Posted: 11 Feb 2011 04:12 PM PST

You're interviewing for a job and you know you may need time away from the office to care for your children, or for a terminally ill parent, or for your own serious medical condition. What and when do you tell your potential boss? Vicki Brackett, who runs Make It Happen for Women, a firm in Denver that professes to do "job search makeovers," takes a hard-line stance. "You never tell an employer," she says emphatically. "Never. Not until you've been there a while."

Especially in this job market, she adds. The competition for jobs is so fierce that employers will always go for the candidate they believe can work the longest and hardest. "What employer wants to hire someone who's not going to be there?" she asks.

In Pictures: What To Reveal During Your Job Search

Many job seekers, especially women, want to find a job that fits their life, rather than the other way around, Brackett says: "What women want most is a culture that works for them. They make the mistake of thinking that other women are going to understand, or that employers will care. It could be that the woman who's interviewing you barely got to work in the morning because of problems at home. She doesn't want to hire someone who has problems at home too."

Brackett advises that as a job candidate you focus on proving your value to an employer, not only throughout the job search but even in the first months on the job. Some companies don't firm up their hires until an initial trial period of 90 days has come to a close. Only then should the employee consider asking for flextime. Frame the request by describing how it will benefit the company. "You should say, 'It's something that can help me be more effective,'" Brackett advises. "Every discussion should be about the company."

Stay away from chatter about your personal life, including seemingly harmless topics, she also advises. Even if you just returned from a fabulous two-week honeymoon in Italy, keep that to yourself. "The boss may think, here's someone who takes long, expensive vacations. She's going to want a lot of time off."

Though it may seem a smart move to form a personal bond with an interviewer, avoid the temptation, Brackett says. A harried employer can view even do-gooding work outside the office as a liability these days, she adds. "If you say you've been out banging nails for Habitat for Humanity, the employer might think, she's going to want time off to do that." Only bring up non-work subjects if you've done your homework and you know, for instance, that the company encourages employees to do volunteer jobs.

Keep in mind that employers are forbidden by law to ask most personal questions. Kathleen McKenna, a partner in the labor practice at the law firm Proskauer Rose, says that both federal and local statutes forbid interviewers from asking about marital or family status, or about medical conditions. The only exception comes when a medical condition may directly affect the candidate's ability to do the job. "If someone comes in in a wheelchair and you're hiring for a pole-vaulting position, then you can ask, 'Exactly how do you see this working for you?'" McKenna says.

Not all career coaches agree with Brackett's zero-disclosure policy. Win Sheffield, a coach in New York City, says, "The way I look at the job interview process, it's about three things: Can you do the job, is it a job you want, and will you fit at the company." If you realize during the search process that a special medical condition or family circumstance will make for a bad fit, then speak up, Sheffield says, or at least be honest with yourself. If you don't, you may wind up feeling you betrayed yourself--or your employer may feel you betrayed her.

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The Job Search - It takes a CEO Mindset

Posted: 11 Feb 2011 02:41 PM PST

02.11.2011– Sales executive Mike Nunnally commenced his job search a couple of months ago with the traditional approach of going to the job boards, applying, and waiting for the phone to ring. Like millions of other job seekers this mundane approach certainly provides a sense of accomplishment to a certain degree, many soon start to realize that it's like playing the lottery; the job search today for most, has become the luck of the draw and an act of futility, frustration, anger and at times, depression.

As a highly successful and accomplished sales executive, Mike soon realized that he needed to utilize his talents in sales, along with his entrepreneurial mindset, and apply them to his job search! After all, the job search is all about branding, selling and marketing one of the most important commodities: YOU! "Job seeking is YOU SELLING," Mike says, "and when I started my search, I was not really organized or prepared to put together a professional job search campaign - I was just looking for a job." Mike knew that he had the sales and marketing expertise to transition into the "CEO mindset," but found himself challenged with all of the technologies and social media platforms to be most effective. He was then introduced to Emprove's Career Search Strategies 2.0 program (CSS 2.0).

Mike states, "I decided to attend a free CSS 2.0 webinar – and after 3 hours – I wanted MORE. I drank the Kool-Aid and never looked back. I have attended this program two times since then and I learn more and more each time. It is not a webinar – it is an exciteinar – it is a learninar – it is a funinar. After seeing these tools, I created a personal brand and resume that are simply show stoppers. I also took the advice of the program and now have a web site that is completely unique and intrigues any potential company looking for the perfect fit. I now have recruiters and hiring executives calling me out of the blue, by utilizing all of the great networking scripts and marketing delivery methods to promote by brand and website! These guys at Emprove really know their stuff, in fact they have assisted close to 1,000 people land jobs since they launched this program 10 months ago. I was skeptical at first, but then I joined their LinkedIn group where I saw discussions and comments from professionals just like me who were truly landing jobs!"

Mike also adds, "The group on LinkedIn, Career Search Strategies 2.0 is not a group at all – it is a FAMILY – it is a graduate school – it is an experience - it is whatever you make it. And their philosophy of "Work Hard | Work Smart | Play Later" is ingrained in every facet of the program. Within the amazing Resource Library that is available to the members of the "group" is a huge toolbox that provides a step by step process complete with templates, links, and video snippets to completely re-package anyone's job search. Dieter Hertling, the group's administrator and leader of the program, is constantly stating the obvious "use the tools and you can't lose" - and folks it works! This library literally explodes with excitement as you look at the amazing differences in the traditional approach to a job search versus the CSS approach. You become energized with a tool box that sets you apart from virtually all other job candidates. Dieter has the ability to immediately captivate you, the enthusiasm never lets up, you are motivated, you become empowered, and you are challenged. The Q/A sessions that are conducted on a weekly basis are equally exciting – I have not missed one since I discovered them. Dieter is completely unselfish with his time!! He is always available to assist with whatever question or issue or guidance we need. The services that are available are AWESOME. Dieter is a complete perfectionist and his team of experts produce the most creative suite of products that you know your competition for "that job" simply does not have."

ABOUT EMPROVE PERFORMANCE GROUP, LLC

To learn more about Emprove's Career Search Strategies 2.0 program, please go to www.emprovegroup.com.

ABOUT MIKE NUNNALLY

Mike Nunnally is a high-energy, strategic sales and account management executive with demonstrated accomplishments in the development and management of Fortune 500 clients in the financial services vertical. With critical cross-functional expertise and application of solution sales cycle processes and client relationship management techniques Mike is a solid candidate to assist any progressive firm in achieving solid growth/profitability objectives, along with adding new revenue streams. Mike is a consistent high-performer possessing a unique combination of market development, cross-selling and account retention skills with key, national accounts. He has superb internal and external client focus with the ability to remedy challenges individually and collaboratively. As an expert in communication, negotiation and organizational skills with the capacity to work in fast-paced and changing environments, Mike Nunnally is an investment in performance, profitability and shareholder value. You can learn more about Mike's career history and accomplishments at www.mikenunnally.com.

Take Control Of Your Job Search

Posted: 12 Feb 2011 09:30 AM PST

Finding the right job in a tough job market will require you to take control of your job search through change and strategy. It is in times of tough competition that we realize how necessary it is to assess what we can change to better compete above others applying for the same jobs.

Your focus should be finding the right job for you and doing everything you can to be the best person for that job. In today's job market it is up to you to get hired not the employers job to hire you . A systematic plan of action can help you take and keep control of your job search.

Most people will find it hard to change even though their old job search strategy did not yield favorable results. Changing how you are planning your job search and keeping the focus on finding the right job for you will motivate you to continue to reach a higher level of outcome.

Make yourself accountable for the organization of your job search. Take control of your job search by deciding what you want to do and how you will do it. Try new things that will advance your job search. Set goals to accomplish and stay on track to establish what is working and what is not.

Set short term job search goals like improving your networking skills or attending training seminars. Improving your skills will help you to assess your skill set and force you to evaluate your progress. Know what your skills are and learn how to communicate them to others.

Narrow your job search and ask yourself what kind of job you are looking for and what skills you have to offer for that kind of job. Only apply for jobs that you are interested in working and are qualified to work. This will give employers what they are looking for and will be in your favor.

Take control of your job search and be open to change while you develop the strategy that will find the right job for you. Knowing yourself and learning to convey your uniqueness to others will help you to stay on track and keep in control while you are job searching.

Content copyright © 2011 by Gwendolyn Thompson. All rights reserved.
This content was written by Gwendolyn Thompson. If you wish to use this content in any manner, you need written permission. Contact Gwendolyn Thompson for details.

Job Search

Saturday, February 12, 2011

“What To Reveal During Your Job Search” plus 2 more

“What To Reveal During Your Job Search” plus 2 more

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