Do you remember riding the roller coaster at the fair when you were younger?  The faster, the better.  And if you felt like throwing up when it was all over, you knew you’d gotten your money’s worth.  It just didn’t get any better than that, right? 

The ride usually began with a slow, bumpy, upward crawl at a 90 degree angle (I called it the “death march”).  You didn’t question whether the rickety wooden planks would keep your car on the tracks.  You just kept waiting for the inevitable sudden drop in altitude.  And then you felt it.  The plunge left your heart and stomach at the top of the loop while your body pitched forward.  As a symbol of your bravery you raised your arms in the air and celebrated being alive.  The twists, the turns, the spirals, the ups, the downs. 

Half the time you wondered if you were going to die, and the rest of the time you believed you were going to die! 

Your emotions during this job-search transition are going to feel the same way.  You should expect to experience anger, shock, disappointment, resentment, and acceptance.  It is normal to go through “the blues,” depression, high energy, low energy, and anxiety.  So what do you do about these ups and downs?  You move up and down!  And eventually you find the way that works for you to regain some of your equilibrium. 

A word of advice?  Deal with your emotions.  Stuffing them won’t get you anywhere.  Ignoring them will either a) make you physically sick with stress-related illnesses, or b) cause you to “lose it” at the wrong time with the wrong person (like during an interview).  Your responsibility is to identify what’s going on in your head and your heart, and figure out how to move to a better place.

You may have lost control of your employment when they decided to eliminate your position or send it overseas.  But you have not lost control of how you choose to respond to your situation. 

Emotions are part of being human.  Talk to someone about your ups and downs.  Believe me.  People will admire you for your courage in naming the elephant on the table, and they will ask how they can help get that elephant out of the living room.

For most job seekers, the numbers just don’t make sense.

The ratio of resumes sent to interviews received looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa…just before it hits the ground.

The bad news?  This is typical.

The good news?  This is typical.

So what do you do?  You focus on what you can control: your emotions and your strategy.

First things first.  Remember that you choose how you think about your situation.  Your thinking influences your emotions; your emotions influence your behavior.  So it all starts in your head.

Here are three suggestions for keeping your mind in the game when the rules don’t seem fair:

1. Focus on your activities, not their responses.  Set your weekly goals for networking contacts, follow-ups, research activities, informational interviews, etc.  Remember that the more people you have a strategic conversation with, the closer you get to your next job.

 2. Fill your mind with positive thinking.  This works.  If you choose to focus on your discouragement, the hurt, and your frustration, your energy will decrease, you won’t be sharp in conversations or when writing cover letters, and you will find yourself getting lazy.  (These do not contribute to finding a job!)  Read good books, pray, meditate, create affirmations that keep your thinking focused, etc. 

 3. Give yourself one more hour to sit in your pain, and then move on.  Sixty minutes.  No more.  Make the choice.  Identify your hurts and frustrations—vent with a trusted friend, make a list in a notebook, and then discard of the thinking/emotions that are holding you back.  Start over.

The Wall Street Journal has been following out-of-work professionals as they move through their transition.  You may see yourself in the posting by John Brownrigg—he found a job after 16 months of unemployment.

It’s been several years since James Allen wrote As a Man Thinketh.  This classic best-seller reminds us of the influence our thinking has on our reality.  Millions of readers have found value in this short book’s message; I suggest adding it to your library.

In Part 2, we’ll compare your job search to The Wild Thing at the local amusement park.  And then we’ll take a closer look at a few things you can do to keep control of your strategy.

It’s early February. 

Forty days ago you were ready to hit the ground running.  Your next job was just round the corner.  You were refreshed, re-energized, and making things happen.  It was a new year, a new you, with a new job in sight.  Nothing was holding you back.

Now you’re wondering what happened to your enthusiasm and commitment.  The rejection letters are still coming.  No interviews on the calendar.  And even your dog is tired of having you around the house.

Here are three things you can do today to re-engage in this job of finding a job.

1)      Do an honest evaluation of how you spent your time the last two weeks.  Re-create your schedule.  Were you really talking to people?  Or were you getting ready to talk to people?  If you were your boss, would you give yourself a bonus for extra effort or would you be contemplating your demotion.

2)      Take another look at your resume.  Better yet, ask an expert to take a look at it.  Your eyes probably glaze over every time you see it—you’ve looked at it so much, and have worked so hard on it.  Is it marketing you?  Is it identifying your strengths—selling your accomplishments?  Do you stand out?

3)      Create an aggressive job search strategy for the next two weeks.  Kick it up a notch.  YOU own your job search. 

Focus on Job Opportunities.  Revisit your target market list.  Don’t have one?  Create one.  Follow-up on resumes…professionally.  Practice interviewing.

Develop professionally.  Read your industry’s latest trade journal—or even your local paper.  Find something interesting and make a note of it.  Take the computer classes that will help you get that next job.

Network.  Double the number of people you’re talking with/meeting with every day.  Step away from the computer and get visible.  Attend meetings.  Be the person who connects others.  Help someone else.

Go fishing.  Schedule time to breathe.  Block out time for an activity you enjoy that will re-energize you.

Click here for a Weekly Plan for Success template that will help you focus on the activities that get you closer to a job.

When you’re in a rut, step back and review what you’re doing.  Then do something different.

Success in business depends greatly on your ability to connect with people.  Whether you are looking for a job or you are building business relationships, you want to be able to tell people who you are and what you do (or what you are looking for).

This is where the “elevator speech” becomes part of the conversation.

You’ve been told of its importance, and you’ve been sold on its benefits.  Good.  How about rethinking how you use that elevator speech?

Amy Lindgren is one of my favorite career strategists.  Her article in our local St. Paul Pioneer Press newspaper last Sunday shed some good light on how to more effectively use this tool.

Two take-aways from her article:

1)      The relationship comes first.  Don’t use your introduction as a platform presentation.  Get to know the other person and share your story as part of developing a new relationship.

2)      Memorizing your elevator speech makes it sound…memorized.  Know the points you want to make and wind them into your conversation.  Use your introduction to guide the conversation.

I’d encourage you to read Amy’s article. (She also had excellent suggestions on the use of emails during your job search.) 

Your networking should be all about building and nurturing relationships.  Always ask: what can I do for you to move your career or business forward?

Businesses are built on relationships.  Not elevator speeches.

I have been listening to Jim Rohn this week as I drive between appointments.  His program called “The Power of Ambition” includes a CD on self-discipline.  I’ve listened to it twice in just as many days.  What wisdom.  (If you aren’t familiar with Jim Rohn, please take a few minutes to learn more about him.  Although his time on earth recently ended, he leaves us with a rich legacy of business philosophy that can change your life.)

“Disciplined” is not the first word I use to describe myself.  But it is becoming clearer and clearer to me that the habits I create from being disciplined determine my progress in reaching my goals.

If I consistently make the decision to eat healthier food and exercise more regularly—and then act on that decision—I will be healthier and more fit.

If I consistently make the decision to think before I speak—and then act on that decision—my words will be more gracious.

If I consistently make the decision to set daily goals—and then act on that decision—I will get closer to achieving those goals.

Mr. Rohn describes consistent self discipline as “applying what you know.”  “Procrastination says, ‘Get it done.’ Discipline says, ‘Do it now.’”

Apply these thoughts to your goals or your job search.

What disciplines have you incorporated into your daily routine?  Are you just moving through busy activities, spending too much time in front of the online job postings or worrying about your unemployment?  Or are you creating your job search plan and then executing your plan by applying what you know you should do?

What’s one thing you can do today that will move you closer to your goal?  Do it now.

What is it about the job interview that creates the cotton mouth experience and kicks our sweat glands into working overtime?

Since there are very few job searches that skip the all-important interview, it’s best to plan, prepare, and practice for this critical question and answer session.

Here are ten tips for acing your interview:

 1.      Identify your accomplishments.  Focus on results.  The interviewer doesn’t need to know about your job description–she needs to know what you accomplished in those responsibilities.

2.      Focus on the organization’s needs.  Make the conversation about them, and how you can solve their problems.  This isn’t about the fact that the commute would be easy for you.

3.      Tell your stories.  Give examples of how you did your work.  Use the PAR model: what was the Problem?  the Action you took? and the Results.

4.      Do your homework.  Learn about the organization.  Has it been in the news lately?  Reorganization?  New leadership?  New products?  Research it.  Do your own SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) as you prepare so you sound knowledgeable and prepared.

5.      Breathe.  When you get nervous, it’s easy to forgot to breathe!  If your hands start sweating more than usual and things are starting to swirl around you, just take a deep breath.  Relax your shoulders.  Refocus on the question.

6.      Listen carefully.  Make sure you understand the questions.  Ask for clarification if you don’t.  Listen for the opportunity to share an example of your work that tells them you can do what they need done.

7.      Make the connection between their needs and your skills.  This is all about them.  They have a need–you can meet that need.  Make it easy for the interviewer to see how you can be the solution to their problems. 

8.      Practice, practice, practice.  Always.

9.      Know yourself.  The questions are about you and your experience, and nobody knows you better than you!  Your preparation and practice will help you remember all the skills and experience you have to offer.

10.    Be yourself.  The interviewer wants to make a connection with you.  Let your professional personality come through.  Smile, laugh, engage.

An interview is a lot like Show and Tell in grade school. 

As a child you are excited to share how you got your hamster named Freddie back in the cage after the door was left open, or what happened when your little sister got sick at the dinner table the night before, or you proudly present the clay cup you made at summer camp.

You are showing and telling about things important to you.  The same thing should happen during an interview.

Your portfolio of accomplishments, discussed in the last post, provides examples of your work.  Instead of the clay cup you made at summer camp, you’re showing samples of your writing or designs you created.

And the interview is all about telling, right?  Hiring managers want to know that you’ve done the work they need done, and that you did it well. Their questions focus on that.  So tell them about your work successes.

Here’s a great model to use to describe your experiences:  PAR.

Problem.  What was the problem you faced?  You don’t need to provide all the details, just share enough to provide a context for the action you took to fix/finish/improve/etc. an issue.

Action.  What action did you take?  Be specific about what you did and what you said.  Use “I” when describing your action.

Result.  What happened after you took action?  What was better?  How were things different?

No one else at the interview will be singing your praises.  It’s up to you to tell them you can do the job they’re hiring for. 

Show and tell. 

You’ve gotten the interview.   And you’re ready for the big game.  First base: you are clear on your strengths.  Second base: you’ve done your research and are making the connection between the organization’s needs and your experience and expertise.  Third base: you are speaking clearly and articulately.    

Do you want to make this a home run?

Give the interviewer something to remember you by.  Something that says “This is what I’ve done, and I have done it well.” 

Your portfolio of accomplishments.

This portfolio can be as simple as a two-pocket folder.  Or you can create a more elaborate presentation—a binder with sheet protectors divided into sections.

The content of the portfolio is what’s most important.

Include documents that sell you and your successful experience: your resume, letters of commendation, an annotated list of successful projects, certificates of appreciation, relevant performance reviews, samples of your work, spreadsheets of analysis you’ve completed, etc.

The purpose of the portfolio?  It provides evidence that you’ve done the work you’ve described in your interview.  It’s an easy-to-follow visual of your accomplishments.  Leave your portfolio with the hiring manager at the end of your interview. 

You’re in the game to win.  And you want to be memorable.

Show them you’ve got what it takes to get the job done.  A homerun is a reason to celebrate.  Whether you win or not (get the job or not), you know you did your very best.  Don’t settle for a base hit.

It’s a new year with new goals.  And for many, that includes a renewed commitment to finding a job, changing jobs, or getting promoted.  But with a tight job market and a crowded corporate ladder, how can you stand out and get noticed to successfully meet that goal?

You will make your job search easier when you are intentional about marketing your skills and experience.  Rather than simply hoping your resume gets read, identify what proactive steps will ensure that you and your accomplishments capture the hiring manager’s attention.

Here are three key tactics that will get the hiring manager wanting to know more:

Create your portfolio of accomplishments.  Pull together your material that says “Here’s what I’ve done, and I have done it well.”  It could include your resume, writing samples, customer commendations, letters of appreciation, an annotated list of key projects or presentations, etc.  Place them in a folder and bring them to the interview.  Leave it with the hiring manager as a reminder of who you are and what you’ve accomplished.

Prepare your stories.  Past performance is the best predictor of future performance.  Be ready to tell the hiring manager about specific examples (stories) of how you have done your work.  Tell them how you resolved a customer complaint, describe how you initiated a difficult conversation with a coworker, explain how you reduced costs.  Each story markets your experience.  It says you know how to do what they need done.

Stay visible.  Networking should always remain a priority.  Participate in association meetings, business round tables, conversations with industry colleagues, etc.  Make it a point to stay current and engaged in your field.  You want to be the person that comes to mind when an opening is created.

We’ll discuss these in a little more detail in the next few postings. 

Don’t wait for someone to find you.  Make yourself known.

Chris Heeter is one of my favorite poets.  Her writings have deepened my appreciation for nature, animals, and the human spirit.

As we move through these last days of December, I share one of her poems, with her permission.

A Solstice blessing…

Less than a week

the light will slowly lengthen.

The temptation, to count the days.

To hold our breath

until daylight stretches

into evening and early morning

forcing back the darkness.

What a relief it will be

these light-starved bodies

to see again

no longer fumbling in darkness.

Still,

somewhere deep inside

past resistance and reason

you know this darkness, too, is your home.

A place you were taught to hurry through

lest you be swallowed by the whale of darkness

never to be seen again.

Your soul knows better.

Your soul knows night is the place of dreams.

Far beyond what seeing eyes call horizon

night eyes know no such boundary.

So on these long nights of winter solstice

may you find your wildest dreams

walking companionably alongside you.

Having waited for you all this time

to turn toward darkness

and find not fear, but peace and courage

and wild abandon toward a life you hadn’t dared live.