Articles - The Voice of Job Seekers

LinkedIn Won’t Run Your Career For You

Recently, someone in my network of friends posted the following message:

“Many of you congratulated me on my “new” job. Thanks, but the company in which I‘ am presently employed, is neither new nor full time. I’am seeking full time employement. Please review my employement background. If you know of a company in my skills and knowledge may “fit” that company, please refer me. Much oblige!”

A cryptic message is misinterpreted as desperate. If public and desperate people will read into it something unintended. Therefore, the messages sent to further employment efforts need to be intentional and strategic, not accidental. If you are putting your best foot forward on LinkedIn, every message you leave for scrutiny counts, and everything is examined when it comes to employment opportunities.

Like many job seekers, this person arrived at the point in her job search she is expecting someone to go the extra yard to help her job search efforts. Yes, all of us need help in our job search, and there is nothing wrong with asking. The cry for help is essential, but there are other issues with the above statement that makes me want to tear up from laughter:

The person who authored this statement misspelled “I am” twice. A closer at the statement, several grammar errors stand out. If you are like me, you are distracted by the lack of perceived professionalism than the “please help me” request.
Most people will not see her message because it is unlikely people will go look at her profile and see where he or she “fits!” She has a current job that does not fit her current profile but even worse, the “unfitted” job is a part of her LinkedIn profile!
She did not invite a conversation, nor desired to screen the potential referral. She was going in for the score (the referral). No invitation to talk, or extended gratitude for taking the time for consideration
She wanted her network to scour her profile for her network to see if she was a fit! Yes, that’s the way to do it. Let someone else do all the hard work for you!
Her laziness that I read into her status update will scream, “RUN!” to everyone else. Any recruiter or God forbid potential employer, will bypass her profile like scruffy hitchhiker.

If you’re like me, you’re trying to avoid your name from appearing on the “Who’s looking at your profile” section, to avoid the desperate inbox message from the same individual.

The point that needs emphasis is in this story by Elie Wiesel in a speech given at the White House in 1999:

“The story is that once upon a time there was an emperor, and the emperor heard that in his empire there was a man, a wise man with occult powers. He had all the powers in the world. He knew when the wind was blowing what messages it would carry from one country to another. He read the clouds and he realized that the clouds had a design. He knew the meaning of that design.

He heard the birds. He understood the language of the birds, the chirping of the birds carried messages. And then he heard there was a man who also knew how to read another person’s mind. I want to see him, said the emperor. They found him. They brought him to the emperor. Is it true that you know how to read the clouds? Yes, Majesty. Is it true you know the language of the birds? Yes, Majesty. What about the wind? Yes, I know. Okay, says the emperor. I have in my hands behind my back a bird. Tell me, is it alive or not?

And the wise man was so afraid that whatever he would say would be a tragedy, that if he were to say that the bird is alive, the emperor, in spite, would kill it. So he looked at the emperor for a long time, smiled, and said, Majesty, the answer is in your hands. (Laughter.)”

Now for my response to this person’s outcry:

“Look through your network and engage people who are in industries and companies you’re interested in. Look at your 1st level and 2nd level contacts equally as either may know someone who knows someone. It takes time to do this but it is well worth the investment of time.”

I received a half-hearted and obligatory, “thanks!”

Although general in nature, my advice is the moral of Wiesel’s story. The answer is in your hands.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Online Reputation for Job Seekers

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In this interview, I talked with Hannah Morgan, the founder of CareerSherpa.net where she provides legendary advice on job search, personal branding, and online visibility and reputation management. She also writes about careers for U.S. News and World Report and co-authored the book, “Social Networking for Business Success: How to Turn Your Ideas into Income.”

One of the things that Hannah and I discuss the segment from last week, “Would You Resign This Way?” where the cast I discussed the reputation of the woman resigning via video. Listen to Hannah’s response to how this woman may appear to employers.

Then we discussed the small differences between how an online reputation is viewed in 2014 than it was in 2011, and how much social proof is weighed as a positive attribute. Hannah shares a study that showed 80-90% of employers are “googling candidates.” Listen to her response about how our personal and business reputations have merged.

Hannah shares about some tools to use to fix your reputation if needed such as a tool called Brand Yourself. She also promotes (as I do) in using Linked In as a portfolio where you can post articles, videos, and samples of your work product.

Oh, by the way, there were funny things that were happening with my Internet connection so there might be one part of the conversation I did not edit when I lost Hannah. It may seem that she changes subjects within a sentence, but that was due to me stopping and starting.

Please, editing faux pas and all, enjoy our conversation.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Four Job Search Lessons to Learn from Martin Luther King

There is no man who Americans celebrate more who is not a President nor a Military hero as widely and prominently as Dr. Martin Luther King. He is quoted and heralded in many facets of American life in ways that shapes our faith and beliefs. Truly Dr. King is still a polarizing figure, and one that many people find moral and racial differences in what did and what he represents.

Job Seekers are generally looking for inspiration from many different sources, and Dr. King offers wisdom that inspire steadfastness in a difficult job search.

1. Answer questions directly, thoroughly, and with temperance. We’re not talking about interviews, but generally conversations. People will inquire of you in an unkind, not so cordial manner, and you must ignore the behavior that may otherwise drive you crazy. Even when people in a business setting may not say “hello,” “good morning,” or “good evening.”

Dr. King exemplified temperance in everyway, and trained people that marched with him the same way. People who marched were trained to respond non-violently where they were the object of hostility, violence, and hatred. In the same way, train yourself for adverse reactions through rejection. Sometime strange interview questions are given to test your reaction.

2. Dr. King had unswerving focus. If you never read “A Letter from the Birmingham Jail,” then you will never know how to tactfully thwart haters and take a stand without being personal in your response. During your job search, people will give you bad advice about finding a job. It is likely antiquated advice that doesn’t apply anymore. Dr. King’s response to a bunch of his peers asking him to stop his marches was generally, a resounding, “NO!” He just didn’t tell them no, but examined and disseminated his reasoning soundly and profoundly.

3. Constantly collaborated. People came from all over the country to help in the marches, but ultimately, many risked their well-being and their havens to be associated with the movement. As part of my coaching with job search clients is to help them form coalitions because it takes a village to find a job and/or advance your career. We all need people to “join the march” to fulfill our career purpose. You must make this an intentional strategy to build this “village,” and they must believe in you.

4. Dr. King understood his purpose requires longevity. I recently heard from a former client who is still enduring a job search for a couple of years now. She is hanging in there and realizes how important to stay engaged in every way possible. Dr. King’s speeches often point to “…one day.” I am only suggesting that patience is a part of any job hunt, and it takes time even you are doing everything right.

A job search from any perspective challenges your patience, confidence, and faith in people. Don’t let the day go buy without improving your social profiles, or to start that blog that you’ve thought about, or to call someone to help them.

Make a difference today.

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