Started From the Bottom Now We Here: Launching your Career

While researching the art of career development I’ve talked with many college graduates that get upset when they’re forced to take jobs in lower positions.  Many have the belief that they should be getting top dollar jobs coming out of college. You should focus on targeting entry level positions coming out of college to position yourself for a long term career. I’m not saying you shouldn’t shoot for the stars and aim high. Starting on top sounds great but there are many benefits of aiming at lower positions.

Starting from the bottom after coming out of college will expose you to more great jobs. One of the biggest dilemmas you will deal with after college is how to get advantageous or marketable experience if companies don’t give you a chance. You might be qualified for a sales manager role with your credentials but companies pick other candidates that are more qualified.  If you think you have the skills for the role, aim for the lower position and demonstrate your capabilities.

Sometimes getting your foot in the door will position you for growth opportunities.  I have a friend that took an entry position coming out of college and worked within that role for six months. After six months, he discovered an opening that was advertised internally three weeks before the company shared the information with the public. He was able to take advantage of the position and get the promotion simply because he was positioned within the company to do so. In fact, the position was at a higher level than the position he originally wanted to apply for. My point is that, taking an entry level position can help you position yourself for greater opportunities.

If you want to increase your chances of finding a job after college, target entry level positions in your field to increase your success rate. Many of our college professors tell us what to expect in the “real world” once we graduate but you should take into account their position. 

Three Things You Should Do While Job Hunting

Imagine sitting at home filled with frustration because the job you had for five years just let you go. Company X just got acquired by a Japanese company. You turn on the TV and start to watch the news and wonder how you can get back in the job market. We all experience this at least once in our career. The worst thing to do at this moment is to dwell on the job you’ve lost. You need to be proactive and preparing to get your next job. While you’re in this process there are three things you need to be doing to maximize your job hunt.

1. Get a part time job

I understand you have your pride and you were doing amazing things in your previous organization but let’s examine reality. You’re currently unemployed and unless your unemployment is still in function then you should be getting a part time job at least. Keeping cash in your pocket will reduce your stress level and buy you time to look efficiently and effectively. This will keep your cash flow moving and allow you to remain active during the downtime. Having a part time job will help you avoid having gaps in your resume as well.

1. Start Networking

You will never regret stretching your network in the world of hunting for jobs. Spend time growing your network and the opportunities will follow.  I have received majority of my job offers through connections I have built in the past through networking. If you don’t know where to start check out Meetup.com in your local city and see what events are currently happening. This serves as a good resource which tells you about group meet-ups based on your interest and your location

1. Improve your skillset

When you’re in the job hunt it’s a perfect time to add to your skillset. When I finished contract roles in the past I designed a set of learning goals that I would work on in my spare time. You should be finding ways to make yourself more valuable when you land your next job. I once spoke with a lady that learned how to write code during the four months she was unemployed. She was able to land a higher paying job in her field because of some of the unique skill set she developed during her time unemployed.

If you’re currently unemployed make sure you’re doing these three activities to maximize yourself in the job hunt. When you’re done reading this pull out a notebook and start developing a strategy around these three activities. Losing a job is devastating but the one’s that quickly rebound use these three activities to maximize their time. 

Three Rules for Starting a Business Career after College

Spending the past 7 years interviewing HR execs, recruiters and business owners to learn what it really takes to have a successful career. In the midst of this time I have worked with small to large companies as well as some of the fastest growing companies in the country. I have also interviewed with tons of amazing companies which has helped me to develop an understanding of the interview process and how to develop a successful career. I’m not here to tell you canned answers like many of the career counselors and coaches in the industry. I’m here to give real world knowledge that’s going to prepare you to have a successful transition into a great career. In this article I’m going to focus on three rules to having a successful transition from college to a successful career.


1. Learn the company Lingo

Every organization has their cultural lingo to describe what’s really happening in the organization. As a new college graduate in your first work environment it’s important for you to learn what certain words mean in your organization. When you hear the word “Transitions” from your manager does this mean potential downsizing or is it a term used to describe new development. If you understand the lingo you can prepare for upcoming changes. Most companies don’t openly discuss major changes with any employee. All companies have levels in which certain levels of information can be shared. Knowing these terms in your current work environment can be the difference between you surviving off unemployment or successfully transitioning to another company. Study the lingo in your organization to know where you sit within the company.

 2. Focus on a dream career instead of a dream job

You should focus on developing transferable skills instead of getting a dream job coming out of school. Many people hope to have their dream job coming out of college and I’m not against this but you should be focused on what skills are going to prepare you for a dream career. Focusing on a dream job is a small aspect of your life because jobs come and go but building a career has the ability to last a lifetime. I have had dream jobs coming out of school but what happens if the company downsizes, merges or gets acquired. The skills you develop at your first job out of college should transcend the role itself. This is important because you can bring a better set of skills to your next role.

 3. Your Morals & Ethics Vs. The Company

 I’ve had many interviews where the company hiring manager speaks on “finding the right fit”. I know coming out of college you may believe all companies have great morals but it’s not the case. Starting a new job is exciting but your homework consists of more than company training. You need to be exploring what the company culture is really about. Go out for drinks with some of the colleagues, drink water to stay sharp and ask questions. I went out for drinks with one of my fellow colleagues and what he told me made me glad that I stopped my pursuit to work with them. He told me they placed a lady in a position in which she turned down a full time offer to accept. The company decided to let her go after a week. I knew I didn’t want to take part in ruining people lives with false promises. Study the true morals of the company you plan to work for and make sure you’re both on the same page.

 Many of you plan to graduate soon with hopes to finding a job. If you’re six months away from that date I encourage you start immediately on building connections and starting interviews. If you want to be successful in today’s market you need to develop.

You Inc. : Build Your Career like a Business

Being successful in today’s market takes more than just having a college degree. The most successful people are strategic about how they approach their careers. You have to develop a set of strategies that will help you navigate beyond road blocks. Today I’m going to discuss two things that are going to make you more successful in your career. Two things you need to have in order to successfully run your career like a business is developing a Separating Factor and a Marketing Approach.

When you sit down in an interview, one of the questions you have to answer is what makes you different.  What makes you different is called your separating factor. Businesses that survive and remain in business for long periods of time have a separating factor that they can leverage beyond their competitors. Just like businesses, professionals that have a separating factor thrive. If you plan to have a successful career you must have a separating factor.

Then next important factor that will increase your chances is the marketing approach. How are you spreading the news of who you are? What do potential employers think when they view your LinkedIn profile or resume? Are you exposing yourself in an environment for employers to find you? You want to make sure that you are putting your best representation upfront for recruiters and employers to see.

One of the clients I worked with in the past was an engineer that couldn't get an interview. I discovered that she only sent her resume out hoping that employers would contact her. We partnered up and developed a marketing approach that helped her build some traction in her journey. She went from no interviews to gaining interviews from multiple companies. Instead of looking at the job hunt as an extra activity She started looking at the process as managing a business.

 My advice to anyone that’s in the job hunt, develop a separating factor and create a strong marketing approach. These two things are going to help you define what you need to do in your market to become successful. If you treat your job hunt like a hobby you’ll get limited results but I you want to have a successful job hunt, build your career like a business.

Interview Mastery: Sell The Story of You

     Interviews can be tough to deal with when your job hunting. Nobody wants to build up their excitement for an interview only to receive the dreadful “Thank you for the interest but we picked someone else” email.  I’m going to share one technique with you that’s going to improve your confidence, performance and ultimately get you more job offers.

     If you want to improve your next interview performances you need to present your skill set and prove them through story illustration.  During my interviews when the employer asks me “what separates you from everyone else” I always tell the hiring manager that my desire to succeed is incomparable. After making this statement I follow by telling him that at one time I drove a limo twenty hours a day to generate money to relocate, read books on Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics and learned to write JavaScript within a year period to develop myself.

     My story sells the idea that I want to get across to the interviewer.  Telling the interviewer random facts only present part of the message. When you tell a story to back up the idea, you bring the idea to life.  Let’s picture ourselves in the interviewer place and imagine that we’re trying evaluating a total stranger.  Everything the candidate says we’re looking for proof to validate his statements.  We’re looking to see how the candidate would actually fit into the company structure. Next interview you schedule, make sure you take time to prepare your stories to prove your facts.

3 Keys to Transform Your Career

As the end of the year approaches everyone starts to kick back and plan for upcoming vacations. Many of us are looking forward to a fresh start for the new year and some hoping to start a new career. The big question for many of us becomes how do I take my career to the next level. I was faced with the same question when I saw things not working in my professional life. After years of personally transforming my own life here are three tips that if utilized will transform your career to the next level.

1.       Your 24hr

2.       Skill Assessment

3.       Network

One of the most important question you need to ask yourself is what are you doing in your 24 hrs.  Warren Buffet does not have any more hours in a day than you do but he is wealthy because of what he does during his 24 hrs. I challenge you to take a half sheet of paper and write down throughout the day exactly what you’re doing in your 24hrs.

The second area you should evaluate is your skill set. What skill can you add to your arsenal that is going to take your career to the next level? If you’re in marketing and you want to make 80k a year instead of 50k you need to ask yourself what skills a person that makes 80k has that I need to develop. What type of projects can I do to develop this certain skill. I had gentlemen that applied for a job that required salesforce and he decided to get a book on how to operate salesforce.  He not only learned how to operate salesforce he was offered the job. What he did that took his career was evaluate what skills he needed an he went the extra mile to gain those skills

One of the most important keys to transforming your career is upgrading your network. If you want transform anything in life you must understand “Environment is everything”. Your network is a direct reflection of who you are or who you become as a person. The opportunities you gain in your career will come from the people you know.  The people who never make more than 25k a year network with people that make on average 25k a year. I grew up in Detroit and when I graduated I started hanging around people who wanted a higher level of education and higher income. Five years later I graduated from college to make a higher level of income than my peers.

Tomorrow after work I want you to take out a notepad and evaluate these three things in your life. Take notes on how you spend your 24hrs, asses what skills will grow your career and look at your current network. Evaluate these three things objectively and start making changes where it’s needed. If you focus on these three, you will notice your career will begin to transform.

Optimize Your Job Hunt with These Two Activities

Nobody likes the long and dry process of hunting for a new job.  Instead of taking the job hunt seriously many people procrastinate and spend very little time within process. If you’re expecting to send in a resume or fill out an application and get job offers piling up at the your doorstep then you’re sadly mistaken

The people that have the most success with finding career jobs turn their job hunt into a job. You need to be investing time into your job hunt if you plan to be successful. There are many things that are involved with the job hunt but for the purpose of this article I will focus on two key activities that will help maximize your job hunt:  making time to contact employers and logging all your contacts and conversations.

Schedule time to contact potential employers and increase your exposure. The only way you’re going to find jobs is eventually connecting with the people that can hire you. You need to be constantly talking with new employers, mapping out companies and finding the decision makers.

You want to be as efficient as possible with your contacts to avoid wasting time. The best way to be efficient is organizing all your contacts and logging their conversations. One of the ways I was able to stay organized was simply entering contacts into a database system. If you don’t have Microsoft office suite Google Drive has an excel file that you can use to enter names and contact information about every new connection you develop. Building off previous conversations you have with connections is essential to discovering new opportunities.

In my experience of helping people with the job hunting process the most overlooked activity is actually reaching out to employers and gaining information about the actual hiring process. Focus on these activities and be persistent and you will eventually find your ideal job.