My first week, after I lost my job, was a week of looking for my resume. After not finding it, I spent time trying to recreate it.

Looking back on it now I see that week as a colossal waste of time.

I recently heard of a job seeker who did the same thing I did… spent the first week looking for his old resume, then recreating what he remembered to be the most amazing document.

Knowing what I know now, here’s how I would spend the first week (it’s a GIVEN that I’d use JibberJobber to organize all this stuff :p):

1. Listing my Target Companies,
2. Looking for people on LinkedIn that work at (or have worked at) those Target Companies.
3. Making contact with those people, as well as others in my industry and town/city, and asking for informational interviews.

I would do this the very first day.  I might not get any informational interviews for a week or two or three, but I need to get that “pipeline” filled up.

I’d also learn everything I could about informational interviews.  I’m guessing 98% of job seekers do them wrong.

In my spare time, and only after I’ve reached out to contacts for informational interviews (which I should do every day), I would work on my LinkedIn Profile, and start the resume creation process (it would be worth the few hundred dollars to have a professional write my resume.  I learned that the wrong way).

I had to get my resume done so I could apply to job openings I found on job boards…. right?  That’s what I thought.  I went about it all wrong.

Please don’t waste the first week of your job search like I did.

Wednesday at 8pm EST (which is 5pm PST), Kim Bilawchuk is doing a webinar titled How to Find Your Dream Career When You’re Stuck in a Job You Hate.

I wish I would have had access to this webinar when I was in the last year of my job, before I got laid off. I was miserable. I had lost a couple of key employees. My old boss was secretly politicking for his job back (which he did successfully).

But I felt stuck. My salary made me feel stuck. My benefits, even though they were pretty weak, made me feel stuck. What I had worked for for years, the personal (time) investment in my company and products and projects, made me feel stuck.

In reality, I wasn’t stuck. I learned that when I got laid off.

If you feel stuck, I have to tell you, your bosses probably don’t feel stuck with you. When they are done with you… well… you get the point.

Jump on Kim’s webinar. It’s free. She’s awesome. I know it will be worth your time.

Check out this 2+ minute video on “self-promotion.” Jen Knoedl interviews Liz Strauss.  Both of these ladies have done a lot in their areas (Liz in blogging and communications, as well as a host of other things, and Jen in a number of things, especially video).

From Vimeo:

It’s short but there are some real gems in there! This is from 2008…

If you have a problem with “self promotion,” pick up the book Brag by Peggy Klaus.  This is a must read for anyone who is in marketing, whether it is self-marketing or as a business owner or in a company…

I was at a pawn shop this week looking for a couple of movies I want.  I’ve been in that shop a few dozen times and the owner and I know eachother.

I asked him how business was and he said something like:

“It’s going really well.  People are struggling a lot these days.”

As far as I understand, a pawn shop has two major revenue streams.  One is from people like me, looking for a sweet deal on just about anything. The other is from people who need cash and take their goodies to the store to pawn them.  It’s an interesting model.

When the economy does bad, and more people need quick cash, pawn shops tend to do well.

He then said:

“I don’t care who is in office next, it’s going to be at least three more years of really bad economy.”

Now, he’s no professional economist.  But, he has a finger on the pulse of the economy.

Interesting… what are YOU doing to prepare?

What I’m doing is this (personally and from a business perspective):

• figuring out my income streams,
• working hard on my networking, branding and relationships, and
• figuring out my expenses

I don’t think you can stick your head in the sand on this one… years of recovery will be too much for many people to weather.  But you can weather it.

We are increasing what you get on the free level of JibberJobber.  You can see a now-outdated comparison chart here.  More features on the Premium side will move to the free side over the next few months.

Some people have advised me this is a great move (even saying ALL of JibberJobber should be free, but hey, a guy’s got bills to pay, you know??).

Others say we’re already giving away too much, and we should put regular/free features on the premium side. Basically, we’re nutz.

I think moving tools and features from premium to free is the right move.

Today’s announcement is one of these changes. What we used to call the Job Posting Activity Report is now a free feature.  This report shows what you did in the last week/month/quarter/year/forever, with regard to jobs you are applying to.

When I was collecting unemployment insurance I had to declare that I was contacting two new companies every week (varies by state).

This is the report I would use to track that requirement, and if I needed to, to prove to the state that I did contact to new companies a week.

Expect to see more features moving from the premium level to the free level.

The economy seems to be getting better… at least, when I speak, the job clubs say they are having people not come back because they land.  I’m hearing this a lot, lately.  That’s great, right?

In other news, layoffs are still abundant. Yahoo just dumped 2,000 engineers into the Silicon Valley area (again). Sony dumped 10,000 people (not sure where they are, I’m guessing many of them are outside of the U.S), and the Detroit Public School system pink-slipped “at least 4,100” teachers.

No one is safe from this.  Nowhere is safe.  No industry is safe.  What used to be safe (teacher, gov’t employee, etc.) is now fair game.

What does this mean for you?

Prepare on your own with the right skills and credentials.  In the olden days (a few years ago) that meant a good, solid education.

I think today it means something else (not necessarily replacing education).  Here are three things YOU can do to protect yourself, and try and get some sense of what we used to call “job security”:

• Sales ability. When I got laid off my younger brother said to get a sales job for one to three years, just to get sales training and experience. I think this is brilliant advice.  We sell all the time, but we aren’t trained, and we aren’t fearless, and many times we do a bad job.  Whether you think you are a “salesperson” or not, start learning sales techniques and strategies.
• Entrepreneurship. Decades ago you were a cog in a wheel.  You had a place, and depended on all the other cogs to do their job, and things would work.  You let higher-ups make the strategic decisions that would affect your livelihood and future spending capability.  TODAY it is different.  This year you might have multiple jobs, or multiple income streams.  That’s not bad. Personally, I think it’s empowering!  It’s awesome.  But we need to have that mindset change so we understand that we need to do our career more intentionally, rather than just “show up.”
• Career Management. For me this means cultivating and nurturing your network and your brand.  No one else is going to do this.  It’s up to you to finally get serious about your relationships, and how you manage them long-term, as well as how others perceive you (aka, your brand).  Keep neglecting this and your degrees and experience will sit on the shelf getting dusty while you have long, painful job searches.

What have I been up to?

I’m cranking through my book 101 Alternatives to a Real Job.  I hope to have it done and shipping by July, when I head to the D.C. area for some presentations.  If it’s out in July, it will only be 7 months behind schedule :p

What have YOU been up to?

30 Second commercials stink because they sound like a pitch.

I recently got an email from someone in the career space, who has a background in PR.  The email was long enough that I almost had to scroll to read the whole thing.

If you ask a PR professor, I’m guessing they would say it was perfect.  It had everything I would need.

If you ask a human being (like me), I’d say it was a complete failure.

I don’t know what to do with it.  I’m not interested, at all, in the content.  The email should have been personal, and started a relationship with me (since we’re in the same space).  But it was a PITCH.

You know what editors and writers do with pitches? Many times, they delete them.

Even though PR pros are “supposed to” write them “the right way,” I can’t image a cold-call pitch is better than a relationship (or, a warm introduction).

But they still PITCH, before the relationship.

Why do we, as job seekers, PITCH?

Please, reevaluate the language you are using when you reach out to people.  Focus less on your fancy words and slick phrases and think about what they might actually hear.

Better yet, focus on establishing the foundation of a relationship before you get right to business.  And no matter what happens with “this pitch,” don’t let their reaction get in the way of a long-term professional relationship.

This is totally inline with the annual theme: 2012 THEME: Job Search is 99% Communication

Read this brilliant post by Amy Ala.

I have seen many of her posts, and liked them all.  But have utmost respect for her, having read this post.

Too many times we don’t understand what is happening with the person on the other side of the desk (be it the job seeker, recruiter, hiring manager, etc.).  What is their life, after they go home for the day?

This is on of my all-time favorite blog posts, ever.  Amy Ala on Why I Love Recruiting.

Here’s a picture I drew while in a web design team meeting a few weeks ago:

Each of these three elements have been on my mind over the years.  Mostly because of what my day job is.  But also because these three elements translate to you, and your career management.

In my design, I tend to focus on FUNCTIONALITY.  As a web developer many years ago, I was in the same cubicle as my graphics artist.  Together, we made awesome stuff. I made it work, he made it look good.  My focus has always been on database systems with web interfaces.  It was all about functionality for me.  You can see that in JibberJobber’s design. I have competitors who have nice looking sites but they just aren’t functional enough (that’s what the users who used to use them, then switched to JibberJobber tell me).  Functionality is key.

I’ve been beaten up on JibberJobber for it not being SEXY enough.  That is, it doesn’t look good.  We’ve been working over the years to change that, and are making a dramatic change soon (totally new look and feel).  I personally think it’s kind of petty to get upset over it not looking freaking-Apple awesome, BUT, I know I have lost potential users and upgrades because the look is outdated.  That’s my biased I-Focus-On-Functionality persona talking

I’ve learned over the last few years how important it is that JibberJobber is EASY to use. If doing something (adding a new contact, or log entry, etc.) is EASY, then people will do it.  If it is too hard, has too many steps, isn’t intuitive, then people simply won’t do it.  I think JibberJobber is fairly easy, but there are a number of things we’re reviewing to make easier.

Functionality + sexy (or, look and feel / perception) + ease of use = WINNER

How can you apply that to you, and your career?

Functionality: can you do the job? Are you proficient?  Do you communicate that you can do it well/perfectly/fast, etc.?  Maybe you are the best at a task, but you are too humble to communicate that you are best.  Fix that.  If you can’t really do the job, get the training and experience you need.

Sexy: Okay, I’m not saying that YOU have to be sexy.  But be presentable.  Take away things that might give someone cause to prejudice, judge, or be unattracted to you being a part of their team. This could have NOTHING to do with physical appearance.  One way I’ve thought about it is this: will my hiring manager (boss) look good because they chose to bring me on?  If so, you got this covered.

Easy: Are you easy to work with?  I like to think I am, but I know there are people reading this that LOL’d at that.  I try, though.  If you are NOT easy to work with, people won’t work with you. I look for the easiness factor now.  If you want to do something with me (or me with you), and you are hard to work with, it is OVER.  I’ve had enough hard professional relationships.  Do you make it easy for people to hire and keep you?  Or do you have too many diva-like demands?  Be easy to work with, and you’ll have more people who want to work with you.

What do you think?

Warning: this turned out to be a harshly-worded rant.  I would tone it down, but I’m passionate about the message.

In my speaking and my writing I’ve been known to refer to a “principle-based job search.”

Every once in a while someone asks what the heck I’m talking about.  I’ll tell you

When I was in my job search I did what I thought was right.  I spent time on my resume (doing it wrong), I spent tons of time applying to jobs online, I spent time avoiding networking events, because I was too good for that (I was convinced my resume would show how amazing I was).

My job search was NOT principle-based.  It was based on assumptions, and whims, and outdated information.

Eventually, I went to a two-day job search workshop, and I learned about the principles involved in a job search.

And my entire job search, and my efforts, changed.  It was a much-needed change.  It was principle-based, goal-oriented (not “get a job,” but daily and weekly goals that moved me in the right direction).

I think one of the biggest reasons job seekers are not finding jobs (or, alternative income streams) is because they are doing the EASY stuff:

• “I applied to 20 jobs this week and heard nothing!” Dude, seriously, isn’t everyone telling you to NOT use the job boards?
• “I don’t have time to go to a networking meeting.” Of course you don’t  You are focusing 90% of your time on what works for 5% of people (like I did.  Look how that turned out for me.).
• “I don’t need help – I know what I’m doing.” Yep.  Just like I did.  For weeks I was spinning wheels.
• “To get unemployment insurance I only need to meet two new companies a week.  The state says that’s a job search, so I’m doing alright.” No, you are just playing the game to get the crappy little pittance the state gives out to those who apply.  You are telling me you will blame the state, and their standard, for your prolonged job search?

I’m reminded of Staple’s “Easy Button” campaign.

I see too many job seekers who I want it easy. They don’t want to spend too much time. They don’t want to get out of their comfort zone.  They don’t want to do something hard or unusual (book recommendation: Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters).  They don’t want to accept much responsibility for their actions or reactions (instead focusing blame on things outside their control, like THE ECONOMY!).

Let me put it this way.

JOB SEARCH IS NOT EASY.

CAREER MANAGEMENT IS NOT EASY.

Get over the easy button idea.

Get to work!  Roll up your sleeves!  Brush your teeth and put on nice clothes and get out of the freaking house, and go to networking events!  Pick up the phone!  You are not allergic to making phone calls!  Get informational interviews!

DO THE RIGHT, PRINCIPLE-BASED STUFF!

And then, get better at it.

Get better at networking.

Get better at communicating.

Get better at informational interviews.

Get better at picking up the phone.

I got news for you: This is the new normal.  Even after you land your dream job, you need to continue most of the job search stuff you are doing now, because your next transition could be right around the corner.

So get good at it, and get serious about it.

This, my friends, is called career management.

You’ll know you have “arrived” when you actually enjoy doing it.

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