by Angela Copeland | Oct 12, 2015 | Job Posting, Newsletter
If you’re one of the lucky ones (and have a holiday today), I hope you are enjoying your time off!
There’s no better time than the present to think about your next career move. So often, we’re held back from making a change because of excuses.
If Christopher Columbus had wanted to come up with excuses not to sail to the new world, I’m certain he could have thought of a few things. But, in the end, he was brave. He beat such odds that we’re still talking about it today.
I meet job seekers daily who have one hundred reasons why they can’t get a job. The short list of reasons is:
- The hiring manager doesn’t like me.
- The hiring manager is biased toward me because I don’t have the right degree.
- The hiring manager thinks I’ve been at the same company for too long.
- The hiring manager wonders why I haven’t been at the same company for longer.
- The hiring manager thinks I’m too old.
- The hiring manager thinks I’m too young.
- The hiring manager only wants to hire women.
- The hiring manager only wants to hire men.
- The hiring manager thinks my last job was irrelevant.
- The hiring manager thinks I’m underqualified.
- The hiring manager thinks I’m overqualified.
You get the idea.
What’s interesting is this. Because of our “apply online” culture, my guess is that if you gathered one hundred job seekers in a room and asked who exclusively applied online for the last job they applied to, one hundred hands would go up.
If you put a group of HR managers in another room and ask them how many of those one hundred online applications they had seen, I bet that very few would raise their hands.
I don’t claim to understand why applicant tracking systems don’t work, but the fact is, they aren’t great. And, most HR professionals will admit this. Applicant tracking systems are software, and like any other kind of software, they have downsides.
In reality, only about 15% of people land their jobs through the online channel. Yet, we’re all applying there (because that’s what we heard we’re supposed to do). And, when we don’t hear back, we rarely think the reason is because applied online. We think it’s because the company has a bias toward us. We develop a long list of reasons why the company didn’t pick us. When in reality, the reason is that they didn’t know we applied.
If you’re ready to find a new job this Columbus Day, it’s time to start thinking outside the box. Do apply online (so you can check the box and say you have). Then, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I know anyone at the company?
- Can I find the hiring manager online?
- Can I e-mail the hiring manager directly?
- Do I know anyone in human resources for the company?
- Is there any place where I can network with people from the company?
Did I ever tell you – When I was a student at Pepperdine, I snuck onto the UCLA campus to land a job interview at The Gap? That’s a story for another day, but the point is this. Often times, applying effectively requires us to really get outside of our comfort zone.
Unless we’ve had a background in sales, cold calling on people isn’t a skill we have. It can be uncomfortable, unnerving, and can even feel rude at times. But, when it comes to looking for a job, you’re both the product and the salesperson.
There’s nobody who can find you the right job but you. And, there’s no one who knows what you have to offer better than you.
So, be brave. Be willing to set sail, even when you don’t have all the answers. Even when you feel you might fail. You just might like what you find on the other side.
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
by Angela Copeland | Oct 12, 2015 | Job Posting
Zipcar is seeking a Marketing Manager, University in Boston, MA.
Zipcar is looking for a thinker and a doer who is equally creative and analytical. You should be comfortable crafting a comprehensive national marketing plan that identifies the strategy and methods to increase acquisition and engagement among all targets, and ensures its successful implementation. This includes leading ways for local field marketing teams to deliver plan goals in a highly competitive segment and initiating plan adjustments to accommodate new initiatives and learning throughout the year.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Zipcar job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 12, 2015 | Job Posting
GlaxoSmithKline is seeking a Project Manager in Memphis, TN.
Responsible to insure robust consistent processes are followed for the successful delivery of projects into day to day operations. Deliver clear scope with the necessary project controls in place for governance, prioritization, resource management, risk management and finance to provide a smooth transition from project to fully supported customer hand-over. The role will encompass business, technical and operational business change activities.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the GlaxoSmithKline job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 11, 2015 | Job Posting
FedEx is seeking a Marketing Specialist Advisor in Dallas, TX.
Under limited supervision, develops and implements corporate marketing plans to optimize sales and profit for the organization. Communicates marketing support programs to internal and external staff to ensure programs are executed in a timely manner. Develops and assists in pricing recommendations, advertising, merchandising and product improvement plans.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the FedEx job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 10, 2015 | Job Posting
McDonald’s is seeking a U.S. Social Engagement Community Marketer in Oak Brook, IL.
The Social Community Manager will help shape how McDonald’s uses engagement tactics across social media channels to connect with millions of people every day in the United States. The ideal candidate knows the trends, but doesn’t live by them, and has experience developing and executing content for large-scale brands. The Social Community Manager will help be the face of McDonald’s in social media by executing strategies that increase engagement, monitoring conversations and providing outreach, delivering content, and aggregating data into actionable insights to help McDonald’s meet its goals. The ideal candidate is passionate about social media and its ability to engage and inspire customers, and have the demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a high-speed environment within a team structure.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the McDonald’s job posting here.
by JJ Weir | Oct 9, 2015 | Advice, Media
My latest Memphis Daily News column is out, “Good, Fast and Cheap.”
If you’ve ever worked for a large corporation, you’re probably familiar with the phrase, “You can only pick two: good, fast or cheap.”
The idea is that you can create a new product that’s good in a short timeframe if you’re willing to pay enough. Or, you can create a product that’s good and cheap, but it’s going to take some time. Or, you can make a product that’s fast and cheap, but it’s not going to be very good.
Expecting to produce a product that’s good, fast and cheap just isn’t realistic. The same principle applies to job searching.
To read the rest of my column, and my advice to you regarding your approach to a job search, visit the Memphis Daily News website here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 9, 2015 | Job Posting
Terminix is seeking a Vice President of Call Centers in Memphis, TN.
The Vice President of Call Center Operations is responsible for the oversight and efficient operation of the contact centers. This role will be responsible for determining operational workforce effectiveness and working with the Call Center management team to revise processes and procedures increasing quality and productivity; and work with multiple departments on budget appropriate solutions to influence growth and provide leadership to a multidisciplinary staff, developing and selecting strong talent, creating a culture of continuous improvement. The Vice President of Call Center Operations will monitor call flow and phone activity between customers and staff ensuring quality and superior customer experience is being provided, and will insure that corporate quality and service standards are met by developing and adhering to operational budgets.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Terminix job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 9, 2015 | Job Posting
Roku is seeking a Director of Programming in Los Angeles, CA.
Roku is well-known for having the best content value proposition in the streaming universe. Through deal-making, creativity, analytics, planning, and execution, it is the Director of Programming’s role to ensure that Roku has the strategy and tools in place to stay ahead.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Roku job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 8, 2015 | Job Posting
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts is seeking a Director, Technology Project Management in Glendale, CA.
Director Project Management, for WDPR Technology will have the opportunity to foster the adoption and use of a consistent project management discipline across all WDP&R projects. They will manage, mentor, and lead a team of software engineers who will deploy and support a Project & Portfolio Management (PPM) solution.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Walt Disney Parks & Resorts job posting here.
by Angela Copeland | Oct 8, 2015 | Job Posting
The Brooks Museum of Art is seeking a Director of Marketing and Public Relations in Memphis, TN.
The Director of Marketing and Public Relations is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing an integrated marketing and public relations plan for the Brooks Museum of Art, including its exhibitions, public programs, fundraising initiatives, educational programming, special projects, the Brushmark Restaurant & catering services, and Museum Store.
To learn more, or to apply online, visit the Brooks Museum of Art website here.
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