Queen Schmooze

How do you handle rejection in the job search? Do you need some down-time so that you can recoup your energy in order to refocus your job hunt? Staying motivated to push past the WALL of rejection is hard, but as long distance runners know, a lot of the motivation is mind over matter.

Many of us take a bit of time out when the going gets tough, but knowing how to handle this while on the job search is crucial. It’s not that easy to just ignore the situation and remain out of work. We need to feel good about ourselves by being productive. So, how does one stay motivated when faced with yet another resume re-write targeting a specific job or the derogatory rejection email that says thanks but NO THANKS?

Many people like to run and hide when that happens. Job seekers work long and hard on their applications only to have them summarily turned down without knowing the reason as to why. Anyone who has been out of work knows the frustration of the job hunt and the amazing number of rejections one amasses.

Here are some helpful tips that can make the time away from gainful employment easier:

• Network – stay connected to colleagues, organizations, follow the business news
• Skills Set – Personal Brand – identify and start working on marketing yourself
• Research the company to which you want to apply
• Target each resume to specific job applications
• Do research into the hidden job market
• Record all activities – including coffee meetings, conversations, emails, applications, resumes, results, networking, companies, and prospects
• Get social – connect to social media as a way of staying in touch while taking a break
• Take a break and don’t beat yourself up about it – you need to recharge your batteries – job hunting is FULL-TIME
• Talk to a professional – career coach, recruiter, talent scout, resume writer, etc.
• Re-evaluate your priorities                                                                                                                   
• Read books that can help
• Join a support group
• Listen to music to calm the nerves and rev you up for the job hunt
• Do something very different to take your mind off of the pressure of the search
• Set goals and make them achievable – e.g. today I will research three companies or three CEO’s
• Imagine going hiking and climbing that unbelievable hill – the power of mind over matter – The Little Engine That Could

When you start setting realistic goals and achieve them, suddenly the world will not seem like such a dark and scary place. Sometimes a jobseeker just needs to take perspective and see the long term picture. Plan ahead and work towards your dream – being gainfully employed.

Continuted from Part 1 of What Your Resume Says About You – first published on Career Rocketeer as a Guest Blog post

Part 2 of What Your Resume Says About You

If you are looking for a job – then your objective is to find one.  However, an employer does not want you as a job seeker.  They want you for your skill set and what you can provide to their company.  Your PROFILE will tell them whether or not you can fulfill their requirements.  Remember, it’s not about you, but about what you can do to solve the problems  or needs of employers out there.

Here is what my LinkedIn profile says about me.

A great resume has a profile, NOT an objective. So many people still use the word objective on their resumes.  We all know that as a job seeker you want to work in a great company where your skills are utilized, where you are challenged, and made to feel welcome.  Get off the idea of writing like a 15-year old.  An objective is all about the job seeker. A profile is all about the potential employer. 

It’s not about the person who wants the job but about what the job seeker can do for the employer to grow the company’s bottom line.  Consider putting your resume through a spit-shine to clean it up a bit. http://timsstrategy.com/resume-or-cv-consider-spit-shine/ (Tim Tyrell-Smith of Tim’s Strategy).

Here is an analogy about someone who is thinking of buying a house. The person searches the internet for house listings.  A house listing has a profile not an objective.  The objective is obvious – the seller wants to sell the house.  Similarly, the job seeker wants a job.  The resume gets you the interview and the interview gets you the job.  The house has a profile that gives a potential buyer an idea of its specs, what it has to offer, how good it will be, and how much it will cost.

A killer career solo sheet or profile says upfront what the job seeker can do.  This means that your professional experience had better match up to the profile.  Don’t put the company first and job title after or below the company.  Employers do not care so much where you worked as what you actually did for the company.  Then show the highlights of qualifications in a section just below what you can do.  This is the place to demonstrate what you did, how you did it and what make you that good.  Any sort of awards for cost saving measures should be listed here.  If you have special technical skills or certifications or languages or security clearances, list them here as well.

Remember, the career profile (the icing on the cake) is what sells you and the rest of the resume is just the supporting data (the plain cake). A potential employer can see from your profile what you do and can do, what makes you great, your accomplishments, and how you will do that great stuff for their company.  Not only will a great resume drive interviews your way, but may even land you that dream job.

So, what does your resume say about you?