Posted by Pater Paskill on Oct 30, 2018 in Blog
Over my nearly 35 years of helping good people to find or create new and rewarding employment opportunities I’ve learned that effective oral and written communication is very often one of the most significant challenges job seekers face.
From being raised to not toot our own horn to writing resumes that look more like historical documents or obituaries the process of effectively communicating for most can be a very daunting task. We really just don’t know how to do it effectively and are therefore easily overwhelmed by fear of not really knowing what to say or write so people can and will say “Yes” to our request whatever it might be.
A technique I’ve found helpful is trying to put yourself in the position of the person you are trying to communicate with instead of just thinking about yourself. Visualize, what can you say or write that will improve your chances of receiving a positive response? When phoning, I’ve really found it helpful to do some scripting and practicing out loud in advance so your words will be targeted with positive focus regardless of receiving voicemail or you actually reach the person directly. By thinking, planning and practicing in advance, you are much more likely to have a successful performance and receive the action you are requesting.
In written communication keep in mind that you are the seller (selling yourself) and therefore your various documents should be built on a marketing plan of action and carried out by creating focused and targeted “sales brochures.” You need to tout your features and benefits supported by your successes, achievements and results. In doing so you will dramatically increase the odds of writing a winning document, one that will get you the interviewing, leading to your next wonderful job that puts a smile on your face and money in the back. I’m in your corner, so please feel very encouraged to reach out so that I can actively assist you in finding or create your next job or career. All my best each of you!
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Posted by Pater Paskill on Oct 15, 2018 in Blog
The Internet, From My Perspective,
Fact and Fantasy:FACT: Probably one of our greatest inventions
FANTASY: One big paid unregulated ad
FACT: In using the internet, be a careful consumer
FANTASY: The jobs I am looking for are all posted on the internet. While the internet is a marvelous invention and most of us would be hard-pressed to get along without it today, for the job seeker or career changer, being a very careful consumer of information is absolutely critical. From my window on the world, internet job postings have more to do with deselecting rather than selecting. It is not about if the hiring process is right or wrong, legal or illegal, abiding by laws, rules, and regulations, it is the reality of how it really works.
Behind the internet job posting scene, there are sophisticated applicant tracking systems, which have more to do with the collecting of applicant information rather than applicant selection. In fact, by name, these are “tracking” systems, not “hiring” systems. A growing number of companies, organizations, and agencies are required to comply with various laws, and these applicant tracking systems provide an efficient process for appropriate data collection.
Also, many smaller companies and organizations that have the potential for good pay, benefits, and security are often reluctant to post-opening as they are wary of being overwhelmed with electronic responses from individuals they have no knowledge of. Personal networking, leading to personal referrals, and advocacy is really the most effective way of accessing these potential employers, at least in my view.
And while there is no absolute one right way of finding or creating a new and rewarding employment opportunity, I feel that a balanced approach is the most effective. With 80%-85% of my clients finding new jobs via personal referrals, then a like percentage of your search time should be devoted to people networking and the remainder to the internet and the various tools it offers and promotes. In the end, people hire people, and more often than not, ones that are positively referred to or are otherwise known. At my last check, the internet and computers still really don’t hire anyone.
All my best,
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Posted by Pater Paskill on Oct 1, 2018 in Blog
Job Search Truth #10: A successful job search or career transition is 20 percent analytical, technique, strategy, planning, and 80 percent emotion – how you are feeling about yourself and your ability to relate to the rest of the world.
My clients who end up with meaningful work made a “doable” plan of action and put one foot in front of the other to execute it. They are both disciplined and flexible, optimistic and cautious, analytical and emotional. The path to their new work did not run in a nice, tidy, straight line. Instead, it was a path of zigs and zags, hairpin turns and detours. But in the end, truly supported by what they wanted and were committed and willing to find or create they found or created a new, better fantastic job.
Understanding, and taking seriously the emotional side of the job or career transition is critical. Too many job seekers are walking around with what I call “The Emotional Flu.” Not feeling good about themselves, their world, or the people in their world. Taking seriously what puts a smile on your face and surrounding yourself with like-minded and positive people goes a long way to give you the emotional energy to go out and find the job that is just right for you.
Over the past few weeks, I have drawn on my client’s experiences to give you their 10 tips or “Truths” on what it takes to “do it” … find work that is, for you, worth doing. Taking them seriously you will find the process of finding or creating a new job easier and much more effective. Happy hunting and my best wishes to each of you for much success and happiness in your life. And lastly, please remember that today is not a dress rehearsal.
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Posted by Pater Paskill on Sep 6, 2018 in Blog
Job Search Truth #8: You do not need a resume to do a job search.
Based on what I’ve learned “on the street” over the past 34 years, you do not write a resume until you have done your research. That is why I say that you do not need a resume to do a job search. A successful search is first about finding out what’s out there in your areas of interest that fits what you really want. Then, when you make the decision to generate job interviews in your area of interest, you might need a resume to become a viable candidate to interview for a position.
And, you might not. You may develop such a good rapport with your prospective employer that he/she simply invites you to come to work! This really does happen quite often. Larger companies may need your resume to satisfy a human resources requirement that sounds something like, “It’s company policy that every employee has a resume on file.” In which case, if you are asked for your resume, you could be writing it for the human resource file. Your resume is simply a formality because the person who has the power to hire has requested you for the position.
Whatever the case, from my perspective, any resume you write should illustrate transferable skills and experiences that are aligned with a particular position. Your resume is then targeted to that position and is not as effective in any other situation.
As I’ve written about earlier, effective written documentation requires extensive person-to-person research which really allows you to move from the “I wonder” to the “I Know.”
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Posted by Pater Paskill on Sep 11, 2013 in Blog
Most folks know more about buying a car than they do about finding or creating a new and rewarding employment opportunity. Think about the process generally used in selecting a new car and then compare that to the process used to find a new job. If we are honest with ourselves, we will probably have to admit that we are not nearly as proactive when looking for work.
We make buying a new car seriously because it is a big deal. But bigger than a new job? I don’t think so!!
Finding a new job today, especially one that puts a smile on your face is full of challenges, but certainly not impossible especially if you take your unique skills, gifts, talents, and interests seriously. There is no one just like you, so having focus and clarity will set you aside from other job seekers.
Using personal relations is all-important when looking for a new job. People who know and like you will be your biggest asset as they have your best interests at heart. Strangers don’t. Your network has more to do with the quality of people you surround yourself with rather than the quantity. You really want to have personal advocates rather than strangers as it is from these people your new, better fantastic job will come from.
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