Build Your Job House

When the phone isn’t ringing, your email response to job inquiries falls silent and you can’t seem to get anyone to pay attention to you, it’s time to start some serious construction and pull out the tools to build your job house.  I don’t mean career tools, like resumes, cv, references and updating your LinkedIn profile.  I mean some serious, Extreme Makeover stuff that will make you visible in a crowd of hundreds of thousands of job seekers vying for your position in the recruitment line up.

It’s not enough that you are taking all the necessary steps to ensure you are up-to-date, well informed and frankly “networking” your butt off to look for a job.  This time is unlike any other so you need to adopt an approach that is a little more like you are a contractor.  You need to blueprint your career path.  Like a builder laying the foundation for a house, you need to be very strategic about your approach when looking for a job.  Hanging out in coffee houses, meeting up with similarly unemployed friends and calling it “networking” is not going to help you no matter how many lattes you drink to convince yourself otherwise.  Mapping out your plan of action like an architect would in building a house, including where you would ideally work, what your office or work environment would look like, how you would dress, who your co-workers would be, if you would supervise anyone, what projects you would likely work on, etc. are some of the ways you can begin to pull the pieces together and create your ideal dream job house.

Creating your vision of what you want your house to be is as important if not more than going through meaningless actions we take to busy ourselves with the job process only to wonder why we are not getting any further along or getting stuck in jobs we really don’t want. If  you have a job, you worry about whether you are going to keep it and if you can hold onto it long enough to pay off your bills. Or, if you are looking for a job your are worried that you’ll never find one and you may be forced to take any job just to pay the bills.  We are all in the same boat no matter which side of it you happen to be sitting.  Worry is a part of the process but if you have an outline, a blueprint or a plan, you are less likely to get caught up in the worry and more likely to stay focused on the mission.

Building a job house is constructing and in some cases, deconstructing what you have or don’t have from what you really want.  Designing your career is about who you want to be and what you really want in life and then finding those opportunities and people that will help you get there.  Like constructing the design of your house, how big your garden will be, what color your kitchen tiles would be, and how you would arrange your bedroom, you need to pay as careful attention to the details that make up your job house in much the same way.

Being particular is being wise. Being selective about your work relationships and situations is key. Not settling for those that don’t advance your career goals is ultimately a waste of time and will cost you in the long run. We all need to make a living but there are a lucky few who don’t.  Try to build on what you’ve created whether you are graduating school or are embarking on a career change or you are looking for ways to broaden your skills. Building your job house is like building your dream house, you need a solid plan, a good contractor, the right materials, a budget, timeline and mostly, a vision of what you want and the rest will fall into place.

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Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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Make It Work!

For every fan of “Project Runway,” you have heard the indelible Tim Gunn, utter his signature line “Make It Work” as he encourages, prods and sometimes embarrasses aspiring fashion designers to reach their goal of making it to the finish line and ultimately win the competition. For those of you who have a similar coach, mentor or someone you can rely on to encourage you to achieve your goals, you have received a rare gift. For those of you who do not, I’m about to help you apply the make-it-work philosophy to your job search.

When you “make it work” you are basically moving your career from a vision to execution no matter the cost. Like a designer carving out the pattern for a dress, you to are creating the look, the feel and the belief that you can achieve anything from your original idea of who and what you aspire to be.  When you sketch out your goals, you begin to create a very clear picture of what you want your career to look like.  This process begins by realistically assessing your skills, your qualifications and experience and melding them into a form that will ultimately create the job vision you want to create. Sometimes your vision may be skewed by your lack of experience and you may get direction or feedback from someone you trust encouraging you to “make it work” because they see potential in what you are doing that you may have missed. Those are the times to pay attention to your own internal guidance system and choose whether the advise you receive is helpful, in line with your vision, or not at all what you aspire to create. Like the struggling fashion designer on the show, you have a choice whether you should follow your own vision or the advise of a mentor.  Either way, it’s up to you to stand behind your decision no matter what the outcome.  So, if you are writing a five-page resume and including things you did when you were back in high school as an example and you may wonder why no one is calling you for an interview, you may want to edit yourself and make it work to fit the audience you are selling yourself to for a job.

Your vision of yourself and how you approach your career goals may change ten times before you get it right, or you may be so clear about your vision of how to get your next job that you know exactly the next steps to follow in order to get there.  You may need to make adjustments along the way, like fitting a pattern to the form, and find what is missing or might need to be embellished in order to achieve the perfect result.  Finding your inner vision and executing it regardless of what others are doing around you is making it work in true Tim Gunn style.  It’s no secret that competition in the job market is fierce these days no matter what industry you are in, particularly when you find yourself up against the same job a hundred other people are going for as well. What you do differently to make it work for you and stand out is a key component in your ability to succeed and get ahead. Taking risks, pushing the envelope and thinking out of the box are all expressions you have heard put to use when helping job seekers find their way. Making it work is finding the ability to self-adjust and approach your job search when nothing else seems to work.

You may enjoy the competitive challenge or you may shrink away from it, but finding your voice, your vision and your career goal is like creating your own personal design no one can deny. Competition brings out the best and the worst in us whether the challenge is getting a job or winning a contest.  Finding creative solutions in your job quest depends on how creative you are willing to be and what you are willing to do to get the job you want. Knowing how to leverage your contacts to get an interview, or approaching the right person at the right time for a job, or changing your approach when you are not getting job offers, are necessary if you are going to make it work and be successful in winning. How you play the job game is important in getting the job you want.  Remember, if something isn’t working on your quest for the perfect job, you have to be ready and willing to “make it work” in order to win.

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Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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Ready for a Job Revolution?

… and not the fire and brimstone kind!  A Job Revolution that is caused by the chaos we have all been dealing with whether you have a job now or not, it’s the kind of revolution that causes change. Are you ready to take action, make a change and engage in a Job Revolution?

In order to embrace a Job Revolution, we must be ready and willing to change. Sometimes it’s ok to stir things up and become a “Career Rebel” as one woman put it. The process begins and ends with you.  It’s your choice how you’d like to create the drama in your own life and reach success by harnessing a revolutionary change.  When all things align to create the balance you need, and you are ready to tap your job network, garner support from friends and co-workers and most of all be ready to embrace whatever comes your way, you are ready for a Job Revolution.

Your revolution will begin when you are ready to fill a personal need to change. Whether that need is driven by your ability to support yourself or your family, your unnerving drive and ambition to make millions or your desire to create and be part of something greater than yourself, then you are ready to revolt and change the course of your career.  How strong your conviction and desire for change will dictate the urgency with which you are willing to move to make things happen.  Think of the job you are in now, whether you are a senior talent agent at CAA or a production assistant trying to move up the ranks in a studio, or you have some creative or technical ability and you’ve been looking for the right outlet to explore your talents-now is the time to revolt!  With so many people vying for your job or applying for your job, you’ve got to stir things up and take a stand so you are noticed, desired and the one leading the charge.

This battle cry in a time of chaos is a good thing. It’s ok to get riled up if you are not where you want to be, have exhausted your career options only to wonder, what’s next? All great change in history was derived through chaos and revolt.  A revolution, if directed and focused, has a way to radically change the way you present yourself and your talents to the rest of the world. Revolution is a way to renew your energy and foster the courage it will take to keep pushing through whatever barriers of resistance exist.

Create your own “job revolution” by unleashing a new power  for change that comes from within.   Break the rules in this job market and discover your potential for success. You have to be bold. It’s not enough to stand on ceremony and “office etiquette” when looking to get ahead. You have to discover ways to stand out!   Summoning your strength to be unconventional, daring, unexpected and creative in your approach is the way you grab hold of your career and succeed.  As I read recently, “Even in periods of drought, a wild storm is preferred to yet another sunny day!”  Go out and make your storm and ride your revolutionary wave to success!

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http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/508


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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Shop Me, Don’t Drop Me, What it will take to land your next job …

For those of you lucky enough to have a job, don’t think you are necessarily off the hook!  For those of you lucky enough to be exploring new job opportunities, now is your chance to shine! Whether you are shopping for a new gig or are being shopped, you should not wait until the day of your interview to figure out what it will take to put your most original self forward and land your next job.

Before you start pounding the internet job boards, searching and sending your resume to the virtual world of recruiters, you should take some time to figure out the current job market, explore new areas of interest and opportunity and craft some really insightful questions to help you navigate your way through your first interview. Being prepared doesn’t always mean having a neatly printed copy of your resume in hand and a new outfit to wear to your first interview. There are many ways you need to stand out if you are lucky enough to get called in for an interview out of the thousand of candidate applications, so here are a few things to keep in mind and to keep prepared as you venture forth.

First, the number one quality that will help “sell” you to a prospective employer is your ability to “sell” yourself!  Too often, candidates are led by the interviewer and they really don’t understand how to take control of the interview process in a way that works in sync with the interviewer’s questions and in the meantime, helps promote and sell you and your accomplishments.  This is no time to hold back! The more you promote your accomplishments, boast your qualifications and present a confident, relaxed demeanor, the stronger chance you will have to land more than a second interview, but maybe an actual job offer!  

Another way to stand out and ensure that you get more than a successful interview is it to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of not only the job you are applying for, but also about the company as a whole.  Many times people just “wing it” going in and expecting the interviewer to take the lead and hoping all they have to do is make a good impression.  Too often, “dumb luck” is not the best approach in making a lasting impression and you really have to work the relationship and learn to sell yourself.  Make sure you do your research so you appear knowledgeable, and use the information you’ve learned to ask intelligent questions that will make the interviewer know you did your homework. Coming prepared with 3 to 5 questions not only about the what is expected in the position, but also about the company culture, environment and overall stability will be enough to impress the interviewer and ensure a second interview.

Finally, don’t take your network for granted.  Find out who you know and who your friends know in the company BEFORE you go in for the first interview.  So many times a polite mention of someone’s name, particularly if the person is tenured with the company and well thought of goes a long way in securing your reputation and your ability to show you are in the know.  Your network is your most valuable tool and you should not be shy, afraid or awkward about letting people know you are interviewing at a company and asking for their help.

So before you are dropped from consideration, learn to shop yourself in a way that makes you stand out from the rest of the crowd and show your creative and original character!  Impress yourself and your audience too and land your next job!

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

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http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/508


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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