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- Briefcase Coach's Career Briefs: Job Search Smarter
Briefcase Coach's Career Briefs: Job Search Smarter
In this issue: salary negotiation advice, social media role in the job search, AI's impact on recruiting, in the pursuit of happiness and more...
Sarah Johnston
May 31, 2023
Dear Reader:
Ready or not, summer is here. School is letting out, pools are opening, and nights are longer. I love to use summer as a reset, both personally and professionally. I encourage you to do the same.
Despite the busyness of May, 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.
Rooting for you,
Job Search Strategy
Social mediaโs role in a job search
โIt's highly likely that if someone searches for you, they will find your LinkedIn page. You want to make sure that you are telling a professional story, the right story, that you want your audience to know about you,โ I shared in conversation with LinkedIn expert, Andrew Seaman in his recent article that explores the importance of a strategic presence on social media during a job search.
Social media plays a crucial role in the modern job search process. According to a survey by CareerBuilder, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates before making hiring decisions. Platforms like LinkedIn also have a high domain authority which means that they tend to rank on page 1 of Googleโs search results. People will Google your name before they meet you in person. When you optimize your profile, you help control the narrative.
A few years ago I hired an up-in-coming artist to paint a portrait of my girls. She was a friend of a friend and had a few good samples of her work on her Facebook page. She seemed very nice & professional-- what could go wrong?
A few months go by and finally, I get a package in the mail with my painting. I opened the box with great anticipation. The painting was nice. The colors were beautiful. But... The kids weren't my kids. She clearly tried to paint my children, & she was pretty close in some respects but waaaaaay off in others. I stared and stared at the portrait. "It can be salvaged!" I thought. I first called another friend of a friend and asked if she'd be willing to let me hire her to "fix the eyes" on the painting. She told me she'd do it but that there were many things she'd fix in addition to the eyes. She suggested I start over.
I called a well-known local artist & shared with her what happened. She was so nice on the phone but kindly informed me that she would be in violation of copyright law since the painting is another artist's work. Not the news I wanted to hear. I had a lot of time & money invested in this painting. I really didn't want to start over--- but it was very important to me. I finally bit the bullet and commissioned another artist. This time, I did a LOT of research. I also had clearer expectations of what I wanted the painting to look like. The artist was gracious and gave me multiple updates throughout the process so I could weigh in before the end. I am happy to share that the final product is something I will cherish forever. What separated the first painting from the second came down to more than just the eyes. The strokes were different. There were layers in the second painting. The second painting also got the essence of my kids. She got their body language & the small details that make each of my kids unique. The painting had a story.
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For the same reasons that artists don't "simply refresh" paintings done by other artists, most resume writers won't "refresh" a resume done by another writer. Most people who want a refresh think their resume is "almost there," but what they don't see is that the resume that they are using is missing more than they think. "I took off work and spent the whole day on my resume. I just want your eyes on it for an hour. You just do your magic on it" Sure, I could proofread it, make sure your margins are neatly aligned, & maybe even add a header or rephrase a bullet point.
๐๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐ฎ ๐ด๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ ๐ถ๐'๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐ท๐๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐.
A good resume writer will help you share your unique value proposition. They will distill your story into a succinct narrative that aligns with your target opportunity. A great resume writer will help you see things you are blind to about yourself. They have market insights & can help you align with modern trends. A great resume tells a brand story.
Salary & Benefits
Importance of striking balance in salary negotiations
While it's essential to advocate for fair compensation, it's also crucial to consider the overall package, including benefits, work-life balance, and career growth opportunities. This article explores the importance of striking a balance in salary negotiations. It highlights the significance of due diligence and offers tips on how to effectively negotiate, such as focusing on value and accomplishments, being confident but reasonable, and being open to alternative forms of compensation.
In the Workplace
What Young Workers Miss Without the โPower of Proximityโ
A working paper from economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the University of Iowa, and Harvard suggests that remote work can have a professional downside for certain white-collar knowledge workers. The research, which studied engineers at a large technology company, found that while remote work increased the productivity of senior engineers, it reduced the amount of feedback junior engineers received, particularly female engineers. This article by the Wall Street Journal looks at the results of this groundbreaking study. It highlights the challenge of balancing the benefits of remote work, such as flexibility, with potential professional disadvantages and the importance of in-person interactions for certain career stages and roles.
โWe find a now-versus-later trade-off associated with remote work,โ said Ms. Harrington, an economist at the University of Iowa. โParticularly for junior engineers who are new to this particular firm, and younger engineers, they receive less feedback from their senior colleagues when theyโre remote.โ
Diversity and Inclusion
Classifying obesity as a disability
Todd Corley, SVP of Inclusion, Sustainability & Community at Carhartt has dedicated his career to motivating and driving change to inspire a more inclusive culture in the workplace. His recent post on LinkedIn about new legislation around classifying obesity as a disability is a great read.
Recruiting
How Job Seekers Can Successfully Work with Agency Recruiters
When working with a recruiter, it is important to do proper due diligence to ensure the best results. In this article, Career Coach Shelley Piedmont offers practical tips and insights that can help job seekers navigate the agency recruiter landscape more effectively. The article clarifies the distinction between company and agency recruiters, highlighting the benefits of working with the latter, especially for senior-level professionals.
SAP and Microsoft AI collaboration to impact hiring practices.
As AI capabilities continue to change the landscape of business, SAP and Microsoft have announced a deeper collaboration that will impact recruiting and hiring practices. The new software is expected to revolutionize the recruiting field by leveraging advanced technologies to enhance the candidate experience, reduce bias, improve efficiency, and enable better talent matching and identification. These advancements can ultimately lead to more effective and successful recruiting processes for organizations.
Personal Growth
The pursuit of happiness
"Success is like an addiction," Khe Hy told Insider after he quit his job as a managing director at BlackRock. I found this article fascinating. It follows the journey of Khe Hy, a first-generation Cambodian American who initially pursued a career in banking to gain status and overcome feelings of being an outsider. Despite achieving professional success, Khe started to feel unfulfilled and disconnected from his work. The article discusses how Khe overcame the pressures of external markers of success and found fulfillment in a balanced lifestyle focused on his passions and relationships.
"Success is like an addiction," Khe told me. "The first time you get high, you start hallucinating. But if you smoke every day, you need 10 bong rips in the morning just to feel normal."
What shaped Gen Zโs career goals?
While the class of 2023 was only around 5 years old in 2008, they were witnesses to the impact of the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent recession. This experience has made them more cautious about their career choices and focused on financial stability. Overall, Gen Z's career goals reflect a desire for stability, purpose, flexibility, and the ability to make a positive impact. They seek careers that align with their values and leverage technology while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. In this Vox article, the author looks at the drivers behind the trend of recent graduates moving away from the tech industry and towards the defense industry.
Can you do me a favor?
Iโm 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 โwhite-gloveโ 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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