When it comes to landing a great job, it’s more than what’s on your resume these days. In addition to your one to two page work history, employers are also looking at other things, including your cover letter, your LinkedIn profile, your social media, and your presence on Google.

The one thing you may not have realized is that employers are looking at your credit report too! If you have a low credit score, they may decide not to hire you.

Why? Well, an employer may think that if you can’t keep a positive credit history, how could you possibly run their business?

At first glance, this makes sense. Executives are often managing millions of dollars a year. They control big budgets, and are responsible for decisions that impact hundreds, if not thousands of people.

But, when you dig deeper, this issue is more complex than it sounds. There are many things that go into your credit score that you don’t have full control over, including:

• Inaccurate information – Anyone who’s had their financial credit stolen knows what a pain it is to clean up the mess left behind afterward.
• Healthcare bills – At times, healthcare bills you have already paid show up on your credit report as delinquent. Then, there are those times when you actually do have big medical bills, but at no fault of your own.
• Home Foreclosures – Due to the crazy market we’ve had for a long time now, many homeowners have been forced to foreclose, or participate in a short sale. These actions can have a negative impact on your credit score.
• Unemployment – In today’s job market, a layoff can happen any time and is often not a reflection of employee performance.
• Divorce – Divorce can wreak havoc on a credit score.

What’s worse is that these negative events can stay on your credit history for up to seven years!

The good news for job seekers is that a new act, Equal Employment for All Act, is being introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. Tennessee Rep. Steve Cohen and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren are behind the project.

But, as long as employers are using your credit score to make decisions about your future, you should know what to do:

1. Check for inaccuracies – Review your credit report once per year for errors – and report them. You can download one free copy of your credit report each year online.
2. Keep your phone and online accounts secure – Don’t be careless and allow thieves into your personal accounts.
3. Pay attention to where you shop online – Use reputable sites online. Stay away from putting your credit card into unknown sites.
4. Pay your bills on time – One of the easiest ways to damage your credit yourself is to be careless about when you pay your bills. Make a point to pay them on time, or to set them up for automatic payment.
5. Keep your balances on credit cards low – High credit card debt can negatively impact your score.
6. Only apply for new credit when you need it – Don’t create a situation where you have a huge amount of unneeded credit available.

These tips will help you to both protect, and improve your existing credit score. And, having a dream credit score will get you that much closer to landing a dream job!
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.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and 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.

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.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and 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

A lot has changed in the last twenty years with regards to how we use the phone. Once tethered to the wall for an entire family to share, cell phones can be found in the pockets of everyone. Even small children have cell phones. They’re no longer reserved for the elite business person, or successful celebrity.

Often, homes no longer have land lines at all. When I arrange interviews for my career podcast, I ask guests to use a land line if possible. For many guests, finding a traditional phone is virtually impossible.

In the past, when you called someone at home, a family member would often answer first. Now, it’s very rare for anyone else to answer your personal cell phone but you.

In addition, we now often text rather than call. And, if we do receive a call from a number we don’t know, we’ll let it go to voicemail so we can screen it before deciding if we want to call back.

Along with all of these changes comes a net set of rules and etiquette. And, unfortunately, we’re not all following those rules.

Here are a few tips that will help you to be at the top of your phone game:

1. When you answer your phone, introduce yourself. This is especially important if it’s a business call. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had a conversation that’s gone something like this:
   • Bob: “Hello?”
   • Angela: “Hello. Is this Bob?”
   • Bob: “Yes.” (silence)
   • Angela: “Hi Bob. This is Angela. We have a meeting scheduled for this time. Is this still a good time to talk…?” Talk about awkward. A much better solution would have been something more like this:
   • Bob: “Hello, this is Bob.”
   • Angela: “Hi Bob. This is Angela. Is this still a good time to talk?” When the phone is answered with an empty hello, the caller may think they’ve dialed the wrong number. They also think the person they’re calling has forgotten they have a call scheduled.
2. If you answer someone else’s phone, explain that when you answer. I had this happen recently. It was both confusing and a bit off putting. The conversation went something like this:
   • Jane (answering Susan’s phone): “Hello?”
   • Angela: “Hello. Is this Susan?”
   • Jane: “No. This is Jane.”
   • Angela: “Oh. I must have the wrong number.”
   • Jane: “No. I’m answering Susan’s phone.”
   • Angela: “Oh. Is Susan available?”
   • Jane: “Yes. Hold on.” Wow! Talk about a mess. Answering someone else’s phone can be helpful, especially if they can’t get to it in time. But, introduce yourself and explain the situation on the front end. Something like this would have been more helpful, and far less confusing:
   • Jane (answering Susan’s phone): “Hello. This is Jane; answering Susan’s phone.”
   • Angela: “Hi Jane. This is Angela. I’m calling for Susan. Is she available?”
   • Jane: “Yes. Please hold on just a moment.”
3. Setup a voice mail message on your phone you can be proud of. So often, voicemail on our phones doesn’t represent us in the best light. Listen to yours. Is there wind blowing in the background? Can you hear cars, children, music playing, or dogs barking? Is your voice clear and professional? Do you introduce yourself? Stay away from messages like this, “Hi guys! I’m not available. Leave a message.” Instead, try something like, “Hello, you’ve reached the phone of Michael Smith. I’m not available right now. Please leave your name and number and I will call you back as soon as possible.” A clear, concise message (in a quiet room) that asks the caller to leave their information will be a much more effective use of your voicemail. It will also sound far more professional to a potential employer.
4. When you leave a voicemail, make it professional. Voicemails should be short and concise. Think before you speak and be brief. Voicemail is not the place to share every detail or thought you’re having at that moment. Say your name, phone number, and the reason for your call. Request a call back and thank the person. That’s it. Keep it short and sweet. If you blunder, many voicemail systems will allow you to rerecord your message. Take advantage of this feature if you need to. A short, concise message will ensure that someone actually listens to your entire message and it will get them to call you back faster.
5. In a business setting, use text messages sparingly. Text messaging is on average very generational. People of different ages use texting differently and have varying opinions of what’s acceptable and what isn’t. Reserve text messaging for those you are truly comfortable with or who have texted you first. If you are interested to text with someone from work, but don’t know their perspective on texting, ask them. And whatever you do, don’t use text messaging when you’re interviewing for a job. It should be reserved for after you’ve landed the job.
6. Be aware of the time of day you make phone calls and send text messages. I cannot stress this point enough. You may turn your phone off when you go to sleep at night (so late night calls might not bother you), but not everyone does. Try to limit work communications to work hours: 8 or 9 AM to 5 or 6 PM. Keep personal communications between the hours of 9 AM and 9 PM. For some close friends you talk with regularly, these rules may not apply. But, don’t assume everyone is comfortable receiving random text messages or phone calls at 10 PM. It can be both rude and frustrating for the person you’re contacting.

In business, much of your success is tied to your personal brand. And, your ability to know and follow the rules of phone etiquette are very much a part of that brand. Be conscious of these simple rules and you’ll be on your way!

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.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and 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

How to use your academic experience to land a corporate job

There’s an issue that has come up a number of times since starting my business. Job seekers who are looking for a job for the first time in their 30s or 40s find it tough to know where to start. This is a very common occurrence for those who have spent their entire careers in academia or research.

They’ve gone to school for many years without stopping. At the end, they have a long list of awesome accomplishments. But, because a full time corporate job typically isn’t one of them, the thought of going down this path can be very daunting.

I was recently interviewed by Fast Company on this very topic, because they’re hearing about the same issue!

If you find yourself in this situation, with mainly academic experience, here are a few of my tips for writing your resume for a corporate job.

• Leave out your GPA. In the corporate world, it’s rare that anyone will want to know your academic grade point average.
• Get your own e-mail address. Using your school’s e-mail for job applications just makes you look young and inexperienced.
• Keep your resume short and sweet. One or two pages is the maximum length a resume should be. Corporations don’t have time to read a 10 page CV. Be concise.
• Use plain language. There will inevitably be people who read your resume that don’t have the same impressive credentials that you do. Write your resume in such a way that a human resources pro or a recruiter could understand it. They’re often the first person to screen your resume. And, if they don’t understand it, you’re dead in the water.
• Don’t list every publication you’ve ever been in. Or, if you do, consider a format that’s readable. A long bibliography written in a highly technical format is rarely appropriate in a corporate resume.
• Be aware of your formatting. Your resume should have a consistent look and feel throughout.
• Use bold to emphasize important things. But, keep it to a minimum. Use it to highlight important parts are your background, such as your titles.
• Include internships, speaking events, and leadership activities. Although you may not have been paid, these activities provide students with valuable experience that translate into the working world.
• Include class projects. It may sound silly, but very often, professors give you real life problems to work on. Sometimes, you even get to interface with the companies to solve them. Again, just because you weren’t paid doesn’t mean your experience doesn’t translate. Include these pieces of your work to show your future employer what you can do.
• Save your resume as a PDF. So often, when we e-mail our resume to someone else as a Word document, the formatting gets all mixed up. Keep things simple and save your resume as a PDF before you send it.

Once you get your resume ready, it’s time to head out and find a job. Although good for research, the internet is not your ultimate answer to landing an interview. Take the time to network and get your feet wet in the community.

And, when you do land an interview, keep in mind that the most important thing in terms of hiring is can often be whether or not the employer likes you – rather than your degree. Take the time to both refine your personal brand, and work on being relatable. Show up to interviews looking polished and be approachable.

At the end of the day, you want to package up your years of academic prowess into an intelligent, relatable, refined brand.

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.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and 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

Happy Labor Day!

Sometimes called “second-hand stress,” the stress you are exposed to at work really makes a difference. Researchers at Harvard and Stanford recently completed a study to analyze the impact of workplace stress on your health.

The study, conducted by Joel Goh, Jeffrey Pfeffer, and Stefanos Zenios, analyzed the findings of 228 scientific studies. They found that stress from work can be as bad for you as second-hand smoke. In fact, 120,000 deaths each year, and $190 billion in healthcare costs are linked to it.

That’s a big deal!

So, what should you be on the lookout for? These are the 10 workplace stressors the study considered:

• Work family conflict
• Job insecurity
• Shift work
• Long working hours
• Low levels of fairness at work
• Low levels of control at work
• High job demands
• Lack of employer provided healthcare
• Layoffs and unemployment
• Low social support at work

You’re probably wondering — what does this mean for you? First of all, if you’re interviewing for a job, be on the lookout for these signs. If you spot too many of them, it may not be the job for you.

If you’re already working someplace that has a high level of workplace stress, there are things you can do. It’s important to focus your energy on what you can control, as many of the things on the list are outside of your control. Remember that even when the environment isn’t great (and other people are jerks), you can control your own behavior. Take the time to be kind to those around you.

Another thing that can make a big difference is your financial safety net. Often, work stress is compounded when you know that if anything happened to your job, you’d be toast. It can make you feel like you can’t leave, and that feeling makes everything worse. It takes time, but try to build a six to twelve month emergency fund. This is a fund that stays in a savings account and is separate from your retirement. That way, when the stock market fluctuates, you’ll be safe.

Beyond creating a financial cushion, you should also take the time to take care of YOU. Below are tips for self-care that can help to reduce your overall stress level.

• Get enough sleep. We often underestimate the power of eight hours of solid sleep.
• Practice healthy eating and drinking habits. Fast food or binge drinking will only contribute to your stress. Be conscious of what you’re feeding your body.
• Exercise, or take a walk. Working out has benefits to both your body and your mind.
• Practice yoga or meditation. It can help to calm your mind, and help your entire body to feel better.
• Talk to your loved ones. Having social support is one of the most important components of dealing with work stress.
• Set personal goals. You may not be able to control your workplace today, but you can certainly control your future.

Successfully managing your stress is just as important as any other part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth. If you take the time to take care of you, you’ll be happier and healthier, even when things at work are stressful.

However, if you find yourself waking up each day with dread, or crying at work, it may be time to look for something new. The same applies to a work environment with a boss who makes you feel unsafe, or who is being a bully toward you. If you find yourself in one of these dead end situations, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m happy to help.

To learn more on this topic, check out my recent interview on WREG’s Live @ 9 here.

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.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and 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

LinkedIn has become a critical tool in the job search process. Using LinkedIn, you can find jobs, get recommendations, and even reach out to hiring managers.

But, in order for LinkedIn to be effective, you can’t wait until you’re looking. There are steps you should be taking right now to prepare yourself for the future.

When it comes to LinkedIn, here are a few of the mistakes you may very well be making right now.

1. Not having a LinkedIn account at all – Before you do anything else, sign up for a LinkedIn account. If you’ve had doubts (as many people do), you should know this. LinkedIn is actually helpful. People do find real jobs through LinkedIn. Recruiters do find candidates using LinkedIn. Really. So, if you’ve been putting it off, today’s the day!
2. No photo – This is the next biggest mistake people make. It’s critical you have a photo. Otherwise, how does anyone know it’s you? For example, from what I can tell, there are around 300 people with the name “Angela Copeland” in the U.S. If I didn’t have a photo on LinkedIn, how would you find me? When you select a photo, pick one that shows your face clearly. The photo should look like you look now (not years ago with a different hairstyle). The photo doesn’t need to be an expensive headshot, but it should look professional. You should be the only person in the photo. There should be no pets, no children, no spouse, no significant other, no hobbies. You get the idea. The goal is a photo of your face that looks like you look now – ideally, you’ll be smiling.
3. Multiple LinkedIn accounts for one person – This drives me a little crazy. When you have more than one account, how can anyone decide which one to send a request to? If you’re wondering how this happens, you’re not alone. Multiple accounts can accidentally be created when you don’t put all of your e-mail addresses into one account. For example, you have a work e-mail and a personal e-mail. You’ve been using your personal e-mail for LinkedIn. One day, your coworker sends you a LinkedIn connection request to your work e-mail. You accept. Suddenly, you have two LinkedIn accounts. To prevent this from happening, add all of the e-mail addresses you use to your settings. That way, all requests will go to the same place, no matter which e-mail is used.
4. Not turning off notifications – Do you ever get those LinkedIn e-mails that say, “Congratulate Bob on his new job!”? When you want everyone to know what’s going on, these messages can be great. But, often when you start looking for a job, the first thing you do is update your LinkedIn profile. You may have been promoted, or you want to update your title to something a little more impressive. The last thing you want is for your boss to get e-mails showing you’re making updates. What an awkward conversation that will be! To prevent this from  happening, check your notification settings.
5. Not connecting to your network – This may sound silly, but part of what makes LinkedIn work is the connections. The number of connections you have is displayed on your profile. Once you hit 500 connections, your profile will say “500+” whether you have 500 or 5,000. Having under 500 connections makes you look a little disconnected, and not well liked in your field. Clearly, this isn’t true. So at a minimum, work to get the number of connections you have above 500. You can do this fairly quickly by downloading the LinkedIn app on your smart phone. It allows you to search through your phone’s contacts and quickly add those you know who are already on LinkedIn.
6. Not customizing your headline – Your headline is such a great place to highlight who you are. It’s a big part of your personal brand. But, if you don’t fill it out, it will automatically populate your current job title.
7. Sharing things better left to social media – LinkedIn is not the same as Facebook. Don’t share things you would normally share on social media with your friends and family. Participating is great! But, look for things like business articles, or pertinent studies.
8. Including religious or political beliefs – This goes along with #7, but it deserves its own point. You may be very proud of your religious and political beliefs, but do you want them to prevent you from getting a job? The only time it’s appropriate to share these beliefs on LinkedIn is if you work for a religious or political organization – or you want to work for one in the future. Otherwise, save these details for your private life.
9. Sharing publicly that you’re looking, while you’re still employed – Ouch! This mistake can really hurt. Remember that your boss may be able to see your LinkedIn page – whether you’re directly connected, your page is public, or you have a mutual connection who shows the page to your boss. And, in many places within the U.S., you can be fired for no reason at all. When you’re looking, it’s important to be very, very careful to keep your search a secret.
10. Making it tough to get in touch with you – If you’re looking for a job, you want new people to be able to get in touch with you. I often see job seekers who have their privacy settings so tight that I can only send a connection request if I know their e-mail address. And, there e-mail is nowhere to be found on their profile. If you’re actively looking, make it easy to connect to you.

As it’s probably obvious, LinkedIn isn’t something you setup once and walk away from. It’s another form of social media that needs nurturing and care. And, when you continuously update it, nobody will wonder if you’re looking for a job when you do!

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.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and 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