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- Briefcase Coach's Career Briefs: Job Search Smarter
Briefcase Coach's Career Briefs: Job Search Smarter
In this issue: CFOs give advice on due diligence, impact on co-worker departures, GenZ and more!
Sarah Johnston
May 10, 2023
Dear Reader:
May at my house is mayhem (pun intended). I feel like I am being pulled in a million different directions. Over the next three days, I have ten events that I need to attend. There is nothing I can cut - nothing I want to miss. It’s all good stuff, just seems to be a year’s worth of obligations sandwiched into a single month. Do you feel the same way?
When our lives are hectic, it can be challenging to prioritize activities that do not provide us with instant gratification. For instance, going to the gym, meditation and prayer, or searching for a job are all GOOD things that may be abandoned when life gets too busy.
Look, I’m not the Marie Kondo of scheduling, but I have found a few ways to manage my time more effectively to create margin for things like job searching and exercise:
Prioritize tasks. Block out time on your calendar to deal with the most important duties first. This helps to reduce stress and increase productivity by ensuring that the most significant tasks are accomplished before others.
Make a plan. Studies indicate that individuals who plan their tasks ahead of time are more likely to achieve their objectives than those who do not. On busy weeks, my husband and I try to spend a half hour talking through the calendar and getting on the same page.
Get Help. On busy weeks, I bring in the reinforcement. Sometimes that means outsourcing meals to a local meal delivery service or having a sitter come for a few hours to give me an extra set of hands.
Avoid multitasking. Trying to do too many things at once can lower productivity and raise stress levels. It's better to concentrate on one task at a time, which can enhance efficiency and minimize mistakes.
If you also see May or this season in your life as a black hole of busyness, I hope that you can find some time to relax. Summer is right around the corner. And I’ll tell ya, summer “sparks joy."
As always, I am rooting for you,
Job Search Due Diligence
Briefcase Coach Original: 4 CFOs Give Advice on How To Conduct Company Due Diligence
Due diligence is a crucial piece of a job search. Research prior to accepting a position allows job seekers to make informed decisions about potential employers and job opportunities. By conducting research on the company, industry, and job role, job seekers can gain a better understanding of the position's requirements, salary expectations, work culture, and growth opportunities. In this article, Briefcase Coach talks to four CFOs and shares their advice on the critical due diligence they believe every prospective employee should engage in before accepting a job offer.
Due Diligence Checklist
Job searches are successful and fail on both sides of the coin - for the job seeker and for the recruiter. Many times, failure comes from the lack of due diligence performed from both parties. In this article published in Medium, the author gives a checklist for what to look for when deciding if a job and company are right for you. Also discussed are checkpoints a recruiter or hiring manager need to examine before making a hire.
Accepting the Offer
Career expert on how to negotiate salaries in today's economy
I was honored to join News Nation live to discuss the changing trends in hiring and salary practices. 2022 saw a job seekers’ market, whereas 2023 has shifted to one more focused on salary cuts, especially for the tech sector. In my conversation, I share my tips for when and how to ask for more when looking at a salary offer.
Navigating complex contract negotiations
Navigating a contract negotiation is much like working through a complex job offer. While this article is focused on real estate negotiations, much of the advice given rings true for negotiating salary and benefits packages in a job offer.
In the Workplace
Do more people quit when exceptional colleagues leave?
A new study from researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Minnesota shows what happens when colleagues leave. This article discusses the recent study that looked at the impact of co-worker departures on employee turnover in organizations. The study found that the departure of a high-performing colleague can increase the likelihood of turnover for other employees in the same workgroup, while the departure of a low-performing colleague can have the opposite effect.
The 50 Most Annoying Office Jargon Phrases
What’s worse: being told to find the “low hanging fruit” or that you need to pause on an idea until your boss “runs this up the flagpole?” In this Inc. article, Suzanne Lucas presents 50 common office jargon phrases that are often used in the workplace, but can be annoying to some. The article also provides examples of alternative phrases that can be used instead of the jargon.
Why Gen Z Workers are Starting on the Back Foot
Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) are facing challenges in the workplace. The workplace shift caused by the pandemic, the rise of the gig economy, and the increase of precarious work have all made it difficult for young people to secure stable employment and build their careers. This BBC article explores the unique challenges facing Gen Z employees and how employers and policymakers can help address the issues. Bottom line: working from home can put Gen Z workers at a professional disadvantage. It's important to have internal champions and professional mentors.
I am excited to offer a giveaway to help a few jobseekers save some time and create a winning resume, or prepare for an upcoming job search. My friends at Job Search Journey have given me 3 - 50% off promo codes. Email me if you are interested. First come, first served.
This is not a sponsored promotion. Full disclosure: I co-founded the website but sold it to Hannah Mason and Joel Mason. They are good people, and they share my belief that ALL job seekers deserve to have quality career marketing collateral.
Growing Your Business
Can Marketing Experimentation Become Your Superpower?
Companies use marketing experimentation to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences, improve targeting and segmentation, and ultimately driving growth and revenue. This brief published by Bain & Co emphasizes the importance of testing marketing strategies through experiments and using data-driven insights to make informed decisions. The article provides several examples of successful marketing experiments and outlines a four-step process for businesses to develop a culture of experimentation.
Thursday, May 11 @ 11:00 AM ET on LinkedIn
New data from LinkedIn reveals growth marketing managers and chief growth officers are among the roles most in demand.
The Chief Growth Officer is rapidly becoming essential for businesses of all sizes. Here at the Briefcase Coach, we've written more CGO resumes over the past 12 months than the previous three years combined!
I'm excited to talk to Jared Robin, one of the leading experts on the role of the CGO and the co-founder of Rev Genius, a community of 35,000 revenue pros collaborating on the future of B2B GTM.
We will cover the following:
★ Why companies are investing NOW in this position
★ How to leverage community to be seen - when you're looking seriously and casually
★ Agism in "online community settings"
★ The path to becoming a GTM leader
★ How to position yourself online for your next leadership role
..... and more!
Have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Send me an email, and I'll consider it! Here’s the link to attend.
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 or use the referral link below to share this newsletter with your job-searching friends or post about it on social media. This small act really helps!
Reach out to us about featuring your executive job posting in our newsletter. We are looking for hiring managers, founders, and search firms to talk on video about their ideal candidates.
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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