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

Not All Career Advice is Good For You

Not All Career Advice is Good For You

For any bad career advice given, someone will defend it, and others will claim it worked for them. Then there is the career advice police who will collectively say why you shouldn’t follow that advice. Most career advice is general unless you fit the counselor or adviser’s intended audience or you’ve paid someone for specific advice for you. There isn’t a one fit’s all career advice.

As a career professional who writes and speaks about careers and is often asked for career advice, policing all advice I hear is exhausting. I stay in my lane more often than not. But right now, hundreds of thousands are giving career advice under the guise of a career coach. And much of it isn’t good. But I think there are lots of good. I am willing to focus and celebrate the valuable and practical, no matter who and where it comes from.

Scrutinize all career advice. If you don’t, conflicting advice will get pretty messy. The bottom line is often what you want to do and where you want to do it when it comes to your next job. The lack of clarity becomes a journey for the career professional and the job seekers (or the client). 

Successful job candidates today must understand more than the job they want. Become critical thinkers of how the employer expects success. It would be best if you epitomized what employers want. As I said before, be the prescription to the employers’ job description. 

Most career professionals these days wouldn’t suggest the old-fashioned “Objective” statement on a résumé. Yet, the church that’s been looking for a secretary for six months will hire someone with skills even if they have an “Objective.” Not to mention if the person with the “Objective” is referred by a church who was that person’s former employer. Referrals, in many cases, eclipse errors on résumés.

I’ve suggested job seekers replace the “Objective” with a “Contribution Statement” on a résumé. It’s not just what you bring to the table. It’s the culmination of thoughtfulness, research, and listening to what an employer and recruiters say the problems are. You don’t treat a cold with Ibuprofen, and you shouldn’t apply Neosporin to the skin if someone complains of a stomach ache. It truly takes an examination on the job seeker’s part to understand and communicate they have the skills to solve the problem. It’s up to you, the job seeker, to apply best practices to fit your goals, motives, and career moves.

“Don’t be late” is said to adults as it is to kids, but it is a best practice in all industries. It’s preached from sermons to elementary school. That doesn’t mean someone can’t call to say they will be late. Or if it’s overlooked if someone vouches for you. Some of you will think this is petty advice, and it is petty on all levels. It sounds good, but it may not be suitable for you. 

People in government sectors who’ve had long careers will still give the old, cut-and-paste-the-job-description-into-your-resume trick. And people have gotten interviews and jobs from that strategy. I saw this with my own eyes in a recent conversation. Generally, it doesn’t work well, but someone it did. We can call it an anomaly. But it’s not a good practice being that I’ve heard a thousand other folks who tried and failed at the same strategy. 

My friend Hannah Morgan has said throughout the years to call informational interviews something else. Contextually, she is told to stop going up to people, “Can I conduct an informational interview with you?” She’s right. She has several articles where she makes it clear it needs to be a conversation. I call it informational interviews countless times, and I’ve qualified it by saying it’s a business or informal conversation. Not always, but you get the point. Maybe I should say stop taking career and job-search advice so literally?

Career professionals offer career advice on how they would if they were the job seeker without hearing what they are saying. What they say isn’t always in words, nor is their story a literal translation. Within those stories are feelings, and the words they speak are louder unspoken. The career practitioner has to listen for the unsaid as diligently as they are interpreting what is said. People who need advice are rarely straightforward, specific, and aware in their approach to job search and not always sure what they want.  

Many will argue they don’t have to customize their résumé to each employer. That’s arguable in this instance despite the best practices, but you will need to customize your approach if the companies values and philosophies vary. Everyone prefers a different way to be charmed. You must respect their preferences if you want to be noticed.

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: Career, Career Management Tagged With: Career Advice, career tips

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Most Young Professionals Should Ignore Their Parent’s Career Advice

Most Young Professionals Should Ignore Their Parent’s Career Advice
If your parents haven’t been on the job market in 10-15 years, even if they were jobless during the great recession, you should **mostly** ignore their advice. If they are career practitioners or have intentionally changed jobs two or three times since 2008, then politely thank them for their input. Or maybe it’s their attitude you should ignore, because still, even for someone like me who is a career writer and practitioner at times, it reeks of “old school” stench.
I’m critical of my generation of professionals because we have one bit of advice that stands the test of time—people.
“People make the world go around” to paraphrase the Stylistics. People hire people—all of those clichés.
Many of my generations are giving sprinting advice and not marathon tips. Even worse, they are giving hybrid advice that’s at best outdated that helps only a few.

“Look full-time to get a full-time job.”

It was confirmed at that time when you went door-to-door visiting employers in person, attend cattle calls for jobs, and visit job fairs who actually would have real jobs and hire on site. That would be true if we were looking through the newspaper daily, fax or mail-in resumes, and oh wait, don’t call them because they’re not taking calls.

“You got to sell yourself.”

True. But more often than not, it’s all they got. Ask them how they sell themselves, and they will revert to unemployment training they had from 1999. Have they interviewed in front of a panel of five potential coworkers? How do you handle a panel interview? If they have done so, then they may offer something valuable. Today’s job interviewing is not using your will to get a result. There is a skill requiring research, tact, and respect with a pinch of personality that makes an attractive job candidate and is need more than ever in virtual interviews.

“It’s a numbers game.”

There are too many stories of those who applied to hundreds of jobs without getting an interview and a plethora of reasons why outside of filling out applications. It was true in 2000, but today, not so much.

“All you need is a social presence online.”

Many employers and recruiters use a social profile before initiating contact, and many more vet candidates based on background checks. I cringe at all things, “…all you need is…” It would be best if you were where your industry colleagues find jobs with a robust profile that takes seconds to figure out what you do. People who want to refer your final decisions are based on what you tell them in your profile and compare it to others.

“You need to get out the house.”

Well, we know that’s not true. Yet, some forgot what March 2020 to June 2020 was like.

“Employers will do a credit and background check during references.”

Well, not true. Credit checks are a different story. Credit checks are banned in 10 states and some cities, and the others not so much. It’s good to understand if a state permits credit checks as part of their hiring process, become familiar with what employers are considering.
These are just a few of the many outdated advice parents are giving their young. They probably have gotten it from friends, but if they don’t regularly hire, work as career advisors of some type, or have experience the interview process in the last few years, you should judiciously consider their advice. If you ignore it completely, fine. It’s probably better to hear it all from elsewhere as the resources are plentiful. And you’ll need to vet that too.

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: Career Advice, Job Search, parents

by Mark Anthony Dyson

7 Career Advancing Risks to Take in 2021

https://thevoiceofjobseekers.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/7-Career-Advancing-Risks-to-Take-in-2021.mp4

There are times when you need to take some risks when advancing your career. If you’re not vigilant of your industry, upskilling your skills from familiarity to mastery, or deepening your relationships with connections, you’re behind.

Job search is a part of your regular life in some way to prepare for the worse. As you know, this could happen anytime.

Maybe you’re doing the right things, but your career advancement and job search seem stagnant. Well, I got you. You may need to step out and take a few chances. No, you’re not exactly stepping out on a ledge, but a shake-up helps you to gain traction as much as it exposes your lack of comfort.

Here are a few ideas of risks to help you with taking the next steps in your career:

 

1. Use video to express thought leadership, teach, or recap new learning.

Not only will you capture more eyes on any social network (especially LinkedIn and Instagram), but also for potential business partners and employers to get to know you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a raw or unpolished presentation. Your viewers will be more impressed and riveted your willingness to “put yourself out there.” It also speaks to your courageousness more than anything else. You, too, can have a friend like Miss Fe Marie, who, outside of her Board of Education job, has a YouTube channel with nearly 21,000 subscribers in its five years. She had a video from 2018 with more than 800K views and making the most of the opportunities the exposure is bringing.

2. To start building your next career.

As you know, your journey starts with curiosity and wonder, but often it is the beginning of fulfillment and possibilities. Just having a job to pay the bills is alright for many, but more professionals want to have more options. Gary worked for the government as a forensic account for 32 years, yet his passion was electric. Before retiring, he trained and worked as an electrician and enjoyed working when and how he wants.

3. Start career-advancing collaborations online or offline.

Volunteering is an excellent way to partner with an organization and building on initiatives from the ground up. Since technology is a continually evolving possibility, those adept at learning new technology could leverage non-profit organizations to grow new skills and build partnerships. Most importantly, they can develop a reputation in new technology, process, or an in-demand talent. Collaborations also create a reason to network with people you know who do similar work. In the long-term, these connections can lead you to the right opportunities without scouring the Internet.

 4. Negotiate better compensation

Although negotiation is an expected transaction to start a new job, most professionals don’t research diligently at the beginning of their job search. Even more, don’t strategize to create opportunities in the positions they hold. Money isn’t the only negotiable commodity as compensation. Working remotely also brings you opportunities to get compensated for equipment, software, flexible time, training, insurance, and more.

5. Be more visible for employers to find you.

I would want you to be mindful of what your employer may think without risking your current job. The more you show your value and that you’re valued, it will be the right anecdote to get noticed by employers, recruiters, and referrers. By emphasizing importance through accomplishments and results speaks loudly and attractively to those who desire those results. From posting awards for exceeding qualitative and quantitative benchmarks to showing photos of volunteering time to charitable causes could open more possibilities.

6. Enter competitive skill competitions (not necessarily a contest)

One way to stay on top of industry trends and the skills to remain relevant is to create content around it. Sometimes this means competing in industry contests or at least creating content where essential feedback is offered. It doesn’t have to be an official competition where prizes are provided to be considered competitive. When someone within an industry is recognized for their work, another person will eventually come along and do it better.

7. Becoming well-known

Most people will respond by saying, “I’m not trying to become famous,” when that’s not what I mean. Being well-known can mean you’re creating demand for your work outside your 9-5 job within your industry or local organization. Your visibility at times can make a demand contingent on the scarcity of your skills. It’s not a bad idea to appear on a podcast or two, or a video interview, radio or television news appearing as an expert. Peer-reviewed white papers increase your knowledge and credibility to become a resource for other professionals.

What I’ve discovered is the increase in possibilities as a result of contributions. You’ll likely experience demand for your work the more you are interested in serving or helping your peers. Everybody wants to find a job when they need to in the shortest amount of time. It helps to assure familiar relationships knowing the value you give will eventually provide an open the door to career advancement.

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: Career, Career Management, careers, Job Search Tagged With: career advancement, Career Advice, Careers

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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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