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Make Yourself Interesting So Job Prospects Come to You Tired of searching for your next great job? Maybe it is time to approach your job search from a new perspective. Often, when we are looking for our next great job, we take the usual steps: update resume, brush up on interview skills, network, and obsessively peruse job search websites. However, what is often underestimated is how valuable your interests outside of work are as well. The traditional methods of job preparation are necessary and you can not completely do away with them. This time, why not try something different? As soon as you stop looking for your next job and make yourself more interesting, that is when your next job might find you. Let Your Next Job Find You If you want to attract job prospects then you must first be “Attractive.” Simple enough! One great way to improve your attractiveness to job prospects is to be an interesting person outside of work. Here are some things you can do to help you with this endeavor. Identify and Follow your Passions. It is time to evaluate what your interests are. What are you passionate about? Once you have identified what your passions are, find a hobby that reflects them. Volunteer or Develop a Skill or Hobby. One way to become more interesting and attract more job prospects is to develop a skill or hobby. Play an instrument? Play a sport? Write? Paint? What about volunteering your time? Now might be as good a time as any to start. Keep a Positive Attitude. When in search for your next great job, maintaining a great attitude is key. A person with a winning attitude acknowledges his or her fear and yet still moves forward. Above all, you must try to maintain a winning attitude. “What Are Your Interests?” It sounds cliché, but having a life outside of work can make you happier, and more successful. Plus, having diverse interests and hobbies will definitely make you more attractive to job prospects. Interviewers want to know what your outside interests are in order to get a better feel of your personality and transferable skill sets. Skills developed with your outside interests may align nicely with the job for which you are interviewing. So it would be of benefit for you to have an answer to this question. Remember, you are not a walking resume. You are so much more than your career and it is important that your life reflects that. The irony of that is when it does, you inadvertently become more attractive to job prospects. Do yourself a favor and spend a little less time networking and perusing job search websites and more time investing your energy into your life outside of work. Become a more interesting person and watch the job prospects find you! Do you need help finding a new job or have more questions? Contact Melissa Schafer (melissa.schafer@allemby.com) from Allemby Management Group Inc. for more information today! #jobsearchtips #jobsearch #allemby

My full time role is working as a recruiter, headhunter, and search practitioner – there are many different titles. This means, I fill my days either looking for candidates to fill roles or introducing my services to prospective clients. One of the most frequently asked questions I get is “How do you find people” for these roles? The answer – it depends: Frankly, I prefer to ‘go and find’ the candidates I am looking for that fit my search criteria. So, either I reach out to my network that may have contact with an ideal candidate(s) or I find them because they are happy doing what they are doing (and not actively looking for a change). How does a candidate position themselves to be found by a recruiter? 1. Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date and populated with relevant data! BTW - You can click looking for ‘new opportunities”. It will show up on the Recruiter platform - not your public profile (see Me icon) 2. Join your associations 3. Respond to ads that you are truly a fit with – this doesn’t guarantee a call back though will catch the eye of the reviewer for this or other related roles. 4. Engage in industry platforms so you will get known by your peers. What else can YOU do to get noticed? 1. Maintain relationships. Rarely does it happen that the time you are ready for a new role, the exact position is available. Checking in every once in a while and sharing industry info works both ways and helps keep you top of mind. 2. You may approach a recruiter who has a specialty in your field to increase the likelihood that one of the roles they are currently working on or may be working on in the future will create a match. 3. Answer ads that are closely aligned with your skill sets. The recruiter may like your experience enough to set up an initial call. 4. Make the most of the position you are in! You may find unexpected internal (or external) opportunities! There is no “one size fits all” in the world of recruiting. One thing is for sure – the more engaged you are in your role, the more likely you will be found!

The CoronaVirus pandemic created a new work landscape for those used to a traditional 9-5 work environment. Gone are the days of the morning and evening commute and in-person conversing with work colleagues during the work day. After more than a year of living in this pandemic, views towards working from home (WFH) have changed. Many report better productivity not having to spend time commuting, while others miss the workplace environment and the socialization part of the office. It is easier to walk over to someone's desk to ask a question rather than having to wait for an email, telephone or Zoom/Teams/Skype reply. On the other hand, some have fears about returning to an office environment due to remaining pandemic anxiety. So the question becomes - will WFH options become more flexible moving forward? There is no easy answer. Decisions around WFH take into account several factors: How critical is in-person work to the company's success? What are the costs/savings of office rents/expenses? How does in person vs virtual attendance affect productivity rates? Companies such as Twitter have made the decision to close all of their offices and make the company strictly remote. So what should companies and those seeking jobs keep in mind during the hiring process? For the company: As a company, keep an open dialogue. If going back to the office is deemed fundamental for success, maybe partial WFH options are possible. Listen to employees' concerns and suggestions to make an informed decision about WFH policies. When hiring for new positions make it clear the expectations for in-person vs remote vs hybrid attendance. For the job seeker: Ask questions! Do not be afraid to inquire about your concerns regarding in-person work. Make yourself aware of the types of industries that will likely require physical attendance at work. If this is something you are feeling uncomfortable with, maybe it’s time to re-evaluate your profession. The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated a change in the work landscape. As Deepak Chopra once said ”All great changes are preceded by chaos”.

Are you a “glass half full” person? We know it’s a cliché, however your ability to focus on the positive in every situation makes you much more marketable. Why does this matter? It matters because no matter what industry you work in, people are drawn to a positive attitude. No matter where you are in your career, maintaining an optimistic attitude is necessary. Optimism Equals Approachability Believe it or not, the way you think will significantly impact your interactions with your coworkers, your employer, and will eventually impact how well you do your job. Being approachable will help you build relationships with your colleagues. Approachability Increases Opportunity A positive attitude will also make you a more attractive hire to prospective employers. Every interaction that you have, personal or professional, will either add to or subtract from your personal brand. Think of every person that you encounter as your personal public relations representative. The better things they have to say about you, the better. Confidence Improves Your Professional Reputation While you are only as good as your last job, your professional reputation means everything. Always keep this in mind when looking for your next opportunity. Let’s take a look at the attributes of a “glass half full” attitude and how that optimism can make you more approachable in business. Have a Strong Work Ethic. Being dedicated and committed to your work is an invaluable attribute for a positive attitude. Success does not come to the lazy. The energy that you put into a project will ultimately pay off. Be Fearless. There is no shame in failing, only in not trying. Fear stands in the way of success. Take a risk, the results may surprise you. A person with a positive attitude acknowledges his or her fear and moves forward anyway. Rebound from Setbacks. Setbacks and failures will happen. When they do, how you pick yourself up and start again speaks to the strength of your character. Learn from setbacks and resolve to start again stronger and wiser. Be Humble. People with inflated egos are often easily offended. This can be dangerous in business. No one knows it all, not even you. Humility in business, especially during moments of conflict or disagreement will serve you well. Embrace Challenges. A willingness to work outside of your comfort zone and embrace a challenge is a definite attribute of a positive attitude. Resolving to get the job done in spite of the circumstances will serve you well. It’s simple, really. The better your attitude, the more approachable you become. The more approachable you are, the more opportunities that will come your way. It is never too late, do yourself a favor and adopt a “glass half full” attitude. It will always serve you well. Contact Melissa Schafer (melissa.schafer@allemby.com) from Allemby Management Group Inc. for more information today! #jobsearchtips #jobsearch #allemby

LinkedIn (LI) is a professional site …” mainly used for professional networking, including employers posting jobs and job seekers posting their CVs.” So why create a profile and leave it with the bare minimum of information? As a recruiter who uses LI regularly to source, engage with and recruits applicants, it always surprises me why someone creates a profile and leaves it half empty. When I have a large number of profiles to review, I will generally pass on contacting a candidate who has not taken the time to flush out their profile. When completing your profile, list at least your key job functions and the time you have spent at each role. Education is also helpful regardless of the level you have completed. Creating a profile on LinkedIn may or may not mean you are looking for a job. Here are a few other reasons to create a full outline: 1. Business development. An organization looks to see why your business is a fit for theirs. Do we have connections in common? Do you do work or offer a service that is compatible with ours? 2. Looking for committee members. Does this person have the experience we need for the task as hand? 3. Speakers for an event. Does this individual have the expertise in the topic we are presenting? 4. A full profile will also weed out those who are looking for skills other than yours.

So you have worked on your resume, applied to job posting or companies directly and landed an interview! You prepped by learning about the company and anticipated all the questions they might ask during your meeting. And the interview is done… What now? Practice the 3 ‘R’s: Reflect Respond Relax Reflect: While no one ever knows for sure how an interview went, you can reflect on the experience from all angles by asking yourself a few questions. Firstly, review the notes taken during the meeting and recall mentally what took place after you are done. Were your responses ‘canned’ or did you genuinely and thoroughly answer all the questions? Did you listen as much as you spoke? Did you leave the meeting feeling like you demonstrated a match between your skill set and the requirements of the role? After hearing more details about the position from the interviewer, are you still interested in the role – and not just because it is a job? Respond: Did you follow up with the recruiter (inside or outside vendor) to express your interest in the role? If there were any additional documents or answers requested or volunteered, have you followed up? Relax: Hopefully you left the interview feeling you have put your best foot forward and given it ‘all you got’. Internal needs within a company change rapidly, so give it a week to 10 days and then reach out again if you have no other feedback. Continue interviewing with opportunities that come up because you might just come across an opening that seems like a long shot and ends up being your perfect fit!

I have been in the recruiting world for over 30 years. While there have been major changes during that time - some things remain the same. You are still recruiting humans, not robots (that is a blog for another time). While time to hire, candidate location and types of employment have drastically changed and improved, ultimately the end result is the same. You are hiring someone to help build your business and hopefully remain a loyal employee for an extended period of time. Major changes: Geographic sourcing and location Many roles – particularly in the last 8+ months – have proven that you do not need to be in a physical office setting to get the job done! It opens up the talent pool to find the perfect candidate. With several large companies (e.g. Twitter) allowing employees to work off-site, full time, indefinitely, some roles will continue to have an expanded workforce to recruit from. While some positions require working on site and having contact with others – e.g. some health care and service roles – many positions are adapting to be done off-site. This also leads to opening up the talent pool of candidates who otherwise would not have considered a position because of the commute or geographic location. Time and cost to hire Technology has accelerated and refined both the software and hardware available to collect applications, source candidates and interview online. Candidates are open to engaging with recruiters in a digital platform more than ever. Engaging with applicants and their referrals becomes much quicker. The cost for a candidate search has also been refined. Billing used to be done on a contingency or a retained basis - period. The fees were high. Now with improved technology, more can be done in house and candidate identification can be quicker (generally speaking). Search fees have come down (or they should have) and there are more creative ways to bill e.g. partial portions of a search, hourly minimums charges. Virtual screening With the sophistication of Zoom and Microsoft Teams (to mention a few), an employer or recruiter can get almost the same vibe as face to face interviewing. These platforms are relatively simple to use and continue the face to face engagement crucial to an interview. They have become a huge time and cost saver in travel and space requirements for a face to face meeting. Virtual recruiting is here to stay! Categories of roles Part-time and contract positions are more standard than in the past. Within some full time roles, there are components that require input though not necessitating the need for a full time person. It is a cost effective way to manage the workforce. Elements that remain constant: Openness and transparency throughout the interview process – from both sides Employers have to pay attention to Candidate Experience - the journey taken to get a job. Not every applicant will be interviewed or ultimately get hired. However, being upfront with candidates will go a long way for the company brand. A prospective employee puts a lot of effort into preparing for the application and interview process. Employers should be sensitive to this and acknowledge a candidate - even if only a note of receipt of an application. ‘Ghosting’ - while I have experienced this less times than I can count on one hand - ‘ghosting' an employer (not showing up for an interview or a start date) is a big no-no. As an employee you appreciate transparency - extend the same professionalism to a prospective employer. Nothing beats a face to face interview There are things an in-person meeting provides to both sides. An employer can get a feel for a candidate’s responsiveness and enthusiasm differently than in an online meeting. A candidate can get a sense of the ‘corporate’ environment they will be visiting regularly (whatever regularly will mean in the future) as well as the reaction of the interviewer to their answers. Yes, the hiring process has dramatically transformed. Embracing these changes contributes to (hopefully) more engaged employees and smoother recruiting practices. It applies to both employers and employees. The expression “You get what you give” is a mantra to be used by everyone involved in the hiring process.

I have been splitting my time between a home and external office for most of my career and I wanted to share a few tips that I have used to make working from a home office an easy experience! 1. Have a designated work space – separating your personal and work life is key. 2. Keep a regular work schedule every day. Get up, get dressed and go to work. 3. When at work, stay away from household duties. Separate work and home responsibilities. 4. If you usually leave the office at lunch for errands or a walk – keep doing it. This will give you a sense of normalcy and also keep you on a regular schedule. 5. If you need the collaboration or company of others, schedule online meetings. You will continue to stay connected to your work community. 6. Enjoy a shortened commute! Great things can happen when working from home. In 1665, the University of Cambridge temporarily closed due to the bubonic plague. Isaac Newton had to work from home and used this time to develop calculus and the theory of gravity. Let’s make the most of this! Happy working and social distancing!

There is a lot written on how to format a resume and make it work for an Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). As a reminder, an ATS system manages the recruiting and hiring process, including culling candidates whose resumes are outside an ATS ready format. (ref 1) However, not all companies or job boards use ATS systems. For those instances where your resume is presented directly to the job poster, I wanted to make a few suggestions on the content of your resume. Here are a few points to help you clearly communicate your skills: Include all relevant data – if you have been at job for many years with continued progression, show it all. Focus the achievements on the last few roles though indicate your longevity with the company. If you have had several roles, list the company name once and indicate your title and the length of time in each role. List your achievements vs your job description responsibilities - e.g. how you reduced task time or increased productivity because of your actions. Emphasis transferable skills - If you are applying to a role different than your current position, talk about how your existing skills will help and fit with this new role. Ensure your ‘Other Achievements’ mention the level or accomplishment. e.g. member of a club or team – what did you specifically do or language skills – talk about your fluency – professional or casual level Have a notation at the bottom page with your name and pages (e.g. Jane Doe…/page x of y.) If the resume happens to get printed and pages are separated, this makes it easy to match to the candidate. Use 2 pages if you need to flesh out the information. It is hard to evaluate a candidate if relevant information is left out. Make sure you add your LinkedIn profile URL. (ref 2) There is a train of thought that resumes may one day become obsolete. Until (if) that happens, ensure you hand over a document that presents you in the best possible way! --------- References: https://searchhrsoftware.techtarget.com/definition/applicant-tracking-system-ATS https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/87/customizing-your-public-profile-url?lang=en