How to Date your Boss

Interested in having your portfolio/resume reviewed, and or general 1:1 career advice + supporting a good cause? https://www.gofundme.com/notmypresidentbook  

Sending LI messages like "A very professionally stated "Happy Valentines Day to you" today. Have a great day."    

Write down what type of job you hope to find. Both short and long term. Maybe even create a Pinterest board. Sounds too hokey? Well don’t knock it until you try it; organization can help keep your focus fresh.

Be committed to spending time daily looking for new career prospects, whether online or in the real world. I recommend setting aside at least 20 minutes a day. 

Figure out your brand. Show your best side when crafting your resume and online profiles. Make sure your Linkedin, portfolio (if it applies), and resume are all in synch.

Stop procrastinating. It is easier to watch mind numbing content on Netflix, but it won’t get you to your dream job any quicker. 

Research the company and be prepared to ask questions

Think of questions your interviewer might ask you, so you are able to come up with solid answers ahead of time

Be careful how you portray yourself on social media, ask yourself, are you afraid to be googled?

It is important to know what your dream job is, however, your path to getting there may not be as straight forward. Be open to different opportunities; you never know where they may lead you.

Be courageous and go after your dream job, the only person that can hold you back is yourself.

I am not going to lie, it is tough, but it can be done...

1. Set your expectations You may need to take a step back to move forward. Maybe it won’t be completely entry level, but it could be. Just be mentally prepared.

2. Research internally Why do you want the change? Why do you think this new career will make your life better? What is your short, and long term goals in achieving your switch? What roles and company do you want to target and why? 

Research External  Research companies of all shapes and sizes. What type of openings do they have, what is their criteria? What does this new job or career look like? What does it not look like? What’s it called? What skills are required?

3. Connections Figure out, if you don’t already, how to build your network within the area you want to go into, and how to leverage your skills, your contacts, and your professional brand to make a successful transition.

4. Plan to action Make realistic goals for yourself in the short and long term, and overall timeline. Check in with yourself on a weekly basis and make sure you are achieving them. 

5) Professional brand You will need to shift your professional brand so that you make sense to your new target audience. Make it easy for people to figure out who you are, your goals, and most of all, how to find you. However you decide to market yourself, make sure it aligns on all social media aspects (LI, FB, Twitter) and your resume and cover letter. 

6) Get specific When reaching out to people or getting your network to help you. Make sure you are specific in what area you want to go into and the the role you are trying to achieve. Too vague and they may dismiss you entirely. 

7) Build new relationships People love to talk about themselves, so remember that when reaching out to new people. Build a rapport, and then ask them for help. My biggest pet peeve is when someone I don’t know, reaches out and asks me to review their portfolio or resume- and most of the time they don’t even acknowledge how busy I may be. I typically won’t respond to that. 

8) Focus on your already existing skill set If it is just switching to a new industry, you may want to leverage the career skill set you’ve already established and see if there are any parallels to where you want to take your career.

The idea of creating a dating profile is to find the person of your dreams. By putting in some extra time, effort and soul-searching, you figure out the type of human you’re really looking for;  in turn you create a profile to entice this hunk of hunk of burning love. You must sound smart, funny, articulate, confident, but not too confident, and most of all, down right irresistible. 

By Richard King- Activision | Recruiter | Headhunter | Talent Magnet

It’s not me, it’s you …

“We’ve decided to move forward with another candidate”

“The role has been filled, however we will retain your candidate file in our database”

“You were not short-listed for the next round of interviews”

“The team really enjoyed meeting you, but the role has been put on hold”

“We’ll get back to you in a few days with feedback and possible next steps”

News flash: Recruiters are people with feelings, and the worst part of our job is crushing people. Crushing people like you! People who think they are, “the perfect fit for the job”, but in reality are living in a dream world pursuing a dream job that fits their version of “follow your passion.”

If you’ve heard or received a version of the above, then congrats … congrats because you actually made it past the first hurdle in getting a new job: the six-second hurdle. That’s right, if you’re applying for a job, you literally have six seconds to impress a Recruiter. There are some ATSs (Applicant Tracking Systems) that allow Recruiters to review 5 resumes simultaneously. No, no, no, maybe, no. Onto the next five. If you think a properly composed/formatted resume is old school … think again … it is critical to your chances of moving from six seconds to a short list to a phone screen. (And, by the way, if you’re in Marketing … give up and go back to school to learn some Computer Programming. For every Marketing role posted, most companies receive hundreds and hundreds of applications; for Engineering … almost none). But, I digress …

It’s not me, it’s you – if you’ve been through the interview process, whether it’s a phone or video or onsite, and your Recruiter is not contacting you within 48 hours it’s most likely because they don’t want to hurt your feelings. You did not do well during the interview process, heck maybe you even crapped the bed. They don’t want to break up with you. They’ve gotten to know you, they care about you, they’ve invested in you … and now the only feedback they have from the interview panel is: PASS. No two ways about it … it sucks! It sucks to call a candidate and crush them. I’ve had candidates cry, get angry, hang up the phone, and the worst … beg, literally beg for a second chance. “Please, please give me another chance”, “I can do better, I promise”, “Oh no, please please let me come back onsite … I need this job, my family depends on me”. No wonder Recruiters are the first ones to show up at beer Fridays!

So, the next time your Recruiter goes dark, or you get fed a variation of the “release candidate” lines, please remember that most Recruiters are some of the nicest people to have in your corner. We just get weary (and sad) hurting your feelings.

For more information about this writer follow Richard on:

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By Karen Kirkland- Creative Strategist

There is NO question!

You’re sitting in a coffee shop waiting for “Mr or Mrs Right” to show up. You check the time- any minute now. A bead of sweat runs down your brow... Your palms are sweaty and you just remembered you forgot to put on deodorant! You gulp down a glass of water in an attempt to quench your dry-mouth.  In walks the man/woman of your dreams. Your heart skips a couple of beats and you find yourself wanting to say and do all the right things... Even if that means you have to become someone else.

You’re now six months in and things just aren’t working out and you’re wondering why. Chances are it’s because you’ve been pretending to be someone other than who you really are. Trying to sustain this ruse over any substantial period of time can be exhausting. Eventually you’re going to be “found out”.

Remember that the next time you find yourself on an interview- sitting across from a potential employer. For starters, take a deep breath... That’s it...in through your nose and out through your mouth. Once more. Ok- now you’re ready! The best thing you can do for yourself and for them is to, well- just be yourself.

But wait- who are you?

You are your own person, with your own thoughts and opinions. Don’t just agree with everything your potential employer is saying because you want to appear affable. If you have a differing opinion or a different experience, don’t be afraid to respectively express it. Believe it or not- your employer may be excited by the prospect of you bringing an alternate point of view to the conversation.

You’re witty, confident and insightful. You should absolutely be knowledgeable about your craft and you should be able to have a conversation about the process and know what you like and why you like it. But, if there’s a playful side to your personality don’t be afraid to express that as well. Don’t be overly self-assured or egotistical, but be confident in what you can bring to the company- and don’t be afraid to have some fun!

You have a history and you should be able to concisely and effectively communicate that backstory, making sure to hit all the pivotal moments in the journey that has shaped your career (up to this point). Your dialogue shouldn’t sound rehearsed, but it should certainly be rehearsed. You’re going to be nervous, so the better you know your “story” the more you can stay connected to your breathing and the more you can remain centered and present in the room. But take the shortest route possible and don’t meander when telling the story. Most importantly, don’t make stuff up... If you’re not an avid gamer, don’t pretend to be one just in an effort to impress.

You’re chatty by nature, and that’s okay, but just like on a date- don’t do ALL the talking. Or let’s say you’re the shy type... that’s okay too, but the conversation should be balanced. Ask questions- get to know the person on the other side of the table. Allow your potential employer an opportunity to talk and to give you a little more insight into what their expectations are, and be prepared to listen. If you listen attentively enough, you can then formulate additional questions. Then the conversation will flow and you can avoid those awkward moments of silence when neither party knows what to say. Or worse yet... that glazed over look someone gets when you’ve absolutely talked too much!

Remember- you’re in a relationship...it’s a two-way street. After a few interviews, you should absolutely know if you are a good fit for the company and just as importantly, if the company is good fit for you.

When interviewing, employers want you to do well because that means their search is over. But it’s not cool for you or your employer when six months into your working relationship you both realize you are someone completely different than who you were pretending to be during the interview process.

So go forth with the confidence of knowing you’re encouraged to be exactly who you are.

For more information about this writer follow Karen on:

twitter: @karenkirkland

instagram: karen_kirkland

Think of interviewing like dating. As much as an employer is trying to determine whether or not you are a fit for their company, you should also be determining if the company is right for you. It doesn’t have to be one-sided. That is where researching the company could help.  

You may find out after you do a little researching that the company is not right for you: perhaps they are more straight-laced, and you may be looking for a little more laid back environment, or perhaps they are a small start up and you are looking for a company that has been around the block a few times. 

Really think about the position before you agree for the interview. Does this position make sense in terms of your career progression? 

Down the line, when you look at your resume does it add up? I suggest using the 5 year test: Could you justify taking this position now if you were looking back in 2012? If so, congrats- This could be an excellent move!

 If you decided after researching the company that it makes sense career-wise for you to go for it, however, make sure you are prepared with questions you can ask the interviewer.

Be sure you ask them questions that will again allow you to see if there is a real connection: How do they like working there, how long have they been with the company, is there room for growth, and what are 2 or 3 criteria they’re looking for in their next hire? Any question that would that help you in the decision making process helps you in the end.  

You know the saying,"You marry your mother”? Well...

If in fact, interviewing is like dating, then we can easily say that when we are job hunting, we are drawn, on an unconscious level, toward the familiar. That is just human nature. 

Can your upbringing impact your career, the jobs you take, and how you interview, just as it does when you are dating? I believe, yes.

A body of psychological research reveals that our earliest relationships, especially with our mother, not only influence how we are able to connect to others as adults—in romantic and other contexts—but also create internalized scripts or working models of how ALL relationships work.

I often find that people tend to go after similar positions or industries that may have been toxic. It is hard to break a cycle that you think is good for you, but in actuality is holding you back from reaching your full potential. Just like when you are dating, being self-aware is important to picking the right person who will meet your needs, support you, and not feel threatened by you reaching your full potential.

Below are some tips to finding the right career-mate. 

Take a moment to really reflect- What type of culture, manager, and industry will motivate you and essentially create a place where you can meet your full potential?

Don’t just take a job to take it- After a date you probably go on social media to make sure the person isn’t a huge tool. The same applies to interviewing. Using sites like Linkedin or Glassdoor, allows you do some digging before you go to bed... I mean accept the job

Ask questions- During your interview, be sure to ask as many questions as you can. Not only will this show engagement and interest, but it will also help you determine if you feel there is a fit. It doesn’t have to be a one way street.

Every Friday I will be fielding questions that you may have about your career or the entertainment industry. 

You read the title correctly, and no, it is not what you are thinking. Let me start by asking you a question, did you ever stop to thinking about how searching for your dream job is like searching for your dream person? In both scenarios the situation can be overwhelming, intimidating and downright scary. You want to make sure you stand out from all the other competition, without sounding desperate or conceited. 

You know going in that there are several other humans waiting in line with similar intentions. With that in mind, it is more important then ever to set yourself apart from everyone else.