What's New in Job Search?

We are being bombarded by bad news about current and future job losses. No wonder everyone is so worried. If you haven't looked for a job in awhile - or even if you have - you might be wondering what, if anything, is new in the Land of Job Search.

For starters, the basics are still the basics. Networking is still the best way to find a job - keeping in mind that it's not just who you know but who you can meet that matters. Be open-minded about the possibilities and cast your search net both deeply and widely. That said, you will probably be disappointed if you over-rely on mega career sites like Monster and Careerbuilder. Although those job listings are the easiest to find, those jobs are surprisingly hard to get. It's not because they're better than other jobs; it's because you are directly in a numbers game where the odds are working against you. With so much activity, it's just too difficult to get noticed.

I've said this before, but it bears repeating: social networking sites like LinkedIn are the real revolution in job-hunting because they enable you to expand your network exponentially without ever leaving your house. But that doesn't mean that's all you have to do. Once you have identified people that you want to talk to, you still have to email them, or pick up the phone, and have a real conversation. And I still believe that face-to-face meetings are absolutely crucial.

Recruiters also have an important role in job-search success especially for senior level executives and professionals. Use your network to identify and connect with recruiters who work in your industry and/or job function.

I've never been a fan of the shotgun approach to job hunting where you simply pepper the immediate universe with resumes. While the Internet makes it even easier and more tempting to enact that scenario, I continue to advocate for the qualitative approach to job hunting. Take the time to research the companies that really interest you and to talk to people who can facilitate your interest in that company and then hone your conversational skills.

When I say "hone your conversational skills" I am reminding you to talk "to" rather than "at" people. Potential employers always respond better to potential candidates who have done their homework and can talk knowledgeably about the employer's industry and products/services.

Don't make the beginner's mistake of expecting the employer to educate you about the basics. Know the basics before you begin and then build upon that foundation so that you can have an interesting and productive conversation with your (hopefully) future employer.

The Hero's Journey

To paraphrase the late great mythologist Joseph Campbell: The hero's journey is the adventure of living your own life.

His words are as true today as they were when he wrote them and serve as an important reminder that there is no one righr way to live a life, no cookie cutter formula, no perfect answer. There is only the unique paths that individuals carve out for themselves within the context of the human community. With a little practice and attention to biography, you can see the hero's journey in the life of everyday people.

Today's example: Anita Shreve was a high school teacher who left her job (mid-semester) to devote more time to her writing. That decision "to write" led her to work as a journalist in Kenya, to freelance for the New York Times Magazine, and to teach creative writing. It also landed her on Oprah when The Pilot's Wife was chosen for Oprah's book club. After that, her fame made it easier (financially speaking) to pursue her vocation.

The point I want to make is not (yet another) overused cliche to "pursue your dreams" and that "dreams can come true." It is simply a reminder that we all have unique paths in life. When we start out, we may not know where that path will lead us. But we do know that unique life journeys are filled with obstacles and challenges. The hero's journey is, by definition, not an easy journey. But it doesn't have to be a lonely one. It can be shared with others and others can share in it and, in that sharing, we find the support and meaning of community.

Experience vs Change

As President-elect Barack Obama begins the complex task of building his administration, early naysayers are already disappointed by his decision to surround himself with experienced Washington insiders like Joe Biden and Rahm Emanuel.

The belief that experienced people are incapable of creative and innovative thinking is simply wrong. Being an "outsider," inexperienced in the workings of the political process does not make you a better candidate for a job. It just makes you a candidate who does not have a certain kind of experience in a field.

While career changers can and often do bring unique ideas with them into their new careers, it doesn't really seem wise to fill all of your top level positions with career changers. You need to have some seasoned veterans on your team who understand how things have been done in the past - what has worked and what has failed - and how things might be done differently in the future. Experience does matter and a smart leader knows how to tap into the experience of other people.

One measure of a great leader is to know what you don't know and, by extension, build a team of people who have strong experience in areas where you are vulnerable. Hence Obama's choice of a running mate who has far more extensive experience in the area of foreign policy.

Ironically, people who believe that experience, by definition, makes you rigid and cynical are themselves rigid and cynical. It's what you do with the experience that you have that matters most. For those who know how to learn the lessons of their own history, experience is a great teacher.

There are an enormous amount of armchair critics in the world who are eager to second-guess every move President-elect Obama makes. I would like to offer a cautionary note to all of those would be naysayers. Americans have voted to place their trust in this man. Please give him a chance to prove himself. As inexperienced outsiders, a lot of us have no idea what a new leader needs to do to build a successful administration. Rather than assuming that we are smarter than him, let's all reserve judgement and perhaps even learn from his example.

It's the Economy......

Tons of people are nervous about the economy and the growing bad news about unemployment. News of tanking financial markets and job layoffs are daily events that stir already heightened anxieties. While you probably can't do much about the big picture, you can do something about your own situation. If you are worried about losing your job and not being able to find another one in such a competitive market, I suggest that you take some precautionary measures right now.

1. Update your resume to include current job titles and specific accomplishments. This is easier to do while you are still working and have access to current data. Once you have left your employer, it may be harder to recover that information.

2. Think critically about whether there is anything that you can do now to enhance your marketability later -- this includes additional training, certifications, and expansion of job responsibilities. Although you may want to safeguard your time, you need to balance that priority with the need to present yourself as a cutting edge candidate later.

3. Expand your network. Use social networking sites like LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and other people outside your company.

4. Join a professional group. Professional associations are another way to expand your network and build professional contacts who may be able to help you later.

5. Work with a career counselor, if necessary (okay, this one is self-serving, but it's my blog.) What I have discovered through the years is that downturns in the economy have a direct impact on my practice. During the bad times, my clients often present with a greater sense of pessimism and urgency, as if they have seen the future and it doesn't look good for them. Together we craft a path that is both workable and interesting and which, despite the odds, positions them for success.

Whatever you choose to do, denial is not an effective career strategy. Rather than wait for a crisis to occur (while simultaneously praying that it doesn't happen), create a viable backup plan to protect yourself from disaster.

Unusual Career Change No. 1

Career counselors (like myself) are famously known for our seemingly idealistic advice to our clients to "Follow Your Dream."

Through the years I have become more jaded about that advice. From a financial standpoint, some dreams are too risky and impractical, especially when you have family responsibilities and financial obligations. On the other hand, you have a responsibility to yourself as well. Regardless of what the cliche tells us, time is not money. Time is time. And, since no one gets out alive, time is also one of the most valuable resources that you have. As adults, many of us spend as much as one-half of our waking adults lives at work. If you don't like your work or the people you work with, that can be a very demoralizing experience, one that can even spill over into your personal life and contaminate that as well.

No one can tell you how much risk is too much risk. You have to decide that for yourself. That said, other people can provide support and insight. One question I like to ask my career counseling clients relates to the consequences of failing. In other words, can you afford to take the risk. This is both an emotional and a financial question. For some people, the consequences of not taking a risk is unacceptable. Assuming that you only have one life (a pretty safe bet), you have to make choices about how you want to live that life.

As a career counselor, I am always on the lookout for stories about people who make unconventional choices -- and are glad they did. Recently I came across the story of Charlie Haas. Haas was a college wrestler at Seton Hall University where he won a two-time Big East Champion. After college, he left the wrestling world behind to start a career as a stockbroker on Wall Street and soon discovered that it wasn't for him.

After leaving Goldman Sachs he pursued a career in professional wrestling where he eventually became as superstar on the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment.) While these two careers may seem very very different, they do have a few things in common. To be successful, they both require: energy, drive, ambition, persistence, courage and a tolerance for risk. You can also make tons of money in either arena.

While Haas has clearly left his Wall Street days behind, he has also figured out a rather ingenious way to use his Wall Street experience as a marketing ploy. Two of his signature moves are called the Haas of Pain and the Haastile Takeover.

Career change is a journey - not a destination. As you travel the road that will hopefully become uniquely your own, you may be surprised at the myriad of ways in which your past life continues to inform and shape the future.

No Phone Calls, Please

I recently read a job search blog that addressed the question of whether the words "No phone calls, please" in job ads should be taken seriously. To my surprise, their advice was an unequivocal "no" - that, in fact, the words "No phone calls, please" are not actually intended for you. Apparently, they are only intended to screen out those arrogant jerks that recruiters don't want to talk to. But that it is not intended for intelligent, hard-working, responsible job hunters.

I strongly disagree. If an ad says "No phone calls, please" it means "No phone calls, please." It doesn't mean that some people can call and others cannot. It means that the employer doesn't want to field phone calls. They want to screen resumes and decide who they want to call. Make that prohibited phone call and you run the risk of looking like someone who can't read and/or doesn't respect the rules.

That said, you don't have to become a passive bystander, waiting by the phone for a recruiter to call you. Unless an ad specifically says "No emails, please" you have another option at your fingertips -- use it.

Does Networking Still Work?

Networking is still one of the most successful ways to get a job. Unfortunately many job hunters find this strategy confusing and/or intimidating. If "it's who you know" that makes the difference between a successful job search and a failed one, they are convinced that they are destined to fail.

In fact, networking is not just who you know but who you can meet. It can occur informally: at the coffee shop, on the train, at the health club. One successful finance executive made an important connection while she was working out on the treadmill. After striking up a conversation with the person running next to her, she discovered that they were both interested in buying a franchise and ended up becoming partners and buying one together.

In another case, an optometrist struck up a conversation with the man sitting next to him on a cross-country flight from Chicago to San Francisco. As fate would have it, the man was a marketing executive for an optical company. They exchanged numbers. The man passed the optometrist's resume along to his boss and a job offer resulted.

While it may sound like serendipity (what are the odds of an optometrist sitting next to an optical company executive), you never really know where a conversation with a stranger may lead. Even if the optometrist's seat mate had not been in a related business, he might have known someone else in the business and faciliated a meeting.

Of course you don't have to rely on the kindness of strangers. You can also network (read: talk) to people you know who might be able to help you. Even if your friends and neighbors work in completely different industries or job roles, they may know someone who knows someone who can be of help to you.

Still not convinced? Maybe you are the kind of person who doesn't feel comfortable asking your friends and acquaintances for help. If so, you need to develop a more focused networking strategy. Look for professional groups where people in your industry or profession congregate, attend conferences and seminars where you can meet people in related arenas, or join some of the on-line social and professional networking communities. Networking is a necessary part of almost every job search and successful career.

Rather than allowing yourself to be intimidated by the process, you need to figure out what works best for you - or, in some cases, what is the least uncomfortable way to meet and talk to people. You don't have to be an extrovert to implement a networking strategy. You just need some basic social and communication skills along with a committed effort.

The Infernal Elevator Speech

If a job search is a self-marketing campaign (which it is, by the way) then the "elevator speech" is the 30-second commercial that gives a quick overview of who you are. Although I'm not sure exactly where the term comes from, some people think that it originated in the political arena because many of the important decisions made on the floor of Congress are made "within the span of an elevator ride" as a staff aide briefs the Senator or Congressperson on a bill seconds before they have to vote on it.

If this is true, this is exactly why I hate elevator speeches. Just as a Senator or Congressman cannot possibly make an important decision based on 30 seconds of information, job hunters cannot possibly present themselves effectively in 30 seconds. No matter how polished your speech is (and, in some ways, the more polished the more ineffective), it almost always sounds like an advertisement. Of course it's not really delivered in elevators and there's no hard and fast rule that it has to be 30 seconds.

Rather than an "elevator speech", think of it as a short presentation about yourself and, like all presentations of self, it should be crafted with your specific audience in mind. In other words, customize, customize, customize. To me, it makes more sense to think in terms of a "consultative selling" approach rather than a speech. In consultative selling, the seller does as much listening as they do talking - the idea being that you won't be able to persuade someone to buy your product or service unless you know what their needs are. And, to find out what their needs are, you are going to need more than 30 seconds - which brings me back to why I don't like elevator speeches.

Let me use myself as an example. In my career, I wear many hats. I am a career counselor who helps adults with career transitions. I am also a job coach who helps clients with resumes, job search strategies, interviewing, salary negotiations. And I am a psychotherapist which means that I can assist with emotional and/or psychological problems - both personal and work-related. I am an executive coach.

I teach college courses in psychology and business management. I write books on work-related topics. I present seminars and workshops. I make radio and television appearances. I provide expert witness testimony in divorce cases.

If I ran into you on an elevator (or any other place) and tried to tell you all of this in 30 seconds - or even a minute - you would probably tune me out after the first five seconds because it would be too much information for you to absorb too quickly. On the other hand if I know, for example, that you are an attorney I might focus in two seemingly disparate ways - first on the fact that I provide career counseling to attorneys and secondly that I have been doing some expert witness work with attorneys. As you can see, this focus pulls from the beginning and the end of my so-called speech and eliminates the whole middle section.

In another scenario, let's say that I bump into a professor or a college administrator at the coffee shop. Obviously I would talk to that person about my teaching experience or some of my work with career services offices at universities. If I were to deliver my speech in a vacuum - without knowing who I am talking to - it would not even occur to me to mention my work in university career counseling centers and yet, that is a rather extensive part of my work history.

My point is this: You can't sell yourself in a vacuum. And you certainly can't do it in 30 seconds which means that you need to develop a job search strategy that enables you to network - or talk - to people in a more in-depth and interesting way.

Job-hunting is not speed-dating. It takes time, energy, commitment and - in my opinion - a qualitative approach. When people "talk at" me rather than "to" me, I tend to tune out. And I think others do too. So take the time to "talk to" rather than "at" and lose the whole elevator speech.

On "Not" Burning Bridges

Strong feelings often dictate or accompany job changes. Regardless of how you feel about your soon-to-be former employer, always try to leave a job in the most professional manner possible. By that, I mean give appropriate (usually two weeks) notice, do your best to finish up -- or hand off - whatever work you have left, and say goodbye nicely. Otherwise you will burn an employment bridge unnecessarily. While there may be hard feelings between you and your employer that make it difficult to maintain your integrity and professionalism, your reputation travels with you. While you can't control what other people say about you, you can control your own actions and responses.

And then there's the issue of references. While many companies have internal policies that define what employers can and cannot say about former employees, those rules are usually generated by the Human Resources Department to serve as guideliness. Contrary to popular belief, employers also have a First Amendment to free speech. They are free to offer documented and honest opinions. However their rights are not absolute. If what they say about you may influence a future employer to discriminate against you (on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity or other federally-protected categories), they can end up on the wrong end of a lawsuit.

Because of their concerns about lawsuits, many employers have adopted a minimum requirements standard. They will verify the dates of employment, job title, and salary history. But they won't comment on performance. While this is good news for employees with skeletons in their employment closet, it actually imposes a problem for people who have nothing to hide because future employers may erroneously read something negative into the silence.

You can circumvent this problem by thinking through your references carefully. In many cases, it makes sense to choose a former colleague or manager or executive who can speak openly about your performance because s/he no longer works for the company. Of course I am assuming that you will choose someone who you trust to say great things about you. You can also "prep" your references by letting them know what job you have applied for, and who will be contacting them. That way, they can be prepared for the call.

The bottom line: Don't give your enemies any ammunition that they can use against you. And then make sure that your friends/supporters are saying all the right things on your behalf.

Managing Upward

If I believe everything that I am told, there is no such thing as a good boss.

While I grant that there are a lot of bosses who haven't really learned how to manage or supervise other people, there is also an art to learning how to make your boss a better boss aka known as "managing upward."

Many people believe that it is the responsibility of the person in authority to figure out how to develop the talents and abilities of the people they manage and, in a perfect world, this would be true. In the real world of work, many bosses are more preoccupied with building their own careers than they are about the careers of the people who work with and for them.

Too often the boss-employee relationship is viewed through the lens of a parent-child relationship when, in fact, it is a relationship between two adults. Granted one of those adults has more authority and power. But you still can use your influence to get your professional needs met.

Unfortunately many people carry excess emotional baggage into their relationships with authority that mirrors the relationships they had with their parents when they were growing up. On more than one occasion, I have seen talented and successful adults crumble into tears and/or throw temper tantrums at the slightest criticism from their bosses. You know that your throes of a transference reaction (relating to your boss as if s/he is your parent) when your emotional response is clearly excessive, given the circumstancdes. Of course, no one likes to be criticized but constructive criticism can be helpful. Learning how to accept and grow from criticism is part of what it means to be a responsible adult.

If you're one of those people who has constant "boss trouble" there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Don't assume the role of victim. As an adult you always have options. If you feel that you are being scapegoated or exploited, consider what those options are. Does it make sense, for example, to discuss the situation with other people in the organiation -- not in the form of gossip but in the spirit of problem solving and team play.

2. Avoid power struggles with your boss. Your boss has more real power than you do, this will always end badly.

3. Talk to your boss about how you feel; but don't accuse, blame or criticize. When you are talking about your feelings, you need to be able to do so without crying or raging against the person who you feel has wronged you. When you are able to discuss your situation professionally, there is a greater likelihood that you will be treated with respect.

4. Not everything is personal. Although you may be effected by your boss' bad mood, it may have nothing to do with you or your performance. Don't personalize issues and events that aren't personal.

5. Accept responsibility for your own behavior. If you made a mistake, learn from that mistake and move on. Beating yourself up for your mistakes won't make you feel better and it certainly won't make you more successful.

Managing Job Jitters

All this talk about a recession is giving people job jitters, as companies continue to plan and and implement layoffs. Anxiety is understandable; paralysis is not - since there are some things that you can do to alleviate some of your insecurity.



Here a few suggestions:



1. Find a way to "add value" to the organization you work for. During difficult economic time, employers appreciate resourcefulness. If you have ideas about ways to generate revenues, cuts costs, or make better use of existing resources, this would be the time to share them.



2. Be reliable. Show up on time, work hard, and participate as a team player. When employers have to make difficult decisions about layoffs, they may work harder to protect the people that they can count on.



3. Evaluate your marketability and, if necessary, upgrade your skills and your resume. Marketable skills and good marketing tools are two essential elements of "employment security". No one can guarantee you a job; but you are guarantee your own future with a proactive approach to your own career.

4. Expand your network through social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Friendster. That way, if you do lose your job, you won't have to scramble to build a professional network from scratch. And, in the process, you may even uncover some interesting new opportunities for yourself.

5. It's natural to be nervous. But panic is not an option. Rather than passively fantasizing about your catastrophic future, build a constructive career plan that doesn't over-rely on any one person or place.

Video Resume: Pros and Cons

A resume is a marketing tool that job hunters use to introduce and sell themselves to prospective employers. Resumes are traditionally written on 8-1/2 x 11" paper but there is no hard and fast rule that says every resume must be presented in this way.

In the last few years video resumes have been growing in popularity. (A video resume is a short video created by candidates and uploaded to the Internet for prospective employers to review.) But are video resumes a good idea?

The answer is: it depends.

A few years ago one Ivy League graduate/Wall Street wannable became the laughing stock of Wall Street when he created a video that showcased his 140 mph tennis serve and weight lifting skills.

But there are also success stories. A political consultant who landed the job of his dreams with a video resume. And a sales manager who swears that his video resume was the key to his job search success. Their new employers back them up, saying that their video resumes did, indeed, enable them to successfully stand out from the competition.

While some employers appreciate this new approach to job hunting, others are more skeptical - in part, because of potential legal ramifications. Employers know that it is illegal to discriminate against any candidate on the basis of race, gender, age, or disability and are fearful that the use of video resumes as a screening device may open them up to lawsuits.

My advice is to proceed with caution. A video resume can showcase great communication skills, creative talents, and personality. For jobs that require good communication, creativity, and new media savvy, a video resume can be a great complement to a traditional resume. However if you aren't all that comfortable or professional in front of the camera, you don't need to use that much high tech razzle dazzle to get employers to notice you.

Encore Careers

Babyboomers may be the first generation in danger of leaving the world worse off than they found it. Or so says Marc Freedman author of Encore and co-founder of Civic Ventures, a non-profit organization intent on creating a vital workforce committed to social change.

Freedman believes that Encore Careers are emerging as a major social movement (between mid-life and traditional retirement) that encourages boomers to use their skills and experience to contribute to a greater good. He calls it a "give-back revolution", a call to service that can be met through the power of practical idealism.

His book is filled with inspiring life stories of "encore pioneers" who are inventing a new stage of work and creating meaningful Act II careers. Check it out and be inspired too.

SSN on Employment Applications: Yes or No?

What should you do if an employer requests your Social Security number on their application?

This is the question that was raised on one job search blog and, I have to admit, the answer surprised me. Why? Because the author was recommending that prospective candidates supply slightly false social security numbers to prospective employers. (For example, if your ssn is 156-23-0097, you would give the number 156-24-0097). The rationale for this strategy is, as I understand it, to protect the job hunter's privacy while making sure that the application does not get kicked back because of incomplete information.

But there is an obvious downside to this strategy. First of all, it creates unnecessary work for the potential employer. If they do, indeed, want to use that information to check references, education, credentials, they are going to spend time tracking down false information. This is likely to annoy them and make the candidate look careless simultaneously -- not a great strategy to get hired.

In truth, there is no good reason for an employer to ask for your social security number before meeting you. If they want to check your academic credentials, for example, they can ask you to have a transcript sent directly from the school. The same holds true for certifications. You have a right to control the information that they receive about you. When you give them your social security number, you give up some of your rights to privacy.

I am big believer in boundaries aka setting limits. I also believe that you have the right to decide how much information you give to prospective employers. So what are your choices?

You can look for another way to apply for the job (other than through online applications) such as: networking, snail mail, fax.

Or you can put all "zeroes" in the SSN box. Although (technically) this is false information, it is obviously false information. It is a way to notify the prospective employer that you do not want to provide your social security number; but you also avoid causing them annoying and unnecessary work. Most employers will get the message and, in a perfect world, respect your right to privacy.

And if they can't or won't respect your right to privacy, maybe they aren't the best people to work for, anyway.

What's An SEO?

The job market is an ever-changing place. Just when you think you understand it, it changes again. I was reminded of this rather obvious truism when I came across a job listing for an SEO.
"Uh-oh", I thought "What does SEO mean?"

No sooner wondered than researched. The term SEO, I discovered, refers to "Search Engine Optimization" - a person who specializes in SEO is a "Search Engine Optimizer". The job is partly Marketing and partly IT (which is why it is also sometimes called "SEM" or Search Engine Marketing). SEO/SEM focuses on the way companies improve the volume and quality of traffic to their websites from search engines in order to drive sales and increase visibility.

Because it is still an evolving field, the job listings often encompass skills and experience in both marketing and technology and the position may be located in either the Marketing Department or the IT Department. Job listings can be found at sites like OASEO.com, Dice.com, and SimplyHired.com.

As some companies move away from the cost of outsourcing and more towards hiring an in-house SEO/SEM, the field will probably grow. To help facilitate that growth, some professional organizations and private consulting firms have developed week-long training programs and certifications. Think of it like Boot Camp for the Aspiring SEO. To find certificate/training programs try Googling "SEM training" and/or "SEM certification." Whoever shows up at the top of a Google Search clearly practices what they preach.

A Therapist Is More Than A Confidante

Not too long ago I overheard a conversation between two women - one was a hair stylist, the other a retired jeweler. They were discussing their jobs and how so many of their customers treat them like therapists.

"My customers tell me all of their problems," the jeweler said. "I feel like I'm their therapist."

"Me too," the stylist responded.

The conversation wasn't directed towards me and probably didn't have anything to do with me. But it annoyed me nonetheless. I have been a practicing therapist for over 25 years and still work hard to learn new skills and techniques that will be helpful to my clients. Yes, my clients bring their problems to me and I feel humbled and privileged to be a part of the solution to those problems. I am deeply aware of my professional responsibilities and how much depends on my ability to "get it right." This has caused me many worrisome days and sleepless nights. But, in the end, I almost always feel good about what I am able to accomplish with my clients and the positive impact that our conversations have on their lives.

A hair stylist - who listens to her customers' problems while she is cutting their hair - is a hair stylist who takes a genuine interest in her clients. Hopefully that interest translates into a good haircut that makes them feel good about themselves - because her reputation is based on the color and cut of her customers' hair, not her ability to solve their problems.

The jeweler who listens to her customers' problems is similarly situated. Her job is to sell jewelry to her customers. If they like what they see (and feel they are getting a good price), she will make a sale. Perhaps her listening skills enhance their trust in her and increase the likelihood of a sale. If so, being a good listener turns out to be good for business.

But there is more to being a therapist than good listening skills. Therapy is the treatment of mental illness and the relationship between therapist and client is a sacred trust. I like my hair stylist; she makes my frizzy gray hair look soft, wavy and brown. And, of course, if I look better than I feel better and if I feel better than I am less likely to be anxious or depressed. But I wouldn't entrust her with my mental health.

As for the jeweler, that's a whole different story. I've never wanted or needed jewelry to make me feel better about myself. So I can't imagine spending much time in the jeweler's chair, let alone telling her my problems. Nor do I think that a diamond ring will help alleviate whatever sadness or anxiety I am feeling. Not everyone will agree with me. Obviously some people do feel better about themselves when they are wearing a new piece of jewelry.

Every role is important and every role requires skill. But I would never pretend that I know how to cut hair or appraise a diamond ring. This is not the work of a therapist, just as therapy is not the work of a hair stylist or a jeweler.

Research Can Change Your Life

A mid-level IT professional with tons of mainframe experience assumed that her skills were obsolete and despaired of being able to find a decent-paying job based on her "dated" experience.To test her assumptions, I did an Internet search for "mainframe jobs" and discovered over 2000 listings on Dice.com alone.

It turns out that there is actually a window of opportunity for programmers and systems analysts with mainframe experience. Apparently there are still lots of legacy mainframe systems that have not yet been replaced by newer technologies and fewer technical professionals to work on those systems. Many people with mainframe experience have retired or moved onto the newer technologies. As a result there is a lot of contract/consulting work for people with mainframe experience.

Obviously mainframes are not the wave of the future; but people with mainframe experience can still support themselves (and apparently support themselves quite well) while they either prepare for retirement or seize the opportunity to upgrade their technical skills and learn newer technologies.

The moral of the story. Do your homework before you make assumptions. Your livelihood may depend on it.

Another Look At Why Work Ethic Matters

Last night I was powerfully reminded of why it is so important for us to care about the work we do and, by extension, do it well.

I was leaving my office at around 7:00 to go out for a short walk and pick up some dinner. Directly in front of my building, a disturbing scene was unfolding. A man in a wheelchair, with only one arm and one leg, was struggling to get out of his chair and chase after two young able-bodied men who had stolen his crutches from the back of his chair. These two men ran quickly across a busy downtown intersection, waving the crutches over their heads victoriously. To make things worse, there was a policeman sitting inside his patrol car watching this scene unfold. As the man in the wheelchair stood on his one good leg, impotently screaming at the thieves, the police car slowly and deliberately drove away.

When I got to the corner convenience store, I saw the two men jubilantly high-fiving each other over their success; inside the store, the man's crutches stood innocently leaning against the counter. I walked back to my building to tell the wheelchair-bound man where they'd left his crutches, but he'd disappeared.

If the policeman had done his job, those two mean-spiritied young men would be sitting in jail long enough for them to think many times over about ever doing such an awful thing again. They certainly would not be prancing down the street celebrating their crime. And the police officers would be reprimanded for a poor job performance.

From a larger perspective, I am reminded of how important it is to care about the work you do and do it well. As part of my career counseling work, I often help my clients look for ways to make intolerable jobs more tolerable and create plans that will enable them to find and build more satisfying careers. But I'm not good with people who feel entitled to get paid without doing the work they were hired to do. If you are willing to accept a paycheck to do a job, you have a responsibility to do that job to the best of your ability....right up until the day you quit.

In Praise of "Seven Days to Online Networking"

To paraphrase Thoreau: sometimes you can date the beginning of a new era in your life by reading a book.

Thoreau undoubtedly had something more literary in mind than Ellen Sautter and Diane Crompton's book Seven Days to Online Networking, but a career counselor's work is often profoundly pragmatic. It has been decades since I've read a job search book that actually transformed the way that I think about the job search process.

I've known for awhile that the Internet is changing the way that people look for jobs. I have shared my clients' frustrations that, after posting their resumes on job sites like Monster and CareerBuilder, they wait (often in vain) for employers to respond to them. I have also known that many people are using social networking sites to advance their networking and job search efforts; but I haven't been able to develop clear guidelines on the best sites or ways to use those sites -- until now.

This book made me a better counselor and I recommend it often. It has taught me how to use the major sites to meet potential employers and help my clients develop customized plans to use online networking in their careers.

And for that, I thank them.

Tim Russert and the Work-Life Balance Debate

The premature death of political analyst Tim Russert at the age of 58 stunned his colleagues and, in some ways, electrified television viewers across the country. The seemingly indefatigable Russert was known as one of the hardest working men in television - the last one to leave at night and the first one into the office in the morning. But he wasn't putting in face time. He was intensely connected, a man who clearly loved his work and his celebrity.

Russert is also famous for writing a best-selling book about his relationship with his father, titled Big Russ and Me, in which he extols his father's character and working class values of honesty, decency and hard work. Russert wrote the book for his son Luke because he wanted to Luke to understand his grandfather's legacy and not assume the mantle of privilege and entitlement that children of successful professional parents sometimes acquire along with their parents' success.

I admired Tim Russert. He did, indeed, appear to be a hardworking, ethical and decent man. He was also a successful professional who clearly possessed a brilliant mind and used it effectively in his work. And then there was that incredible passion for truth and honesty, a man who brought his soul into his work as well.

The current espousal of "work-life balance" stands in stunning contradiction to Russert's living definition of a meaningful life. When many people speak of a work-life balance, they are often people who don't like or find meaning in their work and want to spend more time at play. But Russert was as committed and intense about his family life as he was about his work. For him they were both part of a passionate and committed life.

Perhaps he worked too hard and that overwork contributed to premature death. If so, that would be a tragic irony. But if Edison was right that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, then then our individual and collective success may be placed in jeopardy by the whole work-life balance ethos.

We need to reframe the paradigm so that we understand what it means to be fully committed to both our work and our personal lives. Tim Russert was one of the finest examples of what it means to live life with passion and intensity. While his death will be viewed as a cautionary tale to slow down and smell the roses, the cliche doesn't really apply. This was a man who did smell the roses albeit while barreling down the road at 100 mph.

Cleaning Up Your Online Identity

Creating and maintaining a professional online identity is an important part of any overall job search strategy. Unfortunately there is a lot of information on the Internet that is either inappropriate or just plain wrong. As a benign example of this, I googled my brother Eddie to see what the world was saying about him and discovered that we are related to the actor Judd Hirsch. Apparently this is a very well-guarded family secret since no one in my family can trace any relationship whatsoever to Judd Hirsch. Fortunately this isn't the kind of misinformation that is particularly harmful to anyone (which is why we chose to laugh about it rather than get upset). But some people have discovered that there is information floating about in Cyberspace that may actually be harmful to them.

If you want to know what's being said/printed about you, start with a Google search of your name and see what pops up. If there is misinformation that you want corrected, you can then go directly to the content provider and talk to them about having that information removed. Another option is to subscribe to a service such as ReputationDefender.com and work with them to have the offending and/or erroneous information removed. Of course, it may not always be possible. There is still a First Amendment Right to Free Speech in this country that can make it hard to get rid of information about you that is not flattering, especially if that information turns out to be true.

Consider this fair warning for those of you who are devotees of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace. The things that you say about yourself can come back to haunt you. So be very very careful what you choose to publicize about yourself.

It's never too late. Even if there is offensive content floating around, you can actively bury that information under a pile of new content. If you publish a website, write a blog, and create lots of new content that is more consistent with what you want people to know about you, the older content will get pushed out of sight and you will be in a much better position to market yourself effectively.

One of the most interesting ways to establish and promote your good name is through Naymz (www.naymz.com). They bill themselves as a Reputation Network. At this site you can create a profile, invite references to comment on your work, and use their search engine to promote that information. Through a systematic approach like this, you can control the flow of information and create an online identity that works effectively for you.

Creating and maintaining an online identity is now part of the professional landscape and an important tool that you can use to establish a professional identity and enhance your reputation. It's definitely worth the time to learn to use these tools to your own advantage.

Diagnosis: Boreout

Forget burnout. The new workplace syndrome du jour is: boreout.

The term "boreout" was coined by business consultants Phillippe Rothlin and Peter Werder to refer to workers who are underchallenged (aka underemployed). They estimate that 15% of office workers suffer from this problem; they don't have enough challenging, interesting or meaningful work. Think Homer Simpson. Or the character of Tim in The Office.

While we may find these fictional characters comical, there is nothing comical about the real life experience of boredom and underemployment. People who suffer from "boreout" often pretend to be busy, stretch out their work tasks in order to fill time, or spend their workdays on private matters. The explosion of the Internet, email, and cell phones into the workplace has also expanded the myriad of ways in which people pretend to be working when they are not. In a study conducted by Dan Malachowski, one-third of the 10,000 respondents to his survey said that they spent an average of two hours of office time per day on private matters in an effort to kill time.

This is not a small problem. For employers, it translates into a remarkable number of wasted hours. For employees, it translates into a stagnant and dull career path. A daily dose of boredom undermines self-confidence, competence and self-esteem - a recipe for mediocrity. It also contributes to high levels of stress and often takes its toll on both mental and physical health.

We can point our fingers at employers who refuse to delegate meaningful tasks or take the time to grow and develop their employees; but ultimately each individual is responsible for his or her own growth. If you are sleepwalking your way through your workday, you have two choices: bite the bullet and talk to your boss about your career development needs and/or find a new job that is more challenging and meaningful.

In the Category Titled "Always Be Prepared"

After a quick three-day trip to San Antonio, Texas I was flying home to Chicago on a crowded Southwest Airlines flight. Having gotten the dreaded middle seat, Iwas relieved that there was an adorable little boy sitting on his father's lap in the seat next to me. I figured it would make the time go faster if I could spend it entertaining a cute little one-year old.

It took me about five minutes to figure out that the father spoke very little English and his son was barely speaking any language at all -- except, of course, the universal language of crying when something was bothering him. Most of the time it was easy to figure out what he wanted: the sun was in his eyes, he was bored, he was thirsty. There was really a very limited repertoire.

The father seemed like a very nice man. But it was obvious that he didn't speak the language of childhood either. He didn't shield his son's eyes, bring a toy for hims to play with or ask the flight attendant for juice. I was pleased to help with those small challenges. The father seemed relieved; the child appeared content.

But it was a shortlived contentment. I admit that I was a little surprised to see the father pour the entire large can of apple juice into his son's bottle and dismayed to see the child gulp it down in two minutes flat. When he started crying for more, the father poured his coke into the baby's bottle and he gulped that down too. Right on schedule, the baby spit up on all three of us. We spent the rest of the flight trying to clean ourselves up.

Fortunately I was headed straight home from the airport. But I can think of many occasions when it might have been otherwise, when I might have been going directly from the airport to a business meeting, wearing business attire - not blue jeans.

I hope you will learn from my experience. Always have a business suit with you (in case your luggage gets lost). But don't wear your only business suit on the plane - carry on an extra suit with you or change into your business suit when you deplane. Then sit back and enjoy the ride.

What Do You Want to Be...Now That You're Grown Up?

This will make me sound ancient. But when I was growing up there weren't many celebrity role models available to women. You could be a glamorous sexy actress like Marilyn Monroe, a perfect wife and mother like June Cleaver (Beaver's mom) or a competent damsel in distress like Lois Lane. But I didn't live in Hollywood, I lived in Skokie, Illinois where most of the women were wives and mothers. When a woman worked outside of the home, it was always in a nurturing and caretaking role: secretary, teacher, nurse.

When new dreams and possibilities opened up to women, our fantasies changed as well. While many young girls still dream of being ballerinas and movie stars, they also dream of becoming doctors and lawyers and news anchors.

Boys' fantasies haven't changed nearly as much. Young boys still dream of becoming the next superhero or superathlete. What has changed is that they now have to compete with girls for the top spots.

With so many choices available, it is hard to know what to choose (at any age.) Choosing a career involves a journey of exploration and self-discovery. This often involves a separation process. By that I mean separating what you want for yourself from what your parents want for you. I am reminded, for example, of how difficult it was for one of my investment banker clients to acknowledge and accept his daughter's desire to do humanitarian work in third world countries rather than follow him into the world of high finance. To her credit (and his) she was a determined young woman who was able to convince her father that she had to follow her own dream...even if it meant living a different life than the one that he had envisioned for her.

In my career counseling practice I often work with young adults to help them clarify their own dreams and forge their own paths. Along the way, we almost always encounter the "How am I going to tell my parents?" question or, in some cases, "My parents are going to kill me when they here this" scenario.

Part of growing up, of course, is taking responsibility for your own life choices. That may also mean giving up the need for your parents' approval and even financial support. I cannot overstate the importance of this. Living your parents' dream is a recipe for unhappiness. No one can live your life for you - not even your parents. You don't become a grown up simply by adapting to cultural conventions (getting married, buying a house, having a baby). You become a true adult when you live an emotionally authentic life, a life that is consistent with your values, talents, and needs.

Keeping that information in mind, what do you want to "be" now that you're grown up?

Where's Your North Star?

You don't have to be an Astronomer to recognize the wisdom of the metaphorical North Star.

The North Star is the only star in the universe that stands still and lets the rest of the night sky revolve around it. Whenever you feel lost or confused and don't know how to get back home, all you have to do is remember to look for the North Star to point you in the right direction.

For one senior level executive (who was the first to coin the term in this context) the North Star represents the business issue. When he gets annoyed and/or enraged with one of his bosses or colleagues or direct reports, he reminds himself to look for the North Star. By that he means: "What is the business issue?"

This is his way of redirecting his attention toward the business problem that is embedded in the conflict and away from the politics of personalities. It keeps him on a more even keel and enables him to maintain his composure and professionalism.

While it's definitely better to work with people you like and respect, it's imperative to learn how to work cooperatively with all different kinds of people. While everyone professes to hate "office politics", office politics are part of organizational life. You can neutralize your attitude toward office politics by reframing the concept. It isn't just about "kissing up" to people who can help you; it is about building professional relationships that are constructive.

Whenever you find yourself over-reacting to some real or perceived slight, try asking yourself: Where is the North Star? What am I trying to accomplish here? And what is the best way to accomplish that goal?

For one executive who, at the moment, finds herself working in a very chaotic professional environment (that is constantly reorganizing itself), her goal is to keep her job. To do that, she needs to be part of the communication grapevine. But she also knows that malicious gossip won't help her accomplish that goal. Rather than caving into the temptation to join into the gossip, she focuses her attention on getting things done. Her goal is to be able to demonstrate her value through her accomplishments.

This is its own form of security. Should the time come when she wants or needs to find a new job, her skills and accomplishments will be her new North Star. She will be able to identify them clearly and use them to guide her safely to a new employment destination.

To do that, you must know your own Achilles heel(s) or weaknesses and strategize to overcome them. In a future blog, we will turn our attention to some effective and interesting ways you can do this. For now, it's enough to introduce the concept of the North Star as a guiding metaphor for a successful work life.

Playing The Odds: Are Job Fairs Worth the Price of Admission?

Yesterday I heard an amazing story from one of my former clients. He told me that he landed the job of his dreams at a job fair.

This may not be as amazing to you as it is to me. But, in my 20-plus years working as a career counselor and job coach, I have never once heard anyone (client or friend) tell me that they landed a job at a job fair. Mostly I hear how depressing job fairs are -- so many job hunters, so few jobs.

Job fairs are like speed-dating for the unemployed. You have about 30 seconds to make a good impression on a recruiter, knowing that there are people lined up both in front of you and behind you vying to make the same coveted first impression.

So how did this man (my former client) manage to do the impossible? For starters, he chose the right venue. Since he was looking to make a transition into the entertainment industry, he attended an entertainment industry job fair. But he also did something unusual. Although he is a management professional, he attended a job fair that was targeted towards seasonal workers (i.e. summer help) and this alone helped him standout from the crowd. When one recruiter reviewed the people he met that day, he instantly remembered the experienced professional who was willing to wait patiently in line for his turn to make contact.

He also has the benefit of good communication skills. As a sales professional, he knows how to establish eye contact, build instant rapport, and communicate effectively. He also knows how to look the part. No one needs to tell him how to dress for success.

But what about the rest of us? How can you (or someone you know) convert a job fair experience into a real job opportunity? It helps if you think of it as a process that begins before the actual day of the event.

A few tips to get you thinking in the right direction:

1. Pre-register, if possible. Many job fairs encourage attendees to pre-register and submit your resume in advance. This enables recruiters and hiring managers to identify candidates who interest them. If they know who you are before they meet you, it is much easier to make a connection in the allotted time.

2. Get a list of the companies/organizations that will be attending the job fair. Use the list to research those organizations that interest you.

3. Develop a game day strategy. It is usually best to prioritize your list so that you can organize your day effectively. Try to meet with your "high priority" employers early in the day before the lines are too long and both of you are numb from the stress of the experience.

4. Create, practice and perfect a 30-second commercial explaining your skills and experience. But avoid the temptation to deliver it robotically. No matter how many times you've said the same thing, you've never introduced yourself to this particular person before. They are meeting you for the first (but hopefully not the last) time. To make your time count, you have to be a real human being. Whenever possible, use your research to tailor that presentation to the specific person that you are talking to.

5. Be prepared to participate in a longer interview. If a recruiter gets interested in knowing more about you, they may ask you to sit down with them in a more (semi-private) area so that they can learn more about you. This is more like a real interview albeit still in a more abbreviated form. At most, you can expect 5-10 minutes with the interviewer. Try to be mindful and respectful of their time constraints and keep your answers short.

5. Bring lots of resumes and business cards to leave behind with recruiters. This is another opportunity for you to create a more lasting impression.

6. Follow up and follow through. After the fair is over, send thank you notes and, if appropriate, another resume to those recruiters who expressed an interest in you. If you don't hear back from them within a week, follow up with a phone call and/or email to express your continued interest in working with them. In some cases, it is the professional follow through that really impresses potential employers and enables you to stand out from the crowd.

7. Manage your expectations. Granted, landing the job of your dreams at a job fair is a long shot. But every so often, it pays to play the long shot.

No. 1 Complaint: Internet Job Hunting Doesn't Work

The majority of my job-hunting clients share a common complaint: The Internet Doesn't Work.

Regardless of whether they are career newbies, career changers, or experienced professionals - they are all frustrated by the lack of results they get from job postings. And with good reason. Although hard numbers are difficult to come by, several surveys have confirmed that only about 5% of job hunters find new jobs through Internet job postings. (Networking or personal contacts still garner the best results with 50-60% of job hunters finding jobs through this well-established route.)

So if you are one of those people who are spending the majority of your job search time in Cyberspace the likelihood of success isn't all that great. To put the numbers in perspective: Monster.com estimates that it gets 35,000 resumes a day and has boasted publicly that, since its inception, it has received 11,000,000 resumes. (If you aren't good with numbers that's 11 million.) While that may be great for the Monster.com business, it isn't good news for individual job hunters; it makes it nearly impossible for individuals to get employers and/or recruiters to notice them.

To be more effective, job hunters should use Internet listings as part of a comprehensive job search rather than rely on it to be some kind of magic bullet. While it's still a good idea to check out general job search sites (Indeed.com and Worktree.com are my favorites), many job hunters get better results with industry specific sites. (There's a great set of links at Quintcareers.com/indres.html)

But don't get lured into spending all your time there (and then complain that it isn't working.) If you really want to use the Internet effectively in your job search, use it to do company research, visit company websites, apply directly to companies that interest you, and generate networking leads.

This brings me to another cautionary note. While it's tempting to use sites like Linked in and Facebook to meet your networking needs, this also does not constitute a complete networking strategy. Like it or not, there's still no substitute for real face time with real people.

Career Expert

This is the first in a series of articles about the workplace. Before I begin sharing my expertise and opinions, I need to tell you something about myself.

My name is Arlene Hirsch and I am a nationally recognized expert in the field of career counseling. I have a private career and psychological counseling practice in Chicago where I work with adults who are trying to start, develop, and maintain successful careers. Although I do not specialize in any one career field, I have worked with people of all ages and at all levels. What makes me unique among my peers is my training in psychology which always informs my understanding of my clients and helps me figure out the best ways to motivate the people who work with me to create and achieve meaningful goals.

I have written a number of books including: How To Be Happy At Work, The Wall Street Journal Guide to Interviewing, and Job Search and Careers Checklists. From time to time, I toy with the idea of writing another book but, for now, I am content to share my expertise through this blog.

I also like to teach and am something of an itinerant professor. I have taught at Northwestern University in the Counseling Psychology program, at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management as part of their Executive MBA program, at Oakton Community College and DePaul University School for New Learning.

I have also been interviewed on lots of radio and television talk shows. Perhaps my strangest experience was the time I appeared on the Jenny Jones Show along with a panel of teenage girls who had dropped out of high school. As the career expert, I was tagged with the job of explaining their career options to them. I don't think they wanted to hear what I had to say: finish high school, go to college, map out a career plan. But it was fun anyway.

What I like most about my job is that I get to meet and help so many different kinds of people. Although I have been working in this profession for over 20 years, it is always interesting and there is always something new to learn. I also like the fact that my cat Shayna comes to work with me and often works as my "co-therapist." After all, a cat needs to earn her keep too.

As this blog progresses, my goals is to provide interesting information about different workplace challenges and trends in an effort to share my expertise with a wider audience.