The Briefcase "Briefs" Job Search Newsletter - Issue #33

June 22, 2022

In this issue: expert tips to get hired, improve your negotiation skills and increase your severance, resume mistakes to avoid, gender bias, help us improve "The Briefs", company research for hiring and funding, and more...

Dear Reader,

I launched the Briefcase Coach 7 years ago with the vision of helping job seekers uncover their unique value and better position themselves on paper and in person. We have had the distinct honor of supporting well over 1,000 executive job searches during this time period.

While I cherish my direct relationships with clients, I am passionate about helping EVERY job seeker job search smarter. Writing this newsletter is one of my favorite parts of the job. I'm energized by curated articles and writing my "dear reader" pep talk with you in mind. My goal of the "Briefs" is to offer you a professional piccadilly where each issue has something that will resonate with your journey.

I would love to hear from you, readers of The Briefs, learn a little more about you and what you enjoy about The Briefs, and what you would like to see more of.

Can you do me a favor? Do you mind taking this quick survey to help me get to know you better and make The Briefs better for you?

Rooting for you,

Sarah

Can you do me a favor? The Briefcase Coach is working to make this newsletter better for you, our readers. Do you mind taking this quick survey to help me get to know you better? It will take 3-5 minutes and will really help me help you :)

Get Hired

Career Coach, Bob McIntosh looks at mistakes that job seekers with substantial work history make on their resumes.

Chief co-founder, Lindsay Kaplan unpacks how hiring managers can spot and fix unconscious bias that leads to men getting hired for potential, while women still have to show their work.

Negotiation and Severance

The phrase “severance package” is daunting for many in the workplace and can spark concern about job security or longevity. Helen Harris with LinkedIn News discusses how negotiating a favorable severance package can be the springboard you need to land your next job and protect your wellbeing should you face unexpected termination.

An older article by Richard Harroch that is still very relevant today. In an uncertain economy, you may at some point face having your employment terminated. Richard shares advice on how to negotiate a reasonable severance package, especially if you have an existing employment agreement.

Glassdoor's Emily Moore explores ways to try to get more out of your severance offer. You’re not guaranteed to get it, but it’s always worth asking.

5 Less-Cringey LinkedIn Content Prompts

Want to be seen as an industry thought leader on LinkedIn but you don't want to be seen as braggadocio? Here are 5 flex-less prompts:

1. Share a thought leadership article. Tag the author to "credit" them for their work, share what you learned from the article and then ask a thought-provoking question at the bottom of your post to invite engagement. Here's a post from Wendy Schoen, a legal recruiter, who has mastered the art of sharing thought leadership on LinkedIn.

2. Share a picture of your team and talk about what makes them so great. Jean Claude Tissot, President of Coca-Cola Southwest does this really well.

3. Share a personal story (people love, resonate with, and remember stories) from your past. Remember: you don't have to be the hero. Love this post from Hussein El-Genk.

4. Share a new tech tool that you are using or a productivity hack. Here's a post I made showing job seekers how to use MailTrack and Hunter.

5. Give your favorite piece of job search advice (for your niche industry). Love this example from Paula Christensen.

Company Research Trends

The Org describes its new feature, Explore, recently launched making it easier to use the website to find people and teams faster and more efficiently.

Female Founders' interactive dashboard dives into US investment trends for women in VC since the start of 2008, using data sourced from the PitchBook Platform. Users can filter the data to isolate specific trends.

Workplace Evolution

In today's world, the rules change — fast. Unexpected things happen: Strange shifts you couldn’t have imagined. Business strategist and entrepreneur, Reid Hoffman explains how options and choices aren't always "either-or".

Diana Alt recently shared this podcast - it's a great listen about the negotiation, and the other side of that same coin, which is trusting your gut feeling and walking away.

Bettina Koblick explores the ever-changing workplace and why 83% of Millennials have had to take on up to six new tasks outside their job descriptions due to their coworkers resigning.

Briefcase Coach's Advice for Maintaining a Positive Mindset in a Job Search

You are going to see headlines over the next 6 months (probably longer) that say things like:

"Job market shows signs of stalling"

"Worst job market in decades"

"Unemployment lines growing"

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀. Put in your earbuds and crank up the Taylor Swift... or Drake... or Mandolin Orange or whomever you listen to... and drown out the noise.

These news stories do not have to be YOUR reality.

Companies are still hiring right now.

People are still getting jobs.

Creators are still creating opportunities.

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵.

A scarcity mindset sees limitations instead of opportunities. You will start thinking the universe is against you.

𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹.

1. Have the best dang resume you can. If you hire someone to help you tell your story, it is money well spent.

2. If you need to take a class or get a certification, that is an investment in YOUR FUTURE. For example, if being a scrum master will get you closer to your dream job, take that 18-week class. Your future self will thank you.

3. Focus on relationships. Do not be afraid of leveraging the connections you have and asking for introductions. People hire people.

Can you do me a favor?

I’m on a mission to help job seekers land amazing jobs. Would you consider doing one of the following:

  • Forward this newsletter to your job searching friends or post about it on social media. This small act really helps!

  • Consider sharing my company name with your HR leadership. We are a great “white-glove” boutique option for executive outplacement

  • Recommend me as a paid speaker for your company events on networking, job searching or leveraging LinkedIn

  • Recommend my services to high performers wanting to work one-on-one with an executive resume writer / or experienced interview coach

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