Find Your Dream Job: Insider Tips For Finding Work, Advancing Your Career, And Loving Your Job

A job search can be an emotional rollercoaster. The process of sending out resumes, getting excited about opportunities, prepping for interviews, and waiting for feedback can be stressful. And, if you don’t get the job you want, it can be a painful blow to your ego. This week’s guest expert, Alison Cardy, argues that job search stress stems from a couple basic dynamics: Putting deadlines on things we cannot control. Job seekers have limited influence on the speed of the hiring process, so setting arbitrary expectations that you’ll find a job in two weeks--or even two months--is a recipe for future upset. Internalizing rejection. Failure is the norm in the job search process; you need to be able to accept rejection without taking it personally. Don’t let one bad interview, define who you are and the value you can bring to an organization. Putting all our eggs in one basket. Don’t focus all your attention on a single interview or opportunity. Continue your job search activities so that you have fallback

The interview is your first, and sometimes only, opportunity to make a positive personal impression with an employer. You don’t want to wing it or walk into the meeting unprepared. You need to have a solid game plan and good talking points to make the most of this opportunity. However, it’s important to note that all interviews are not created equal. Every organization has its own needs and internal culture; every hiring manager has a unique personality and history that you need to consider. This is why it is so important that you research an organization and the people you’ll meet before you walk into an interview. Don’t use your one-hour meeting as discovery session. Instead, do your homework ahead of time and come in as an informed candidate with some ideas of how you can address the employer's challenges. This week’s guest expert, Jessica Smith, lays out a plan for how you can best prepare for your next interview. Read the company’s website, find commonalities between the job description and your skill

Your cover letter is one of the most important elements of your application--perhaps as important as your resume. This is where you outline your passion for the position and make the case for why you are the best candidate for the job. Unfortunately, too many job seekers undervalue and underthink their cover letter. Sometimes they fail to include a cover letter in their application. More often--but equally detrimental--they use the same generic, cookie-cutter cover letter for all their applications. This simply doesn’t cut it. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Jenny Foss, founder of JobJenny.com, shares how your generic cover letter reads to a hiring manager.  Her entertaining, “what-not-to-write” cover letter hits home with insights on how you can improve your own cover letter right away. When you read your cover letter from a hiring manager’s point of view it starts to read differently than when you are reading it for yourself. Jenny reminds us not to regurgitate the content of our resumes i

Studies show that many women don’t negotiate for salary as often as men during the hiring process. Guest expert Ashley Milne-Tyte says women leave money on the table all the time. Salary gaps between men and women often start at the beginning of their careers, because young men are more inclined to negotiate their salary, while women tend to accept the company’s initial offer. Cultural conditioning and stereotypes are at the center of this problem. Talking about money can be very uncomfortable for many women, whether it’s due to lack of education about finances or fear that they’ll come off as greedy or “bossy.” Hiring managers, both men or women, may consider women  pushy or rude while the same behavior from men is seen as normal. However, there are various studies that show women negotiate very well when they are negotiating for someone else. So how can women take those skills and go to bat for their own benefit? Ashley recommends a book that has become her “negotiation bible: it’s called Ask For It, by

Losing your job—under any circumstances—is a painful, embarrassing experience, and it’s natural to be upset. You may feel like you’ve lost control of your life, or that you’ll never find another job.  Plus there’s the stress of managing your financial responsibilities on a diminished income. While it’s natural to be anxious after a layoff, you shouldn’t let panic drive you to rash decisions. So say this week’s guest, Jane Jackson. Instead, give yourself time to heal and figure out the next step in your career. Jane suggests that you reach out to trusted friends and professional contacts to help you avoid catastrophic thinking and maintain perspective. These people can help clarify where you are where you are in life and what options are available. Only after you’ve properly dealt with the emotional aspect of a job loss, should you create a plan to find your next gig. If you jump too quickly into the job search process, you’re likely to come across as desperate or needy to potential employers—a dynamic that

Women are much more likely than men to leave the workforce to raise children or assist elderly family members. Unfortunately, after a prolonged time off, it’s not easy to on-ramp back into full employment. There simply is not much infrastructure to help women step back into the workforce. That’s why it’s so important to be prepared before you take your hiatus. On this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Farai Chideya, author of The Episodic Career: How to Thrive and Work in the Age of Disruption, explains what women should to before they take time off to lay the foundation for their eventual return to the workforce.  Her suggestions include: Document all the work you have done. You're less likely to remember everything if you wait until you're ready to return to work. Sit down with your current supervisor and ask them to itemize your accomplishments and highlight your skill sets. Ask for the document to be added to your personal file and keep a copy for yourself. Call upon your current network to let

We say it a lot here at Mac’s List: networking is the single best thing you can do for your job search—or your career, in general. But attending a single networking event probably isn’t going to land you a job right away. Networking is about building mutually-beneficial, long-term relationships, not making awkward demands for a job. In fact, according to this week’s guest, Abby Kohl, the single biggest mistake you can make in a networking event is to ask for a job. Another fatal error is beginning a conversation by announcing your unemployment. Both actions are deadly mistakes for the same reason: they make networking all about you and your needs. Such an approach is more likely to scare people away than to lead to a constructive conversation. Instead, Abby recommends that you always focus on how you can help the person you’re talking to. Listen to their ideas, try to identify their challenges, and ask how you can help. This positions you as a solution provider—the kind of employer every organization wants.

The traditional hiring process is broken and everyone knows it--both job seekers and hiring managers. The over-automated, keyword-driven, impersonal way most organizations hire is a relic of software systems built 40+ years ago. As such, playing by the rules is more likely to land you a stress headache than a job offer. This week's guest, Liz Ryan, offers a ray of hope, with strategies and techniques that will help you rise above the rest when reaching out to employers. She encourages job seekers to break the rules of the system. Instead, she urges people to proactively reach out to the organizations where they most want to work--and where they can create the most value. In practice, this means: Ignore the formal hiring process. Decide where you want to work, and have an idea of how they can help the company. Use LinkedIn’s advanced search to find the person who would be your boss if they were to get the job they wanted. Send a pain letter to that person at their place of employment. A pain letter is

Often, when busy professionals receive a request for a networking meeting, time is the deciding factor as to whether or not they accept it. If you want to improve your chances of meeting an important contact, make it clear that you only want twenty minutes of his or her time. In this bonus podcast episode, Nathan Perez, executive career and job search coach, as well as co-author of the 20-Minute Networking Meeting, shares his advice on how to organize and execute a short, focused informational interview.  Here are his key tips: Have a focused agenda prepared in advance. Give your contact context about your professional background.  Ask a short set of targeted and strategic questions. Know the background of the person you're meeting with and understand how they can help you with your job search. Listen and stay actively engaged in the conversation. Preparation and focus allow you to have an informative and powerful conversation. If you master the art of the 20-minute networking meeting you will quick

Volunteering is an important component to any job search, and can benefit the job seeker in myriad ways. So says this week's guest, Mark Anthony Dyson. While most volunteer gigs won't lead to a formal job offer, Mark argues that giving your time and energy as a volunteer helps you stand out from the crowded field of job seekers. Here some of the many benefits to volunteer service: It's a great way to network within an industry or an organization you want to work for. It shows value-alignment between you, your peers, and target organizations. It allows you to showcase your professional skills or learn new skills It give you a chance to help others, who may, in turn, be able to help you It can fill in employment gaps in your resume. It can make you feel better about yourself and your job search. This Week's Guest: Mark Anthony Dyson Mark Anthony Dyson is a career consultant who helps unemployed, underemployed, and under-appreciated job seekers. Mark’s advice has appeared in U.S. News & World Report, M

Many people believe retirement means working until a certain age and then enjoying a life of leisure. The problem with this thinking, says this week's guest expert, Nancy Collamer, is that most of us are facing the 40/30 dilemma. After working (only) 40 years in a full-time career, 30 years of retirement can be too many hours to fill, and too many years to fund. That's why Nancy urges people to make retirement more than just gardening, grandkids, and golfing. You can also use this time to explore a second act career.  A part-time job to supplement our income, or a volunteer position may be just what the doctor ordered. A Second Act Career A second act career is the work we do after our primary careers. In general, the work is more fun, more flexible, and more fulfilling than our previous work. Nancy notes that many people find it daunting to plan for their second act career, so she suggests three steps to help with the process: Introspection —  Think about what you want, and how you want to do it. Idea

It is against the law for employers to discriminate based on age. Yet, ageism is an undeniable truth in the modern workforce. In this bonus episode of Find Your Dream Job, Kerry Hannon,  author of Love Your Job: The New Rules of Career Happiness, shares her tips on how you can overcome age bias when looking for a new job. Employers can be skeptical about hiring older workers because they worry: You don’t have the stamina for the job. You may not be up to speed or willing to learn new technology. Your salary demands may be too high and your health benefits cost more. You won’t be able to answer to or take direction from younger bosses. To fight back against this perception, Kerry suggests the following: Don't get stuck in the past Get a career coach Don't get caught up on salary Study up on technology Use social media Focus on networking Volunteer Join (or create) a job-hunting group Do your homework Believe in yourself You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job An

"What do you do for a living?" It's a question you probably get often, especially when meeting new people. What you say matters a lot, says this week's guest expert, Christina Canters. Your answer may lead to your next job or it can help you move up in your career. Because the question is so common, however, most people don’t give it much thought. They simply spit out their title and then stop. Christina says a title doesn’t give the other person anything to respond to. A better answer to "what do you do" can be a starting point to a more engaging conversation. Christina offers these tips when sharing what you do: When speaking with people outside your field, explain your job in language and metaphors that are easily understandable. Explain who you help in your job--and how you might be able to help the person you're speaking with. Add a fun fact about your work just after your title. If you're currently unemployed and looking for work, use the "what do you do" question as an opportunity. Put a positi

Build it and forget is not a good strategy for your LinkedIn page, especially if you are job hunting. Job seekers need a strong, robust presence to demonstrate their capabilities, and communicate what makes them stand out above other candidates. If your profile is not updated, it may appear you are out of touch with the new world of work. Tips for Writing Your LinkedIn Content Provide the information your intended reader will be looking for. Make it as easy as possible for employers to know what you need them to know about you. Blend your soft skills with your hard skills to tell a good story about yourself. Use your personality to differentiate yourself and communicate what you have to offer. This week’s guest expert, Meg Guiseppi says making use of the Awards section and other rarely utilized sections can elevate your profile by way of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Completing these sections gives you more content, more searchable keywords, and it passively promotes you. Meg advises users to pos

The most important—and most difficult—part of any job search is finding focus. You need to have some idea of what you actually want to do in your career. Without a focused job search goal, it’s almost impossible to sell yourself to potential employers. Aubrie De Clerck, of Coaching for Clarity, says the best way to find focus is to explore your natural gifts. In this bonus episode, Aubrie reads her contribution to our new book, Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, in which she explains how you can identify your “better than the rest” qualities. You can find more useful job search insight in Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, now available on Amazon. To preview the first chapter for free, visit www.macslist.org/anywhere. Opening and closing music for Find Your Dream Job provided by Freddy Trujillo, www.freddytrujillo.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Job interviews can be dry and intimidating. They normally have a set format in which the interviewer and interviewee go back and forth, over and over. But it doesn't need to be this way. Our guest this week, Jeff Altman, suggests that job seekers have the power to turn any interview into a dynamic conversation between equals. He believes you can do this by asking one question as soon as you begin the conversation. The question is simple: "Tell me about the job as you see it, and what I can do to help?" This question is a game-changer because it sets you up with all the information you need for the rest of the interview--specifically, what the hiring manager sees as the biggest challenge for the organization. Plus, you level the playing field with the interviewer and set yourself apart from the competition. Jeff discusses how to interpret the hiring manager's reaction to this question, and other workplace dynamics you can infer from how he or she responds to your prompt. This Week's Guest: Jeff Altman Jeff

LinkedIn is the dominant social media platform for professional networking, and employers have taken notice. Nearly 80% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find candidates.  They are searching for specific skills and when they find the right fit, they won't hesitate to reach out--even if the person isn't actively looking for work. If you've never been contacted by an employer on LinkedIn, you might not be using the right job titles and keywords in your profile. This week's guest expert, Marc Miller, argues that you've got to optimize your LinkedIn profile to make it easy for employers to find you. He explains how to use keywords in your job title, summary and headline that an employer would use is key. Marc shares how to use tools like Tag Cloud or Wordle to identify the keywords that most resonate with prospective employers. Then he identifies explains exactly where to use these keywords in your LinkedIn profile. His most important point: take advantage of all the available space in your 120-character headline

"To apply, contact Human Resources."  These words are enough to induce a groan from many job seekers. For many people "HR" is an impermeable, mysterious gatekeeper, standing between them and the job of their dreams.  But sometimes you simply can't avoid working through a human resources department--especially in larger, most formal companies. And, if you play your cards right and get HR on your side, you have a strong advocate within the organization. In this bonus episode, Melissa Anzman, CEO of Launch Your Job, shares her contribution to Land Your Dream Job Anywhere. She takes a scientific approach to working with HR and her advice will help you move along in the hiring process. Here are Melissa's three keys to success: A personal value proposition - Know what value you bring to the table and put your best marketing and showcasing efforts forward. Networking and outreach - The HR person needs to be interested enough in you to want to meet you in person. Understanding your audience - Your conversation

Have you ever had a prospective employer ask about your desired salary? Or inquire about your salary history? Companies ask these questions to weed out applicants and (sometimes) get the upper-hand in pay negotiations. This week’s guest, Jim Hopkinson, argues that your response to salary questions can be the difference in whether or not you get an offer and how much leverage you have in future pay discussions. The employer does not necessarily hold all the cards when it comes to negotiating salaries. Jim recommends finding out all the facts about the job before you even start discussing salary. You may find there are job responsibilities which warrant a higher pay scale. And if you are the right fit for the job, you can enter the salary discussion knowing you have something of exceptional value to the company. Here are Jim’s recommendations if you are required to enter your desired salary in an application: Respond with a phrase like “negotiable,” or, “To be discussed during interview.” Try adding a non

What do you want to be when you grow up? It's OK if you are still unable to answer this question, argues guest expert, Srinivas Rao. There's always time to change paths and find a more personally rewarding career that resonates with your passions. Most people try to create a linear career path; each new job is a stepping stone to ever increasing levels of responsibility. This thinking is driven by the chase for money and the expectations of others. But the real problem is that a linear career doesn't always lead to interesting jobs. Our interests change as we age, so we need to create opportunities to explore new directions in work. Choosing a job you enjoy allows you to thrive. You may get paid less, but you will be more productive, engaged, and happy. Of course, money is an always an issue. When planning a career, consider what jobs may increase your long-term earning potential, even at the expense of short-term salary. If you are a recent college graduate or have been let go from a position, use the tim