Video Archives - Page 3 of 6 - Job Hunt Solutions

#1 Job Interview Skill – Listening

June 23 2016 nfougere Interviews 0 comments Tags: Interview Advice, Interview Skills, interview tips

Having been in recruitment since 1997, I have interviewed thousands of people. In many cases, I would ask a question and the person being interviewed would give me all kinds of wonderful information, but not actually answer the question. Not only does this demonstrate to the interviewer poor listening skills, but it is also very frustrating to the interviewer.

We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.

― Epictetus

Benefits of Using Finely Tuned Listening Skills

As mentioned in previous posts, it is imperative that you are prepared and practiced before your interview. You should be well prepared with your career success stories and war stories. By doing so, you can answer the interview question with a relevant answer.

It is also important to use your eyes when listening. In other words, it is important to watch the interviewer’s body language. As such, you will be better able to engage the interviewer in a back and forth dialogue or conversation.

Finally, using your finely tuned listening skills will enable you to assess the organization as a potential employer.

The bottom line is that by using your listening skills, you will be presenting the best version of yourself and you will be memorable – in a good way.

Until next time, happy hunting!

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How to Identify and Answer Illegal Interview Questions

June 19 2016 nfougere Interviews 0 comments Tags: Ace the Interview, interview questions, interview tips

Illegal interview questions are those questions which breach discrimination laws. In Canada, the specific areas in which a person is not legally allowed to be discriminated against are considered “Protected Grounds.” Most countries have similar laws, and the chart below highlights the protected characteristics in Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK:

Chart1

Being familiar with the protected grounds characteristics for the country in which you are interviewing will better enable you to identify discriminatory interview questions.

How to Answer Illegal Interview Questions

For the most part, good interviewers know not to ask discriminatory questions. However, sometimes interviewers are not aware that these types of questions may lead to perceived bias in the hiring process. If you are asked one of these questions, then it is best not to be argumentative and to respond to the question the best you can. After all, the question may be asked innocently. In other words, the interviewer may ask a question not realizing that it is breaching a protected ground characteristic, and with no intention or desire to discriminate.

4 Common (Illegal) Questions

Age:

As an example, if you discover that you and the interviewer were raised in the same hometown, you might find that you went to the same or neighbouring high school(s). The interviewer may ask:

“What year did you graduate?” (This is likely a way to determine if you have friends in common.)

Recommended Answer: (In a light-hearted tone) “It seems so long ago, I’d hate to admit when I graduated.” This will subtly remind the interviewer that the question was not appropriate as it could lead to age bias, and will save the interviewer the embarrassment of you calling them out on the inappropriate nature of the question.

Alternately, the interviewer may ask you a more direct, discriminatory question: “How would you feel about working for a person younger than you?”

Recommended Answer: “Age does not interfere with my ability to get along with others. I am adaptable and respect superiors who are knowledgeable and competent.”

National Origin

Example Question: “Where were you born?” OR “Of what country of origin are you a citizen?”

Recommended Answer: “I am a permanent resident of Canada and have legal permission to work here.” OR “I am quite proud that my background is . My heritage has helped me to deal effectively with people of various ethnic backgrounds.”

Again, this question may be asked because the interviewer is also from the same country or neighbouring region and is looking to find a common, shared experience. Even still, this type of question should not be asked in an interview.

That said, the interviewer can legitimately ask: “Are you legally eligible to work in Canada?” The difference is that this question does not focus on a person’s national origin, rather, it clarifies whether the person being interviewed requires sponsorship to work in the country.

Religion

Example Question: “Do you hold any religious beliefs that would prevent you from working certain days of the week?”

Recommended Answer: “No.” OR, if your response is yes: “Yes, I do, however, I am able to work other days of the week to make up for it.”

Disability

Example Question: “As a person with a disability, what help are you going to need in order to do your work?” OR “How severe is your disability?”

Recommended Answer: “Actually, I don’t need help doing my work because I have been adequately trained. I may need minor adaptations of the workstation, however.”

An interviewer can legitimately ask, “What accommodations will you need to perform this job?” The difference is that this question does not call attention to the disability. Employers may ask this question to better prepare them if you are offered a position with the organization. In some cases, an employer may ask a similar question before inviting you in for an interview. Again, this is simply to ensure that they are properly prepared for you.

Final Thoughts

For the most part, employers will avoid asking protected grounds questions. If they do, it will most likely be because they are not aware that the question is in breach of protected grounds, and it is not their intention or desire to discriminate. If you are asked such questions then it is important to use tact and decorum when providing your answer. As mentioned in previous posts, you can use the interview as a tool for evaluating the organization if and when the position is offered. If you feel that the questions asked could lead to a perceived bias then you may want to reconsider the organization as a potential employer.

References

Commission, Canadian Human Rights. What is Discrimination? 9 January 2013. http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/.

Commission, US Equal Opportunity. US Equal Opportunity Commission. n.d. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/.

Government, UK. Discrimination: Your Rights, UK Government. n.d. <https://www.gov.uk/>.

Ombudsman, Fair Work. Protection from discrimination at work. n.d. <https://www.fairwork.gov.au/>.

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Top 10 Skype Interview Tips

June 16 2016 nfougere Interviews 0 comments Tags: Interivew Tips & Tricks, interview tips, Skype Interview tips

Skype interviews are becoming increasingly popular with employers. Like any interview, it is important to prepare for your Skype interview and the nuances that come with them. Here are my top 10 tips on preparing for your Skype interview:

Test your Audio and Video Equipment – it is vital that your video and audio equipment work during your Skype interview. You can test this through the Skype system, or better yet, test your equipment with a friend or family member to ensure that everything is in fine working order. Also, be sure to test your equipment well in advance so that you have ample time to borrow or purchase new equipment for your skype interview.
Background – while testing your video equipment, take note of the background. Be sure that there isn’t any mess or distasteful art on the walls behind you. Remember: the interviewer will be able to see it, so be sure your space is neat and tidy.
Lighting – good lighting could mean the difference of you being visible to the interviewers or not. As with the previous point, be sure that you do not have a window behind you with a lot of light pouring in towards your back. This will cause you to appear too dark and difficult to see. Instead, make sure that your face is well lit, either from the natural light from a window or by using a lamp. In addition, recently, I was speaking with a friend of mine, Tao Liu, on Skype. He was wearing eye glasses and I could see the reflection of his computer screen in his glasses. So be sure that your lighting minimizes this reflection.
Frame – make sure you are in the frame of the camera. This will be especially important if you are using a laptop computer. Having your laptop computer or webcam at eye level is optimal. Otherwise, you could be at an awkward and unflattering angle.
Dress & Groom – my recommendation is that you wear a suit for your Skype interview as this will help you get your head into the interview mind space. Since the interviewer will only see you from about the shoulders up, some people may choose to wear jeans or other comfortable bottoms. This choice is entirely up to you. Just be sure that you wear an interview appropriate top and/or blazer and be sure to be well groomed.
Look into Camera – this may feel awkward for most people, but by looking into the camera or webcam, you will be creating “eye contact” with the interviewers.
Cheat Sheet Notes – an advantage of the Skype interview is that you can have your research notes at the ready. You can either have your notes on your computer screen and access them by simply minimizing your Skype window. Alternately, you can have them prepared on sticky notes placed around the outside of your monitor. Either way, I recommend that you keep your notes in bullet form so that you are able to quickly access them without breaking your virtual “eye contact” as mentioned in the previous point. As a final thought on this, if you are using a laptop computer, it may be worthwhile to invest in an external mouse and keyboard so that as you access your notes on your computer, your movements will be less obvious.
Taking Notes – it is a best practice to take notes during an interview – noting any interesting insights or questions the interviewer shares. The interviewer won’t necessarily be able to see that you are taking notes, and as such, you might appear to be restless, distracted, or uninterested. When taking notes during a Skype interview, be sure to let the interviewer know that you are taking notes and ask if they are ok with you taking your notes.
Distractions – typically Skype interviews will be scheduled in advance. Make sure that during your scheduled interview time, especially if you are interviewing from your home, that you remove any potential distractions and set aside a quiet space for your interview. Be sure to turn off your mobile and/or home telephone ringer(s) and to turn off your computer’s email alerts.
Relax – the key advantage of a Skype interview is that you are likely able to participate from your home. You can think of this as having a “home court advantage.” This should help you to remain calm during your interview so that you can put your best foot forward, and hopefully, bag the job!

If you have any tips on preparing for a Skype interview, I invite you to leave them in the comments below. If you would like personalized advice, check out the services section here.

Until next time, happy hunting!

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8 Tell-Tale Signs of a Job Scam

June 12 2016 nfougere Job Search 0 comments Tags: job scam, Job Search Tips

An unfortunate reality is that of scam artists or con artists, and they can appear when we least expect them. We see con artists depicted in Hollywood movies and TV. We hear of various scams on the news. One type of scam that is becoming more common is the Job Scam. So, how can you identify if a job is legitimate or a scam? Here are my top 8 tips:

Immediate Offer – In some cases, you may be sent an email with a job offer. These emails may mention that they have seen your profile or resume online and that they would like to hire you for their current opening. Most employers are required to do their due diligence when selecting a person to hire, and this includes conducting interviews. If you are given an offer without as much as an interview, this is a clear sign that the job is a scam.
Interview via IM – Job scammers have become wise to the first tell-tale sign, and as such, they may ask you for an interview. Employers typically conduct interviews, but legitimate employers will interview via telephone, Skype, or in person. Job scammers tend to rely on Instant Messenger to interview.
Poor Spelling & Grammar in Job Ad – this refers to obvious spelling and grammar mistakes. One way to check for grammar and spelling mistakes is to copy the job description to MS Word and run a spell check and grammar check. In addition, you can also use the free Grammarly add-on for your word processing program. This will give you an added layer of scrutiny.
E-mail Address – Legitimate companies will have a website, and their employees will have a company specific email address. If you receive an email from a non-professional domain, such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Live, then this is another tell-tale sign that the job might be a scam.
Ask You to Pay – Legitimate employers will never ask you to transfer money to them for any reason. Job scammers, however, may ask you to transfer money to them for things like training, software updates, or immigration services.
Personal Information – Although you will need to send your personal details such as Social Insurance Number and date of birth to an employer as per their background check process, this is usually conducted near the end of their recruitment process. As such, if this information is requested before the interview, this could be a sign that the job is a scam. In addition, be wary of any websites to which you need to upload your personal information. The web address should begin with “https”, where the “s” stands for secure. Otherwise, you will be uploading your personal information to an unsecured site, which means that your personal details could be compromised.
Bank Details – Legitimate employers will need your banking details in order to pay you. Be wary if a prospective employer asks for additional banking information, such as the answers to your security questions or for your PIN number. Unless you receive an offer of employment from a banking institution, employers will not ask you to open a bank account with a specific bank, and again, they will not ask you for the PIN number or security answers for your newly opened account.
Intuition – Finally, trust your intuition. If you believe a job might be a scam, be sure to proceed with extra caution and do your research!

What to do if you Suspect a Job is a Scam?

First, and for every role, it is highly recommended that you conduct thorough research on the organization and on the people with whom you will be meeting. That said, some of the savvier scam artists have “borrowed” LinkedIn profiles of legitimate people. Be sure to take note of the LinkedIn profile to see how many connections a person has (i.e. do they have any connections?), if the profile is complete, and if there is more than one person with the same name at the same company. LinkedIn is an excellent resource that I often recommend job seekers use in their job search. Although LinkedIn cannot control the creation of fake profiles, they are extremely diligent in ensuring that such profiles are removed.

Second, if you suspect that you have been contacted by a job scammer, be sure to report it to the local police, or in Canada to the RCMP’s fraud unit. This will help curtail job scams and will help us to protect each other from such scams.

Finally, be sure to share your experience with others and share this video. If you have been a target of such job scams or know of someone who has been, please do leave a comment below. The more we are aware of these types of scams and are able to help others identify them, we will all be better off.

Final Thoughts

Most of the job advertisements that you come across will be legitimate. It is important to recognize that job scams exist and to know the tell-tale signs. As such, please be sure to be mindful of these signs and to report and share your findings.

Until next time, happy hunting!

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What Does it Mean When a Company Re-Posts a Job Opening?

June 09 2016 nfougere Job Search 0 comments Tags: Job Postings

Sometimes we see the roles to which we’ve applied (or for which we’ve interviewed) re-posted online. If you’ve ever wondered what it means when a company re-posts a role, this article is for you.

The short answer is: it may not mean very much. It will all depend on the reason the company has for re-posting the position. Unfortunately, you and I won’t be privy to this information.

Why Do Companies Re-Post Job Openings?

There are a number of reasons a company has for re-posting their open roles. Here is my list of potential reasons:

Recruitment System Auto-Posts – in some cases, the systems that recruiters use might be set up to automatically post a role every couple of weeks. This is to ensure that the open position appears at the top of a search result page.
Organizational Changes – there can be any number of things that can happen behind the scenes in an organization that can impact the role. As an example, the hiring manager may have changed positions, thereby delaying the recruitment process.
More Referrals – the company may feel that they didn’t get the volume of employee referrals they were hoping for, so they re-post the role in an effort to generate more referrals.
More Applicants – similar to the previous reason, the company may re-post the role if they feel they need to generate a greater number of applicants.
“Window Shopping” – some hiring managers like to see more applicants even after they have reviewed or even interviewed top talent. This is a phenomenon I call “window shopping” and every recruiter faces this from time to time. Many recruiters can manage this situation, but it can take time and patience.
Offer Fell Through – the company may have extended an offer which has fallen through for any number of reasons. As a result, they may feel that they need to start the hiring process again to generate an updated candidate pool.
Ineffective Hiring Process – there is always the chance that a company’s recruitment process in general, or the recruitment process for the specific role has not been effective. I would like to think that this is the exception rather than the rule, it does happen from time to time. Candidates can ‘fall through the cracks’ and poor interview decision can be made. Again, there could be any number of reasons for this to happen.

What Can You Do?

Depending on where you are in the process, it is a good idea (where possible) to express your continued interest in the role. If you have already interviewed with the company, send your contact person (likely the recruiter) a positive e-mail. Ask if there is any additional information that you could provide to help them with their selection decision.

If you haven’t yet been contacted, perhaps someone in your network works in the company. Although I would recommend you contact your network before applying, it is never too late to ask for help. Reach out to your contact to express your interest in the company and role. See if they might have any insights or if they might be willing to refer you.

Keep in mind, it is important to stay positive with your communications. You don’t want to come across as complaining or blaming.

Final Thoughts

As mentioned in my previous posts, it is a best practice to have a target company list. When we see a ‘dream job’ posted with one of our target companies, it can be very tempting to become wrapped up with that opportunity. It is important to ensure that you don’t concentrate all of your efforts on one opportunity. Remember, anything could happen with that opportunity or within the organization to impact the outcome. As such, it is vital that you continue your job search until you’ve received an offer for your dream job.

Thanks so much for the great questions! Please keep them coming. If you have any questions, video ideas, or would like to collaborate, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or to contact me directly. For personalized advice, check out the services section here.

Until next time, happy hunting!

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Should you Apply for a Job if you are not Qualified?

June 05 2016 nfougere Job Screening 0 comments Tags: Job Application, When to Apply to a JOb

While out with a dear friend and fellow recruiter, Rebecca, our conversation turned to recruiting – as it usually does. While talking shop, we brainstormed vlog ideas and she suggested I address the issue of when to apply for a job. Rebecca spoke of the study which underscored the fact that women only apply for roles in which they satisfy 100% of the requirements, whereas men will apply to roles for which they satisfy only 60% of the requirements. So which is the best approach? My recommendation is to stick to the 80-20 rule: if you satisfy 80% or more of the requirements, it would be appropriate to apply for the role.

It is important that you understand the job description. Job ads will have the role description, list of job duties, and the list of requirements. In some cases, the requirements will be split out by mandatory requirements and nice to have requirements. In other cases, the must have and nice to have requirements may not be clearly stated. The most critical duties and requirements for the role are typically found in the top ⅔rds of the job ad.

To break this down even further, there are 5 key areas that we can look at when determining if a job would be the right fit:

Job Type – This refers to the job itself. As an example, if you are a finance professional applying to a finance role, this is a great first step. On the other hand, if you are a finance professional applying for a marketing role, this is likely going to be a no-go. There are applicants who will apply to any role they find within their target organization. I would strongly recommend refraining from this practice as it makes the recruiter feel as though they are being spammed. In addition, the recruiter(s) may question your judgment (and not in a good way).
Industry – Using our example, finance is a relatively industry agnostic profession. That said, there are some industries which have specific requirements, and as such, industry experience would be a mandatory requirement. Pay close attention to the job ad – if industry experience is mandatory, it should be mentioned.
Years of Experience – typically job ads will make note of the years of experience required for the role. For example, if a role requires 5 years of experience and you have 3-4 years, then it is likely a good match. If, however, you are a new graduate with no working experience, this will likely be a no-go because it would not be a new grad opportunity. On the other hand, if you have 20+ years of experience, you may want to carefully consider if this role would be appropriate. After all, years of experience is an indicator of level as is salary. If you are used to earning a particular salary level due to your years of experience, then it is important to keep in mind that you may need to take a significant decrease in salary for a role requiring significantly fewer years of experience than you have.
Education – education can typically have a must have and a nice to have requirement. The nice to have requirement will likely be a particular designation. Even if you don’t have the particular designation or if you are working towards that designation, you may still qualify for the position. It will be important that you have relevant experience to balance the lack of designation, however.
Miscellaneous – there can be any number of additional requirements for a role. As an example, in Canada, we are used to sometimes seeing bilingual language requirements. As with education, if the requirement is mandatory and you do not have this particular skill, it may not be an appropriate role for you. On the other hand, if it is a nice to have requirement, you may still qualify for the role.

The bottom line is to remember the 80-20 rule. If you are confident that you satisfy the must-have requirements for the role and most of the nice to have requirements, this is a great indication that the role is a good fit for your background. Keep in mind, there may be other candidates who fulfill 100% of the requirements, but there will be others who only fulfill 60% (or less) of the requirements. As such, there is still a great chance that your unique background would be the ideal match for the role and organization.

Until next time, happy hunting!

If you would like personalized advice, please check out the services section here, or if you have any questions, you can leave a comment below.

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How to Search for a Job

June 02 2016 nfougere Job Search 0 comments Tags: Job Hunting, Job Search, Job Search Tips

In response to a recent viewer question, here are my top 8 tips for conducting your job search.

Know what you want – It is important that you do the self-reflection needed to help you determine the best career path for you. My previous blog post discusses this in detail. As mentioned in that post, if you don’t know what you’re looking for, how will you ever know that you’ve found it?

Create a Target Company List – While going through the exercise in step 1, think about which companies would have the attributes that are important to you and employ the skills and experience you have. Having a top 10 target company list will streamline your research, networking, and job search efforts. As a result, you will be able to make efficient use of your job search time.

Company Websites & Social Media
1. Company Website: Most companies have websites, and many companies have a career section on their website. Be sure to visit their sites, taking note of any current openings they may have that match your background. While going through this exercise, try to notice any trends that you might see in terms of keywords or qualifications listed in the job ads. In many cases, company career sites will have the option for you to sign up for a ‘job search agent,’ which will notify you of relevant openings when they become available. As a cautionary note, do not apply to too many roles within your target company – this may give the company the impression that you are not focused or are desperate.
2. Social Media: Be sure to check out their LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter pages. LinkedIn is a wonderful resource for conducting research and identifying people within your target organizations with whom you may wish to network. In some cases, companies may have a Twitter career page. Be sure to follow such pages so that you are the first in the know for any roles that may come available. As a final note, remember that employers may check your online profiles, so it is important that your online presence is updated and professional.
Network – Networking is critical to any job search. You never know who you might know who works in your target organization, or who knows someone else who works there. Tapping into your network is a great way to find jobs the company might have available, the skills they look for, and uncover the hidden job market. Where possibly, try to set up interest interviews with your target company. Before tapping into your network or going on any interest interviews, be sure to have your elevator pitch ready. For more information about crafting your elevator pitch, check out my blog post here. Click here for a copy of my networking guide.

Job Boards – There are a wide variety of job boards available to you. The most popular job boards include Monster and Workopolis, but there are also government sponsored job boards that you can find for your province, country, or state. In addition to these more traditional job boards, there are job aggregator boards which scrape job ads from across the internet and aggregate them onto their site. Examples include Indeed and Eluta. Much like the company career sites mentioned above, you can set up ‘job search agents’ on these sites so that you are notified of job postings as they become available.

Industry Associations – Your company list may fall into one or more industry segments. Search any industry associations in which your target company/companies may participate. Such industry association websites may have their own job boards or a list of upcoming industry events. Attending industry events is a great way to grow your professional network and potentially learn about new job opportunities.

Recruitment Agencies – As mentioned in a previous blog post, recruiters in recruitment agencies are a great, mostly free, resource. Not only will recruitment agencies have a variety of job opportunities available, recruiters are typically very knowledgeable about the latest industry and company trends. In some cases, recruitment agencies may also have knowledge of opportunities in the hidden job market. For more insight on working with recruiters, check out my previous blog post here.

Make a Plan – While conducting your job search, it is important to keep yourself organized and to create an action plan. Set weekly goals for the number of jobs you apply for and the number of networking contacts you are going to email. Remember to build in time for research, interviewing, and tailoring your resume. Not only will this keep you focused, but it will also keep you organized.

I hope you found these tips helpful. If you have any other tips on job searching, please feel free to leave a comment below. Also, if you would like personalized advice, please check out the services section or send me an email – I’d be happy to help!

Until next time, happy hunting!

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What Career Path is Right for You?

May 29 2016 nfougere Career Path 0 comments Tags: Bag the Job, Career Path, Job Assessment Tests

There tends to be three types of job seekers: those who know exactly what they want to do, those who are so overwhelmed by the choices that are available to them that they don’t know where to begin, and those who are underwhelmed by the choices available that they wonder if they will ever find something that will pique their interest. If you fall into one of the latter two categories, then you know how difficult it is to even begin your job search. There are questions you can ask yourself, however, that should help point you in the right direction.

Career Path Discovery

To begin, ask yourself these questions:
1. If you won the lottery and money weren’t an issue, how would you spend your time? Why? Many of us dream of winning the lottery and buying our dream car, dream home, or travelling the world. What I’m talking about here is what you would do once you’ve enjoyed your winnings. Would you want to open your own business? If so, doing what? Is there an educational pursuit you would like to accomplish? The key here is to ask the ‘why’ behind this question. What is it about opening a particular business or studying a particular subject that interests you?
2. When were you the happiest at work (or school)? What was the project/subject? What, specifically, kept you engaged?
3. Do my friends have an interesting career path? What is it about this career path that is interesting? As an example, say that you have a friend who is a firefighter and you think that is an interesting career. What is it about being a firefighter that intrigues you? Is it helping people? Being seen as a noble member of the community? Are you a thrill-seeker?
4. Have your friends or family members said that they think you would be good in a particular profession? What reason did they give? As an example, my father often told me that I would make a good teacher because he thinks that I have a keen ability to break down complex ideas and translate it to a diverse audience. (Thanks, dad!)
5. What do you want to be known for? For this question, picture your retirement party. Who would be there and what would they say about you. Examples would be that you pioneered a medical breakthrough, that you were an inspiration to entrepreneurs, or that you helped others achieve their goals through your coaching or guidance.

Once you have thought through these questions, see if you can start to pick out any themes. For example, are you more driven by helping others, solving problems, conducting research, or debating?

Reality Check

It is important to include a healthy dose of reality in the mix. Some of the questions you should ask yourself include:
1. Do you have the qualifications required for the career path of interest? What would it take to get the qualifications? Are you in a position to invest the time and money to get qualified? For example, if you are a marketer who is interested in becoming a lawyer, you will likely have to go back to school to get your law degree, and then pass the bar – a thought that strikes fear into the hearts and minds of most soon-to-be lawyers. If getting such qualifications is not possible (for whatever reason), what elements of the interesting career path could you infuse into your current career? In our example, is it debating a case, conducting research, or advising others of their rights?
2. Can you make a living from the interesting career path? You can always search job boards to see if/how many opportunities exist in this field, and what qualifications are sought. As an example, during my undergraduate degree, I was interested in the field of health care ethics. When thinking through the opportunities available in this field at the time, they were extremely limited. This made my decision to pursue other interests much easier. In addition to the availability of opportunities, you need to think about the earning potential you would have and if it will allow you to support yourself and the lifestyle you have or want.
3. Will this career path fit with my current lifestyle? You may need to consider the overall lifestyle required for the career and if this is viable for you. As an example, if you are interested in a career as a consultant, you may need to travel and spend extended periods of time away from your home and family. Would this fit with your family or lifestyle needs?

Try Before you Decide

Once you have a few ideas of interesting career paths, try to find opportunities to explore the career path:
1. Volunteer – not only will volunteering help you discover if this is a career path you would want to explore, you can gain valuable experience and make meaningful network connections, all while giving back to your community.
2. Take it up as a hobby – this would be a great idea if you are interested in changing careers to something artistic like baking, or being a painter. It is also a great way to explore activities like yoga or fitness instruction.
3. Freelance – you can try working in an unexplored field, such as writing, on a part-time, freelance basis. This is another great way to gain experience and to discover if this is a career path that you like and at which you can earn a living.
4. Interest Interview – leverage your network and speak with people you know, or that people in your network know, to learn more about the career path of interest. People generally like to share their experience with others, and can inform you of both the pros and cons of their job.
5. Mentor – similar to the interest interviews seek out the advice of a mentor. Mentors can sometimes provide you with key insights or ask you additional questions that you could consider while making your decision.
6. Job Shadow – if you are currently employed, seek opportunities to job shadow in roles that you wish to explore.

Pulling it all Together

As you are exploring the various options available to you, you should be able to see themes emerge. You can take some of these themes and categorize them by a) your likes, b) your abilities, and c) your values. The Venn diagram below illustrates how these categories overlap:

Career path venn

The closer your list of possible career paths checks all three of these categories, the closer you are to finding a career path that you will love.

Final Thoughts

In addition to going through this exercise there are several books that you can read to help you on your quest:

Finally, there are several self-assessment tests that you can try to help point you in the right direction. One free test you can use is the MAPP self-assessment test. There is a paid option, but the free version is an excellent start. This assessment test is aimed specifically at helping you uncover careers that would align to your personality and interests.

Knowing what you are looking for is the first step in finding your dream job. As I’ve said before if you don’t know what you are looking for then how will you ever know that you’ve found it? For some, this can be a long journey, but like most things in life, the more you put into this self-discovery journey the more you will get out of it.

If you have any questions about this or any other job search topic, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. If you have any questions, video ideas, or would like to collaborate, please feel free to contact me directly. For personalized advice, check out the services section of this site.

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How to Tailor your Resume

May 26 2016 nfougere Resume Writing 0 comments Tags: resume writing, Resume Writing Tips, Tailor your Resume

As a best practice, you should tailor your resume to each role for which you apply. One critical area of a resume that I see get overlooked time and time again is the professional summary, which usually appears at the top of a resume.

There is a marketing concept called above the fold. Think of a newspaper. Newspapers consist of very large sheets of paper which are neatly put together and then folded in half. The headline for the newspaper – which is the “hook” and what compels readers to buy the newspaper – is found at the top of the front page of the newspaper. In other words, it is found above the fold. Using this analogy, think of your resume in the same way. The top ½ – ⅔ of your resume is the most important piece of real estate on your resume. This is the above the fold section. As such, the information found here, such as your Professional Summary, must be tailored to the role.

It is important to include keywords from the job description truthfully throughout your resume, as discussed in a previous blog post. That said, if your relevant experience doesn’t appear until the second page of your resume, then likely it will be overlooked. As an example, say that you are a Human Resources professional and you have experience in both unionized and non-unionized environments. You are applying to two roles – one in a union and one in a non-union environment. If your professional profile doesn’t highlight your union environment experience and your unionized experience doesn’t appear until the second page of your resume, then it may get overlooked for the union role. It won’t likely make a difference for the non-union role. On the other hand, if your professional profile highlights your union experience, then it will be great for the union role, but it may not make a difference for the non-union role. You also run the risk of not optimizing your ‘above the fold’ space for the non-union role.

For most roles, a recruiter will receive anywhere from 250 – 500 resumes (or more) for each role they manage. The recruiter will try to speak with the top 10-15 candidates (maximum) – or top 2-5%. The chances that 10 other, equally qualified candidates will have their resume optimized (and in some cases professionally written) for the role you’re applying to is very high. If your resume isn’t optimized, then it may not get a second look.

In the meantime: Happy Hunting!

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Top Free Resources for Your Job Search Journey

May 22 2016 nfougere Job Search 0 comments Tags: Free Job Search Resources

In last week’s blog post, “How to Conduct Company Research for your Job Search,” I provided a number of free resources for conducting your research. There are several other resources that should prove helpful for each step in your job search journey:

Twello.com – social media is a great way to both conduct company research and to expand your network. If you are a user of (or are considering using) Twitter, then Twellow is a great resource for finding people on Twitter in your city, industry, and profession. Twellow can be thought of as the “yellow pages” of Twitter.
FillPerfect.com – this is a downloadable add-on to Internet Explorer which auto-fills and tracks your online application forms. It comes with a 14-day free trial, and the regular price is $34.95 US.
Grammarly.com – if you need extra support in proofreading your resume, cover letter, or thank you letters, Grammarly is a great solution. Not only is this compatible with the Chrome and Safari browsers, it is a great add-on for MS Word. There is both a free version and a premium version. If you’ve relied on the spell check and grammar check in MS Word, you’ve probably noticed that it sometimes misses some errors such as the misuse of homonyms (i.e. there and their). Grammarly catches the errors that the MS Word checks miss.
Visualize.me – this is a great tool for building an Infographic resume. Although it is not recommended to use an infographic resume when applying to company’s online applicant tracking systems, you may want to bring an infographic resume to your job interview – especially if you are interviewing for a creative role. Keep in mind, although it is free to create your infographic resume with this tool, there is a fee for downloading it. As a side note, be sure to use your judgement when deciding if it is appropriate to use an Infographic resume.
Cover Letter template – in another previous blog post, “When and How to Write a Cover Letter,” I provided a link to a free downloadable template. This template includes the key elements of a cover letter, including how your unique background can address the key pain points for the role or organization. To access this free template, click here.
Thank You and Follow-Up Letter templates – a key way to stand out as a candidate is to send a thank-you letter after your interview. In addition, while you wait for feedback, you may also need to send a follow-up email. I have developed templates for both, which can be found in one downloadable file (for free) by clicking here.

If you have any other recommended resources, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. For personalized advice, check out the services section by clicking here.

In the meantime: Happy Hunting!