How to start a human-centered job search (that gets you the job)

How to start a human-centered job search (that gets you the job)

If you’re just starting out in your job search, you may have spent time clicking around and applying to jobs online (nine out of ten early-stage job seekers tell me this). If so, take a moment to celebrate; shifting from thinking to action is the most challenging step in any endeavor.

But now let me level with you:

Successful job seekers focus on spending more time with people -- and less with postings.

In a complex, quickly-shifting job market with overwhelming options, you need peopleto give you context and guidance on where to focus your job search energy -- which positions to pursue, how to pursue them, and who can help you land them.

I know, I’ve said it countless times, and I’ll say it again: 85% of jobs are landed through networking. Yes, it requires picking up the phone and putting yourself out there. But the positive effects are staggering. I’ve seen languishing, months-old applications turn into interviews the same day an outreach email was sent to the right person, and I’ve seen informal interviews turn into on-the-spot job offers for positions that weren’t even posted.

And not only are the results of networking fast-acting and illuminating; as daunting as reaching out for help may seem, people have a magical way of injecting confidence and momentum into your search (both of which are hard to generate on your own).

Hence, what every early-stage job seeker needs most is a short and sweet plan for connecting with real people who can point you in the right direction and help you set your search up for success.

Read the full article for your five-step, human-centered, job search startup plan

The Bugs Test: Take ownership of your career in 10 minutes

The Bugs Test: Take ownership of your career in 10 minutes

Last week we broke down why job searching should be one of everyone’s 2017 New Year’s Resolutions. But the first job search step I tell all my clients to take is to honestly assess your potential to turn your current position into one you love, before you double down on looking elsewhere.

One of the best exercises I've found for assessing challenging situations and getting moving in the right direction is The Bugs Test, which I learned from my mentor Tony Brown at Duke University.

What makes The Bugs Test so powerful is its immediate ability to provide clarity by categorizing problems into:

  • the problems we can easily change,
  • the problems we should accept (because they’ll never change), and
  • the problems we might be able to change with serious thought and effort (hint: these are often the most important ones).

Whether you’re interested in moving on or simply making an already strong work situation even better, in 10 minutes you should have clearer insight into how to take ownership of your next steps and your future happiness at work.

Holiday Gift Ideas For Your Job-Seeking Friends & Family

Holiday Gift Ideas For Your Job-Seeking Friends & Family

Over the holidays, even if we know a friend or family member is actively looking for a job, we typically avoid asking them about it like the plague. The job search process is demoralizing, lonely and hard to navigate, so why bring up such a touchy subject?

In response to this I say: The job search process is demoralizing, lonely and hard to navigate -- show your support!

We all need affirmation, encouragement and positivity, but job seekers have to go to battle for it every day. In the spirit of our gift-giving holidays, here are a few gift ideas under $50 (and a couple of free ones!) to make someone’s search a little brighter.

4 Must-Ask Questions To Ask At The End Of Your Interview

4 Must-Ask Questions To Ask At The End Of Your Interview

At some point in the interview, likely towards the end, we know we’ll be asked for our questions (it happens in 84% of interviews). And we know asking good questions is important, since 32% of hiring managers in a recent study stated not asking good questions in the interview is one of the most detrimental mistakes job candidates make. 

Yet we often short-shift preparing for this inevitable moment of the interview. I hear it all the time: 

“I’ll just ask about company culture, or what they like most about working at the company, or about an exciting project coming up.” 

These mediocre questions may not hurt your chances of getting the job like some questions do (which I’ll be digging into next week), but they don’t help you either.

What few people realize is that great questions have the power to convince your interviewer to give you the offer -- sometimes right there in the interview room! And a handful of these great questions carry the dual benefit of eliciting information to help you determine whether you really want the job. 

The “Do you have any questions for me?” moment of the interview can confuse us, because we’ve prepared for and gotten used to responding; when the table turns, we can mistakenly put ourselves in the driver’s seat and assume what we ask doesn’t matter. 

And while in some cases this may be true (like when you know you’re the top pick for the job), most often you are still selling yourself during this part of the interview! Focus on questions that demonstrate your commitment and determination to helping your prospective employer be as successful as possible, and save the “me, me, me” questions for once you receive the offer.

Keep reading for our shortlist of dynamite win-win questions that get you one step closer to an offer -- and figuring out if you really want the job. 

5 Reasons Growth Mindset Candidates Get The Job

5 Reasons Growth Mindset Candidates Get The Job

I firmly believe that Stanford Professor Carol Dweck’s research on the growth mindset can positively impact all aspects of our personal and professional lives, which is why I share a 2-page summary of Dweck’s book with all of my clients.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Dweck’s research, here’s the 2-bullet summary:

  • Dweck shows that with the growth mindset, you can train your mind to approach challenges with wonder, excitement and resilience.
  • In contrast, the fixed mindset carries the detrimental effect of making us react to challenges with fear or avoidance, hence diminishing our potential to grow.

When I was working in Silicon Valley, I heard “growth mindset” used often in meetings about hitting goals or shifting directions. But to me, job seekers are the audience that can most benefit from Dweck’s findings. Because every phase of today’s job search process requires us to face rejection and a host of other challenges, the growth mindset is almost required for getting the job. And quite simply, it can make it a whole lot more fun.

Keep reading for the five reasons the growth mindset seeker lands the job -- and how to put those tenets into action yourself.

The Cold Email Template With a 60-70% Response Rate

The Cold Email Template With a 60-70% Response Rate

So you’re moving forward in your search, but you feel like you’ve tapped your existing network for support and introductions. With the knowledge that 85% of jobs are landed through networking, what else can you do to position yourself for success? 

You got it: more networking (I know, queue agonizing scream...). 

There are many reasons why people don’t like reaching out to someone they don’t know: It’s uncomfortable. It’s scary. It may result in silence or rejection. 

But here’s why you should: There is nothing to lose, and a whole lot to gain -- an introduction, an interview, or a job offer -- if you do it right. 

My clients who use this template see 60-70% of people they reach out to responding positively. Pause and think about that for a second: From your desk, you could send 10 brief emails and make 6-7 new connections, and then wow them with your dynamite informational interview skills. That’s 6-7 new advocates to help you succeed in your search.

So how do you do it? 

The goal is to show this person you don’t know that, in fact, you’re already connected. 

You want to show that through some shared experience, passion, or aspect of your identities, you are not strangers, but allies. As a stranger, you are easy to ignore amidst the busy working day and inbox overflow. But as an ally, you are someone worth making time for -- especially when you show her that you will use her precious time wisely and create value for her in return. 

Take a look at our template and steps to craft your perfect cold email. It shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes to write once you master the technique. 

How To Answer "What Are Your Weaknesses?"

How To Answer "What Are Your Weaknesses?"

If you read our recent article on how to knock your interview questions out of the park, you’re 90% of the way there on dominating the “weaknesses” curveball. Because you know that all questions boil down to the one and only question you’re ever really asked in an interview: “Why should I hire you?” 

So how do you respond to the “Why shouldn’t I hire you?” question with a “Seriously, you should hire me” answer? 

1. Let this sink in: they will want to hire you because of how you address your weaknesses, not because you don’t have any

Some people think the point of this question is to share that you have no weaknesses, or that you only have a little weakness that’s smaller than other candidates' big weaknesses. Queue a big whoppin’ Donald Trump "wrong." (Too soon?)

The point is to demonstrate how you address less-than-perfect situations in the workplace. If you follow the below response template, your interviewer will want to hire you because you’ll show her: 

  • You are aware of your weaknesses -- you’re a self-aware candidate
  • You are already working to address them -- you’re a proactive candidate that solves problems instead of creating them
  • You will continue to address and leverage these weaknesses when hired -- you’re a candidate who turns weaknesses into strengths!

10 Questions for Getting To “Yes” After A Rejection

10 Questions for Getting To “Yes” After A Rejection

So you interviewed for a job, started to see yourself in the position and feel it within your grasp, and then didn’t get the offer. This article will share step-by-step instructions on how to get the best insight out of your rejection and increase the likelihood of getting to “yes” next time. 

The One Trick You Need to Rock Your Next Interview

The One Trick You Need to Rock Your Next Interview

There must be thousands of articles on typical interview questions and how to prepare for them. Mostly, the advice tends to center around “be specific!” or “do your research!” or “make eye contact!” All good stuff. But I haven’t seen anything yet that shares the secret to interviewing, and the number one trick you can use to knock it out of the park, every time. 

So here’s the secret: