Multiple Points of Failure in the Job Search #WhyJobSearchStinks

Multiple Points of Failure in the Job Search #WhyJobSearchStinks When I was studying for my degree in informational systems last century there was this concept of points of failure. Imagine you have a system (like a computer system, or a vehicle) and something breaks. Where did it break? The bigger question is, where are all of the places that could fail? In a car you might have an empty gas tank that blame can fall on the driver, but if you are one of those roads in Nevada that go for hundreds of miles with nothing around, it can be fatal. Other points of failure could be in a seat belt mechanism, the steering wheel, or back in the old days, the Ford Pinto gas tank (which was fatal). I recently resurfaced a post from 2013 about the villains in your job search. As I read it now I half feel like I was whining and blaming, and half trying to figure out what was broken in the job search. Unfortunately, there is A LOT that is broken in the job search. From HR to hiring managers to recruiters to business owners all of the people involved in the hiring process, to job seekers and their allies (coaches, resumes writers, job club hosts, etc.), there are plenty of places that might be a point of failure. When I was in my job search, which was a miserable failure, all I knew was that it didnt work. Kind of like when a computer doesnt work, or a car doesnt work. But I didnt understand what IT was. I thought it was me. I was broken. I didnt have the best attitude. I didnt know how to network. I didnt like networking. Couldnt people just see from my resume that I was competent? And I could definitely add value to their ecosystem? I interviewed fine, I thought. I cleaned up well enough. But hardly any interviews. And no offers. Even though I was accomplished, and my resume looked good. PAUSE HERE Please think about your job search. How are things going for you? More than it sucks or its broken, where exactly are you having problems? If I was smarter in 2006 I would have thought Im not getting interviews. And then, the question: WHY NOT? When at IT tech comes to check out your broken computer, they dont throw it away (usually). They do a diagnostic. When you go to the doctor, they (hopefully) dont just say take these pills. They do a diagnostic. I want you to do a diagnostic on your job search. Where you are failing, or where you feel pain, might be places   you need to fix. Its easier to fix why am I not getting interviews rather than why am I not getting a job? The latter question is too vague. I want you to find YOUR failure points in the job search. I talk to people who have lots of interviews, and get to the third or fourth interview regularly, but never get an offer. Do they need to work on their resume? Probably not. Their resume got them into plenty of interviews. Are they bad at interviewing? Probably not they got plenty of offers for second and third interviews. Their point of failure is not figuring out how to close the deal. How do you fix that? I DONT KNOW.   Im going to pull out my MBA answer and say it depends. This is why their are interview coaches. You probably arent going to find your answer through an article. Perhaps there is good information out there, but a coach can help you understand whether you have a unique situation or not. If you do, they can talk you through it. How do you fix your points of failure? The first step is to identify where you are failing. And then, instead of thinking YOU are broken, fix the issue. If indeed you have a villain that you need to blame, then fix it (I dont mean to murder anyone). But then, once it is fixed, MOVE ON. If you get stuck again, identify your point of failure and address it. Before you know it youll see less failures, more traction, and you might just be accepting a job offer! Multiple Points of Failure in the Job Search #WhyJobSearchStinks When I was studying for my degree in informational systems last century there was this concept of points of failure. Imagine you have a system (like a computer system, or a vehicle) and something breaks. Where did it break? The bigger question is, where are all of the places that could fail? In a car you might have an empty gas tank that blame can fall on the driver, but if you are one of those roads in Nevada that go for hundreds of miles with nothing around, it can be fatal. Other points of failure could be in a seat belt mechanism, the steering wheel, or back in the old days, the Ford Pinto gas tank (which was fatal). I recently resurfaced a post from 2013 about the villains in your job search. As I read it now I half feel like I was whining and blaming, and half trying to figure out what was broken in the job search. Unfortunately, there is A LOT that is broken in the job search. From HR to hiring managers to recruiters to business owners all of the people involved in the hiring process, to job seekers and their allies (coaches, resumes writers, job club hosts, etc.), there are plenty of places that might be a point of failure. When I was in my job search, which was a miserable failure, all I knew was that it didnt work. Kind of like when a computer doesnt work, or a car doesnt work. But I didnt understand what IT was. I thought it was me. I was broken. I didnt have the best attitude. I didnt know how to network. I didnt like networking. Couldnt people just see from my resume that I was competent? And I could definitely add value to their ecosystem? I interviewed fine, I thought. I cleaned up well enough. But hardly any interviews. And no offers. Even though I was accomplished, and my resume looked good. PAUSE HERE Please think about your job search. How are things going for you? More than it sucks or its broken, where exactly are you having problems? If I was smarter in 2006 I would have thought Im not getting interviews. And then, the question: WHY NOT? When at IT tech comes to check out your broken computer, they dont throw it away (usually). They do a diagnostic. When you go to the doctor, they (hopefully) dont just say take these pills. They do a diagnostic. I want you to do a diagnostic on your job search. Where you are failing, or where you feel pain, might be places   you need to fix. Its easier to fix why am I not getting interviews rather than why am I not getting a job? The latter question is too vague. I want you to find YOUR failure points in the job search. I talk to people who have lots of interviews, and get to the third or fourth interview regularly, but never get an offer. Do they need to work on their resume? Probably not. Their resume got them into plenty of interviews. Are they bad at interviewing? Probably not they got plenty of offers for second and third interviews. Their point of failure is not figuring out how to close the deal. How do you fix that? I DONT KNOW.   Im going to pull out my MBA answer and say it depends. This is why their are interview coaches. You probably arent going to find your answer through an article. Perhaps there is good information out there, but a coach can help you understand whether you have a unique situation or not. If you do, they can talk you through it. How do you fix your points of failure? The first step is to identify where you are failing. And then, instead of thinking YOU are broken, fix the issue. If indeed you have a villain that you need to blame, then fix it (I dont mean to murder anyone). But then, once it is fixed, MOVE ON. If you get stuck again, identify your point of failure and address it. Before you know it youll see less failures, more traction, and you might just be accepting a job offer!

What Are The Job Titles of Classy Career Girl Readers

What Are The Job Titles of Classy Career Girl Readers Happy Wednesday! A few weeks ago I asked you to tell me your job titles.  I was amazed by the result!  So many smart and talented women women are reading this blog!  I hope you enjoy reading the below list of what Classy Career Girl readers do at work.  Also, if you are searching for a job this list might give you some good ideas of what you might want to be when you grow up. Classy Career Girl Readers At Work: Executive Director Finance Manager Intern Homemaker Executive Career Services Program Support Assistant Recruiter Publisher Bookkeeper Office manager Crime Scene Investigator Medical office administrator Executive Assistant Registration Coordinator Office Manager Data Analyst Purchasing Agent Social Media Assistant I/O Psychology Consultant Electrical Engineer Junior Technical Design representative Visual Designer Lead Front-end Developer Licensed Massage Therapist Operations Controller Project Manager Digital preservation archivist Postdoctoral fellow-toxicology Neurophysiologist Regulatory compliance specialist Software development manager Executive assistant Community manager Business unit accounting manager Administrative assistant Web developer E-learning designer Social media strategist Photographer Guest service representative Budget analyst Management analyst Broadcast operator Corporate safety coordinator Business analyst Management trainee Junior commercial lines CSR Ministerial liaison officer Forensic Researcher Psychometrist PhD Research Student Program Coordinator Master’s Degree Student of Human Development/Gerontology and Addictions Counseling and Teaching Assistant of Human Development Strategic Account Specialist Senior Manager of Information Development Graphic Designer Registered Client Associate Director of Community Affairs Paralegal Legal Staff Middle School Teacher Content Manager Registered Professional Forester Global Marketing Communications Specialist Senior Cost Accountant MBA Student Associate Marketing Manager HR talent Acquisition Manager North American Project Controller Product Head A/P and Payroll Librarian Elementary School Teacher Did you make the list?  If not, add a comment below with your job title and I will add your title to the list!

Etiquette Negotiation Tips for the Workplace ~ Part 1

Etiquette Negotiation Tips for the Workplace ~ Part 1 Have you ever wanted to improve your negotiation skills?   We constantly negotiate  whether it is  getting a good deal on a new car or negotiating with your husband about who will do the laundry.   I took a negotiations class this quarter and I  realized that my entire job is  all about negotiation which I never really realized before.   I cant wait to share with you all of the great things that I learned from class. I realized in my class that I was doing a lot,  probably way too much,  of my negotiations by email.   I started something new this week and I challenge you to do the same thing.   Before every email I send, I have been picking up the phone and calling the person instead.   This simple thing has completely changed my working relationships!   People respond completely different in person when you can explain where you are coming from and answer any questions they might have right away.   I can solve  issues and complete tasks  so much faster and I have half the emails in my inbox at the end of the day. According to this article  from Harvard Law School, Compared to face-to-face talks, negotiations conducted via e-mail can lead to less creative and less satisfying agreements, a number of research studies have found.   E-mail messages lack the visual and vocal cues we depend on when hashing out a deal in person. The “mutual invisibility” of e-mail can cause us to become self-absorbed and overly self-interested, traits that can prevent negotiators from exploring each other’s interests and building a better deal. Have you ever noticed how  emails can be taken the wrong way and include way too many people?   So the next time you have an important message that you need to convey that you arent sure how the other person is going to take it, pick up the phone and give them a call.   Even if you have to leave a message, the other person knows that you tried to contact them and will hopefully be more understanding.   I heard an interesting fact the other day that it takes on average 48 hours for an average person to respond to an email.   If you have something that needs to get done quickly, get out of the habit of sending an email and pick up the phone instead.   It works! Do you prefer email or phone to communicate in your work environment?