Skills Archives - The Voice of Job Seekers

Why Should You Make Confidence Your Essential Skill

Why Should You Make Confidence Your Essential Skill by Mark Anthony Dyson

Confidence makes a presentation powerful. It’s a legitimate job skill. Well, soft skill, but one employers desire. Any presentation for any meeting whether in a large group, or one-on-one, confidence is what employers expect.

If you brag to compensate for the lack of depth in your superficial-frosted-flake-eating-mediocre-career-pursuing-barely-quit-before-I-got-fired 30 second elevator speech, then you have my permission to NOT read the rest of this post. It’s not for you. You are probably too engorged with pride and arrogance to take anything value from this post.

Thanks to the rest of you. At least you’re interested in grasping additional confidence for the next business meeting, networking event, job interview, or meeting your fiancée’s mother for the first time. Congratulations.

Again, if you are self-indulgent in self-serving and self-pumping statements, this post will help you score.

You are probably getting call backs for commission-only sales jobs. Arrogance, ha!

The habits of confident candidates do not include bragging, boasting, or attempting to compensate for the lack of HOT credentials. The impact of your contributions says it all. No need to offer egregious adjectives, or shout lies from the mountain top.

On the contrary, less is more.

Confidence is genuine. Never fake. You can’t do both at the same time.
A confident candidate has completed their due diligence to understand what the position requires. Based on research, questions are prepared to ask tactfully, but directly to the interviewer.
Confident job candidates challenge but gently correct a potential employer who starts to make wrong assumptions solely based on the candidate’s appearance, speech, or looks. “Gently” is different than “abrupt” or “abrasive.”
An accomplished candidate speaks in $ and %, and not just in ! and ?
A hirable candidate has spent time developing his or her presentation skills. Practice and preparation was a part of the strategy.
He or she practices writing and interviewing, and become sharp and ready. Remember point #2?

The solution: Less is more. Focus more about measurements, contributions, and impact.

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

Writing Your Way to a New Job Opportunity With Carla Bass

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I am grateful and honored to have Carla Bass, retired Air Force Colonel, now writer, author, and speaker, on the show. We’ll talk some about her book, “Write To Influence!” We’ll also talk about how writing can change and advance your career, as she did with thousands while in the service.

For today’s episode, I had several discussions with some who were speakers and attendees at the CTL conference. The conversations include Kris McGuigan, Ken Diamond, Michele McCann Kelley, and Caroline Francis. All are career professionals helping job seekers to advance their careers.

Listen and see what I’m talking about and get in on the conversation.

You can also text me at 708 365 9822

You can email me at [email protected] if you need help.

You can tell me if you love or hate what you’ve heard on the Speakpipe button at the blog.

At this time of year and point of the show, I usually tell you there’s one more show left which I’ll publish on May 10 until September. I am looking at some of the challenges of today’s job search, and although the number says low, many of you are out of work. I decided it may help if I didn’t ghost you for three months.

What if I published one or two episodes each month of the summer? Would that help?

Let me know what you think?

More about Carla:

Colonel Carla Bass has taught audiences how to write clear, concise, and compelling text for more than 20 years. Students of her workshops have won grants, jobs, and competitive awards. She shares how to write stand-out effective resumes to help you advance your career in her book.

Enjoy the interview!

Epilogue

I will periodically release shows through the summer—a minimum of three. You will get hour-long episodes of job search advice, conversations, tips, and special guests. I plan to include excerpts or full episodes of my live stream shows “The Modern Job Search Checklist” or “JobSeekerNation.” I will replay some guest appearances from other shows.

So enjoy the rest of the show, and I’ll talk to you soon.

I hope you enjoy what’s coming.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

How Good Writing Skills Can Build Your Brand with the Grammar Goddess

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Employers want employees and new hires to good writing skills. If you find writing a challenge, this is a good show for you. Susan Rooks, the Grammar Goddess is back to revisit the value of good business writing.

I also mention it’s National Punctuation Day and what better way and reason to celebrate it.

How important is good writing to you?Let’s discuss! You can do this in 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]

NEED A HOLIDAY JOB?

In the first segment of the show, Victoria Crispo offers some holiday job search advice. She is a Career Development Expert, Manager of College and Professional Outreach at Idealist.org. I first met her as she was the Content Manager at IdealistCareers.org. IdealistCareers.org is a not only a nonprofit job board but also has good content for your job search.

More about the Grammar Goddess

Susan Rooks is the Grammar Goddess and can be found at the GrammarGoddess.com. She is a copy editor and a corporate educator. Susan traveled the world training audiences on various subjects including business writing.

Here are some highlights from our discussion:

Susan talks about manners in writing in using “please” and “thank you”–not used enough
The misuse of commas–the Oxford comma she says is still essential–Helps guard against misinterpretation
E.g., My heroes are my parents, Superman, and Wonder Woman vs. My heroes are my parents Superman and Wonder Woman
Susan advocates a refresher on grammar usage. It has been since high school most people have taken a class
Most people should stop using colons and semicolons because they are often misused
I reference using Grammar Girl and Strunk and White, “The Elements of Style”
Although Word grammar check helps, it covers only a fraction of grammar usage

Do you need coaching or instruction?

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