The Job Hunter's Tool Kit

My Dad was a handy man who took on all kinds of home improvement projects. I can remember when I was a kid, assisting him with mixing concrete for a patio project. Painting the front porch. Digging the backyard for a larger swimming pool.

In our basement, he had an area where he kept his tools. Today, in my basement, like my Dad, I have a tool bench where I keep all my tools. Some of which I inherited from him.

How about you? Do you have the tools needed to achieve your goals? If you are a job hunter or a career changer, it's important to have good tools.

Here are five of the essential tools of the handy job hunter:

Your objective - The importance of knowing what you want cannot be stated enough. As the great motivator Tony Robbins has said, in clarity of purpose lies your power.

Your weekly schedule - If you are out of work, you have time on your hands. Another way to look at it is that your time is yours to allocate. How will you use it? What activities will bring you the greatest return?

Your elevator speech - Can you communicate concisely who you are and what you have to offer? Can you differentiate yourself from the pack? Can you convey your unique value proposition?

Your LinkedIn profile - Are you fully exploiting the power of this online tool? Do you have a summary of your work history and accomplishments? Have you highlighted your specialties? Have you joined several groups of interest to you? Are you following companies you are interested in? Are you growing your connections every week?

Your business card - Do you have one that not only provides your contact information but also your brand?

Recruiter and coach Jeff Altman, the Big Game Hunter, is an expert in job search. He said that the skills you need to find a job are NOT the skills you need to do the job you are looking for. It's a great point. Job search must be learned, practiced, and honed.

I would add that the tools you need to find a job are fundamentally important. Make sure you have them...and are using them.

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant and coach 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. His third book, Change for the Better, will provide leaders with a guide to navigating through organizational change. 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

Job Search - A Fluid Situation

Have you ever heard the phrase "a fluid situation"?

You'll sometimes hear it in news media reports from war zones, crime scenes, and even from emergency sites such as Superstorm Sandy. In that case especially, you could see the impact of a fluid situation as roads, cars, and homes were washed away in the torrential fury.

The saying, however, originated, I believe, in descriptions of military campaigns. Battle scenes are frequently described as "fluid situations" meaning that conditions are highly unstable and unpredictable and highly likely to change from one moment to the next.

Sound familiar?

I'd wager that many job seekers, who find themselves suddenly out of work, would feel an affinity to this description.

When you are in transition, it's a fluid state. The previous solidity of old stable structures you once knew --such as an appointment calendar, an office with a phone, a coffee room, and a nice corporate building to go to each day-- have dissolved away, replaced by...well, that's the question.

So if job search is a kind of fluid situation, where it seems like there is little of solid substance to hold onto, what are some helpful implications?

No one will provide the replacements - Except for you! It's up to you to design and establish the new structures. One of the most helpful ways to do this is to establish a new routine that includes weekly participation in support groups. 

Everything is replaceable - Everything you lost can be replaced. Think about it. Your calendar. Your office. Your phone. Your coffee! Even the people you were used to seeing at the office. You can see people every week at networking events.

Anchors stabilize the fluidity - When you were working, all of the predictable elements were the anchors that stabilized your life. With job loss, they all vanished. But by replacing each one, you give yourself the needed stability to ride out the period of transition.

As long as you are in transition, things will still be fluid, i.e. subject to change. Actually, even once you land, things will still be subject to change.

As someone once said, Change is the only constant in life. You can count on it.

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant and coach 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. His third book, Change for the Better, will provide leaders with a guide to navigating through organizational change. 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

Reinventing yourself as a Consultant

The other day I was catching up with a client who is conducting a job search. While seeking a full-time job, he has successfully re-positioned himself as a consultant. So successful, that he is thinking of growing his new consulting business.

Not long ago, I read a cautionary article about calling yourself a consultant when you are out of work. While it is a convenient "gap filler," can you back it up, the author asks. Good question.

If, like my client, you are a highly experienced professional and you have just been fired, it's definitely something to think about.

So, if you are thinking of calling yourself a consultant, take some time to understand what it means to be a consultant.

One of the essential things to understand about consulting is that it is all about helping. Helping a client to solve a problem that improves their business. 

The next thing to think about is your "sweet spot." What sorts of problems are you very good at solving? What are you known for by people who have worked closely with you?  If the problem that your client is experiencing, is well within your "sweet spot" of expertise, your chance of success is great.

Another thing to know and deeply appreciate is that a highly effective consultant does more than solve the client's problem. He or she also leaves the client stronger and smarter than they were before your intervention. So a consultant teaches, develops, and strengthens the client.

You could say that a good consultant works him or herself out of a job.

There's a great deal more to learn about consulting. For some additional thoughts on the power of consulting:  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-consulting-terrence-h-seamon

Also here are some classic books that have been very helpful to me in my development as a consultant in the Organizational Learning and Development field, as well as in career transition coaching:

Peter Block's Flawless Consulting

Gerry Weinberg's The Secrets of Consulting

Alan Weiss' Getting Started in Consulting

Ethan Rasiel's The McKinsey Way

Ed Schein's Process Consulting and his recent Humble Inquiry

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant and coach 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. His third book, Change for the Better,  provides leaders with a guide to navigating through organizational change. 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

The First Things You Do After Being Fired

A friend of mine who I have known for years, having worked together at the same company a long time ago, posted this update:

"Just got laid off. I know it's a lousy way to start a new year. But not to worry. I have been through this drill before. I will be okay. I've already polished my resume and am busy contacting friends and associates."

I know he will be okay. He is a seasoned veteran of downsizings. He knows what to do.

But how about the next person? How about you? If you were suddenly laid off, would you know what to do?

The fact of the matter is that most people are totally unprepared for job loss. Why should they be? It's not something they teach in school.

And there is a lot to master quickly to be able to find another job. As Jeff Altman often says, The skills you used when you were working are not the skills you need to find your next job.

So what do you do? There is a long list of things. So in this posting, I want to highlight The 

First Three Things you must do before anything else.

1.Check Yourself - Are you OK? Someone once described a sudden downsizing as being like a "drive by shooting." You want to check yourself for bullet holes. Check your vital signs. Seriously. You may want to visit with a trusted advisor and talk out what occurred. Job loss can be stressful so you may want to see your doctor. Job loss can be traumatic. Keep an eye on yourself during the days and weeks ahead to make sure you are not suffering from any post-traumatic symptoms.

2.Check Others - You'll want to share this news with the others closest to you in your life. Your spouse for instance, or a significant other. Your children perhaps. Don't be surprised if they have a strong reaction to the news. They may get even more upset than you. Everyone agrees that change is hard. When it happens to you, the people that care about you may go on the warpath. Or they go into a depression. You may want to seek out a professional to help coach you though this passage if others take the news hard.

3.Check Your Situation - When you are ready, sit down with a pad of paper (or your laptop) and do an assessment of where things stand and the impact this job loss is going to have. Especially upon your finances. Will you be okay financially? How long will you be able to hold out if the next job doesn't materialize quickly? Will you need to cut expenses? Will you need the cooperation of others to make these adjustments?

Once you have done these three things, what's next? I recommend a Fast Start to re-employment:

Identify your Target Companies - Is there a company or other organization that you would like to work for next? Several? Do they know you are interested?

>> Fast Start Idea # 1 - Go directly to these employers and communicate your interest. Identify key decision makers inside these companies and send them an introductory letter. Then call them.

Use LinkedIn - Are you on LinkedIn.com? If not, consider doing so right away. It's the world's largest online professional business networking platform. And it's free. It provides you with a way to connect with others, research companies, look for jobs, and more.

>> Fast Start Idea # 2 - Connect on LinkedIn with people you know and then connect to people they know who can help you network into your target companies.

Use Indeed - Do you use an aggregator job search site like Indeed or SimplyHired? With thousands of job boards on the internet, the aggregators are a one-stop site that spiders over all of the others and delivers consolidated results that match your search terms. And it's free.

>> Fast Start Idea # 3 - Use the refinement filters on the left side of the results pages to find your target employers or similar organizations.

Identify some Recruiters - Do you know a few good recruiters (aka headhunters or executive search firms) who specialize in your field and industry? If not, ask your trusted colleagues who they would recommend.

>> Fast Start Idea # 4 - Contact several specialist recruiters to find retained searches.

Set a clear Objective - Do you know what you want to do next? For whom? Where?

>> Fast Start Idea # 5: Set a job search objective that includes Role, Company, and Geography.

Write your Positioning Statement - There are a lot of job hunters on the market right now, some with skills and experiences that are similar to yours. Do you know how to differentiate yourself?

>> Fast Start Idea # 6: When you are asked "Tell me about yourself," be prepared to deliver a positioning statement that goes like this:

~ About You Professionally (e.g. "I am a Human Resources professional with over 15 years experience in leadership roles...")
~ About Several of Your Key Capabilities (e.g "...with key capabilities in Training & Development, Performance Management, and Change Management...")
~ About Your Objective (e.g. "...looking for a challenging Talent Development opportunity in the pharmaceutical sector in NJ.")

Write a Professional Profile - With so many people on the market right now, hiring managers are being deluged with resumes. Do you know how to make yours stand out?

>> Fast Start Idea # 7: Have a strong professional profile statement, on the top of page one, right under your name and contact information, that follows this outline:

~ About You Professionally (e.g. "Seasoned HR leader with over 15 years of leadership experience...")
~ About Several of Your Key Capabilities (e.g. "...with key capabilities in...")
~ About A Special Quality or Achievement (e.g. "Author of..." or "Recognized winner of..." or "MBA from...")

Design your Business Card - Do you have a professional business card ready to go when you are networking or interviewing?

>> Fast Start Idea # 8: You can get business cards for free at vistaprint.com or 123print.com. All you pay is shipping and handling.

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant and coach 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. His third book, Change for the Better (forthcoming), will provide leaders with a guide to navigating through organizational change. 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

Don't wait. Live now!

Not long ago, I had a great conversation with one of my nephews, a 20-something. Until then, he seemed to me to be a bright and eager young man, but somewhat lacking in focus and drive. Well, all that is changing!

He told me about his epiphany. That last year, he became aware that his life was quickly passing him by. That he realized that if he was to accomplish something with his life, that he had to make things happen.

Bravo! I said to him. Tell me more, I inquired.

Excitedly, he started to reveal all the goals he was setting for himself, many of which he was already starting on, including learning about photography as well as how to box! He said he was inspired by his grandfather, my dad, who was a boxer in his youth, who boxed when he joined the Army in WWII.

As I listened to him, I felt my heart burn with pride for this nephew of mine, one of many nephews and nieces that I am observing as they grow up and enter their young adulthood. I want only the best for them. I want them to be happy and successful.

And to that end, I want them to live now and not wait until some future date. Years ago, in my generation, we acquired a myth that when retirement arrived, we could finally stop working and enjoy life. Now I know that enjoying life has to happen today.

I asked my nephew about travel and seeing the world. He said he has plans in that regard.

I was happy to hear that. Don't wait, I advised him. It is never going to get any cheaper. Bite the bullet and go. See the world.

Don't wait. Live now!

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant and coach 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. His third book, Change for the Better (forthcoming), will provide leaders with a guide to navigating through organizational change. 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

Don't Just Sit There

Sometimes a job hunter gets weary.

After weeks and months of effort --working your butt off, day in and day out, going to networking events, attending support group meetings, listening to experts, volunteering some time each week, commiserating with other job hunters, sending out resumes, and so much more that a diligent job seeker does-- it's not unusual to slump in a chair and simply not know what to do next.

You've done everything that the experts say you should be doing. You are staying in good shape. You are maintaining a positive attitude. You are learning new skills. You are putting yourself out there.

But all this energy and effort is not producing the one output you most desire: the job offer.

You may find yourself looking up to heaven and asking, "What else can I do?"

Here's one small piece of advice: Don't just sit there.

The idea is action. Action of almost any kind is better than inaction.

Call up a friend and ask how he or she is doing. You may make their day.

Write a blog post like this one. Put your ideas out there. Your thoughts may be the answer to someone's prayers.

The great UK statesman Winston Churchill once said, "If you are going through hell, keep going."

Don't stop. Don't quit. Don't just sit there.

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant and coach 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. His third book, Change for the Better (forthcoming), will provide leaders with a guide to navigating through organizational change. 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

Why Volunteer?

At a meeting of the St. Matthias Employment Ministry, an attendee told  the following story.

Some years ago, she decided to volunteer some of her time at a local medical center. While volunteering there, she met many new people. After a while, one of the hospital administrators said that they were so impressed by her that they were thinking of hiring her. Would she be interested? She said yes and ended up working there for years.

Her story illustrates something that we teach all the job hunters we meet with: make time to volunteer. It can be anything you are drawn to. Help out at your local food bank. Pitch in at your place of worship. Many such organizations can use the extra help.

And you benefit too:

First, it gets you out of the house! Many job hunters fall prey to isolation by spending too much time at home sitting in front of a computer.

Second, doing good is good for you! Giving to others feels good and boosts your mental outlook. Plus many employers are impressed to see that you volunteered while in transition.

And third, volunteering is a great way to meet people. And meeting people stokes your networking engine!

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant and coach 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. His third book, Change for the Better (forthcoming), will provide leaders with a guide to navigating through organizational change. 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