Mark Anthony Dyson, Author at The Voice of Job Seekers

8 Small Needle Movers For Your Job Search

September and October are wearing you out mentally and somewhat physically. Let’s face it. There are more challenges in our lives. As a whole, we’re evaluating the worth of each part of our lives. I know I am seeing members of my family make moves and changes for the better. My oldest son is finished with his MBA and will start nursing school in January. My wife is retiring in two weeks after 31 years as a nutritionist.

I know others who are facing career changes they’re dreading. They see cracks and crevices in their industry because of COVID-19, social changes, and some changes that were desperately needed remain dormant. If you’re looking to making changes to your career, this is the time to do it.

Jack Kelly, founder and CEO of WeRecruitr.io, and I have created and produced a weekly LinkedIn live stream where we discuss unemployment news, translate what it may mean to job seekers, and offer actionable and practical advice. In our latest show, we recognize factors indicating the 7.9% unemployment rate may not be accurate:

There are reports of unemployed workers unable to certify for unemployment because of the overload of callers who are in the process.

Layoffs are imminent from Disneyland, American Airlines, and United Airlines in the tens of thousands.

JCPenney’s are among the large stores that struggled way before the pandemic. It is just a matter of time they close a possible 149 stores as reported this past September.

Although things will get more challenging as more layoffs occur, this may be the best time to make a career change:

☕Personally connect with active recruiters, Human Resources professionals, and employers who continuously post leads and offer sound advice. They are sharing what they like to see out of candidates and new hires. Pay attention as you hear it from the horses’ mouth.

☕Find and join active private Facebook and LinkedIn groups to connect with industry professionals and like-minded users. Larger isn’t necessarily better, so look to see which ones are the most engaging and build relationships within them.

☕Ask your network for their headhunter contacts (ones who are not working for companies) and offer an introduction to yours. If someone used a headhunter to find their latest job, that relationship is likely prioritized. Similarly, make introductions to your headhunter and know they will appreciate you making their job easier.

☕Raise your LinkedIn profile by looking for ways to add value. The little contributions matter as everyone loves a valuable comment to their update. But sharing someone else’s update and why it’s universally useful to your network is a powerful connection.

☕A separate website from your social profile is great. If you have original ideas, you can expand. However, I’ve been writing about it for the last nine years to differentiate yourself from others in your field.

☕Allow your knowledge and expertise to be challenged in a live stream on any platform through a Q & A format. You deliver value in real-time to people’s real-time issues. It’s a powerful relationship-building tool, as well as your ability to provide solutions others find immediately useful. Even a Twitter chat delivers real-time communication and allows advice to gain trust in your direction and knowledge.

☕Clichés are empty calories for your job search, accomplishments, and career history. Cut them from your profiles and resume NOW. Just like chips, crackers, pretzels, and candy, they provide satiety for a short time but don’t add value to anywhere else on the body of your good work.

☕Choose to chase meaningful and gratifying opportunities instead of money. We can argue whether 10% increases in pay substitutes for a toxic work environment, but after a steady period of value-adds to an employer will cash-out (if you’re intentional in negotiating compensation). Chasing money often results in paying the price, and it’s usually costly to those they love.

There are more little things you can do this year to continue functioning in job search role, but if you’re goal is a new job in six months, don’t wait until month five. Start now, as you want to choose your opportunities while thriving. Just as people make the best food choices when they’re full and satisfying, you’ll make better career choices if while you’re working.

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

The Black Professional Job Search Experience and Why it’s Different

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It is well documented Black names and culture are differentiating factors before the initial resume vetting process companies conduct is completed. More companies and organizations are focusing on diversifying their workforce. In today’s conversation with Jennifer Tardy, we are dissecting what black professionals may have experienced in their job search and how they could best navigate it.

You are more than welcome to join the discussion. Here are three ways you can:

– 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]

Those on the mailing list are offered the chance to participate in the Job Lab. If you want to join us on October 24, the last Job Lab for the year, sign up at the blog.

Show flow:

421 Modern Job Search Tips for 2021 (sign up on the blog)

Reminders of the shows I have on LinkedIn (follow my page)

My YouTube channel

About Jennifer Tardy:

Jennifer is a former full-time recruiter, a career coach, and a diversity recruiter trainer. She spends half of her time with one-on-one career coaching and the other half with companies that want her to train on diversity recruiting.

Discussion highlights:

Job seekers shouldn’t be concerned about their ethnicity being revealed on their resume.
Jennifer says, “Don’t be concerned, be strategic. Being strategic with anything you reveal in your resume goes beyond race and ethnicity. Every single thing you list in your resume should confirm that you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the job.”
Jennifer says she loves to wear bright colored earrings but will refrain from doing so in an interview because that could be distracting. She wants the interviewer to be focused on her words, not the brightly colored earrings. I have worn colorful color ties with a dark-colored suit. It’s OK to bring yourself to work if it’s not a distraction from your work.
Ask questions of the employer to find out how they are creating safe spaces for their Black employees to produce, learn, and grow. If you’re asked a biased question or a question that most would deem offensive, it is best to assume positive intent.
Jennifer says when her client makes a comment that is inappropriate or asks an inappropriate question, she remains in control by “meeting people where they are by assuming positive intent. “This allows me to put emotion aside and look to call people in as opposed to calling them out.”

I am updating my free e-book entitled, “421 Modern Job Search Tips for 2021.” I plan to release it to my email list on October 30, before everyone else will be alerted on November 13. Want it early? Go to the blog to sign up.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

20 Ways Moms Save Time, Job Search, and Handle Back-To-School Activities

This special guest post was written by Nicole McCray.

Job searching can take time, and for moms with children (especially young children), you know that your kids’ needs always come first. Getting back into the job market can be challenging, and finding the time to do so is more of a challenge now, especially with so many children doing their schoolwork at home virtually.

Juggling administering school at home for your children while simultaneously looking for jobs can be done, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are twenty excellent ways to find the time to search for your next position and jumpstart your career while making sure your child is engaged and learning and developing, instead of just watching TV or a movie when not doing schoolwork.

CREATE A SET SCHEDULE

Kids need routine, that’s the bottom line. So the first thing you should do is create a workable schedule for yourself and them so that they have designated slots of time where they are not asking you for constant help.

To take this a step further – create an actual vision board or put a large dry erase or chalkboard up somewhere in the house that outlines their day. Make sure their prioritized schoolwork and you can be available to help with their homework for a specific time later in the day as well.

You can easily pre-plan the night before if you can set aside some time after kids are in bed, and align your day with their activities so that you can fit in your job search time during their craft time, or quiet time, or whatever time you deem fit to keep them occupied. It may take you some time to develop as you get started, but soon you’ll be able to get a good routine set up.

The most important part of setting the schedule is to schedule yourself with time WITH them and without them. This way, your child won’t be a bother when they have something to do with you that they can look forward to doing.

STORYTIME

Children, mostly from Kindergarten age and older, should always be practicing reading. It’s good academically for their minds, and creatively for their imaginations. Have them spend at least one full hour of quiet time reading either in their rooms or outside so that you can utilize that time for your job searching.

GOOGLE SLIDESHOW

Free and fun – this is a great way for your children to put their minds to work. They can pull together some photos in Google slides, maybe from a vacation or a fun trip. You can even have them create one of having to stay at home during the pandemic, allowing them to make the real-life story to tell family and friends.

OUTSIDE IS FOR SCIENCE

Do you remember capturing caterpillars and watching them make their cocoons and then turn into butterflies? Well, this is a project for your little scientist. You can start your butterfly garden and let your children chart the development of the caterpillar. You can schedule in so that they spend some time researching, watching, and making updates to the chart as the caterpillar grows.

MATH AROUND THE HOUSE

Math can be fun for kids when they learn how to use mathematical tools like a ruler, calculator, or start working in the kitchen with measuring cups and spoons. They can easily do simple tasks that will take them some time, like measure how long the table is compared to each chair, or measure out the ingredients that you will need to make cookies together after completing your job search.

SCAVENGER HUNTS

Although prep time is needed, this can be an enjoyable activity inside or outside that will have your kids up and moving around. You can be creative and develop a theme surrounding the hunt that once they collect all of their objects, they can put together to solve the “big puzzle.” It will allow your children to exercise their energy while giving you time.

MUSIC LESSONS

Online courses and lessons have become huge during this pandemic. A great way to gain a scheduled time slot for job hunting is by keeping your kids engaged with online music lessons. While there are endless instructors out there to choose from, the music school Music To Your Home is one example of a program that offers both online lessons or socially distanced in-person lessons in your own home. No matter which lesson type works best for you, enrolling your child in music lessons will give you an excellent set time each week where you know they will be actively learning with a live instructor, allowing you to focus on applications. However, you may want to consider utilizing some noise-canceling headphones!

ARTS & CRAFTS

Like the scavenger hunts, this will require you to do some prepping ahead of time, but setting up washable paints, finger paints, coloring stations, or some creative arts and crafts on a table is going to be a great way to occupy your children.

ORIGAMI

Have your children sit down with colored paper and watch an online tutorial or video on folding computer or notebook papers into birds and making other origami figures.

PUZZLE TIME

Coordinate a set time every day where your children work on a puzzle. Depending on how big the mystery is, they can space it out to working on it all week, or even all month!

ONLINE APPLICATIONS

Even though you may want your child to have less screen time, there are specific applications you can find online that will aid your children’s learning. Apps like ABCMouse, Scholastic, or Udemy have courses and fun games for children that are also learning activities. You can always limit the screen time to just a particular hour or half-hour of the day.

LETTER WRITING

If you have old enough children, have them write some kind letters or make cards for their family and friends. They can include pictures, drawings, or even just some fun stickers to make it a little more creative.

HOUSEHOLD CHORES

Set a certain time every day, maybe in the morning or early afternoon, where your kids work on specific chores. Whether it’s picking up toys and returning them to a bin or getting out some rags and using cleaner to sanitize surfaces, this will engage your children and keep them well occupied while learning useful life skills.

BUILD IT UP

Your child can build things out of legos, blocks, Lincoln Logs, or even bigger things like cardboard boxes. They can have fun making blanket forts or even snow forts when the weather allows.

GO OUTSIDE

Children can help pick the ripe vegetables or fruits from the garden if you have one. Give them baskets and have them go out to do so, or if you don’t have a garden, you can have them pick some flowers or leaves to make something with, or have them start their garden at home.

HAVE THEM CREATE THE PLAN

Children like to come up with ideas on their own, too. So why not have them create the lunch and dinner menu for today? Or maybe they can write down a list of the foods they want to plant in the garden or pick out what groceries are needed.

DEVELOP THEIR OWN GAME

This is great for innovative and imaginative kids. Have them create something on their own to play later, like a quiz game, or make their own board game. It can even be that they write their book if they desire.

ACTIVITY BOOKS

Even though this may have you spending some money, there are tons of educational activity books for children that you can find, either in the store or online, to keep your children engaged.

MAKE DIY TOYS

Where To File Taxes Online For Free – Leave Debt Behind. https://www.leavedebtbehind.com/lifestyle/taxes/where-to-file-taxes-online-for-free/There are multiple resources you can utilize to have your children engage in making something with a purpose, rather than just a drawing. Have them make some dog or cat toys for the local animal shelter or make a simple bird feeder out of a pinecone.

LET THEM CONNECT WITH OTHERS

The hardest thing about the pandemic is that we miss connections and community. Set up a virtual “playdate” with a child’s friend to interact with one another or even multiple friends at a time.

DON’T FORGET TO SET THE TIMER

No matter what the project, activity, or lesson, set a timer for your child to only spend bits of time on certain things. This activity will keep them engaged during their time without getting bored if it gets too long and keeps them structured in their routine and schedule.

Take your notes from teachers – you can have them do a workbook activity for twenty to thirty minutes while you do some job searching. If they can move right to the craft table and work on a specific art project next, you can take a moment, reset the timer, and continue your search!