Long term unemployment

Ok, you are unemployed. It can be devastating when you lose your job. Even worse, you have been looking for a job for three or more months and still are unemployed with no good prospects in sight. It happens to the best of us. How can you remain attractive to employers as a viable candidate?

So, what are you doing every day? If you are eating bon bons and watching soap operas (I may be dating myself here), you are not presenting yourself in the best light. I don’t have all of the answers, but do have some suggestions. You need a story: Take classes. Travel. Freelance. Live abroad. Learn to cook. Start a business either related or not related to the field. Do something extreme. If you are interested in working for an outdoor action sports company, go snowboarding at some of the best places in the country. Or, if you are financially challenged, go work at one of the best snowboarding destinations in the country and brand it as ‘market research’. The goal: when you talk to a recruiter or hiring manager, they say “whoa, I’m so jealous.”

When you look at what you have been doing during your unemployment, do you feel confident in your story? How can you take your interests and craft a great story? How can you both take advantage of this time off and build a compelling story to share with a hiring manager? Who can help you assess if you have something interesting and engaging to share?

While a great story won’t get you the job, it could get your foot in the door. A great story gives a hiring manager or recruiter a reason NOT to edit you from their list of candidates. 

To learn more about career coaching, contact Kate Kibler at www.katekibler.com.

Title - What's in a name?

Title – What’s in a name?

The question of how important a title is comes up often when candidates are considering a job change.   In past postings we have mentioned that titles mean different things at different companies.  Kate has been writing about vision.  When you are considering a job move how important is title to reaching your vision?

Much research has been done on job satisfaction.  Title usually ranks behind work relationships, job content and compensation in importance to job satisfaction.

Since the tough economy in 2008 created many layoffs in our industry, we have not seen many people get a promotion in “Title” upon being hired by a new company.  It is more common to see lateral moves in title and in many cases taking a “Title Down” to join a new employer.

There are 5 major factors to consider when considering a job opportunity outside of your current employer.

1)      What is the job content and scope of responsibility?  Often you can “Title Down” and actually grow in responsibility.   Things to consider in the job content umbrella are:

·         Dollar volume for which you are accountable

·         Size of team

·         Are there direct reports?

·         Level of executives you interact with on a daily basis

·         What is the immediate impact/accountability you are able to have on the health of your business?

2)      Corporate culture.  Is this a place you are going to like being every day (ok….most days, every day is probably not realistic)?  Are the people respectful and collaborative?  Do they have a clear strategy and processes in place for you to do the job expected of you?

3)      Salary.  Does the salary meet your requirements?  Take into consideration cost of living differential if you are moving to a new location.

4)      Location.  Make sure you have an open mind regarding location if your life allows you the flexibility to consider relocation.   There are more opportunities available if you are willing to move.  You might have a perception of an area that is not correct.  Most companies will set up tours for you to explore areas as part of the interview process.  Realtors are great resources and are usually happy to provide a community tour.

5)      Are you comfortable with the title relative to the work you will be doing?

If the majority of the 5 factors are a positive change you may be missing a great opportunity if you focus only on the title of a position. 

What title do you think should be next for you in your career?  Have you ever “Titled Down” and been happier?  Have you ever taken a promotion in title that turned out to be less satisfying than your previous role?  Check out what titles we are working on for our clients at www.apparel-resource.com .