by Angela Copeland | Jan 31, 2018 | Application, Career Corner Column, Job Posting, Job Search, Networking
If you’re looking for a job, there’s a good chance you’re applying online. And, chances are good that applying online is your go to option. It makes sense. The last time you reached out to a HR person at a job fair or on LinkedIn (or anywhere else), they said, “Apply online. If you’re a good fit, we’ll call you!” They may even have said, “Don’t reach out to us. We review every application carefully.”
Don’t be fooled. In most cases, they’re giving you the company line. They’re telling you the official rules of the game. But, this is the thing: people hire people. Yes, you heard me right. People hire people.
Most hiring managers do not post a new job and then think, “I sure hope our company website lands me a great hire this time!”
Most hiring managers post their jobs to the company website because they have to. It may even be automated. When they got the approval to hire someone, the powers that be took a copy of the job description and uploaded it into a system somewhere – and bam, it showed up on the company website.
When a hiring manager gets approval to hire someone, this is what they typically think. “Hmm… do I know anyone who might be able to do this job? Or… I wonder if I know anyone who knows anyone.”
This process makes sense if you think about it. When’s the last time you found a new doctor solely from the internet? You probably asked friends for a recommendation. Iif you couldn’t find a recommendation, you may have looked at reviews online. But, chances are good you asked around first. It works the same way with hiring.
Does this mean you shouldn’t apply online? No. Apply online. But, then think of how you can meet the real life people who will be making this important hiring decision.
If you go the route of applying online only, it may take you hundreds of applications to land an interview. I hear from people every day who have applied to 100 or more jobs online, only to receive very few callbacks.
If you’re the exception to this rule, awesome. There are exceptions. For example, you may have a skillset that’s rare where you live. Or, maybe you do something that’s incredibly specialized. I have a friend who is an Abinitio developer. Ever heard of it? Me either. And because this friend has such a specific (and rare) skillset, he could probably apply online and get a call back. But, most jobs aren’t like that.
Go old school with your job search to find success. Find the hiring manager and get your resume to them – via a friend, email, or US Mail. The internet is amazing for research. Never have we had so much data about companies at our fingers. But at the end of the day, people hire people.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
by Angela Copeland | Jan 24, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Job Application, Job Interview, Job Search, Resume Writing
I love resumes. They’re a very important part of your job search. They allow you to brand yourself. You can feature your past work experience. A resume allows you to highlight accomplishments, such as awards and education. It allows you to share who are you, and who you want to be in a future career.
But, if you had one hundred hours to use on your job search, how exactly would you divide up your time?
Many job seekers would devote ninety-five percent of their time to their resume. It makes sense, right? If your resume is perfect, then you ought to get a job faster. Because, job fit is determined by experience. And, experience is outlined in your resume, right?
Well, sort of. But, not exactly. In reality, many job offers are determined by other factors – like who you know. Look back at your own resume and think about how you got each job. If you landed every job by applying online with the perfect resume, you’re an exception to the rule. Most people find jobs through other people.
Does that mean resumes don’t matter? No, they’re important. But, it does mean that you should update your resume and then move on to other job search activities. For example, spend more time researching the companies you want to work for. Devote time to meeting new people and networking with people you already know.
One of my most successful friends has a six page resume. For years, I’ve had a burning desire to update it and shave it down to two pages. But, before I have ever been able to get my hands on that resume, the friend has already landed a new job. He has both unique skills and a strong network of contacts. Most likely, his resume is a complete afterthought. It’s a formality. After a company has decided to hire him, he submits the resume to complete the hiring process. It’s simply a checkbox.
What’s the lesson in this? Is it that you should forget your resume completely? No. The resume remains an important part of your job search materials, along with your cover letter, your elevator pitch, and your LinkedIn.
But, your resume is not the ultimate destination. If you feel that your resume is high quality and you’re still not landing interviews, step back and look at the bigger picture. Take a look at your entire job search process. Aside from updating your resume, what else could you do?
Consider spending more time at networking events. Ask more friends to have coffee meetings with you. Connect to new people you want to know (but don’t yet know) on LinkedIn. Volunteer for nonprofit boards.
If you spend your time looking for ways to connect and to grow your professional network and your business skills, you will go much farther in your job search than if you stay behind your computer screen.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
by Angela Copeland | Jan 17, 2018 | Career Corner Column, Career Fulfillment, Career Transition, Happiness, Mental Health
Have you ever wished you were the top executive in your department? For many, becoming a C-level executive can be a lifelong goal. Whether it’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, or Chief Financial Officer – the C-suite has real perks.
Let’s start off with recognition. Making it to the C-suite means that people respect you. Not only do you know about the subject matter at hand, but you’re a strong leader and you make a big difference to the company. Then, there’s the pay. C-level execs often make exponentially more than other employees.
Making it to the corner office can often take years of hard work and sacrifice. When you make it there, it’s like you’ve found your destination. You’re where you were always meant to be. The climb is over. It’s time to get to work, making a lifelong contribution.
I suspect there as a time when this was true. But, generally speaking, that was a time before me. Over the years, I’ve worked with a number of C-level executives at work. And, as I reflect back on those great folks, they’ve all switched jobs since I first met them.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the average tenure for a Chief Marketing Officer was 3.5 years in 2016. The average tenure of a CEO was 7.2 years and the average tenure of a CFO was 5.7 years.
These tiny numbers make some sense. As companies are pressured to make money, they constantly revise their business strategies. And, new strategies require new strategists.
The problem is, when a company changes their corporate guard, the executives left without a job are hit hard. It can take them months, or years to find new employment on the same level. It most certainly leaves the impacted executives wondering what’s wrong with them.
In reality, nothing is wrong. It may have taken them ten or twenty years to land the title of Chief. That period of hard work was like a long interview. And really, each company only needs one CEO, one CMO, and one CFO. They are both the most coveted roles and the rarest.
So, what’s the point of all of this? I don’t want to discourage you from a corner office dream. But, if this is part of your future career, take today’s business environment into account with your personal career plan. The C-suite has changed. Once you do land a top spot, carefully plan your financial future. By living below your means and creating a financial safety net, you loosen the corporate handcuffs that can otherwise hold you hostage.
If you’ve already made it to the top and you find yourself without a job, remember that you’re not alone. This is a phenomenon that many executives are facing today. To make it through with the least number of bumps and bruises, give yourself a generous amount of time to land your next big gig.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
by Angela Copeland | Jan 10, 2018 | Career Corner Column, HR, Human Resources, Indeed.com, Job Search, Job Search Fear
In the age of oversharing online, it seems that searching for a job is one of the last topics that anyone wants to share. The world’s largest job site, Indeed.com, recently commissioned a study by Censuswide, surveying 10,000 job seekers around the world – in the U.S., Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
As you would expect, 65% of job seekers worry that others may find out they’re looking for a new job. 24% of job seekers ranked their job search as the topic they’re least likely to share on social media. This is right up there with personal finances.
And, this makes sense. In much of the U.S., workers have limited employment protections. Simply put, an employer can fire you for a reason. Or, they can fire you for no reason at all. If they know you’re looking for a new job, they may perceive you to be disloyal. And, disloyal employees are at risk for being let go.
They don’t have to give you advanced warning. We’ve all had a friend who has been walked out of the building of their workplace with a small box of their personal things. That horrific thought is enough to cause you to never speak about your own search, ever again.
Professor Paul Dolan, Behavioral Economist at London School of Economics also pointed out the need to be seen as successful. “Admitting that we are looking for a job means exposing others to our potential success or failure. To avoid embarrassing ourselves, we choose to hide our searches.”
This also holds true in romantic relationships. Researchers found that half of job seekers don’t tell their partners when they’re applying for a new job. Those over age 55 are even more likely to keep searches hidden.
Although surprising, this finding makes sense. If you’re searching online, you may apply to a large number of jobs before landing a first round interview. If it takes thirty applications to land one phone interview, who wants to have that conversation with a spouse thirty times? Rather than feel like one successful phone interview, it may very well feel like twenty nine failed applications. Often, a new job requires a lifestyle change of some kind. Waiting until things are more firm allows the job seeker to avoid some level of judgement and conflict.
That said, keeping career changes from your partner isn’t recommended. Your career greatly impacts your personal life, and if you’re sharing that life with someone else, your decisions will impact them too.
But, when it comes to colleagues, there really is good reason to be cautious. Even if you’re doing a great job in your current role, your boss may have second thoughts about you if they know you’re looking. When you tell others about your search, you risk losing control of your search. As it’s clear, job searching really is the last taboo.
Angela Copeland, a career coach and founder of Copeland Coaching, can be reached at copelandcoaching.com.
by Angela Copeland | Jan 8, 2018 | Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job, Career Corner Column, Newsletter, Podcast, TEDx Talk
I’ll say it again – I can’t believe it’s 2018! 2017 flew by so fast. First, thank you to everyone who helped to make 2017 such a big success for me and Copeland Coaching – especially my awesome clients!
Now that we are fully into 2018, let’s take a look back at a few highlights from the last year. If there’s anything you missed, click through to learn more.
I’m so happy to kick off 2018 with you – let’s make it a success!
TEDx Worthington
Possibly my proudest moment of 2017. I had the honor to give a TEDx Talk about my own career success in Ohio. The talk, titled ‘How I broke the rules & found my perfect job’ outlines my own career transition from engineer to marketer to career coach. I also talk about how I made it through the unexpected economic change of the dot com crash with a computer engineering degree. Check out my entire talk on the TEDx YouTube channel here.
Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job
In 2017, I also released the print version of my book, Breaking The Rules & Getting The Job! We had a book signing at the South Main Book Juggler. The book provides practical, useful advice for those looking to improve their job-seeking outcomes. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, the book can help you to jumpstart your job search. If you’d like to get your copy, you can still purchase the book on Amazon.com.
Forbes Coaches Council
In 2016, I also accepted an invitation to become part of the Forbes Coaches Council. Being a part of the council gave me the opportunity to both be a contributor on topics related to careers, and also to author guest columns. Here are two of my guest columns.
LinkedIn Unveils New Product Offering: LinkedIn Talent Insights
Three Rules To Break During Your Job Search
Career Corner Column
I’ve written my own Career Corner Column every week now for four years! It’s hard to believe that I’ve written over 200 columns now. Wow, time has flown by! And, over time, more news outlets have picked up the column. In addition to The Memphis Daily News, the column is now in 12 more outlets, including Recruiter.com. It’s now in Tennessee, Mississippi, Oklahoma, California, Washington, and Arizona. That’s pretty exciting stuff! If you want to check out any of my old columns, you can find them all on the Copeland Coaching website here.
Copeland Coaching Podcast
This year has been such an exciting one for the Copeland Coaching Podcast! I’ve now released over 150 episodes. These episodes include interviews with industry experts on topics centering on how to get a job! Below are a few guest highlights for the year. Please check out the podcast, and be sure to subscribe! It’s free and it helps people to find my show.
- Jennifer Shappley, LinkedIn – Using LinkedIn
- Dr. Shirley Raines, University of Memphis – Career Reinvention
- Austin Graff, The Washington Post – Social Media Career
- Raj Mukkerjee, Indeed.com – Indeed Prime
- Howard Behar, Starbucks – It’s Not About The Coffee
- Paul Wolfe, Indeed.com – Human Resources
- Dr. Alex Korb, UCLA – The Upward Spiral
Expert Interviews
2017 also brought with it the opportunity to be interviewed and quoted as a career expert. I’ve been humbled and grateful to be included in pieces by The Wall Street Journal, Society for Human Resources Management, Glassdoor, CNBC, Monster, Forbes, Business Insider, Marketwatch, and Fast Company.
You can check out all these great pieces and many more on my website. You can also view all of my television interviews here.
Thank You!
Thank you again for a wonderful 2017! The year was so special to me for so many reasons that there’s not enough room to share them all here. Thank you for making it great! I look forward to another awesome year in 2018!
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Dec 27, 2017 | Career Corner Column, Interviewing, Job Search
Interviewing for a job is a nerve racking process. When else do we want others to judge us? We spend so much time preparing – finding the perfect clothes, organizing our resume, and sneaking out of our job. We ask for recommendations from our old bosses.
Not only are we judged during the interview process. But, if we’re rejected, the company doesn’t even owe us any explanation. And, very often, they don’t give any additional information about why we weren’t picked.
That leaves our brain to wonder what happened. We spent so many hours preparing. Where did we go wrong? Did the hiring manager not like us? Did we fail a test? Were they looking for someone with more experience or a better education? Trying to sort through these possibilities is stressful. It can take days, and have no answer.
In reality, it’s possible we weren’t selected for reasons that had little to do with us. Really, this can happen. For example, the hiring manager may have already had a candidate preselected. Or, perhaps the job has been put on hold — and nobody was hired. Rarely will the company fess up to these details.
But, an equally important (but less considered) question is — what did you think about the company? Did you feel that you were a good fit with the hiring manager? Are you excited about the job? Do you want to work for the company?
Think of interviewing a little more like dating, and a little less like taking a test. Sure, you’re not looking for someone to marry, but you are looking for people you’ll spend a considerable amount of time with. You may even see them more than your spouse.
We would never go on a first date hoping the person might marry us – without knowing much about them. Then, why would we ever approach a job interview this way?
If you already have a bad job, why would you want to potentially find another bad job? The best job is always one where there’s a mutual match. The company likes you, and you like the company.
So, rather than spend all of your time worrying about whether the company likes you, shift your focus to whether or not you like them. Decide if you really do want to spend more than eight hours a day with these folks.
And, if you do get rejected, don’t assume it’s the end of the line. The company probably doesn’t really dislike you. Maybe the timing wasn’t right. Or, perhaps they see you in a slightly different role than the one that was available when you applied.
In fact, because they have met you and know you now, they may be even more likely to talk to you again when a future opportunity rolls around. Keep your eyes open for other jobs that may be a better fit. But, if you are called back in, be sure to find out if the company is a good fit for you.
Angela Copeland is a Career Coach and Founder of Copeland Coaching and can be reached at CopelandCoaching.com or on Twitter at @CopelandCoach.
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