Mark Anthony Dyson, Author at The Voice of Job Seekers

3 Elements to Increase Your Usefulness During Your Job Search

Your job search efforts will struggle if you lack conviction. When you don’t have your reasons and a purpose for your job search, you can wander aimlessly for years. At times, you can even find jobs you later regret taking because of your lack of reasoning. It’s a dark place to be, and hard to find your way out without help, goals, and some form of empowerment.

These elements are also scary because of the commitment required to achieve and thrive in these areas. You may not feel the need to deepen your job search to include these things, but these are tools to help you reach your goals:

Mentorship during your job search

I don’t think we’re too old to have people whose career advice is at least a second pair of eyes. Objectivity is hard while assessing our career moves. Spouses and significant others sometimes can be great sounding boards, but unless they are further along in our career spaces may not be a career asset. It depends on where we are in our careers and our goals.

The New (But not So New) Job Search

Who we choose as a mentor is important because of the need of sound but objective judgment.

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Their choices should tell you whether or not he or she is a good mentor for you. You can check LinkedIn to see if coworkers or clients recommend them. Mostly if his or her career is in constant forward motion is a good indicator.

Mastery during your job search

People who are masterful in his or her career were trained by someone else who expects perfect from themselves. Being good or almost isn’t good enough! Rigorous work on your craft yields results, but loving the work is a sweet spot you’ll never regret.

9 Ways to Keep Up Your Holiday Job Search – The Voice of Job Seekers

There is something about intelligence gathering and masterful implementation over time.

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It attracts the attention of others who have done it, who will offer help!

Momentum to energize your job search

Opportunities appear in strings at times and need a proper perspective. It is easy to interpret momentary success as the “ticket.” If you have done the right things, momentum can quickly turn into tangible progress. A string of referrals and interviews are good signs of progress. If it doesn’t go past the first meeting, then re-evaluate your progress.

At any age or level of success, seek mentorship, mastery, and momentum fearlessly and incessantly. These three elements are critical to your growth as there as distractions and obstructions attempting to derail your focus and eventually your success.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Your Job Search Letters with Wendy Enelow

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Modernize Your Job Search Letters, Get Noticed…Get Hired is a compilation of sample job search documents. I have a copy of my own and knew this was a must-have resource. Wendy Enelow (my guest this week), and co-founder Louis Kursmark published this book with 60 other presenters. Letter samples in the book such as Cover letters and e-notes, recruiter letters, networking letters, thank-you letters inspire creativity and sound strategy to reach employers and recruiters.

How important are these documents to your career?

Let’s talk about it. I would love your feedback in one of three ways:

Call and leave a voicemail at 708-365-9822, or text your comments to the same number
Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com, press the “Send Voicemail” button on the right side of your screen and leave a message
Send email feedback to [email protected]

Wendy Enelow is the founder and Co-President of Emerald Career Publishing, and also one of few Master Resume Writers in the world. Her company publishes resources for job seekers and help career professionals who advise them.

Here are a few of the highlights of our discussion:

The usefulness of the book and the importance of the sample documents
Wendy advises to send highly customized letters and use the book as a guide
The relevance of cover letters and should be distinct from e-notes
Letters are essential to selling yourself and use it to market yourself
Wendy recommends e-notes rather than traditional letters because of its intended brevity and to the point highlights

Need help with your career goals, directions, or efforts? Do you need coaching or instruction? I am here for it! If you’re in Chicago, you might be interested in an upcoming event on February 12. If you want to join me, send me a note at [email protected] or call 708-365-9822 for more information.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Bring Clarity Not Confusion to the Job Interview

There is so much to say to remind you about interview strategy, and I would go mad in thinking of all of the ways.

Since I have had some feedback from people who follow me and client questions, I will give it to you straight. You’ll think of more issues and solutions, but this was on my mind, and I wanted to be sure you get it.

11 Characteristics of a True Professional

Five ways you bring confusion:

– Lacking enthusiasm for the interview opportunity. All of the non-verbal signs were there when you came to the interview. You were a little late and unapologetic, and your handshake said, “Do I have to?” There was no light in your eyes or anything saying you are ready or interested in anything the interviewer said.

– Long-winded answers. You didn’t prepare or practice, so you were compensating for a little discipline. Often your responses didn’t respond to the question the first time. The first 10 minutes decided your fate, and the rest is purely entertainment and a story to tell of how badly people interview.

– How did you contribute again? It is clear the team was successful, but after 20 minutes it’s unclear how you contributed. There are so many times you should form your mouth to say you “assisted-with…” This phrase comes across as, “I wasn’t entrusted with much responsibility.”

– You don’t answer questions directly the first time. Nothing frustrates a hiring manager more than asking about an issue more than once.

If you need clarification, then say so, but when you’re listening skills are not sharp, it appears you don’t care.

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– You didn’t ask any questions. Usually, the interviewer asks at the end if you have questions. Not having questions at the end is a deal breaker in most instances. Your interest in the interview is defined of how much you inquire and the attitude you exude throughout.

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Seven Ways to Bring Clarity:

Careful but candid. It is easy to think too much about any disqualifying comments, but you shouldn’t hold back about your role in the team environment, and your individual accomplishments.

You must be cautious about how you share stories of your interactions with former coworkers and bosses.

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Lively Conversation. An engaging dialogue will help you be memorable. Your interviews are conversational, aren’t they? If not, this is where practice will make perfect.

Adjustments. The tone of the conversation will change test your ability to use common sense or good judgment. The interviewer needs evidence of how you handle pressure and if you can think on your feet.

Realistic. Can you provide real-life stories of your challenges? Are your accomplishments tangible and realistic? Good interviewers know when someone is trying to “fake it until he/she makes it!”

Ideal. Are you likable? Employers want the person that fits their profile. Your ideas and plans along with their qualifications and expectations create a mutually satisfactory situation.

Tenacity. All of the follow-up post interview tasks include the “thank-you” letter, the follow-up call, the additional questions (if necessary), thank the person who referred you, and other things confirm all of who you are. You’re not done with the process until your employment probation is over, even once you receive the offer letter.

Yes. Once there is an agreement of employment terms, then you are ready to start your new job. Remember, after a few months you become the del facto “brand ambassador.”