult economy that this year's college graduates are entering?

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Sunday April 29, 2010

College Graduates, The Number One Quality You Need Right Now

I just read the distressing headline that 1 out of every 2 recent college graduates is unemployed or under-employed and struggling to get started in their chosen career field.

As the parent of two recent college graduates from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, and the co-moderator of a central New Jersey job hunters support group (the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ), I have some ideas.

- Objective: What are you looking to do? Is it finance? writing? nursing? a managerial role? Having a very clear objective is a must! With a clear objective, you can be highly focused in your search. Without one, you will flounder.

- Experiences: What have you accomplished? What personal projects, part-time work, work study, volunteer, and internship experiences does she have? The competition is heavy out there. You have to portray your capabilities and differentiate yourself.

- Value Proposition: Ultimately each person who is in transition has to answer the Big Question of employers: Why should I hire You? How would you answer that question?

- Network: How well are you utilizing your network of contacts? You have lots of contacts: family, friends, neighbors, professors, college administrators, internship and work study connections, etc. Are you reaching out to them, sharing your Objective with them, asking them for advice and referrals?

- Drive: One of the characteristics I have seen that seems to be key to landing a job is something I'll call Drive. My father called it "moxie." It's opposite would be "Waiting for the phone to ring." Drive is not being afraid to toot your own horn. Drive is get-up-and-go. It's gumption, nerve, chutzpah. And it's not taking "No" for an answer.

Oh and one more thing.

- Help Others: Be sure to help others along the way. Why? because they will help you in return. It's reciprocity. And it's a beautiful thing.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Thursday April 26, 2012