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

The Great Job Search Will Fail Forward

 

The great job search will fail forward. Tomorrow will bring good results after trails, snags, and failures, and that is good. People who are conducting using a wide range of resources, people, and opportunities are not afraid to fail and benefit. Those who are conducting job searches using easy methods fail with no benefits. It’s that simple.

There are “NO” short cuts!
Resilient and steadfast people understand that “no” is part of the road to hearing yes. Job seekers must withstand rejection, smile, and be ready to do it again in an hour. Job seekers will hear “no” several times a day, even during the holidays. They must be ready to endure and work around many obstacles. It is part of the process.

Disappointment such as follow-up calls and email from job seekers asking about their application, resume, or voice mail will hear “no” repeatedly. A persistent job seeker filters through “No!” The same attitude MUST wade through the waters of no replies, unanswered inquiries, and vague answers from administrative assistants. This what makes the job search process scary and daunting–the risk of reject is frequent and unpredictable.

The rejections will lead to “YES,” eventually.
Many of us hate the follow-up call for anything. This is a habit of successful people who are in sales, and who are executives. They become skilled negotiators and influence many because they have entertained “no” constantly throughout their careers. The fruit of rejection is not always a corrupt tree. Think of it as a tree of good fruit as bad fruit will always drop to the ground.

    • Look at the resume one more time for an error.
    • Think about your answer to the hard questions one more time.
    • Stop obsessing over rejection. Start using it to perfect the delivery of goods that only you possess.

 

Success is the fruit of failure.

    The only way to appreciate winning is losing. It is a seemingly long process that most of us go through, and find it difficult to sustain an optimistic attitude. We work on shortcomings and eventually, all of the failures make sense. People who have trouble getting on the road to success through filtering rejection have certain characteristics:

  • People who have little patience to wait, or little tolerance for rejection fail often. They are afraid to try, and fear being told “no.”
  • People who do not see failure as part of the design for survival. Some very talented, underemployed yet to be job seekers are wasting their talent because they avoid rejection.
  • The fear of success overcomes many of the responsibility of helping others.
    I thought I would include Denzel Washington’s University of Pennsylvania speech to reiterate the ideal of “failing forward.” Hope you enjoy it.

Do you fit into one of these categories? Do you hate hearing “no” or any form of rejection? Do you fear success? Let me know what part of the job seeking process scares you.

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.

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

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Your Spouse Can Help With The Holiday Job Search

Your Spouse Can Help With The Holiday Job Search

Your Spouse Can Help With The Holiday Job Search

Do you and your spouse attend holiday gatherings held by one another’s friends and families? No? Please, reconsider. This year, see it as an  job networking opportunity, and not a waste of time. It is not a time to beg for contacts or a job. Don’t use this time to survey. It is a time to become  familiar with a readily available contact pool.

No expectations other than having some productive conversations. Here are my suggestions for having subtle but significant social conversations.

It’s 80-90% about them

People  love talking about themselves and their successes (notice I did not say problems). Ask him or her how did they reach this part of their success? Ask them questions related to their training and responsibilities. What makes them tick? Be sure to learn first and last names, and ease up on Mr. Walker, please.

The other 10-20% is barely about you

Again, begging and pleading is a turn-off. However, helping has value that keeps giving beyond the holidays. Yes, see if there are ways to help during a party! Less is more, and when done with caution, you can dictate the terms of engagement. (Hint: If I feel welcomed by the host, and gotten to know them well enough, I volunteer to help with…garbage. Proceed with caution.) Ultimately, you can ask for more information away from the gathering preferably after the holiday.

Your spouse can go to bat for you

If you hit it off with your spouse’s co-worker, then he or she can relieve you of the grunt work. It doesn’t matter if the person will refer you to a different company or the same, co-workers unless adversaries will talk. Talk with your spouse before the party to help him or her understand that you are partying with a purpose. If your spouse is uncomfortable with that, DON’T do it!

These same rules apply to family and other social gatherings. As long as you don’t come across desperate, you can find untapped resources from the people you party with during the holidays. If you are successful in finding someone generous enough to give you names, numbers, and more still follow-up sooner than later by thanking them. A phone call is appropriate, but sending them a thank you gift is too friendly. Remember, subtlety.

I should mention that the holidays are opportunities waiting to happen. It’s slower, and call Human Resources may not be the egg hunt that occurs during non-holidays, particularly after January 1. So use the slow period to your advantage, it is the best time to network.

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.

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Filed Under: Holiday, Job Search, Networking Tagged With: holiday, Job, Job Search, Networking

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Be Thankful For What You Got (It May Get You Hired)

Be Thankful For What You Got (It May Get You Hired)

Be Thankful For What You Got (It May Get You Hired)

Though you may not drive a great big Cadillac
Gangsta whitewalls, TV antennas in the back
You may not have a car at all
But remember brothers and sisters
You can still stand tall
Just be thankful for what you got.
Diamond in the back, sunroof top
Diggin’ the scene with a gangsta lean

—William DeVaughn, “Be Thankful”

Gratitude is the heart of any season, but rarely is it at the heart of adverse situations, especially to get hired.  Whether unemployed or underemployed, one finds perspective in gratitude, and thus, a positive place for peace of mind.

The above song was a massive hit in my early teen years, in the early ‘70’s. The message is clear, instead of succumbing to envy with what you don’t have, appreciate what you do have. The complete version of the song is around 7 minutes long, and yet, the message is so effortless.

Be Thankful.

As teens, my friends and I focused on the gangsta (then it was “gangster”) white walls, the television in the car (anyone with a Cadillac with a T.V. in the back of your car, you have it made).  Having things is not a sign of success anymore. What defines success for you?

Be thankful, for what YOU got.

As I think about it, the value of the message was not having the Cadillac at all. Just be thankful for what you got. Yes, be content in every possible circumstance.

Then there is the line in the song that is the essence of the message to me that I didn’t get when I was younger:

…you can still stand tall.

It’s hard to stand tall when you are shallow. Small meaning what you don’t have in your possession. Anxiousness derives from focusing on the thing you don’t have. The lesson is to appreciate what is in your hands whether it’s family, talent, or opportunity. Remember that it is not just a holiday obligation, but a year round responsibility.

Sincere gratitude is the overflow of the heart. When you can’t help prioritize the expression of gratitude, people love it. Approach people you come in contact with thankfulness.

No telling that this new attitude may help you stand out among many candidates.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

 

image credit

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.

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Filed Under: Job Tagged With: Hiring, Job

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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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