The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ "The Job Scam Report" on Substack! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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by Mark Anthony Dyson

More Career Advice I Won’t Follow From Politicians

As I said before, politics are full of career advice often exemplary and often leads to what NOT to do.  I don’t like watching local or national political debates, however, I am riveted in listening to the political discussions of television pundits who speculate and comment about who they oppose. The successes and the mishaps maintain extraordinary value for career professionals and job seekers alike.

Still, there are rare moments where I feel that this local or state candidate understands my issues. The employer asks Here some of my insights, without mentioning names, dates, or candidates but the subtle messages are well-known. I won’t follow…

    1. The  perpetual need to express my insensitive opinions in conversations, interviews, or business meetings.

You never know who is offended easily, or insulted, whether it is a celebrity or a well-known person, labeling people in a negative way is offensive. A self-righteous air on a job candidate’s part can come across as arrogant, but politician-like. You could be right in your intent to describe someone’s seemingly inappropriate actions, but when expressed to the wrong person can result in a derailed effort to connect with that person and his or her audience. It doesn’t matter if the setting is casual or formal; perceived behavior, conduct, and rejects the noticeable lack of restraint.

2. Saying that I am the best without proving it

Job competition is challenging and often taken personally because of the obvious reasons. Vague statements such as a simple but repeated mantra, “I can do it better” leave key hiring influencers miffed about your abilities. Without proof of production, and specific ways to solve problems, you will sound like the crowd and unlike the chosen one. Competing reaches beyond a show-and-tell display for elementary school kids. Like the current political candidates, people want to hire a potential candidate based on substantial ideas that inspire change. Offer goals, time and quality objectives, and a roadmap that sounds more like a business plan than a T.V. guide.

3. Offer statements that sound like facts without research. They are lies and exaggerations.

It appears traditional for political candidates of every sort attempts exaggeration and mocks his or her political opponent’s statements to gain small but meaningful traction. Hopefully, your preparation for interviews includes understanding the nuances of your job market and ensuring you own the skills necessary to complete the job, even if the knowledge makes a small difference . Research is necessary for casual conversations if only to impress people who can possibly help you. Repeating what everyone else demonstrates a lack of depth of the subject matter, and undermines the development of credibility. Employers and key connector can easily filter through the pretenders to reach authentically viable potential professionals. No time for laziness. Study your market, potential employer, and competitors to gain an edge and stand out from the crowd.

Filed Under: Career, Interview Tagged With: Career, Interview, Politicians

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Do Employers Understand You?

Do Employers Understand You?

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Without a well-written résumé, cover letter, and virtual profiles a job seeker will remain a question mark. You may say you’re misunderstood, but employers want to recognize the future in a candidate no matter the position grade. Employers want clarity from potential employees and see their investment flourish in a short period.

The question: Is it clear to employers that you are the one? Let us count the ways.

1. Are employers clear about what job you want?

There are many ways to say “I need a job” without forming the words. One way is to apply to massive amount of positions without any brand statement clarity or targeted functionality on your résumé. Today’s job seeker has to offer appreciating value first.

2. Are you relevant?

Employers want to know, “What skills do you offer that solve the problems we have now?” They want to envision solutions, results, and the impact you’ll have within the company.

3. You don’t speak the lingo

It doesn’t take an interview, or an extended conversation to realize that you don’t fit because you don’t know the language. Saying “lingo” is an anomaly because you are just keyword-ing your way in hopes that the lingo alone establishes your worth. On the contrary, this fails because no one speaks your language.

4. An unclear personal brand

Stating that you are a dynamic, hardworking, and competent individual describes the other 200 candidates applying for the same position. No one hiring cares that you fit in with the other candidates. The hiring manager wants to know what makes you different from everyone else. Without clearly demonstrated strengths, core competencies,  or purpose offers a perspective that someone will employ you.

Read: 7 Job Tips From Your Future Self

5. You don’t ask questions to the company

Employers can only see that don’t care about the company when you don’t have questions. It speaks volumes that you didn’t research the company, you won’t personally invest effort, and you lack enthusiasm about working for anyone. Prepare questions to ask such as, “What are the measurable expectations of my job in the first 90 days?” Or, “What career path have others in this position pursued in and outside of the department?”

6. You lack likability

You have a personality and you don’t show it. Why? Don’t know. You have achievements and accolades, but 20 other candidates do too. People hire others they like, and that you stand out in their minds. Lack of personality matters, but so does tone, and eye contact.

Read: Book Review: The 11 Laws of Likability by Michelle Tillis Lederman

7. No quantity, quality, cost or time results

Without measurable performance or visible achievements is similar to watching an empty home depreciate. How will you show value without showing a $ or %?

8. No competitive mojo

Competitiveness in a job search is part desire, but mostly follow-up from the initial application to receiving the job offer by mail. Otherwise, you’re competing for a tie in the career race.

There are other ways to alienate employers. You can offer suggestions below. To launch a career search campaign without clear goals and objectives compares to a politician campaigning for an office that doesn’t exists.

The question: Is that you?

Filed Under: Job Search, Resume Tagged With: Employers, Job Search, Resume

by Mark Anthony Dyson

4 Ways to Bring The Job Hunt Game to You

You should have several ways to splinter your job hunt. Of course, most of it must be the connection with people. There are many active job search methods a job seeker can use such as the deliberate grind of obtaining informal interviews, incessantly networking, and creatively capturing job leads. There are passive ways to stumble upon job leads non-traditionally in just a few hours a week. I thought of four ways to get leads to come to you, and at times, to your mail box without filling out long applications, and remaining glued to your laptop screen.

1. Try TweetMyJobs. com

After talking with Lauriana Zukowski (@LaurianaZ), co-founder of TweetMyJobs.com via e-mail, I am convinced that job seekers lack urgency to get results. You should be networking, pursuing informational interviews, and create a positive online image with social media in addition to using this site. Read the February 13 article here for why I recommend it wholeheartedly.

2.  Dial up Google Alerts religiously

Most frequent online users own a g-mail account including YOU! Google Alerts can come to your g-mail box daily, and as frequently as you’d like. Play with keywords to get alerts that fit your inquiries.Entering a keyword phrase like “Industrial engineer jobs in Chicago,” alerts will arrive with a combination that uses all four words. An effective job hunt should yield results from unseen resources too! That’s why this is a solid strategy for passive results only.

3. Discover the “Who?” on Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a Twitter client that also can search Twitter for alerts from users promoting open job positions. You can search different position keywords with and without hashtags. It is the same idea as Google Alerts except that you can directly engage the twitter user inquiring more information such as the name of the hiring manager, culture of the workplace, introduction to a key person in the hiring process, and other un-posted information you can leverage for the job hunt.

This is an example of a stream I created in Hootsuite using “federal jobs (without hashtags)” and “#federaljobs.” Below is a useable live stream of related job information from Twitter. Hoosuite allows the user to copy a code to embed on a blog on any subject, especially useful for jobseekers.

What’s cool about the average tweet about jobs from a regular user is unlikely posted on a job board, and possibly the hiring employer. It is hard to say how often it happens, but chances are that fresh leads  appear timely and useful.

4. Follow Twitter users who frequently tweet jobs

There are many twitterers who love to tweet job openings. The two that I see regularly is @anitasantiago (Anita Santiago) and @fleejack (Fields Jackson). I love following them because they care less about recognition, and more about connecting people to opportunities.

Anita is also the curator of the Facebook page The Job Connector, a page that perpetually streams job openings from all over the U.S.

Fields Jackson is the CEO of Racing Towards Diversity Magazine and a diversity thought leader.

You can set up Hootsuite to follow people who are tweeting jobs. If you need some information and tips, I also recommend using YouTern.com’s top 100 list of career professionals to follow on Twitter.If you follow all 100 then you can have a stream of job tips, and openings 24 hours a day.

Did I miss people who tweet leads, or other passive means to find leads? Please let me know by commenting below.

Filed Under: Job, Job Search Tagged With: Job Hunt, Job Search

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I moderated a panel on Wealth Management for executives by Black Enterprise Magazine in October 2023 in Miami.

I was interviewed on Scripps News show, “The Why!” 4/13/2023

I talked with John Tarnoff and Kerry Hannon of “The Second Act” podcast about job searching after 50 in October 2022.

I was on “The Career Confidante” podcast to talk about “boomerang employees” and “job fishing” in June 2022.

Making Job Search a Lifestyle With “Dr. Dawn Graham on Careers,” SiriusXM Ch. 132, Wharton School of Business May 2021

In May 2020, I talked with LinkedIn’s Senior News Editor Andrew Seaman on “#GetHired” Live.”

Beverly Jones, host of the NPR podcast “Jazzed About Work,” invited me back to talk job scams, job search trends, and AI tools in April 2024

WOUB Digital · Episode 183 : Job search expert Mark Dyson says beware of scams, know AI & keep learning

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