Job-Search Strategy

Uncertain of Your Next Career Move? Create a ‘Life Vision’

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A number of my clients are reassessing their careers in the wake of the pandemic and wondering if they should be doing something different (part of a wider phenomenon being called the Great Resignation) . One of the things I have them do to figure this out is to create a “Life Vision.”

This exercise can help you to make strategic, thoughtful decisions that are more likely to result in a meaningful, satisfying career. You compare the life you want for yourself down the road with your current situation, and then come up with the steps to close the gap. As you come up with these steps, you gain clarity on the things you need to do next in your career to achieve your life vision. In addition, developing a vision for your life can inspire you into action, just as Martin Luther King inspired millions with the vision he conveyed in his “I have a Dream” speech.

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Make these 3 Career Essentials your New Year’s Resolution

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Woman achieving goalTake a strategic, active approach to managing your career that will improve your odds of achieving success this year and beyond. In other words, don’t just float around in an ocean of opportunities hoping the currents will take you to an island of your dreams. Instead, actively search for that island and then start swimming! In this spirit, adopt these three career essentials and avoid the dangers (stagnation, layoffs, “settling”) that come with a more passive approach to your career.

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How To Beat Age Bias In Your Job Search: 4 Techniques

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For the first time in nearly 50 years in the U.S., the unemployment rate for 55-and-older workers exceeded the rate for mid-career workers during the pandemic. The relative jump in this rate underscores the age-related challenges that older workers face in getting hired. If you fall into this group, there’s good news: you can usually overcome age-related barriers to being hired relatively easily.

To do so, understand this key insight: you’re usually not facing age-bias per se. Rather, you’re facing underlying issues that employers think about when they compare you to the younger competition. These issues include:

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A 7-Step Job Search Plan to Beat the Odds

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Businesswoman planning

Job searches go faster when job-seekers first take a step back to plan strategically. And careful planning has become even more important during these challenging economic times. Think of it this way; your “job” in a job search is to be a world-class consultative salesperson, for yourself. So do what the best salespeople do: plan carefully first, to get the highest return on your time investment. Here’s a seven step job search plan that has gotten results for my clients, and that any great salesperson would appreciate.

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Job Seekers: Be Careful Using LinkedIn’s “Open to Work” Feature

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Professional woman sitting on sidewalk holding job search signLinkedIn’s “Open to Work” feature can potentially let employers, recruiters, and your network know you’re looking for a job. But, should you use this feature? Before I share my thoughts, a word on how to access this feature: click the Open to Work button under your profile picture. You can then share your open-to-work status by checking either “share with recruiters only” or “share with all LinkedIn members.” 

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Power Up Your Pitch to Land Job Interviews and Offers

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A powerful pitch, one that resonates with your target audience, can give your job search a big boost in this challenging economy. Employers and networking contacts will be impressed when you concisely and engagingly describe what differentiates you from your competitors. Plus the process of creating your pitch is, on its own, well worth your time; the deeply self-reflective thinking that’s required will help you to sell yourself. You’ll need two versions of your pitch:

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10 Ways to Ensure Your Job Search and Career Survives a Pandemic

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Businesswoman uncertain as to her next moveBelow I share some of the career and job search advice I’m giving concerned clients as we navigate this challenging time. The key to making it through and achieving your career goals is to use this time wisely now to set yourself up for quick success later, once the economy starts to rebound. Here’s a list of 10 things you can do now to boost results:

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Land that Job Offer by Keeping in Touch with Your Network

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A new client was describing her frustratingly long and unproductive job search to me. She said “I had a lot of great meetings a year ago with people who could potentially hire or refer me, although nothing panned out.” I asked what happened to those people and conversations. She said, “I don’t know, we just lost touch.” I told her that was a major part of the reason she had been searching for so long. If she had kept in touch with them, she would probably have gotten the interviews and offers she was looking for long ago.

Being good at networking isn’t just about meeting new people—that’s only half of it. The other half involves

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Quickly Achieve your Career Goals with 10 Proven Techniques

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A number of techniques make the challenge of achieving ambitious career and job search goals easier. Here’s a list of those that have either helped me or my clients to overcome obstacles to goal achievement. May they give you the boost you need to reach your goals.

Picture your goal to get motivated: Use physical pictures or imagery you conjure up in your imagination. The reason this works –

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Feeling Stuck in Your Career? 10 Questions to Help You Move Forward

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So you’re feeling stuck in your job or career; you’re unhappy and unsure what to do about it. To get unstuck, take the first crucial step and conduct a thoughtful self-assessment. Accurately diagnose the cause and identify the cure by reflecting on three areas: your life experiences, your current situation and your vision for the future. Answering the following 10 questions can help you to gain this insight.

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