In this issue: write cover letters that get read, salary negotiation, learn how to write and ATS-friendly resume, the key to a successful job search and more....

It'll be a long day in January.

Congratulations! You survived January 24th-- the worst day of the year. Yes, it's true. Psychologists have calculated it as the "most depressing day". If I am being honest, I'll admit that the whole week was pretty dismal for me. Long hours, dreary weather and a scratchy throat contributed to my long week.

To combat the January blues, I've spent more time this month trying to intentionally connect with friends and do work that's energizing to me. I've also been reflecting on Andy Cope's advice in Be Brilliant Every Day. "Busyness has got a grip of us to the point that we're not immersed in life, we're skimming the surface of it." "Set your aim to ‘enjoy the week’ or ‘to inspire people’. And when setbacks occur, ask yourself, ‘Where is this issue on a scale of 1 to 10 (where 10 is death)? If it’s death, you are allowed to feel down. "

If your job search is the root of your unhappiness, this month's newsletter offers valuable tips to help you land your dream job. However, before you jump ship, make sure that your feelings are rooted in unchangeable circumstances.

Cheers to a great 2020.

We are rooting for you,

Sarah ([email protected])

Ps. Read all the way to the bottom for a special surprise.

Job search strategy

I Review Hundreds Of Cover Letters–Here’s What I Instantly Reject — www.fastcompany.com

An experienced hiring manager explains what makes her eyes glaze over and what grabs her attention. 💼 Tip: They key to a great cover letter is PERSONALIZATION. The email cannot be a copy/paste boilerplate message--the recipient needs to feel valued or validated.

6 Tips To Kick-Start Your Job Search In 2020 | HuffPost Life — www-huffpost-com.cdn.ampproject.org

Start the work today to land the job you want in the new year.

What to know for job-searching in the new year — www.youtube.com

ABC Raleigh interviewed me about why January and February are two of the best months to launch a job search and how you can differentiate yourself from the competition. https://abc11.tv/2QeeCMw

Salary Negotiation

Thought provoking articles

6 important steps you need to take to successfully change careers, according to career coaches and real people who've done it — www.businessinsider.com

Making a career change isn't easy, but it's certainly not impossible. We interviewed several people who did it and came out the other side unscathed.

The Challenges That Working Mothers Still Face - WSJ — www-wsj-com.cdn.ampproject.org

For her final article after three decades on the beat, Sue Shellenbarger looks at what’s changed and what hasn’t for women trying to manage office and home lives.

Tips for Following Up With Your References — www.thebalancecareers.com

When you are job hunting, be sure to express thanks and keep references up-to-date. Here is how to follow up with your references.

Applicant Tracking Systems

Check it out

Best Websites for 2020 Job Search | Career Sherpa

Hannah Morgan from Career Sherpa put together a comprehensive list of the best websites for a 2020 job search. I'm honored to see Briefcasecoach.com on the list and excited about the articles and blog posts that are planned for 2020.

Interview Coming up?

When you are interviewing, do you use the same canned answers for EVERY opportunity?

Something along the lines of: “my greatest weakness is that I can be a people pleaser & have a hard time saying no.”

💼 Next time you interview, I want you to consider 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 your answers for the specific opportunity.

Ask yourself:

What are the pain points of this job?

What matters to the hiring manager?

What differentiates me from the competition/what are my competitive strengths?

💼 When asked your strength/weakness, don’t just share a generic answer, instead share a response that’s targeted to the role.

For example, a former client interviewed for a an accounting management position at a large oil & gas company. When asked about his strength, instead of giving a vanilla answer, he tied it to the role. He knew that they were considering a major technology change.

His answer was, “One of my strengths is that I thrive in high pressure situations where we can make a big impact. I have managed several large systems changes over my 20 year career. In my last organization, I managed the enterprise application migration to the cloud which involved X# of files.—and since this was my 3rd migration, I was able to set realistic targets, get approval for temp staffing...”

Click here to learn more about interview coaching.

Job Search Secret Weapon launched!

Many of you know I have been working on an exciting project with 4 other career coaches that I respect. There is a lot of (bad) job search advice online and one-on-one coaching isn't an option for every job seeker. We wanted to create an affordable way for job seekers to find templates, scripts, videos and more. Sort of like Netflix for your career, except with a community in place - including our private Facebook group and bi-weekly webinars - to get your job search questions asked and answered. With graduation around the corner, gifting a membership to a college new grad is a great way to invest in their future.

Help us get the word out about our newsletter

We hope that you found The Briefs newsletter thought provoking and applicable to your job search. Please feel free to forward it to your connections, invite your friends to sign up and SHARE on social media.

Hope that you enjoyed this month's issue of 💼The Briefs. I love surprise endings. The first person who emails me with the subject line "Got Coffee" gets a $5.00 Starbucks gift certificate from me. Happy Monday!