Posts filed under 'college grads'
It's Good to Be King
How many times do you think Denis Leary was told his dreams were too big? How many agents didn’t want to rep him, how many clubs didn’t want to book him? How many friends told him to maybe try something else? How many empty rooms he did stand-up in, how many hecklers he endured? How many pitch meetings were cancelled because the executives thought his career was over, when he knew it had just begun?
Think about that the next time you are watching his critically-acclaimed, long-running FX show, Rescue Me, or reading his best-selling book, Why We Suck. (Good job, Denis!)
April 16th, 2009
Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life by Barbara Stanny is not just for women, but it’s well-established that women are more likely than men to fall into the trap of working in jobs with low pay ceilings OR working in jobs where they allow a low-pay ceiling to exist because they are too scared, for whatever reason, to ask (demand) to be paid what they are worth.
This book is for any chronic underearner, as Barbara Stanny terms herself (at the time) and anyone making well below their earning potential. She interviewed over 150 women and identified the issues and road-blocks they had (or did not have) to making over $100,000 (and often a lot more).
She names the “must-haves” for busting through a low earning ceiling: a profit motive, audacity, resilience, and encouragement, and provides relevant stories from the interviewees lives in their own voices. In some of the cases, the women had a transformation that took them from an anemic paycheck to big bucks and in others, the women knew they wanted to make a lot of money from the beginning of their careers and went for it. Both types are instructional.
The book has a very readable, conversational format. Barbara’s own story of financial transformation, depicted along with those of the interviewees, gives the book an intimate, personal tone, and there is something for anyone looking to break through any barrier to six figure (or seven figure) success.
March 30th, 2009
You can find career and life guidance anywhere you look as long as you keep your eyes open and your brain on. Here are three lessons I’ve gotten from Top Chef this season:
The Importance of Editing- Jeff is a good cook. Nobody doubts it. And he’s made some good dishes during the season. But the guy doesn’t know how to pare down his many ideas, how to pick one thing and make it a complete dish. More often, he ends up with several disparate and not-that-impressive items on the plate which compete for his attention in the kitchen and the judges’ palates during tasting.
Focus- Personal feelings, whether a grudge held against a seemingly arrogant co-worker, a crush gone out-of-control or something else of that nature, can cloud your judgement and ability to concentrate on the task at hand. The winners in these types of reality competitions, as well as the people who triumph when faced with challenges in real life, are those who can set aside emotional turmoil and hone in on whatever is needed to get the job done. And the lovebirds and others who pay more attention to the other players than their own performance go home early, wondering why they failed to take the prize.
Confidence- On episode 9, Restaurant Wars, two of the contestants, Carla and Stefan, had issues with their desserts due to a malfunctioning freezer. Carla lived with the effects, resulting in an unappetizing sorbet “stew,” while when Stefan, who has been accused by other contestants of being full of himself, realized there was an issue and immediately set about problem-solving. Stefan is so sure of himself, when he is faced with a setback, he has no doubt he can overcome it. And so he does.
What lessons have you gotten from reality TV?
February 5th, 2009
Okay, people. This will probably be my last blog post of 2008. I know it’s a bit early, but nonetheless, it’s true. I’m taking this opportunity to introduce my recurring theme of 2009. I know some of you might get tired of hearing it, but others need to hear it as often as I can say it. Here goes:
There are jobs out there.
I say it a lot lately in person to clients, friends, unhappy grocery store checkers. I’m going to say it again with emphasis.
There are jobs out there.
Good jobs. Jobs you want. Better jobs, even, then the one you have or the one you are losing or have already lost.
And I am not saying this to make those who have been looking without success so far feel bad. Depending upon what you do, this can be a challenging market- but for others, there will be a brief period of un- or under-employment and then you will find something else. Something good. Something that maybe even pays more or gives you more responsibility or more fun or even all three.
Let’s get crazy while we’re talking here- it’s just us, right?- if you are unhappy with you current job, you can find another one. Even if you have a decent, secure job, you can actually hunt for a new job RIGHT NOW (well, wait until after the holidays– everyone is scrambling to get where they need to be with the appropriate gifts in hand) and be SUCCESSFUL in relocating to a position that is more fulfilling.
NO, you are not STUCK. YES, you have OPTIONS.
Take an honest look at your resume and call me if you need help with it. Think about what you want to do next and call me if you need help with that.
Let me help you make a plan to make a move in 2009 and then successfully execute that plan.
In the meantime, I am wishing you & your family happy, healthy holidays!
December 20th, 2008
Just a brief bit of resume advice. If you take away nothing else in terms of guidance in this area, take this: Don’t be boring- or undersell yourself- in your resume.
This is your place to really express who you are in your career. Yes, you can (should) use colorful words (if you are a colorful person). Be bold on paper if you are bold in real life. There is even room for a little gentle humor (if that is who you are). Be creative. Be proud.
In short: Let yourself shine.
October 28th, 2008
Being a professional resume writer, I’m all for people hiring professional resume writers to do this chore for them. Hire one, compliment the finished product, and then pay them promptly. 1 – 2 – 3 – DONE!
But sometimes you need to try to do it yourself first. I get that. So here is my best practical advice for the actual process of writing the resume.
1. Take advantage of the free consultation. I mean it. It’s free. As a veteran hiring professional, I have spent many years of my life looking at the bad (or just not as good as they could be) resumes of job candidates and not being able to give feedback because of the situation. I am happy to be able to now. Email me your current resume and then we’ll have a short conversation wherein you will most likely get either three to five usable tidbits or high praise for an already-perfect resume (it could happen).
2. Get samples off the web. Google “marketing resumes” or whatever your field is. Hopefully, you’ll get some good examples of resumes for people at your level in your field which you can use for formatting guidance.
3. Pretend you are writing about someone else. If you have a hard time confidently conveying your own talents and accomplishments, try to remove yourself from the process. Otherwise, you are likely to undersell yourself or disregard information that should be included.
4. Use an actual job desciption for a position you would want. Your target job is out there and your resume should be geared toward getting you that job. Go on the web again and find an example of a job you would want and write your resume as an ad for you in that specific job.
5. Break it down. If the idea of actually writing the whole resume is too daunting, take it, as Anne Lamott would say, Bird by Bird. Commit yourself to writing the description of your current job, for instance, or setting up the format. Hopefully, that will trick you into starting the process and you will find yourself feeling more at ease once you have begun.
6. See Resume Rules #1, #2, and #3. Read the resume advice I have provided on this blog, keep it in mind when writing, and then reread it when you are done and make necessary revisions.
7. Show and tell. When you have finished writing your resume, send it to your five smartest, most career-savvy friends along with an explanation of what job you’re looking for. Ask them, “Would you call me in for an interview?” If the answer from more than one of them is anything other than a confident, “YES,” get detailed feedback and do a rewrite.
And then, of course, when all else fails, there is surrender…
8. Know when to get help. Lots of perfectly lovely, talented, and intelligent people lack either the aptitude or the inclination to write a really good resume. If what is keeping you from getting a more satisfying new job is the lack of a good resume, admit it and reach out. A half-written resume or a resume that gets you no replies when submitted for jobs you know you are qualified is not going to get you where you want to go.
Hopefully, you find all of this advice helpful. Regardless of how you get it, an expertly-written resume is the key to getting you that job you’d wake up in the morning happy to go to. Even in this wobbly economy, good jobs are out there. Give yourself the best chance to get one.
October 10th, 2008
This is the difference between ending up in the YES (contact them now for an interview) or MAYBE (read later) pile. We don’t worry about the NO pile. If you followed Rule #1 and Rule #2, you should be able to stay out of the NO pile for any job for which you are reasonably qualified. The MAYBE pile is a killer at this point.
The MAYBE pile is for resumes that are comprised of huge blocks of text, that have over five bullet points for each job, that use the same nine words over and over again, that have no headlines at the top briefly describing key qualifications so the reader knows something about the candidate as they skim through the professional experience section.
“I’ll read that later,” the hiring professional will say when faced with having to decode a resume with these characteristics. Too much time, too much work. But here’s the thing…
Most hiring professionals NEVER get to the MAYBE pile.
September 29th, 2008
This is where I lose more people, even those who thought they “got” me on the marketing tool point.
Let me explain. When someone is reading your resume, they are telling themselves a story about who you are. “This is a woman who gets bored easily and bounces around a lot,” they will think when they see a page with six different jobs on it that all last about 18 months. That might not be the truth, but unless something on the page (or at least in the attached cover letter) says otherwise, that’s the conclusion. Maybe three of those jobs were in the same company, just different divisions. Maybe one exit was a due to a non-profit shuttering it’s doors. You’d better make sure these parts of the story are conveyed in your resume.
What story does your resume tell about you?
September 14th, 2008
When I say this, it resonates with some people, gives a eureka moment to some, and confuses others.
Don’t tell me everything, just tell me the things I need to know that will convince me that you are the right person for the position you are seeking. And I’m not talking just about the words- although of course they are key. There is also font, the layout, how the jobs are positioned, what is bold and what is not… everything adds up. If you are looking for a creative position, don’t use a resume that looks like you are seeking a job in a bank. Everything counts.
As far as your career history, highlight the skills and the most valuable experience you have for the job you want. You take out or push to the background anything that isn’t relevant. It can be done. I do it all the time for people wanting to redirect their careers or even just jump to the next level.
I have turned a graphic designer resume into an event planner resume for someone who used it to make a complete career change. I have made different versions of a resume for a school director with a big-time business background who wasn’t sure which path he wanted to follow next. I have taken several administrative or junior executive resumes to the next level, positioning them for a move up the ladder.
Everything on that page will either rule you in or rule you out as a candidate for the job. Give yourself the best advantage with a resume that sells you properly.
September 12th, 2008
Congratulations! You’ve already gotten your first crew production job.
In addition to calling everyone you knew in the biz to get job leads, if you lived in Los Angeles or New York, you bought a copy of either the Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday or Daily Variety on Friday when they publish their production listings, and you found the movies in pre-production and in preparation in your area. If you lived somewhere other than LA or NY, you contacted the local film board to find out about productions in town.
You cold-called every single one, always being polite and friendly and not being thrown off by the sometimes-abrupt phone manners of the production personnel on the other end of the line. You emailed or faxed your neat, well-written resume to everyone who said they might be able to use you and then you called to follow up until you heard a no or, finally, a yes.
How do you get your second production job?
On your first job, you follow instructions to the letter and do every single thing that is asked of you, you solve problems yourself if you can and notify your supervisor if you can’t, you jump in and help anyone who needs it, and you don’t complain ever to anyone. You make friends with the other crew members, especially the assistants in the departments you might want to transition into (the bosses are probably too busy to be your friend), and you stay in touch with everyone who might be able to hire you in the future and everyone who tells you they might know someone who can use you.
And, in case you’re wondering, that’s also how you get your second production job.
August 26th, 2008
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